Fucinemute

Fabrizio Garau (FG): Please, present the band to our readers.

Oliver Pade (OP): We mix old medieval instruments with modern electronic music. This electronic is based on samples of our live instruments so it sounds like an orchestra of drums, percussions and old instruments playing hypnotic minimal patterns. Above this soundscape we sing with two female voices and one male voice mostly old medieval texts or our own texts that mostly have the topic of paganism or nature.

FG: Your particular musical style requires particular instruments: could you name (and describe) a few?

OP: For example Nyckelharpa (swedish key fiddle), Hurdy-gurdy, Selje floit (swedish overtone flute), Bagpipes, celtic harp.

FG: What’s your musical background? How did you get in touch with folk and traditional music?

OP: By a deeper knowledge in us. Music wants to speak through us.

FG: Do you feel some bands close to your style? The bands that i perceive as similar to you usually mention Dead Can Dance in their interviews, not so much as an influence, but as some sort of “prime movers” in the same musical field.

OP: Yes, we are often compared to Dead Can Dance. We really appreciate them, but we are still doing our own style. Like we always did. Even in the german medieval scene we are very special, because we have this mystic sound, and the heavenly voices influence and not just bagpipes and drums like a lot of other bands.

FG: If we think about Faun, we think about Middle Age. Could we talk about “medieval” music? Has it a sense? What we really know about “medieval” music?

OP: It is impossible to create really medieval music these days, especially because the listeners do not have medieval ears anymore. Because of this we use medieval sounds to create ancient landscapes, instead of trying to be authentic medieval.

FG: The DVD is great, full of contents and the live shows are amazingly documented. What can you tell me about this release?

OP: Faun is not just music, we have something to say and want the people to share our feelings and messanges.. For this it is nice to give the people a closer impression of what we do and why we do it. For this aim a DVD is a great way.

FG: You all seem to be particularly self confident during your live exhibitions: how much is important for you to play live?

OP: Very because you have to make the music together with the audience. Even with the best CD-players and all the hifi, there will always be live concerts, because this music you definitely share with the audience.

FG: We can also see two video-clips (Egil Saga and Isis): there’s simply Faun and Nature. What’s your relationship with Nature? Are urban landscapes something alienating for you?

OP: Nature is us. With the right point of view there are no urban landscapes, just a few stones with nature around them.

FG: Why did you decide to represent through images Egil Saga and Isis? Could you tell our readers something about these two songs?

OP: We like to tell the people that this world is full of magic. In your everyday life, especially in the forest or, like in Isis, in the snow on the trees, you can find a lot of magic that enchants your life. You just have to keep your eyes open. To tell this to the people, this is part of our destiny.

FG: Your popularity is increasing. Do you care about it? What are your next goals?

OP: We like to reach more people, because we like to spread the message that is given to us. We hope to be playing more international the next years, because all of us like to travel a lot and to get to know different cultures.