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This is the first time I've ever interviewed a band more than one time, but metal band Elysia's singer and frontman Zak Vargas is entertaining, well spoken, and just so gosh-darn cute I couldn't resist. Here's what he had to say about life for Elysia since we last spoke, and the experience of having a new record out. Vargas: Let's do this Me: let me put on my pretend professional hat. Vargas: Let me get my microphone. Me: Alright. boom. we are all systems go...this is so much easier the second time. Ok, you guys just released your full length album, Masochist. What was the recording experience like for that? Vargas: Yes we did! It was pretty long and gruesome and still wasn't enough time. *laughs* Me: Did you guys produce that yourselves, and I just now realized that I asked you who was producing the new record in the last interview, so don't answer that. Vargas: ok, i won't. Me: Instead...answer this. A lot of times, bands will go to the studio with certain albums or bands in mind, like a sound they want to shoot for. Did you guys do that or did you really just want to do your own thing. Vargas: Well we came in with lots of stuff that we had given the guy like months before. There wasn't anything we were shooting for particularly, because you know we wanted to have our own sound. Me: Right. What sort of things did you really want to do different recording this time that you didn't do last time, or vice versa? Vargas: Well this time we really just wanted to spend a lot more time on it, which we were able to do with guitars. But I still feel like I wish I had more time, there's a lot I'd like to change.
Me: Now, I'm going to pretend that I don't already know the answer to this question and ask it anyway. A lot of bands will bring the music to the studio and write the lyrics there. Did you guys do that or did you spend a lot of time on the lyrics? How exactly does the lyric writing process for Elysia work? Do you write them before you haer the songs and try to fit them together or do you write the lyrics to fit with the instrumentals? How does that work? Vargas: Well I definitely spend a lot of time on them. What I do is I write down my thoughts on what I'm writing about, and then I basically edit it every day for probably a month, fitting it into rhymes and such. And tehn I fit them to the music unless it's like a singalong, and then I edit the lyrics even more once I have to fit them. Me: So would you say what you do as far as writing the lyrics, you do that sort of separate from the band writing the music and you put it all together at the end, or do you write like in collaboration with the band? Vargas: Well when we're about to make a song I have like lyrics I want to use, and basically I just make it fit unless it's like a catchy part. Then I sorta tell the band what to do. I have a lot of say in the writing process which is nice since I don't play an instrument. Me: Ok. Now down to the nitty gritty here...when you were recording the vocals for Masochist did you use any vocal effects or is that just you on the record? Vargas: Oh, there's no effects. It's all straight. Me: Wow. Now as far as recording did you guys really have a lot of say and cretive control as far as production went, was the producer really hands on, how did that work out? Vargas: Yeah it really was hands on. But that part was kind of rushed like what I was saying. Me: What other records has he worked on and what made you choose him as your producer? Vargas: He did Conducting From The Grave and we chose him because we've always gone there, so he hooks us up nice. And I think it sounds pretty damn good. Plus the other place we would record at everyone records at and we don't wanna sound like all those bands Me: That's a good way of looking at it. The songs themselves are put together really well. How long would you say you guys worked on arranging the songs and getting them ready? Vargas: What do you mean, like practicing them? Me: Well that and just making sure they're exactly how you want them, and the writing process too...how long would you say you've been working on the songs for Masochist? Vargas: Well there are some really old songs on it, so you could say forever. *laughs* But all the new stuff came out pretty fast I think, we definitely got into a flow while writing them. Me: And on top of that, would you say writing is easier for you guys now that you've already written and recorded a demo and an EP? Vargas: Yeah, well the more you do it the better you get I think. Just like anything. Me: Good point. Now that you've had that material for awhile, and you've been playing those songs live, how would you say the songs are being received live? Vargas: The new songs are a blast. We like them better so we give off a better vibe playing them. It makes our presence stronger which ultimately affects the crowd so even the response is better now I'd say, and the main point of Elysia is our live show. That's what we make music for. Me: Which makes a sweet segue to my next question. You guys just went out on a minotour with Killwhitneydead, how did that go? Vargas: That was amazing! The guys in Killwhitneydead and The Demonstration all ended up being so awesome and we just had so much fun with them it was great. Me: How many shows did you do? Vargas: It was three weeks so I think 17 shows, somewhere around there. Me: Any plans to do that again? And by that I mean a minitour or go out on the road. Vargas: Yeah, well we basically showed them the West Coast so next summer we plan to have them show us the East Coast. And since we're in school we hope to do something winter and spring break. Me: You guys just recently left your label, right before the release of your full length. What brought that about? Vargas: Yeah, well basically it just fell through. The rest is private. We just did what was best for our band, and that's to be DIY for now. Me: So will that make any problems for you guys as far as promoting the new record? Vargas: No, I don't believe so. We're going to be sending out press kits soon to a ton of labels. Me: Is there any particular song that goes over better than the rest in the live setting? Vargas: Swine is awesome, definitely our favorite song to play. Me: That actually brings up another question. What made you guys choose to put movie clips in the songs, and how did you choose which clips to use? Vargas: Umm, well we didn't really use that much at all, so I just took movies that I'm obsessed with that had qoutes that mean a lot to me and have a lot to do with the lyrics. Plus they make great song transitions, something I think bands don't care about enough. Me: I can agree with that. Now, talking about movie clips, you gotta think about Killwhitneydead. And I have to ask, did touring with those guys, considering that their singer runs a record label, did you learn anything from them during the tour? Vargas: Yeah, haha. We learned so much. Basically, the entire complicated story behind KWD which would take me an hour to explain to you so sorry, *laughs*. We learned a lot about Tribunal Records as well. Me: I'm sure touring with a record label CEO is a really great way to learn things about the recording industry. Vargas: Yeah, definitely. Me: So you guys just played Firefest with Evergreen Terrace. I see you made the "local papers". How was that? Vargas: That shit was incredible! They put us on some really tiny ass stage right before Evergreen Terrace and said "play only three songs please". So we were like fuuuuuuck and just went nuts. *laughs* Me: What exactly is Firefest? Is it like a Warped Tour kind of deal? Vargas: No, it's not a tour. Just a one day fest even in Las Vegas with millions of bands, I can't even count that high. Me: Wow, so it's a reall big thing. Vargas: Yeah but it somehow fits in one day so it was pretty amazing. It's awesome because there's like 600 kids that come out so even though fests are pretty tiring it's worh it once you get to play. Me: Would you say Elysia is getting more exposure and doing more high profile things, and what would you attribute that to? I remember you saying you guys weren't a fan favorite at home. Has the number of bands playing the style of metal that you guys play contributed to that, and are you doing better on the home front? Vargas: Well we pretty much do better with time so yes home is getting better, we haven't played here in forever. But the other day I had 25 Elysia cds at a show here and they sold out damn fast. Sacrament is just like the youngest scene there is and we're not like young kid friendly music I guess you could say. Me: That's very true. Vargas: But we've never been high profile, you know. I think the biggest band we've ever played with is probably With Dead Hands Rising and that was like two years ago. There's probably a bigger band I jut can't think of it. Oh, Animosity, duh. Me: Killwhitneydead? Vargas: Oh, them too, duh. Me: I'll ask a question that I asked Molotov Solution. What sort of things did you want to touch on in the lyrics for the new material, and what were your goals lyrically, and with such a strong message in your lyrics why sing them in a way that makes them hard to understand? Vargas: I'll start with what I wanted to touch on. Basically I just wrote about things I've always thought and kept to myself. And these are things that piss me off. When I write, I write pissed off that people aren't pissed off about what I'm writing about. So I'm really just trying to get kids to think about shit, you know. No one takes the time to do that anymore. We're all so afraid of being bored. But boredom is key for me that's when I come up with this shit. I'm the type of person that's completely fine with hanging out with myself on a Friday night just sitting around thinking and reading. But I mean, basically there's a whole theme to the album, which is explained on the back of the CD booklet. And I try to enunciate my words as well as possible *laughs*. But too many bands nowadays have lyrics that aren't even worth it. It's like "dude, you're screaming right now". So write something you'd scream about. I don't want to sound like an idiot screaming and yelling for no reason. Me: ...That's the best way of putting that I've ver heard. Vargas: I mean yeah, that's what Elysia is. We make our stuff not based on doing what we like, but based on NOT doing shit we don't like. Me: That's very Nirvana of you. Vargas: Well, I mean none of us really like the music besides me and our drummer. But that actually helps so much because now we know like everything that is wrong with it and we know not to do those things. **at this point in the interview there's a period of about two hours during which nothing even remotely related to the band is discussed, i space out and watch ECW, and Zak talks about...never mind* Vargas: I get bored talking about Elysia *laughs* Me: I had trouble thinking of a question. Vargas: Imagine how many questions I get a day, dude. My favorite one which we probably get every day is "who are you". I'm just like, 'what the fuck?' No, no, before we went on tour, I got this one that was like, "hey are you guys gonna be selling merch on your tour?" *laughs* Holy shit, I'm laughing right now thinking about that, it's my favorite one ever. Me: That's priceless. **the following ridiculously long section of this interview has been ommitted because nobody should be subjected to reading the things that were discussed during this part of our conversation** Vargas: *laughs* Do you have any prepared questions left? Me: As a matter of fact I do. Glad one of us realized we were still doing an interview, because I completely forgot. With 2006 winding down, what plans does Elysia have for the rest of the year, and what things do you have going down for 2007? Vargas: This year is just gonna be playing shows! We've talked about maybe recording some covers. 2007 should have a new album and we'll be able to full time tour in 2007, because we'll finally be out of highschool. Me: That makes ME feel kind of old. ANYWAY...could there possibly be anything you'd like to add that hasn't been said already? Vargas: I'd like to talk about something very serious I think everyone needs to become more aware of. And that's wild packs of dogs controlling the major cities. I'd also like to thank you very much. And it's time for me to eat pizza, so peace homey, ILU. Me: Uhm...thanks...love you too. Check out Zak Vargas and Elysia on myspace at www.myspace.com/elysia where you can order their new full length album, Masochist. |
