Snog interview

Interview with David Thrussell of Snog
Originally published by the now defunct newempire.com
2000
by Evan South


Q: A lot of your work has been released lately. Your last
album Third Mall from the Sun,a re-release of Lies Inc.
and DVC, and the current remix album Relax into the
Abyss. A comment on the abundance of old and new
material?

A: It seems to make sense to re-release Lies Inc.
and DVC as they are pretty much unavailable
in the USA and it was cool to be able to do some new
artwork. The album Third Mall from the Sun was a big
undertaking for us, a quasi conceptual electro
juggernaut careening wildly on and off the rails pushing
the envelope and dunking the witch. It has been a time
consuming exercise with the album being banned in
Australia due to the artwork and other associated
dramas. Relax into the Abyss is essentially two or three
theoretical singles off Third Mall from the Sun
combined as one album. There are various reasons for
doing this-singles are a pain in the ass and difficult for
the music lovers to find-I feel that an album of remixes
is more permanent and is more conducive to a
convincing structure.


Q: Relax into the Abyss contains 11 remixes from Third
Mall and 4 all new tracks. What is your take on other
artists’ take on YOUR material?

A: Well, gladly I like all the remixes of the album and
we spent some considerable amount of time pondering
the track order and flow. For me perhaps one of the
most noticeable differences between our original
material and the remixes is that the remixes are more
beat oriented and instrumental. It’s good sometimes I
think for the music to get a chance to reveal itself and
breathe a little without my grumbly groany voice
smothering everything. There’s a nice amount of scope
there from the glitch fever of Xingu Hill to the
electro-psyche rock of Shaolin Wood Men.


Q: Do you commission who does your remixes, and do
you have final say of what remixes will see the light of
day?

A: Yes. Yes. We maintain complete artistic control at all
times. It just couldn’t be any other way. I am a control
freak.


Q: Do you have any personal remixes from Relax...or
any of the older singles, such as Human Germ, Hooray,
etc.?

A: Well, it might sound a bit fluffy but I like everything
we release otherwise it wouldn’t see the light of day.


Q: Comments on the four new tracks? Especially “Oil”,
in the wake of the current world fuel crisis?

A: Generally speaking, the new tracks have a sound
scapey vibe. We thought that this provided
a nice respite from the more beat laden material. “Oil”
is our quasi esoteric view on the hypocrisy of
petroleum consumption and the deep dank mysteries
that lie far beneath desert sands and ocean floors.


Q: The artwork on Relax... is again like Third Mall, with
a message perhaps of we are what we eat, or we are
what we buy. Comments?

A: Yes, of course we are, and also I liked the subtle
connection between the suedo zen satire of the artwork
and the albums title.


Q: What is next for Snog? More remixes, new material,
etc.?

A: In about a years time there will be a new Snog
album. It will be quite different and I could tell you
more but that would spoil it.


Q: What is the status of other projects, such as Black
Lung or Soma?

A: New records from all projects will be forthcoming,
also keep an eye out for the Black Lung conceptual /
documentary album “Three weeks in a vegan nudist
colony”.


Q: On a non-musical note, how were the Olympics for
you and Australia?

A: Where do I begin? Whenever anyone says the word
Olympics my nostrils pick up the faint scent of gun
powder. Out here at the compound we erected
jamming stations to stop any Olympic propaganda from
penetrating our wholesome minds. Instead of allowing
ourselves to be bludgeoned by these oafish nationalistic
and corporate propaganda broadcasts we engaged in
our own game of organic mango body painting
competitions and awarding of gold medals for most
carousing sunburnt sexual gymnastics.


Q: Final thoughts/comments?

A: Party hard earthling. May the fruit of your loin be a
graceful offspring and may your harvest be always
bountiful.

myspace.com/snogtheband