Psychedelic Stoner Rockers –
Samsara Blues Experiment have been going as band for 10 years now.
Starting in 2007, the band have released a string of acclaimed albums
that's seem them built up an impressive worldwide fanbase.
The band are about to release their
excellent new album – One With The Universe. It features the band's
trademark style of heavy psychedelic sounds merged with strands of
Stoner Rock and Eastern style noises.
I was given the chance to catch up
with Christian Peters (Guitars/Vocals) from the band to discuss their
new album and how they will be celebrating their 10th
anniversary as Samsara Blues Experiment.
This is what Chris had to say....
Hi
Chris. Long time. Good to hear from you. How are things with you
today.
Yes
it´s been a while... I am fine, super busy though. I feel like SBE
turned into a 60hr (or more) job, but I can´t complain since I
wanted, and still prefer it this way :-). You know we still do most
things ourselves, like promoting, marketing, playing the instruments
;-) etc...
Congrats
on your new album – One With The Universe. Such a great album. What
can people expect from the album.
Thank
you! Oh please don´t expect and just listen to it. And hopefully
enjoy!
The
new album is perhaps your more progressive and spaced out to date. I
feel it sounds like your earlier albums but with a heavier
progressive style. Is that a fair assessment to make.
Well,
I would say “Waiting...” maybe was our more `progressive` but
maybe a bit over-analyzed by ourselves. While now we got back to a
more fundamental approach of “how does a song work” and still
ROCK?! I think it´s more fluent as the last two albums, all songs
blend into each other, which is what I really like in particular. It
has maybe more of a “concept album sound” even though it´s not a
concept album.
Was
that the original plan with the new album. Release something that
reflected on your earlier sounds but whilst still offering something
new.
We
didn´t really have a plan I think. We just wanted to write new
material, also to show how well the three-piece works. The new rhythm
section is really great IMHO. Thomas and Hans play really tight
stuff. That alone gives me a great fundament to build up all my stuff
on there. I played a lot with synthesizers in the last years and I
think you can hear that.
There´s
less traditional guitar solos maybe, and therefore more SOUNDS. I for
myself listened to much different music than only five years ago. I
practically almost stopped listening to traditional (70s) Rock, or
any of this guitar-based music for quite some time. It really brought
a broad horizon to everything. There´s so many amazing sounds out
there (Jazz, Electronica, even Pop), just try the internet ;-). I
also sold most of my record collection, but that´s another story...
Did
you do anything differently recording this album compared to your
previous albums.
Not
really, we recorded the basic tracks (guitar, bass, drums) live and I
spent some more days to do all the keyboard overdubs and vocals. The
only real big difference was, we now had to pay Richard (our former
bass player, who owns a studio) for this record LOL, so we had to do
it all in less than three weeks, while all our earlier albums have
been recorded in time stretches up to several months. A lot of
stress, but good stress!
What
influenced you when recording this album. As the album has some dark
themes running throughout.
In
the recording process I was pretty much in this positively stressed
phase of creativity, for instance some vocal lines just came out
while we recorded this and I played so much keyboard my hands
actually hurt LOL. But speaking of the song topics itself and the
process of writing the album, a lot of it again is influenced by
another girl-leaves-boy drama. I thought I had this figured out
finally, but turns out I still have no idea how people maintain to
keep up relationships.
A
lot of the songs are my sort of "nerdy" dedications to this
girl-woman I have spent some of the best months of my life with,
maybe then a bit lazy music wise but I think I was really happy...
while now the Blues returned. But I refuse to have it take over all
of me ;-)... I believe all the songs still have a positive turn out,
anyway.
The
artwork is stunning. Who designed the cover. Did you have much input
into the final version.
The
original artwork already existed. I think it is a drawing from the
late 80s or so. I found it while more or less randomly surfing the
internet. He is a French surrealist painter by the name Michel
Bassot. We contacted him but he did not reply, probably because he
doesn´t speak English, so we had Claire of Purple Sage PR do a
second try - et voila - he agreed and seemed interested in our music
as well. I just had to add the fonts (tough job) and changed the
background color to purple, as I didn´t like it in the original
black. But these are the only things, we added some pictures from our
trip around California in 2015 in the CD and LP-layout. By the way
this was where the band really got together again, after Richard left
there was a little “instability”, but this trip really “fused
us together” I believe.
How
hard is it being a band in today's world. What are the most difficult
aspects in being in a band.
It´s
not hard. People who say its hard, come on... Okay let´s put it like
this, when you are a lazy person who thinks a label should make you a
big cock rock star, please stop making music now. If you live and
love music, please... you need to work, work, work (play, play, play)
and at some point things will “pay off”, probably in ways you
would have never expected. But before just work, work, work and don´t
give up. I play in bands since 1999. I play psychedelic “retro”
music since the year of 2000! I played for 2 people, I played for 20
people, I now play for an average 200 or more. I am doing this a
long, long time now and these times, man, it is just great!! We owe
so much to the internet which helps connecting people. It is just
amazing. People who complain about these times, I mean come on... get
a life LOL!
Will
you be doing an extensive tour for this album. Or will you be taking
things much easier.
We
take things much easier :-). Sometimes we even won´t sell merch or
do interviews or any of these time-consuming things ;-), just because
we want to enjoy our time too, you know... I know it may be a rather
“strange concept” in these days, but life is there to be enjoyed.
And we can not play everywhere anyway, Hans and Thomas have jobs,
family and stuff. Things which are important too, and deserve their
time.
And
then some big countries across the pond still don´t really seem to
know how to thread you at least in a decent humane way – and we are
not spoiled at all!! – but when I have to pay some thousand dollars
to play a few gigs because local bookers have this wild west concept
of not giving a band food or accommodation or anything which would
make a person happy and feel welcome, man it is just not possible,
plus all other expenses that you have when touring other continents.
Then
there´s a lot of countries in this world where we feel welcome,
where people are beyond grateful... and as I said our time is
limited. In general, I wish people would be more open, and speak and
travel and reflect on their lifes... not to get me wrong, I hope!
Samsara
Blues Experiment have been going as a band since 2007. Did you ever
imagine the journey that it has took you on. Would you change
anything you accomplished with the band.
Actually
- and despite I had always have had quite some confidence in us as a
band - I expected MUCH less! I never expected us to play in South
America (and get this HUGE response from the people - like WOW!!),
two times in the USA (well we miraculously made it), the Rockpalast
TV-show, have so many fans in ALL of the world including “remote”
countries like Iran or Iceland or Malaysia. The internet changed a
lot for the better! I wish more people would finally realize it and
not cut off their own potential by not promoting their music in
networks like YouTube.
It
is just amazing to have one album with almost 4 MILLION plays there,
I mean we are still a small band, no big label, so no big label money
AT ALL. Still three regular dudes with cheap sunglasses, and in there
just for playing our hearts out basically. So it is just amazing to
be rewarded like this, honestly and directly from THE people, not by
some fat big dollar media-dinosaur who just writes about us because a
label paid him for this.
Will
you be doing anything special to mark your 10th anniversary as a
band. A one-off gig to celebrate your music.
Yes
we will do this on May 13 in Berlin. Richard will return
for one gig and play his trademark “Army Of Ignorance” with us.
We will also introduce the original line-up of founding members
playing a “Singata”-jam. I hope there will be an atmosphere of
PURE BLISS because that is what the world needs most, not another
super negative Sludge Doom band. Please.
Are
you still involved with different musical projects such as running
your excellent record label. Any new musical projects on the horizon.
Or is SBE your main focus for the time being.
I
do my solo stuff as SURYA KRIS PETERS. But my label activities have
been pretty much cut down to releasing more or less only our own
outputs, also because I am still a bit disappointed in some of my
earlier band-releases who at first chance jumped on the big label /
big show off-boat. Hans has another band with Rodeo Drive, but they
are a total “hobby band”, not playing live that much or doing
much in general except for band internal drinking contests maybe LOL.
Thomas is totally absorbed by job and family, and SBE, I think. He
once had another project, but time flies you know... we have to make
compromises all the time. It´s just like that.
Before
you go, do you have anything to say to your fans.
THANK
YOU! So much, I can not speak to everybody personally nor even reply
every mails especially in these days where I have like a 7 day job
with the band and my other things, but really I am overwhelmed by the
many many great people out there!
And
to those who keep complaining (about my voice, about the songs, about
the artworks LOL!!), rating music after two plays, comparing us to
any random band out there : Music is not about competition!! Can you
imagine?!
Well
Chris, thanks for doing this. All the best with the new album as its'
a superb album.
Thank
you, and keep enjoying whatever you do!
Words
by Steve Howe and Chris Peters
