• Current
  • Dialogue
  • Discussion
  • Live
  • Obscure Sisterhood
  • Rockettes
  • Internal
  • Imprint

Psychorizon

~ The Private Side Of Rock'n'Roll

Psychorizon

Tag Archives: Danzig

Obscure Sisterhood – Lucifer

12 Friday Jul 2019

Posted by psychorizon in Obscure Sisterhood

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

AC DC, California Son, Century Media, Danzig, Deep Purple, Dreamer, Guns N' Roses, huck Berry, Johanna Sadonis, Little Richard, Lucifer, Metallica, Nicke Andersson, Ramones, Roxy Music, Run DMC, Scorpions, Screamin J Hawkins, The Oath, The Runaways, The Velvet Underground, ZZ Top

When a certain female-only duo stepped onto the rock-infused limelight, I was very unimpressed. Specially with the vocals of one Johanna Sadonis. Not even their stage attire in all its resemlence to The Runaways caught my attention in a good way. Fast forward to the present and the new incarnation of Lucifer, I am proud to call myself a fan of this female musician, who clearly is so much more than “just a singer”. Still patiently waiting for a full-length European headline tour and my chance to finally see her live on stage, this has been a most pleasuerable interview in the making. Enjoy – I do!

How and when have you been first introduced into the world of Rockmusic? (I know you gave a very nice insight in a previous interview with Rock Hard, but since that one is currently unavailable, I’d be happy to learn about this as well)

Music has always been around me when I was a child. My mother was a classical trained piano player and listened a lot to classical music and rock. I was raised on the Stones. My parents also loved bands like Deep Purple, ZZ Top, AC DC, Roxy Music, The Velvet Underground and a lot of 50s rock and roll like Chuck Berry, Screamin J Hawkins, Little Richard etc. My older brother, who I am very close with, was a punk. It was the 80s. He made me mixtapes with all kinds of stuff spanning from Ramones to Run DMC. When I was coming of age my natural rebellion was lying in Heavy Metal which soon turned towards extreme metal.

Speaking of which: Who inspired you the most to start making music yourself??

Hard to say. In elementery school I started in to sing along to everything and was in my first band at the age of 13. First guitar, then vocals, which I stuck to. Around that time Danzig had a huge influence on me. The first three albums. But also early Metallica and Guns N Roses.

Most people know you from your former band The Oath, but you have quite the history of work to your name – is there any band/collaboration or project that you regret or might even be ashamed of?

No, everything lead up to who I am today.

dances with the devil

Have you ever felt less of a musician, being „just“ a singer on stage?

I am a singer but also a songwriter and write 50% of the songs and all lyrics in Lucifer,  not even mentioning all other creative and managing processes concerning Lucifer that spring from my head. Lucifer is my creation, vision and concept. However, there are many “just” singers, as you put it, out there that get a complete song with lyrics thrown at them and I don’t think there is any shame in that either. One wouldn’t ask a guitarist how it feels to be “just” a guitar player.

Being in a band is much like a relationship and in fact your husband is also part of the second coming of Lucifer – what are the advantages and disadvantages of making music with someone your that close to?

I feel extremely lucky. To love each other, be best friends and play music together is the ultimate goal for us. We are both sort of introverts and have a very special and sacred relationship, nothing I have ever experienced before. We do everything together, so it’s a blessing for us that we get to go on the road together too and share this journey as well. Living out in the Swedish countryside away from people with our own studio, we get to completely immerse ourselves into what we love doing the most – music. Discussing ideas and music is never ego driven for us, it’s rather an excitement towards the greater good – to make the best song possible. That is our goal and ideology. We have a lot of fun with it all because this is what we both want out of life. It’s a satisfying thing!

On that note „Lucifer II“ sees a whole new lineup, apart from yourself of course – if you (would ever) compare it with the debut, how do you feel about the development, of you as a musician, the band and the music itself?

With every album there is a growth as a musician and human being. I am very proud of  “Lucifer I” but “Lucifer II” is certainly a notch up. The sound is more organic and diverse with catchier crafted songs. I feel I have grown quite a bit as a musician but also us, as a band, especially live. Lucifer is a very energetic live band now, which has a lot to do with the great chemistry within the band. We are a very passionate group of friends, minus the toxic ego bullshit that can haunt a band. We all just wanna play and enjoy the ride. Being in the middle of the writing and recording process of “Lucifer III” and can already say, that we will continue the spirit of “Lucifer II”, possibly a notch up once again. Watch out!

top notch on stage and off

Do you think that your moving to Sweden will have an influence on the future sound of Lucifer?

Music springs from within one but yes, it’s a blessing to have left city life behind. I lived in huge cities most of my life. Berlin, LA, London. I can tell you that I am relieved to be away from crowded places. Now I have the luxuary of not working a regular job and being able to focus solely on being creative and letting my mind roam free as an artist. And to write for Lucifer together with Nicke, who absolutely shares my musical vision, has already had a big influence on Lucifer’s sound with the second album.

How much of your actual persona can we find in your music? – or to put is this way: are Lucifer & Johanna the same person?

Yes, Lucifer is one very big part of me. Of course there is a whole personal universe outside of the band but I pour my very heart into Lucifer. The lyrics are all very personal, even if metaphoric at times.

Have you ever felt or might even been told that there are certain things you couldn’t (or shouldn’t) do because you are a woman?

Never felt but have been told many times. Of course, I never listened!

What are your thoughts on feminism and do you consider yourself a feminist?

It’s a sad thing this even needs to be talked about but it is very important. I am certainly with feminism. I am woman and have faced sexism in various forms since I walk the earth, like all of us. I take every opportunity to speak up, when I detect the slightest form of patriarchry. May it be just underlying, hidden or being even catered to by other women. It is a very frustrating and unfair thing, so deeply rooted in our society and it is very important to sharpen one’s sensibilty and raise awareness. Take no shit, girls! I am allergic however to the misuse of this whole debacle towards men and to preachery. Speak when it’s necessary!

Aside from sharing the magic on stage, you are also a fan and a Djane – what do you enjoy the most when it comes to music worship?

Oh yes, I am a huge music fan, DJ, record collector and supporter. I love going to shows. I used to put on shows myself, run my own metal club night for nine years. and worked a variety of jobs in the music industry myself. Almost all my friends play music. Music is all I want to be surrounded by ever since. The best is when you put on a record and hear a song that touches you so profoundly or pierces your heart in a way you have to listen to it over again. Or being at a show and it get’s to you so hard, you can’t help but actually shed some tears, yes!

music worship pro level

So much about Lucifer has a great vintage vibe, but your also very active on facebook, instagram etc. what is your personal take on social media?

Actually I recently deactivated my Facebook because it just became too much. I do see social media as a practical tool to get the word out, get to know what’s fresh but mostly to stay in touch with my friends, family and peers all over the world. The down side is being so approachable. I just don’t have time for it, so Facebook had to go!

And finally: Is there anything you’d like to tell the world, specially all the girls out there who are into the dark side of music, like an advice or maybe even „warning“ before they start dancing with the devil?

I encourage you to dance with the devil! It’s been the dance of my life!

_______________________________________________________________

LUCIFER on Facebook

LUCIFER on Instagram

LUCIFER on Twitter

MICHELLE NOCON – Sitting In The Basement With PJ Harvey, Recognizing No Authority

08 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by psychorizon in Dialogue

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Bad for Lashes, Bathsheba, Blut aus Nord, Chelsea Wolfe, Danzig, Death Penalty, Dodheimsgard, Earth, Ester Segarra, European Tour, Feverdance Rituals, Floor Jansen, Frederick Cosemans, Gaz Jennings, Gojira, Ho99o9, Horrors Of 1999, Isis, Kate Bush, Khold, Leviathan Speaks, Metallica, Michelle Nocon, New Album, Occult Sabbath, Om, PJ Harvey, Plague Of Gentlemen, Rise Above Records, Ryanne Kemmerling, Serpent Cult, Sign Of Times, Sleep, The Sleepless Gods, Tom Waits, Ulver

Her name has been an item for me for quite some time, after leaving SerpentCult and with the spawning of Death Penalty, Belgian beauty Michelle Nocon is back on the doom map. But our very first encounter is due to leading yet another brilliant band, Bathsheba, who just recently performed upon the initial joint venture of Feverdance Rituals & Occult Sabbath. Reason enough to have a little heart to heart with her now and dig deep into the depth. Actually I just want to know how soon she will return to the road so we can hang out again!

Michelle, which one of your current bands do you consider your main priority, Bathsheba or Death Penalty?

Bathsheba was born out of 4 members while Death Penalty is the project of Gaz Jennings.

Bathsheba

 Bathsheba promo picture

SerpentCult is now history for you, but let’s get back way beyond this: How did you get into heavy music and when did you join your first ever band?

I didn’t really have any friends who listened to metal when I was young, so I mainly picked up some stuff from my brother and I basically took my own road from there on. When I had my first boyfriend we formed a band for fun. He was a Metallica fan, so was I. He was a guitarist, I could sing a bit. Then when I got to know Frederick Cosemans in a metal bar, and with the dramatic ending of the Plague Of Gentlemen, it all really started for me. I had no idea really what the hell I was doing, I wasn’t even up for auditioning because I didn’t think I could deliver anything on vocals for that band… So it was in a way a bit of a funny coincidence that I was suddenly singing in SerpentCult. But yeah here we are.

Your voice is very versatile and strong in both clean and rough ranges – did you ever take singing lessons or how do you work on your vocals?

I took a few singing lessons with Floor Jansen because I felt like I was only able to sing high and sweet and I wanted more. Also, she’s an extremely good and versatile singer. At that time I wanted to learn the high-pitched heavy metal scream so I took a few lessons to learn the basics. And from there on I went my own road and am pretty much self-taught. I just try to expand and experiment. I love to be able to really express anything I am feeling, going from soft singing to screaming. When I make a vocal line I improvise and record and then perfect it. The more free I become the more creative I am in my vocals. I am also starting to discover vocals that inspire me, PJ Harvey for instance. I don’t think I’m a really good technical singer, but my power rather lies more in an open-mindedness.

Being active in bands and as a writer/promoter myself for ages now, I feel that women have to work so much harder to be accepted or even respected in this so-called tolerant scene – have you ever felt that the gender aspect is an issue for you in any way, be it on or off stage?

Well it’s double… To be honest I think most female fronted bands are shit, so I find it dreadful that Bathsheba is often referred to as a ‘female fronted band’ . It shouldn’t matter also, especially in metal. When you have female fronted bands it’s often more about image/beauty than music. I don’t like this at all. The result is having these 50-year-old male fans that still live in the basement with their mother, listening to only female fronted bands… Please no…

On the other hand I do believe Bathsheba is a respected band because we really don’t get on the same train as these female fronted bands. Of course being a female in this male world gives you power also. It’s more like charisma. You don’t have to be an ugly dumb woman, you can be a powerful one. I see myself as a musician rather than a female singer.

Death Penalty liveII

On stage with Death Penalty at Rise Above 25th Anniversary bash in London – picture by Ester Segarra

To get to a very current topic: After the terrorist attacks in Paris and now in Belgium – which concerns you directly as a Belgium citizen – has anything changed for you emotionally about getting on stage or are you afraid of further incidents?

I am not worried or surprised because this was bound to happen. And it will happen again. Even though I am completely against ISIS I dare say that I doubt that we know what is really happening in the world. We can only make our own little theories of course and we all believe in our own truth. There is also the inevitable fact that we’ve been exceeding the capacity of the earth for a long time. And so in a way I support depopulation. It’s is obviously sad that innocent people die but with how it’s going now, it is inevitable that more and more people will die because of disasters, famine, war, terrorism in all forms… This is how it has always been and how it will always be.

I know there’s an album in the making with Bathsheba – when is this set to be out and how does the songwriting progress look like within the band?

We will start recording end of May and the album will be out somewhere at the end of this year. Mostly the guys pass me some riffs, I record vocals over them and then we get together to determine the structure or change parts.

Any plans for a European tour with Bathsheba or Death Penalty for the near future?

At the moment we are just focussing on finishing the last song, recording and getting the album out. We are all very excited for this. The 10” has done already so much for us so we really want to get the album out and spread some more plagues.

Leviathan SpeaksLeviathan Speaks – Waiting for the sea to swallow us – Picture taken by Ryanne Kemmerling

There is yet another project of yours I’m really intrigued to learn more about, specially the listing of artists that you like (Blut aus Nord, Dodheimsgard, Tom Waits, Kate Bush, Khold, Gojira, Bad for Lashes, Chelsea Wolfe, Om, Sleep, Earth, Metallica, Danzig, Ulver) caught my attention. What can you tell about Leviathan Speaks that you lead as your alter ego The She Wolf?

Leviathan Speaks is something dear to me. I don’t really plan to do anything specific with it yet. This is mainly because of the following reason; It’s just me improvising, so in the recordings there are false notes, the rhythm can be off, there are background noises or metronomes. But I am closest to the music I make at the point that I’m creating it. So rerecording it to perfection would be silly. I wanted to make something as pure as possible. Something that gives me the opportunity to express myself, experiment, grow, discover,… No boundaries anything can happen there. It’s in a way a self discovering I’m willing to share.

I think She Wolf fits well as I’m a bit of a lone wolf and an untameable woman. The music represents this in a way I believe. The wolf woman is singing/moaning… It’s sometimes very naturalistic and animalistic. I’ve always had a great attachment with wolves and the moon, so wolf woman comes very natural to me. Becoming an animal in a sense in this kind of music is inevitable for me.

To get to the end: Which is the last record you bought?

The last record I bought was “Horrors Of 1999” from the band Ho99o9. Great stuff!

Anything else you’d like to share with the world?

Recognize No Authority

_______________________________________________________________

BATHSHEBA on Facebook

DEATH PENALTY on Facebook

LEVIATHAN SPEAKS on Facebook

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

  • Follow Following
    • Psychorizon
    • Join 1,464 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Psychorizon
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.