By Morgan Y. Evans
LINKS:
Over the years Christian Death have existed via many incarnations (and incantations), with numerous records and a respectable number of worldwide devotees loving various line-ups. At one point, due to turbulence and disagreements, there were even two Christian Death groups vying for the name. Spooky, satirical, and undaunted, Valor Kand’s Christian Death have been at it since the '80s, using the moniker some think should belong to the (now late) former member Rozz Williams. Regardless of all the unfortunate fighting between camps, all versions of the band have created lots of great music.
Bands pegged (too conveniently) as “shock rock” are often not taken as seriously artistically as others, ironic since these are often bands unafraid to examine harsher, more vital issues than hokey, arena rock bands or popular entertainers (Larry the Cable Guy, anyone? What the fuck is that!?) [ed. note: leave my favorite redneck alone, Morgan...it ain't for you.] A band named Christian Death was never going to have it easy. Regardless of what context the name is meant or hopes for in an intuitive, analytical audience, most people will be offended. Forget that it’s already a contradiction to be pro-life and pro-war, but don’t you dare name a band something that could raise the hackles of the ever-so-unmeddlesome, uncorrupt and good-intentioned Christian Right or Republican Party.
In the modern political and musical climate, Valor Kand’s Christian Death have returned to make one of the band’s most sweeping indictments and somehow also fun musical snapshots of the crazy world we live in yet, an anthemic new record on Season of Mist Records called American Inquisition. The first new music from the band since the more metal sounds of 2000’s Born Again Anti-Christian, the new record marks the end of a seven year wait for fans, as well as a well thought-out tapestry of sound and satire.
VALOR KAND: You pretty much nailed it, The protest content is aimed at the unjust evils we are forced to accept, many of which, most people accept without being even conscious that an unfairness exists at all. Take for an example, the concept of wearing clothes. How many people consider why it is illegal to run naked? In America we are supposed to have separation of church and state, yet we are bound by religious doctrine, therefore, by law, we must wear clothes. The argument is that nakedness is offensive. But it is OK for people’s dogs to run around with boners humping the family guests. Which brings me to sex. It is an offense to Nature to restrict the rights of individuals to have sex where ever, whenever and with whomever one pleases. But NO, someone else’s religion says you can’t. Some may argue, pointing out God said,”Sex is a dirty thing” and that the nakedness of man offends HIM. Then why the fuck did he not force all the other grotesque beasts in the wild to wear clothes?
MYE: That’s hysterical yet interesting.
VK: Because in actuality, sexual restrictions are a concept of man, contrived by rulers seeking maximum control of their subjects. If you have control over the sex drive of the heard, you have got them by the balls. Any cattle farmer can tell you that.
MAITRI: The
other part of your question about us having problems getting American
Inquisition into the stores, well it will not be the first time we’ve
been banned. The name Christian Death alone, already sows us into that
shroud with many stores, especially in America where blasphemers and dissidents
like us would only be applauded when burnt at the stake.
VK: Nobody expects the American Inquisition. Our three weapons are fear,
and surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion
to the Pope.
MYE: “Narcissus, Metamorphosis Of” is such a killer new song. It seems ironic like a parody of the American self-obsessed, but also could be taken at face value if the listener wants. I like how this album seems themed, but also interpretive, a kind of hard duality to pull off. But that song, my friend heard it and she said ,”This is the coolest band you have ever had to interview”. I was thinking when listening to the chorus refrain “I am in love with myself” of that famous scene in The Silence of The Lambs where actor Ted Levine’s “Buffalo Bill” is dancing to “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazarus and has like, a dead girl’s hair on as a wig and his junk tucked between his legs and is saying “I’d fuck me, oh yeah”, etc. Your song could’ve worked there as well. It’s like the character in that movie was such a rock star even though he was sick and in his psychotic dream world.
VK: “It puts the lotion in the basket.” One of the aspects we are getting at in this song is about insecurity, everyone is insecure in some way. One’s level of insecurity determines how kind or ruthless one is. Usually the most egotistic are actually the most insecure and capable of the most heinous acts, much like the Buffalo Bill character.
MYE: Some
critics have said the new album’s focus on politics is bandwagon
jumping, which doesn’t seem fair. I mean, you have always been controversial
and dealt with a myriad of subjects from what I can tell. Also, the accusation
of employing pure shock value tactics seems silly, especially in the modern
political climate. I mean, look at the GOP pricks with their “Shock
and Awe” blitzkrieg of Iraq and media complicity, not to mention
pre-emptive strikes. It’s the same tactics as the Nazis. Jello Biafra
talked recently about how in the ‘80s Rumsfeld even presented Saddam
Hussein, literally, with golden spurs of gratitude from the U.S. because
we were so chummy. Holy shit!
VK: I have been frequently accused of using shock value
tactics, and I resent it. Is it not the prerogative of the artist to interpret
the world as he or she sees it? I come from a very large family of musicians.
I have been a musician since I could speak. As a pre-teen, an older cousin
of mine introduced me to Nostradamus. I became obsessed with Armageddon
and began writing songs on the topic. By the time I was 14 I had my own
band. Although all the other players were between 17 and 23, I wrote all
the songs. All of which were related in some way to Armageddon. When my
band metamorphosized into a new version Christian Death, which, although
at that time, I did not write and sing the lyrics, I still wrote the music,
themes and concepts. All of which were about Armageddon. Hence the 2nd
and 3rd Christian Death albums Catastrophe Ballet and Ashes.
By the time of the second Christian Death European tour, I found myself,
once again, as the lead singer. We were in Germany with many new German
friends. They complained of being victimized by other nationals as descendants
of Nazis. This time I had a new obsession, The Holocaust. As I studied
it, I became appalled by the cruelty of man. I began to use symbolism
like the Cross, the Swastika and the Star of David to exemplify their
use as instruments of mind control. In fact the Christian Death symbol
is a modified version of a combination of all 3 symbols. In the British
press my use of these symbols was perceived as a form of anti Semitism
and the Jewish lobby, which for the most part controls the British press,
had Christian Death completely banned from all publications for almost
2 years. Right at the time we had a top 20 hit “Church of No Return”
on the BBC etc.
I was devastated. I realized true evil only exists in the minds of ignorant and insecure men like Hitler, Stalin, Nero and the Popes. In fact, as early as 325AD at the first Council of Nicea, the Devil was conceived as a weapon of fear by the Vatican and used to frighten people into submission Much the same as the current campaign of fear designed to bring about the next Inquisition, which has already begun.
Shock value tactics? All the fucking fools need do is turn on CNN, there you will find shock value tactics a plenty. In the words of the Rob Zombie character “Captain Spaulding”, “ I just calls ‘em like I sees ‘em”.
FUCKING IDIOTS.
MAITRI: Sorry about that. He does get really carried away with this stuff. I worry that one day it will give him an aneurism.
MYE: No, it’s totally understandable. I agree with you guys. Anyhow, “To Disappear” has a great vibe, with a sort of slinky bassline amidst ominous sounds. I like the contrast. It really envelopes the listener and then there are post-punk guitar textures. Very interesting. What can you tell me about that songs’ creation?
MAITRI: This song was spawned from the frustration felt by most women and their position in society. If you follow the bleakness Valor occasionally refers to, from the female perspective it can be even more grim and frustrating. Musically, I wanted it to have extreme emotional opposites, much like the temperament of a woman, which is what happens between the chorus and the verse. Originally I was going to sing it solo, but we felt it needed a bit more ying yang, so Valor and I did a duet on the verse. Glad you like it.
MYE: It’s funny, back to the shock value thing,
how we promote as many frat boys jerking off to bikini magazines as possible
and have metal bands featured in Army commercials to hype up the testosterone
brain-damaged crowd, but sex is wrong and smoking pot is evil! It’s
sad, because I worked with this one redneck type kid, who is a real great
kid, but has just been indoctrinated by his family, and he quotes Full
Metal Jacket everyday (ironically an anti-war film statement) and
that’s pumping him up to enlist, and he was raised somewhat homophobic
and has seemingly zero self-esteem save extroverted-bravado. There are
a lot of kids like that. I even saw a billboard for the Navy with a naval
graduate being crowd-surfed and it said “This moment brought to
you by the U.S. Navy” or something SO ignorant. I mean, I understand
people think they are joining for the right reasons, but they don’t
research the backdrop issues, like Halliburton, enough, or the Christian
right agenda, how corrupt it all is. Not to mention, crowd-surfing? Can
you imagine how much that billboard would’ve been ridiculed if it
had come out during the heyday of Grunge or something?
VK: I feel we are suffering through some weird past life regression. All the social achievements of the Beatles-era through to the punk-era are rapidly evaporating. The power of the media is once again being usurped by power of money. Soon John Wayne will be resurrected and we will be forced to sing the Pledge of Allegiance before we go to bed in front of a George Orwellian camera under penalty of death. Then, once again, it will be illegal to own a book, masturbate, or have sex with the woman on top, which by the way, during the first Inquisition, these were offenses punishable by death. If this seems archaic, the similar is happening today in the Middle East, coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
MYE: What do you think is worse, lots of kids buying into Hot Topic “mall goth” imagery and kind of diluting the essence tremendously or back in the 80’s when punks would get beat up for having purple hair or something? I was curious about your ideas on this?
MAIRTI: Self expression and individuality are the missing elements. Once upon a time, if you wanted to be even marginally different, you could, for example, take an old T-shirt rip it, die it, sew stuff on it, and create a unique conversation piece, whilst expressing your art, talent, opinion or just simply ruffling the feathers of society. But who needs that when you can go to Hot Topic, pay copious amounts of money, and look like photo copies of all your friends?
MYE: The new Christian Death album is very textural, which is cool. You used so many instruments. Was it hard co-coordinating that and did it take a long time? Also, I was listening to Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral the other day, after not hearing it in years, and it makes me bemoan how many new bands just don’t mess with an instrumental template. It’s sometimes cool when a stoner rock power trio, like Spirit Caravan, for example, stick to just basic, awesome rock writing, but a lot of bands who are supposed to be “punk” these days are so textbook or even just shitty pop. People are resting on their laurels or are mired in nostalgia with no growth.
VK: It is
not just happening in music, it is easy to be jaded in the McDonalds/Wal-Mart
culture. America has become a homogenized, super sized, cardboard cut
out, buckets-of-clones. Wood, plastic and art are recycled. Soon there
will be no oak or maple, only particle board. Soon there will be no art,
only replicas mass-produced somewhere in a Stalinist style sweatshop.
I’m talking Dark Ages grimness.
We Just got back from the first leg of our European tour ( We go back
in May ). At least there you can find diversity and resistance to McDonalds
food, Wal-Mart clothes and recycled music.
MYE: Ok, I’m not for adding fuel to the fire about the different versions of Christian Death that have existed over the years. I wasn’t there, so I’m not going to pretend to know who is more correct in the dispute amongst fans of your work and the Rozz Williams versions. It seems to me that you both contributed greatly to music as a whole, and I don’t wanna get into the inter-relationships between people of whether you jacked the name or he abandoned the band, etc. So I am not trying to piss you off with this question, because I think most of this stuff has been covered ad infinitum, but what I did want to ask is how you’d like to respond to people who say this and the last few records of Christian Death have been too hard rock and not goth enough? It seems there has always been experimentation in many directions to me.
VK: In an attempt to set the record straight, I will briefly mention the past here, as referred to in a previous question, Rozz joined my band, then we morphed into Christian Death, then he did in fact split from the band. Ever since Rozz and I agreed to assume the name Christian Death, I have had both the legal and moral right to continue under that banner, which I have never stopped doing since Day One. I alone carried the Christian Death flag nonstop. If not for me, Christian Death would have disintegrated long ago.
Musically, to date, the best-selling Christian Death records, which Rozz was part of, are Catastrophe Ballet and Ashes. In these records, as mentioned before, the music was mine the lyrics were his. This I will stand by before the proverbial Pearly Gates.
Regarding the music I have made in the eleven albums since then, it is all about change--variety, contradiction, creation, dissemination, dissension, rebellion, angst, protest, illumination and enlightenment--I have attempted to express my philosophical thoughts, my inner soul and my most primal sexual nature, both lyrically and musically. Some people do not like change, and they become deeply rooted in the false glory of some nostalgic past. I will never cave to normalcy; I will always strive to innovate.
MYE: Well, thanks for answering that. How do you hope to communicate to the masses and not get discouraged trying to make real artistic statements when there is stuff on TV like specials about how Britney Spears was such a genius to bare her midriff when she made the “Hit Me Baby, One More Time” video?
VK: Personally, I think exploiting one’s sexuality in the media is still the one true way to slap right wing conservatives right between the eyes. I like it when the likes of Madonna, Pamela Anderson, and even Hugh Hefner, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears are exploiting sex. Without this sexual dissension of our culture, we will only be sucked deeper into the funnel of the religious right. Without it, most men will be castrated at birth and women will all be wearing burkas.
MAITRI: I like my mini skirts and plunging necklines.
MYE: So do many of your fans (laughing).
VK: I get your point, competing with commercialism makes it hard for true musicians, but that has always been the way of Rock and Roll
MAITRI: Sex and Drugs and Christian Death
MYE: What do you think might be next for the band? I know there was an album of another title originally expected after 2000’s Born Again Anti-Christian. What happened with that concept? Also, lastly, maybe this is sophomoric to ask but, these days do you have a problem with people who are religious but not closed minded?
MAITRI: We just want to tour everywhere, make friends, and when we run out of places to play, finish the next album. American Inquisition is the only follow up to Born Again Anti-Christian, all else was just a twinkle and a rumor. We will be doing a Northeast USA tour in June ‘08. Go to christiandeath.com or myspace.com/christiandeath for a venue near you.
VK: I have always maintained that, “I believe everything and nothing.” We are not atheists nor are we zealots. In the short span of our lives we can never grasp a true understanding of the meaning of life. To make a decision one way or the other is either out of fear, tradition, rebellion or to just simply give in to the stories, dreams or ideas of other men. Most men are liars. If you truly believe God speaks to you in your own ear and not through the mouths of other men, then I will stand by you.
It is not about Doomsday
It is not about the CIA
It is not about the Christian, Muslim or the Jew
It is about
YOU
