I spoke with Crimson Ivy on the state of the scene, emerging Goth artists, and radio just before their performance at Union of the Snake on 11/14/2009.
Marisa: What is Union of the Snake?
DENNIS: Union of the Snake is all of the different genres of Industrial music gathering together as one.
Marisa: Draykh, you're the newest member of the band. How did you end up meeting the other 3/4's of Crimson Ivy?
DRAYKH: Twitter. Ha Ha! Seriously, though I met these guys and we clicked. We're planning on doing a record.
Marisa: Cool. What are your plans for the upcoming album?
RUSTY: We plan on collaborating with other artists, most of which we met through online networking. We plan to work with bands like Seraph of Treason (out of Florida) and hopefully Magnetic Stripper (SF).
Marisa: It seems like you guys do a lot of communication through online networking with a lot of people from this scene. What is your main goal with Crimson Ivy in terms of promoting this scene and bringing more people together?
RUSTY: You said it exactly. I mean, we do a lot of networking through things like My Space and Facebook. We'd like to get universal people out there who like Crimson Ivy from a long while back.
Marisa: What keeps you guys getting motivated to be in this scene and make Industrial/Goth music?
DENNIS: Just the whole eclecticism of it and what the message is all about.
RUSTY: The resonance of dark music has always been attractive to me.
DRAYKH: The aspect of bringing together these different types of sounds and being able to create something that hasn't been heard or played before is entirely unique. It's the constant progression and true message, keeping the challenge of musical creativity. That's what's so attractive to me about our music.
Marisa: Crimson Ivy has recorded previously. Where can people access this material?
RUSTY: Well, the most recent album is called YOUAREWHO. It hasn't been physically released, but you can download it off various places on the web.
Marisa: What would like to see for the future of dark music?
RUSTY: I'd actually like to see it back on the radio. I know a lot of people who love this kind of music that don't even listen to the radio because the music they want to hear isn't even played anymore. I've been listening to this music for more than 20 years and I think it's a crying shame that it isn't played on commercial radio. You hear mostly poppy music like Death Cab for Cutie and The Killers played over and over again. That music isn't necessarily bad, but there are a lot of talented artists that I've discovered through social networking that deserve broad passive exposure that regular play on the radio brings. Unfortunately, radio has shunned industrial and goth music in favor of the pop sound you hear on LIVE 105. I mean, they started out at LIVE 105 as being cutting edge, but changed to favor a pop sound. I’d like to see them go back to the cutting edge.
Marisa: Do you think that radio would benefit by playing industrial music?
RUSTY: For so many in the listening audience, I think (radio stations) kind of went in the wrong direction. Even on college radio, industrial is played but on a far more limited basis than in the past. Long story short, yes radio would benefit because I think there is a much larger population open to listen to (industrial/goth) music.
DENNIS: If it weren’t for events like tonight, DJ's at the BOX (Santa Cruz), and Death Guild at DNA, the music of this scene would be almost extinct in terms of an accessible fashion.
Marisa: What's your advice to goth/industrial artists who want to get their music out there into the hands of the listening public?
KARL: I would have to say that if you're a killer band and you can't get your music out there on MySpace and You Tube then something is wrong. I mean, back when we started, we did the whole stapling flyers to telephone polls thing and now bands are lucky to have such an amazing promotional tool as the internet. Anyone can do it. I actually think that this scene is reviving itself, so things can only get better from here.
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contact Crimson Ivy at www.crimsonivy.net
Comments
Awesome. Good music.
I've never heard of this Band but I'm willing to give them a try. Thanks for putting out great interviews! I can't wait for the next one! Plus they're kinda cute ;)
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