other 10 Neurotics interviews First interview: gothic.ru Russian Gothic Project | May 17 2009 This is the full interview in English Q: What is behind the name "Black Tape For A Blue Girl"? It sounds quite metaphoric. Is there any story? Sam: This is one of the questions I have never fully answered over the years, because as you say, it is sort of metaphorical and I think every person who reads the name gets a bit of their own story out of it. It is true that there are a few interpretations that occur regularly, so people's thoughts do coalesce to certain themes. The most basic answer is the physical one, which is I was dubbing an early demo for a friend of mine who played violins. I started writing on the cassette and the words that came out were "Black tape for a blue girl." However, that is only the beginning of what the name now means. Q: There are so many line-up changes since BTFABG start. Is BTFABG a band or it?s just a one-man project with guest musicians/singers? I see it this way: I am like the director and screenwriter of the series of movies which are Black Tape For A Blue Girl. I bring in different musicians who can help me realize my ideas. They might stay for decades or just one song. It's all about what makes sense musically and if we get along as people. Q: Your new album name is 10 Neurotics. Have you met them in reallife or they are fictional characters? Oh, they are real people, indeed! They are people I've met, dated or created. Some of them are fictionalized characters based on real people. Some of them are me. Some of them might even be you or one of your readers! Q: The 10 Neurotics album seems to be finished. Could you describe it? What is the main idea (or concept) of this album? What about sound? Yes, 10 Neurotics is finished and is at the pressing plant. I expect it will be out in August.  Musically, it retains elements that will be familiar to my fans, but it definitely has advanced and is more in the Rock / Dark Cabaret realm than past albums. As far as the concept for the album, it's about our fetishes and desires; exploring the sexual interests that most people leave hidden from the world. I wanted to write a non-judgemental album of first person stories. Taking bits and pieces from people I had met, and creating their narratives or stories. In a sense, this is what I have always been doing in my work. It's just that I never spent a whole album exploring the sexual / erotic side of life. So there are characters into Dom/Sub relationships, those who try to use sex to win people over, those who have been abused as children and take on the life of the abuser for protection, and one lovely woman who enjoys dressing up as a cat when she is with her lover. Q: Sound of your new album built around guitar and drums/percussion while previous albums were more synth-oriented. What was the cause of this change? I decided to try something completely different; I decided to write the whole album on acoustic guitar, rather than keyboards. I picked up the guitar and taught myself enough to start creating with it. What I discovered along the way is that the songs have more structure - a verse/chorus structure - which was not as prevelant in much of my past work. This is my 10th album and I decided to be free to do whatever felt good to me, rather than worry too much about obligations to the past. In the end, I don't think an artist can really escape from who they are and their style -- but starting out with freedom is a really nice thing. Q: 10 Neurotics was recorded with Brian Viglione (The Dresden Dolls, World/Inferno), Athan Maroulis (Spahn Ranch), Laurie Reade (Attrition), Nicki Jaine (Revue Noir), Lucas Lanthier (Cinema Strange, The Deadfly Ensemble), Michael Laird (Unto Ashes), Elysabeth Grant, post-production done by Steve Roach. Are they specially invited people, people who absolutely fit to this album or they are just people who were around you in that time? I find people who I feel will bring my ideas to life. Part of the freedom I mentioned above was a feeling - from the beginning - that I was going to start fresh with this album. When I presented the songs I was working on to my Halo Star-era band members, I found that they were apprehensive about performing the material. Let's just say they were "Curious, Yet Ashamed" about what they were being asked to sing. The result of this was that I was left with no vocalists and I had to start anew. Somehow my intuition saw this coming, well before they made their decisions, and I think I was actually relieved when it happened. It allowed me to start fresh. In late 2008, I decided that 10 Neurotics really needed a drummer. Michael Laird played percussion on the last two albums, but I really needed a Rock-n-Roll kit sound, to make many of these songs work. I had met Brian through a mutual friend a few years ago, he was my first choice. When I pitched the idea of the album to him, he was excited and was on board really quickly. Not only does he play the drums, but bass and some guitar as well. His enthusiasm for the project was really strong and he's now a full-fledged member of the band; he's more of a collaborator than anyone I have previously worked with. It makes for an interesting change. Q: Do you plan to release it in Russia? Yes, indeed. Shadowplay will be releasing it, hopefully in August. Q: People in your current line-up have their own projects. Is it possible to watch current line-up live? Or BTFABG is a studio project now? Well, my idea is to shoot videos for many of the new songs, which will play on youtube and our myspace page. The first one I am thinking of shooting will include the band "performing," so you WILL be able to watch us.  The song is called "The Pleasure and the Pain." My son - who is standing next to me - adds that he will be in one of the videos, too, playing the part of a waiter. That will probably be for the song "Rotten Zurich Cafe." Q: Your best of A Retrospective was released in Russia last year. What was the selection criteria for this best of? The idea was to include songs that were popular with the fans, at our shows, on radio, etc. A traditional "best of" - rather than a release like With a million tear-stained memories which was a 2-CD that tried to present all aspects of the band. A Retrospective was focussed on the popular material. Q: Do you listen BTFABG albums from time to time? What do you think about your previous albums? I haven't listened to any in a while, because I've been so focussed on working on 10 Neurotics. However, I do pick one out to give a listen from time to time and I do enjoy them (the most recent one I listened to was As one aflame laid bare by desire). I think that over the years I have developed enough distance from them that it feels like I am listing to one of my favorite bands. Listening to Mesmerized by the Sirens brings me back to where I was mentally in 1987, when I recorded it. I forget how much a part of me those albums are, because I have moved on from the emotional pain that is in the words. So I can see them from afar, yet also totally remember the feelings that sparked them. I think I now am able to experience my music the way the fans do. As a crystalization of a period of my life. Q: It seems to me, your lyrics quite serious. Is here a place for irony or fun? Ah, yes. There has been a growing sense of playfulness in my lyrics over the last few years. Halo Star's fun song was "Knock Three Times," which the fans really enjoyed. On "10 Neurotics," there is more of a sense of humor and even smart-assedness on certain songs; though the song "Inch Worm" deals with anorexia, it definitely has a bite! ; ) Q: Who are the girls on the covers of BTFABG albums? In the past they have primarly been women I was dating at the time. I chose to end that with A Retrospective and now Vivian on the cover of 10 Neurotics is a woman I have never even met. I found her photo on the photographer's website and immediately felt it captured the album's mood marvelously. Q: Do you know something about Russia? How do you imagine it? I think it's one of those remarkably interesting places that I would love to explore some day. Q: Do you plan to visit Russia one day? Ah, yes. That would be great! Where's my plane ticket? Thanks for taking the time to interview me. Please visit blacktapeforabluegirl.com for blogs on the progress of the album, to hear samples, and read more about the band.... All the best from over here in Brooklyn! | Interviews Page |