Interview
with Children Of God 2013
By
Bradley Smith
I know you formed
Children Of God as 7 Generations was ending its run, but could you give
me a
bit more in depth History of the band?
Why did you start the band and end 7 Generations? How do you feel COG is
different than 7
Generations and how would you describe your music?
Children
of God
was always an idea Sina (our drummer) and I had. We had been trying to
start a
more aggressive sounding band. We started off with the same idea of the
band
and sound being emotionally charged. The early stuff was a lot faster
and
angrier and the newer stuff is slower and more experimental but we
still feel
like nothing has changed, it is the same spirit driving our music.
Ending
7
Generations was a mutual decision by all of us in the band. The band
had run
its course, there was nothing there for me as an individual, I
personally had
given it my all and I didn't want to be disingenuous when I played
another
show, so it was done for me.
Your debut album,
We Set Fire To the Sky blew me away.
How
do you think it represents Children Of God both musically and
emotionally? I read
that you viewed COG as bi-polar music,
what did you mean by that and how do you feel that is reflected in your
songwriting?
Writing
that
record came fairly easy, I think most of the songs we write come easy;
because
we don't really try to sound like this or that or appeal to any certain
person.
We just write, add, delete, scrap, build, and rebuild. So as far as a
representation of the band; it shows a different side of us that was
always
there, we just hadn't tapped into that sound. As far as how I
approached the
lyrics they are same ideas but instead of having them be so direct and
calculated; I literally sat in front of a piece of paper and listened
to the
music and let anything come out. That's why some of those lyrics aren't
even
coherent at times.
COG
is bi-polar,
you have the manic episodes that scoop you up into a crazy whirlwind
and then
sudden drops in sounds and volume. It is a product of being bi-polar
myself.
Do you see your
playing and writing as a catharsis of sorts?
How do you and the band approach the songwriting process? Do you feel like your
bandmates understand
your intent and your emotions when you compose a piece?
And can you describe your relationship with
your guitar? I mean
on a personal and
symbolic level, what does it represent to you?
Playing
music is
my only outlet, and I think I can speak for all of us when I say it's
our only
outlet. Playing live is cathartic and it always takes a few minutes for
us to
come back to reality after a set, when we play there's really no
communication;
it's one of those things, when you know, you know.
As
for song
writing; usually one of us in passing mentions an idea for a song a
very rough
mouthing of guitar or even a drum beat that we play on a table for each
other.
It just takes one of us to get that idea in all of our heads to get the
ball
rolling. I write music in my head before I get an instrument in my
hand. I am a
cyclist and there are times where I'm on my bike for 3+ hours arranging
and
re-arranging a song; a lot of WSFTTS was written in my head on my bike.
Really
though, all one of us has to do is play a riff and we build on top of
that or
scrap it and there's no hard feelings, ever. I think the idea behind
the band
goes without saying at this point; it's a collective artistic vision.
Personally,
my
guitar is the only reason I am alive. I'm sure I can speak for Shaun
(our other
guitarist) too; we both grew up in the same neighborhood facing the
same
pressures/troubles as each other. It just happened to be coincidence
that we
both picked up guitars and learned to play them. My guitar is my life's
blood,
it was there when I felt no one else was, and it continues to be there
when I
need it the most. I have given it my all and it gives me it's all when
I play
it in a live setting. The very make and model was something I always
aspired to
have since I started playing, because I saw a photo of one of my
favorite bands
using it.
You did a Video
for the track Unrelenting Storm. Why
did
you choose that song in particular?
Can
you tell me about the imagery you used in the video of the atomic
destruction
intermixed with periods of the band playing?
What was your goal with the video and what were you trying
to convey to
the audience?
Unrelenting
Storm
just seemed to fit right for a video. It had that chaotic element that
COG
always had and then a lull that was new to our sound and to people that
already
liked us. The visuals that were dispersed throughout the video were
taken from
various documentaries and films. We just wanted it to be visually
chaotic; the
first scene is a fall out of an atomic bomb test. I think we would have
been
one of the last bands to put out a music video, but that is kind of why
we did
it.
When you were in
Seven Generations you said you were surrounded by a political scene and
that
really angered you. Why? And now that you've
"escaped" what
would you say are the biggest differences between that period and the
fans you
have now with Children Of God?
Honestly,
without
going too far into it; I was just sick of being around a bunch of
privileged
children that felt entitled to everything in the world. The constant
drama and
fake kindness that some of the people in the "radical" community
perpetuate
is frustrating. I felt like being in a band that was somewhat popular
in that
scene meant that people held us to higher standards; I constantly felt
the need
to remind people that I was just like anyone of them; a human with
flaws.
The
difference
between people that like COG and 7G is that I can really connect with
people on
a personal level when I talk to them; When before I felt it was
superficial
bullshit that was based on labels and lifestyles that had no bearing on
a person’s
character or intelligence. Not many people from that political
community follow
this project and I can say I am glad.
Another thing you
mentioned is having control of the entire creative process when it
comes to
Children Of God. Why
do you think you
feel that need? And
what sorts of
frustration does the lack of control present to you?
Would you ever participate in a band where
you weren't the guiding force behind the band?
What
I meant when
I talked about having control of the band wasn't so much me personally
having
control, it was about the band having control of ourselves and our art.
We
worked with labels and while they certainly got our name out there and
sold our
records, we weren't in control of how much people paid for our music or
when it
came out; among other things that we felt we needed to control. Now
knowing the
ins and outs of putting out a record I see how much there is to be made
off of
a bands art and I'm not ok with someone making money off of my work.
Don't get
me wrong; it's hard work dealing with pressing plants and all that, but
it
doesn't justify charging bands double the cost to buy their own record
so they
can sell at an even higher price. I always wanted to put out my own
music and
while it's hard work and can feel like a money pit; we have not
regretted it
one bit.
As
far as being in
a band where I wasn't the guiding force, probably not. I am a control
freak but
everyone in this band has contributed their own piece to each and every
thing
we do. If I wanted to be the sole curator of a band, then I'd just do a
solo
project; which I have on the side.
I was intrigued
when I read that you felt that your motivation for creating music as
being a
"need" versus "want"?
Why do you feel there is a compulsion within you to create
sonic art and
what happens if you try and shut that down?
I
feel like it is
painfully obvious when people are in bands to gain notoriety, you can
feel it
in the music, and you can feel it in the performance. I think
underground music
being as accessible as it is more susceptible to the kind of people
that want
attention for the sake of attention. I'd be lying if I said "artists
aren't doing bands for attention" but then comes the question: are you
doing it cause you want to or are you doing it cause it is something
inside
that is clawing to come out in some way? All of us are plagued by
demons; some
find their way out through music, through drawings and paintings,
through
photography, through writing, or through other forms; regardless we
need to get
them out.
If
I try to stop
or neglect playing music for a while I turn into a resentful and
spiteful
person with a lot of pent up emotions. It's like trying to skip my
medicine,
it's not healthy. Realistically, music is one of the few outlets that
all of us
share in this band. We all have our non-music outlets, surfing,
reading/writing,
and cycling; but music is the most constant for all of us.
Awhile back you
did a Sonic Cathedral mix tape for Cvlt Nation which seems to be so
popular
these days. So I
was wondering how that
came about and what your mix tape reflects you as a person. What was your motivation
behind doing the
mixtape and song choice? And
on a
similar topic, what is your favorite compilation tape/CD/Lp ever and
why?
Sean
at CN has
supported our band since day one. I remember he was one of the first
online entities
that reached out to us and really backed us; so he's always been in
contact. A
month or so before the second Cvlt Nation anniversary show; Sean
contacted us
and asked if one of us would like to make a mix cause he always has
bands do
that. I took the task of making this mix for him that I felt COG has
been
inspired by on different levels than just sound.
I
listen to a lot
of music that isn't heavy or chaotic in the typical sense. I wanted
people that
listen to COG to be able to know that heavy music isn't just loud
guitars and
drums. I wanted to collect emotionally heavy songs that really trigger
the
sense of urgency that I get when I re-listen to COG songs. I also
wanted to
leave people scratching their heads because they don't get why I would
put a
bunch of noise and piano compositions in the midst of only two
"heavy" songs.
I
think my
favorite compilation/collaboration is Mono/World Ends Girlfriend. It is
one of
the saddest sounding records I have ever or will ever hear.
Do you still see
yourself as a politically/socially conscious and active individual
despite
Children Of God not being an activist band like 7 Generations? What is your view on
possible intervention by
the US and other governments in Syria?
And how do you think major governmental issues like this
affect you as
an individual citizen?
I'd
like to think
I am still politically conscious.
I
think US
intervention in Syria is hegemony veiled as world policing. The US has
had
interest in this civil war since it has started and it has supported
the rebels
since it has started. The US has made no secret about how it feels
about
Assad's regime; by trying to place sanctions and giving intelligence to
the
Syrian rebels. As long as Assad is out, the west has more influence in
the
middle east. What people fail to acknowledge is that a lion’s share of
Syrian
rebels have ties to Al Queda and other terrorist groups. As of
September 10th
2013 the US has started giving these organizations weapons to arm
themselves
against the regime the US wants out. However, just like we did with Bin
Laden
and Hussein, we are arming some of the very people that will
undoubtedly bite
the hand that feeds. In short I think if the US intervenes in Syria,
we're
going to have a lot more debt, and a lot more people with plenty of
reasons to
hate the west and it's supposed "humanitarian" work.
I
think as an
individual citizen the effects of US foreign policy are still being
felt to
this day. NSA wiretapping, the Patriot Act, Guantanamo Bay; these are
all
products of terrorism caused because of US intervention/occupation. The
US
claims it is for our safety and while I understand that; the privacy
each and
every one of us is allowed is being taken away day by day.
How do you delve
deep into your own personal Darkness and imbue music with your emotions? I would have a fear that
in the end it can
that be too taxing to pour yourself into your music on such a level? Do you ever consider that
perhaps music is a
vampire and someday you are going to be drained completely? What will happen then?
I
can't really
answer that in any way. I am 100% honest when I say that what I write
is just a
combination of time and place and emotional state. Playing live is
taxing, but
when it's all over we are all relieved.
The
day I have
been drained completely of emotion that is so invasive and taxing that
I need
to write music? The day that comes is the day I have found happiness or
the day
I am dead.
I know there
seems to be endless touring/performing in your future, but what are
some of
your other upcoming plans? Any
new
recordings we can look forward to?
What
about any "special" shows? A
7
Generations reunion show?
We
will be going
on our first ever tour in early October. We aren't really looking at a
game
plan; we just go when we want and write when it's right and practice
when we
can. We have material written and it will be released, we're just not
giving
our selves a time line. Who knows? We might even scrap all these songs
and
start all over.
Thanks Adrian
for the interview, your music with Children of God and 7 Generations
have both
meant a lot to me. I
wanted to leave any
final thoughts and deeds to you? Expel
some of your rage right here!
Thanks
for the
interview Brad; I speak for all of us when I say that we appreciate the
time
and chance you give us.
As
for last words:
here's a quote from a poet Sina showed me.
“If
I write what I
feel, it's to reduce the fever of feeling. What I confess is
unimportant,
because everything is unimportant.”
― Fernando Pessoa