Stuttgart, Germany’s experimental rock band AN EARLY CASCADE have teamed up with IDIOTEQ to give you their brand new video for the track “Dancing Upon The Moon”, recorded during the band’s Living Room Session. Along with the premiere comes a quick interview, in which the band shoots a nice introduction to themselves. Check out both cool features below and don’t forget to all your friends.
Hey! Welcome, guys! How’s it going? Hope all is well. What have you got planned as a band for the coming weeks? Feel free to show off [smiles].
Hello Karol! Thanks for interviewing us! My name is Maik. I am the front man of AN EARLY CASCADE and indeed I am feeling really fine today [smiles].
Well, plans. Where should I begin? We’ve been together since we were thirteen or fourteen years old (around 2001/02). AN EARLY CASCADE started in 2004. When you would have asked me back then, I’d say “we will be super rock stars!”. Today I am saying: “we will revolutionize rock with our next record!” [laughs].
For now we are recording a live session video for one of our current songs named “Dancing Upon The Moon” from our last record “Versus”. Additionally we are planning shows and maybe a small tour until the summer break. Also we want to record an acoustic track in April or May, but I won’t yet tell you which one! After the summer break we want to intensely get into songwriting sessions for our next album. We plan on making a small trip to a place, not sure were, but away from our homes for one or two weeks where we can free our minds to just focus on what matters most. The music.
Damn, dude. Big ideas, I’d say [smiles]. How do you want to revolutionize rock music, then?
Good question! Well, this is the point where I am supposed to say: “Our next record will be fresh, new and fancy. Something you have never heard before!”. Actually not.
Of course we could record the sound of pencils in a bottle while the contained wine is flowing through a broken telescope into a ventilator, but I am quite sure even such crazy nonsense has been already done by anyone. No. Revolutionizing rock music in our case is about making our songs unpredictable, interesting and spacy but also simple, familiar and electrifying. We’ve been through so many genres. From punk rock over emocore to metal/hardcore, but I always had the feeling that we don’t belong to any fix type of genre somehow. It began with our last record “Versus”. And this is where we want to continue. Making music for everyone. Not in a commercial way. In a way where everyone find themselves if they’re willing to be open minded. Of course this will be nothing for the “scene police” [laughs] or people that are just listening to music not to be bored of driving in their car. More to people enjoying music. Like reading a book. Sit down, put on their record, cd, mp3 or what-ever-what player, plug in the media, listen to the music, dive into it and just let happen what happens. I think this would be revolutionary enough. This also is an experiment for ourselves, and I am so excited about it!
Just music? How important for AN EARLY CASCADE are lyrics and supporting certain ethics outside the music itself?
For me personally, lyrics are of course important. They mean a lot to me since I am writing about personal things, but we as a band don’t have a general message to accompany with our political interests, faith or the way we live (like straight edge or something)… Sometimes I might be pointing on things that I don’t like about our society or humanity in general, but I am not judging or forcing anyone to think like me. The most important aspect about the lyrics in a song is to let the reader (listener) chose how to interpret the song to get the chance of a deep and private connection. Hopefully!
So what inspires you to write?
It depends. Sometimes it just happens. Other times I really focus on stuff happening around me. Like driving through Stuttgart (our regional capital) during the rush hour watching everyone panic. That somewhat inspired me for a song from “Versus” called “Town Of Clocks” for example. Also feelings like love, rage or similar are inspiring me, which is more of the type “just happening”. There is so much inspiring us in general every day. I just try to soak up all that to be able to write it down on paper.
And who has inspired you musically the most so far?
My lovely cat! Beside her, there are so many inspiring musicians or bands, but the ones that inspired me most are RADIOHEAD, THRICE, THE MARS VOLTA, GLASSJAW, and MUSE. GLASSJAW and THRICE were the reason why I fell in love with “harder” music since 2001. Before that time I used to listen to alternative and punk rock. RADIOHEAD, THE MARS VOLTA and MUSE finally introduced me to the world of more experimental and spacy stuff.
Are you sad that THE MARS VOLTA have just broken up? What would have to happen for you guys to stop playing together under the current name?
They were a great band, although their last album was definitively not my favorite. I will miss their creative output, but I am not sad though there will be new projects featuring members of THE MARS VOLTA. I couldn’t tell you what has to happen for us to no longer play together as AN EARLY CASCADE. We’ve been doing this for almost ten years now. I think if one of our base foundation members, which is Daniel, Michael and me, would leave the band we would split up. We might start a new project or band with maybe the same members, depending on the circumstances of our breakup, but I hope that it lasts for at least another ten years! Until then we will be enjoying our deep friendship and playing the music we love.
What was the toughest thing that happened to you as a band?
Our best friend and former drummer Daniel died on 16th May 2012. It was the saddest day in our lives personally and as a band.
Oh my God, I’m really sorry. I had no idea. Can I ask you what happened?
Thank you and don’t mind. If it’s okay for you, I would prefer not talking about that.
Sure thing. Let’s move on.
You mentioned about a live session video for one of your songs. Tell me more about the project.
Oh yeah! We recently recorded a live session video for “Dancing Upon The Moon” together with 6:19 Productions and AV Medien Stuttgart. It was a really spontaneous idea shooting it in the living room of Daniel’s, our guitarist, parents. The vibes of the room and especially the chimney were just perfect for the song.
From the first moment we entered the room we all said: “We have to record it in here!”. It felt magic somehow and the recording was a lot of fun. We even thought about recording our next album live, if we have the possibility to do so. Amazing!
What about some gigs, fellows? You need to hit the road! [smiles]
Of course! We have some shows upcoming in March and plan on touring for some weekends in May / June / July. In fall we might be playing three dates in Sweden which would be awesome, since we’ve never been there before. Let’s see! After the summer break we definitely want to start off with writing new songs.
Great! Make sure to drop me a line as soon as you get some details!
Anything you’d like add, gentlemen?
Yeah, I will do so! For now we have a couple of dates in March, May and June.
21st March @ Juha West, Stuttgart (DE)
17th May @ TBA (DE) /w The Tourist
18th May @ TBA (DE) /w The Tourist
1st June @ Kunstrasen Open-Air, Odenwald (DE)
7th June @ TBA (CH) /w Casually Dressed
8th June @ TBA (FR) /w Casually DressedThank you so much for the kind interview, I felt really comfortable and welcome here on IDIOTEQ.COM. Now to all the readers: Enjoy our live session video and let us know what you think. We’d be excited about any feedback. You can contact us via Facebook, Soundcloud or the vintage way via [email protected]! [smiles]
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