EVERLUST- gothic rock / melodic metal band from Latvia, will release their sophomore full length album “Diary of Existence” on May 7th, 2021 via Wormholedeath on all digital platforms worldwide
Interview conducted March 30, 2021
By Dan Locke
EVERLUST is a gothic rock / melodic metal band from Riga, Latvia. Their music can be described as melancholic and romantic. They sing about love, passion, heartbreak, misery, death. Besides, they are the only active gothic band left in the Baltic region at the moment with strong influence from bands like “Draconian”, “Theatre of Tragedy”, “Charon”, “Paradise Lost”, “Sentenced”, “Lacuna Coil”, “Trees Of Eternity” and more.
Band members:
Kate Brown – Vocals
Vlad Pucens – Guitar, Vocals
Max Reksna – Guitar
Alex Shangin – Drums
Pavel Savin – Bass
Andrew Jirgensons – Keyboards
Vlad – band founder, leader, main songwriter and vocals
Kate – band front lady, lead vocals
What is your upbringing?
Vlad: We are not diplomate musicians and are self-taught. I have a diploma in engineering and music is my hobby, but I can’t imagine myself not doing it.Kate: I’ve been a musician since I remember myself. I’ve spent my early childhood years on the stage, because my dad is a musician and he saw a potential in me. I spend most of my time listening to the music and creating my own.
How did you discover music?
Vlad: The music was always with me. Since early childhood, my home was filled with music. Since we were in the Soviet Union, it was mostly Russian and Latvian music, but talking about foreign music – I remember myself being in love with Depeche Mode, Abba, Roxette, and Ace of Base.
How did you start to write music?
Vlad: I discovered myself in music quite late for a musician – I was 20. I started listening to Paradise Lost and Lacuna Coil and their music literally changed my life. I started playing bass and writing my own themes.Kate: I wrote my first poem when I was about 5 years old and it was about a road trip I had. Then I tried to use random melodies from the songs that I knew and to put the poem upon them. That’s how I started to experiment with the music.
Your band formed in 2014. You are a gothic rock/melodic metal band from Latvia. How did your band form?
Vlad: I’ve tried to form a band even earlier, since 2006. But lacking experience and unpopularity of the style ended up being a one-man project. I recorded my first demo in 2007 and then left this idea for a while. In 2013 another tries to form a band was more successful.
How did you get your band’s name?
Vlad: I always liked the idea of one-word titles. In my opinion, lust is a very powerful emotion and I don’t like to interpret it in a negative way like it is meant. For me, it is an endless inspiration source, as long as you feel it. And music is boring without emotions.
Kate- you play bass, violin, piano and also are a blacksmith. How did you get into the band?
Since you are a blacksmith do you shoe your own horses?
Kate: Everlust was searching for the vocalist when the previous left. I was searching for a band. I applied, we had a tryout and as you can see, I am in 🙂I don’t shoe my own horses, because I am not a farrier, but I can make a horseshoe. Also, my horses walk barefoot, because they don’t need it and they get their hooves trimmed regularly.
Describe your music.
Vlad: Our music is like a story, a tale. I like to bring beauty, atmosphere and a lot of emotions in it, but more dramatic and theatrical, not aggressive ones.
What was your first performance like?
Vlad: In our first performance there was a completely different line-up, with only me from the current line-up. It was a student festival. As I remember, for most of us it was the first public appearance, so we were very excited and worried, therefore very static and chained.
Kate: I had another band before Everlust, but my best performance was with Everlust. The first one was especially emotional one and I finally felt at home on the stage.
Do you belong to any songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
Kate: No, we don’t belong to any of them.
What makes a good songwriter?
Vlad: I don’t like the terms “good” or “bad” speaking of songwriting, it is just a matter of taste.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
Vlad: “Unreal”. Yes, it is in the first demo and also in the first album.
Kate: “Place to call home”, I recorded just a demo of it.
What is the process of writing your music?
Vlad: Usually I or Max form an idea or a theme for a verse and chorus, then we work together on a structure, get Kate to the process of making a vocal melody, and then finishing on rehearsals.
Kate: I like to write the vocal pieces that I can barely sing and then I spend months learning them. I also like to help with the bass guitar parts.
Tell me about your sophomore full length album “Diary of Existence” which comes out on May 7th on Wormholedeath?
Vlad: We chose this title because it is like a diary. The songs are very different, but they remind of the entries of a diary. When you write a diary, it depends on a mood and each time there is another story.
How did you come up with the title of the LP?
Vlad: We couldn’t choose one song that would reflect the idea of the whole album, so our manager gathered us, and we brainstormed the titles that would form a uniting concept.
Out of the 11 tracks, which is your favorite track on your album?
Vlad: Every song is a story for a different life situation, for me they’re equal.
Kate: Land of Dreams (for me it’s the most complicated technically).
How was your signing party with the record label?
Vlad: Well, we had recorded a new song and our manager introduced our music to the label manager. Btw, this song is included in our new album 🙂
And in February 2020, we signed a contract with WORMHOLEDEATH. Signing with Wormholedeath is a huge step forward for us.
What do you feel about streaming music?
Vlad: The music industry is changing and we have to fit in. Since we’re not making money from music, we see the streaming as a good way to reach our listeners.
Kate: It helps to get recognizable, getting new fans.
The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, pound sign and a sharp sign in music. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag.
Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?
Vlad: I don’t think that being used differently; this sign would lose its first meaning. It is still used widely in music.
Digital vs. vinyl?
Vlad: Where’s the CD? 🙂I belong to the generation when physical copy of music was a sign of your appreciation to the musician and it had a collective meaning.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Vlad: Exactly today Lacuna Coil announced that their album “Unleashed memories” is 20 years old and I remember that listening to that album inspired me to create, pick up an instrument and play. I felt magic that time listening to it.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
Vlad: It actually does. Online concerts are just musicians’ attempts to interact with the audience, but nothing can compare to a live performance.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
Vlad: Our works, that are not connected with music are the ones, which cannot be made at home. So basically, my lifestyle hasn’t changed significantly. But of course, the lack of gathering together and performing life is depressing.
How do you stay healthy during the lockdown?
Vlad: We didn’t have the complete lockdown in Latvia and I continue working as usual, so it’s only a lack of being together.
Who makes handmade soap?
Vlad: I do. I always try to create interesting things concerning the band and our manager always supports me in it.
How often do you do charity events such as “Help Australian Wildlife”?
Vlad: This was the first one we were offered to participate and we hope to do more in future.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
Vlad: I have a lot of hobbies besides music, besides my work in the engineering area and a family, so there is no time for new hobbies.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
Vlad: Actually, we ourselves are not quite active online and mostly our manager runs our band’s social networks. But if such rules are adopted, it will have a bad effect on the music industry, especially the independent bands. Live Streamed shows are currently the only way to keep in touch with listeners, as live shows are still banned in many countries around the world.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
Vlad: The bands and fans should adapt and try to interact online because that is the only option at the moment.
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means things like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.
Vlad: The only thing I can say – welcome to show business. Unfortunately, money has a huge impact today. For this reason, many good new bands are breaking down because they lack financial resources.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
Vlad: I haven’t discovered such a thing yet, sounds interesting, but still not the same as a live performance.
Governments around the world are hearing the call of thousands of music creators and included protections for the music community in the omnibus bill. In addition to extended and improved unemployment benefits and small business loans for freelance creators, the package includes several bills which the Recording Academy, its members, and the larger music community advocated for. From the Save Our Stages Act, provided a lifeline to performance venues and promoters, to the CASE Act, which creates an avenue for smaller creators to defend their copyrighted works, Congress has ensured that both music creators and those who act behind the scenes to bring music to life are given the support they need during this difficult time.”
Do you think this will save music venues?
Vlad: Music venues will save only the reopening of these venues. In our country, it is very difficult to get help from the government, firstly – it is a big bureaucratic process, and secondly – unfortunately, in our country, the underground music scene has no chance to get any help.
Latvian policymakers on March 13, 2020 said a billion-euro fund was being made available to assist businesses and musicians through the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis.
The billion-euro figure is the amount that could potentially be used as “financial instruments” for businesses via the state-owned ALTUM development bank.
Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš, flanked by Finance Minister Janis Reirs and central bank governor Martiņš Kazāks, stressed that the money would not take the form of grants but of “financial instruments”.
Did this happen?
Vlad: Unfortunately, I will not be able to answer this question, because, as I said before, it is almost impossible to get any kind of help from our government for the underground music scene as well as for small businesses. At least I don’t know anyone who got it.
Did you know that the Grammys MusicCares can help artists? The MusiCares COVID-19 Relief has helped thousands of music industry artists and professionals during these difficult days. This is the most recipients helped, for any single event, in MusiCares’ history. The need remains great, and these unique times remain critical for music people. It has taken a community uplifting one another to get through this pandemic, and MusiCares has pulled together a list of additional organizations and resources to further support you. https://www.grammy.com/musicares/get-help/relief-resources.
Have you applied for it yet?
Vlad: Thanks for the information. We did not know that there was such a possibility.
In the past if a musician stops doing music, they find a new career. For example, David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants.
If you can’t do music, what would you like to be doing?
Vlad: Since the underground music in Latvia is not the way to make money, we all (the band) have our full-time jobs that are not connected to music. But I also can’t imagine stopping myself from doing music.
What is your happy place?
Vlad: A place where I can isolate, concentrate and create.
Kate: I have three happy places: the first – riding a horse in a forest, the second – in my room where I can do whatever I want, usually drawing and the third – with my band – meeting, playing etc. Wherever I’m with them – it’s my happy place.
A lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artists based on sales, airplay and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.
The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.
Do you think you would be willing to sell your back catalog if someone like Universal is willing to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? Another factor is mortality.
Vlad: I haven’t thought of such global questions yet. I am ambitious and have beliefs in our music, but the music industry is still business and you have to reach your audience first.
Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on Monday (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day. This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds.
The figure, announced by Spotify’s co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks.
Therefore it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.
But still back at the beginning of the year Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists.
What do you think that could mean to an independent artist?
Vlad: I think it means harder times for independent artists. But well, if you have serious future plans for your band then it’s a matter of time for you to become a label artist or finding another way to reach your audience being independent. This is the era of possibilities and everyone can choose their own way to develop.
Danny Wimmer Presents just announced their 2021 Festival Calendar: Which includes the following live shows:
DWP Partners With Incarceration Music & Tattoo Festival For July 23-25 Event In Mansfield, OH
Louder Than Life Set For September 23-26 With Newly Added Thursday Night Celebration In Louisville, KY
Welcome To Rockville Expands To 4 Days And Shifts From Spring To November 11-14 In Daytona Beach, FL
Aftershock Set For October 7-10 In Sacramento, CA, Almost Sold Out
Would you be willing to play these shows and what precautions would you like to have in place?
Vlad: Our live shows and tours are usually handled by our manager, but we would be happy to participate in any of these festivals.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Vlad: Be creative in everything even in lifestyle in covid times. Be yourself. Be safe and sound.Kate: Patience, humbleness, and hard work – that can get you anywhere.
Vlad: Thanks for the interview!
