SAINTS OF EDEN
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 15th March 2010.
Saints Of Eden is an industrial metal act from the UK. Fronted by Cian Houchin, the band released Forbidden Pleasure in 2009, and have just unleashed a video made by the Academy Award winning Neil Corbould.
Cian answers questions on behalf of the group.
Hi Cian, could you give us a brief history of how Saints Of Eden started?
Cian: The first music I wrote under the name ‘Saints of Eden’ were remixes for Nefilim. We’d got the album (Zoon) done and a single was to be released. We’d had some remixes done and we weren’t happy with them, so Carl suggested I have a go. I’d been releasing some extreme 12” singles with a mate of mine under the name Psyco9 in the past, so I was in the computer music world, samplers and all that stuff, I kinda morphed what I’d been doing into the Nefilim mixes. I remember having two days to come up with a name and Saints of Eden was born.
You’ve been around for a decade and a half now. Do you feel you are now part of ‘the establishment’, or are you still fighting for recognition every day?
Cian: I don't do enough really, I just release my music. I know it’ll probably never get anywhere without some good money being put into promotion. I accept that, I’m not dreaming of anything. I write music simply because I can’t not do it! – It’s like a drug.. I go to my studio in the evening and come out at 7 in the morning. I do this most days. I have other projects I also do, but I don’t put my name on them.
How does the music scene across the world compare to when you started? Do you have to approach a new record in a different way?
Cian: Being part of Nefilim really helped interest with my first album.
At the time (1997) it was pretty rare for 4/4 kick drums to be mixed with guitars and not exactly accepted, so I had a brick wall to climb when I started. As time has gone on, we’ve seen music change dramatically. Anything goes now, which is my perfect environment!
Production techniques and computing power has opened so many doors, although, now I’m working at super high resolution, I’m finding that going out of the system through analogue compressors etc, and back into the digital domain is a much better sound. Isn’t music loud! We’ve seen a massive jump in ad-limiting, music has lost much of it’s dynamics and dimension. No one wants to back down and sound quieter than the last track. I could go on about this, but I’ll probably end up heading up my own arse, making my tracks loud too!
Where did the band’s name originate from, and how many millions of times have you been asked this question?
Cian: I don’t know really. It just appeared from nowhere, subconsciously. It could be tied to the fall of Adam.But then that’s all just a story..
Who originally influenced the band, and did you consciously decide what sound you wanted to play...or did your style develop organically?
Cian: My musical career started with hardcore. I was in a band called Legion of Parasites. We had our first EP out when we were 16 and did another 3 albums. Hardcore was where my heart was. I’d started listening to Slayer, Venom, Anthrax and the amazing Bad Brains, mixed up with anarcho bands like Conflict and Crass. Then all of a sudden I was playing bass in a Goth band. I was never into that scene, although my time in Nefilim opened up my view and mind, and I admit there is much influence from there too. All in all I released about 8 or 12 vinyl EP’s of techno under various names.. So, maybe that explains why my music is somewhat ‘different’. I think I could write a ‘metal’ or ‘goth’ album but that wouldn’t be enough, it would have to morph in some way, I can’t help that.
I like extreme, hard music and I also like a good beat, or a well-written beautiful song. Music is emotion, and that’s what you get when I write: my heart on a plate.
Do you follow the path of evolution or revolution from album to album? How similar do you sound now to when you started?
Cian: The first three albums were electronic projects. I wanted the latest album to generally get back to real drums. I’ve almost felt like I’ve towed the line there. I think it suits those songs. Originally I was going to make it a double album, with one CD of the nicer stuff called ‘Pleasure’ and the other more a raw, hard band sound ‘Forbidden’. I’d been at it for 4 years and had about 17 songs I was fairly happy with. Knowing it could just keep going on and on, I shut the lid on it and compiled the ‘Forbidden Pleasure’ album.
This album saw performance and writing also from other band members Andy Kendle, Ross Anderson and Flow Toulman.
How would you actually describe your sound to somebody who hadn’t heard you before?
Cian: An emotional roller coaster. A guitar driven metal, Goth, industrial hybrid.
How long did Forbidden Pleasure take to record?
Cian: 4 long years, it nearly did me in! Although I learned a lot along the way about recording, mixing etc.. all trial and error! This was the first time I’d recorded drums, that was two weeks with Flow playing in the control room (see YouTube ‘Scapegoat’). Songs are kinda created and re-hacked for months sometimes but others come together in a couple of weeks.
How do think the album compares to older releases in terms of quality?
Cian: I think production-wise it’s just got better. Songwriting is stronger too I think. I never listen to the old albums but I know they carry a lot of emotion, as always.
Can you give us a rundown of the techniques you use to achieve your sound?
Cian: Generally I’ll get some sort of beat going and muck about with the guitar or a synth. I’ll add/try out different elements and develop the song from there. With the tracks that don’t carry so many ‘extras’ I’ll concentrate on the content and try to raise the standard of everything from lyrical content, to performance. I’m conscious of a quality to the music, even if it’s aggressive, it needs to make sense to carry a convincing message.
Do you use any unusual instruments at the recording stage?
Cian: I’m into making sounds at the moment. It feels like it’s all been used in a way. A lot of synths are a slight shift on another one. I remember hearing the raw waveforms in my Akai Sampler years ago and thinking, ’that’s so in your face, you can’t use that’.. Now I hear that and think, it needs to be bigger, fatter, louder.. Finding ‘lead’ sounds is a challenge. If you're mixing things up with guitars, that has to blend and work too, which makes it harder.
Do you have any particular favourite parts or tracks on the album?
Cian: That changes on different days, although once I complete something it’s quite rare that I listen to it. It’s almost like mission accomplished, now I can be ill and do all those other things I didn’t have time for!..Then that bleedin’ building draws me back in!
All the songs on the album are there because I like them and they all carry a story that really mattered at the time, like a period of my life that is now logged.
Who did the artwork for the album, and how did the design originate?
Cian: I knocked it up in Photoshop from a green, mask photo I bought, and the person is a mate of mine called Cherry. I had a vision for it when I saw the raw mask, and asked Cherry to pose for the pic. Andy (SOE bassist) came and shot the pics of Cherry with me, then I spent shit loads of hours buggering about with the graphic composition.
Speaking of visuals, could you tell us a bit about the video for ‘Price Ya Gotta Pay’? How did you end up working with (Academy Award Winning) Neil Corbould?
Cian: I was introduced to Neil by friends of mine at Polecam (portable HD camera/crane system). I knocked up his web site for him.
I left him a demo of PYGP amongst others, for no real reason, just ran him off a copy of what I was up to. Neil is obviously a big-time creative and I think he noticed that in me. He’s worked for years creating blockbuster effects for films such as Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, and he was busting to have a go behind a camera. It’s rare that Neil has spare blocks of free time, it was left that we were going to do a video together ‘at some point’. I saw Neil on and off on a social basis for a year or so, we kept saying, we must do that video. Then a gap appeared. We had a weekend we could wing it in. After some discussion, Neil came up with the story-board and a plan was in place. It was filmed at Neil’s warehouse, which is a movie lover’s paradise!
Neil’s guys worked hard all week creating the set and running tests. So we used bits and pieces from all sorts of films, just left over or ‘in stock’. It was an amazing experience. I could get on with performing, surrounded by professionals doing their thing. I can’t begin to thank Neil and his staff, as well as Keith Harding from TX2 TV,. it’s a big list. Everyone gave up their time for the love of it. Lighting, tracks, make-up, prosthetics, food, actors..
You can see the prosthetics preparation in a ‘behind the scenes’ vid I lobbed up on YouTube.
Do you have plans to make another video?
Cian: We’ve talked about doing another one, but allocating more time to it, like a week for filming. But this can only happen if there is a gap in his busy schedule and everything comes together.
Where did the concept behind the video come from?
Cian: It was Neil’s idea, I was happy if I got some horns in me head!
Was it fun, or bloody hard work to record the video?
Cian: It was fuckin’ great, I don’t consider that work.. Acting and all that shit is part of being creative for me. Yes, it was long hours, and again big thanks to everyone!
Have you had a lot of good feedback? It’s unusual to see a rock music video so ‘expensive looking’ nowadays!
Cian: There’s been some great feedback, although, where do you air something like that? – it ain’t exactly daytime TV!
Do you play many live dates?
Cian: Sadly not. We need to sort that out! We’re probably the worst band in the world at getting gigs. It’s very rare we play. When we do, it’s spot on, a performance and we love it!
What’s a Saints Of Eden live show like...when you do get to play?
Cian: Shit loads of energy and emotion. We’re one of those bands that you can say ‘they mean it when they play’
Are you already working on material for a new album, or are you still pushing Forbidden Pleasure for all you’re worth?
Cian: I’m always up to something!..
I’ve been writing a song called ‘Sick of the Silence’ – It’s back to programmed drums and extra effort going into sounds and production…I’m looking forward to letting this out. I decided the other day I’m going to give some tracks away. I’ll start with this one in a few weeks time, then as I write, I’ll just chuck them up online for people to have free.. I don’t want to get bogged down with doing another album and have these huge gaps between releases. I don’t do this for money so what’s the point in charging people. I sell existing albums and EP’s so if someone finds this new stuff, they may well buy the old stuff (or download it from a torrent! Ha ha…)
What’s your take on the present state of the music industry?
Cian: Mixed up, and I’m not sure if that’s me or the music industry!
It’s pretty fucked though, being de-valued constantly by undercutting formats and bulk deals on content. I think new music will be generally free in a couple of years but publishing/licensing will remain, being the only source for revenue.
What do you think of TV shows like X-Factor and American Idol?
Cian: That’s business, not music. I respect just the contestants. Everyone else is in for the buck. Perfect business timing, to maximise sales. It’s all so regimentally executed it makes me puke. But that is their business, and it’s them sitting on a yacht sipping Champagne, that’s not for me.. If people buy into it then that’s the commerciality of music and that’s what a lot of people like. When you are a musician or journalist, manager, whatever and involved in the music business you tend to defend it and take it so personally, when to those not involved, it’s ‘just music’.. a bit of radio on the way to work, maybe people like that, just like easy to listen to, shallow, pop music.. fair enough.
Do you have any interesting hobbies away from music?
Cian: The odd bit of sleep .. Oh.. and eating. I make videos for fun...
Any question you love being asked that I’ve missed? If so, what’s the answer?
Cian: Blah Blah Nefilim, said it all before.. Thanks for not bringing it up, that’s a refreshing interview, aah..
What are you up to once you’ve finished answering these questions?
Cian: Getting some grub down my neck, then heading off… guess where?
Anything else you would like to mention?
Cian: Come and grab new SOE songs for free at Metech Recordings – starting with ‘Sick of the Silence’ in a few weeks time!
Cheers for the interview!
Cian
Thanks again to Cian for his time. For more information on the latest Saints Of Eden album, Forbidden Pleasure, visit the band's websites (links below).
http://www.metech-recordings.com/
http://www.myspace.com/saintsofeden
