FS:  with the release of "re-possession" ANGELTHEORY'S second full length album almost fresh on the shelves, how are you feeling right now?

i have to say at his point im feeling excited.  i believe the new album coming out will give people a new perspective on what ANGELTHEORY is about. the sound is definitely far away from "fatal condition" but not so far as to alienate the fans. i believe there are definite parallels between both albums. the feel and overall sound of this album however is more streamlined this time, but still there is enough variance between tracks so that as you go along there are new ideas and interesting twists.


FS: do you see having this variance important?

definitely. there's nothing worse than listening to album and not being able to pick out the highs and lows in moods and tempos. to me it's an important part of the journey of listening to an album, rather than it being just a collection of songs strung together.

FS: how do you feel the tracks on "re-possession" accomplish being more than a collection of tracks?

when im in the writing process of an album, i allow myself to move outside the boundaries of the writing approach a little from track to track.  so for example if i write a track like "i feel disease" which i feel is a pretty straight forward track, it then gives me some leeway to try something a little more challenging with the next track, "breathe" for example is not so straight forward.  

a second way in which it achieves this is in varying tempos throughout the album. albums have to have there highs and lows.

FS: your lyrics have a very personal nature about them. is this therapy?

yes.

FS: what are you favorites on the new album then?

all my babies are favorites. lol. but if i must pick a few, "breathe", "witness", "possession" and "horizon". why? each track mentioned stands out as great accomplishment for me in its own way.

FS: since coming onto the scene in mid 2004, you have shared the stage with acts like suicide commando, vnv nation, and assemblage 23 to name a few. had your worked remixed by the likes of "daniel meyer" of haujobb, "joackim" of covenant, and "torben" of lights of euphoria, to name a few again, quite the accomplishment for 18 months work.

i guess when you put it all together it is a lot. i have been very fortunate to be around people who have belief in what i am doing and are there pushing the ANGELTHEORY name on my behalf. having my work remixed by my peers is a humbling experience for me. these are artists that i admired, so when they have agreed to do some remix work, im always grateful. 


FS: karma?

yes, definitely.

FS: well given all that has happened, what for you has been the highlight of the past 18 months?

playing wgt 2005 was definitely one, as was the show we did in melbourne supporting vnv nation. vnv where one of the bands that really influenced me when i started the ANGELTHEORY project, so having support them in my home town was magic.

FS: along with vnv nation then who influences you these days, or maybe easier what are you listening to?

nine inch nails, interlace, suicide commando, radiohead, ,brian eno, david bowie to name a few.
I really love to listen to lots of ambient music too, I find the idea of music as an environment really exciting. i like to bring in influences from sources outside the ebm scene, i believe it gives my music a little bit of an edge or twist. Also my music listening history has been going since i was a kid, so there’s alot of music in my past i draw upon for inspiration and influence.


FS: you have been playing and composing music for many years too, what where the projects before ANGELTHEORY?


yeah, i starting playing at 16, when i bought a juno 60, it was incredible. a little later i bought  a yamaha rx-11 drum machine, and that was it, i was on the loose ! alot of material has been recorded over the past 20 years, some great, some questionable, but it’s all a part of the process and lots of fun as any musician would tell you.
was in a couple of bands too, first band at 17, and last one at 28. I then decided to stay as a solo artist. working in a unit with people can have some great advantages, but for now, i'm happy working alone again.

FS: would you like to work with other people again ?

yeah i would, but more so as a new project, rather than with ANGELTHEORY.

FS: well yes that does makes sense. you also have a side project SOLAR tell me about that.

SOLAR is a solo project . i  wrote the first album in between ANGELTHEORY albums as a chance to explore other avenues. i intentionally decided it would be an instrumental project, thereby giving it a distinct difference. the sound is based in both electronic and organic percussion, along with lash pads and atmospheres.
after finishing the album, i have set out to have a film made based on the music. the music resonates visually, so it seemed like a very nature progression. hopefully the film will be complete by the end of 2006.   

FS: ok some questions away from music, what's your favorite food?

italian always wins. i call it soul food.

FS: favorite drink ?

vodka on ice, or with soda and a dash of lime
scotch on ice, a very close second.

FS: your view in global warming.

as long as money and self interest remain the main focus of our governments and big corporations, we are doomed.

FS: what do you think of kylie minogue ?

lol, i love her. seriously given that she has been releasing music for over 15 years now and still gets people involved she must have something going for her.

FS: do you have any of her albums ?

actually no. not really my flavour, but i will say that she has had some killer singles in her time which have blown me away, “can’t get you outta my head” was a stroke of genius..

FS: back on ANGELTHEORY, do you feel that electronic music, or dark electro to be more specific, has a place in the main stream market ?

yeah, i believe it does. the thing that holds it back is the "dark" nature of the music and perhaps lyrics. i have had people who are listening to my stuff for the first time, or more precisely listening to dark electro for the first time say, that it is a difficult listen. i believe it can be really challenging to some people, and people just don’t wanna work that hard to find some appreciation in the music they are listening to. its easier to listen to a kylie track for example and get that instant fix, that’s what "pop" or "popular" music is about i guess.

FS: where would you like to see ANGELTHEORY in 5 years from now ?

id like to see ANGELTHEORY still releasing albums, and touring. be a self sufficient entity, being able to afford its own tours, and releases. as long as that happens ill keep going.
but i'll never stop writing music regardless, its apart of who i am.

FS: now for the shameless plug section, name 3 albums you think deserve some attention.

"tankt - club life";  these guys have put the art of album making back on cd. as a whole it’s a great journey and something more bands in this genre should be doing. that aside some great dance tracks and some of the best electro ballads i have heard in years.

“south – from here on in”; the “brit-pop” sound with a difference. Beautiful lush atmospheres coated in great songs. I feel in love with album on first play, and still love it years later.

“brian eno – apollo” : just a one day dream track after the next, the master in my books.

FS: lets talk about “re-possession” a little more, how long did it take you to complete, as we all know about the second album syndrome.

this album took 18 months from start to finish. that is just too long but there where factors in their that you just cant avoid, that is your personal life. things happen there that influence your music, both when it gets done, and what that music becomes. .but to me I see it as a loop system, one feeds the other. I was never worried about trying to make a second “fatal condition” album as I was really happy with the new direction I was taking. so already the albums had quite a different sound about them. But yes I don’t ever really want to be writing an other album over that long period of time, its just too long.

FS: are you happy with it though ?

Ohhh totally in love with it. To me it’s a very strong collection of songs, and I wanted all the tracks to be the best I could do. Its nightclub, and its reflective. Another good combination.