Merciful Nuns mastermind Artaud Seth: ‘I’m not part of any scene. I create my own’
Merciful Nuns mastermind Artaud Seth
(Interview by Seba Dolimont) It all began 3025 years ago on a distant planet… His earthly incarnation is called Artaud Seth, and is the mastermind behind the MERCIFUL NUNS, an iconic German band that delves into the origins of KVLTAN. Artaud was also part of bands like THE GARDEN OF DELIGHT or yet NEAR EARTH ORBIT and is also the leading force behind the wonderful Solar Lodge label.
MERCIFUL NUNS are part of our “Resurgence” compilation box with an exclusive version of “Oneironauts” next to a bunch of other artists from the great Solar Lodge label roster. We had a chat with Artaud about the here and now while evoking the back and then to eventually conclude that what counts is “creating dark music” whatever the genre is called…
This interview is part of an ongoing interview series that we do in collaboration with Spleen+ / Alfa Matrix for the massive 7CD post-punk / coldwave / minimal electro boxset “Resurgence”. You can order this fine set as a 7CD set or as a download via Bandcamp. This release will NOT be available on Spotify or any other service, except for Bandcamp.
S+. Tell us more about your current music-related priorities in 2025?
Artaud: We have just released ONEIRONAUTS, the second part of the story about the origin of KVLTAN. We are currently promoting this new MERCIFUL NUNS album. Additionally, we will be playing at several festivals throughout the summer. At the same time, I am working on a new concept for my other band, N.E.O. (Near Earth Orbit).
S+. What do terms like “post punk”, “cold wave”, “new wave”… mean for you in your own musical career?
Artaud: In fact, that doesn’t matter at all. I have never been interested in categorizations. The driving force behind what I do is creating dark music. I don’t care about the genre.
S+. According to you, which elements made these good old days so special?
Artaud: Which good old days do you mean? From an artistic perspective, I am definitely better nowadays than I was back then. Sure, it was easier to sell music back then. The scene in the 90s was young and hungry. But honestly, it wasn’t very innovative either. I prefer living in the here and now.
S+. And what are for you the main similarities and differences between today’s alternative music scene anno 2025 and what it used to be back then in the late 70’s/early 80’s?
Artaud: I can’t really comment on that. Even for me, that’s too early. But what I have noticed is that at any given time, the vast majority of bands were boring poser bands, and there were only very few groundbreaking artists who wanted to make a difference. Unfortunately, there are even fewer of them now than there were back then.
S+. If you could describe this musical movement with only a few words only, what would you say?
Artaud: Talking about a movement implies that I am part of such a movement. But I am not. I am anything but mainstream and more of a loner with a few close friends. So, I am not the right person to ask.
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