Rockezine.com interview with Interlace on May 23, 2003

with Oscar Wilkenson on May 23, 2003

After the release of a strong debut, it`s up to Interlace to tell something about the band`s motives and their music.
		Can you give me a short history of your band? Interlace is an artistic endeavour to promote human progress on all levels of human consciousness. Although Interlace was blueprinted almost a decade ago, the realization of the project was withheld until 2001. At this point Interlace contacted the Swedish independent label Memento Materia and closed a deal without having presented any material for a first album. Instead, the debut Innuendo was written and produced in the following three months, reaching the market in April 2002. Innuendo constitutes the first conceptual phase of Interlace, that of birth. Under the Sky MCD, released in April/May 2003, marks the end of this initial evolutionary step.
		Your album has been welcomed pretty well. Album of the Month @ Zillo and Sonic Seducer; you won the SAMA. Did you plan this to happen? As we speak, Under the Sky has only been out on the Scandinavian market for three weeks and is yet to be released on the European continent. However, the media reaction has been extraordinary. Apparently many critics argued that Innuendo, albeit a promising debut, didn’t contain a club hit. The original version of Under the Sky isn’t either, but we made a club version of it which seems to have hit the sweet spot as far as fans of danceable industrial are concerned. About the Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards, we weren’t nominated from the beginning. The voting card contained five pre-selected nominees and one free slot for each category and the SAMA audience apparently used the free slot to make Interlace the sixth nominee for the “Best Newcomer” award. Interlace didn’t win though, and neither did our label colleagues Colony 5. As a matter of fact, all the SAMA 2003 winners belonged to Warner, Virgin and Sony – not very alternative if you ask me. I’ve no intention, or reason, to belittle the bands themselves; I’m just disgusted by the cynicism and greed of the major labels.
		Your album features 15 songs, of which there are 5 remixes. Why fill it with so much remixes, I`m sure a lot people would like to have heard more new songs? Under the Sky is really an MCD. However, Dependent asked us for permission to add some tracks from Innuendo to make the release more attractive. Since we didn’t have licensing for Innuendo in Germany, we reckoned we might as well use Under the Sky to provide our European audience with some Innuendo material too. This explains why the European version of Under the Sky contains 15 tracks, 7 of which are bonus tracks. The original version of Under the Sky and a track called “Victims” are only available on the Scandinavian version though. Complicated, no doubt, but unless you have worldwide coverage from the start this kind of situation is hard to avoid.
		"Missing Link" is remixed by Akira Yamaoka, which is a computer game soundtrack producer; how the hell did you come up with him? Akira Yamaoka is already a legend in Japan, having composed the nightmarish soundtracks to the Silent Hill horror games. We were of course immensely honoured that he appreciated Innuendo so much that he offered to remix Missing Link, and we feel that the result is magnificent. In return, we did a version of “Rain On Brass Petals” from the Silent Hill III Soundtrack. It’s not yet official how this remix will be used; I can only reveal that exciting things are in store for it.
		How were the collaborations with Headscan, Implant and Oliver Beach going? They are all highly skilled artists, and it was a privilege working with them.
		Any plans for an upcoming tour? We’re doing some Scandinavian festival gigs the forthcoming months. A European tour schedule for the fall is underway.
		Your music style is filled with influences of the (near) future. Do you think the Internet is a helpful tool for a musician? Why (not)? Internet is indeed a helpful tool for anyone. It gives you access to other people’s thoughts and knowledge, and helps you spread your own message. However, illegal MP3 distribution over Internet is posing a big threat to the music industry, especially to the alternative labels. Whereas Warner, for instance, can compensate slumping Madonna album sales by increasing concert ticket and merchandise prices, the alternative labels basically have their hands tied. Everyone I’ve talked to in the business agree: either the audience get their act together and stop stealing music, or we’ll have no alternative scene in ten years. It’s strange how everyone claims that they only download commercial music, when at the same time the independent labels experience a 70% drop in album sales. No-one is into alternative music for the money anyhow, mind you. It’s a matter of passion and commitment, but without resources you simply cannot record, produce, press and distribute quality music.
		How do you see your own music developing in the future? Are there already any plans for an upcoming release? As I commented above, Interlace is a conceptual, evolutionary project. This means that plans are laid not only for the current phase but for a long time ahead. Innuendo was in many ways a retrospective tribute, describing the soil out of which Interlace will evolve. Already Under the Sky is more innovative, and our next album and the corresponding phase will be a further development of sound, visual design and thought.
		Any last comment? Anything REZ forgot to ask? We have received a lot of attention for our live performances, which illustrate the essence of Interlace – sound and visuals combined to a unit of sheer force. Unfortunately our upcoming tour schedule doesn’t include the Netherlands as for yet, but if there turns out to be an interest from the Dutch audience we promise to bring Interlace to a venue near you.
(Eelco )