Featuring Jordi from DE_TOT_COR | Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl 03-03-2010 13:19
01- For the first question will be - Thanks Jordi that you have found time to give answers to these questions,How are you doing?
Hoi! Thank you very much for your interview. It's great to see there are some great eZines like yours that help to build this scene bigger and bigger.
02-Hello Jordi what noise do you make in DE_TOT_COR?
A lot of noise! I try to make alternative_industrial music. But everyone can name it by him/hemself after listening to it. Check the DE_TOT_COR music-players in the internet.
03-How's the start of 2010 been for you thus far?
Great! I have been working a lot in music. There are a lot of new DE_TOT_COR songs ready to complete a full album. I have also finished some remixes for NG-Pro and Studio-X these first two months of 2010.
04-do you know the netherland?
Is that nice country with all these coffeeshops in the streets? ;-) I've been there on holidays once. I was in Summer Darkness festival in Utrecht, and visited Amsterdam and Eindhoven too. There are some good music projects coming from the Netherlands and a great electro-trance scene I think... I wish I can return there some time.
05-For a lot of people, this is probably going to be their first full introduction to DE_TOT_COR so how about you tell us a little bit about how you guys know each other and how the band came together?
DE_TOT_COR is a computer with some synths and two speakers in front of me.
06- Do you follow the electronic music Industrial / Alternative do you have any other favourite bands?
I use to read some eZines and keep updated with releases and all that. I have a lot of favourite bands in this scene: VNV Nation, Reaper, Aesthetic Perfection, SITD, Noisuf-X, SAM, Rotersand, Covenant, Combichrist and more... I guess many of them are an influence in my music. This is the music I like to hear and do.
07-How is your relationship with other electronic bands?
I don't have much relation with the dark-electro bands here in Barcelona. Recently I did a remix for Larva and I know the guys from Terrolokaust (they are recording new tracks!). Apart from that, I read and write eMails with some talented musicians from Germany and other countries.
08- Can you give us a brief run-through of DE_TOT_COR story so far?
DE_TOT_COR is an industrial_alternative music project born in Barcelona at the end of 2004. Jordi_MC writes and plays all the music, and Meritxell_RR supports with conceptual collaboration (which includes a long list of things like art, first-sound judgement and many other countless aspects). Since then, I am learning and having fun doing electro-dark-dance songs, songs without serious, political or any other aim, but having fun and wanting to tell some fantastic stories to the listeners.
09- How did you start to make music and what is Gothic for you?
I learned some music-theory and played the bass-guitar in a local rock band some years ago. It was not gothic at all. Then one friend let me hear some albums of VNV Nation and I didn't like that. I was listening to heavy-metal and metal-rock... Then I went to some dark-industrial-clubs and began to like the combination of music: with industrial-metal and electro-goth. "Gothic" for me is that dark side of music.
10-What did you guys do for a living before DE_TOT_COR?
If I sell one milion CDs of "Dead Heart" EP maybe I could live with DE_TOT_COR from now on. :-) Now, I still have to work in something I don't like. And I think that music will never be a job for me.
11- What are your top ten favorite Industrial / Alternative Club Songs of all time? Who are you influenced by? What would you consider your favorite cd's?
This top-ten list is a mix that answers your 3 questions:
VNV Nation - "Empires", "Futureperfect" and "Judgement"
Combichrist - "Everybody hates you"
Aesthetic Perfection - "A violent emotion"
UnterArt - "Noise & grace"
Rotersand - "Welcome to Goodbye"
NamNamBulu - "Distances", "Expansion" and "Blinded"
Reaper - "Hell starts with an H" and "Angst EP"
Suicide Commando - "Bind, torture, kill"
:Wumpscut: - "Wreath of Barbs" and "Evoke"
X-Fusion - "Ultima Ratio"
12- What are the future plans for DE_TOT_COR?
Doing more interviews, I like this one! :-) I hope I can release a full album soon. I have a bunch of new songs written and I will be finishing two or three more. There is something like a preview of these new songs in http://myspace.com/detotcor . Meritxell is also working on the art for this new album: a comic-book, based on story of a girl called "Shi". We want to give a story behind the new music. We are working on this story too: building some characters and the plot. This is nothing new; Reaper did it with "Hell starts with an H", and sure some other bands did before. But... it's fun! :-)
13- Tell me about first demo 'deine Augen' song of this demo ("strawberry Panic") in Enzeit Bunkertracks (act III) and Mädchenliebe" of the Enzeit Bunkertracks act [V] compilation?
The first demo was self-released and sent to some friends, DJs and labels. A song of this demo, as you write, got the attention to be included on the Endzeit compilation [act III] and on the Extreme Sündenfall (6). It also had two other songs apart from "Strawberry Panic". This song began to be played at some dark-clubs and radio-stations. Then DE_TOT_COR signed with Vendetta Music label and released the "Dead Heart" EP. "Mädchenliebe" is a new song that will be on a next release, but has been already included in this last edition of Endzeit Bunkertracks [act V].
14-What are you currently listening to on your MP3 player?
Now in my mp3 player I got albums from Aesthetic Perfection, Deadmau5, Destroid, Dial M for Murder, Grendel, Komor Kommando, Memmaker, VNV Nation and XP8.
15- By the way do you like my questions? tell me what you think about it! ;-)
Yeah, awesome interview!
16- What is the main idea, the message you want to leave to people who listens to you? What is your motto?
There isn't any serious message in the music as I wrote before. The motto of the DE_TOT_COR music is: listen, enjoy, do what you want... This is only a DE_TOT_COR song.
17- What’s the name of your band? where did the name come from? or what's the story behind the band name?
"de tot cor" is a Catalan expression that means "will all my heart", "in all sincerity"... I think you can read it as it is written in many languages. As I wrote in the previous answer, I don't want to change the world with my music. DE_TOT_COR is, because of that, just sincere music, it is what I like to hear when I am writing it.
18-If people don't know what you and your music are about, how would you describe DE_TOT_COR?
DE_TOT_COR is melody, bass and heavy beats!
19- releases "Dead Heart" EP out on Vendetta Music label. where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album is finished? or anything else you're working on? Tell me why this title,"Dead Heart" Tell us a few words about the concept of this?
The songs of "Dead Heart" EP were finished some years ago. In fact these are the first songs I wrote, as "Strawberry Panic" was in my first demo. I am still learning and having fun with music. My new songs sound quite different from these old ones. In "Dead Heart" EP you will find six DE_TOT_COR dark-dance songs, with guest vocals from Andreas (Akasha Chronik) and a song based on the novel "The Reader". The EP is completed with remixes from Soman, Statik Sky, Engelmacher, Zuh (a great glitch remix!) and Revolution State. It was mastered by Kolja Trelle at Koltron Studios. These remixes complete the EP perfectly and the listeners will find great and varied styles of music written with the heart.
20- Some quick fire questions: guitar or synthesizer?
Synthesizers and guitars!
21-band or solo?
There are excellent bands and excellent solo projects. Can't decide. :-)
22-How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?
I decided from the beginning that I was not going to play live with DE_TOT_COR. I feel these are songs to play at dark-clubs, radio-stations, at home... but not live. Just because I prefer, when I go to see a live show, to see a band playing with their guitars, drums and a singer. I enjoy Combichrist giggs or SITD for example... but not someone with his/her laptop playing one key. If I want to listen to an album I stay at home. I want something more when playing live.
23- What do you think of a modern Gothic and about Industrial / Alternative scene?
I'm not one of those who complain about gothic-industrial scene. I love it. I feel that if you want to wear those cyber-goth uniforms full of fluorescent colors, go and wear it. If you want to listen to dark-ambient music alone at home at night, do it. What's wrong in all that? I wish that Spain could have a bigger scene like in Germany. This dark scene is so small (compared to hip-hop, heavy metal or any other), just don't complain and try to make it bigger.
24- What's your favourite track of yours? and tell me about the remixed: from Unter Null - Virgins or Pigeons - Larva - State of the Union - Valium Era - Straftanz ?
My favourite track is usually the last one I write. So I have about ten these days as I'm listening to my new songs :-) The same happens with remixes: the first I made were part of some :wumpscut: remix-contests that never got success. After that I made the remixes for Valium Era and Straftanz. In the last part of 2009 I made all the other remixes you mention. My remix of the State of the Union song "Dancing in the Dark" was included in their new single, and soon Larva and Virgins or Pigeons will release new albums including these DE_TOT_COR remixes. And the last one I remixed, that Unter Null song, was released this February on the regular edition of "Moving on".
25-What and who gets you excited about music today?
Internet brought the oportunity to small music projects to let "the world" listen to their music. Music is made to be heard, and some time ago, only a few had the opportunity to get the attention of the audience. Nowadays there are lots of bands making music, and they can show their songs thru these music-players on the social networks. Some got fame and money, the vast majority don't. The important thing here is you can have a show, new songs, a new video or whatever... and using internet you can tell "the world": here it is my work. Music spreads all around the world.
26-Our usual question - what is music for you?
Music provides sound to life.
27- What was your best live experience so far?
I did some DJ-sets in the past, if this counts as live-experience.
28-What are your views on the current state of this Industrial / Alternative scene in Barcelona.in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
The scene in Barcelona is fantastic: there are many regular dark-clubs that open every weekend with a vast offer of music and entertainment. And the "big names" of the scene come to play live in Barcelona. It is more difficult to see other bands. It's not like Germany or the USA where there are a lot of bands playing live. I guess this is not a problem of this particular dark scene. It is difficult to play live in Barcelona, even if you play punk, EBM, grunge or whatever. "They" prefer big multinational-pop-samba-discotheques. Anyway, we cannot complain about this. There are a lot of people trying to do good things for the ones that love the dark-scene. Go to the clubs and enjoy the giggs of your favourite bands. There is always something more to come.
29- you have very nice numbers` 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?
The best mood to create a song is on Sunday suffering from a hangover. Then I sit in front of the computer and everything flows. I can write the main parts of the song that afternoon. Then I need a month or two to finish that song! :-) I don't drink that often... When the song is finished I include some spoken-words that fit the song. However, some other tracks, just come with a melody in the most unexpected moment. You never know...
30-Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?
I don't really know... As I wrote, I'm not lucky enough to live thanks to my music. I think it's not easy to earn mountains of money for anybody in the music industry. Altough there are some music companies that may have benefits, I believe that nobody in this small dark-electro scene has a Ferrari or anything like that.
31-So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
The new singles from Suicide Commando ("God is in the Rain") and In Strict Confidence ("Silver Bullets"). And some futuristic anime films (I don't remember their titles). I will include some samples in the new tracks! :-)
32-Do you think that people from the music press didn't expect you to grow up musically?
Even tough I have read some great reviews of my work, I think that the main part of the music press doesn't know about a music project called DE_TOT_COR. For this reason, I thank you Ruud for doing this interview and let some others know about my music. Anyways, what is written in the press has not that big importance. The key is that you like what you are doing and you have fun doing it. If there is somebody who feels the same: perfect! If not, fuck off.
33-How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Industrial / Alternative music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?
The solution resides inside each one. If you listen to a band and you like it, go and buy their albums. Help the ones that made that Music possible. You can buy albums in iTunes and all that digital stores; they are often cheaper than the physical CDs. I love to have the physical albums of my favourite artists. I want more from them in the future. Those who upload the albums to be downloaded freely don't love this scene. I don't know how much do they earn doing that... Who knows, maybe in the future, the "small" music-labels will be like NGOs, surviving by means of money-donations.
34-Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
The biggest upcoming plan is to finish the new album. I recorded some new tracks, with great guest-singer collaborations. There is a new song with guest-vocals from DJ Zynthexia (http://myspace.com/zynthexia), Meritxell has done more spoken-words... the new DE_TOT_COR songs are full of new melodies and harder beats! There is also one song that has an acoustic guitar... I hope I can finish this new songs soon, and then plan to release the album with the label.
35-It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?
I would like to tell everyone that likes my music, you can get in touch with me (there is my-space and website on next answer). I love to answer comments and eMails. And I would like to thank everyone that has bought my first EP "Dead Heart" (and the ones that are going to buy it), the DJs that play the DE_TOT_COR tracks, and those of you that have read this interview!
36-How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
Just visit:
Or buy the "Dead Heart EP" in iTunes Store:
37-How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
When I began doing music I was a heavy-metal listener doing some distorted-electronic covers. :-) Since then, I have been listening to many different music genres, and I think this influences my music. And this will continue evolving for sure. My first songs were darker, now they are dark but with a smile... and harder.
38-And, finally, what does the next twelve months hold for the band?
Fun, music and a new DE_TOT_COR album! :-)
39-Any last words?
Thanks Ruud! This has been my first interview. Thanks for your interest in my music project, DE_TOT_COR! :-)
