Neurot Recordings Artist Ides of Gemini Interview
1. For those new to Ides of Gemini tell
us a bit about the project?
The band was formed by Sera Timms and I
on an airplane in 2009. We recorded our first EP, The Disruption
Writ, in early 2010, followed by a split 12” with Vermapyre.
Sometime after that, we talked Kelly Johnston into playing drums with
us. We played our first live show in May 2011 with Wino and
Wolvserpent. In January of 2012 we recorded our first
album, Constantinople, which was released in May. We’ve been
rich and famous ever since.
2. Your now working with Neurot
Recordings home to Neurosis, US Christmas, Ufomammut. Steve Von Till
etc. How did you come to work with them?
Steve Von Till sent us a letter written
in blood asking if we wanted to work with Neurot.. I’m not even
sure if it was his blood or someone else’s. He wouldn’t say. I
never figured him for a letter in blood kind of guy, but then again I
never figured Ides Of Gemini would be something he’d enjoy. But we
are beyond honored to be working with him and the rest of the Neurot
family.
3. Your music to my ears is a mix of
Post Rock, 70's Prog and Jazzy Indie rock. It reminds me a lot of
bands like Amber Asylum, Dead can dance, Lycia, Sabbath Assembly
and Jarboe/ Swans in its presentation. How did you mix all these
sounds together?
I guess the short answer is: We didn’t.
We are very familiar with Swans and Dead Can Dance, but I don’t
know very much about the others. Do they sound like Thin Lizzy? I
fucking love Thin Lizzy.
4. Is there a running theme on
Constantinople or just a collection of hypnotic, entrancing tracks?
All the songs are about dismemberment in
one form or another—being cut off from the world, from reality,
from each other. And in at least one or two cases, actually losing a
limb.
5. The Vocals are very much of a
ritualistic nature and sung in a choir or gospel or celtic manner was
this the direction always?
None of us are great fans of organized
religion, but I think I speak for all of us when I say that the best
thing about church has always been the music. But if you’re asking
if there will be any screaming or yelling on future releases, the
answer is no.
6. What is a live show like for Ides of
Gemini?
Preferably short and sweet. We firmly
believe in leaving the audience wanting more, not less. A half-hour
is perfect. I wouldn’t even want to see some of my favorite bands
play for longer than 45 minutes. But we’ve been informed that we’ll
be expected to play hour-long sets at certain shows on our upcoming
European tour, so we may very well leave some folks wanting a lot
less. Not the Germans, though. They seem to enjoy it when you drone
on forever. So we’ll do it just to make them happy.
7. You have a video out for "Martyrium
of the Hippolyt" its very surreal in presentation will be be
seeing videos for tracks off Constantinople?
The plan is to shoot a video for
“Starless Midnight” when we get back from Europe. Like all
great filmic works, it will be delivered late and way over-budget.
8. http://www.idesofgemini.com/ seems
to be more a portal to your blog and facebook site. Do you feel this
the way band and artist should promote themselves in 2012 is it more
social media then proper website etc?
That site is a portal because our
webmaster is also our singer, lyricist, bass player and video
director. She’s got her fingers in a lot of pies, but we like
blueberry best. No, wait--coconut cream.
9. Do you feel bands like Ides of Gemini
blur the boundaries of Metal, Prog, Rock and Experimental music? Is
this what the underground music scene is about now or are you as band
just doing what is your driven path and others are meeting up to the
same point now?
Blurring boundaries sounds like fun, but
mostly we like to think we’re doing something that can’t be put
into a box that fits into a smaller box that goes inside an even
smaller box, like those Russian nesting dolls or something. But don’t
get me wrong: I think Russian nesting dolls are awesome.
10. Does the early material of Ides of
Gemini sound very different from the Debut on Neurot?
The early songs sound almost exactly
like the songs on Constantinople, mostly because we re-recorded
all of the songs from the EP for the album. But I think the versions
on Constantinoplesound better because they were recorded in a
real studio by a professional rather than in a glorified hunting
cabin by, well, us.
11. Always interested what are the
members of Ides of Gemini currently reading and listening to? I tell
a lot about the band more then most know.
The girls are probably reading Herman
Hesse and listening to New Order. I’m reading Gunrunning For Fun
And Profit by Ragnar Benson and listening to Judas Priest.
12. Will you be doing a proper tour
across the U.S. or more just one off shows?
We will be doing a California World Tour
with Old Man Gloom in September before heading toEurope. And then
potentially something more extensive in the US early next
year. But right now it’s a big fat secret.
13. Do you prefer to be in a studio
recording or out performing live. Which one seems to a true home for
the band?
The studio is less stressful because no
one’s looking at us and we have more than one chance to get the
songs right. On the other hand, we usually get a free drink or two
when we play live. So I’d call it a toss-up.
14. If there was one cover song you
could re record and make it your own what would it be and why?
I don’t think we could ever do this
song justice, but I’m pretty sure it speaks for
itself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J639xIdgzQU
15. Being 2012 do you find the
underground moment dying do to all the social site that any band can
put up there demo and get the world to hear or is it really now the
cream rising to the top and finding labels that want to support them?
This is a trick question, right?
16. Thanks for the time any closing
thoughts place here…
Thank you very much for the interview,
Clint. You’re a good sport.
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