I had the good fortune to be able to ask some questions to one of the most exciting gothik rock bands of the new millenium. This what they have to say!

Which genre do you feel The Sins closest to, this is if you had to classify or label yourself?
JvH: I honestly don’t think you can classify us, but I suppose if you HAD to, something like “dark rock” might work out alright.
Jyri – I think it’s difficult to label ones self but I generally tell people that The Sins play dark rock.
Lee- We’re probably closest to Gothic Rock, at least that's the genre and musical community we are most associated with. It’s what most of our backgrounds are in. But like Jyri said, it’s difficult to label oneself. Never ask a musician what kind of music they play because you’ll never get a straight answer.

How would you describe your music to people who have never heard of you before?
Jamie- It’s difficult to describe but I usually resort to “The Cult with an electric violin.” It’s probably not that accurate but at least it sounds interesting.
FISH: The Cure if they were held down by The Sex Pistols and gang raped by Black Sabbath.

How do you feel your music has evolved since the early incarnation of the band, and do you see it evolving more?
JvH: I think we started out with a pretty raw straight up gothic rock sound and through the years started incorporating more styles into our music. I think we are much more diverse now and I see us continuing that trend on the next record.
Lee- We are playing through different gears than when we first started out. We’ll try new things out, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Not to mention we also have some different members in the band since we started. So their influences definitely come into play in the writing process and the shaping of our sound. As far as the future, you can never tell. You can guess, but then next thing you know, everything is completely different than what you thought it was going to be. I think we fool a lot of people at times because they think we are a certain kind of band that should sound a certain way, and then we go and do a song like “The Ballad of Mr. Thicket.” With The Sins, you never can tell what level we are going to next.
FISH: It's gotten heavier and meaner.

Are there any main influences you can all agree on when it comes to the band. Perhaps in the way you write or structure your music, lyrical content etc?
JvH: There are far too many. All of us are music lovers and collectors, so to name just a handful of main influences would be too difficult.
Jyri – Though each of our musical preferences cross over, overall we all listen to and prefer different styles/types of music. When we write new material, I often find that we each come from different creative and musical angles. I think this is why the band works so well and why there is so much diversity in our music.

With what music did you each grow up with?
Jyri – I grew up listening to New Wave and Punk bands which later evolved (or devolved rather) into the Gothic and Industrial categories.
Lee-As a guitarist, I started off into the Rock/Metal thing then got into Jazz, Classical, Blues, Progressive Rock, and World Music. Then Grunge and Alternative hit. I later re-discovered 80’s New Wave and Punk which, like Jyri, led me to Gothic and Industrial Music. I also have a penchant for Soul, Motown, Blues, Funk, Classic rock, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s Pop Rock and just about everything under the sun. There are so many labels for music out there it’s just crazy.
Jamie- I've always liked harder music, although my CD collection is varied enough to include Jazz, Country, Punk, Death Metal, Industrial, Classic Rock….I could go on….
JvH: Well I was an eighties kid, so I listed to the usual crap on the radio…Flock of Seagulls, Duran Duran, etc. As I got older I discovered hard core and eventually Gothic music.
FISH: A healthy dose of my dad's blues records and a buttload of classic rock.

When did you decide to start making music individually?
JvH: I actually started playing trumpet at early age. I switched over to guitar like most teen boys do. The catalysts for me really were Carl McCoy, Rozz Williams and Mike Ness. If it weren’t for those three, I wouldn’t have kept up my hobby.
Jyri – I turned to the “dark side” of playing rock music after failing as a classical musician.
FISH: When I was getting out of the Navy and was hating life in general.
Jamie- As a drummer I actually dream of one day writing music but I have a guitar that I still haven’t learned how to play……
Lee-It’s all Eddies fault, blame him.

Was there any specific catalyst for this decision to start making your own music?
Jyri – For me playing nothing but sheet music for ten years became boring and mundane. As much as I still respect and appreciate the Masters' music, it just failed to fulfil my own creative outlets.
Lee- I saw “Jump” on MTV and thought Eddie was cool. He’ll even the black guys where I went to school thought Eddie was cool. Eddie played the guitar solo to “Beat It”, and everyone loved Eddie. I wanted to be Eddie.

Do you any of you have any formal training on any instruments?
JvH: Trumpet. Wayyyyyyy back.
Jyri – for what it’s worth...yes.
Lee- Yes
Jamie- I used to go to a drum clinic once in awhile for inspiration.
FISH: Nope. Can't you tell?

I must admit that the electric violin is fantastic and really works well. Was this always your plan to create a rock band with a violin in it? Or how did this come about?
JvH: Haha. Actually, no. Not at all. When Lee joined the band, he asked if his friend Jyri could come and play with us to see how we liked it. My initial response was “what the f*ck are we supposed to do with a violin?” And after one practice, Jyri became a fixture. Apparently it’s working out pretty well.
Lee- Not really, I met Jyri when I was in Tri State Killing Spree (3SKS) and it was more or less his personality that caught me. Jyri is cool. He’s a great guy with and a lot of fun to hang out with. My wife (girlfriend at the time) had a party up at a local club called The Mercury. Jyri showed up at the party and he and I ended up hanging out together in the back getting drunk. Later on, Jyri started popping all the balloons at the party with his cigarette. After that I was sold. Anyway, I had played bass for Tri State and wanted to go back to being a guitarist. That’s when I met The Sins. Shortly thereafter, I had heard that Jyri had quit Tri State. This was about a month later. So I rang him up and him asked if he would be interested in coming out and checking out this new band that I had just joined called ‘The Sins’. The funny thing is that after the first audition, he said that he wasn’t really all that into it and that he would probably only play with us for just a little while. That was about 5 1/2 years ago

With which other bands do you relate yourself to in the scene today?
Lee- I like the bands Endless Grey and Jupiter Crash. Written in Ashes is also cool. Oh and The Victims of Kool ?
JvH: To be honest, I don’t listen to a lot of bands in the scene. I’ve found myself mainly listening to older stuff. Things like Iron Butterfly, The Doors, any Motown stuff, old blues and a lot of honky-tonk and old country.
FISH: To be quite honest, I can't think of any except for the two or three bands in the area we've played with (see Lee's answer).

When and how did The Sins get together? And how did the name, The Sins,come about?
JvH: I dreamed it up while watching the Mission UK perform in 1999. The original name of the band was “NightMare Boy and the Seven Sins,” then “The Seven Sins,” which was eventually just shortened to “The Sins.”

Who is repsonsible for writing lyrics, music, art work etc?Or is a team effort?
JvH: Everyone contributes to the song writing process. I write a good portion of the lyrics, but not all of them. The rest of the band also writes lyrics to some of the songs that they’ve created. As far as artwork, we have an artist for the CD designs, I do the print ads usually and Fish actually hand draws all the flyers.
Lee-Jeff writes most of the lyrics and music. Although I do a couple songs here or there, and Jyri and Fish have also written songs for The Sins.
FISH: I pretty much do all the flyer art. That may be my vocation once I get crippled and/or kicked out of the band.
Jamie- I try to keep our studio fridge full of beer.

How would you describe your live performances so someone could have an idea of what to expect on seeing you perform?
FISH: Definitely not boring. Just five guys throwing themselves into what they love.
JvH: Lots of energy. A good deal of showmanship, drunkenness and just a bit of arrogance sprinkled on top ;)
Jamie- I wish I could see them because I have heard it’s good. Usually I am engulfed in fog and can’t see anything.

What is the strangest thing you have seen/ experienced while playing live?
Jamie- With The Sins it was probably the drunk Portland Santa Brigade playing Twister in front of the stage.
FISH: What Jamie said. And the three games of Twister that broke out during that same show. Something about the holidays that brings out the oddballs.
Lee- People break-dancing to our music.

What is the most embarrassing thing you have each experienced on stage?
Jyri – Falling off stage while standing on a speaker in a drunken haze.
FISH: Getting so drunk at one show that I collapsed into the drum kit just moments before we were supposed to perform.
Lee- Fucking up a big guitar solo, getting pissed about fucking up the guitar solo, and then smashing my guitar on the stage. Only problem with that was the guitar didn’t smash -- the stage did. Then I had to go apologize. Yeah, very rock-star. Did I mention that I was "really drunk"? Why do these things always happen when we’re, "really drunk?"
Jamie- Falling backwards off the stage while trying to avoid being decapitated by a wayward ride cymbal.
JvH: I’ve ripped the ass & crotch out of my pants a number of times. I don’t why it keeps happening, but it does.

What is the inspiration surrounding the lyrics of your music?Where do you come up with the ideas?
JvH: "The Beginning" lyrics weren’t all that personal and came from various things. "The Last One Kills" became more personal and are based on things I been through, or have come to expect, etc.
Lee- Life, experience and heartache.

Do you have hobbies/past times and what are they?
Jyri – writing music, gardening, sitting in my hot tub and drinking!
Jamie- Soccer, golfing while drinking beer, skiing while drinking beer, fishing while drinking beer and… I tried woodworking but drinking beer doesn’t mix with table saws.
FISH: Mostly art. Doing it and studying it.
JvH: This is my hobby.

What do you feel are your personal best achievements and also the band as a whole best's achievement?
JvH: I think my greatest achievement is perseverance. I’ve returned the band from the ashes twice and kept things together despite line-up changes and other things out of my control. As a band, I think we’ve released 2 very good records and have managed to create a fan base and following for our music.
FISH: Marrying my lovely wife and creating a great family and, as a band, recording The Last One Kills. But then that may change with the new album.
Jamie- Personally? Not getting fired from the band.

Is being in The Sins a difficult job or do you have too much fun to worry about personalities that might clash and the stress of working together?
JvH: A bit of both. Right now with this lineup we definitely have great chemistry and we all work very well together. We also get along well outside the band and have become somewhat of an extended family. When that happens, you can’t help but have fun. It’s like having 5 brothers on the stage.
Jyri – I have played in a number of bands that constantly fought about everything. Being a member of the Sins has never been like that nor has it ever been a stressful thing. Everyone works very well together and first and foremost, we're all friends. We all enjoy each other's company. Playing in the Sins has always been about having fun....and we do that pretty well.
Lee- Well said.
FISH: These are the greatest, most easygoing guys I've ever worked with. Any stress or problems we face are usually external.

What would you say is the best thing for you about The Sins?
Jyri – I would say that the friendship we all have and how well we write, create, and perform together.
JvH: The camaraderie. Playing live. Recording. I love every part of it. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get to the next level and go on an extended tour.
FISH: The people. Once you have that, everything else falls into place.
Lee- Again, well said.

You are recording new material if I am not mistaken- can you tell me a bit about what to expect?
JvH: You can expect a good mix of the first 2 records. This one will have the rawness and live energy of the first record, but the refinement of the 2nd record. Musically, it will be somewhere in between, branching out to even more styles.
FISH: You'll just have to wait!

What are your thoughts on the Gothic Rock/Deathrock scene currently?
Jyri – Unfortunately I find most of it has become very stale.
JvH: I actually think it appears to be getting stronger. I know in our area things aren’t things great, but around the rest of the world, it does seem to be gaining some momentum. And that’s definitely a good thing.
FISH: I'm more concerned with what The Sins and I are doing than what's going on with the scene. I hope it's ok. ?

One of the bands that have exploded on to the current deathrock scene,made some time in a very busy schedule to answer some questions for Gothik Radio.

Which genre do you feel yourselves closest to, this is if you had to classify or label yourself?
Well, I think that our music contains influences of many genres, from punk, new wave, goth, deathrock, psychobilly, horror punk to country, surf and even some 2 Tone ska tunes… We play mostly on punk, psychobilly and goth parties and I think we belong to all these worlds.

How would you describe your music to people who have never heard of you before or the newcomer to the scene?
I got no idea how can I describe this, maybe “goth’n’roll” would be the best?

Are there any main influences you can all agree on when it comes to the band. Perhaps in the way you write or structure your music, lyrical content etc?
I am an author of almost all music and lyrics in the band and the influences come to me from everywhere… I think musically this is punk, deathrock and rock’n’roll music and concerning lyrics and basic mood it’s mostly trash horror and sci-fi phenomenon.

With what music did you each grow up with?
I always loved many genres. Basically I grew up listening to punk ‘77 and goth / new wave, but I always liked also other, sometimes surprising genres, like e.g. 70’s art rock, old school thrash / power metal or madchester rave. Music is like a food: to keep yourself healthy you must taste everything.

When did you decide and started making music individually? Was there any specific catalyst for this decision?
No, the only reason was that I was completely fed up with Polish goth scene and I wanted to change this situation, to bring old school punk, deathrock and spooky rock’n’roll tunes back into our sad and pretentious goth scene. And I think it was a success.

Have any of you formal training on any instruments?
Yeah, few of us completed a primary musical school when we were a kids. But I think it has nothing to do with what we make now…

Which other bands do you relate to in the scene today?
It’s very difficult question… I think we managed to achieve our own goth’n’roll style and I simply cannot to point at concrete bands. Personally I feel some kind of “mental” connection with Shadow Reichenstein, Psychocharger, Deep Eynde, Ghoultown or The Last Days Of Jesus, but our music is absolutely different.

When and how did Miguel And The Living Dead get together? And why this name?
It all began as my one-man project. I was making first songs with guitar and primitive computer software and c.a. 2 years later I completed a band, there’s no any special story behind this. Our name comes from G.A. Romero’s “Dawn Of The Dead”. Watch it and try to find Miguel! :-)

What are the responsibilities in the band? Who does what i.e. lyrics, music, art?
Well, basically it’s me. Other band members have obviously lot of fine ideas that help our songs grow up and sound better but the main direction and idea is usually in my hands.

How would you describe your live performances so someone could have an idea of what to expect on seeing you perform?
We are just a rock’n’roll band with horror image. We are rather relaxed people, have a lot of fun during the show and I think our audience has it too. Personally I hate “dark” and “mystic” kind of goth performances. I love contact with an audience and fun, in vein of old school punk attitude. Sometimes we jump out of the stage and play among the people, it’s fantastic.

What is the strangest thing you have seen while playing live?
One time I saw the guy that has broken his leg during our show. It was terrible!

What is the most embarrassing thing you have each experienced on stage?
I don’t remember anything strictly “embarrassing”, but I still remember one shitty show that we played with Antiworld and The Last Days Of Jesus 2 years ago in Warsaw. It was the worst Miguel’s performance.

What is the inspiration surrounding the lyrics of your music?
Well, basically I don’t consider myself as a lyric writer, so I just write some stupid words that are supposed just to correspond with music. Frankly I must admit that I don’t like to write lyrics, but as far anyone from the band doesn’t want to take my place in that matter…

Do you have hobbies/past times and what are they?
Yeah, besides music I love horror / sci-fi movies and books, I’m also devoted to many sorts of art: paintings, graphics, photography, performances. Sometimes I write as a musical journalist to magazines. I also love to travel (unfortunately there’s still lack of time and money to do that). But music is my main passion and love.

What do you feel is your personal best achievement and also as a band?
I think that just a band is my best personal achievement! Believe me that it wasn’t easy to complete this kind of band in such a shitty place as Poland… There’s no any deathrock, gothabilly or horror punk scene and I still remember that most of people thought that I must be out of my head when I decided to form this sort of band. And I said: “fuck them, I’ll do that”. And I succeed.

Is being in Miguel And The Living Dead a difficult job or do you have too much fun to worry about personalities that might clash and the stress of working together?
It’s difficult question. We love to play together and have a lot of fun on the one hand, but on the other hand there’s a lot of stress sometimes. You know, everyone in Miguel & tLD has some personal ambitions and the problem is that I’m rather despotic man and other guys are often upset because of me, ha ha ha!

What is the best thing about this band?
I think the fact, that we can play the music we love in such a strange place as Poland and people here love it, is the best thing about Miguel. Also I love all our foreign performances and trips, when we travel across the Europe, meet a lot of great people, play with awesome bands... It rocks! And it’s always bloody funny…

This year you are playing the Wave Gothic Treffen in Leipzig, how did it come about? Have you got anything special planned for the performance?
Thorsten from Fiendforce Rec. invited us to play. We spread our terror on Monday, there’s a horror punk event. But I don’t think that there’ll be anything special about this concert. We treat this just as another Miguel’s show, although we’re obviously excited about it.

What can we expect from Miguel And The Living Dead in the near future?
We’d like to complete entire stuff for 2nd album during this summer and on autumn we’d like to record it. Musically it will be rather similar stuff to “Alarm!!!” I think although there will be some surprises, believe me.

What are your thoughts on the gothic Rock/Deathrock scene currently?
I don’t like too much gothic rock, so I don’t follow this scene. But I really love current deathrock / gothabilly / horror rock scene and I think there’s a bunch of amazing bands. Shadow Reichenstein, All Gone Dead, Weegs, Nightmare On Elf, Popoi Sdioh, The Last Days Of Jesus, Deep Eynde, Eat Your Make Up, Sixteens, Psychocharger, Bat Attack, Cult of The Psychic Fetus just to mention a few. I think that nowadays deathrock scene is still growing, breeding lot of great bands and events. I’m happy and proud being a part of this.

Vassago the mighty prince of Ex-Nihilo gave me the opportunity to ask some questions, regardless of the language barrier, this is what he had to say!

Can you tell me a bit about Ex-nihilo as ways of introduction to people that don’t know of you?
Ex nihilo started in 1998 with a singer, a drummer, a sound engineer and a pianist,the project was to be of the Dark_Wave-Electro style.The project with several people did not last, and Ex nihilo was really formed with 2 people from 1998-1999, me and the sound engineer. Then since 1999, I managed all the following albums SEN solo (I undertook the 12 following albums and the 6 Slaps of A to Z). (Except some Remixes and Covers with other underground groups coming from other countries. (which can be seen on the Ex nihilo website for more details).

What are the responsibilities in the band? Who does what i.e. lyrics, music, art?
As I explained, I occupied myself with this from the end of 1998 - beginning 1999. I am responsible for the sleeve design of the albums and tapes, the lyrics of the songs and the composition of the music. Philosophical paintings, texts, (Lyrics), poems etc...

With what music did you each grow up with?
Thanks to my mother, I was introduced to New Wave and also Rock'n'roll (a Little Punk as well). I adore the music of Moroder (Midnight Express) I intend to make another reprise of this Soundtrack... I as well as the very poetic texts of certain French artists such as "Jacques Brel, Gainsbourg..." But also "OMD-Alpaville-Secret Service-Depeche mode and especially... The Cure and Siouxsie, which pushed me to be a musician, in spite of the fact that my music has nothing to do with these groups... I like also much "Moricone and Carmina Burana...

Have any of you formal training on any instruments?
I learned certain basics, certain instruments, but in vain... I am a scientific musician; it is the name that I give to the style of my compositions. My recording studio is called "the Laboratory of Sciences of the Sound" With that, a scientific musician, I think that the name that I created will be a truth for the solo creators of today, still much more for those of the future!

If you had to classify or label yourself, what would that be?
Approximately, my music is very Indus-Techno, but the majority of the people that listen to my music really do not manage to classify it, and so much the better, I prefer that! I mix too many styles, which creates my own mark, overall my own label and sound. On one hand this is positive (To be original...) and Negative on the other, (not able to find a label having the courage to launch it... these labels that are satisfied with simple groups composing a kind of stereotype pseudo underground music, resembling Dance. These groups creating in 2 minutes a repetitive melody of shit, that makes me laugh, because that is not worth a fart and it is that which goes on to labels... Caution!!! Soon the Gothic Star Academy... Ha! Ha! Ha! (It is obviously sarcastic...)

How would you describe your music to people who have never heard of you before?
That it is Avant-gardiste and deserves more attention...

How has your music mutated or evolved since 1998?
With time Ex Nihilo became more Indus-Tekno... For my other projects it is another subject... Ex nihilo in 1998 was to be rather a kind of Dark Wave project, kind of like Clan of Xymox or OMD for example.... It is only one simple example but there are not enough example to support the idea of what it was suppose to be like!

Are there any main influences you can agree on when it comes to the band. Perhaps in the way you write or structure your music, lyrical content etc?
The translation is not precise enough... I cannot answer...

When did you decide and started making music individually?Was there any specific catalyst for this decision?
If I understand the question correctly, I started individually, because I had (Or I still have...) the feeling to be a misanthropist. I work better and more quickly alone... And that it is justified... Nevertheless, I am not against parallel projects... The parallel projects fight my demons...

Which other bands do you relate to in the scene today?
Today... none, because I left the music for my other work (Writing-poetry-philosophy-drawing, inventions, etc... But I still work on remixes and Covers. These versions are reproduced on the 2nd disk as a bonus on my last album of Ex nihilo (Pentagon Explosion). There are versions of my titles by other very interesting projects (Of the Projects more interesting than one hears today in the Goth clubs) Of course, without false modesty, I put myself in the batch of the interesting projects... You will find all, concerning the other projects and people with whom I worked, and hope to work in the future, on my site www.x-nihlo.org

When and how did Ex-Nihilo get together? And why this name?
The name Ex nihilo, wants to say "Come, emerge from nowhere..."..Voilà!!! I will not say any more for the moment, one will see in a few years. Because it has a direction which deserves more patience to describe the veracity of this name compared to this project!

How would you describe your live performances so someone could have an idea of what to expect on seeing you perform?
Ex nihilo and its Side-Projects will never made "Live" for the moment, but with assistance it is possible and that Ex nihilo is the project which deserves to be likely to do one (Many people wait to see Ex nihilo Live... And I would be happy to please to them. The problem is my preoccupations with a health which blocks so much of some of my projects (Even other projects and not just music). It is infernal...!!! I devote myself to it more than I did then...

What is the strangest thing you have seen while playing live?
I can never answer... not having done concert....

What is the most embarrassing thing you have each experienced on stage?
Again I cannot answer...

What is the inspiration behind the lyrics of your music?
In general, I do not have great inspiration for the texts relative to my songs. Concerning poetry, yes, I have some inspirations like Kafka, Camus, Poppy Z Brite. Baudelaire, the poems of Robert Smith (The Cure) and philosophers that with simple concise sentences brought to for me something enormous...

Do you have hobbies/past times and what are they?
My hobbies form part of the occupations that I take seriously. Writing-philosphy-metaphysics-invention-thought-poem-music-drawing-paintings... I work as an autodidact!

What do you feel is your personal best achievement and also as a band?
I am not sure I have understood the question correctly but if it is what I think, my best achievement in music are the albums ‘L’argent est l’art des gens de Satan ‘,’Maladie mentale’ and ‘Pentagon Explosion’, for two reasons, the musical intelligence and the majority of the texts which are in fact of the poems...

Is being in Ex-Nihilo a difficult thing or do you have too much fun to worry about personalities and stress?
It is an anguish not to be respected for the work I have created and provided for certain Compilations/Samplers, and which do not respect the artists, of which I have formed a part and felt sorry for. Yes! It is difficult in this case. Today even the underground becomes a zone rotted by the chicanery, directed by whores... If it is not a good answer, sorry... At least I have tried...

What is the best thing about this band?
The best thing for me about my 1st project Ex Nihilo, is first of all that it exists, and also to have been able to build other projects around Ex Nihilo (Cicerone, Cogito and Perception). Also the pleasure of seeing my projects on superb Compilations/Samplers (V/A)... More details on the site www.x-nihilo.org

You also have three other projects- can you tell us a bit about each. Music styles, influences etc
CICERONE :
Project with Trip Hop and Down Tempo influences combined with a strong New Wave romantic key. I began this kind of mixture Dark and Trip hop in 1998 with the title " Les portes du sang". And yes, I mixed Trip Hop and Dark before much of other groups now known... In 1998 these groups did not perhaps even exist...

COGITO :
A Dark Ambient project with martial rhythms and some Wagnerian keys. The project in itself made think of film music. Moreover, on this subject, I think that it would adapt perfectly too many films today and of the past... It is a project which has really its place in the cinema (Fantasy, thriller, drama...) It is enough to listen to it to feel it, it is very obvious. Much one should notice!

PERCEPTION :
Nothing on this project has yet been founded... In spite of that there is much to say about it (Yes, it is very paradoxical... LOL!) At the beginning, this project was to be only a Tribute to The Doors (All had been envisaged, and the small sleeve of the album has been finished). Finally I decided with time, to go further then homage to Doors I.e. to create titles for "Perception" which has nothing to do with the group The Doors. Today, at the end of 2006, this most interesting idea which resulted from it: I hope to carry out a Tribute to The Doors (By Ex Nihilo), but only 3 or 4 titles (A Tribute Single). Then, "Perception" will be in the 70s-80s genres and keep the spirit of the years of the Doors and Pink Floyd, but in the style of Electro-Trip Hop (Perhaps a drummer and a guitarist will put an analogical sound to it!). It is possible for you to say that it is quasi impossible to precisely describe this project, too odd perhaps!!! YES!!! You can find a track which can put to you on the right track and envisage the direction of this: "Les Perles de sang " This title is on 2 projects: In the album of Ex Nihilo "Pentagon Explosion (the 2CDs)" and in the album of "Diaphanous" CICERONE. I have put this title in these 2 projects because, it is indescribable... (Perhaps the birth of a new style, that of PERCEPTION).... The title " Les Perles de sang " is available on the official site of Ex Nihilo www.x-nihilo.org. It musicale reflects well what PERCEPTION will become. The text is very important in this title and, the Text (Poetry etc...) will be the basis for the project "PERCEPTION"

Why do you have so many projects in each such a different style?
Quite simply, it is that in 1999 I had the impression that my first professional CD was in my opinion, too eclectic to touch a greater audiance. Some found that perfect and others preferred what was Indus, electro-trip hop, or techno of that album... Some people liked it as it was and I am happy, which proves that eclectic people exist! In any case the 1st CD of Ex nihilo "Visions" remains and will remain such as it is, it is in my opinion a rare pearl (Without false modesty!)
Thereafter, I finally chose to split up Ex nihilo in 3 quite distinct projects. It was for me the best solution, (Not to make this a "Whore" in order for me to do better... LOL) the fact of having to split up Ex Nihilo into 3 projects, therefore not preventing me from including certain Indus environments in the Trip Hop project and vice versa. In the same way for "Cogito", I include sometimes Indus sounds, to the Trip Hop!!! Odd some will say to me... But you will be astonished by the richness that it can emerge from such a symbiosis...
In short everyone will find their happiness in one of these 3 projects. I do not think of having made a bad choice. I do not regret this decision. With regard to the 4th project "Perception", there is another history. This project was born in 2004 and have a certain bond with my others projets. However, to have 4 projects requires much time, reflection and research in the sounds and the texts. I am satisfied with it and I think well of having dissociated the styles. It all depends on my mood. When I compose, I choose the style which is appropriate and which has a relationship with my mental tortures of the day... Except "Perception", you can strongly feel 3 various moods which haunt me... The Environments of these 3 projects are very intimate, (the sounds, the texts, the intonations of my voice, and the covers of my Cds etc...)

What can we expect from you in the near future ?
What is sure is that there are new Cds of my 3 projects (Ex Nihilo-Cicerone-Cogito).
The official site of Ex nihilo will be remade with a look of topicality (Because its appearance goes back to 1999....!!!!) There will be on the site many innovations like: New headings (Drawing-Paintings...) Of course new MP3’s! The new heading PHOTOGRAPHS. An advancement in the PERCEPTION project as you can now listen already to the MP3, but more soon! (In this connection listen to " Les perles de sang" which touches already a little with this project).
New chronicles and Interviews (PRESS)... (the interview with Gothik Radio I had almost forgotten (LOL!!! Of course done now and with pleasure!!!)... I intend to put in place remote loading of the totality of my albums (Except, my Demos Tapes which will remain a NO-CLAIMS BONUS, and except, the 1st title of Ex Nihilo "Ave Tenebrae (Version 1998)". appeared only on a Swiss Sampler of 1998 And it will still have I think more small details being put in order...
I also think of keeping secret all my reprises of groups such as The Cure, Depeche Mode, Genesis etc... by timidity perhaps! I intend to keep secret all my 1st versions of my projects (Especially the Ex Nihilo of 1996-1997). They are in truth titles of minimalist compositions and more seriously very bad quality. PS: These old titles brought afterwards for me a great help to achieve good titles today. These old demonstrations are like some of my friends, there is good everywhere!!!

What are your thoughts on the gothic scene currently?
Houlààààà! It is a question which I will be happy to answer!!! Good, you want my opinion on the scene.... I will acknowledge to you that I have not been at a Goth Club for nearly 2 years, not by fault of desire, but by problem of health and the abuses of unquestionable filth, of drugs, which failed to kill me. I wanted to re-examine certain friends who are dear to me, but my disease still prevents me from going there. I lost contact with the world that one could say is real (For us). Thus to make it short, even if according to what I have heard, the Goth scene became shitty, due to the fact of the Goths, young people who swear by M. Manson and Evanescence. It is sure to prevent the old Goths to go there... But good, we all had 15 years and had to begin with the Cure, Depeche mode etc. For them, it is Manson etc. Gothic is not limited to the LOOK, but also with a form of philosophy, thought, manner of living. (Certainly in margin of the society, but here...) Gothism was seen at every moment... All eccentricities understood!!!
But given the pleasure of finding themselves between us from time to time... the Clubs enable us to remove these morons...Time after time there will be dissatisfaction with them, and it is there that the Goth Clubs do well, to remove them.
I acknowledge all so a dissatisfaction for this Electro-new-Wave shit worth 2€, I will not quote a name of a group, because those who will read this will immediately understand what I want to say... Yes the Pop-Electro pseudo 80s shit that puffs out of the original underground... This shit that one could put in these emissions of TV Shows like Star Academy...
At this rate, the Underground will be no more if this shit continues to rot the Gothic evenings. The Goth movement or rather Goth philosophy presents so much on this filth that Pop inserts as its reason for being. I do not hold a blunt ideology, no, I am for the revival, but from there to bring pretences of Boy Bands... I say SHIT!!! Without forgetting this mania of remixing??? It is good for groups wanting to make them known; I do not say the opposite (I am in favour there in this direction). But good, the known groups (Of which the majority, are groups that I adore), start to inflate me with their remixes, whose majority is rotted in addition. What Shit, of such good groups limiting themselves for lack of inventiveness.
It is needed for groups to be interdependent of true nonconventional music, in order to make, what in its etymological direction the UNDERGROUND wants to say, reappear!!!

Thank you very much for your time.
Best of luck for the future!!!
All the best to you!
Vassago the mighty prince!!!
Laine Gebel from Ex Nihilo
Site Officiel: WWW.X-NIHILO.ORG (MP3 Free Download !!!)
Mini-Site : WWW.myspace.com/lainegebel (Bio & Discography)
Ex Nihilo MSN (Direct Contact): Vassagolaine@hotmail.com
Ex Nihilo E-mail; Vassago@freesurf.ch