Interview with Riverside's Lead Singer Mariusz Duda - English Version

(Riverside)

25.04.2010 von Shirin K

On the day after a fantastic show with Riverside, Pure Reason Revolution and Jolly in Oberhausen, I met up with Riverside's lead singer Mariusz Duda for an interview in Aschaffenburg. Although it's always difficult to interview bands that one really likes, this interview was really relaxed and Mariusz a very polite and patient guy.

Musicheadquarter editor Shirin Kasraeian together with Riverside`s Mariusz Duda backstage in the Colos-Saal in Aschaffenburg.

Could you give us a short introduction to the band?

Mariusz: We are from Poland and we started 10 years ago. We've recorded four albums so far, one mini-album and one live-album and one DVD. And basically we are probably playing something that's called progressive rock, but in general we simply play rock. And... our name is Riverside.

(hooray!) How did you come up with the name?

Mariusz: To be honest, I don't know. I remember that we were talking at a rehearsal one day, and someone just said something out loud and it remained. In the beginning it was supposed to be something temporary, but it stayed. And now it's too late (laughs).

Would you like to change it?

Mariusz: No, but the problem with this name is that it is very popular with different circles, it's a quiet popular name, right? Towns and cities and so on, but we like it, it's been our name for so many years.

How would you describe your music, if not with progressive? Let's say - with three words...

Mariusz: I have four! Joy, Sadness, Whisper, Scream!

(thinks that it sounds plausible) Very well! Are you the only songwriter in Riverside, or are there others involved in the song writing process?

Mariusz: It's just us. We are a band and we make all decisions together. Although I am the one who starts most of the stuff, but we are a band and we work together, right? Let's say, I'm some kind of director of this project. I write all the lyrics and try to catch the main subject of the records, try to coordinate everything, but I don't want to be the main star of the band. All members should be stars!

Have you ever considered singing in Polish?

Mariusz: There was a time when I did use to sing in Polish, maybe 10 or 15 years ago with my pervious band, in the town where I was born. And I will never make this mistake again. To be honest, Polish doesn't work for that kind of music. Imagine that: I can sing better in English than in Polish. No, I don't want to hurt anybody by singing in Polish (laughs).

Let's move to your latest album "Anno Domini High Definition" that was released in 2009. How did things change for you after the release?

Mariusz: To be honest we had some bad luck unfortunately. When the official release of the album was due, we had some problems with the label, I mean SPV. The distribution wasn't as good as with the previous albums. Now it's changing a bit, because now Inside Out has connected with a different label. What we think was okay was the change from the "Dream Reality" trilogy to the new album. We recorded a different album and people liked that, and if not directly they started liking it after seeing the songs being played live. So, basically we are very happy.

How would you describe the difference between the trilogy and the new album?

Mariusz: In the "Dream Reality" trilogy everything is based on contrasts, there are mellow songs, hard songs, short songs, long songs... There was a bit of melancholy. If you take those four words I told you, there was everything except for joy, maybe in some parts, but mostly it was sadness, scream and whisper. But I think on "Anno Domini High Definition" we finally found the four seasons – our own four seasons and added the joy. And now we have a full picture our music. It's more open, more fresh now, maybe more red (editor's note: the whole art design of the album is red), more suitable for playing live. It doesn't mean that this is our new direction; we just wanted to show our very specific disorder (laughs) and tell about our lives. Since we have to live very fast these days, this record had to be very energetic and short.

Mariusz Duda live on stage in Aschaffenburg (all photocredits: Shirin Kasraeian)

I noticed that the lyrics are much more focussed on what's happening outside and describe social states...

Mariusz: Yes, on the trilogy I was mainly focussed on one hero who is trying to find his own place. Of course this is my favourite subject, and I will probably always write on such subjects, but now it's not about someone who wants to find his own place, but this is about someone who has realised that he has problems and who wants to escape or maybe change something, but he can't. But... I always try to write lyrics that leave you a lot of space for your own interpretation.

Will there be a video for one of the songs?

Mariusz: We thought about it. We had plans for shooting a video for "Egoist Hedonist", but unfortunately it didn't work out and now I think it's too late. We are focussing on the new material. We decided to release ADHD on vinyl and everything is very old-school, if I can say that: the length of the album and the sound. And in the seventies not many video-clips were made, so it fits (laughs). But in the future we will definitely have to shoot something more in the style of "Panic Room". Now we have some kind of pictures from the DVD, but I don't think we will shoot something for "Egoist Hedonist". Maybe some fans want to do something on youtube.

Yeah, maybe. There already are loads of fan-made videos on youtube.

Mariusz: Yeah, especially a lot with Japanese manga and some other cartoons and films.

Speaking about media, what are other influences on your music apart from other people's music?

Mariusz: Basically I am a huge fan of some works of lots of different people. It's not only the music, but also the movies for instance or books. Usually when I try to find some idea, I read a lot on it. That’s the first step and the music comes later. It's not like I listen to King Crimson, Led Zeppelin and then go "I want to do the same". That’s the kind of thing you have when you are twenty or something, you are quiet young and you are still very excited. But now it's not very exciting, now you almost know everything and you feel very happy when you find something very attractive in music but you know it's very hard to find something new to listen to. So personally, I try to discover all those sounds and melodies from the past that I haven't discovered yet... and then there are the movies – I have always kind of wanted to write some kind of script – maybe some day...

So, what kind of films would that be...

Mariusz: You know, my favourite subject is everything between the dream and reality. And I am a huge fan of landing in-between and I like everything which is connected with that, everything that is connected with dreams, some sort of mental state disorders, schizophrenia... and right now, as I am working on the second "Lunatic Soul" album (editor's note: Lunatic Soul is the name of Mariusz' solo project), I think that will be mostly about this state in-between. And again it will leave space for your own interpretation... For instance I like David Lynch movies, or old stuff like Ingmar Bergman... stories that are connected to a person, a hero that is searching for himself mostly – but in very strange words. Inside and outside his brain.

Could you tell us more about the next Lunatic Soul album?

Mariusz: I'm working on it. It will be in autumn this year. Now that the whole music is done, I need to record more voices and I am still trying to finish my lyrics, I am just trying to start writing some of them. It's basically in my head and I am waiting for a moment in these few days between the shows and after the tour in Turkey, Greece etc. to finish it. And I am pretty excited about that, because it will be the second part of the project. I did this trilogy with Riverside, now this will be a record with two parts. First one was a black, second one is a white one.

Will you ever go on tour with Lunatic Soul?

Mariusz: I think this would probably happen after the third album. Right now it's just a studio project and I am focussing on Riverside.

You have been very active with the new media lately. You are using facebook and Myspace. You update the websites on a regular basis. Do you see these channels as a chance or is there always the fear that people might just want to get the music for free?

Mariusz: Well, this kind of promotion you mentioned is just normal nowadays. The only thing I am not really sure of is Twitter (laughs), but Myspace and facebook are quiet nice. People like to be together and be with the bands. The problem with the downloads on the internet – that will always be there. The new generation just downloads the music and there is nothing you can do. You can just accept that. But on the other side you can now release an album on vinyl again or in a very special box deluxe edition, which looks great on the shelves. And I know there are many people that are convinced of the second option - of buying the CDs. Which is cool.

And of course nowadays you have to chance to be heard all over the world...

Mariusz: Thaaat's why we are trying to sing in English!

Let's talk about the tour: How is tour going right now?

Mariusz: Well, it's a short tour, those few shows with Pure Reason Revolution and Jolly. We have a lot of fun together, they are all very nice. We are happy about the fact that we can play together and maybe play together again some day. But basically we finished our tour last year. These are like the last moments. And we are pretty excited about the fact that we are going to Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria and Hungary, places we've never been to. But actually this year is a free year for Riverside. We will be playing maybe three or four festivals in the summer, one in autumn. We will mainly focus on the new album and I have to focus on Lunatic Soul project, as well... so we have a lot to do.

Will there be a new album next year?

Mariusz: I hope so. We should do this. You know, these days, when everything is going so fast, you should probably release an album every two years, because people could quickly forget you. That's sad but true. But of course the material created must be good, there is no point in releasing something, that's not good, only for the sake of releasing something and making money. That's the kind of hypocrisy that I am not a huge fan of.

What has been your favourite album so far for this year?

Mariusz: This year? What year do we have, 2010? So far I haven't found anything unfortunately. I am waiting for that. I am trying to discover old stuff, right now I am pretty thrilled about Vangelis' "Earth" album, which is I think from 1972 or 1973. But new bands... kill me, I'm waiting for that. Waiting for the new Pure Reason Revolution for example...

Best movie this year?

Mariusz: Jesus... it's so unfair. It's so hard to choose something that is known. When I think about it, I think of a film, which was very close to me, that was "Amadeus" by Milos Forman. I liked the way the artist was portrayed, and the way the artist was connected to different people. And this year I finally managed to see the "Hurt Locker" – I think it's from last year – but I liked it very much, because it shows the war in Iraq like it is. This is not "Saving Private Ryan" with an opening scene that goes for 30 minutes and lots of special effects...

How did the tragedy with the Polish president affect you?

Mariusz: Well, when that kind of things happen, we the Polish people, finally get to unite. There is no division anymore, everyone is together, that's really great. I wish we could be one country all the time. But in moments like this it's also very hard to look at the truth. When I heard that the next candidate for the president would be his twin brother, I felt that something's wrong. It's like someone wants to use these bad feelings, the pain of some people. I don't like that kind of situation... and I remember when the pope died, everyone was united in this tragedy, as well. It's just sad that this only happens when some tragedy has taken place... And one the radio you can listen to good music for the first time – well, something's wrong with that (laughs).

Pure Reason Revolution has started playing in the Colos-Saal and soon it will be Riverside's turn, so it's time to end the interview.

Mister Duda, thanks for this interview!

Mariusz: You're welcome!

This interview was taken by great support of Pirate Smile PR. Big thanks to everybody there!

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