Interview with Index.

Two albums now, and a third one on the way, has your music changed in the process?

I try to keep the music up with other things that are going on, up to date. I don't consciously try to emulate other styles, but sometimes it does come across because I'll be naturally influenced by what I'm listening to at the time. The first album "Sky Laced Silver" has s somewhat typical sound. We wanted to do really melodic electro and still keep the edge of edge of other industrial dance music, but at the same time, we didn't want to come across as too straightforward, so we made sure there was added texture that wasn't really "musical". We also wanted a lush sound. After that I became the sole member of INDEX and really did exactly what I wanted to do on "Black Light Twilight". I also wanted to write material that was more meant for listening to, not just dancing to. The new one "Faith In Motion", is a bit of a mixture of the last two albums. Some of it even sounds a bit "organic". I don't know if that is the right word, but it's still all electronic. Some of it has an electronica flavor, while other songs are either stripped down or loaded with sounds. There are also 3 bonus tracks, including a cover of "The Model" by Kraftwerk.

What can we expect of the new album?

You have stayed with COP INTERNATIONAL, are you satisfied with their work? How did you get signed?

COP INTERNATIONAL is a good label, but I think they deserve better distribution. Kim X and Christian work hard for their bands, but they're a small fish in a big sea. I think they've released records that show talent and creativity and are worth listening to, but there's o much competition. There's like 500 underground bands doing this type of music and we're all fighting for the same piece of the pie. I want the next album (tentatively titled "Black Mass Media") to really stand out, to be completely different. One thing that frustrates me is seeing bands of similar caliber doing way better than me, so it's getting harder to ignore offers from other labels., but at the same time, the relationship I have with COP isn't something I would just throw away. When we were a 3 men band, we made a demo (that I think is funny to listen now) that showed some promise, so we sent it out to 8 labels and only COP and Silent Records responded. We met Kim X and Christian in Oakland, and they were really interested in the music. Vocals are very important to them. It's funny, I still remember when they took us out to dinner at this Asian place (lots of hot curry) and I tried to sing a middle "C", they instantly started talking about voice lessons! But anyway, they could tell we were really into what we did and we liked them, so we signed with them.

What influences your music and what is it you try to express through it?

My music is influenced by nearly everything. Power, love, hate, weather (I love to watch the snow), politics, technology, whatever... I'm fascinated by people and how everything in the world fits together. I worry about our future as a civilization. Musically, I'm influenced by anything from FLA, to old Vangelis, to OMD, and everything in between of beyond. Autechre, Future Sound of London, Clock DVA, In Slaughter Natives, Magaptera, Namlook, Paul Schulze, Warp, Cold Meat Industry, some old Rap, classical, all kinds of stuff. I try to be open minded. I just can't stand country music! I want to evoke images of places that don't exist. When I first heard electronic music, it created surreal landscapes in my mind. If synths and samplers didn't exist, I probably wouldn't be a musician. Imagine what the world would be or look like if these types of sound described everyday normal lire, that's what I'm aiming for. Blade Runner Reality...

Tell me about your side-projects

Right now, I'm completing an album under the name NE PLUS ULTRA, which is more techno oriented, more soundtrack-ish, ambient.. It is instrumental, but there will be plenty of texture, I assure you! I've also got a pop project called BLUSH RESPONSE that I'm about halfway finished with. The vocals will be female. I go nuts when I'm not being creative or trying to solve some problem, so I try to keep busy all the time.

7) Who are the men behind INDEX?

I am the only member of the band, but there used to be 3 of us. One of the other guy had a very negative attitude and we didn't get along. We were going to get rid of him, so he just quit on his own. The other guy who did a little on "Sky Laced Silver", was really cool, but wasn't contributing enough. I was trying to do "Black Light Twilight" and he was lie "yeah! I'm gone whip up some stuff for the album" and I didn't want him to just whip it out! I wanted him to spend time on the material, and that's where our relationship ended.

How has the response been to your work, internationally?

I've got a very good response. I read good reviews all the time, and I've been getting a fair amount of interviews, so it's not bad. I get quite a bit of mail too. Speaking of that, if anyone's had difficulty reaching me it's because I've had trouble with my PO box, so please keep trying!

Will you do any live show? Outside the US?

INDEX has performed live now and then, but not recently. It's difficult with only one person, but I have a friend who is willing to help (Tom, the artist who does my album covers). At the very least, I still need one more person, but I'm working on it. The label wants me to play some shows in Europe, but that's still up in the air and I'd like to polish the act a bit first, here in the States. We'll see what happens.

What is the subject of your lyrics?

The lyrics are described above, but for the new album a lot of the focus is on Fascism and Christianity. The concept is that we, as humans are running out of time to make the world right, and how we should work together and be realistic about solving our problems, rather than hurting people or preying to some God in the sky. We should be engineering this world for everything, not just human beings. That is the only way it will work, and that is the basis for "Faith In Motion"

The Future???

The future of INDEX is hard to predict. Sometimes, I want to move completely beyond what "industrial" is and try to reinvent myself. Having these side projects will help me focus on what INDEX should be, so I'm already planning and anticipating the INDEX work for 1998, but right how, I have to prepare the NE PLUS ULTRA, which should see the light of day, in spring 1998.