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Firstly, what’s the band up to?
TECH – We’re starting a U.S tour in week or so. The first part of the tour includes:
LABYRINTH DETROIT, MI 8.10.2
RADIO RADIO INDIANAPOLIS, IN 8.11.2
EXIT CHICAGO, IL 8.14.2
OUTLAND COLUMBUS, OH 8.15.2
LIPSERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA 8.16.2
TABOO BALTIMORE, MD 8.17.2
ALCHEMY NEW YORK, NY 8.19.2
We just signed a European deal with Black Flames Records! They will be releasing ELECTROLUST with new graphics and additional remixes. Razed In Black, En Esch, and Girls Under Glass are remixing some of our tracks right now. Romell is done, and his remix is amazing. Promoting that release will bring MMTM to Europe next year. We should be playing some of the festivals and a few club dates. Though I don’t have any specifics yet.
We have two new tracks out on Invisible Records’ NOTES FROM THEE REAL UNDERGROUND #3. MMTM also just did covers of ‘Pain’ by Alice Cooper for Ankhor Records’ tribute, MUTATIONS, and ‘Anarchy in the UK’ by the Sex Pistols for Underground Inc.’s WELCOME TO THE STUPID CLUB. We are also talking with one of the big American industrial labels about a North American deal, but I’m going to sit on that until things are solidified.
How would you describe the MMTM sound?
TECH – Angry, Horny, and Loud…
TASHA– Layered industrial textures with sinister synths and melodies driven by hard electro beats.
What is MMTM about?
TECH – It’s about pleasing our own creative urges. I know it’s become very trendy to adopt some socio-political platform as the driving force of a project. It’s become too predictable to be sincere. I am an extremely political-minded person. That is present in our work, if you look for it; but I’m here to vent and entertain. I’ll leave the preaching to the self-righteous and often, misguided.
TASHA– MMTM is about self-expression. We write about what’s on our minds… which is usually something pretty naughty. We write despite current trends in subject matter or sound. And we allow ourselves and our music to change as often as our interests or opinions change.
How did MMTM begin?
TECH – After years of envying electro-acts ability to create without the burdens and restrictions of four or five musicians, we gathered up the courage and resources to start writing and recording music without drummers and bass players.
TASHA–We were truly on a quest for independence! From concept to execution, we are completely self-sufficient both sonically and visually. This might sound lonely, but thanks to the MMTM models that you see in our live multimedia show, we never lack outside inspiration.
How has your sound progressed since the release of Technophile?
TECH – GOD! Hopefully our sound has quantumly improved. Technophile was a demo that was created AS we taught ourselves to use our equipment. Though I can still see promise in several of the song ideas, it was a technical and production nightmare.
TASHA–Technophile was written as an experiment to find out if it really was possible to collect PC scraps and create a system that would allow us to record, mix, master and duplicate in an empty corner of my over-crowed apartment. That same PC hardly gets turned on now, which is about as often as I listen to Technophile. Unfortunately there are some really good songs on the demo that didn’t have a fighting chance because of our lack of production experience. We definitely want to re-record and remix one or two songs, even if it’s just for us to hear the difference.
You recently did a tribute track to Alice Cooper. How did that feel?
TECH – There is nothing more intimidating than messing with a classic. Especially when the other artist on the release are Slick Idiot, godhead, Thrill Kill, and Chris Connelly. It’s hard to deny that Cooper and Bowie started a movement in the 70’s that we, and most of the artist we love, are still a part of.
TASHA–There were so many songs that we wanted to cover! "PAIN" definitely fit us best.
What are your proudest moments so far?
TECH – Well our first tour last summer was pretty amazing. I was completely surprised by how many fans we had in all of those cities that we had never reached before. That is what is so cool about this whole scene. It is a very tight network that perpetuates it’s own. I’ve also been very satisfied with our latest video/animation work. We have taken such a huge leap forward in the last six months. Even though we haven’t performed with it yet, I get completely blown away just watching it by myself. Whether or not other people ever appreciate it, the footage looks exactly the way that I want it to. It is extremely satisfying for me.
TASHA–Razed In Black, Girls Under Glass, and En Esch are all in the process of remixes. This is a dream come true!!! Black Flames Records just picked us up, which is an honor!
What are your favorite More Machine Than Man songs?
TECH – ‘Vlad:XIII’ and ‘Decimate the Enemy’ are really working for me right now. The versions of these songs that have been released are still beta-mixes. I can’t wait for people to hear the final mixes of these tracks that will be on our next LP. ‘Slave’, ‘Want’, ‘Forsake All Else’ and ‘F.A.N.’ are probably my overall favorites.
What was the first record you bought?
TECH – Let’s see, I took birthday card money and bought two on the same day. I bought a live U2 record because it was sold out on cassette. I think it was titled UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY. I also bought 1984 by Van Halen on cassette. Soon after that I bought SYNCHRONICITY by the Police and THE BREAKFAST CLUB soundtrack. I have no idea after that…
What would be your dream band line up?
TECH – The ultimate industrial band would be Trent Reznor [guitar] and Chris Vrenna [drums] from NIN, Sacha [synths & triggers] and En Esch [guitar, synths & triggers] from KMFDM, with Al Jorgensen from Ministry, Tasha from MMTM, and Jared from Chemlab all singing leads. It would be pretty cool for Trent, Sacha, and En Esch to sing occasionally also. I’d be smart enough to just sit and watch.
What do you think of the position of music in general today?
TECH – I think is it positioned about three steps down the evolutionary ladder from the bacteria that lives in the muck at the bottom of a septic tank. The mainstream is awful, just terrible. And now the industrial music industry is clearly modeling itself after the mainstream industry. Product, not art. Following trends, not setting new standards.
Do you have any funny or unusual stories about MMTM you can share with us?
TECH – Well, I had this terrible rash and itching that was pretty funny, until it started getting drippy… But the shots seem to take care of that!
And finally, what do you see in the future of More Machine Than Man?
TECH –I think we’ll be signing a very important deal, for us, with an U.S. label in the next few months. MMTM will tour the U.S. again, later this year, with some soon-to-be label mates. Judging by the songs we are working on right now; I see us releasing our best LP to date early in 2003. We will also be touring Europe in 2003, including several of the festivals, thanks to Black Flames Records.
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