DDb Interview Series (1009) - Love Cult / Full of Nothing

I want to thank and hug awesome guys from the WARM Karelia, Ivan and Anya for their help, patience and time!

1.

You have such a pejorative name for a label! Why so? When did you start the project?

Ivan: This one is a mighty and glorious name for a label, I think. "It's true because it can't be". Full of Nothing does not mean absence. It suggests an enormous amount of something. Mystical and sacred micro-world. My mind and my heart belong to that world. The world of 'maybe'.

Then there's the abbreviation "fon" which we use for our catalog numbers, it means both "feedback" and "background" in Russian. And another short name "fono" which connects with "phono" jacks and the general sound term... Isn't that just lovely? Also, there's this kind of music that says million things without a single clear phrase. Sometimes a tape loop awakens more emotions in me that a thousand well-composed symphonies.

The label was launched in January 2010. The name had come to me 5 years before that.

2. 

On the contrary, the name of your music project is really positive. Tell about the history of Love Cult.

Me & Anya both participated in Kawrelia Soul Collective, then joined MAAAA for their "Burning Kukkovka's Cock". But we really wanted to try to make something together, just the two of us. That was in mid-2009.

3.

How often do you quarrel speaking about music stuff?

Anya: We never argue. On the contrary - when we jam we come up with many new ideas. And we always try them out. Usually it leads to moving furniture, opening up the piano and looking for weird sound sources... I always feel this childish longing for adventures! Like building a treehouse or making hiding places.

4.

Why cassettes?

Ivan: We are so tactile, we just need something to touch and feel. Vinyl and tapes have this different aesthetic and exceptional design capacity. One can't put a tape into iPod so there's intimacy to music. Tapes sell well and CDs don't sell at all here.

5.

You guys are doing so many things: Love Cult, Full of Nothing, Novoe Tsarstvo, design, organization of tours and local gigs etc. Where do you find time for all of this?

Anya: There are never too many favourite activities if you are able to organize them in a harmonic way. I've been working with kids in a museum for the past year. Good half of my free time was dedicated to it. It's totally opposite to what we do with Ivan. One needs a recharge. And the resting turns into another activity. That's how we both stay interested and dedicated, whatever that is we're doing.

6.

One could have stumbled across Love Cult show at so many places already in Russia and Europe. Can you tell a bit about some special impressions?

Anya: There are special places. There are warm and giving places and there are those which smell of rot. The last tour with Woodpecker Wooliams and Golden Cup was amazing (the Russian part)! I can't thank Ivan enough for putting it together. That trip changed me a lot. I'm not sure whether it was Luca who said that "you're going somewhere to simply play a few shows but you find yourself coming back with new friends and unbelievable experience which turns you inside out".

Ivan: I was very inspired by Istanbul. Turkish culture, music, language - all was a huge revelation to me. We watched Chris Corsano play in a stellar club called "Bedroom", got a chance to chat, too. What a moment! The show we played was after a few months of hibernation. Semi-improvised, very powerful. I sang and cried.

One-of-a-kind Creepy Teepee festival in Czech!

Gigs in Vinius and Saransk were great, we're happy there are recordings of those on the web. Deep vibes, recpectful audience. And of course, the last tour. The Russian gigs were so inspiring! Woodpecker Wooliams and Golden Cup are outstanding musicians and people. Everything we do is for such people and such moments.

7.

Tell which part of label work is:

The hardest?

Most joyful?

Most boring?

Anya: Ivan takes care of the hard work. He's the manager. He makes stuff happen, handles all relations with musicians etc. I'm not of much use in organization. The rest of the work varies... The most boring part is dubbing tapes. It's funny that we can't listen to the releases after hearing them 50 times. It's always different with artwork. One day the design idea comes in a moment, the other time it takes ages. But all these little things bring me so much joy and inspiration! It's not just about spreading the music - it's an endless chain of relationships with amazing people. The only downside is Russian Post, ha ha.

Ivan: The coolest part of running a label is listening to cool music. The shittiest - listening to shitty music.

8.

Next question I will ask to every person in DDb interview series.
What have changed in independent music world with the developing and spreading of the Web?
Any positive improvements? Any negative repercussions?

Ivan: Every music era is unique. I just can't understand all the whining and internet cries about the music industry and all. Anyone can make whatever they want nowadays! We're living in a truly great time!

9.

What music did you like or were intrigued by lately? What would you recommend?

Ivan: Lots of hours worth of listening to my first free psych love - Vibracathedral Orchestra. Also insane amounts of Sunroof! and Hototogisu, and Excepter. The latest Current 93, previously unheard "Jaybird" from Sunburned. Tapes from Stunned. Pretty great noise-rock from Scarcity of Tanks and Sea Scouts. Steve Gunn and Gunn-Truscinski Duo, Suishou No Fune, Velvet Underground, The Beatles. Folk compilations: "Give Me Love: Songs Of The Brokenhearted - Baghdad, 1925-1929" & "To Scratch Your Heart: Early Recordings from Istanbul". Woodsist catalog: Woods, Spectre Folk, White Fence... Many albums from my friends, mainly Woodpecker Wooliams and Ous Mal. Hip-hop and dub. Constantly all Full of Nothing releases.

Anya: Lately I find it hard to listen to music that demands lots of attention, that doesn't have enough images and mood inside. I've been leaning towards more straightforward and accessible music: Rachael Dadd, Woods, Woodpecker Wooliams, Ducktails, Matrix Metals, Egyptrixx, Niggas With Guitars, Big Boi, Games, Grimes...

10.

What should we expect from Love Cult and Full of Nothing in the future?

6 new tapes are coming up on Full of Nothing: M. Geddes Gengras, prayer / Nathan McLaughlin, Preslav Literary School, Polypus Acephalous, Banana Pill, Suburban Howl. There are already some clips at Soundcloud!

Just finished a new tape with Love Cult, called "Averter". Lots of chanting on that one, like we did on the last tour. Slowed down piano loops, kantele. It'll be out in Autumn! Can't name the label at the moment. ;)

Sacred Phrases are going to release our collab with Turkish drone cutie Berk (I Create Soundscapes). The project is called Teenage Magic. The material is similar to Love Cult but with synth, ghostly flute and a pop 'song'.

Working on tracks for several compilations, split 7" with MAAAA and next tape (for Digitalis Ltd.)

Links for checking out:
http://www.lovecult.tihiiomut.ru
http://www.fono.tihiiomut.ru

Photo credit: Woodpecker Wooliams