1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Blitzkrieg Baby is a norwegian group whose musical heritage is informed by a wide range of industrial music, especially from the early days of Industrial, when there was a musical openness about it. Our debut album "Porcus Norvegicus" is out through Neuropa now.
My name is Kim Sølve, I am the founding member of Blitzkrieg Baby. In addition to me, people performing on the said album are Alan Belardinelli, Anders B. (Mind & Flesh, Three Winters), Bjeima (Alfa Obscura, Virus, Yurei) and Petter Berntsen AKA Plenum (Swarms, -M-).
2. How would you describe your musical sound?
Industrial, in the widest possible sense. Considering the variation between tracks it is not really doable to give a simple description that fits the entire breadth of our material. But the confrontative, discordant, bombastic darkness is a recurring thing. People whom know early Laibach, SPK, NON, and artist from Cold Meat Industries might find something to their liking.
3. What are some of the concepts the band explores with the music?
To sum it up: the filth of humanity, in all its shapes and variations. We don't differentiate. Blitzkrieg Baby is born from human degeneration; others and our own.
We often have a healthy tad of humor in what we do, it's in everything I do I believe, Blitzkrieg Baby is like an outlet for all the things that get bottled up and have nowhere to go.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
The name is taken from Una Mae Carlisle's song of the same name. The original theme of the song is something completely different than what we are putting into it. To us, Blitzkrieg Baby is a child born from the filth of the collective human behavior and history.
5. Has the band played out live or is this a studio project?
So far we are a studio project. But there's a strong will to perform live and I hope to take Blitzkrieg Baby to the stage at some point. Who will join me on stage is not certain yet though, but I expect Alan, the vocalist on several of the album tracks, to be at the Blitzkrieg core, at least when doing tracks that require vocals. But in general Blitzkrieg Baby is not a tightly knit group that rehearses weekly or anything like that.
6. The new album came out on Neuprona Records, how did you get in contact with
this label and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?
I have been running Trine + Kim Design Studio for years now doing artworks for music, among others. Neuropa got in touch with us years ago to get artworks done for some of their releases. In the meantime, me and Kim from Neuropa have also started the label Adversum together and now he is releasing Blitzkrieg Baby on his own label.
7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of dark
industrial?
The album has just been released and promotion is only just beginning, but so far the reaction has been positive to say the least. I do believe this is an album that might appeal to a wide range of audiences, despite (or, because of) its dark and confronting nature. I'm sure there are people that will hate it too, which is fine.
8. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?
I also play in -M-, Swarms and have a dark ambient solo project called K100 that recently signed to Cyclic Law. I'm involved in Three Winters that are releasing "The Atrocities EP" on cassette through Beläten in february. I run the Adversum label and my main occupation is running Trine + Kim Design Studio together with colleague and life partner Trine, doing artworks for this and that. The debut album by -M- will be out this year through Adversum.
Blitzkrieg Baby is keeping busy. We did a few interludiums on norwegian Black Metal band Koldbrann's recent album "Vertigo", released through Seasons Of Mist. During spring we are premiering a modern ballet performance with 20 dancers, with commissioned music by Blitzkrieg Baby. We're also soon doing a full length cassette for the swedish label Beläten. We have a lot in the works.
9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
Blitzkrieg Baby is going in several directions at the same time. We are in the 12th year of Blitzkrieg Baby's miserable life, so there's some amount of material about to be readied for the willing victims. In general, we are becoming grittier, darker and meaner. Hopefully we are becoming better and even more entertaining.
As long as the music feels like Blitzkrieg Baby we have few boundaries. It's all about gut feeling. We do want we want to, or need to, at any given time. And we are doing it all the time, like rabbits.
10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Nowadays I listen to pretty much all kinds of music, I've been spinning a lot of Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music lately, as well as Atrax Morgue, Dean Martin, and a lot of Pop music (as always), but that's just the last couple of days. There's so much music out there that I listen to different music all the time. I run a label called Adversum and I've spent some time listening to the two albums we released in October, Yurei's "Night Vision" and Stagnant Waters' self titled album. While writing this interview I have been listening to Scott Walker and Haus Arafna.
However, early inspirations for Blitzkrieg Baby was early Laibach, Coil, NON and artists released by Cold Meat Industries in the mid nineties. Nowadays I get inspired by anything.
11. Does Occultism play any role in your music?
It depends on your definition of occultism. But on a general level I would have to say no, I think the day to day reality in all its horridness is Blitzkrieg Baby's main concern.
12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
I try to make the most of life. I work a lot, but I also play a lot.
13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Please lend an ear to our releases. I believe some of your readers might find solace in the music we have released so far. "Porcus Norvegicus" is available from Neuropa now, go to www.neuropa.be to order. Tasters are available on Blitzkrieg Baby's Soundcloud here:
www.soundcloud.com/blitzkriegbaby
We have contributed to three compilations lately:
"A Somatic Response" compilation cassette, released by Beläten. Stream available here:
https://soundcloud.com/belaten/sets/a-somatic-response
"Satanic Panic" download compilation by Grimtown Records, available here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?kou9ynlh7fk554l
"Operation Payload" download compilation by Grimtown Records, available here:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?444locx4ctsfrl2
You're welcome to join Blitzkrieg Baby on Facebook for frequent updates: www.facebook.com/blitzkriegbabyofficial
Thanks for the interview!
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