Tuesday, July 30, 2013

... scaled hallucinogenic bird train : an Interview with TALBOT !!!

Russian post-office works even slower than Austrian band Jack Frost works over new full-length album , sometimes it’s more simple to ride wherever you need and take whatever you want by yourself! So what could I do when I badly need new CD and cool t-shirt of fantastic Estonian post doom band TALBOT? That’s right – that was my first visit to Tallinn, I took a bus, and I did 6 hours way and bought merch straight from Jarmo Nuutre (vocals, drums, programming). By the way it was a chance to finish our interview, so we’ve done it. Read and enjoy absorbing knowledge of phantasmagoric revelations! Jarmo and Magnus Andre (bass, synth, vocals) are coming in our virtual Temple.

Hail men! Please accept my late congratulations with final release of Talbot’s new album “Scaled”! What are you doing right now to promote new stuff?
Magnus: Thanks! At this moment we're resting and preparing for our upcoming tours. Also we're gonna release our first Lp very soon, in July.
Jarmo: Yep, new tours are in works indeed.
And I'm also finishing the new album of my electronic outfit Blood Pavilion. Album will be out on August 1st.

“Scaled” album sounds totally fresh and powerful, it is full of dynamic, it’s full of life. Yet, songs titles are dealing with dark side of being – specters, shadows and hallucinations. What kind of images did you put in your songs?
M: Yeah, dreamy and surreal mood have been always a part of our lyrics. They are kind of supporting the overall heavy wall of sound, putting a new layer of psychedelia in it.

How often does your vision of Talbot concur with visions of your listeners?
M: Surprisingly often, as I can read from feedback we get.

I have doubts that such band as Talbot has any obstacles with producing it’s album via some respected label. Why did you haste with release of “Scaled” in DIY style? Are you going to another world-wide tour and need to have Cds to spread?
M: Actually, producing by ourselves seems to be the easiest way at this moment. Since we don't have any deal with labels, that is the only way to spread our music.
J: We have no interest in waiting for something top happen. It's easier just to do it, not to sit around and hope that maybe some day…..

Your previous work “EOS” was re-release once or twice, but didn’t you think to do vinyl edition as this glorious format became only more popular with time?
M: You're right. Just in that time we did not make it financially. But we're gonna do this afterwards, in near future, for sure.
J: If the stars align right, then maybe even this year. If not, then later.

It took 3 years to start and finish this second full-length, did you have a kind of artistic crisis? Or do you see no need to write music regularly collecting your experience carefully through the time to embody it in Talbot’s songs?
M: Actually we just didn't have any time to deal with writing because there was quite much touring between. And also I was living outside homeland for a while. The writing process took about a year to finish.
J: We had some bits and pieces actually in 2011 already...

The album’s production is perfect; I can sense every curve of every riff. What is your secret of such high quality?
M: Hmm.. well thanks! As a record producer I just don't do any discount to my work.
The sound must be good, but organic, even if it's not perfectly played, it should remain it's groove. I'm personally not a big fan of modern over-produced and polished metal-sound.




I guess that such question may sound as insult if we speak about Talbot, but let us clarify that moment – are you free of concrete influences of other modern bands? Talbot is self-sufficient formation, you walk your own path but a whole direction to post and doom music was chosen by many bands nowadays.
M: I think you can find many influences in our music from many different genres. But mostly we are happy with the fact that we do not sound like any other post-metal band and I think for us its a easy thing to do because of our instruments, which are putting a strict limitations on our musical creation.
J: I think it's really hard to be free of any influences. And is it even necessary, to have no influences?

No, I think not indeed. I remember that Talbot had a really big tour about 1 year and a half ago, you even visited Japan, it’s unreachable goal for most of the bands. May you share your experience of effective tour organization?
J: Look for contacts and then make a contact with those people. I have literally been browsing the internet for days, just to look for contacts of promoters, blogwriters-reviewers, webzines etc. 8-hours a day, 7 days a week. Maybe there's some easier ways too, but it has worked for us so far.

I’ve heard that gigs’ organization in Japan really differs from what people see in Europe; what are differences?
M: Music culture in Japan is a bit different there indeed. It's not rare to see a guy, who just came from work office, moshing in front line while wearing his work suit. And shows often start in 6-7 PM and end early, so people can go to work next day.

Hah, man, I remember that you’re tattoo master, so do you have any new tattoos onto your skin? Do you hone your skins onto yourself?
J: I have a few new ones, yep.

And the last question for today – do you have any new songs which weren’t included into “Scaled”? Is there any chance to get one more tiny release of Talbot in nearby future?
M: Unfortunately, no.
J: But a tiny or not so tiny release - yes. When it's the right time, maybe sooner, maybe later. 

Hah, wait man. Suddenly we’ve received one more question to you from a common friend - Guillaume (The Bottle Doom Lazy Band guitarist). So attention, here is his question: “do you remember about the goat in Tours?” 
J: Yes, the goat was really cool! It happened in Tours, France. It was the last show of our first European tour. The old guy had the goat on a string and just walked into the clubs and shops with it. He-he.

http://www.youtube.com/talbotmusic

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