This "interview" was conducted with Yves,Emélie and Kristof of PSY’AVIAH on 30 july 2010 Thanks Yves,Emélie and Kristof
We are happy to get the chance to ask you a few questions For the first question will be Thanks that you have found time to give answers to these questions,
PSY’AVIAH: Our pleasure!
From which country / town do you come from?
PSY’AVIAH: Belgium, Antwerp.
How are you doing? Where are you currently?
Emélie: I’m very well, thank you. Just got back from charity work in a hospital nearby. Right now I’m sitting at home, enjoying a free afternoon.
Yves: Fine, thanks. At home, enjoying some vacation, which means that I’m working on music ;)…
If people don't know what you and your music are about where have they been!?,how would you describe yourself? Could you briefly summarize Psy’Aviah and what you guys are about? If people don't know what you and your music are about, how would you describe Psy’Aviah?
Yves: Eclectic, electronic music with a hint of darkness!
Emélie: We are a crossover electro-rock band, with influences of new wave, EBM, goth, industrial, pop, etc… Always with a hint of darkness. Our lyrics are about things that we care about, like the environement, or things that happened to us or that we see happening around us.
Yves: Exactly, the main emphasis has always been on trying to explore and experiment with different genres, while keeping our own sound.
When did you form Psy’Aviah? What inspired you to make music together?
Yves: I started making music in 2002 +/-, later on Emélie and Kristof joined the band.
Kristof: They always said that the guitar dude of the band gets the chicks.
If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?
Emélie: That we feel passionate about so many genres, and we want to bring this feeling to the audience, let them experience this as well.
And that's how you came up with the name of the band? How did you come up with the name Psy’Aviah?
Yves: It’s a kind of disease, Emélie knows more about it…
Emélie: It’s about a study I once stumbled upon, about the danger of using cellphones combined with smoking… Apperently this will kill you within 20 years if you’re a heavy user of both. But the study of ‘Psy’Aviah’, as it is called, is unfortunatly not official, yet.
Back to your roots, how did you first come to music?
Yves: I got heavily inspired by hearing the track “The Power Of The Flower” from Praga Khan, they played it live in the now dead Zillion. After that I figured there’s so much to do with electronic music, thus I got started.
Emélie: Music has always been my life. Until I met Yves I didn’t know there was anybody out there who is as passionate about music as I am. At first I was much more into rock music, but thanks to Yves I learned to discover electronic music.
If you could play a show anywhere in the world where would it be?
Yves: We were once asked to play in a prison, but because of circumstances that didn’t go trhough… So that would be something… But I want to go everywhere they want us ;)…
Kristof: On a plane direction costa rica. I hate flying but want to cross the ocean. You lose yourself while playing, so maybe it's the only way to travel by plane...We should work on a much more longer setlist then.
Emélie: I would like to play in the U.S.A.!
What is your music background? Who are you and your bandmembers? Tell your story.
Yves: I’m the one twitching the knobs, programming the parts, composing and mixing the music. I do rough demos of the tracks, then pass them on to the other members. With their feedback I finish the tracks. Oh, and as for musical background, I once got kicked out of music-school ;)…
Kristof: My father has been the biggest input in this. The motown classics that he played while cooking. (It was so loud that we couldn't hear each other anymore) The endless numbers of cassettes on holiday. But I like a lot of styles of music. Most of the time I listen to soul, jazz or dirty rock.
Emélie: I do most of the vocals, design the typical Psy’Aviah style, play some live synths and make videos for the band from time to time.
What new music inspires you when you are writing? Tell me about lyrical compositions. What you can tell about the done work? How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song? Have you recorded any previous cd`s or posted any audio files on the Internet? what type of recording process did you use? who produced your recording?
Yves: I would lay down a demo or an idea of a track then send it over to the other members. Based on their feedback I then finish the song. This can be through internet, real life, at rehearsals, etc…
Emélie: Our first two albums were partly home recorded and partly at the Implant Plant with Len Lemeire from Implant and 32 Crash. When we made the first one, “Creationism”, we dind’t have a label yet, but the second album, “Entertainment Industries”, came out on Alfa Matrix. For “Eclectric” and the limited album “Eclectricism” we worked with Geert de Wilde from IC 434, for the mastering and mixing feedback.
So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
Yves: At the the moment I’m writing on stuff that’s inspired by key-words such as freedom/reggae/racing/me against the world/all work and no play/inner fears or inner emotions…
What is the key to making music from Psy’Aviah and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?
Yves: Good question, hmm.. It’s something I deal with often… I always try to incorporate new things that we haven’t done before, to keep it fresh for myself and the audience… I’m trying hard to not get stuck on one thing that works well, but it’s sometimes difficult not to repeat yourself.
What was it like the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio ore internet ore clubs? who was the DJ that played your song?
Emélie: I don’t remember who that was, but DJ Hive from Antwerps Vampire Party plays us at his parties from time to time.
Yves: I do remember, when we won the Studio Brussel demopoll back in 2003, that was the first time they played a Psy’Aviah track… Was fun but weird at the same time!
What day jobs did you guys have while you were putting the band together?
Emélie: We were all students and classmates when we started the band.
Yves: As Emélie said, when putting the band together we were students. Now I’m working as a software analist/programmer.
Kristof: Still have! and allways will... But we were students back then... now I'm a social worker/cook.
What do you do when you're not partaking in band activities? What would you be doing right now if you weren't in Psy’Aviah?
Kristof: Renovating? Concerts, cooking, jeux de boules. I also like gardening!
Yves: When there’s time left I like to go walking or cycling. I also like to watch racing (or play simulations), such as FIA GT/WTCC/F1 etc…
Emélie: I enjoy myself working in Photoshop or Premiere Pro, but I also love being outside, enjoying nature, going for long walks, or reading a good book.
If you weren't a musician what would you be?
Yves: I can’t imagine not doing music… :)! But, if I have to answer, probably something with computers ;)…
Emélie: I would always do something artistic, so perhaps I’d be a painter…
What are your top ten favorite Electronica / Big Beat / Industrial Club Songs of all time? Who is your favorite band at the moment? What are you currently listening to on your mp3 player? What artists have you been listening to these days??
Yves: Phew, that’s a difficult one… As I see you asking about big beat, well then it has to be “City Of a Thousand Sins” by Praga Khan, but I enjoy a lot of music, and a lot of different genres, for a complete list check out my last.fm page at http://www.last.fm/user/aredfox :).
Emélie: Many! I’ll give you some bands I enjoy: Praga Khan, Lords Of Acid, IC 434, Pangea, Tales Of Doom, VNV Nation, Edge Of Dawn, Covenant, Frozen Plasma, Diskonnekted, Project Pitchfork, Ayria, Emilie Autumn. But lately I’ve been listening a lot to IC 434 and the older works of Project Pitchfork.
Do you keep up with how the record has been selling? Is that really important to you?
Yves: We do. Alfa Matrix always keeps us up to date with the figures, and yes, in the end it is important to us. It’s not about making money, it’s about surviving and trying to save things for the future. I will always make music, but with good sales, whether via download or physical CD’s, it will make it possible to get it out there for people who enjoy it.
How did you sell your CD’s/Audio Files? (Consignment? Live sales? My space, iTunes,Distributor?)
Yves: We are mostly available in every shop, online or in the real worl, and that seems to work well for us. Being out there is important, because otherwise people don’t know you exist or they think that you as a band stopped making music :)… Also iTunes and digital sales are really going up. And, as you mentioned, live sales are equally important to us.
How did you come up with the title "Eclectric" (Psy’Aviah latest CD)
Yves: It’s a combination of the words eclectic and electric, because it really defines what we are and what we do.
All right. You guys toured heavily after "Eclectric" came out. How did the whole touring, to support that record, turn out? How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?
Emélie: It was very good! We had many good responses to this album, that offers even more of everything we offered before.
Yves: As for promotion we can’t complain either, various blogs and podcasts have noticed the release. We also get a lot of advice and support from Alfa Matrix.
Is touring a pleasure or a necessary evil?
Yves: I enjoy playing live a lot, and I feel we have grown a lot since our first steps. We’re definitely looking forward to some more live action! It’s also a place to meet people, to meet fans and people who like our music. Always nice to catch up or meet new people.
What's the band's favorite song to play live?
Emélie: I really like playing “Mine” and “No Excuse”.
Yves: I agree, and also want to add “Anger Management”.
What about all the big festivals? Summer Darkness in the netherlands? Mera Luna in Germany and Wave Gothic Treffen in Germany and many more?
Emélie: Yes, but very hard to get in when you’re not a very famous band. There are so many bands out there that are trying to get in, and we as a more pop-influenced band have it pretty hard…
Yves: True, we did play the BIMFestival and Gothic Festival. On both we got good reviews and sold a lot of CDs, which means it is possible to convince people on the spot! :)
How do you feel to hold the finished cd in your hands?
Emélie: Very good of course! I designed the cover myself so it was very pleasant to see what I had created on my computer, in real life.
Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?
Yves: Electronic music has made it’s way through and is here to stay. But, we often see that electornic music is often regarded as dance music, which isn’t always the case. Thus it’s sometimes difficult to get that through in a rock-minded environment ;)… But if we get a place to play outside the scene or somewhere else, we receive positive feedback and reactions. That’s nice, if people know and heard this kind of music, then they appreciate it. There’s still too much pre-conceived thoughts about it.
Do you see the Internet as a benefit for bands like Psy’Aviah ? Does the growing possibility of someone downloading your material, rather than buying it, worry you?
Emélie: Of course it happens, but I know that fans will buy our music. The internet is overall a good thing, for promotion etc.
How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Electronica / Big Beat / Industrial music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind?
Yves: Hmm.. We just try to deliver what we think is interesting. Staying as true and honest as possible about what you do, that is for me that strategy to continue on… But if that is always the best way, I don’t know ;)…
Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here…
Yves: If all goes as planned there should be a new online follow-up EP of Eclectric in fall or winter based on the featuring we did with ayria. We are carefully gathering remixes of artists we really like and preparing some extras…
And, finally, what does the next twelve months hold for the band?
Yves: Preparing the EP, more live action and working on new music!
Thanks alot for your answers! We wish you furthermore great success.
PSY’AVIAH: Thank you, it was our pleasure.
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