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COLLIDE

Artist of the Month - May 2006 - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW!



This was a wonderfully entertaining interview with kaRIN and Statik from the collective duo simply known as COLLIDE, that took place via online on 3.11.06. I was amazed of the overall, if not obvious, chemistry between these two. They are literally 2 halves that make a complete whole. They really complement each other musically and persona wise as well. They discuss how they met and their writing process as well as some serious details about their now fairly extensive discography. Thanx to the internet alone, artists such as COLLIDE can actually make a decent living while making the music they want and not have to answer to a label or be pressured by executives to make another top seller. The ever growing fanbase will decide!

Due to both of them responding to various questions, there's a slight delay in some of their responses. But the content was very good and informative!


TheHMD: Today I'm here with Statik and KaRIN from the Industrial duo from N. Hollywood, CA known as COLLIDE

KaRIN: hello
Statik: nice to be here


TheHMD: So, tell us a little on the history of the duo. When did you meet and how?

KaRIN: k- we met at an industrial dance club, I was thirsty and needed water and Statik was next in line...so I asked him to get some water for me. We met at an industrial dance club, I was thirsty and needed water and Statiik was next in line...so I asked him to get some water for me.

Statik: I noticed her early because she had a big hat 2 big hats, in fact. She wore 2 hats at the same time, who does that?

KaRIN: i like big hats...sort of mad hatter.


TheHMD: That's quite a bit different! Or Dr. Suess?!

Statik: yes, the cat in the hat and karin, only those 2.

KaRIN: We became friends, Statik worked at a studio...later we tried working on a song together.


kaRIN


TheHMD: After that chance meeting, did you realize then that there was a creative spark?

KaRIN: We knew we both had similiar musical tastes, but it wasn't until we actually tried a song together did we know.

Statik: Not right away. t wasn't until I heard her sing and play acoustic guitar that I realized how much I liked her singing voice. I was doing some songs in the studio on my own and she came in the studio one day and did vocals over the top...that song was "Dreams & Illusions" from Beneath the Skin.


TheHMD: So going back farther, let's ask about your beginnings into music. Lady's first: kaRin, when do you first start in music?

KaRIN: I was musical as a child and would sing and dance.


TheHMD: Where are your main influences as a child?

Statik: Tell him about tiny talent time

KaRIN: I used to practise with my friends for tiny talent time.


TheHMD: What was that? A talent show in your home town?

KaRIN: It was a TV show where kids showed off their talents.


TheHMD: Where do you hail from kaRin?

KaRIN: I am from Toronto, Canada.

Statik: I want to find the tryout tapes for Tiny Talent Time


TheHMD: Sweet!! I bet they would be a fortune! LOL

Statik: We could have included them as bonus features on the dvd.

KaRIN: Fortunately there are no tapes =). At least of that, I have other skeletons.


TheHMD: Who were your biggest influences growing up?

KaRIN: For me Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Kate Bush. I like music that stands the test of time. It is still very relavent today.


TheHMD: Any others that aided in your musical development?

Statik: I have always been drawn to electronic music, so anything that was different sounding. Lately, I've been digitizing a lot of my old records that I haven't been able to listen to in a long time. Nina Hagen has been the music lately.


TheHMD: Who were your main influences Statik?

KaRIN: My Mom was a big influence...she let us know that we could do anything that we wanted to do.


TheHMD: So she was very instrumental in letting you find your own niche?

Statik: Queen was always on top of my list. They were great songwriters and always had great arrangements as far as vocals, etc..

KaRIN: At first I wanted to be a painter and live in the streets of Europe.

Statik: All big and very grand....I like that.

KaRIN: She was very open to whatever I wanted to do.





TheHMD: What instruments do you play kaRIN?

KaRIN: Closet guitar.


TheHMD: The Air Guitar? LOL

KaRIN: Air keyboards.

Statik: No, she can play an actual guitar....with strings and everything
TheHMD: Any traditional instruments?

KaRIN: No I think of my voice as an instrument you can play. It takes all my focus.


TheHMD: What did you start out with Statik?

Statik: The trumpet...actually, not even a trumpet. It was a coronet, which is like a short trumpet.


TheHMD: How old were you then?

Statik: I think my parents got it at a garage sale. Going into the 4th grade


TheHMD: How old were you when you first started playing guitar, kaRIN?

KaRIN: Probably around 16.

Statik: I even took some kind of music school in the summer before the 4th grade. What a geek.


TheHMD: Music is the universal language you know!

KaRIN: All of my friends could play and we hung out and would sing every song we knew.

Statik: I know, I'm hoping that the aliens like Collide when they finally decide to visit. KaRIN: It became something that I needed to do.


TheHMD: What genres of music did you really enjoy listening to growing up?

KaRIN: When I played with my friends, it was all guitar music that you could sing.


TheHMD: Who would you cover? For example

KaRIN: Later, I became very bored with mainstream music and started to dance at underground clubs.

KaRIN: We have plans...can't say yet.


TheHMD: Statik, what influenced you to become a keyboard player? Do you play classical piano as well?

Statik: I definately wouldn't consider myself a real keyboard player, so no classical piano. I took some keyboard classes, but after so many years of reading music for the trumpet, reading both bass clef and treble clef at the same time didn't compute. Luckily, along came computers to help me out.


TheHMD: What bands/projects have you played in before?

Statik: I finally sold my trumpet to a used music store when i was about 19. It's just hard to make music that I like with a trumpet. I've worked with a lot of bands as a programmer, pro-tools editor, but not really played in a bunch of projects. I played on stage with Tool for a show in Orange County on a song that I did programming for, that was fun. I co-wrote some of the songs on the latest Skinny Puppy album, but didn't end up going out with them for any shows.


TheHMD: Who are some of the artists you've worked with in the past?

Statik: I also worked with Prince for a period of about 3 years, on 3 different records, so there are plenty of stories to tell from that period.


TheHMD: What is he like to work with?

Statik: Michael Jackson, Powerman 5000...I saw where Lennon was on your site, I did programming on her first album...


TheHMD: What was it like working with a new talent like Lennon?

Statik: Prince was kind of grumpy. He was a great musican, but just not the most plesant person to be around. Let's just say that he really didn't like that I beat him in ping-pong.


TheHMD: Prince is the consumate artist eh? Never satisfied with his art?

Statik: I suppose so. It's tough to say what goes on in his head. I suppose it is very purple in swirly in there though and sometimes a bit murky.


TheHMD: Tell us about your Machines album.

Statik: Well, it was the first thing I ever put out there for people to listen to. There was only 4 songs, and I sang on 3 of them. How bizzare is that?


TheHMD: How was it recieved?

Statik: It was actually well received, I remember seeing playlists from clubs like Rock Island in Colorado and others in Vancouver B.C. where they were playing it along side...


TheHMD: What was your first release kaRIN?

Statik: Other bands that I liked a lot at the time...Cabaret Voltaire, etc.

KaRIN: Although, I was in other bands and projects before, my first official release was with Collide


TheHMD: The Crimson Trial album. How did the album come about?

KaRIN: Yes. That was our first demo where it all started.

Statik: It's what we were sending out to places back when we thought record companies weren't so evil.

KaRIN: We called it the Crimson Trial because we were not sure if anyone besides ourselves would like it.


TheHMD: What are your best memories of those sessions?

KaRIN: We knew it sounded unusual...harsh melodic.

Statik: You mean the sending ADAT tapes back and forth from Minneapolis to L.A.?

KaRIN: We worked long distance.


TheHMD: It's been over 10 years since that album, what songs do you think stand out after all that time?

KaRIN: All of them. I hope.

Statik: I still really like Pandora's Box, but I like them all too.


TheHMD: Tell us about your next album, Beneath The Skin. Any stories about how some of the material came about?

Statik: It's very much like Crimson Trial. We basically took the Crimson Trial back in the studio and remixed it and fixed it up a bit.

KaRIN: My mom was sick with terminal cancer, so a lot of it was me releasing my feelings. I always write from my core.

Statik: There wasn't much of a plan for it. Just trying to make a bunch of sounds into songs, which is what I still feel like I'm always doing.


TheHMD: Just persuing your art?

KaRIN: Yes, to me that's what it is all about. In fact, if I started a religion...it would be art religion.


TheHMD: Distort quickly followed the next year. Tell us about that album.

Statik: Would you have to wear funny hats in this art religion??

KaRIN: You could design them yourself.


TheHMD: She could be the grand puba in that religion! I'm a believer! LOL

KaRIN: Yes. More art for the world.

Statik: We put together some songs that we had made for various compilations and remeixed them and reworked them, and then had some other bands that Chase, the guy who ran our label...knew to do remixes.


TheHMD: As seen so far in this interview, you two have a great camaderie together. How do you write your music together? Seperately or just "lock yourself in a room" kinda process?

KaRIN: We both stay locked in our own rooms for the most part. When it is more developed we get together.

Statik: Seperate at first, and then together later, as long as we bring the punching bags. Or boxing gloves, that sould have said.

KaRIN: Need more punching bags. Statik can be grumpy.

Statik: We wouldn't need boxing gloves if kaRIN would just do what I want all of the time.


TheHMD: LMAO

Statik: But no....she has a mind of her own...just goes her own way. Ultimately it's just better that way, even if it's not always easy.


TheHMD: Tell us about the Chasing The Ghost album. Any solid memories you care to share with us?

KaRIN: A lot of that album was me dealing with the death of my mom.


TheHMD: Sorry to hear that.

Statik: Not really...it's always such a long process for us, making an album. It's like 6 months of writing, and than another 6 of tweaking and mixing.

KaRIN: As well as my life in general.


TheHMD: Any things in your life at that time that really impacted your music?

Statik: Not for me. It's all rainbows and puppy dogs.

KaRIN: Great things come out of the most difficult times and that was a very difficult time for me.

Statik: That doesn't mean I could write a happy song though, for some reason, that just doesn't work for me.


TheHMD: Great attitude!! I always say, "Everyday above ground is a good day!" Like a poet needs the pain, right?

KaRIN: It is the most positive way to channel your emotions.

Statik: And even those below ground,...you got your warm squishy dirt, your worms...a little mold.


TheHMD: For some, it made their career! LOL

KaRIN: In fact I joined my first band because I had just finished a terrible relationship. Now though, it's not all turmoil... a lot of it is me trying to evolve in the world.


TheHMD: "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger" eh?

KaRIN: Yes. I write on different levels. You can interpret it differently depending on where you are in life.

Statik: That which does not kill us, maimes us, and cuts of a limb, and then goes and finds somebody else to kill.


TheHMD: True indeed!

KaRIN: Oops...I meant killing is just wrong.





TheHMD: On to the 2003 album, Some Kind of Strange. Tell us how this album came about.

KaRIN: The desire to write new music.

Statik: No blueprints or anything...no screenplay, no big ideas...just ...hey...let's try to make some new songs and not have them suck.


TheHMD: Which songs on that album have you gotten the most feedback on?

KaRIN: Yes, that is the master plan.

Statik: No suckage is usually in the big picture for me, when making music.

KaRIN: On all of our albums people seem to have different favorites. This one is no different.

Statik: Different people always like a lot of different songs, so it really varies. I really liked Shimmer from that album, and it didn't get the respect it deserved, I think. It was overall a slow album, which threw some people, but I was just so not into fast club music at the time, I was rebelling from it I guess. Just the feeling of generic 4 on the floor techno, house, stuff, just get's so old to me

KaRIN: We get bored easily.

Statik: I wanted to run as far from it as I could.

KaRIN: See Statik run.






TheHMD: Is that the basis for a new album for you? Just, ok, new album, let's see what we can come up with. Is is that spontanious?


TheHMD: No real laboring, just let the ideas flow at a given time?

KaRIN: Yes, we just see what comes out of us. The not easy part is it's takes a lot until we are satisfied with it.


TheHMD: Is it better to do it that way, less of a "corporate" feel to your process?

Statik: It just starts with sounds for me...the sound kind of dictates how the songs feels. This time around I'm giving the songs a bit more kick in the butt though, so they won't be as slow.

KaRIN: Statik can be prone to eternal tweaking. The best way for us is to make what we feel.

Statik: I don't want to repeat the sounds or things we've done before, so just trying to keep in exciting...and interesting to me is always challenging.


TheHMD: I think any artist would!! Even DaVinci was till his last day!

KaRIN: It is definitely a challenge and nothing easy about it.


TheHMD: That might explain all the remixes over the years, eh? LOL

Statik: Isn't there a saying that the devil is in the details?? If so, we must have a lot of devils

KaRIN: For the remixes, it's great to let go and let other people interpret.



TheHMD: Which brings us to the double album, Vortex. Tell us the story behind this interesting release!

KaRIN: It all adds new and interesting dimensions.

Statik: We didn't want to just do the same old album, remix album, album remix album, so we waited until after SKOS to do some more remixes And kind of picked, what we though, were the best songs from both records to do remixes to. We ended up putting up bits of the songs online, and had people submit remixes to us, and we picked our favorites to put on the album.


TheHMD: And you got quite a response to this didn't you?

Statik: We've also always enjoyed doing cover songs now and then, so we had some that we were thinking of doing for quite some time that we got around to putting down.

KaRIN: We got an amazing response. We got people from all over the world.


TheHMD: Like who?

Statik: It was interesting to see what songs people wanted to remix the most, and which ones lent themselves to remixing the most. There are a couple of songs, like Crushed, for instance, that is on Vortex more than once, but all of the version are completely different and stand on their own quite nicely.

KaRIN: We also enlisted some of our friends and then some people whose work that we respect...such as Charlie Clouser (NIN), and Mark Walk (Skinny Puppy).

Statik: Who weren't part of the remix "contest"...

KaRIN: We never planned on making a double album, but we really felt that were too many inspired remixes not to.


TheHMD: Aproximately, how many submissions did you end up with before the final list was compiled?

Statik: I think there were over a hundred?? I can't remember exactly. But we put up all of the other remixes on our website so people could hear them all.


TheHMD: As an artist, were you taken aback to the response you had gotten to this project? What kind of feedback did you recieve from your fans? KaRIN: Yes, we were really suprised. The feedback has been great. Even though it's a remix album it stands on it's own.


TheHMD: Possibly a Vortex - Xetrov II in the future?

Statik: Possibly but most likely not.

KaRIN: The funniest one that had us rolling on the floor was the ganster rap style one that was done for "Complicated", it's on the website.





TheHMD: Which brings us to your current releases, Like The Hunted DVD and Live At The El Rey; how did you finally come about wanting to do that tour?

KaRIN: The mystery of never performing a live show finally got to us. We never really had the time before to work it out. It took a lot of time to gather live band members etc.


TheHMD: Who played with you in your live set?

Statik: We had Roger deSilva on guitar, who had played a bit on Some Kind of Strange, and Scott Landes also on guitar, who also does a bit of help on our website, Kai Kurosawa...who plays a bass, and warr guitar, (this freaky looking bass/guitar thing, and Chaz Pease on drums.


TheHMD: What does your gear / arsenal consist of?

Statik: All great players, and all put in a lot of work to translate our studio recordings into a great, sounding live set. In terms of live or studio?


TheHMD: Both

Statik: Well studio is run around our macs, running pro-tools. I've been using Akai samplers for a long time. I ended up bringing our Akai-S600 with us on the road, and it was triggering a lot of the sounds that I had mapped all over the keyboard, as well as triggers on the live kit triggering drum sounds. I was also using an Alesis Andromeda for some of the sounds and as a controller live.


TheHMD: What brands of mic do you use kaRIN to bring that lovely voice to life on the albums? Any particular kind or does it matter?

Statik: We've tried a number over the years. Lately it has been a russian mic tube mic that seems quite smooth. I don't think I'll ever quit trying to find the "perfect" one.


TheHMD: How did the DVD finally come to life? A simple suggestion by someone or did you plan on doing one?

KaRIN: Originally we were going to make a DVD of the tour, but then we realized in order to properly control the sound and look of it, that it would be best done at one venue. We picked the El Rey because we love the look of the building.


TheHMD: Inside or out?

Statik: It was always in my mind to make one for our shows at some point, for the simple fact that it was easier tfor people to see than us going everywhere in the world...

KaRIN: Both...but inside was what was important.

Statik: I could have been wrong, because making the dvd was very hard...the hardest thing I've ever done.


TheHMD: The LIVE show was fantastic! Great sound quality and very respectful shots that best captured your LIVE element!

KaRIN: As Statik said it was a lot of work to co-ordinate it all. We are very pleased with the result and very happy that we did it.


TheHMD: But it wasn't just the live show. You've basically compiled most of your career highlights on there as well. A must for any Collide fan!

Statik: We definately thought about all of the elements that would go into making a dvd from the start...

KaRIN: Just like in our albums, we wanted to give people a reason to want it.

Statik: For the music side, I was so happy that we ended up bringing my pro-tools rig to the venue to record everything that way.


TheHMD: Any band horror stories?

Statik: Not really...all puppy dogs and rainbows. We tried very hard to get people that we got along with and who were great players. We didn't want drama.


TheHMD: What are your current fave acts? Local and national.

KaRIN: We actually hate Drama, it takes up too much energy.

Statik: Really, drama is one way to really kill a positive inviroment, so we wanted to be able to focus on what we needed to, to make things happen on stage.

KaRIN: Everyone in the band is well natured and actually quite funny...so we spend a lot of time laughing. We will be seeing Goldfrapp tonight.


TheHMD: Older / defunct acts you admired?

Statik: I still think Skinny Puppy are one of the great electronic acts out there. cEvin Key is a great programmer, and I love to see how his ideas start and make their way into songs...I'm going to see the Queen show next month.

KaRIN: Statik loves Queen.

Statik: Sorry...I do.


TheHMD: What would be your best advice as veteran musicians for today's young talent?

Statik: You have to really do it because you love it, and you have to always give 110% because it's not easy.

KaRIN: Do what you love and the rest will follow and beware of contracts.

Statik: You can give 5000% and it's still not easy.


TheHMD: If you could be signed tomorrow, would you do it and what would be your expectations?

KaRIN: No, we are not interested in being signed.

Statik: It would take a crazy contract. One that most record companies probably wouldn't like.

KaRIN: We like the independence of doing whatever we want to do.

Statik: I would never say never, but you know....probably never.

KaRIN: We prefer to partner with other people that we trust.


TheHMD: What are some of the plans for your next project? Also, any solo material?

Statik: I've thought about doing some more solo material, but everytime I sing anything kaRIN makes fun of me....so no solo material for me.


TheHMD: Any other projects you've been asked to contribute to?

Statik: We're working on new album material now, slowly but surely.

KaRIN: No plans for anything solo...a couple of things on the side. I love working with Statik because I know that he will never let go of it unless we are both satisfied.


TheHMD: Either one of you.

KaRIN: I am working on something now...more details later.

Statik: Nothing definate in terms of other projects.


TheHMD: Who would you like to share the stage with? Any local or national acts in particular?

Statik: I think we want to give as much as we can to Collide at the moment as we have time for.

KaRIN: David Bowie would be nice.


TheHMD: I love his voice!

KaRIN: What's not to love.

Statik: We'd love to go out on the road with Tool.


TheHMD: When will you be planning another live tour and will it be regional or national next time?

Statik: They're really great people and great musicians too. I don't know the answer to that yet. Most likely we'll finish the new album and then see what's happening.

KaRIN: No idea, we may not make plans until after the next album...unless something really tempts us.

Statik: ...and how we feel.

KaRIN: Creating is still the main priority and there is hardly enough time. We really appreciate that people take the time and energy to help expose underground music...without that it would be even harder for us to exist.


TheHMD: Lastly, what are your thoughts about TheHMD.com? Any suggestions?

Statik: Thanks to theHMD.com and sites like it for exposing people to new music. Really and honestly, without places like this, people would never know about us, and it would be harder for us to continue to make music.


TheHMD: Well, thank you both for the coming onto TheHMD.com for an interview today!

KaRIN: We thank you.


TheHMD: We're really looking forward to your future projects!!

Statik: Thanks for you kind words.

KaRIN: Thanks, so are we.

Statik: I was going to say that.

KaRIN: Too late...thanks for reading.


On the web: www.Collide.net

MySpace.com/Collide


Email: contact@TheHMD.com


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