Closet Concert Arena: Let's start at the beginning...how did Atlas Volt come to be?
Philippe Longchamps: To make a long story short, in 2011 I started recording new demos and by pure coincidence saw a billboard ad at Malmo City Library. Adam (Hansen-Chambers) was offering music production courses. With a personal goal being the release of a high quality self-produced record, I called to find out if Adam could help; he is a skilled engineer and musician with experience in music production. After advising me to record and mix the songs I was currently working on, Adam began adding arrangements of his own to my songs. We decided to share ideas and work together on new material; I started writing lyrics for Adam's compositions and he continued writing arrangements. Our original design was an "open collective" type band, but we decided to play all the instruments on debut EP, "Eventualities" ourselves. This led to the realization we actually were versatile enough to do everything on our own...thus became Atlas Volt.
CCA: There must be some unique challenges to being a prog rock duo with one member (Philippe) living in Sweden and the other (Adam) calling the UK home.
PL: Yes--it's a great challenge that is about to become greater still...Adam is considering a move to Australia! However; we already proved the "long distance band thing" is possible by exchanging audio files between Sweden and the UK. We can be successful if we put the effort in, but the distance does slow everything down. While recording "Memento Mori" we invited a few musicians to collaborate on some songs and speed up the process. Realistically, we should do the same on future projects as well. Adam and I are open to the idea since the original plan was an indie/prog collective. Our sound is so eclectic and crossover we see this as an opportunity for Atlas Volt to explore new musical boundaries.
CCA: You call Memento Mori a concept album dealing with the secular humanist worldview. My initial listen paints a deeper picture dealing with faith, organized religion. new-age fundamentalism, and the struggle against the powers that "hold all the cards." Am I on the right track and/or can you elaborate?
PL: Spot on; you really get the big picture and the essence of Memento Mori's narrative! I wanted to write thought provoking lyrics that left no one feeling indifferent. Adam and I decided to dedicate the album to all the innocent victims of faith-based fundamentalism throughout history. Every song on the album deals with that theme; we explore the various promises of afterlife and salvation offered by the most mainstream thought systems in the world. We chose every word carefully because there are many different faith-based fundamentalisms and most can be harmful if their doctrines are followed blindly. Memento Mori's lyrics suggest blind faith isn't necessarily rooted in fundamentalist, new-age, or religious doctrines. Nowadays, some forms of fundamentalism are based on economic and socio-political ideologies. For example; many people put faith in the "invisible hand" of the market economy as though it were some omnipotent and omniscient supernatural force! It is strange to see people blindly follow Dow Jones and NASDAQ the same way others put faith in the Vatican or some holy book. Similarly, some people hold profound convictions concerning things like their country's Constitution or their favorite news channel. Believing in the sanctity of these things leads to all sorts of strange moral condemnations, prejudices, and injustices (especially against women) around the world. We introduced that theme on our debut EP in the song "Taken by the Tide." The struggle against these powers cannot start until we realize these are all man-made concepts--nothing but love is truly sacred! In other words, Memento Mori is an attempt to deflate what most people (wrongly) consider to be metaphysical absolutes with a healthy dose of skepticism. The arts have a role to play in the empowerment of the individual against the numerous enslaving imaginary powers we have created throughout history. Memento Mori is an artistic attempt to raise awareness about these topics while using a secular humanistic approach.
CCA: There is a strong feeling riding "just under the skin" on this album...a burning desire to tear down walls and stereotypes that separate and weaken humans as a race. Is there a lot of personal experience in the music here?
PL: Absolutely, our personal experiences definitely shaped this album. The lyrics to Memento Mori are the culmination of a long period of introspection. The process made me realize how my personal perception of reality has been conditioned by selfish elements of religious doctrines I believed when I was younger. The lyrics are an inner dialogue between an "old-self" preaching the value of faith and morality and a "new-self" defending the ethical values that emerged from the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. I agree that Memento Mori tries to tear down the walls our species built on assumptions, prejudices, and stereotypes. I believe secularism does not discriminate--it respects everyone and doesn't claim to have a monopoly on truth. In contrast, most faith-based dogmas claim to hold the truth while (very often) the moral absolutes they promote are unethical and harmful. History has shown that a sense of righteous entitlement accompanying blind faith has done the world much more harm than good. I also believe the various forms of religious and ideological fundamentalism prevent societies from evolving as fast as they should.
CCA: Does "Memento Mori" pick up where "Eventualities" left off?
PL: Yes; our eclectic sound has become our trademark and--more importantly--there is a lyrical sense of continuity. One main difference is the cause we chose to embrace with Eventualities. We gave 10% of the profits generated from CD sales to cancer research. Our goal as a band is to make meaning of everything we do by supporting worthwhile causes. We have not decided yet on a cause for Memento Mori. Musically the songs from both albums are extremely diverse in terms of style, but our fans say all the songs sound as though they are part of the same record. These sharp contrasts exist in most concept albums and we do not want to be limited to a single music genre...we love to explore new sounds and styles. Atlas Volt will not be stifled by boundaries as defined by the record industry; we are and will continue to be musical nomads.
CCA: Philippe to you specifically; has parenthood altered your view of where the world is heading and how you want to affect that trajectory?
PL: Exactly! This is my main source of inspiration. My lyrics reflect my concerns--more importantly, they convey a message of hope. Parenthood transforms everyone who experiences it. For me parenthood triggered a sense of urgency. I felt the need to make a humble artistic contribution to the world before it was too late. Time flies; as a parent even more so. Becoming a father inspired me to write new songs. "Shine Your Own Light" from Eventualities is a perfect example; I intended it as an inspiration for my children and it will eventually become part of my heritage to them. The simple message the song conveys is the essential self-empowering "recipe" to become a free-thinker. I hope my children and generations after will have the opportunity to break free of the "mental cages" mankind has erected in the past. Individually we often feel powerless to make change. However; everyone has the power to sow seeds of hope while removing the roots of irrationality and intolerance. Everything Adam I have accomplished thus far is in that spirit...and regardless of how successful Atlas Volt becomes our songs will outlive us, and hopefully our music will positively affect some peoples' trajectories. So, yes, we hope the message Atlas Volt conveys will be a modest legacy to the world.
What's Your Legacy to the World?
CCA: Despite the dark overtones of Memento Mori, there are injections of light and hope. Optimism, or a refusal to let the bad guys win?
PL: Absolutely. While the predominantly dark overtones of the album remind us of the inevitable, the empowering philosophical discourse emanating from the lyrics simultaneously reminds us that humans ultimately have the wherewithal to make the planet a better place for everyone. The message is also to enjoy life, seek knowledge, live in peace and harmony, value skepticism, and defend freedom of speech.
PL: Honestly, I hope so! I've always loved concept albums; the type you need to listen to from beginning to end. Sitting in a comfortable chair armed with the lyric booklet and headphones on...listening to a new album start-to-finish. Not a fan of shuffle or random play--prog music needs to be put in the context of a broader narrative. Prog rock artists put a lot of thought and effort into building a structure for their albums, and to be frank I don't know if future Atlas Volt albums will be concept albums. Currently I write the lyrics to our songs in my second language--English. To a certain extent it makes song writing about specific topics a challenge at times. Being born and raised in Quebec, French is my mother tongue and I speak Swedish daily since moving to Sweden in 2002. In the future I would love to write in those languages (or Spanish), but that increases the difficulty of making the lyrics fit a concept album. If we release a multi-lingual record it will probably be an experimental EP.
CCA: How does distance affect recording? Are there additional challenges when a new idea comes to one of you, a song takes a new direction, or some other potential obstacle arises?
PL: Indeed, our songs often go in different directions because of the distance issue. Living in different countries also makes it very difficult to meet for rehearsal. One of the surprising obstacles is communication via email, Skype, or Messenger. It is very easy to misinterpret and/or misunderstand the other's vision being so far apart...it really is a tough process! At times we disagree on minor details, especially in the final stages of production during the mixing/mastering of the songs. It can take weeks to reach agreement on small things that perhaps go unnoticed to the untrained ear...I am sure every band deals with that. Our unique circumstances have enabled us to develop a collaborative method that is more democratic. Even with our similar tastes, we pay great attention to and place significant importance on the details when co-producing a piece. We have learned the value of compromise. I do not envy bands with five, six, seven, members--or more--going through the same process. Another challenge we face is promoting our music. Being 100% independent and self-financed, it is very difficult to make current fans and potential fans aware of our products through social media. We have had disagreements on a marketing strategy, promotions, and developing Atlas Volt as a brand. Again, we have learned to make compromises. It can be extremely challenging for DIY bands like ours to capture any amount of market share because record labels spend considerably more money promoting their artists. But I should not complain when considering the limited amount of money Adam and I have invested making our first two albums.
CCA: There are several musical contributors to Memento Mori...did this add to the stress level of putting the album together?
PL: In my opinion it reduced the stress. The guest musicians who contributed to Memento Mori did an amazing job--and helped speed up the process! I would not be surprised if we collaborated with them on future records. I also hope other talented musicians would be willing to contribute to future Atlas Volt songs. David Elias is one of the most creative and free spirited saxophone players I know; he would be a great addition to a future album. That is not to say I am not grateful to the musicians who contributed to Memento Mori; Jorgen Birch-Jensen, Johnny Aman, Mark Base, Yoed Nir, and Chris Larsen. Their personal touches helped make the album as eclectic as Adam and I hoped it would be. The song "We Created a Monster" features Israeli cellist Yoed Nir and Finnish upright bassist Johnny Aman. Their input was the perfect enhancement to Adam's atmospheric electric guitar and my classic guitar.
We Created a Monster
CCA: Both "Eventualities" and "Memento Mori" are fantastic pieces in their own right; where does Atlas Volt go from here?
PL: Thank you! While Adam and I both needed a short break after the release of Memento Mori, I believe the best of Atlas Volt is yet to come. It is impossible to know what the future holds, but I am determined to develop Atlas Volt as a brand...and more importantly write more thought provoking songs in a wide variety of crossover genres.
CCA: With the success you have achieved thus far, any chance you will be able to quit your day jobs?
PL: I can't speak for Adam but I am very happy with my day job. Atlas Volt is my hobby and even if I take it very seriously, at this point in my life I would not consider leaving my family for months at a time to go on tour. I love song writing--but my goal is simply to make my songs available to those who enjoy them. I have no delusions of fame, I just want to share my passion with as many people as possible. If our songs touch someone's life I am extremely happy--that is enough. Fame is not what's important. Working as a teacher with teenagers is the greatest job in the world! They are a great source of inspiration, keep me young at heart, and I feed on their inexhaustible energy.
CCA: If you could perform live with anyone living or dead, who would you choose to be on stage with?
PL: There are so many great artists I would love to perform with, but if I had to put together a "dream team," they would be David Gilmour, Robert Fripp, John Paul Jones, Rick Wakeman, Tony Banks, and Neil Pert. I would also include Maynard James Keenan to recreate the vocal harmonies
and overdubs. Since we are fantasizing, Steven Wilson would be my co-producer to support us in Abbey Road Studios. The ultimate would be to attend a songwriting workshop led by John Lennon.
CCA: Any truth to the rumor album #3 is in the beginning stages of life?
PL: Yes; we already have a working title. There are a few songs that did not make it onto "Eventualities" or "Memento Mori" that I would like to revisit. Adam and I are also working on new material. One of my dreams is to record a long 1970's style prog epic that lasts over twenty minutes--but that is still in the embryonic stage. You can keep up with Atlas Volt and all the latest information and find out what's cooking via Twitter @AtlasVolt and/or Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlas-Volt/210643092403559?fref=ts
CCA: Please don't forget to visit Atlas Volt's websites to purchase some really deep, introspective prog...but you will need your own black light...
http://www.atlasvolt.com/ and http://atlasvolt.bandcamp.com/
Well fellow progheads, I hope this "behind-the-curtain" view of Atlas Volt was as interesting and insightful for you as it was me. In my search for all things prog, I especially enjoy the how and
why--even more so than the what. Digging deeper leads to the heart and soul of the artist as well as the music. Atlas Volt is assuredly not in it for the financial gratification; they seem to garner much more satisfaction being on your "top five albums to be on a desert island with" list...which leads me to my next point of interest...
The Concert Closet will be grounded for the next two weeks as I make my last pilgrimage for the 2015 summer season to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in search of my own desert island and some amazing New England seafood. Please spend some time really listening to Atlas Volt on your own proverbial desert island with Eventualities and Memento Mori...you will be better for it...and the Concert Closet will be back after the final high tide of my last beach rendezvous. The search for all things prog continues...until August 18th...
Thank you Vincent for the great review and the interview!
ReplyDeleteProg On!