Collide Interview

By Casey Blakeney

Peon Culture

Not many artists can claim to have as much high profile experience working with other groups, while still being able to create their own art at the same time. Collide are one of those few artists that stand out in each respect.

Casey chatted with Collide about their new album "Some Kind of Strange" as well as the eternal question as to whether Collide will ever finally take the plunge into playing live.

Peon: It's been three years since "Chasing the Ghost" came out. Why the long wait in between releases?

kaRIN: For us its just a long process, we probably spend half the time creating and then the other half of the time trying to make it a little better. When you are doing EVERYTHING yourselves and are perfectionists? It just takes
time.

Statik: I wish we could be faster, but that's just how long it takes for us. After we finish an album there is a period of time, for me anyway, that I just need to not do anything musically. I just can't be writing all of the time or I get burnt out. So after taking some time off, there's the whole writing process and then picking out which songs to finish, and then finishing them and then mixing them. I don't want to make it sound like we don't like it, but it's just an a whole process with the way we work.

Peon: How did the hook up with Cevin Key (Skinny Puppy), Kevin Kipnis (Purr Machine) and Danny Carey (Tool) come about for "Some Kind of Strange"?

kaRIN: They are all friends of ours. We are lucky to have some really talented friends. So in this case you just call them up and ask them. We have also done work on their projects. I sang on one of cEvin Keys side projects Plateau and Statik did some programming work on Tools first album as well as their last one.

Statik: The first time I spoke to cEvin was when he did a remix for us on Beneath the Skin, and Danny was when I did programming on Undertow. Most of our friends happen to be musicians. I think we're all supportive of each other and we try to help out each other whenever we can.

Peon: What were your reactions when hearing the final output from the tracks that they were involved with?

kaRIN: We were really happy to have them on it and helped to make the tracks special...every nuance is important to us.

Statik: It's always good for us to have different people involved in adding parts to songs. I think it helps to keep things fresh. It's adding different flavors to our songs that we wouldn't come up with ourselves.

Peon: How has the work relationship progressed between the two of you when creating new material in comparison to a few years ago?

kaRIN: Depends on the day. It is difficult for two very opinionated creators to always see in the same direction. Eventually we meet in the same place and all the struggle benefits the result. I will have to say Statik is not easy to work with, but that's what makes it good.

Statik: Hopefully we know how to go about getting the best of what we both can do. We have conflicts while we work because we are coming at making music from totally different directions, but somehow, because we have to make both of us happy I think it ultimately helps the end product. We work very independently. Most of the time when we are creating, we are working alone in our own studios, and then come together after most of the parts have been worked out. It's really not like a band getting together and jamming and working out a song.

Peon: Collide has been uplifted by many because of kaRIN's incredible vocals, as well as the Statik's ability to layer and spotlight them. Where do you draw your influences from vocally?

kaRIN: Thanks for the compliment. Growing up I had a lot of friends who played guitar and we hung out and sang every song we knew...I loved to lose myself in singing. As far as influences, I had to say for me one of the most striking ones was Kate Bush. I remember my first job at a record store seeing a video by Kate Bush...she was on her own planet. I did not realize until much later that she would be someone I would really admire on many levels.

Peon: The track "Transfer" from "Chasing the Ghost" has recently been featured on the television shows Jag. Were you able to catch it? And if so, what was your reaction to seeing your material used within the scene?

Statik: We're still trying to get something happening in a movie or movie soundtrack, but being independent, it's still hard in a lot of ways...just like getting on commercial radio.

Peon: Is there any plans to give Collide more of a live presence in the near future? I don't think I've ever heard of a live show performed by you.

kaRIN: Still no plans...only excuses. One of these days...we are always short on time because things for us are very time consuming. I also run my own art business which takes a lot of my energy and is needed to help finance Collide when we are in the studio. I see myself as an artist, I am not positive about the performance part. I am not sure that they always come in the same package. Music for me has never been about performing, its always been about escaping. If I had to do it I am not sure how I would feel about it.

Peon: Statik has performed remixes, been involved with production of, as well as played live alongside some very large names in music including Skinny Puppy, Tool, Curve, Faith and the Muse, etc... How much influence do you take from these experiences and put forth into the creation of new Collide material?

Statik: I'm not sure how to categorize it, but hopefully something. Different people have different strengths and ways to go about songwriting. I think the more you are exposed to how other people work and what goes into making their songs, it just gives you a bigger pallet to pull from when you are working on your own songs.

Peon: What tactics have you used to spread the word about Collide? Any tips that you would like to pass to other bands just starting out?

kaRIN: Lots of madness. We have learned a lot, so there is a lot to pass on. One of the sayings we like to say is..."if it was easy everyone would be doing it". That seems to be the natural sorting process of an artistic field. Talent is not enough...it takes patience, dedication and sacrifice. Don't sign any bad long term contracts. I would like to specify in all my future contracts that they be written in English. It is always crazy to me that language gets so complicated that you need a high price lawyer to battle the semantics. The song complicated deals with this issue.

Statik: I think the tools are out there now so that anyone can create good sounding music, but good sounding music isn't enough. Try to write good songs, and never stop trying. Believe in what you do, and be happy with your finished product. It sounds corny, but I know that we really work until we know that we have made our songs as good as

they can be. We don't settle.

Peon: Name some other artists that you think people should check out.

kaRIN: I like Goldfrapp, I just heard a Kidney Thieves song that I liked. The past Ogre album was good and I am pretty sure the next one will be too. Meg Lee Chin was also good.

Statik: I'll second those recommendations. For all of our differences, we really have a pretty similar tastes in music.

Peon: I'll leave this part open for you to say anything that is on your mind.

kaRIN: Thanks for helping to expose our music, I am very grateful that we are able to reach people through our art. It makes it all worthwhile.

Statik: Don't copy CDs and give them to your friends. Every CD sale is the only way that allows us to continue making music. I've had a couple of people lately say that they've seen a lot of our tracks or an entire album available for download on different sites, and that must be a good thing because our music is getting heard by a lot of people. There's a difference between putting a few songs up for promotion and putting a whole album up for copying. It's stealing! Stop it! On the other hand, for everybody who has helped us in many ways, we love you.

Photos courtesy of Chad Michael Ward.

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