interview with Haunted Echo
What´s the name of your band? Haunted Echo
How was the band formed? I was in a goth/darkwave band and had written a couple songs that were more “dance” oriented. Since my bandmates at the time did not want to go in that direction, I started Haunted Echo to be an outlet for what would still be moody music, but with a dance edge.
Can you tell about your band? At the center of the band is usually me doing the production work, but I’ve been lucky to have a couple partners in crime who have been with me for the last 10 years, Elaine Kristin and Zef Noise (from Peter Murphy’s band). We always trying to push for modern sounds, deep grooves, and a lot of strangeness that we hope sounds fun and intriguing.
Where are all band members from?/Who does what in the band? All of us are based in NYC. Elaine does vocal work and production, Zef plays electric violin and sang on a couple tracks, and then I usually tie it all together with a big, black bow.
What were the ambitions of the band when you started? I really wanted to create music that reached beyond the goth/industrial crowd. That is still my scene, but I knew that it would never carry my career if I just focused on that one genre.
Could you explain your music to someone that haven't heard you? Moody electronic music with driving beats, psychedelic sounds, and layers of melodies.
Where was your first gig? Neptune Lounge, Tampa, Florida
Where was the latest gig? Trash Bar, Brooklyn, NYC
Who writes your songs?/ who writes the music who writes lyrics? I write the songs. If Elaine sings on it, then she’s usually the one writing the lyrics, or sometimes I’ll send her lyric ideas.
Who has the best since of humor in the band? Tough one - Elaine and I both can be pretty goofy.
What genre do you feel you are? Electro-Industrial
Why did you pick that particular style?/What are your songs about? Sometimes I think that the genre picked me. It’s just how my muse works. The songs range from doom and gloom to dark love songs and everything in between. Whatever inspiration happens to make itself useful.
Do you write your own material or mainly covers? I write my own material. I’ve done covers, but I don’t do them often.
Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? Yes, I have several albums. “Weaving A Liquid Dream”, “Morphine/Methadone”, “Klopfgeist”, “Killing Galileo”, and I’m working on a new album called “ShapeTracer.”
Do you have any clips on YouTube? The “ShapeTracer Music Video”: http://youtu.be/Suh-Gzier4E and “Odyssey Music Video”: http://youtu.be/I3OJhBSZhLM
How old are you?/What got you started in music? I’m 38 years old. My parents noticed that I had a knack for picking out melodies on their piano and gave me piano lessons. From there I learned violin and guitar, and most stringed instruments.
At what age did you start playing? I started performing and writing music when I was six years old.
How old were you guys when you first stood on stage? My very first stage experience was when I was seven years old.
What year was the band started? 2000
Best/worst gig you've played? The worst gig I played was at the Brick & Mortal Music Hall in San Francisco, CA. Only because 4 people showed up. The best gig I played was at the Orpheum in LA, CA, in front of 3,000 people and televised to 2 million people.
What places will you be playing in the immediate future? There have been talks about doing some shows, but I’m focusing on getting the album done before booking more shows.
Where have you played from then till now? La Femme Boufet, The Castle, and Neptune Lounge in Florida; Galapagos Art Space and Trash Bar in NYC; Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut; Brick & Mortar Music Hall, Bottom of the Hill, Martuni’s, and Bar 52 in San Francisco. After 15 years, there have been so many that I can’t remember them all. Those were the highlights.
Which band is the best you´ve seen? Tool and Front Line Assembly
Is it always the same songs live? No. And most of the time, I write songs specifically for an upcoming show. One time I wrote a whole album (the “Morphine/Methadone” album at Bandcamp was written specifically for a show with Psychic TV) just for a show I knew I was going to have. There are a couple songs, like Odyssey, that I perform live everytime, but the rest is usually a surprise to the audience.
What has been the best/most promising gig so far? The Orpheum in LA. To perform in front of thousands of people and have it broadcast to millions of people was mind blowing.
What are the plans for the rest of the year? I’m really busy finishing a new album, hopefully tour, and I do a lot of collaborating with other artists.
How do you get psyched up for a gig? I put on a playlist of Oingo Boingo and Front Line Assembly and breathing exercises.
What are your goals with your music? My goal is to make some sort of impact with people and hopefully continue to make a living from it.
When did you decide to go all in for the music? When I was 13 or 14 I composed a piece of music called “Melody’s Theme” for a stringed orchestra that was performed in front of a nice audience with a standing ovation. It was at that moment that I realized I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.
Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? My biggest influences come from older bands who have maintained really modern sounds.
What are your sources of inspiration? Horror movies and bands like Front Line Assembly and Haujobb.
What's the first step when making a new song? Most of the time I’m just sitting there doodling ideas, and either a sound turns into a melody, or a messed up rhythm inspires a melody. There is no real method to how I write. It’s whatever comes out and takes shape.
How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? It’s the way the industry has changed and I choose to go with it instead of fight it.
What would be your dreams for the band? To be well respected in and around our community and peers as well as help other bands and musicians fulfill their musical dreams.
Besides your own music, what genres and bands do you listen to? I listen to a lot of Electro-Industrial, House Music, Acid Jazz, Trip-Hop. I love Massive Attack and Basement Jaxx.
What would be your greatest fears for the future? That I would lose my hearing.
When you are on stage, what do you fear most then? That the mix is going to be wrong.
What songs and what years were they released? There have been so many that it’s a little impractical to list them all here. But you can go to HauntedEcho.Bandcamp.com to see most of everything I’ve released and what years they came out in.
Have you been part of any other projects? Many. Mind Static, Red Road Warriors, Decembers Fall, and lately I’ve been doing a lot of work with Freddy Bastone.
What do you work with outside of the band and the music? I am a production audio engineer and technician for Off-Broadway theaters in NYC. I’m also the record label administrator and producer at No FiLTr LTD with Freddy Bastone. So whether it’s with my music or a show or working on someone else’s material, I’m always working in the entertainment industry.
What would you do if there was no music? Lose my mind?
How important are your fans? My fans mean everything to me. They are the reason why I can still release new music.
How often do you rehearse? At least 2 times a week.
Where do you rehearse? I have a project studio in Queens
Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? Everything Shhhh and Mad World - both unreleased right now.
What do you feel is the best live band you've seen? Tool
What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their music and to keep playing? Because they don’t have a choice - the act of making and performing music is a drug.
Do you have any webpages? The main website is www.HaloAskewEnt.com and you can sample music at HauntedEcho.SoundCloud.com
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? The end only comes when you give up.
How do you view the music industry of today? Competitive and saturated.
What advice would you like to give other bands? Don’t give up. And listen to a lot of other people’s music.
What are the biggest obstacles for a band? I find that most bands are not motivated enough.
How would you describe your sound in one sentence: Groovy, dark escapism.
What is your favorite crappy instrument? I have a really cheap Yamaha keyboard that I like to beat up on and have tried to destroy on stage. It just won’t die.
Do you have anything to add?Question the future. Question everything.
How was the band formed? I was in a goth/darkwave band and had written a couple songs that were more “dance” oriented. Since my bandmates at the time did not want to go in that direction, I started Haunted Echo to be an outlet for what would still be moody music, but with a dance edge.
Can you tell about your band? At the center of the band is usually me doing the production work, but I’ve been lucky to have a couple partners in crime who have been with me for the last 10 years, Elaine Kristin and Zef Noise (from Peter Murphy’s band). We always trying to push for modern sounds, deep grooves, and a lot of strangeness that we hope sounds fun and intriguing.
Where are all band members from?/Who does what in the band? All of us are based in NYC. Elaine does vocal work and production, Zef plays electric violin and sang on a couple tracks, and then I usually tie it all together with a big, black bow.
What were the ambitions of the band when you started? I really wanted to create music that reached beyond the goth/industrial crowd. That is still my scene, but I knew that it would never carry my career if I just focused on that one genre.
Could you explain your music to someone that haven't heard you? Moody electronic music with driving beats, psychedelic sounds, and layers of melodies.
Where was your first gig? Neptune Lounge, Tampa, Florida
Where was the latest gig? Trash Bar, Brooklyn, NYC
Who writes your songs?/ who writes the music who writes lyrics? I write the songs. If Elaine sings on it, then she’s usually the one writing the lyrics, or sometimes I’ll send her lyric ideas.
Who has the best since of humor in the band? Tough one - Elaine and I both can be pretty goofy.
What genre do you feel you are? Electro-Industrial
Why did you pick that particular style?/What are your songs about? Sometimes I think that the genre picked me. It’s just how my muse works. The songs range from doom and gloom to dark love songs and everything in between. Whatever inspiration happens to make itself useful.
Do you write your own material or mainly covers? I write my own material. I’ve done covers, but I don’t do them often.
Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? Yes, I have several albums. “Weaving A Liquid Dream”, “Morphine/Methadone”, “Klopfgeist”, “Killing Galileo”, and I’m working on a new album called “ShapeTracer.”
Do you have any clips on YouTube? The “ShapeTracer Music Video”: http://youtu.be/Suh-Gzier4E and “Odyssey Music Video”: http://youtu.be/I3OJhBSZhLM
How old are you?/What got you started in music? I’m 38 years old. My parents noticed that I had a knack for picking out melodies on their piano and gave me piano lessons. From there I learned violin and guitar, and most stringed instruments.
At what age did you start playing? I started performing and writing music when I was six years old.
How old were you guys when you first stood on stage? My very first stage experience was when I was seven years old.
What year was the band started? 2000
Best/worst gig you've played? The worst gig I played was at the Brick & Mortal Music Hall in San Francisco, CA. Only because 4 people showed up. The best gig I played was at the Orpheum in LA, CA, in front of 3,000 people and televised to 2 million people.
What places will you be playing in the immediate future? There have been talks about doing some shows, but I’m focusing on getting the album done before booking more shows.
Where have you played from then till now? La Femme Boufet, The Castle, and Neptune Lounge in Florida; Galapagos Art Space and Trash Bar in NYC; Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut; Brick & Mortar Music Hall, Bottom of the Hill, Martuni’s, and Bar 52 in San Francisco. After 15 years, there have been so many that I can’t remember them all. Those were the highlights.
Which band is the best you´ve seen? Tool and Front Line Assembly
Is it always the same songs live? No. And most of the time, I write songs specifically for an upcoming show. One time I wrote a whole album (the “Morphine/Methadone” album at Bandcamp was written specifically for a show with Psychic TV) just for a show I knew I was going to have. There are a couple songs, like Odyssey, that I perform live everytime, but the rest is usually a surprise to the audience.
What has been the best/most promising gig so far? The Orpheum in LA. To perform in front of thousands of people and have it broadcast to millions of people was mind blowing.
What are the plans for the rest of the year? I’m really busy finishing a new album, hopefully tour, and I do a lot of collaborating with other artists.
How do you get psyched up for a gig? I put on a playlist of Oingo Boingo and Front Line Assembly and breathing exercises.
What are your goals with your music? My goal is to make some sort of impact with people and hopefully continue to make a living from it.
When did you decide to go all in for the music? When I was 13 or 14 I composed a piece of music called “Melody’s Theme” for a stringed orchestra that was performed in front of a nice audience with a standing ovation. It was at that moment that I realized I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.
Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? My biggest influences come from older bands who have maintained really modern sounds.
What are your sources of inspiration? Horror movies and bands like Front Line Assembly and Haujobb.
What's the first step when making a new song? Most of the time I’m just sitting there doodling ideas, and either a sound turns into a melody, or a messed up rhythm inspires a melody. There is no real method to how I write. It’s whatever comes out and takes shape.
How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? It’s the way the industry has changed and I choose to go with it instead of fight it.
What would be your dreams for the band? To be well respected in and around our community and peers as well as help other bands and musicians fulfill their musical dreams.
Besides your own music, what genres and bands do you listen to? I listen to a lot of Electro-Industrial, House Music, Acid Jazz, Trip-Hop. I love Massive Attack and Basement Jaxx.
What would be your greatest fears for the future? That I would lose my hearing.
When you are on stage, what do you fear most then? That the mix is going to be wrong.
What songs and what years were they released? There have been so many that it’s a little impractical to list them all here. But you can go to HauntedEcho.Bandcamp.com to see most of everything I’ve released and what years they came out in.
Have you been part of any other projects? Many. Mind Static, Red Road Warriors, Decembers Fall, and lately I’ve been doing a lot of work with Freddy Bastone.
What do you work with outside of the band and the music? I am a production audio engineer and technician for Off-Broadway theaters in NYC. I’m also the record label administrator and producer at No FiLTr LTD with Freddy Bastone. So whether it’s with my music or a show or working on someone else’s material, I’m always working in the entertainment industry.
What would you do if there was no music? Lose my mind?
How important are your fans? My fans mean everything to me. They are the reason why I can still release new music.
How often do you rehearse? At least 2 times a week.
Where do you rehearse? I have a project studio in Queens
Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? Everything Shhhh and Mad World - both unreleased right now.
What do you feel is the best live band you've seen? Tool
What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their music and to keep playing? Because they don’t have a choice - the act of making and performing music is a drug.
Do you have any webpages? The main website is www.HaloAskewEnt.com and you can sample music at HauntedEcho.SoundCloud.com
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? The end only comes when you give up.
How do you view the music industry of today? Competitive and saturated.
What advice would you like to give other bands? Don’t give up. And listen to a lot of other people’s music.
What are the biggest obstacles for a band? I find that most bands are not motivated enough.
How would you describe your sound in one sentence: Groovy, dark escapism.
What is your favorite crappy instrument? I have a really cheap Yamaha keyboard that I like to beat up on and have tried to destroy on stage. It just won’t die.
Do you have anything to add?Question the future. Question everything.
Najs! :)