Dusk Memories #2, 01/1993

KIRLIAN CAMERA
PRECISATIONS ON THE BLACK
I had the luck to know, even through the cold phone cable, Angelo Bergamini of Kirlian Camera. A long chat and the words, trying to make alive to you too the great soul of Angelo, waiting to talk about their new mini CD Schmerz on the next number.

Could you track shortly the story of Kirlian Camera project?
We formed in 1980 and till today we put out 3 albums and some mini LPs, changing label continuosly, till to arrive to the actual situation, where we found a stability with our label, Heaven's Gate. To track all us line-ups could annoy the reader, so I save them...

I'd like just to ask about these line-up changings, from the origins to today...
Now we are stable, I hope. Apart myself, there are Emilia Lo Jacono, Simone Balestrazzi of T.A.C., that performs the drums and various noises and Paolo Sartori at viola.

Where does your wish toplay music born and which aim has?
I play music to survive, I'd be unable to live without. I wouldn't able to not play, not doing other apart this.

Which are your inspirating sources, your muses?
My influences are the most disparate, from Kraftwerk to Pink Floyd, i.e. I listen very pleasantly to Death in June, Current 93 and some post punk in Joy Division style. And now much house too...

House...!?
Beh, I can find pleasant the intelligency of Pet Shop Boys but, don't be afraid more than this, I listen to much music of end '800, first '900 too, like Mahler.

In the Kirlian Camera identification there was also some problem of policy nature. How do you explain?
And very big too. Concerning this I want to say that there was ever nobody of right-wing, I hope that this story will finish once forever. Personally I'm fascinate of center Europe culture and from some text could be inspired by writers that collaborated with fascists, but, in my opinion, this means absolutely nothing, if you are interested, I voted Pannella list...

But it's uncontrovertible that some voices gave no help to you, like other bands with right-wing image, Death in June in primis.
For me Douglas Pierce of Death in June, that I have a desultory epistling relationship, is a wonderful person and all but Nazis. Of course if any people want to be interested in literature that sinks his roots in Europe, must face with some themes and could, in the end, love the sublimated aesthetics vision.

Angelo, are you proud of Todesengel?
It was a really effort. Think that we started to record it in 1989 and then, between a modify and another one, it was out only some time ago. Really I also had some problems to make it press till Emilia has arrived and produced. I am, however, satisfied because it sold and sells quite good also in foreign countries, especially in USA and Germany, where, it seems, we have a quite faithful audience. I think that before or after we re-print it...

Why the covers in the album are from so different bands like Ultravox and Queen?
Vienna is for me an important city, I visited it many times and always with Ultravox, and just their Vienna, as soundtrack. A song that expresses all the pain and beauty of the Austrian city. A track that however I totally changed, a sort of personal echo, while the Queen cover is born due the fact I liked very much the drums game in that song.

This work is dedicated to somebody and in the dedication you talk about Psychiatrich Clinics...
The work is dedicated to a person who died, I don't want reveal his identity, that was very closer to me. I can say that I have haunted for years these clinics and I saw some upsetting situations that I still carry on me. They are terrible things, I saw die some persons between enormous sufferings.

The darkness that appears in your records, is it own, is it in your soul?
No, absolutely not, mine is a Romanticism that pants toward a light and a joy really unmeasurable.
This album for me is the pain sublimation, as almost all the things I did.

Returning back to Death in June: could you make us light on Douglas Pierce?
No, I can't, he would be angry! I can only say that he is a kindest and available person that lives sincerly for his art.

Do you have something to say to the readers?
Love you! (irony? N.O.R.)

Fabio De Santi

English translation: Adalberto Orrigo