Thank you very much for taking the time to do this today. I can only imagine how sickening it must become to be asked the same questions over and over again countless times, so I will make this as quick and as painless as possible.
Myk: I must apologize for the delay; but I was away for quite some time with The Fair Sex, the brother-project of Testify. I don't think that it will become sick answering your questions.
I've read in past interviews that the name "Testify" was dubbed in an offhand manner, that there really wasn't any meaning attached to it when it was first raised as a moniker and the explanation for it was developed later in the history of the band. In retrospect, was "Testify" the best choice? What I mean is, can you think of another name that would better encompass what you represent as a group of artists?
Myk: That is past and, even if we were dissatisfied with the name nowadays, it would be a waste of energy and time to complain about such things or regret anything. It is Testify and so it remains. Besides I still like the name.
What attracted you to this genre of music? What was it about the sound that hooked you in? Is this the style of music that best defines you as individuals, or is this style the result as you come together as a band?
Myk: Even before writing the first titles we had a vision in our minds to create exactly what we afterwards did. What us attracted to this kind of music was our dissatisfaction with what we had done before, which by the way was not bad, but we wanted a counterbalance: a real aggressive heavy counterbalance. Testify defines, and did ever define, what we wanted as a band.
For someone who isn't at all familiar with Testify, what's most important for them to know about your group? How did you all come together as artists and begin to create music as a team? If you had to sum up Testify for someone in 3 minutes or less, how would you do it?
Myk: Testify began as side-project of The Fair Sex, an ancient German EBM/Gothic band. But then we discovered the Industrial Metal-region as a field to get creative within. Some of The Fair Sex members, supported by Metal guitar players, started Testify. The line-up however constantly changed thru-out the years. Sum up the Testify-sound? Perhaps something like this: Thick heavy guitars in combination with noise-atmospheric sounds, voices between screaming and murmering, brutality, patterns of weirdness. Darkness unescapable. (To get a bit melodramatic).
The title of the latest album "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" where did that come from? What does it mean in connection to the 11 tracks on this album?
Myk: The next Testify album TBA was announced to get released - some several months back. So we thought (in a non-serious mood): "TBA? - For which title could this be an abbreviation? Tranquility Bears Anger? The Black Avenger? Transience Breaks Trees? Triviality Beyond Acceptance? ... It is a self-ironic title. What we proclaims is: Here - on this album - the listener gets unbearably cheap and banal stuff - trivial beyond acceptance. But to be honest: We hope for our listeners to feel the contrast. In reality we don't think that "Under The Cold Moon" is trivial.
Do many of you listen to the radio or watch MTV regularly? How is radio and MTV a gauge of where the world is at musically, or do such mediums even work to measure such a thing? Further, where do you feel the world is at musically right now? A progressive place, a recessive period? As an art form, when did music flourish?
Myk: Indeed I think that MTV etc. determine a bit the popularity of current music. Indeed I think that periods of more innovation, progressive phases, are always followed up by more recessive periods. The endless up and downs. I think nowadays we're at the beginning of a new progressive phase - with some surprises and new phenomenons which even will get stronger.
For lack of a better word, what's the secret to making the "best" music? What inspires you most? Is there a specific musical moment thus far, either on stage, or in the studio, that you're most proud of? I'm going to be so bold and say that a veil of darkness hangs over the music of Testify. What first inspired this lack of light?
Myk: Yeah, right from the beginning Testify was planned to be our darkest, blackest, rudest project - where all our most gloomy visions are to be gathered. Looking onto our planet in general, there are so many dark aspects in human life, so many things which might anger you, that the feelings resulting of these deplorable state of affairs are weighty enough to start a musical project. A project the most important element of which is the Sream Of Wrath, as we sometimes define it by ourselves.
In a past interview, Myk stated that agro-industrial metal "is the mixture of heavy fat guitars with atmo-and sample etc-noises, with the innermost philosophy to formulate a statement which turns anger into creativity." For members of Testify, where does the anger come from?
Myk: Parts of your question I have already answered above. But indeed -only parts. In the personal evry day life there are even more aspects of dissatisfaction and anger: regarding how the media-world changes, regarding the people's loss of interest in each other in these modern times (loss of compassion), regarding the Lethargy Of The Mind which ever seems to haunt us; the transience that will break us (which however increases more sort of sadness than anger); the dissapointments of Love and life itself; the restlessness and aimlessness from which we suffer; all these things are aspects flowing into the Testify sound. Not to forget: at least ten times a day I waste time searching my keys - which always arouses a real hot anger.
Outside of music, what are the members of the band into?
Myk: I personally am into: writing slapstick-fantasy novels ("The Lord Of The Earrings" - in German - perhaps soon in English too), doing readings, loving the White Lady Queen, running aimlessly about, working for The Fair Sex, playing with my daughter Allegra, singing under the shower, shouting like a berzerk when the water turns cold, and losing my keys at least ten times a day (A! I already mentioned this!). Mathias (sound-chief) is working for several bands. Kullf is grave-digger (only to amuse himself, and to fill his time with something, for he is in a fabulous financial state). Moses is a highly gifted comedian. Bull masters Die Toten Hosen regulary...
What's a typical Sunday afternoon like for a member of Testify?
Myk: The preferred version would be too stay in bed with the White Lady Queen the whole day, while the sun shines gently through the curtains and the day is fleeting away without us to register time...
What 3 albums are you listening to right now?
Myk: Onairoid Psychosis: Dreams (When Virile...) Pitchshifter: new album DKay.Com: Deeper Into The Heart Of Dysfunction
Is there anything due out soon that you're anticipating the release of?
Myk: The release of the THE FAIR SEX CDs "Dark Ages" on Van Richter Records in the US quite soon.
Favorite album of all time?
Myk: Skinny Puppy: Bites
Favorite book?
Myk: The Lord Of The Rings, The Silmarillion, Krabat
Favorite movie?
Myk: The Matrix/ Fight Club/ Once Upon A Time In America
Myk's daughter Allegra appearing on track 2 on "Fragile Puppet". How did that come about?
Myk: The youngest sun-goddess Allegra, being seven years old, is fantastic when she's singing and dancing through the rooms. That needs to be kept for future and I love to record her. She's really talented and "composed" her first songs aged 3! Today she loves to sing English verses and does it astonishing well, altough she does not understand the lyrics. She even knows particles of Hungarian language, her ancestors being from Hungaria. Some Hungarian passages I recorded for "Fragile Puppet". Her voice is sometimes increadibly smokey - that might be the result of drinking beer (apple juice with water) and too much cigarettes (of chocolate).
Myk also said in a past interview that his favorite work to date with Testify was on the latest album, "Triviality Beyond Acceptance". Since Triviality was completed on what is going on two years ago, is there more recent work that marks the next step in Testify's catalog?
Myk: Ideas and impressions are carefully archivated for putting them out when time and feeling is right...
Musically where are both Testify and the genre of agro-industrial metal headed? Concurrent paths?
Myk: You must forgive me: I really think that this is an interesting question; but I just will not answer questions of that kind no more. The simple reason: In the arrogance of my early years I often dared such prophesies, and always I was sure that I would be right in my foresight; and I think I never was! Aggro-Industrial Metal may gain more and more electronic particles; and on the ohter hand - it may turn its back to such EBM-features. And the path laid out for Testify - is uncertain. I would like to create more super-slow-hyper-dark ballades such as "Quest Of Nothing" or "Under The Cold Moon" - with each one of them being most unique.
What is the logical evolutionary end for Testify? If you could control the destiny of the band, what will the final act be for the group before the curtain closes?
Myk: Harr. That is easy to answer. "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" will bring about the break-thru, after which we are able to control the path - and loose upon the world the above mentioned Dark Ballads and Aggressive Constructions of The Black Revenge, har.
Finally, how do you really feel about doing these interviews? ;-)
It is just as I expected in the very beginning: I enjoyed your questions. Interesting ones they were.
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