Brainterviews
INTERVIEW WITH
SEBASTIAN ELLIOTT OF BRAINDANCE
BABYLON WEBZINE, ITALY
FALL, 2001
1) can you tell us about the history of the band, from the beginning 'till today?
after an implosion at the local donut factory, i made the conscious choice to prolong happiness and financial security for a lifestyle filled with the pursuit of personal passion and reckless post-adolescent activities. putting off graduate school, i sought out the magical, mystical vora vor and immersed myself in a music career that i had left behind three years earlier. braindance was formed initially as a studio project between myself, vora vor, and our first drummer, rob notorious. for quite some time, our sessions mainly consisted of writing material, developing lyrical concepts, and committing them to tape, some of which would appear on 1994’s shadows ep, featuring bassist eiki matsumoto and keyboardist robynne naylor. we spent the next several years showcasing in and around the new york city area, and writing and recording material for the next two full length releases — fear itself and redemption, eventually replacing eiki matsumoto with andrew bunk. redemption was written and subsequently tracked over the course of 1998, and into 1999. unfortunately, several tragedies would follow that prevented redemption from being released as scheduled, including parting ways with long-term drummer notorious, keyboardist/backing vocalist robynne naylor, new bassist andy calcina, and more than a handful of flaky investors, production houses, and labels for the cd’s release. as you may already know, braindance is technically an unsigned act, progressive darkwave recordings functioning as a record label and management in name only. over the last 9 years, we’ve had limited dealings with limited companies with limited integrity and limited dealings with limited companies with limited funds, but nothing substantial. except for a number of individuals who lend their talents because they believe in the project, braindance is completely self-produced — we’ve been blessed with the learning of this wonderful business as we go. currently, we’re writing new material, and preparing for live perfomance with new bassist david z, drummer jofu, and keyboardist constantin v.
2) the image of the band really impressed me, can you tell us about the spirit beneath this particular choice?
we began with the image of ricky martin and jessica simpson and gradually allowed it to erode...
3) what's the meaning of braindance?
it originates from the latin, meaning "gelatinous globules of goo".
4) your sound is extremely original and personal, which are your main influences, not only musically speaking?
on the whole, and not surprisingly, i’m a fan of all of the sub-genres that make up braindance — goth, industrial, progressive metal, darkwave, classical, progressive trance, and yogurt covered raisinets — generally, anything with dense programming, multi-layered composition, distinct melody and/or of a darker nature.
5) can you describe with your own words the tracks of "redemption" and tell us about the lyrics?
the latin phrase preceding the title track of redemption essentially means, "as above, so below," and can be interpreted as ‘ what comes around, goes around,’ or karmic intervention, a central theme within the album, although i believe in a good measure of ambiguity when writing lyrics. naturally, the themes have specific meanings for me, but i try not to assign definitive conceptual values to phrases, because i think listening should be somewhat interactive. insofar as everyone’s experiences are different, so should their interpretations be. whereas i might see despair and desolation, someone else might see cheese sticks.
6) i have only received the four-track promotional copy of your album, but i have seen the artwork of the full lenght on your internet site and i have found it really amazing. who painted it and what does it represent?
the cover of redemption was penciled by the very talented kinchi marc latrique. although having had a large part in the packaging design, much like lyrical content, i’d much rather rely on the interpretations of those who probably know better.
7) which feelings do you want to transmit with your music?
scary, scary feelings.
8) your band is characterized with a very strong underground spirit, why have you made this choice?
no matter how many fans, dj’s and journalists champion the material, the structure of the industry is based upon financial return, like any other business. i think we’ve been extremely fortunate to receive an overwhelmingly positive response from the underground press, fans, and radio community. however, in order for a label to dump a heap of cash on you (and subsequently attempt to convince the world’s children that you’re the niftiest thing around), they’ve got to be sure that your style of music has an audience and has succeeded in other realms with a competitor. the competitor must have had one of you, and have done rather well with them. otherwise, the aforementioned anxiety translates into business risk. i’d be lying if i told you that i didn’t want large quantities of reptiles to ingest our music — we’re still waiting for an offer from a label who has the balls to step up to the plate and sign an artist that crosses the boundaries that we cross.
9) can you tell us about new york's musical scene? which are the bands you admire most?
i’m quite removed from new york’s musical tapestry, spending most of my free time engaged in shallow, mindless social pursuits.
10) which are your artistic interests beyond music?
bowling, macramé, and hopscotch.
11) how does it feel to be a musician in new york? which are the better places to play?
i find that empire lanes provides the best overall experience, from the wide selection of bowling balls, exciting corporate tournaments, and the sweet, sweet amber ale from the nearby empire tavern.
12) would you describe your live performances? will you ever play in italy?
we’re greatly looking forward to performing in italy, culinary delights notwithstanding.
13) which are the future plans of the band?
assembling the finest selection of rice pudding from around the world.