KIRLIAN CAMERA

“Shadow Mission HELD V"

(World Premiere Concert

Zwickau/Germany - 31 December 2008)

exclusive MySpace interview

by Jean-Marc Robin

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After several announcements and postponements, it seems some of the Kirlian Camera planned releases are finally going to be issued! Would you like to let us know some more, specially about “Shadow Mission HELD V”? Should we take it as kind of a “best-of anticipation”? A single? An album?

ELENA ALICE FOSSI:   Well, in the very beginning “Shadow Mission HELD V” was supposed to be a 4-track single containing new versions to the song “Helden Platz”, including the new live remake formerly called “K-Pax Vision” (now re-titled as “Mission Walhalla VIII” and “Mission Walhalla XI”), as demand regarding such a new version has been remarkably increasing throughout time and we were glad to grant our fans’ wish. But, while trying to concentrate ourselves on big collection “Odyssey Europa (The Best of Kirlian Camera)”, we have been continuously coming out with brand new songs, re-mixes, ideas in general… So, in a few weeks we found out we had 14 brand new tracks plus 8 new versions and re-mixes, that is 22 previously unreleased tracks! We also realized that making a single running  90 minutes is a bit nonsense, so we started compiling different types of track-lists and, after a while, we clearly perceived that 10-11 songs were perfect to each others, therefore we decided to drive towards making up a full-lenght album containing some revisited “classics” plus brand new songs such as these “singles” titled “E.D.O.” and “Odyssey Europa”. Let’s say that this “single” has become a real album to be sold at special price. The other songs we made in these months might take place on to a new studio album to be released later on.

So “Shadow Mission” is a full-length album, at the end…? Why Out Of Line, your label, stated that’s a “mini”?

EAF:   I guess they have done the right thing, as they want to sell this album at the price of a single. Anyhow…  yes, you’re being right, this is a full-length. CD track-list looks a bit different from vinyl version’s.

Tell us more, please...

EAF:   CD version is a de-luxe Digipak containing 11 tracks, while vinyl edition contains 10 tracks, although more or less running time is similar. The differences: the “radio edit” to the “Helden Platz” re-make is not included in the vinyl, as it makes no big sense, since it sounds much better on CD, as far as radio broadcasting is concerned. Vinyl picture-disc edition gives hospitality to an unreleased version to “In The Endless rain”, for vocals, string quintet and electronics; the CD shows a previously unreleased re-adaptation to “K-Pax”, made by Fotonovela. Then Sarah’s violin intro to the “Helden Platz” CD version is taken from Fritz Kreisler, whereas the vinyl solo has been written by myself, then re-adapted by Sarah. Let’s say that globally the CD sounds slightly more “tech-oriented” and the picture-disc shows a more intimist mood. But, be clear, differences are not that essential.

After some listenings I’ve got a clear sensation that you wrote new “classics”, since above mentioned songs “E.D.O.” and “Odyssey Europa”, not to forget the more detached “Enemy closing in”, risk to become effective anthems in a record filled with anthems! “Odyssey Europa” is one of the best KC tunes ever, in my opinion (probably your most epic and dramatic song), as well as “E.D.O.”, which sound particularly innovative, powerful and a little “elegantly glamour”, even though it’s filled with similar sense of tragedy… Elena’s voice on such songs is more impressive than ever and global result surpasses all my expectations! What inspired you in doing all this? Seems there’s a concept, behind this work...

ANGELO BERGAMINI:   Kirlian Camera is decisely attracted by particular stories regarding space missions and other worlds, that’s why lately we’re not seldom  going to explore much more in that direction. “Solaris – The Last Corridor” and “Invisible Front. 2005” are surely inspired by science fiction, but now we are just trying to improve and develop such interests, also trying to make our music follow another way. In fact, I guess that our new songs have no huge similarity with above mentioned works. Today’s atmosphere is much more filled with technology, strange-pop orientations,  Wagnerian echoes and… deep worry…!!!

By the way, somebody in the U.S.A. has recently labelled the recent Kirlian Camera route as “Wagnerian Pop”, kinda unusual style, in the music scene! Do you agree with such an idea?

AB:   why not… sounds a little “excessively limiting”, but we don’t dislike it...

It looks American fans are becoming numerous more and more, by the way. Any tour in the States-Canada on your memobook?

AB:   we have got no confirmation about that, yet. Many are in fact asking for, so we expect it to take place, sooner or later.

There’s a subtitle appearing here and there in your album: ‘Mission Walhalla’… what’s that?

AB: The name of a secret space-mission on Europa.

The word “Europa” seems to be the real symbol of all this dramatic space saga… What’s the link between the continent and space missions?

EAF:   ANSA news, 9-10 years ago, approximately. A Russian researcher asserted that Jupiter’s satellite “Europa” accepts life. He told that he found out a city under Europa’s icy surface. I really don’t know what system he used to identify such city walls, maybe vodka, some jolly fellow may suppose… But, a few months ago, TV and magazines spread some news concerning possible life on the planet. Our story starts in that Russian laboratory, anyway…

Your album is filled with a deep sense of uneluctable tragedy, as if nothing could save the astronauts from a hallucinating solitude. Brainwashings, separation, hallucinations, despair,sacrifice… Is this your  real life mood, today? What’s hidden behind your everyday’s life, in real?

AB:  We don’t remember…

There’s kinda strange story regarding a “close encounter of the 3rd kind” on Europa, between a human and a local “alien”, I like the lyrics a lot… tell me more, please!

AB:  an astronaut found herself in diffuculty, near to dying, when another female “alien” saved her life. This story is being kept in the greatest secrecy. The alien was killed and the astronaut brainwashed.

Only fiction, right?

AB: more or less… it happened in 2016.

What?

AB: AH, AH, AH!!! Don’t you mind about it...

OK… what’s the story behind “E.D.O.”? Kinda robot?

AB:  that name is for “Europa Drama Orbit”. Kind of “code” to identify today the first mission on the planet.

Elena, your presence in KC as a vocalist and co-composer becomes important more and more. I may be wrong, but you’re close to breaking a record, as no former KC member – Angelo aside – effectively remained in the band for such a long time in a continuative way. Do you notice any change since you joined the group? You were around under 20, if I’m not being wrong, just a babychild!

EAF:  So many facts have been happening since my entrance walking on tiptoe! Since the very beginning I have clearly perceived the importance that KC would have had in my life, as I never appreciate those musicians making music for insane fun or, even worse, for having an ordinary job. And be clear I’m not a moralist at all! Let’s say I’m always attracted by those whom have some real will to “really speak”, through charisma and without any useless redundance. I feel sympathy with those whom have an open mind/heart, being able to concentrate on the worth of atmospheres and  lyrics related to a music which manage  to spread both hope and power, as well as deep sorrow. I found all this in Kirlian Camera. Then, with the passing of time, I’ve been feeling a deeper sense of responsibility, a clearer sensation of belonging to this band… which became my home itself! Already in the beginning I did take part in the arrangements along with Angelo, as he often gave me carte blanche on such a point, but as soon as I started composing side by side with him… well, it has been extraordinarily exciting. This made me become stronger, giving me a great boost to even conceive personal projects, at first with Siderartica, then, today, just SPECTRA*paris.

Elena, Angelo, what’s your favourite KC song ever?

EAF: “K-Pax”. It’squite limiting, yet…

AB: “Odyssey Europa”, the song, is my favourite. All our life is written within those few extraordinarily intense minutes…  But there are many runners, such as “No One Remained”.....

Today’s KC line-up on stage looks like a team that works well together, am I right? Is it only you and Angelo doing all of the music things in the recording studio, or someone from your band is helping you out?

EAF: It’s mainly Angelo and I taking care of writing music, lyrics, arranging, producing, mixing…  Then, today, our  friend Sarah Crespi is giving us an appreciable helping hand with her strings. Some further input from Falk Pitschk (electronics) is coming out in this chapter as well and Andrea Savelli added some guitar chords on “Julia Dream”.....

Kirlian Camera is becoming kind foreign legion! Members and collaborators come from Italy, Germany, Korea, Sweden, Central Africa…

EAF:  Angelo and I feel  fine with them, so the “KC foreign legion” is a reality…

Your way of singing sounds almost unique, in today’s scene and this year your name has reached some international top-10 charts as a singer . I noticed you became much more “vocally aggressive” in the last times, especially when you’re at work on SPECTRA*paris, but even with KC this fact is getting evident, mostly in this new adventure, although you don’t scorn some “intimate moment” (“Julia Dream”, for example). Your versatile and eclectic way of singing turns out to be largely appreciated from the international audience: do you feel satisfied?

EAF: I’m often “in motion with my voice” because I’m afraid I might get bored,  if I do follow a one-way road. But I don’t force myself to hit upon a particular course. Let’s say I like to pursue the train of my thoughts, of natural sensations and “elaborated nightmares” – Then, depending on what a certain music track goes to call forth in me I let myself following an interpretation way rather than another. Well… yes, I’ve been effectively using a more “aggressive” vocal attitude, because recent lyrics have a huge and particular emotional impact on me, so I feel like I’m getting insane if I don’t come out through a bit of anger…

Your sex-appeal, not to mention your elegant “charme” is becoming popular and also this point is bringing  you loads of appreciations and even “the charts” on some magazines (sex-symbol of the year on popular Italian magazine “Ritual”, for instance… etc). Strange enough, talented voice and beautiful image are going to get mixed up in a very stand-alone way… Your considerations about all this? Erotic imagery, technical know-how and unblemished inspiration are now finally members of the same club?

EAF: I’m definitely attracted by erotism/erotica a lot, as well as I’m not by social conditionings and conventions. I’m not here as a feminist-from-the-Sixties defying society armed with flaming mini-skirt, although I think that that movement had some real big sense, at the time…  The point is to avoid femininity undergoing implosion… while everybody wants us to accept the fact that those women wearing trousers are to be considered as “more respectable and appreciated”

Jumping for a frame in your Young Ladies Homicide Club I know SPECTRA*paris sales of the debut-album are remarkable, as well as the audience appreciation to you and the band. Is it golden disc, in the end?

EAF: Yes, SPECTRA*paris is running fine and I feel really enthusiast of this project and the girls involved in this adventure! As for the golden disc goes, you should forward your question to our label, AH, AH, AH!!!

December 31st in Zwickau (Germany) you’re gonna make a special show. May you tell us more about such a event and the fact that your side-project Stalingrad is involved in?

EAF:  I guess that the Zwickau concert is just the 1st step of a new period, for KC. We’ll be performing some songs from the new album as a world premiere. As far as Stalingrad is concerned, I must say that is just a brief break into the long KC concert: let’s say we are playing 4-5 songs from such a repertoire. On such an occasion, we’ll be aided by my “spectral” guitarist Marianna, here playing acoustic guitar too. A further surprise may come, but we are not in position of confirming it, yet. We’ll be spreading it in the next hours, if it comes true.

Is your German setlist including revisited KC-classics or there’s a chance to listening to “Odyssey Europa” and “E.D.O.”?

EAF:  yes, we’ll be playing those two new songs as well and more…

Are you going to even perform a Hipnosis track, during the “Best Of” tour? Is your platinum-disc close to being re-issued?

AB: it’s possible we play a “Hipnosis short” during the tour. I don’t know whether above mentioned title will be re-issued soon. I have no contacts with the label...

By the way… may I ask why you signed to Out Of Line? You got some bad times with Trisol: it seems you brought a lawsuit against them, right?

AB: Once for all, “NO”! We had no big trouble with Trisol. That’s a good label and we worked almost fine with them. Only, last times have been running a little “hazy” on both sides, I guess, so we decided to meet other labels’ managers in order to reflect on some points. In the end, we opted for Out Of Line. SPECTRA*paris keeps on working with Trisol, anyway, so… that means there is no real grudge…

Sincerely, I don’t think Trisol turns out to be that good deal for SPECTRA*paris. Perhaps I’m wrong, but the band really looks not having anything to do with the Trisol’s roster, that’s just an opinion… Anyway, I like bands not making any public polemics on such poor points, showing some real elegance as you do. What about that planned SPECTRA*paris winter single, Elena?

EAF: I guess it’ll be released within February or early March.

“Kirlian Camera Odyssey Europa/Best Of Tour 2009"… What Countries are you going to perform?

EAF: Tour’s plan still looks incomplete, but up to now we have got offers from Holland, Germany, Norway, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Eire, Russia, U.S.A., Argentina, Chile, Brazil and others are coming, so we will see.

I see Italy is included in. Guess it’s Milano...

EAF:   not exactly. At the moment we’ve got 2 offers from Tuscany and Sicily. Further dates might be added, but regard Southern Italy. Maybe something will arrive from Milano as well, don’t know, yet…

Seems you have some special preference for the south of your Country…?

EAF:   we don’t dislike the northern area at all, but… I honestly must admit we have had some fine experiences with the southern audience, so we really like the idea of performing there.

What’s your favourite Country?

EAF:   Disneyland, naturally!

I do fully agree with you! So, now we are in the coda of this chat… and I realize I didn’t ask the official release date of both “Shadow Mission HELD V” and “Odyssey Europa”!!! It was just my priority question!!!

EAF:   the album “Shadow Mission” comes out in January. The big collection “Odyssey Europa” might come out in three months.

What about your first official live album?

EAF:   Well, we’re told that videorecording sessions will be done throughout the first part of the new year or in summer, so I suppose the album might be out on late autumn, both on DVD and audio-CD, but have no real confirmation about that.....

Anything to add in the end?

KIRLIAN CAMERA:   this is just the beginning.

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