Morganistik says

By curiosity I went to check the pictures of that photographer and I was surprised to discover that at several years appart, we took the same picture of the same strange details around the world. The same thing happened with Moby.

I was browsing his pictures since a few years and several times I thought: I would have taken exactly the same picture! We have the same vision of the world, and anywhere on earth even if we never met, we will spot the same strange detail and take a picture of it.

Today I had the luck to meet Moby after a very intimate accoustic live at Colette Paris. I told him we were taking the same photos, so that surprised him. And I told him I wished he wasn’t that famous or we would go around to take pictures together. So Moby, if you ever read that (knowing that now you have my site card), my camera is always ready. If you don’t tweet where you are, I’m sure we can go around incognito.

Last thing: because of the photography connection, I was dreaming to meet him to get my own picture of him since 7 years. Never give up your dreams, if you really want them, they always come true. I’ll quote my favorite song by him “no one can stop us now, ’cause we are all made of stars”.

http://www.moby.com/photos since always one of my favorite photo site.
http://destroyed.moby.com/ listen and watch Destroyed. Buy the book, it has the album inside.
Destroyed exhibiton at Colette Paris infos visit the exhibtion till 4th June

Morganistik says: The Horrorist new album “Joyless pleasure” is out today on Things to Come records. Softer and surprisingly romantic but still full of energy and extremely tortured. You can’t put one style tag on the album. In the 1st track “Modern” the voice will make you think of Ian Curtis from Joy Division. “Joyless pleasure” has a high Depeche Mode feel with ultra pure and detailed synths sounds and effects. “Darkling Lullaby”, “Love sick” and “Lovely Sweet” are 3 ovnis in The Horrorist universe as they are not dance tracks. “Hostage” takes us on an electroclash direction and “I stand with you” in pure EBM style with a Nitzer Ebb impression.

An album more mature than ever, more melancholic. Even if we can compare some songs to other people’s sounds, there is one thing that will always belong to The Horrorist and be unique like this album: it’s his strange stories. Joyless Pleasure is like a very detailed piece of jewelry but in electronic music.

This made me want to dig a bit more by asking Oliver Chesler aka The Horrorist a few questions:

Morganistik: Each song was inspired by events in your life, which one is the most touching and why?
Oliver Chesler: Hostage. Most people when they hear the song will probably think of an obsessed male stalking a woman. It’s actually about my father passing away last November. Unexpectedly he had a brain hemorrhage and it took him a week to die. I was completely overcome with the event. I sat in the hospital everyday wanted to keep him. Wanted to keep him hostage. Loving him. I wrote the song in just a few hours. Months later I did a re-edit that you hear on the album. I will release the full 9 minutes version later this year with remixes.

Morganistik: That’s a nice homage. He’s also the voice on the intro of “The Virus” on Manic Panic album, that’s also forever…
Your previous album “Manic Panic” was a diary of your New York City life, stories with innocent naive girls. Now you sound to be the innocent soft one: what happened to The Horrorist?
Oliver Chesler: Indeed. The offender has become the victim. I’ve grown old since I wrote Manic Panic. My body is still young but my mind sees around the corners and I now know what goes on behind the closed doors. I willing made huge mistakes just to see what it would feel like. I’m really very much a different person.

Morganistik: I wouldn’t say different, but more a normal evolution. You’re still evil I think *winks* (in a good way)
I’d like to come back on an EP you released in 2007 “13 Dobermans”, can you tell me the crazy story behind this track?
Oliver Chesler: When I was a teenager I had what I thought was a romantic futurist phase. What it really meant was I wore all the same colored clothes. To get the mono colored effect I had to raid my mothers wardrobe. My daily wear attracted a lot of violent behaviors from fools. Little did most of the offenders know I was friends with a group of black kids from a neighboring town. I really liked those guys and they loved to scare the shit out of people when they got on my nerves. It was a symbiotic relationship. They saved my life a few times. They were the 13 Dobermans. Eric and Lamont if you read this… thanks!

Morganistik: hahaha, love it and were you really wearing high heels then?
Oliver Chesler: Not quite but most people will tell you there’s been nothing weirder since I walked the streets at 17.

Morganistik: oh you were a hero of style in the 101 Depeche Mode video. You inspired a full generation with your style in fact…
Photography has a special place for you as you’re always shooting pictures, what camera are you using most? And do you have a favorite photographer?
Oliver Chesler: Ah you have noticed my flickr feed! I can’t stop taking photos. I really don’t have a fancy camera. You know the saying the best camera is the one you have with you. These days it’s an iPhone 4. I’m in love with all the photography apps on it. It’s truly amazing what you can do. You know I was putting together a list of “my favorite…” … Fine Artist: Basquiat Director: Kubrick Industrial Designer: Dieter Rams but I never made it to photographer… any suggestion?!

Morganistik: ah besides Morganistik *winks* I’d go for Michael Kenna, Anton Corbijn, Richard Bellia, Reuben Wu (from Ladytron! He’s an amazing analog photographer)
Oliver Chesler: Noted!

Morganistik: Also Peter Funch and his NYC “Babel Tales” project where he took people for 4 years in one location and put them all together. It gives surprising results.
What are the future secret plans of The Horrorist?
Oliver Chesler: Well there are 10 songs on this album. I actually recorded over 30. So music is on the horizon. I’m also working on building a buffer between the world and myself. I’ve got a killer day job, so as all troopers do as they enter their 40′s, I stand the same: buy a house, make a mountain of money so I’m safe when I can’t make a mountain of money anymore, make a statement that may last longer than I do here.

Morganistik: That’s why your music is out there I think… That’s eternal
Is there something you’d like to say to the world?
Oliver Chesler: My message: Live and live long enough to tell everyone about it!!!

Morganistik: Last question is not a question but a confession from me: we met 10 years ago after one of your live act in Paris. This night I had a little DAT recorder and I made an illegal recording of the live. After that it was so hot in the club that I went out trying to remove discretely the microphone around my neck and I fell on you outside the club… As I was busted, I told you I loved your voice and wanted you to record my answering machine message. (for the readers the message was saying “Hi Morganistik can’t speak right now because she’s busy, she’s busy with The Horrorist so please call back later… much later”) I had to confess that to you, if you wish to react…
Oliver Chesler: I remember! Do you still have the recording?

Morganistik: Yes I still have the DAT
Oliver Chesler: ah heh…

Morganistik: well do you forgive me then?
Oliver Chesler: yeah you’re forgiven

Morganistik: great, Oliver thank you!!

References:
http://thingstocome.com/
http://soundcloud.com/thingstocome
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thingstocomerecords/

Interview of Oliver Chesler, The Horrorist, Friday 13th May 2011 by Morganistik. All pictures ©Morganistik
The Horrorist “Joyless Pleasure”
Release date: May 13, 2011
Digital Download: iTunes, Amazon, Beatport
CD: Amazon

Morganistik says: In June 2006 the huge musician Matthew Herbert was presenting his album “Scale” at Bataclan Paris. During the live I went backstage to take a break and he arrived and showed me his hand in blood…

At this time I didn’t know him at all and I confess I was a bit impressed that he was there. He shows me his hand and tells me “I’ve cut my finger”. On stage he was playing keyboards so I stared and asked him: how did you do that??! And he explained, he tried to open a cola can and the part you pull broke and cut him badly. He couldn’t stop the show so he put a tissue around and kept on playing.

The photographer in me 1st reflex was to ask him to take a picture of his hand. And then the human being in me proposed to look after his hand and clean it.

I wonder what are photographer’s reflex in those little incident cases. Do they shoot 1st or do they help 1st? But I believe we always shoot 1st, whatever happens.

We were just going out of a fashion show a few days ago and when you change of place, you must redo your camera settings for the lights. So you find someone and you shoot. And this someone that night was Gaspard from Justice.

I usually ask before I take a picture but I was still in fashion show mode, shooting all that moved so this one time I didn’t. Once I realized how rude I was, I then asked: can I? And he replied: you just did. :) Shame shame shame on me, I just became one of those uncivilized photographers that I never wanted to be.

I sent him very flat apologies and he asked me for the picture saying no worries. I think we’re good now. And speaking of good, go buy the new Justice single “Civilization” out today, not because it’s the new Adidas campain but because we waited 2 years for this new baby and he sounds goooood.