My Dying Bride
april 2004 - e mail
interview by Dave Rebel

Aaron: First of all, I’d like to thank you for your kindness and for the time you are about to spend on these questions.

Dave: Reading your lyrics, one can think that you are influenced by 19th century literature, Am I right? What are your main influences concerning the lyrics?

A: The lyrics are typically My Dying Bride in that they are mainly centred around the darker side to life; Misery, suffering, anguish but also love, passion, religion, war and death. Not especially happy stuff but these are subjects that interest me because of the way they affect us all in different ways. We are all very complex and individual and it’s these differences that I like to concentrate on.

On your last album, the song “Catherine Blake” is, I suppose, a reference to William Blake. As you seem to be familiar with this poet, are you as well familiar with the band The Doors?

A: It’s got nothing to do with William Blake’s wife (sister or mother) but many people seem to think that way. She is just a small part in a massive war between good and evil and I wanted a character name for the title instead of the usual ‘epic’ sounding title. Blake was a great writer though.

Why didn’t you print the lyrics of “Black God” in the “Turn Loose The Swans” sleeve?

A: We did. Although that LP had 3 different covers (Tape, CD, Vinyl) and I suppose one of them may have been typeset wrongly.

What are your main influences concerning the music? Anything from Norway’s Black Metal scene or Sweden’s Death Metal scene?

A: Not from recent metal history but certainly Scandinavias rich black metal past. I loved Bathory. Greatest band ever I used to think when I was younger and I still love their (his) records now. Candlemass were also a massive influence on us. Our guitarists Hamish and Andrew are very much into the scene up there and often comment on recent releases.

Is there a story or a link between the different “Sear Me” songs?

A: No. We all loved the main tune so much that we thought it would be an interesting idea to use it again and again (but not a fourth time). All 3 songs are totally different in structure, lyric and approach and are only linked by that one riff.

How do you create a song? Is everyone involved in the creation or is someone dictating his own views?

A: We all generally help in the creating process but obviously some will contribute more depending on their interest and ability. There is no one person who dictates everything. I do all the words and help a little with the music and the rest of the team do the music. Sometimes the words come first and sometimes it’s the music. We have no set formula for writing.

Why did you choose to drop the violin?

A: Martin was not taking too much of an active role when we were creating the LP “34.788%...Complete” and so we decided there was no room for violin in MDB anymore. We had used it for several years and felt that it was time to move on.

Is the name “My Dying Bride” a reference to something? Where does it come from?

A: I made it up and it has no reference to any moment in any of our lives thankfully. I wanted a morbid yet slightly romantic & tragic name for the band and thought that My Dying Bride was very suitable and quite unique.

You have or you are currently shooting a video for the song “The Prize Of Beauty”, can you tell us about it, how is it like? When will we be able to see it?

A: It should be on tv now. It’s basically just a promotional tool for the new LP and is not as artistic as we would have liked due to budget and time restrictions. It’s just the band performing in front of a camera. It looks OK but I would have much preferred a story.

What are your plans for the future?

A: We have summer festivals to play this year and possibly a few gigs in the UK near the end of 2004 and I guess we’ll start work on the next LP in early 2005. Seema a long way off now but it’ll soon be here.

Anything more to say?

A: Hope you all like the new LP and I hope we get the chance to meet up with the fans during the summer. 

Thank you very much guys.

Cheers

Aaron

/apr 15th 2004/