UPSILON ACRUX

 "In The Court Of The Upsilon King"

Interview with Paul Lai, guitarist of Upsilon Acrux

By Sergio Vilar

Well Paul, count us shortly Upsilon Acrux's history...  
Formed in the late 90's in Vista, CA the home of absolutely no good music and thankfully far from being involved in any San Diego scene. We've had over 15 different members and several different line-ups anything from 2 piece to 6 piece and beyond for recordings.
Of the current line-up only 2 original members from the first CD, Jesse Klecker and myself.

Which were your main influences when you formed the group? Have you varied from then on?  
To be honest, our first influences were... King Crimson, Polvo, Nels Cline, Faust, Magma, This Heat and Ornette Coleman. And while the focus of the music has changed from the starting point the push is still the same, which was to make music that we, ourselves would like to hear. I believe we've been exposed to and therefore influenced by far more music now so we tend to drop less obvious things in our music. More than ever though we're pushing towards something that's our own.

The music of the band is a strange mixture of styles. What elements do you take to give him it forms to your music?  
Well proggressive rock I guess plays a big part, but I don't look at proggressive as just a genre but more as ambition musically, striving to do something unthinkable as opposed to giving up and playing power chords or whatever is the easiest way out. Free jazz was a huge influence as far as energy and pure brutality. As well as death metal for discipline, calculated brutality and speed. And Krautrock as well for it's mind numbing capabilities and some 20 century composer stuff for ideals etc...
I guess really anything that sounds creative or original.

Then, how characteristic they define Upsilon Acrux's identity?  
Now I would imagine most people just say we're prog, which is fine but I don't and have never aimed at being any one form or genre of music. We try to challenge ourselves to make original music, that's it, nothing more nothing less. 

How were you happened that name for the band? Which is their meaning?  
We don't like absolutes, we like to leave space for personal interpretation, the same is true of our music and all the art relating to it. Upsilon Acrux doesn't mean anything specific, it's just sounds right for the kind of music we play.

What can you be about the I title “Volucris Avis Dirae-Arum” and of the songs that integrate it?  
Well literally I believe it means "the Flying Birds of Omen", at least that's what I was trying to make it state. We liked the theme of birds for this album and I guess in a way we're hoping this album is a exactly as the title states, an omen for what music can become.
We played these songs for about 2 years, working out some pieces for up to 3 months, it was a difficult album to make. And we feel like the result is our best work ever. Even the mixing was incredably difficult, choosing for an original sound w/ the extreme panning as opposed to the proven way of giving the audience exactly what they expect.

Does a general concept exist? Is a conceptual album?  
It's not a conceptional album, there are conceptional parts in the songs but as far as connecting the album, it's just us and songs.

The concept if anything was doing the 2 drummer thing as it's never been done, which is separating them and having actual different parts for each and polyrhythms as opposed to the Grateful Dead way, which is just 2 drummers jamming like they're one person. Initially this was partly fueled by King Crimson when they had 2 drummers, I saw them and heard the album and was truly disappointed at the promise unfufilled. I swore if given the chance I would push for more than they did, so when the band changed to a 2 drummer format we took full advantage and recorded something unique.

How was the creative process of this disk?  
It took some time, more than any other version of this band to play like a band. Because we had 2 drummers and so many different parts to accent and break apart and so many harmonys it was more give and take than ever before. Plus we had 3 different songwriters for a change, myself, Eric the bassist, and the drummers wrote as one.

How do you come the album now, to little of having been published?  
Do you mean how I feel about the album now that it's out for everyone to hear? 
If so, well I'm relieved and anxious for people to hear this. Relieved that we did it right and we're all happy w/ the way it sounds, the way it's packaged etc... And happy that we were able to pull it off and hopefully if people will listen to it, it can be an unique listening experience of a completely stereophonic, polyrhythmed record.

Artistically that objective is looking for to reach?  
Well that's not for us to decide, we're reaching .. yes, always. Are we successful? That's for others to decide, we've done our best ... for now.

Do other projects exist in those that are involved?  
Our newest member is also in a band called Bad Dudes, who are very good and should be coming out w/ something in the next 6 months. The rest of us are just writing new music for Upsilon Acrux. 

“Volucris Avis Dirae-Arum” your fourth CD, truth is? Do you have some concrete plan for the new disk?  
Yes, this is actually our 4th album, and yes songs are already coming for the 5th album. 

Changing topic. What current, North American or European bands, do you find interesting?  
Current bands.... I'd have to say some of my favorites include Yowie, Ortherelm, the Flying Luttenbackers, Open City, the Gorge Trio, US Maple, the Ruins, Nels Cline and any version of Magma!!! 

Who do I consider the musical vanguard today? 
Coltrane for me is the limit, the top of the mountain, no one better before or since. Coltrane then Magma who are my favorite rock band ever.

Thank you for your time. Do you want to add something more?
Just this, we'd love to tour in Argentina, if someone out there can help make this a reality, please please get in contact w/ us!!! We want to play this obscure music for as many people as possible. If you think the album sounds good, wait till you see us live, we're better. thanks

www.geocities.com/klaus0101/UPSILON 

Nucleus interview: 31/08/04