Athan Maroulis will be always linked to Spahn Ranch and Black Tape For A Blue…
Athan Maroulis will be always linked to Spahn Ranch and Black Tape For A Blue Girl, but the past few years he got involved with NØIR. Sound-wise this project is less comparable with his previous bands. It rather sounds as the juxtaposition of different influences, but in the end it has something intimate and subtle. The newest EP “A Pleasure” features the input of programmer / producer Erik Gustafson, keyboardist / vocalist Kai Irina Hahn, keyboardist / vocalist Demetra Songs and cello player Tracey Moth.
Athan: After an early period of transition, NØIR eventually came to
represent something rather liberating. NØIR affords me the ability to drive the
direction and style of the material while also remaining a collaborative forum
where I can work with people I admire.
I remain somewhat similar to my younger self, I still enjoy the process
of writing lyrics and performing, while also maintaining the determination of
my youth, sans the anger. I would like to speak to my younger self and give him
some good advice about life and music. Looking back, I have learned far more
from my failures than I have from my successes.
Q: I got the impression NØIR originally
started as a solo-project with the contribution of some guests while it later
finally evolved towards a real band. What is it all about and tell us a bit
more about the input and impact of the other members? Who’s doing what? And
what about the song you did together with Jean-Marc Lederman?
Athan: Originally, NØIR had certain aspects of a solo-project, that was
long ago, these days it feels like a real evolving band. Although I planned it
as a short-lived project back in ’12, I brought in Kai and Demetra in 2013 as
live members, both have been in the band ever since. Later, Erik Gustafson, who
had played some guitar on the “Darkly Near”-album, became a full-time
collaborator on “The Burning Bridge”-EP in 2016.
As a whole, electronic dark music is rather one-dimensional, I find that
different contributors help add new color to the sound. Jean-Marc Lederman is a
great example of that, he and I tried working on a project a few years ago,
ultimately what came of it was the “Luxury”-demo. Erik completely reworked
the song and added guitar, Kai did some backing vocals and Tracey Moth brought
her cello to the party. Although juggling contributors from Austin, Brussels,
Brooklyn, Boston and NYC was a challenge, I am really pleased by the results.
Q: What are you trying to achieve
–eventually exorcize, with NØIR generally speaking and more specifically with
the new EP “A Pleasure”?
Athan: For better or worse, I am always exorcising ghosts from the past.
After Spahn Ranch broke up, I stopped making music for 10 long years.
Afterwards, I joined Black Tape For A Blue Girl for a few years before starting
NØIR, which is likely my last planned ensemble (although one never knows?) I’ve
dabbled in a number of genres over the years and I believe NØIR is my
opportunity to bring them all together under one banner.
At this stage of my career, each release becomes very personal. “A Pleasure”
took a few years to assemble, as much as I enjoy the creative process, I have
less patience for coordinating what is necessary to bring a release to
completion. The title, “A Pleasure”, is partly sarcastic while also
acknowledging my fetish for simple pleasures even amidst such turbulent times,
the lyrics on the pair of new songs reflect that. The word ‘pleasure’ itself,
was on my mind quite a bit during the process, then thrown into a conceptual
stew that only exists in my mind. The title is also a nod to Roxy Music’s album
“For Your Pleasure, while “A Pleasure to Burn” is a line from Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit
451”, the cover image features Julie Christie the star of the 1966 film.
“Luxury” is a song about serving the needs of bloated urban excess in New
York City. I added the Fad Gadget cover because it fit the central concept of
upheaval and raw pleasure. Ultimately, I achieved what I set out to do, which
was to make a mini concept album. I was also surprised to find out that “A
Pleasure” is already by far the best-selling NØIR release to date.
Q: It’s not an easy thing defining the
‘sound’ of NØIR, which in my opinion sounds like the juxtaposition of multiple
influences and elements. Where does this ‘sound’ comes from and what are your
references and criteria to create this ‘sound’?
Athan: Other than playing violin briefly as a child, I’ve never played
an instrument, nor can I read music or understand keys. Although I can write,
arrange, choose sounds and edit, my collaborators have been pivotal to my
success and sound. I have many influences from the 1930s through the 1980s,
although I believe the sound of NØIR is an amalgamation of each band I have
ever been in. As for defining the sound, somebody once called NØIR ‘dark
sophisticated pop’, perhaps that is right or perhaps that is foolish? For me
NØIR is defined as a place where I can absurdly merge the imagery of old film
stars with pulp novels while masquerading as a 1930s crooner in a contemporary
electronic backdrop. It’s pure absurdist fun.
Q: NØIR appears to like recording cover
versions. What does that mean to you and how do you manage making a cover
version like the one from Fad Gadget released on the new EP?
Athan: NØIR cut “Back To Nature” for a compilation called “Under What
Flag: A Tribute To Fad Gadget”. Naturally, other bands have covered the song in
the past, it remains one of Frank Tovey’s best songs and that is why I did it.
Aside from my admiration of Fad Gadget, it was a chance to experiment with a
more aggressive approach to a NØIR song. I believe Erik Gustafson did a fine
job producing the track, so much so that I decided to add it to “A Pleasure”
because so few people heard the aforementioned tribute album and I wanted to
recycle it.
I enjoy
doing cover songs, I couldn’t give a damn if it is not en vogue these
days. Keep in mind, nearly all music from the 1920s
through the mid-’60s was dominated by cover songs or interpretive material, the
artist brought their own approach, phrasing and style to the song and I still
believe there’s room for that in 2020. NØIR has also taken part in tribute
albums for Depeche Mode and Cabaret Voltaire, at some point I might collect all
the cover versions by NØIR and release them as a full-length album.
Q: From a marketing/commercial
perspective, I find NØIR to be a complicated band. Your debut album “Darkly
Near” was released seven years ago, so why does it take so long to release a
new studio album? Do you think there can be an impact releasing new studio
albums at an irregular basis? What comes
next?
Athan: Spahn Ranch made five albums and four EPs in 7 ½ years, while
also maintaining an exhaustive touring schedule. I really don’t know how I did
it back then? These days, I am simply not a very prolific writer, so each
release has purpose. The streaming era has prompted a number of bands to
release singles or EPs, a shorter format for times of shorter attention spans
and this has influenced me and suits me very well. I still like the idea of
doing albums, it is simply that the game has changed, I believe artists can
treat each release as individual complete works, regardless of length.
While NØIR has six individual releases on Metropolis Records, only “Darkly
Near” is an actual album, I’d rather not wait for an album of material and
instead have released EPs and such. I am ultimately planning to do at least one
or two more albums with NØIR, yet I am not in a rush. I don’t feel as if I have
anything left to prove, that, in and of itself is liberating. As for releasing
albums at an irregular basis, I think there are other ways to keep the audience
engaged such as compilation appearances, videos, performing, social media and
so on. Again, the game has changed and there are no rules.
As for what comes next? NØIR was slated to perform at a few upcoming
festivals, then the Corona virus naturally changed everything. Like everyone
else, we wait and hope for the best for the entire world. Once the world begins
to turn again, NØIR does have a new song on the upcoming “Electronic Saviors”-compilation
ironically entitled “Death Is Easy,” and we are planning a new video for the
song “Luxury” from “A Pleasure”.
Additionally, I wrote the liner notes on a Leæther Strip boxed set that
will be released sometime this year and I am working on recordings with the New
Zealand-based project Acclimate. Lastly, a toast to one and all, to the rapture
of being alive! My sincerest thanks for supporting my releases over the years.
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