Interview - Candiria
8/6/04
Sean and Sam chat with Kenneth Schalk and Michael Macivor
Sean Michael
Coale: So, how's the tour been so far?
Kenneth Schalk: "Great, really
awesome."
SMC: How's the crowd been
reacting to the newer songs?
KS: "From my perspective, it
seems like they're really......you know it's tough
cause this tour is more based on people for aren't
even our fans. Generally, we're coming out on a tour
most of the fans who are out here. Are here to see
Kittie, they're out here for the whole show in general.
But a lot of new people who don't know who we are,
or heard a lil of the buzz about us. So it seems be
more that the reaction to the new songs kinda not
really a relevant point, it's more of a reaction to
all the songs. It's been absolutely phenomenal the
way people have been responding as our set goes on
each night, by the 3rd/4th song they get more rev'd
up and by the end of the set. We got 'em in the
palm of our hands, Carley has been doing a phenomenal
job in front of the stage. Really getting the spirit
of the audence to rise up."
SMC: Did Carely have to take any lessons to sing on
the new album or was it just something he had in him?
KS: "Of course, whether you have natural talent or not
is irrelevant to the fact you still have to train
yourself."
SMC: No, no I just mean on the older albums, Carley
pretty much just straight screaming, it was really
such a departure from that. So I wasn't sure he was
always able to do something like that.
KS: "Carley, originally started as a singer and
developed into the singer voice. And it's just
basically reuniting with where his roots where. He
grew up on Iron Maiden and melodically vocal band
like that, so it's like he's coming back full circle
to where he started. He took about a month or so of
vocal training. While we were doing the album, came
into the studio and banged it out. Mike and John
already from their past bands already had vocal
training. They did singing in their old band,
harmonies and stuff. So they lended a great hand
to handling all the harmonies and background and
it worked out great. And all the melodies came
together well and I couldn't be happier."
SMC: Now, the sound on the album was that just
something you guys were naturally progressing
towards or did the accident help speed that up some?
KS: "Sounding, meaning what the
sonics of it...? Or do you mean.........?"
SMC: The actual approach to the songs, there's a lot
more melody in this one than on past albums.
KS: "Well, there's a lot
of variables."
SMC: Well you take the sound from Process and work
up till What doesn't kill us, it seems as though
it's a lot more song orientated then well free
following.
KS: "There's a lot of variables to why we went the
way we went on this album. One of them is that the
creative aspect. This band has explored so much that
one of the only directions left was for us to go
more melodic route vocally, song structure. Another
reason was the state of mind emotional of the band
and where we wanted to take just the lyrics and the
music. And also just again the over all stand point
from the band of "if we decided to do what we've
always done, then number one it's gonna stunt our
ability to just grow." So factually as an artist
you wanna satisfy yourself first. And there was
nothing dishonest where we chose to go on this
album. It was all a genuine feeling through out
the whole band, the whole band made it a conscience
effort to write a band album. A full on album, a
whole band is part of it. And song structure was
inspired by our old producer but coming from the
band itself. It was just a conscience decision to
take the album this way, it's like there's almost
no where for us to go without feeling like we were
just doing the same thing again."
SMC: How's your new record label
holding up for you?
KS: "It's a slow start. But like anything, you're
talking about making somebody trust that be just a
record selling band right off the start. Number one,
we've out of commission for about two years. So even
though we had a really good buzz generated the lack
of playing out and being exposed. Had a whole bunch
of other bands in the industry move forward. So
we're kinda a lil back in the line again. We're not
up here anymore we gotta work our way back up. So
you can't really expect our label to go gun ho and
say "Oh Yea!" We gotta regroup ourselves again for
a lil while and our label has been supportive and
he knows...he and the staff know that as we build
our own rep back up and get our buzz regenerated
on a stronger level. And the better investments
will come and it's just something you gotta build."
SMC: Just curious, how come you guys didn't continue
with the Coma Imprint?
KS: "Naw that was an imprint we established with
Lakeshore Records, but our relationship fell apart
with them so we gotta move on from there."
SMC: Are you guys gonna be doing Ghosts of the Canal
at all?
KS: "Well, Ghosts of the Canal. We decided like Mike,
John and myself decided that it seems relevant to
make Ghosts of the Canal us three and who we decide
to maybe bring into it in the future would just make
for whatever that experience is. Cause the other two
guys who were involved kinda would just disappeared,
and you know I love those guys but we don't see them
anymore."
SMC: Ha, well really I just meant in general.
KS: "The actual concept of the band is something that
the three of us will never lose sight on. All those
sessions those two albums, were taken from a three
part thing. We did three different sessions on three
different dates and all the songs we accumulated we
evaluated them and picked out the ones that had the
most relevant structure to something that gives off
a good mood. And doesn't have too many errors,
seeing how they're all free form jazz. Some of
them fell apart in certain moments and as much as
there may be magic in one song, if there's an
element where it fell apart for a lil while then
as a whole song it wasn't gonna fly."
Michael Macivor: Nothing was expected from Ghosts of the Canal,
that was such a beautiful part of the music. There
was never any preconceived notions from what was
expected from any member of the group as well as
what was gonna be played or anything like that. Or
the fact that if we're ever gonna play a show or if
we're ever gonna do it again. So the fact that it
was so open ended is probably what makes it so
special. And I'm sure we'll do it again. Just who
knows, when. I guess just when the times are right.
SMC: You guys did a couple of shows with that at
some art galleries what's the mind frame like going
into a show like that?
MM: "We played a couple different places, we played
an art museum, a couple of bars here and there. But
that was one of the fun we did at the Art Musuem
because it was a combination of the band, the
visual artists that were creating light and moving
lights and moving art on us thru projections on us,
as well as dancers. A synergy of art, three
different mediums of art. All coming together,
everybody improvising off of each other and it
was nice. It was fantastic, I had a great time
with that."