The cover to The Nyarlat Hot EP is very Castlevania for its cover, is this intentional?
The Gothsicles - “Musik pictures i drawn”, who did that cover, is massively a thing. Check out that party [here]
Being very video game related to what you do musically, does this open doors to things like festivals where other bands would be out of place?
The Gothsicles - It’s allowed us to back-door into the amazing and demented world of sci-fi, gamer, or generally “fan-run” cons. There’s a slight dissonance in opening for Covenant and then turning around to play a hotel ballroom full of Klingons, but it’s cool ‘cause Klingons are awesome.
What is your earliest video gaming memory?
The Gothsicles - I remember going over to my friend Dan Stierman’s house and seeing an Atari in action for the first time and being amazed that such a device could just casually exist in someone’s home rather than out in the world where it would be studied by scientists or something.
Did you ever save dat mermaid?
The Gothsicles - Oh my god. I mean…I’m pretty sure I did? Holy shit, now I’m questioning if I ever actually beat Goonies II. Fuck, there’s the rest of my day sorted out
Do you feel that the games scene is going backwards rather than forwards with the popularity of games such as Terraria and Mine Craft having that retro feel?
The Gothsicles - No idea, I’ll be over here playing Maze Craze.
For Squid Icarus you collaborated with a few different bands like with Cyferdyne for I Sniffed The Glove, how was it you arranged these collaborations?
The Gothsicles - Cyferdyne came about ‘cause we played with them in Sheffield in England and got along well and then Steven kept posting “I sniffed the glove” (referring my Power Glove) on my Facebook, so I‘m like, “Aight, this has to happen now”.
Generally, if someone’s on my wavelength, or I on theirs, a collaboration comes together on its own, e.g., collabs with Angelspit, Prometheus Burning, Defence Mechanism, and Cryogenic Echelon to name a few. That’s how the whole Causticles side-project started, too.
Incidentally, there’s a mega-hot, mega-new collab track with Interface coming out on February 9th, 2015 on a compilation benefiting the Sick Kids Foundation and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Check that out [here]
Why did the goat get its own section on your website and can you tell us a little bit more about it please? What’s its name and what band is it in?
The Gothsicles - I don’t know, I just liked that goat. It’s name is now Eric Goatesman and it fronts a band called Everything Goats Cold.
Crowd funding is becoming a very common thing and something that you yourself used for Squid Icarus, what were the advantages and disadvantages for you using crowd funding?
The Gothsicles - Our Kickstarter campaign was kind of an unforeseen, unnerving, electric success and was fully funded in three hours. Obviously, the advantage there is that you get a lot of money from wonderful and helpful people, but that money comes with some hidden costs. For example, I thought I would be somehow promoting worldwide sales if I undervalued the international shipping fees, but that ended up stinging more than it stimulated.
What is the most goth thing you have ever done?
The Gothsicles - Work in IT
What is the stupidest goth thing you have ever seen?
The Gothsicles - One time I touched this ancient magical skull and accidentally switched bodies with Judge Reinhold.
Is Star Trek Beer available to buy and if so where can I buy it?
The Gothsicles - If it’s the 24th century, then everything’s free.
You had a good friend helping you for Squid Icarus, for those who don’t know can you tell us who that was and what input he had?
The Gothsicles - I’m pretty sure I know to whom you’re referring, but I want to first say that a ton of people were vital to the album’s construction, namely Kelly Howlett, Tom Shear, Josev, Bee, Krischan W., Sami, Emily Gualdoni, Kristina Feyerherm, Nathan Winter, Carley G., Dan Clark, Kolja, Niall-era Cyferdyne, Daniel Meier and other people I forgot because I’m a fucking idiot.
But yes, shaping the album’s art direction like Khnum at the potter’s wheel of creation was Zoog von Rock of Angelspit, who is basically a superhero. He created that whole outfit and and cover concept and orchestrated the photoshoot, in addition to lending some synths and vocals to the track, “This Club is Closed”.
He managed the entire Squid Icarus Kickstarter campaign, too. We had a packaging party at his apartment and watched the first five Star Trek movies.
Do you have a mancrush?
The Gothsicles - Yes, on Marco and Marko from XP8, mostly because I don’t want that band to quit.
What is the best piece of music you have heard that uses 8-bit samples?
The Gothsicles - One time my brother, a fellow lo-fi synth guy, and I had a conversation about how depressingly good Totally Radd!!’s cover of Iron Maiden’s “Hallowed By Thy Name” is in a “Will we ever be able to even come close to this?” sort of way.
I’m sure a lot of people have been wondering but may never wanted to ask so I am going to ask, is Kurt Russell your dad?
The Gothsicles - We are all Kurt Russell.
Thank you so much for giving Vampire Freaks this interview, is there anything you would like to add?
The Gothsicles - GOTHSICLES FOR TRITON 3!
posted by Phlis