Interview XCarnation |
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| First, can you
tell us the story of the band ? As a serious music fan I’d been searching for a new band with a unique sound for a long time.. couldn’t find what I was looking for.. at least not in one band.. one band’s sound was awesome but their melodies were not happening, the other band’s songs were awesome but the arrangements were not original enough.. So I found myself working on that music which I had been desperately searching for.. My first connection was Pat Mastelotto and he really opened my mind ..rhythm section was one of my biggest interests and Pat is a true genius on that.. he was one of my dream drummers and he was a great guide for my sound choices.. Later, I got in touch with Kip Winger; another true soulful unique musician, a song writer with an amazing voice. People mostly know him from his 80’s band Winger but if you really wanna face the beast you should hear his solo albums.. So Kip and I started to work together for this project. However, as time passed, we realized that we were actually working on 2-3 different albums at the same time.. So, we decided to categorize the songs in 3 groups.. the first project is Xcarnation; actually my solo album.. the next will be Kip’s solo album and then we will release "Istanblue" to complete this working period.. Kip is my soul twin and he is the only one with whom I feel safe and natural in the studio.
Kiss was my first interest J when I was a little boy.. later Toto and Steve Lukather were a great influence on me.. I studied Classical Music at the university. I was into lots of different styles too.. Ethnic music was also in me as a result of being in Turkey .. my influence evolution is like..Kiss / Def Leppard / Toto / Police / Peter Gabriel / Kip Winger Seal /King Crimson / Prodigy / Tool / Perfect Circle / Filter etc… ( I love Filter)
XCARNATION : The word originates from reincarnation. I added X (unknown) and the result was Xcarnation We do not remember our past incarnations.. and we do not know the next ones either..so our present life is Xcarnation. I've recently learned that it is an archeology term; a technique used in ancient burials... they call it "excarnation" GROUNDED : Personal Antichrist is the song that introduces the main theme of the whole album and explains the concept of being "grounded." Each of us is so adept in creating our own hells by denying our divine nature. Most of the time we just let life simply happen to us and passively wait for God to answer our prayers. In this sense we are all grounded on this planet. When we really understand and feel that we come from God and that our ultimate goal is to reunite with him, we will have discovered the power and goodness within us and stop living as "grounded" life forms on this planet and will be able to reshape the life of mankind for the better....
I am a huge fan of the TV show "Most Haunted" and "grounded" is the word that is used for the spirits who can't move on to the life after death and haunt a property. As opposed to some souls who come in visitation to the places they loved to reside while they were still alive , grounded souls are stuck in between the two worlds mostly due to some unfinished business or constant denial of who they are or because they can't accept what they have gone through when they were alive.
01- Personal Antichrist :
I was walking around in a mall one day and suddenly the chorus melody + the gtr riff popped in my mind.. recorded it to my cellphone. That idea rested there until I needed to finish the album.. This song has gone through several incarnations . The first version was more straight rock with great lyrics but rhythmically wrong and it wasn't good for the vocal performance.. I re-wrote the lyrics and tweaked the melody which created a space for the verse .. That way, I could add the right emotion... I needed a song like this to nail the whole album down.. I really love the result on this one.. especially as an opener... The song tells how we are killing ourselves... the sound is aggressive .. like the way we treat ourselves Lyrics are the cure ...
02- Everlasting :
This is the song which brought the record deal .. It was a dark period when I wrote it.. family problems.. I never planned on anything on the whole composition.. it came out so naturally almost in one piece.. I got the vocal recording on the 2nd take and there are no editings.. it was magical to capture the real emotion.. It tells about a relationship, a love story from two different points of view.. the only mutual feeling for both parties is that it's "everlasting"; everlasting pain for one person and everlasting love for the other... this song was brought about by profound anger - desperation and frustration and composing it helped me cleanse my heart of those ghosts. I am really proud of this one...
03 - Without You :
Walked into my studio, turned on the Roland Fantom and started to play.. composed it in an hour together with the lyrics.. like the song "Everlasting" the vocal is the 2nd take and not edited... My dad Umit Eroglu did an incredible job on the string arrangement.. I tried to capture the naive part of me.. and I think I did..
04 - Desperately Sad :
Well .. My anger against the war... like everyone in the world, my tv was on 24 hours during the time when Bush was about to launch the attack on Iraq... and when the bombing started I started to work on the song... felt so helpless and tried to channel my energy .. a helpless effort from a single person living in this huge world.. they are still killing each other... In the name of ........ (fill in the blank) just don't use the word "love" or "freedom".. because that's bullshit.. I dedicate this song to all the people who died in 9/11 and all the people who died during the war in Iraq ... I curse the evil in whatever form it materializes itself..
05 - Reason To Believe :
Wrote the song in one night .. only the word "Reason" was there before Kip (Winger) wrote the lyrics.. I was not sure whether I should use the song for this album.. decided to add it at the last minute.. it had been sung by Kip about a year before..and then I decided to make it a duet and Kip agreed ... I love the lyrics.. and I am in love with Kip's performance on vocals.. this is a good combination of different cultures... I would love to hear "Seal" sing this song.. that would be interesting...
06 - Lucky Day :
This song has also gone through several incarnations and this version I used in the album is the very first version..In the latest version, we made some modifications with Kip and he re-wrote the lyrics and we called the song "Nothing" and Kip wanted to keep that version for his solo album... I wanted to use this version in my album as I think it is pure animal instinct and therefore absolutely sincere... and I couldn't keep it for my self.. The overall idea is as if you're stoned in a chair and can't move... and she is using you... doing whatever she wants.. her dancing lies... an evil with an angel face... and she is lucky as you can't move.. cause you could crash her if you could play .. the very ending outro is really special to me.. a gangster's voice against St. Theresa's accompanied with my piano...
07 - Take A Deep Breath :
The first song I wrote for Grounded... started with a gtr riff.. I like the Turkish Ney Flute solo... and the ending gtr jam with me & Reb Beach...
08 - Coma White :
Lyrics are all that matters... it is about how we buy lies so easily and how we become a part of them... and find ourselves in the endless oceans of Coma White " the void"... just alive, practically vegetating . . .
09 - Willing To Wait :
Kip wrote this song as a soundtrack for a horror movie called "Green's keeper" Against the lyrics I tried to create a stupid playful dance mood.. with a Turkish vibe.. The killer talks about how he is going to hunt you down and the music is you... + my goal was to experiment with my Turkish music arrangement background on a real American composition.. I love the result on this one...
10 - Pictures :
The song originally was a little demo without the groove I used for the final version.. I was looking at some 2nd world war pictures.. and the sequence turned into lyrics in my mind.. The power of the scenes ... the story without words... the pain that is captured within a single photo... The song was finalized when I added the groove... and I am really proud of the arrangement... the song is a monologue about a person whom you'll never see again.. It was a long answer J
Can you tell us more about the
other musicians who took part to this project ? Led Zeppelin… with an amazing taste + unique electronic drumming abilities.. 5 years ago he was there when I started this .. and he is inside this album’s aura in every way … and physically played drums only on "Everlasting" Kip Winger : Leonardo da Vinci of Rock … my soul twin.. when I heard his first solo album he blew my mind .. I was aware of his talent since Winger but those 2 solo albums are real art.. and I am honored to be his friend . A joker from outside and an abyss of art ‘n emotions inside.. he was not a choice.. he was the reason.. Rod Morgenstein : He played on many demos and I used one of those songs called "Desperately Sad" in the album.. he is a killer drummer.. and did a great job on "D.S." Ebru Bank (Eroglu) : My wife.. and a great bass player .. she got the right taste n timing Reb Beach : Always wanted to play together.. and we did.. The rest was the best performers of their kind and brought their soul into my music..
Who is responsible for song
writing ? I am as Xcarnation is my solo project with a backup band where I am planning to change the collaborators in every new album…
While composing, it is totally like automatic hand writing, it is really instinctual very emotional… also very calculative while producing an album… it is like a wild animal in a lab ..I
try not to hurt it… What are the lyrics talking about ? And
where do you find inspiration ? The whole album is a conversation with our inner voice... the key of this concept is a poem I wrote and it’s in the album booklet called "the Barrier of Being" which is : The Barrier of being...
Practically heaven showed its face the view from the inside... the truth from the outside... in the book of this punishment...
The meditation of my sorrow.. the silence by the fire.. the story of it's healer.. all in this book of my punishment..
The planet without the sun deepest end of my form.. cared by the loneliness.. raised by the storm... So I'll stand my ground.. till the end of time... never prayed for "the love" of God.. in my darkest hours... it was a one way love.... Or …. The sun is coming up... my demons are resting at my ego's nest... I am bleeding in my shadow before the storm rages in.. it's getting hot.. I am dripping my sins .. chasing winds through this hell I am pure like water... even behind those masks of smiles... will the sky speak the word.... ? I am here to listen..for the last time... dreams are sinking within the ocean... with my bullet proof skin... and I 'm lighter than an Elf's whisper... crashing into your love... see the child behind those eyes... man enough to cry out loud.. don't wanna touch the spear of destiny.. while it's carving my heart cause I am here to taste it ..
So I am Walking with Angels.... with
flowers in my mind... Life is the biggest inspiration if you are ready to receive it
Personal Antichrist and Everlasting… P.A is the last song I wrote for the album and I love the message and the result of the production.. Everlasting is a very personal song.. I
wrote that one in my darkest hour. Can you tell us more about your
collaboration with Kip Winger ? He is my soul twin and working with him was amazing.. he is my perfect partner And glad to know that I am his. Just read an interview of him and he tells the same thing… What's your favorite all times bands
and albums ? Kiss : their first 7 albums Toto : All the albums with Jeff Porcaro Filter : Title of the record & The Amalgamut Seal : second album Kip Winger : This Conversation Seems Like A Dream
What's your opinion about the
international metal scene ? Actually I’ve had enough of retro and nostalgia albums in rock music.. I am desperately looking for unique bands and I think metal scene needs a revolution as soon as possible… Do any of you currently work on
projects other than Xcarnation ? Producing a Turkish
rock band at the moment ..also about to start our new project with Pat
Mastelotto called MastelOttoman + working together with Kip Winger on
his new solo album and later we will finish our next project Istanblue
with him.. Do you have any funny or strange
stories about the band you can share with us ? One day Kip decided to take my German Sheppard dog Max out for a walk.. It was a rainy day.. I was inside the house and saw Kip mud surfing with Max From the left window.. (Max is like a tank) the ride ended up at the next corner (probably 25 meters) in 5 seconds. Heard the bang at the door.. Kip was standing all wet and muddy . that was really funny
J What do you see in the future for
Xcarnation ? Xcarnation is my solo project but with other musicians’ spirits... I already hate the album and started to work on the next incarnation.. so like a snake changing its skin "Grounded" is already history .. developing a new skin at the moment.. There will be lots of other Xcarnation albums and I can’t wait !
And finally, can you say some words for
my radio show Metal Choc ? All the best and keep on rockin’ wish I could listen to your radio show .. It must not be possible from Istanbul …
J |
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