Band: GORGON
Country of origin:
France
Style: black metal
Questions by:
Kai Mathias Stalhammar
Answers supplied
by: Chris Chatelet (guitars, keyboards)
GORGON is one of the oldest living France's black metal acts, consequently could you please summarize the evolvement of French BM underground and community throughout these years? Has the situation changed for better or not? What are the principal differences between the scene in your country back in early nineties and the underground as we behold it nowadays?
- GORGON was the first black metal band
in France and some time later few bands have appeared here and there. I
consider the today's scene to be absolutely of no interest as there're
too many black metal bands. The consequence is that the majority play black
metal because it became a trend few years ago. At the beginning in our
country, almost all the bands were comprised of satanists, while the lyrics
they wrote also dealed with satanism, as well as occultism. Today a lot
of bands deal with Norse mythology, viking hype,… which has nothing to
do with black metal.
You have four
albums behind you, however it seems like GORGON still stays an unsigned
band. Hadn't you received any offers, or you simply prefer to stay independent
and handle everything concerning GORGON yourselves?
- Yes, all of our albums are self-financed
due to the fact the offers I have received were not too good. I guess I
could release better things that what the labels proposed us. Nevertheless,
we appear on some compilation CDs, while our first two albums were reprinted
on tape format by 2 differents labels.
"Call From Unknown
Depths" demo and that "Immortal Horde" 7'EP were the very first releases
of yours. Do you still consider 'em urgent and of interest to the advocates
of so-called "modern black metal"?
- Both releases are pure black metal, and
I don't care if it's modern or not. I don't see our music as a temporal
thing, you can listen to it in ten years (as some made 6 years ago) it
must have the same level of quality. "Modern black metal" doesn't exist
- only black metal exists, I don't need pseudo-name to qualifiate a music.
Today VENOM is still a cult, just like 20 years ago. It's black metal without
temporal element.
As far as I know,
"The Lady Rides A Black Horse" and "Reign Of Obscenity" were released independently,
however, later on, re-released in the shape of MC by East Gothic (Malaysia)
and Osiris Productions (Slovakia). Judging by your bio, you consider the
aforementioned labels to be rip-offs. Why? Haven't they fulfilled their
commitments?
- Our first album "The Lady…" was out in
tape format on the Malaysian label you have mentioned in 1996 and I have
received 1 copy. The second album is out in the same format on Osiris Prod.:
I have received 2 tapes. No need to add anything. In spite of my letters,
they have never answered me, never send me royalties, and it's a shame
that all the members of the band (4 persons) have not received at least
1 copy each!!!!!!! The world is full of rip-offs, and I unfortunately had
to "work" with two of them.
"Satanic skinheads"
was the slogan formerly (?) associated with GORGON. How should we perceive
it…? Do you simultaneously support National-Socialistic and Satanic movements?
Sort of a weird mixture of beliefs, indeed.
- I have never heard or seen this slogan
in all my life concerning GORGON!!!!! I've answered almost all of the interviews
during past 10 years (and read them in zines too), and it's the first time
I read such a thing about us. Sure, I have short hairs (since 1991) and
15 years ago skinheads were the only ones who looked like that, but in
France a lot of people have short hair. To make the things clear: I don't
support National-Socialistic movements, neither satanic movements, neither
politic movements. In fact, I support nobody except GORGON and some underground
bands / zines. I am interested in the Second World War (and I collect stuff
on the subject) but it's not such a rare thing here, and of course it doesn't
implicate any politic relations.
By the way, few
words regarding National-Socialism. Probably I won't ever understand you
guys: those of French origin always were considered patriots (unfortunately
in the worst sense of this word), famous for their snobbery and quite unfriendly
attitude to foreigners (especially the ones who don't speak in French…
believe me, I've experienced it myself whilst travelling France) - but
in the same you have one of the highest immigration levels in Europe. Niggers,
Arabs, Turks… If French people are so proud of their origin and heritage
as it seems, what the hell this fucking scum is doing in your country?!
Wouldn't it be better to leave France a racially clean country, if you
get what I mean?
- The polititians are responsible for the
situation. When it comes to me, I live in France and like my country. No
need for me to leave it.
One
more question relatively concerning the same subject. While both "The Lady
Rides A Black Horse" and "Reign Of Obscenity" appear as 100% black metal
efforts (unfortunately I hadn't a chance to get myself acquainted with
"The Jackal Pact"), "The Spectral Voices" sounds way different, more likely
being a mixture of BM… hardcore and oi! music. Does it somehow reflect
your political affiliation?
- Not at all, the last album reflects what
GORGON want to play and propose today. I can't understand where you've
found "oi" elements in our music - maybe it's because of the hardcore parts,
as I listen to a lot of French punk rock which is close to oi! music.
You've played
live for only 30 (!) times thus far. Taking into account the fact that
the band was formed in the year of 1991, it seems somewhat strange… Haven't
you gained enough popularity (even staying an underground band) in order
to headline at least three / four festivals (or regular gigs) a year?
- We have changed a drummer for 5 times,
a guitarist for 4 times, a bass player for 3 times, and finally, our rehearsal
place for 8 times! That's one of the reasons. Moreover, the members have
never lived in the same town, all of them had other activities and various
jobs,…… a lot of time was lost because of that. To conclude, we are located
in the total South of France and gigs are rare here as all the places to
play at are all closed by today. We could travel to play in other parts
of our country but that costs a lot of money for those who arrange the
gigs. A normal underground band in France plays 3 times a year and in metal,
except AGGRESSOR, we are the only band from the South which have made more
gigs in our lives.
If I'm not mistaken,
formerly GORGON appeared as half male / half female band. Moreover, one
of your ex-members (the female one, of course) was also taking part in
WITCHES. What was the reason for firing almost all of the original lineup?
- As I have noted before, the members have
never lived in the same town, and some were tired to make some kilometers
to rehearse, so they leaved the band. Today GORGON is 3 guys and 1 female.
By the way, what
are WITCHES up to now?
- The band has splitted last year.
Don't you think
that females shouldn't be ever involved in any sort of activities related
to metal music? Affairs of this kind always resulted in nothing but a bitter
outcome (with a few exceptions, such as f.ex. OPERA IX and OCCULT)…
- No I don't think that the sex of the person
is important when it comes to metal. I prefer an all-girls band which play
good music over a shit band of guys.
Judging by the
song titles, "The Spectral Voices" proposes rather unorthodox lyrical canvas…
Since I own only a promo copy of the latest CD by GORGON, could you please
enlighten me and our readers in regards to what subjects the lyrics of
yours deal with?
- The lyrics deal with death, war, solitude,
occult things. Nothing original in the topic, however the way they are
written in is definitely original. The lyrics don't appear in the booklet,
so even if you have a promo copy, you are at the same level as those who
have official ones.
Let me assume
that you appear as diehard advocates of materialism - and, consequently,
let me wonder what's your view on metaphysics as well as so-called "supernatural"
forces?
- I am advocate of nothing except GORGON.
In which concerns supernatural forces, I consider it exists, something
which comes from beyond and which can be called as that. Few persons have
the knowledge to make it.
Do you know anything
regarding Russia? Any metal bands coming from the country of mine you've
heard lately?
- Except GORGY PARK few years ago, I have
no name of band to propose you. I also remember I have listened few months
ago to a lame (sorry!) CD by a Russian metal band which deals with "mother
nature" (with a clip on a cd-rom part with naked girls) (SATARIAL,
I suppose :((( - ED).
Perhaps, it would
be nice as hell to finish this chat with few typical questions, such as
"when are you going to bring forth the light a new CD?", "any tours planned?",
etc.
- O.K., before to start, I would like to thank you for the helping to promote our name and your readers for reading this interview. I also invite them to write me if they have more questions, by letters or by email. In which concerns our future plans, we work on 4 new songs and if we record them, I think it will rather be for a mini-CD. We have a new drummer since few weeks as the one who have recorded the last CD has left the band the 1st of July (2000), and after all these months without drummer we have a lot of work.
GORGON contact -
Email: gorgonfrance@altavista.fr