SONJA: Wow, that was an incredibly accurate description, you truly get us, Barend!
I think that while we appeal to both camps we do get a lot of support from metalheads. But there is a very specific reason: Goth events are very, very few, and while we do have support from the Goths, it is difficult to get to them as there is a limited platform.
As a self-confessed Goth, I must admit that I prefer the DJ at a party to a band playing, but we have always received a warm welcome at Goth events and always LOVE doing them.
Goth is something that is very close to my heart and our song "Midnight" was written exclusively for the Goths.
PAUL: Metalheads, mainly because these are more frequent shows and a larger fan base, and closest affiliate bands we can slot into on a live bill.
South Africa hardly has any Industrial or Goth bands. The Gothic culture has waned to a trickle here in Cape Town.
We recently played a free show to support friends of ours with their Gothic Resurrection nights, and a lot of the people there were faces you see at the metal shows as well…
For us we find ourselves in the position where we stand out more from the other bands, not only in having a female vocalist, but also our sound and stage wardrobe - it adds a different aspect and mood to the evening.
At Witchfest it was predominantly a blast-beat Deathfest, which is fine, but when we came on it was almost a breath of fresh air, as many people told us afterwards.
Personally I love an all-encompassing alternative dome where Metal, Punk, Goth, Industrial, Grunge, SKA, Rockabilly etc. can co-exist, but we all have our own tastes and cliques are a fact in all sectors.
My range of music taste is extremely wide and while I may see this unification of these genres as a logical matter of fact, others feel insulted if for instance it is not strictly Black Metal - and only Norwegian for that matter, none of these diluted imitations from the States or Greece!
If music speaks to you, who cares what its classification is?
I can’t think of the name of the song now, but I think it’s a song by Laibach, where they state in the lyrics: “... we’re no humble pop-musicians...”.
Now, I don’t want to come across as being judgmental on behalf of the whole alternative music scene, but the few experiences I’ve had with these so-called humble pop-musicians, wasn’t so pleasant.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but a lot of them seem to be aloof and snooty towards their fans. It’s as if they deem themselves as more important than, and above their fans in ways that would piss off even Medusa.
I haven’t experienced this in the alternative music scene, and especially not with you guys (and gal) of Terminatryx.
You’re always willing to mix and mingle and chat with your fans, almost as if they’re family.
Obviously your fans are very important to you, but how does one stay humble as a celebrity, and why do you think that musicians in the alternative music scene appear to be more in touch with and caring towards their fans?
PAUL: Firstly I think it's because we don't consider ourselves celebrities and don't have our heads up our own asses.
We treat people the way we want to be treated, simple as that.
I don't believe in burning bridges and to be an aloof dickhead doesn't do you any favours. Even if you're tired, pissed-off or suffering from bronchitis (like Sonja at Witchfest), you can still be polite and give people the time of day.
You are your band's brand and you can easily damage it by being an asshole - those people go off and tell all their friends what an moron you were if you treated them like shit or ignored them unnecessarily (because you felt you're above them).
SONJA: The general alternative fan is the polar opposite of the general Beyoncé and Bieber fan. You need to gain their >>> respect and when you have it, it is solid. I have always maintained that Terminatryx is first and foremost and artistic expression. I view it as an art project, it has a life of its own and for me it is like another person in our house. If people really like the music we make, it is the ultimate compliment and a bonus for us, and we truly value the people that like Terminatryx, because they are OUR people. I have so much respect for our fans and I absolutely LOVE interacting with them. Perhaps it is easy for me to say this because we don’t have stadiums filled with fans (yet), but even if we had, I would like to meet each and every one of them. LOL! If your fans are an annoyance for you, you might be in the wrong business…
Ronnie: We're all here to support the same thing, I just happen to be on stage doing it.
Question 5:
I’ve read one day that to be in a band is like being part of a dysfunctional family. Is this true and do you as the Terminatryx family sometimes become dysfunctional? Explain or be tortured...
Sonja: Yes, it really is like being in a family. We do get on very well though and perhaps it is because we are older and sober, but we have respect for one another and value the input each member gives. We are all in other bands as well, Paul and I are both in the Makabra Ensemble with Sean Ou Tim, Simon Ratcliffe and Matthijs Van Dijk and Ron are in The Flaming De Villes. Pat also has his other family in Mind Assault and I am doing my A Murder project with my evil twin, Nerine Dorman. These bonds are strong and we are all cut out of the same alternative cloth.
Paul: It may sound boring, but we're old enough and have been in various bands long enough to have a mutual respect for each other - and it also helps that our personalities gel and we get along as friends. We do this for the music, not to party or act the fool.
The dynamic of Sonja and I is naturally different due to our relationship - I'm the lucky fucker going home with her after every show! Also with this being our main musical project in addition to our movie soundtrack group, The Makabra Ensemble, we can get very precious about technicalities or details. For instance, Sonja can get frustrated when I record her vocals and try to drive her towards a certain goal - it's not an attack or insult, but rather a drive towards getting the best out of the moment. Most of the time we have a synced and unified vision of the music, videos, photographs but don't always agree or feel comfortable with certain things - like not everyone are keen on dressing up and getting made-up for shoots, but we know it is part of the whole package and final product, so we take the bullet.
My song-writing is a bit different to "proper" musicians, and that can sometimes confuse Patrick when learning a new song - I don't let that frustrate me, as I can't force it down someone's throat - they'll click with it when they do, so we go round and round until it does.
So, overall we run a pretty smooth engine and humour has a lot to do with keeping it fun. We can joke about the dumbest shit off-stage, but as soon as we perform, we click into it and we're as serious as a fucking heart attack!
Ronnie: It takes a special kind of madness to do what we do, but it has to be balanced by the flip-side of the same coin - we are certainly a family, each with our own strengths and weaknesses.
Question 6:
My deepest sympathy to those who think that being in a band is all moonshine and roses, because it’s not. Rehearsing, recording, touring, setting up, performing, and keeping your fans happy can all be gruelling work. Over and above this, you’re all in some way or another involved in other creative projects, your nine to five jobs; as well as your own social and family commitments/responsibilities. How in Valhalla’s name do you manage not to burn out and stay sane? Having asked that, what have you got lined up for the immediate future and, is there perhaps a ‘secret’ long term project or goal you want to share with us?
Sonja: Apart from Terminatryx and A Murder, I work full time and am busy studying for my degree at UNISA. These last couple of months have been incredibly difficult as I have been sick. Burning the candle at both ends can seriously take its toll and I have now learnt that it is important to step on the brakes every now and again. I basically did Witchfest with one lung and am now paying the price with what seems to be a long recovery from serious bronchitis and an intercostal rib sprain. We are all a bit tired but believe me it is only a lull! We have plans for some very cool music videos and I must admit I am feeling the urge to get my hands dirty with some new material.
Ronnie: What has to be done, has to be done. I immerse myself in creativity to create something that will last.
Paul: Yes, I also write movie and music related reviews and articles, when we don't make our own movies and music videos, I edit freelance, run our websites, and for the last decade we've created and overseen various indie film festivals like the HorrorFest, X Fest, Celludroid and Sound On Screen. Patrick keeps busy with graphic design and runs Fiend Arts, which also includes the Metal4Africa portal and its two annual live music festivals.
Ironically bands like ours very much create what we do in our spare time! That's why I'm always very proud when our local colleagues can hold their own next to international acts who do this on a daily basis as their exclusive careers. I overheard a girl at Carfax saying after the show that she preferred Terminatryx to Ministry!
We have to keep the shark moving and never stall. I try to keep a constant flow of new info and features via the press and on our social media and website - that's a full time job in itself! It is costly to release an album a year, but we don't want to have as long a gap between the next album as our previous ones.
We'll be producing more music videos for the "Shadow" album. We'll release an exclusive digital Terminatryx anthology from across our catalogue on Fangoria Musick, the imprint of the legendary American horror magazine. A release date is pending on a special tribute album for tragic Afrikaans poet Ingrid Jonker - we adapted her poem "Ontvlugting". The collection will feature loads of local artists taking on her poems and there's talk of a vinyl release.
Mid-year we'll be taking on something we've wanted to do for a while;play some under-18 shows! There are too many youngsters who may like our music but due to alcohol age restrictions can't get into clubs, and end up becoming prefab pop drones, because there was no alternative available to them...
Terminatryx links:
http://www.terminatryx.com
http://www.facebook.com/Terminatryx
http://www.terminatryx.bandcamp.com
http://www.twitter.com/Terminatryx
http://www.youtube.com/Terminatryx
Patrick
Paul