Rockezine.com interview with Mortiis on Feb 20, 2002

with Mortiis on Feb 20, 2002


		First a couple of questions about the world of Mortiis. I tried to enter it by reading a lot (interviews and biographies) and and listen to the music a lot but I found it hard to enter. It seems a very desolate place judging by the music? I´m not sure if I would call it a "world" as such...I live in the same reality as the rest of the world´s population, but we all look at in through our own eyes, based on our personal experiences...So in a sense, our view of the world, what becomes "our world" is largely formed by other people and the effect they have on you, be they positive or negative. And I think it´s probably pretty easy to figure out that the people in my world haven´t always been to my liking, or have proven to be prophets of falsehood.
		Is Mortiis world not more like a ever expanding universe like the one we mortals are just a tiny part of? I think "my world" has, in time, become a place where people have had a huge impact... It used to be different, when I thought I was some sort of God or something, but then reality came crashing in and things changed...Forever.
		Is it enterable for others or can they only look into it through the "window" music? I think anyone that can relate to the way I feel, can be there, the question is, do they want to? I certainly am not too happy to sometimes have to cope with "my world".
		Mortiis also wrote the book "Secrets of my Kingdom" (unfortunately I don`t have it, yet). Is it still available and where can we get it? No, it has been sold out ever since it hit the market.
		Why did you write it? Wasn`t there enough room in the lyrics to your music? (I unsderstand that (some of?) the lyrics are in the book? Mortiis used to be based upon this big concept that was all about otherwordly things, and Mortiis was this god-like deity, the creator behind it all. These things changed drastically later on, though. The book is sort of like a sum-up of what I chose to call "Era 1", and we are currently in "Era 2".
		About "The Smell of Rain"
		The album is (again!) very different from the previous releases. What has happened in the world of Mortiis? It came crashing down. I lost faith in my music and "my world", it all had to be rebuilt in a shape that I strongly believed in, it had to become something that was true, something that was me...Otherwise I would have self-destructed artistically.
		You decided to do it all by yourself this time (except for the female voice) why was that? Actually, this album has me and 12 other people on it, so I think you have got your info a bit screwed up. The bio from the record company?!?
		Where will Mortiis take us in the future? Does he know where he is going already? Probably in a harsher direction. After frustration comes anger, after blame comes guilt, followed more often than not (in my case anyway) by denial...it´s all part of the wonderful world of our human psyche.
		Would Mortiis like to do music for movies? The "Lord of the Rings" would be nice, he could even play a role in it ;-) Yeah, haha! I´d love to do soundtracks one day, but as I´ve been saying for some time now, I´m nowhere near good enough for stuff like that. Besides I am way too occupied with my self these days.
		Mortiis` first(?) show in the Netherlands will be in April next year. What can we expect from a Mortiis live show? Who knows? It depends on what we are financially able to come up with. But no matter what, I will do my best.
		What`s up with the side-projects Mortiis always has been involved in? (Vond etc) Any plans for new ones? They have all been put down, I need all the time I can get to focus on Mortiis, as there are so many aspects to this project that I need to practice on so i can become the best to my abillities. But obviously, there may be revivals one day. Never say die, basically.
		The release of "The Smell of Rain"was accompanied with great new web site but therein are still a lot of "dead" links and it seems not to have been updated for quite while. What has happened? It would be a pity to see such a fine work go to waste... It won´t. Our original webmaster just turned out to be a completely useless nutcase with no sense of deadlines whatsoever...needless to say, this piece of deadweight has been promptly fired, and should hopefully NOT have a future in webdesign at all, regardless of his talents. We are still having problems with him, but we´re working on him... There´s NO tolerance for incompetance, and he is being weeded out like the weed he has turned out to be.
(Jan Geert Koops)