What was the beginning pint for your music career? How did it all start?
The nucleus of Kollaps was discovering records as a teenager that I felt were geared towards alternative ideas and focused on critical and emotional thinking. In fact there are so many instances where I gravitated towards this type of music that I now must admit it was likely was not particularly good – it was always the message and ideas behind an band, artist or musician that counted to me and as someone without any formal music tuition I found this very inspiring.
Was there any bumps on the road? What kind of challenges did you have to deal with?
I suppose there are two main difficulties, one is keeping the vision of the project consistent and cohesive maintaining confidence and ignoring the influences of others who try to deter you. For the most part, the life of a musician is not a struggle with music but a struggle with external negative influences and a constant fight to maintain your vision and have others share in it, see it, and believe in it.
Touring is also a difficulty – I love it – but it comes with certain trappings and so if you have certain predilections it can be a difficult thing to survive.
What was the most fulfilling and satisfying moment so far?
Well, this is interesting because there are different aspects of my “career” that are almost like two separate trades. The first is being in the studio, being a music and now being a so-called “producer”. A satisfying moment for me personally was gaining independence as a musician and being able to write, record and mix records without any external meddling or interference. I’m not a very collaborative type and so this a very meaningful moment to me.
Secondly I suppose there are these very addrenalised moments of big festival and show appearances. Kollaps’ appearances at Wroclaw Industrial Festival was certainly one of them and also slot at Roadburn 2022 in Tilburg was another satisfying moment because in some ways it felt that we were not supposed to be there as compared to the other acts we’re much more harsh and ugly. How would you describe the music that you typically create?
I write industrial music but occasionally borrow from other genres in order to intentionally betray my roots for what is hopefully an interesting and surprising effect; the music of Kollaps is often referred to as “post-industrial” but I have to confess I don’t know what that is or even what it means.
What is your creative process like?
It is laborious and done in solitude.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
I don’t think I would change anything. The fact that it is chaotic, toxic, and disgusting is all of the reasons as to why it is not an office job and so I accept it for how it is. For the most part I have operated within it quite effectively and music has blessed me and so I remain grateful.
If you were asked to give a piece of advice to upcoming bands, what would that be?
Do not listen to your friends and family.
What has been the best performance of your career so far?
I’m not sure; I played some interesting and chaotic shows in 2018 that I do not recognize as particularly valuable musically but the performances were completely insane and self destructive and I know that this for a time was quite “special”. Roadburn 2022 stands out as a highlight, and so do the Wroclaw Festival appearances – but there are also some smaller club shows done in some cities like Prague, Lodz, Wellington, Melbourne, that really stand out to me even if some of them were a long time ago.
If you didn’t become a musician, what would you be doing now?
I hate to be a cliché but there was really no other option for me; I do not think in all of the infinite universes that there could exist one where I had not chosen music. It seems a predicament of it being a part of my DNA rather than it being a “job” or a “lifestyle” choice. I recognise it as the closest thing that I could believe in being as a destiny.
What is new with the band at the moment? What are you currently working on and would like to share with the world?
Kollaps is release a new album; “Until The Day I Die”, which is purchasable by Cold Spring Records. Preorders can now be made at the label website (https://coldspring.co.uk)
