Godspeed You! Black Emperor

jan 25th 2002 - CAT, Bordeaux, FR

interview with Norsola (cello), Roger (guitar) and Mauro (bass) by SEB WOOD, Barbara H and El Compila Funkistador

We did this short interview in January, about a year ago. El Compila Funkistador videotaped it and lost the tape and only found it very recently. So there.

SEB WOOd: I wanted to ask you: do you know other indie canadian bands such as Eric's Trip, Julie Doiron... Do you know them ?

Mauro: I know Julie Doiron

Norsola: I've only heard of them

Roger: I used to listen to Eric's Trip a few years ago but I suddenly stopped listening to them, I don't know why

SW : I was also wondering if the "political" statements we can read online or in magazines were statements issued by the band or if they were strictly individual

M : sometimes it's a collective thing, sometimes not

R : it depends, you know, if we had to discuss what we say every time it would become really exhausting...

SW: I know that International Noise Conspiracy's statements are collective...

R : That's what they say !

M: I don't believe them...

SW : what do you think of them ?

R : I don't know them

SW : I mean, what they say

R : I don't know them, I mean, I know the name, I know they play 60s music but that's it

SW : yeah, it's garage. They say that a new revolution should happen in order to abolish the system as it is today and replace it with another one, create a new social ideal

R : To create a new social ideal is to fall into the same traps, I find these questions and problems huge, if we create another system new viruses will appear, there's always something that will not work, I've thought a lot about this

SW: I think that their message is very naive...

R : I'm not saying this, I think it's interesting, as long as they're thinking and trying to make things change it's good

Barbara H : Do you think you're contributing to a new "revolution" even if it's a very quiet one, do you think that you're helping the people to think differently through your music ?

R: yes, a dialogue is definitely created...

SW : well, maybe we should talk a little more about the music now...

BH : Do you like touring ?

M: yes

N: the shows especially, I like the times in between the shows a little less

SW: when I listen to your records the music often reminds me of classical music...

N: Classical music is the base of almost every piece of music and it's easy to find elements that remind you of classical music in contemporary music, especially when it's instrumental...

BH: is the democracy within the band frustrating ?

N : yes, very. It's hard to be heard, it's hard to give or receive advice, you have to be very cool about it or the communication breaks very quickly

BH: Is it hard to keep the band together, because of the frustration and the anger that comes from it ?

N : hmmm

M : sometimes it is

N : but I think that the breaks are part of the band, it would be boring if we were all the time on the same wavelength

BH: Is it because of this frustration that there are so many side projects, in which each one of you can express himself more freely ?

N: yes, musically speaking, definitely, since we are 9 we can't all do whatever we please, we can't all bring the same amount of ideas to the band, there is more artistic space in a little band, in Godspeed we have to be careful not to step on each other's feet...

SW: do you use the audio samples that are on the albums when you play live ?

R & M : yes

N : In Blaise Bailey (nb: bbf3, the second track on Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada), it's essential, but apart from this one, not really, I think it's the only one in which there is a sample live...

SW: do you plan on releasing something else soon ?

N : yes, we're working on the new album

M : we'll release it this year

BH, SW, ECF : thanks a lot

N, M & R : thank you



