Interviu: Mary’s Flower Superhead despre rock\’n\’roll ca mod de viata
Mary’s Flower Superhead au sustinut un concert in Club Control in cadrul unei seri speciale Indie Invasion dedicata Control Day Out 2. Trupa, una din revelatiile scenei grecesti, a oferit un show plin de energie in care acordurile electro pop s-au intalnit cu influente disco, punk, indie si alternative rezultatul fiind un concert pe care toata lumea il va tine minte.
Tocmai pentru ca ne-au cucerit inca de la acest prim concert in tara noastra, va propunem sa ii cunoastem mai bine pe Mary’s Flower Superhead una din surprizele pe care le propune scena indie alternative din Grecia.
Elias, Nick si Thanos sunt trei prieteni din Salonic si au inceput sa cante prin 2003. Au lansat pana acum trei materiale Mary’s Flower Superhead, Sway si Digesting the Animal (despre care ne ofera chiar ei mai multe detalii) si sunt considerati una din cele mai bune trupe live din Grecia.
Concertul de la Bucuresti a facut parte din seria de evenimente care promoveaza albumul Digesting The Animal lansat in luna martie 2012.
Acestea fiind spuse haideti sa vedem ce ne spun baietii de la Mary’s Flower Superhead. Am postat interviul in romana, dar si varianta in engleza. In galeria foto va propun si cateva imagini de la concertul din Control.
1. Salut! Inainte de orice am fi curiosi sa aflam cum ati ales numele trupei, ce inseamna Mary’s Flower Superhead pentru voi?
Salut! Povestea numelui nostru chiar e un pic amuzanta. Fiind intr-o zi in studio… in plin proces de cautare a unui nume pentru trupa, inginerul de sunet a venit cu varianta “Mary’s flower Superhead”. Ni s-a parut din prima ca suna impresionant si are o tenta psihedelica, asa ca ne-a placut. Cand l-am intrebat de unde a scos ideea asta, ne-a spus ca de fapt, Mary’s Flower Superhead e pur si simplu traducerea in engleza a numelui unei cantarete celebre din orasul nostru. Toata povestea era atat de funny incat am hotarat sa pastram numele asta. De atunci, numele Mary’s flower Superhead ne da positibiltatea sa petrecem cele tari momente din vietile noastre…prin pasiunea pentru muzica, concerte, rock n\’roll si orice altceva implica toate astea…
2. Cum catalogati muzica voastra? Un amalgam de indie, electro-pop, alternative? Cum ati decis sa cantati acest gen de muzica si nu altceva?
De fapt am trecut prin mai multe genuri de muzica si suntem deschisi ideii de a experimenta si de acum incolo altceva. Primul nostru material inregistrat (intitulat chiar Mary’s Flower Superhead) in 2005-2006 era mai degraba influentat de scena indie/punk americana. Urmatorul album, “SWAY” se incadreaza in zona disco-punk, in timp ce “Digesting the Animal”, cel mai recent disc, e un EP indie cu multe elemente electro pop si psychedelic pop. Totul tine de muzica momentului, de ceea ce ne intereseaza in momentul in care inregistram albumele/piesele. De asemenea, nu vrem ca toate piesele/albumele noastre sa fie la fel. Ne place sa avem un concept separat pentru fiecare dintre ele. Chestia asta ne face munca mai interesanta si ne implineste ca muzicieni si compozitori. Ne-ar place ca muzica Mary’s Flower Superhead sa continue sa isi schimbe forma si culoare ramanand in acelasi timp autentica si usor de recunoscut!
3. Va concentrati doar pe muzica sau mai faceti si altceva in viata de zi cu zi?
Bineinteles ca muzica e lucrul cel mai important pentru noi, dar trebuie sa avem si un job in viata de zi cu zi. Genul de muzica pe care am ales sa-l facem nu ne poate asigura un venit suficient, mai ales in tara in care traim. Sa ne amintim de ce spuneau The Kinks prin anii \’60 : Cand Rock\’n\’Roll-ul devine meseria ta, inceteaza sa mai fie Rock n’ Roll… Asta explica multe.
4. Am citit pe pagina voastra de faebook ca va place fotbalul, Aris sau PAOK? Fanii greci sunt cunoscuti pentru entuziasmul lor si show-ul spectaculos pe care il fac in tribune, la randul lor, concertele voastre sunt o adevarata explozie de energie! Cum va simtiti pe scena, cum traiti concertele?
De fapt, eu tin cu Iraklis, dar intre Aris si PAOK sunt un sustinator total al celor de la PAOK. In ceea ce priveste concertele noastre, cand urcam pe scena ne simtim ca si cum am intra intr-o alta realitate, intr-un univers paralel, in care incercam sa ii aducem si pe toti cei prezenti acolo! Lasam toata chimia dintre noi sa lucreze pana rezulta explozii si artificii. Asa apar in mintea noastra emotiile si sunetele cand urcam pe scena!
5. Ati cantat deja pe aceeasi scena cu Placebo, cu ce alte trupe ati vrea sa cantati sau ati vrea sa plecati in turneu?
Daca e sa alegem dintre numele mari, ne-ar place sa cantam in deschidere la un concert Depeche Mode. E una din trupele preferate pentru toti trei. Ne-ar face placere sa plecam in turneu cu toate trupele noastre preferate , dar sunt prea multe ca sa le mai mentionez.
6. Cel mai recent album “Digesting the animal” a fost lansat ca productie independenta, va ganditi sa semnati vreun contract cu o casa de discuri in ideea de a deveni mainstream. Genul asta de succes (numarul de albume vandute, aparitii la radio si tv) este important pentru voi?
Motivul pentru care am decis ca “Digesting the Animal” sa fie lansat independent este acela ca publicul “indie” sau “alternative” din tara noastra nu e foarte numeros, asa ca nu avem neaparat nevoie de o casa de discuri. Ne dorim sa ajungem la un public cat mai numeros, acesta e si motivul pentru care incercam sa ne promovam muzica peste granite, in alte tari decat Grecia. Dar asta nu ne transforma intr-o trupa mainstream atata vreme cat facem muzica in felul in care ne place noua sa o facem. De asemenea, aparitiile la tv sau radio nu sunt neaparat ceva rau. Totul depinde de motivul pentru care o faci si de modul in care o faci!
7. Ce planuri au Mary’s Fower Superhead, pentru vara asta, pentru anul viitor?
Dupa ce ne vom intoarce dintr-o vacanta de care avem neaparat NEVOIE o sa intram in studio pentru a inregistra noile materiale, in ideea de a lansa un nou album la sfarsitul lui 2012, inceputul lui 2013. De asemenea vom incepe sa ne programa concertele pentru anul viitor.
8. Ne-a placut foarte mult concertul vostru din Control Club.Cum a fost pentru voi experienta romaneasca? Cum vi s-a parut publicul si lucrurile pe care le-ati vazut aici? Ce mesaj ati vrea sa transmiteti fanilor din Romania?
Ne bucuram foarte mult ca am putut canta in acest club indie fantastic, cu atitia oameni frumosi. Audienta a fost plina de enegie si ne-a facut sa ne simtim bine inca de la inceputul concertului ceea ce a fost extraordinar pentru noi. Ne-a facut foarte mare placere sa cantam pentru voi si ne gandim deja la urmatorul nostru concert in Romania. Mesajul nostru pentru fanii din Romania : sa continue sa danseze si sa fie la fel de cool… Ne vedem in curand!
1. Hello guys! First of all I’m very curious how did you choose the name of the band, what means Mary’s Flower Superhead for you?
Hey there! The story of our name is actually a bit funny. When we were sitting in our studio searching for possible names for the band our sound engineer came up with “Mary’s flower Superhead”. At first it sounded really impressive and psychedelic and we liked it. When we asked him how he came up with it he answered that it’s the actual translation in English of the name of a female cult singer of our city. The whole thing was so hilarious that we decided we should keep it. From that time, the name Mary’s flower Superhead gives us the opportunity to have the best times of our lives..through passion for music, gigs, rock n roll and whatever that implies…
2. How would you classify your music? Mix of indie, electro-pop, alternative? How come did you choose to play this kind of music, and none other?
Actually we have passed through many kinds of music and we are open in experimenting with other kinds as well. Our first self titled record back in 2005-2006 was most influenced by the American indie/punk scene. Our next release “SWAY” was more into disco-punk and our latest release “Digesting the Animal” is an indie EP with many electro pop and psychedelic pop elements. It has to do with what music we are into the period we compose and record our songs. Also we don’t want our records to be the same. We like to have a separate concept for each one of them. It makes our work more interesting and it fulfills our roles as musicians and composers. We’d like Mary’s Flower Superhead music to keep changing shapes and colors while staying authentic and recognizable.
3. Do you just focus on music or there is something else that you do for your everyday life?
Our main focus is music but we have to do other jobs for living as well. The kind of music we’ve chosen to do, does not provide us with the money that make ends meet, especially in the country we live in. But we should remember something that The Kinks said back in the 60’s- when Rock n’ Roll becomes your occupation then it stops being Rock n’ Roll… -that explains many things.
4. I read you like football, Aris or PAOK? Greek fans are known for their enthusiasm and their fabulous shows on the terraces, just like them, your live shows are an explosion of energy. What/How do you feel when you’re on stage?
Actually I support Iraklis but between Aris and PAOK I totally support PAOK. Regarding our live shows we feel that when we are on stage we live in another reality ,in another parallel universe trying to draw the audience away with us. We let the chemistry between us work and end up in explosions and fireworks. This is how our emotions and sounds get visualized in our minds when appearing on stage.
5. You already played with Placebo, which other bands would you like to play/tour along with?
If we choose from the huge names we’d like to open for a Depeche Mode concert. It is one of the bands that the three of us love. But I think we’d like to tour with all the bands we love and they are too many to be mentioned.
6. Your late album “Digesting the animal” was released as an independent record, do you plan to make a deal with some studio in order to try to “become mainstream” ? Is that kind of success important for you (selling many, many copies, appear on radio/tv)?
The reason that we decided “Digesting the Animal” would be an independent release is that the “indie” or “alternative” audience in our country is not so big, which makes a record label not necessary for us.We don’t deny approaching a bigger audience and this is the reason why we try to get our music abroad, in countries other that Greece. But this doesn’t make us mainstream as long as we do our music the way we like to do it. Moreover appearing on tv or radio is not necessarily bad. It always depends why you do it and how you do it.
7. What are Mary’s Fower Superhead plans, for this summer, for next year(s)?
Our plans for the summer are after returning from the vacation we totally NEED! to get back in the studio to record our new stuff so that we have a new release in the end of 2012-start of 2013. Meanwhile we’ll start organizing our tour schedule for the next year.
8. We really enjoyed your concert in Control Club, how was the “Romanian experience” for you? What could you say about the public, the things you saw here? A message for your Romanian fans?
Actually we are really glad that we played in this fantastic indie club with so many beautiful people. The audience was full of energy and welcomed us from the very beginning of the show, which made a really good vibe for us. We loved playing for you guys and we anticipate for our next gig in Romania. Our message to the Romanian fans is to keep on dancing and stay as cool as you are…see you soon!
Mary’s Flower Superhead vor reveni cu siguranta in Romania, pana atunci, va reamintesc ca pe 1 iunie avem Control Day Out 2, si undeva in august Summer Well.
Nu pot sa inchei fara a ma opri inca o data la fraza cheie a interviului, pentru mine, afirmatia care practic sintetizeaza mesajul artistic al celor de la Mary’s Flower Superhead:
…we should remember something that The Kinks said back in the 60’s- when Rock n’ Roll becomes your occupation then it stops being Rock n’ Roll… -that explains many things.
Ce altceva ar mai fi de spus?
