If you are unfamiliar with Wiccid by name, you surely know them through the work of their founder and multi-tasking magician, Erie Loch. Erie has been responsible in part for projects such as Luxt, Blownload and Primitive Race as well as countless remixes for the likes of Revolting Cocks and Ministry. With co-member Crash at his side, they are pretty much the Batman and Robin of electronic music these days.

Wiccid create a unique blend of ebm, synth-pop and industrial. Their new album, By Design has just been released on Cleopatra Records. It is available on CD and digital format.

Erie was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few of our questions. We are very grateful for his time!

How has the vision for when you started Wiccid different from an older project of yours, Luxt or any other for that matter? And was it a case of wanting to get back out in front of people as opposed to being in the studio as a producer or remixer?

Basically, I had bought a new computer and a bunch of new software and I realized there were a LOT of new soft-synths that I wasn’t familiar with. So I decided to do an all-electronic project to learn how to use the new software better. I set a goal of writing 10 songs in 10 days, and I wanted to finish the entire record in two weeks.

That’s Wiccid. Did I mention that I work fast? Hahahha!

The debut Wiccid album is “By Design.” These are simplistic names so do they have any particular significant meaning to you personally?

What I had in mind for the album was exactly what we ended up with. Very melodic, but danceable music with a ton of hooks in the music as well as the vocals. So, it was “By Design”. Plus “By Design” was a line from one of the songs.

Likewise, most of the tracks have simple titles but two are “The Reconstructing Gods” and “The Grand Comedian.” Can you talk a little bit about those?

The album definitely has “futuristic” themes overall. I’m a huge science fiction buff. So I sometimes write from things I might envision happening in the future. Like many science fiction stories, I can totally see plastic and reconstructive surgery reaching a point of something everyone has done on a regular basis. Humans are the only animal capable of enhancing their own evolution, so, provided we make it that far, I think it’s inevitable. The Grand Comedian is just pointing out that we really need to have a sense of humor in life. Especially in light of the fools currently running things.

Did the process differ from song to song regarding yours vs. Crash’s input?

Crash didn’t help write this album. In fact, when I wrote it, it was not intended to be a “band”. Just a project. But next thing you know, Crash taught himself to play keyboards and sing harmonies, we’re playing shows, we’re signed and on tour. Ooops… Hahahah!

Are there any tracks on By Design that served to be therapeutic and perhaps evoke emotions in you now, maybe to the point of not wanting to play them live?

Anxiety was written when I was going through extreme anxiety, and sometimes, when I’m going through it, it’s a song I skip. But I’m good right now, so I’m loving it. hahah!

Some people reading this might be wondering about the reason behind the decision to drop off of the Lords of Acid tour. To what degree of detail are you able to go into about this without obviously naming names?

Let’s just say there was some EXTREME unprofessionalism behind the scenes and we were concerned for our actual safety. That’s as far as I’m willing to go publicly.

You’ve done quite a number of remixes for different artists. Do you have any particular favorites or any particularly fond memories of working with certain artists?

I enjoy remixing everyone. Newer artists or very well known artists. From a writing (not remixing) standpoint, I LOVE working with Tommy Victor from Prong. I love what he and Chris Collier have done with the songs we wrote together. I loved remixing all the Ministry stuff too. Hell, I love it all, what am I saying?

I heard in an interview you did that you tend to work very quickly or you don’t get things done at all. is this a case where you have ideas flowing at a breakneck pace and feel the compulsion to get them down? Or alternatively, is it just on occasion when you do get an inspiration, it has to be dealt with then and not set aside?

I sometimes have like 5 things going at once. Right now I’m writing a new album of guitar-industrial stuff, remixing a bunch of artist for No Devotion Records, mastering a few tracks for various people including the new Bornless Fire album.

Sometimes the inspiration comes into my head from nowhere, or from something I’m listening to and I have to rush out to the studio and try to capture it, sometimes I just start a song and it either works or it doesn’t. Everything is an influence. Right down to the sound my flatbed scanner makes. (I actually wrote a song from that once.)

You’ve been a member of Primitive Race which also has featured members of KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, Pop Will Eat Itself, Spear of Destiny, The Mission among others. Word has it that a follow up to the debut 2015 ep is in the works. What can you tell us about this release coming up and who all is involved?

Well, because I took so damn long to finish this interview, the album has already been released, and very sadly, Chuck Mosley has passed away. I don’t really feel like talking about that yet.

What’s next for Wiccid for the rest of 2017 and into 2018?

We plan on releasing a music video for every song on the album, playing live as much as possible, and then writing and recording a new record by the end of the year.

Ok, most important question… San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks or LA Kings?

That’s a question for Crash. I believe he digs the Sharks… But I know he was a big Buffalo fan for a long time.

Situation:

Many many years in the future, a long distant relative locates a box in the attic of an old house. Inside the box they find a Wiccid album and something to play it on. Now… leaving ALL other projects out of the picture, focusing only on Wiccid, what would you like this person to know about the legacy you left; that is based solely on listening to the album?

I would hope that it was a fairly accurate description of life at that time. 🙂

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