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INTERVIEW WITH DUNCAN PATTERSON (Antimatter)Interview by Vera ‘Gothica’ After
the excellent acoustic live gigs Antimatter did in Belgium, France and the
Netherlands, it’s time to disclosure the interview I had with Duncan about
a month ago. Duncan Patterson
is the animated creator of many Anathema songs as we speak of albums like
‘Eternity’ and ‘Alternative 4’.
In 1998 he left the group and started to record his own music
(further details to read in the review of ‘Saviour’ on our web) helped
by Mick Moss and other friends. There were still many questions to ask … After the split with Anathema, where and when did you meet the people you work with now ? ‘I’ve
known Mick (Moss) since school and had already decided to do an album with
him even before I left Anathema’. Was
the material already written then ? ‘Most
tracks from ‘Saviour’ are quite old.
I wanted to record something straight away after leaving Anathema but
I was prevented from doing so’. ‘Saviour’ is released in Germany and Austria now by Prophecy; is there hope they’ll do that soon in other countries, for it’s rather hard to find ‘Well,
the Prophecy deal covers all the countries where Saviour wasn’t released
or where we didn’t already have a deal.
Icon still have the rights to UK, Benelux, Australia and Italy but
they’re not stocking these countries very well and their production was
diabolical’. The Prophecy releases are very good and atmospheric most of the time. How did you get in touch with them ? They
actually got in touch with me as someone played Saviour to them and the boss
loved it. They seem like a good label and well respected so I gave it a go.
Hopefully it will work out ok. I’ve heard about a deal to release ‘Saviour’ in the USA too … ‘Yeah,
I got in touch with The End Records in America and got us a deal for North
America, USA. They have been great to work with so far’. What were your first feelings after leaving Anathema ? ‘It
was a huge weight off my shoulders at the time until Pybus poked his nose in
and stirred up a whole load of trouble.
I found it amusing that they were driving around in a van, slagging
me off in interviews then getting on stage and playing about eight of my
songs. Bizarre ! There were always parasites surrounding Anathema though,
and the Cavanaghs are easily influenced by people.
They are not bad people but logic goes astray a bit too often’. Were you still haunted by music and new ideas or did you have enough of it for a while and needed a rest ? ‘I
always have ideas in my head, as long as I am conscious. Even during
conversations if I say a line that I like, I will try remember it and use it
somewhere. I did meet a lot of new people not long after I left the band and
was introduced to some music that I didn’t even know existed. This was a
good period for me as I was outside the whole Anathema scene and met some
genuine down to earth people’. Enough of the past now, mark 1 was the release of ‘Saviour’ First by Icon, then Strangelight, now Prophecy. Are there any differences between those releases ? ‘There
are extra tracks on all the versions except for the Icon one’. The
release by The End Records contains two extra tracks sung by Mick, guitar
playing by Danny Cavanagh and sounding very much like the acoustic
performances we saw ‘Over your shoulder’ and ‘Flowers’. There are some releases on EP now too… ‘No,
not yet. We may do a 7”
single this year’. You have already written the songs for the new CD ‘Lights out’ (to be released next year). When recordings ? Same people ? Producer ? Will Danny play some guitar on it too ? ‘We
will record in December/January. We did plan to do it this year but, with
the Prophecy and The End releases, there was no point rushing it. We may well return to Academy Studios to do it. We’ll see.
Danny will play a bit of guitar on it if he isn’t already busy with
Anathema’. Is there a special new track you want to give some attention ? ‘I
like all the tracks. I have more confidence in this album than anything I
have been involved in before. I
love dark music and lyrics that have a deep meaning and this is exactly
that’. Will the ambient influences remain or will it be more psychedelic ? ‘There’ll
be some continuation from Saviour as far as influences go.
I wouldn’t really call it psychedelic though’. When I listen to ‘Saviour’ it’s sometimes like a movie soundtrack, never thought about writing music for a film or a documentary ? ‘I’d
love to do soundtrack work. It
would be interesting as I have no interest in TV or films so it would be
pure. I’ve actually been
speaking to a French geezer about doing something for his films but I’m
waiting for a reply’. About kung fu : is it a constant need you feel to do this or is it coming up in waves ? ‘I
haven’t trained for a while now. I slipped into an old habit during the
summer and I’m only recovering now. I’m actually detoxing as we
speak’. Is it a physical goal you’re for, or are you beside that, also interested in the spiritual world of it ? ‘I
just want a simple life’. At last we are happy to announce some acoustic gigs in autumn At this time there were gigs planned in Ghent, Paris, Lyon and Rotterdam. But Lille was added and the Lyon gig was replaced by Dongen and Geel !!! Who will accompany you ? ‘Me,
Mick and Danny will be playing these acoustic dates’. Will you play new stuff already ? ‘Maybe
one or two new tracks if they sound good acoustically’. Or some real old but goodies ? ‘We
have a lot of songs to choose from. We’ll
be playing some stuff that I wrote while I was in Anathema and quite a few
from Saviour’ This turned out to a great mix of Anathema songs of
Eternity and Alternative 4, songs from Saviour and every night other
surprising covers. I’d like to come over to the Hirson festival in June but I couldn’t make it. I guess you played more than once a DJ role in clubs or events, how does it work, what’s the music you’re playing, are there other companions with you and do you manage to have a look at the groups on festivals too ? ‘I
DJ sometimes in Dublin for a metal night that my friends arrange.
Vinny also came over for the one in May which was a great night.
It depends what type of club or event it is what style of music
I’ll play. I played at a
gothic metal night in Paris and put on some really brutal breakcore along
with Paradise Lost and some dark electro.
At the Hirson thing I just played the Antimatter stuff and mixed it a
bit. Not many people were interested really until I put some Irish
music on and attracted a few drunken metallers hehe’. I’ve heard about the Djing in Holland soon … where will it be and which groups are playing ? you too ? ‘It
is in the Baroeg in Rotterdam on the 13th of October.
Officium Triste are playing with some other bands.
Me and Heiko (www.doommetal.com)
will be Djing later on’. It turned out into another (afternoon) gig,
good music and playing ‘Sleepless’ with Officium Triste !!! Did you play some of the songs live before ? ‘This
will be our first live shows together.
Should be interesting if not anything else’. Much more than
interesting ! Is there something I forgot you want to mention … And don’t forget to read the review of ‘Saviour’ on this website and the concert gigs. Now they are going to concentrate on making the new album and at the end of February next year we hope to invite you all to some new live gigs !!! Thanks Dunc, Mick and Danny and everybody who made it the way it was. |
