“A Spacial Experience”

Interview with the great British Space Rock Band Litmus 

By Sergio Vilar

How does Litmus begin? Was there some previous project?
Martin: Simon and myself started exchanging some riffs and ideas, and it became a band when we found a drummer (Ben) and recorded some rough demos. But Litmus today begins with the people who are in the band now - we all bring different ideas and influences with us.

Simon: I’ve know Martin for some time- we’ve done a couple of things before this. Litmus started in 1999 I think. We did the demo tape a year or so later which we sent to people and got a good response. But, in my mind, I think of this line-up as the ‘real’ Litmus- in many ways we’ve just started with the “You are Here” CD.

From where does the name come?
Simon: I believe Ben, the old drummer thought of it- I think perhaps it’s a pun on the ‘acid test’ thing, litmus paper and all that. I suppose we are quite acidic on the ears! It’s quite a good name as it’s short and I can remember it…

Do you agree with which to Litmus it considers it to him a band of progressive rock or are you considered more as a band of space rock?
Marek: It can't be denied that right now we are a Space Rock band. Energy, rhythm and velocity are more important to us than, say, long, complicated, unnecessary musical noodlings often found in prog.

Simon: I think perhaps we all bring different influences, some more ‘prog’, some leaning more towards ‘rock’. It’s difficult, because as soon as you give something a label, it imposes boundaries on expectations. But at the same time I realise people want a term they can relate to in their own minds, use as a frame of reference. I like ‘psychedelic rock’ as it’s quite a loose term, but even the term ‘Rock’ has connotations. rock’n roll? I don’t know…

Martin: Many of our fans would probably say we are a space rock band, although something like "heavy psychedelic rock" might be a better description. I like to think that we are at times progressive of thought, if not of style. What I mean by this is that we sometimes like to challenge conventions of structure, and to experiment with different sounds and arrangements, for example, but a lot of the time we also try to retain a certain simplicity, and our music doesn't sound like what most people think of as "prog rock".

Which were the feelings or the ideas that you wanted to express through the band?
Martin: For me, musically, it is about a combination of heavy riffs and spacey atmospherics, and a balance between structured songs, collective improvisation and extended repetition. In terms of lyrics or concept, I think we reflect our experience of being in the world today, but we do it in a way that is not always obvious, with futuristic, technological, cosmic or mythical metaphors and imagery.

Perhaps one idea would be that over the course of a whole album or gig we could take people on some kind of journey, rather than just playing a series of isolated songs.

Marek: Positive energy transference through the medium of highly infectious rock music to make people dance furiously and have the best live band experience they can (or hopefully, can't) remember. Aurally it's out there in the heart of deepest space but the sentiment of each individual song varies... basic human emotional quandaries such as love, loss, death, the soul to more esoteric concepts such as ancient ritual, high physics and ghosts but also with a grip on more realistic societal engagements such as murder, drugs etc.

Simon: Having strong songs is, for me, perhaps  the most important element- and something which I personally am still working towards. I’m not sure that these have to be about anything specific lyrically- they can be about themselves… But also, as a band, to leave room for improvisation and repetition- to allow us, and hopefully an audience to ‘take off’ in unknown directions. Taking the listener (and ourselves) on a journey. Also we are very lucky to have some excellent lights at the moment which help create a true experience .

Would I like that we spoke about "You Are Here". Could you give me a brief impression of each track of the album?
Simon: OK well we all probably have different ideas as to what things are about! I would say that although the songs are in some ways different, I think we’ve managed to create something which fits together as a whole.  
I think it works…

“Infinity Drive”: This is a basic ‘rock’ thing, if you like. Heavy bass intro, guitar riffs and mad drum energy. Whole thing is layered with cosmic noises. This song takes off perhaps midway through and there’s a lot of repetition. I like repetition. Don’t know what the lyrics are about. (Simon)
“Dreams Of Space”: I guess this is my idea of a "space rock" track, with an insistent guitar riff driven by relentless percussive battery and swooping synths. (Martin)
“You Are Here”: This one is kind of "pastoral", influenced by the acoustic guitar interplay of people like Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, but with added electronics and mellotron. (Martin)
“Sonic Light”: Perhaps a punky/pop type song? Nice uplifting Moog line. The lyrics are pretty self explanatory. (Simon)
“Rays Of Sonic Light”: This is intended as a brief coda to the upbeat 'Sonic Light', based on its synth melody, bridging that track and the more hypnotic “(Theta Wave) Inductor”. The feel is more progressive than space rock, with key modulations and instrumentation influenced by that genre. (Andy)
“(Theta Wave) Inductor”: The opening drone is elongated and elaborated by a twisting riff, hypnotic vocals and an extended guitar solo until finally relenting with an uplifting chord change before the final descent. (Martin)
“There”: A synth based electronic ‘interlude’- perhaps this is ‘synthetic’ to the extent which “You are here” is organic?  (Simon)
“I Can’t Be Sane”: High Energy- this one is fast and furious. Our drummer wrote the lyrics about himself. (Simon)
“Chime”: Very sinister this- bizarre electronica from the warped mind of Anton. (Simon)
“Stone Oscillator (Static Ritual)”: This brings the pace right down, but retains a downbeat kind of momentu that only dissolves towards the end of the twenty-minute journey. The seven verses are varied by different instrumentation, and interspersed with heavy riffs and solos. (Martin)

Musically, the disk is of a great wealth. How long did it take you to carry out it?
Martin: It was recorded in a number of bursts over a period of about six months. Mixing and mastering took a further month.

Simon: Martin recorded it all using different bits of equipment- I don’t know what they all were. The advantage of this was that it enabled us to spend time exploring the ideas. It was originally going to be a demo but took on a life of its own, evolving into the CD we now have. So it took a long time to do. I think it’s been worth it! The next CD will, I think be a more focused affair- we will know what we are setting out to do before we start, so we’ll see how that turns out!

How do you come the music today in the world and in Great Britain in particular?
Simon: Don’t really listen to that much that’s going on in this country and in the world- the trouble is the music on TV and radio, that’s most easily accessible, is not always the best music! The internet is great for that- finding new bands and stuff. I’m sure there is a lot of great music out there I am missing out on.

Marek: There are some truly shocking acts making an awful lot of money. Really good music rarely hit's the radar of mainstream commercial exposure. Instead it has to be mined from a pit of Coca-Cola sponsored mind-numbing saccharine. It's most depressing.

What new bands have you liked?
Martin: I'm not sure I hear a lot of really new bands. The last CD I bought was the new album by The Hidden Hand, which I thoroughly recommend to anyone who likes quality heavy rock with a touch of psychedelic doom.

Marek: Not so sure about new but bands I like right now who are doing great work at the moment are Ministry, Killing Joke and Fantomas. Bands like Arlo, White Stripes, Hot Hot Heat, Electric Six and similar quirky "indie" bands also give me great pleasure - there's not enough humour out there these days.

Simon: Don’t know that many new bands. I like a lot of old bands- Hawkwind have been a big influence. Innercity Unit. What I’m listening to at the moment is The Fall.

Which are your plans for the future? Will there be a new CD soon?
Marek: Keep writing, recording and playing bigger and bigger gigs. Right now we move from strength to strength so I suppose if we can keep that momentum we'll be fine.
Work continues apace (on a new CD)... Summer 2005 at the latest, maybe.

Simon: We are planning to do a new CD next Year- perhaps begin recording in the Spring. This one will definitely be a more focussed affair. I think we will go and hide away somewhere, do most of it in one session. In the New Year, we’ve got some very good gigs coming up which we are all looking forward to immensely- we’re supporting The Ozric Tentacles and Julian Cope is taking us on tour as the support for his January gigs. Very excited about that!

Lastly, Do you believe to have found an own personality as band?
Simon: I see where we are as a starting point. We are here! Obviously we have influences but I think we are beginning to view ourselves and be viewed as our own entity. 

Marek: The other day I was watching “Seven Samurai”. It's a bit like that really... except, clearly, there are less of us. Radically different individuals bringing their differences together to create a strong team and something really quite strange and beautiful.

Martin: I think we are starting to develop our own sound, as our many and varied influences become more fully absorbed and integrated into something new and cohesive. But it's a long process, and we've only just started, really.

That was everything friends. Would you like to add something to finish the interview?
Martin: Thank you very much. You can visit our website at www.litmusmusic.co.uk , or e-mail us at litmus@litmusmusic.co.uk  if you're interested in hearing about what Litmus are doing.

Simon: Thank you for the interview. Cheers! 

Nucleus interview: 18/12/04