Project Pitchfork - March 2010

Interview with

Peter Spilles (vocals) of Project Pitchfork

The legends of the dark scene, PROJECT PITCHFORK have started their way in the remote 1989 and crossing the borders of styles and genres, disregarding the criticism and accusation, have won the cult status with eleven albums, numerous EP and singles and highest positions in the charts. Before their concert in Moscow, I’ve got a chance to have a talk with the front man and mastermind of the band, Peter Spilles, who shared his prospects and reflections on the end of the world, aliens and philosophic views on life.

Vera (V): What can you tell about Moscow, your impressions?
Peter Spilles (PS): Not much. Because we arrived yesterday, we drove straight to the hotel and then we walked about 30 metres to the restaurant and ate something and then we went back to the hotel. So I do not have many impressions.

V: Protain Management has published information that you are working on the new PROJECT PITCHFORK album
PS: Yes.

V: What can you tell us about your plans on this album? Are you going to continue the "back to the roots" line or are you going to find another direction?
PS: There will be fantastic danceable Pitchfork songs. So, that's the only thing that I can say so far :)

V: What about the release date?
PS: That will be the end of June.

V: You've recently released the new SANTA HATES YOU album. What about your other project IMATEM?
PS: IMATEM is in the moment on ice, because it takes the most of time, because I always have to ask other singers and they have tours and stuff like that. I think in 2011, at the end, probably then will come some new stuff.

V: Can you name some singers or will it be surprise?
PS: I think it will be surprise but it will be much more female singers this time.

V: You used to pay much attention to the environmental problems in your lyrics. But now you touch this topic rather seldom. Do you think this problem is not so important nowadays?
PS: It is very important. It's just that I don't want to be like a politician repeating all the time same things in the lyrics. So, for me it's that if I said it one time in a song - then it's enough.

V: Do you think it's still possible to change the life on Earth to the better or is it too late already?
PS: Oh, it's still possible.

V: What do you think about 2012? About the end of the world, something like that?
PS: Oh, there was also 2000, the end of the world. So there are, there will be still other ends of the world, I don't think it's going. So, before the end of the world is always also a very interesting thing in the meaning... what is the end of the world? Because this planet can definitely survive without humans... So is it the end of the world when humans die? Of the world? No! Of our lives? Yes! So it's a multiple angle, I can call this thing. But I don't think that the end is so near. It would be too easy :)

V: It will be great if it is not so near... You have some songs dedicated to the alien theme. Do you believe in them?
PS: Yes, I believe in them, that's logic

V: How do you imagine them?
PS: Oh… They could be anything. From look like us to totally different, in size even. They could be very small, you know, they could be very big. So everything is possible in this universe, because it's always the same principle of nature which is behind that. So only on our planet there are so many things and varieties, so I think the same would be for some other forms…

V: You're right, because some scientists always think that they have to be human-like. I don't understand this actually.
PS: No. Also they always say that the planet has to be like Earth.

V: Yes, I don't know why.
PS: I don't know why too. Because that's not true. Because even here on Earth we have little closed environments... Like they found caves, which are sulphuric and there are growing things which are depending on that and they would die on our air, on oxygen.

V: And what would you tell alien if you had a chance to see him?
PS: I would tell him a joke.

V: Really?
PS: Yeah :) I think that would be a nice thing of checking intelligence and sense of humour.

V: Yes, you're right, that's very important.
PS: You have to be intelligent to understand the joke and you have to have humour in your heart.

V: And what is your attitude to sci-fi?
PS: Yes, I like Isaac Azimov a lot. I think he was one of the best writers and he did a lot for this genre passive by collecting other writers. And for the rest… I like Douglas Adams also a lot because he was always at winking eye on everything. There are also lessons of him on YouTube. You can watch it, very interesting.

V: I'll try it. What films influenced you most?
PS: Oh…Very-very lot! :) I like everything which is a little bit independent or underground-ish. You know, it's…There are very lot of good films. I don't know what to name now :)

V: Do you have a musical education or did you learn everything by yourself?
PS: Unfortunately, I had to learn everything by myself. I would have liked to have musical education but I’m coming from a very poor family. So that was impossible.

V: On the covers of some of your albums and singles you used the images of crab and butterfly. Do they have any special meaning?
PS: Oh, I think from the philosophic point of view a metamorphosis itself has a deep meaning and the butterfly is a thing which is like from a… how is it called, you know... from worm it liquefies itself and then becomes something truly else. And it's a nice way of thinking about, for example, of societies. There is something very good and positive can come out of decays.

V: Does the tree on the cover of your DVD Live 2003 and on the one of your logos have any special meaning?
PS: I was thinking that forms and things in nature mean also something else. For example for me a tree is a symbol for a thought, which starts with a root and then you have different possibilities. It's like a complex way of thinking about the solution of something. And the funny thing is, it goes in the air to the light in the same way it goes in the earth, you know. And this meaning, a little bit abstracted, I like to put into things and that's why it's on the DVD. And also the same thing with ice, you know, because for me, I think that humans, we are like getting out of the ice age, somehow, spiritually.

V: And finally what can you tell your Russian fans?
PS: I don't know :) Do we have any?

V: Yes, of course!
PS: Hear we love you! That's it. Last time we were here 6 years ago, so I don't know if they are still in the scene or there're too many new people. And last time we enjoyed it a lot, so we will see what happens today.

Thanks to the Russian Synth Community for organizing the interview.
©2010, Vera “Elsa” Petrij / Pictures by Elena Ustinova

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