SKON – Interview with Daniel

Below you have an interview with a person that is 100% responsible for the music that you're able to hear on “Nic Realnego” (trans. “Nothing Real”), and that person is Daniel Cichowski.

Hey Daniel! I'm not gonna bore you with questions about this projects past, cause everyone can read that in the promotions section. I'm just gonna ask you: what made you create this kind of music?

Welcome. Hard question for the beginning. That something was in me for some time and it had to explode eventually. And why electro-industrial? I think that you can express everything with that music, from subtle feelings through pain, hatred, etc. , besides that industrial music always fascinated me, industrial mixed with electric music and folk music is something perfect for me.

Most of our readers probably doesn't know what “SKON” means, cause like you said once that word is forgotten and no one uses it anymore.

Yes, it's an old, forgotten polish word, which simply means DEATH.

What you presented on “Nic Realnego” surely isn't music for everyone. But there are people on this planet that are open for ambitious music which you present. Tell me, did you have any serious propositions from publishers? It would be sad if such talent was wasted.

Thanks for you recognition. You know how it is in our country, I hope it's gonna get better… Right now there aren't too many demos around, but there is someone already interested in publishing “Nic Realnego” in Poland. /Congratulations!!! – Deadguy/ His name is Janusz from the Dark Zone www.darkzone.opole.pl. And here comes the problem, we have to record the material in a professional studio, and I'm getting ready for that. If everything goes well the cd may come out at the end of 2002.

How many demos of “Nic Realnego” have you realesed up to date?

SKON is a new project so there aren't many demos around, but people are starting to get interested.

How are people reacting to your music? Are the opinions mostly positive or negative?

I'm answering with pleasure, most people like it, and what's interesting is that metalheadz like it also…

Lyrics on your demo are in polish. In some places I can't understand you. Are lyrics important to you??

Lyrics mean a lot to me. They are the essence of the whole song. I prefer songs with vocal than just instrumental.

What do you think about bands which put their sick ideology ahead of their music and very often what comes out is a piece of shit that you're not able to listen. I'm talking about bands from the NS black metal area (and not only black metal). The exceptions on our scene is HONOR, THUNDERBOLT and maybe something else.

That is true, this is about weather the music is truthful or plain bullshit.

On “Nic realnego” you use keyboards a lot. Sometimes it sounds kind of like Summoning. I'm not accusing you of plagiarism, I'm just curious about the similar style in “Wieczna Piesn”. Do you agree with me?

I heard Summoning's first cd once and I remembered it as a good black symphonic cd. It's a fact that I used to be big fan of symphonic black metal back in the days, and I still like to listen to a couple of cd's from that style, ex. LIMBONIC ART – “Moon In The Scorpio” that is a piece of art to me.

How does the electro/industrial scene look in Poland? From what I know there aren't too many bands around that could compete with you. There are far more Dark Ambient projects around, or something in the likes ANTICREATIVE DEATHINITION, WIERZBA, KLON-D, etc. What do you think is the main cause behind this situation? People don't want to play, there aren't a lot of people that listen that kind of music, not enough money, no equipment, there also bands that don't have enough promotion or someone that could invest in them?

Everything that you mentioned above is true, but mainly it's all about $$$. People don't have time to create music cause they have to work hard, and their pension is only enough to vegetate or providing for their families and they have to buy equipment. I'm trying to put all of my money into equipment (I can probably forget about a wife…), I'm even drink less alcoholic beverages.

You don't hide the fact that bands like Hocico, Wumpscut, Leather Strip, are your inspirations. Is music your only inspiration or maybe poetry, books or maybe the will to share your point of view, your thoughts, with your listeners?

Yes, these bands are my favorites. But i'm also a big fan of SOPOR AETERNUS & AND THE ENSEMBLE OF SHADOWS. I don't read books, but I watch a lot of movies. I get inspired by many things, things that are going on around me, around the world, nature, churches, cemeteries, factories, bunkers….(ha ha!)

You recorded “Nic Realnego” in your own studio. Tell me something about it. Was the main reason behind this decision, lack of cash?

The main reason was peace and independence, which I would like to continue on having, that's why instead of a car, etc. there's going to be music equipment (and a bike!).

Are you satisfied with the reasult of your work?

Yes! “Nic Realnego” is still my favorite album cause it sounds the way it sounds and it's truthful.

How long did it take you to record this demo?

Six months.

In your music I also hear little bits of folk music. But I'm not talking about the well promoted by tv/radio shit like Brathanki and others. I'm talking about the noble neo-folk like “Death In June”, Current 93 Forseti or pagan neo-folk something like Perunwit or Ataraxia.

I don't know Perunwit, but I like all of these bands (adding Sopor Aeternus) and yes, I like folk – it inspires me, folk is the root of music.

What do you think about bands that combine industrial with metal or hard rock? I 'm talking about the bands like: Ministry, Godflesh, Nine Inch Nails, Ramms+ein, Fear Facrory, etc. Do you like them? Or maybe you like to listen to pure industrial music like Skinny Puppy?

They're good bands (especially Ministry), I too went thru a phase where I was fascinated with that kind of music, and Skinny Puppy is a classic, I really admire that band.

What's your story with music? Did you start listening industrial from the beginning? Or maybe you listened to something else? I started out with bands like Sodom, Metallica, Iron Maiden or Helloween, then later on I started listening to industrial and styles similar to it. But still, I listen to metal mostly.

I started out with Depeche Mode, New Romantic and Gothic. Later on it was grunge, metal, industral-rock, ending with electro-industrial and EBM.

What's your point of view on metal music? Do you listen to it, or maybe you don't like it that much? If you do listen, what are the bands that are in your cd player the most often?

I haven't been listening to a lot of metal recently, but when I do I like to go back to older stuff from: LIMBONIC ART., BURZUM, SATYRICON, IMMORTAL or TIAMAT.

Do you have any ideas for your next material? Maybe you're gonna start looking hard for a publisher?

I have ideas, I'm just waiting for better equipment, hopefully I'll be able to get it.

How is the new material gonna look like? In which direction are you gonna go in?

I think that I've already taken the right direction, and the new material is going to be in a similar climate but maybe with more harder sound and more gothic vocals…

What should I wish you?

I think, finding myself in realty. /So, that's what I'd like t wish you – Deadguy/

Thanks for the interview. Last words go to you.

I also thank you for this interview. It was very good (by the way, it was my first) Look for Freedom!

Translated by: Motorbreath