Phase, a strong and warm embrace of a vision





The trip begun in December 2003 from since the party is collecting experiences and ideas which they are continuously filtering reaching to today’s shape having Thanos, Alex and Dimitris delivering this tight alloy of music, which the press tends to call psychedelic / alternative / progressive rock. In the beginning of 2010 their song “Perdition” was selected to participate in Microsoft’s “Playlist Seven” program and is also planned to be released in 7” vinyl later in the year as a forerunner of “In Consequence”; a dark, rolling, mysterious album where rock music meets folk and industrial sounds. Turn off your mind and relax tripping among Phase’s frequencies together with Thanos who got a conversion with Ann Taylor.

OK, to start off somehow, I’ve got to say that to me it feels that you’re really mature from the way you’re standing and what you’ve been saying and writing, although in some of those photos of yours you don’t look old enough. What is your age actually?
I’d swear I’ve been around since like forever but my memories altogether can hardly fill three days. Also you left out the prospect of those photos to be old. Anyhow, thank you for the compliment if it can be considered one. Please don’t ask my star sign. That was a great conversation starter; the mature choice.

What is your favorite color then? (Laughter) OK, Browsing your MySpace profile I kind of fell for “Static”. I’ve downloaded it to my IPod and it’s in my favorites now. What is it about?
Even if explaining lyrics is something I find inappropriate, here we go. Static stands for something that doesn’t shift, something that stays in a given state for a long time; some kind of paradox because everything is moving constantly. It’s kind of an exaggeration and I love to exaggerate to make someone see something that he normally wouldn’t. Static is also called atmospheric hitches, radio waves that cause that background noise, something we’d call “perception parasites”. Now bring it all back to your actual perception about things, people, ideas; your own self. Ego is an astonishing perception parasite for instance. Although static appears at short notice to be written for a woman, it actually might stand for every kind of addiction such as alcohol, drugs or anything at all. It might be about a state of epiphany, of utter awakening when the soul searching and self criticism is in its higher level. A point of clarity. And to push it a little further, it also might be an argument between two or yourselves that never had the chance to have a nice little chat like we’re having now. Maybe they are fighting and you are left as a watcher. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, now it became really fucked up. I’m not that good a poetry critic. Write down that it is about a girl. So tell me now, are you still fond of it? (laughs)

Totally love it even more. Into drugs?
You know I wouldn’t answer sincerely if I could...

OK let’s change the subject. Tell me about the album.
And where is exactly the change of subject then? (laughs) It’s our homemade audible drugs. It is planned to be released on the winter solstice (December 20th). It’s called “In Consequence” and it’s really a great album. You got to give it a listen.

I’ve read some of your lyrics on your blog and it appeared to me apart from being pessimistic that some of them have an acute critic temper. Is that criticism intended for society or is it an attempt to expose yourself as you said before?
We tend to be bothered by behaviors and character components of others that we don’t like on us, don’t we? Also the current album is a depressed view of how things are; it’s our own, humble, verismo.

What about your previous band? Searching the net I found you were playing extreme music in the past. How was that?
Yes, I was playing the bass for almost ten years in an extreme metal band. It was actually the first group I ever played for. I really enjoyed the gig for as long as it lasted. I’m really into many genres of music. As I’ve said before, there are two kinds of music out there for me; either there’s good music or bullshit. I like too many extreme metal recordings but I just concluded that you don’t have to scream things out to get noticed when you’re not talking bullshit. I was the same person back then you know. Among my favorite records at that period was Rainbow Rising and some of the riffs to “In Consequence” came to me back in that day. It’s just that Phase was all I ever wanted without regard to the position I’d have in the band. When I tried to give birth to it in 2003 I had picked the bass, but I believe today’s shape is ideal and it’s flexible. Phase totally expresses me no matter if it’s my, Alex’s or Dimitris’ input. We are together something less than two years and there’s already very good chemistry, ideas are streamed not just exchanged and there’s also a strong, warm embrace of the vision…

I’ve got the bio you sent me and I’m reading a line saying “Besides your own successful shows…” What is your draw and from which point can a show be considered successful?
We are actually not referred in audience units, although we are lucky enough to be framed by many friends of art and friends of our shared Phase and its output. People help that energetic flow. The real success for us is to go somewhere else and try to take with us whoever wants to move people, even for a single fragment of a moment. To give shivers to everybody who came and didn’t pass by with a detractive spirit expecting us play toccata and fugue. Imagine us taking the role of a “Coercively Progressive” band, standing still, jabbering and bad acting and an audience full of ignorant people who are trying or are pretending they got the message that didn’t ever exist, and complex “musicians” waiting as if they are carrion buzzards for our next false step on the taut rope to feed their moribund ego. Music is language and truth is simple and plain. We are having a hard time exploring ourselves and trying to express us and those guys are making it harder for them and for people who are receiving. We are performing fugue in a way; I’m thinking of it metaphorically. We are escape artists. It’s all about the trip to us. The real success is maybe to have people taking a part of it with them leaving…

That’s beautiful. Let’s get back to my silly mode. Nice apartment you got…
Oh thanks. It’s a friend’s apartment actually. I don’t have an internet connection back home…

How come?  I mean it’s believed as a useful tool for indie bands and I’ve seen you have done a good job setting your web presence.
Yes indeed and I’ve personally worked for it. But it doesn’t take me more than two hours in every two days average to achieve that. I enjoy getting confused by the hazy informational flow of the internet and indeed it’s a useful tool. Knives are also useful. You can cut bread and spread butter on it. But it still can kill. The problem is in the user’s head. I’m not stuck in the mud although I nearly catch a glimpse on the time when things were really unspoiled. When zines/letters/tape trading existed there was that sweet l discomfort in the procedure that it was done only by those who really wanted to. It’s the same with recording something. Back then you should cut-back for a year and/or sell things to make a record you’d dot the I’s and T’s on the music so everything would be better in it. From the other side I remember we didn’t eat for weeks at school to buy records we’d listen till we buy the next and further more. Now modern amenities filled the world with garbage and mind traps. Like the words Menelaos Lountemis is putting in one of Ekstasi’s (Excess) characters’ mouth. People are so strange that in spite they have so many mediums to communicate it’s getting more and more difficult to achieve it. And please excuse my constant noetic leaps. It’s just all one and infinite to me. (laughs)To return to your question, I’m keeping myself from it because I want to be stuck on what I really want to do. How Crowleyish of me to say. In the same motif someone who likes listening to such music will eventually find us. If I acted differently I’d connect to send an email and I’d wind up reading posts of idiot’s suggesting idiotic things. and stupidity is the only thing that I’m racist at. Everyone is the effect of his unique position in the universe; few are breaking through but I believe people who had luxury, the soundness of limb and the stimulus to wake up and have still their eyes closed are pathetic. They are entangling the chain and they are leading more to stumble upon it. And to comment further what you said about our web presence I’ll add we don’t want to brainwash people (A paradox term ‘cause that may cleanse some people’s heads from shit). We just let them know we exist. As you may have noticed I easily float down the stream. I’m easily drifting…

Oh yes I can see that. And what have you been drinking?
I enjoy good wine but I’m drinking everything. I hate the taste of most spirits but I like the effect. When playing I’m often heavy drinking not to cover any stage fright, which I don’t have, but to give the performance an extra religious perspective like a shaman or a mystic would, it somehow works. I have managed to transcend many times but you’re returning with souvenirs from the trip. I oppose Nietzsche by saying “Whatever doesn’t kills you, leaves you cripple”. Back to the religious experience, it also helps when people are drinking a little; not too excessively of course; it’s like in Christian churches where people receiving communion wine after an extended period of fasting. Who couldn’t connect above with the mood and in the right environment? Right now I’m having some beers and a little bit of whiskey. It helps my English unfold.

Your English is quite good actually
Oh thank you so very much. I’ve been rehearsing (laughs) You should have noticed that I’m getting the answer to where I want; I was partly afraid that you’d never ask and to cover any awkwardness as well. I pretty much enjoy being out of my comfort range. That’s all that rock n’ roll is about.

Even so, it’s still quite impressive, any last words?
Yes, I keep some porn magazines under my bed, reach someone to get rid of ‘em I wouldn’t like my mother to find out. And I want you to bury me without a coffin, contrary to the Osiric foretype.  And maybe you could plant a tree’s seed in me too…

Oh cut it off! He, he, you know what I meant…
Let me see. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to give such a thorough insight on Phase. I think it is worth to spare some moments exploring Phase through www.phase.gr. We hope to have the time to party, discuss and trip with as many of those of you who are interested. Share, Shape, Space… Phase
Band:
Interviewer: Dave Wolff
Oct 19, 2010

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