Kullf, Myk, and Moses of Testify

Interview by Michele E. Griesbauer

CRACK THE MIND is your latest release. How does it compare to previous releases? (Similarities, differences, direction you're headed into, experimentations, etc.)

Moses: We improved many of our techniques a lot. Especially the way how to treat the guitars. We were very much inspiring each other.
Kullf: There are no improvements. It's the same shit as ever.

What is your favorite cut off the new release?

Kullf: For me with no doubt it is "Guevara" Moses likes "Violin" best.

Out of all of your songs, which one(s) has the most meaning for you? (Or which one(s) stand out for you whether it be on a personal level or it just feels good to hear/play, etc.)

Myk: There are several... Perhaps "Quest Of Nothing"?
Kullf: Or "Dumb"?
Moses: It IS "Violin"

How would you describe CRACK THE MIND to someone who's never heard of Testify? (Think along the lines of trying to convince someone to buy/listen to the album)

Myk: Aggression paired with non-ability?
Moses: Paired with songwriting-ability. Adrenalyn-shock. Power endlessly.
Kullf: These are old phrases, eh?!
Myk: Very old phrases, Kullf. But thousands of musicians sold millions of albums with them.
Kullf: So we try to do it as well?
Moses: It seems to be good strategy

Why did you choose CRACK THE MIND as the title for this release?

Moses: It was Myk's idea. Nobody knows what he meant with this expression, and no-one is interested to find out, I fear
Myk: No. The fourth song was entitled like that. Van Richter wanted the title for the whole EP. So I decided to rename the fourth title.
Kullf: Nevermind. It has no meaning. It is shit, uh!?
Myk: No, it is more sort of...
Moses: Next question, please

Any tours in support of the album?

Myk: No, I don't think so. Testify will forever only play in the Old World, I fear and think

What do you hope to achieve with CRACK THE MIND?

Myk: We are far beyond hoping anything. Nothing will be achieved. We will put it somewhere in the shelves, we will show them to our grand-children some day and we will say: "Here, your grandpa once upon a time made music. What do you think of it, he?"
Kullf: And probably they will say: "Oh, that sound is too fluffy, that is not really HARD, not cool, compared to nowadays-sounds, grandpa!"

How long did it take you to record the album?

Myk: Most of the titles could already have been released in early 1997. Most of them were almost finished then. But we had some discussion to do with the label..

How did you come up with the material for the album? (Was the songs written espeically for the release, or were they already created and just modified for the album)

Moses: We always go on creating new titles... And those ones that have been developed further than the others, are taken for the next release, that's all Kullf: That's boring, somehow, eh?
Myk: Like all the rest about the Testify phenomenon...

What are some of your influences (musically as well as creatively)?

Myk: The dissatisfaction I use to wake up with, I use to have at noon and even after the noon, the hole in my soul at dusk: that's my motor and influence, I think
Moses: theatrical words, as ever, Myk! And it is a lie, moreover! Are you not reading dark fantasy stories, perverted comix and such stuff, eh!?
Kullf: I find inspiration in pornographic issues

What are some of the future goals for Testify? What would you like to see Testify do in the next five years?

Myk: As group there are no goals no more. We reached all goals one possibly can reach. I'll try to become a homosexual dancer, now
Kullf: I'd like to act in one of the movies I apriciate
Moses: I think Mathias plans to study history. I myself will become a comedian with a perverted one-man-show

How did you become involved with music?

Moses: In 1978 I was asked to join KISS. But I rejected... No, to be honest this was a lie, sorry. But round about the early 80's I started listening to kind of metal sounds, and for me it has always been clear that I would try to make music on my own..
Kullf: I had to much money some years back. I thought: Hey, what shall I do with this amounds of money? I started buying guitars, until my rooms were filled with them that I hardly could make a step. So I had to take one and try to learn how to play...

How did you become involved with Testify?

Kullf: Myk had this fluffy homosexual project named The Fair Sex. When they realized what they really were, and how paltry they had become, they started Testify. But the result was still very poor, until Moses and I myself joined the band.
Moses: Thank you very much for the intervie


TESTIFY PAGE | NEXT INTERVIEW