Interview with Gudrun Snake from Lahka Muza & Hieros Gamos for KALEIDOSCOPE MAGAZINE(England)

Kaleidoscope: Hieros Gamos is a band that consists of the same members as Lahka Muza – what is the difference in concept and idea behind the new band, and why not just call it Lahka Muza? Has Lahka Muza been replaced?

Gudrun: Well, let me some informations about Lahka Muza (Muse of Light) for a start…Lahka Muza is one from the oldest and the most original bands of dark music here in Central&East Europe.(We are on the stage more like 20 years and current live set up is Gudrun-vocal&percussions, 677-guitar&programming, Moon-bassguitar, Cora-electronics ). Lahka Muza is experimental kind of band and core of band are Gudrun & 677 . Lahka Muza is knows thru her deep ritual music ( combination strong guitar`s sound and female vocal) . After 5 th album of Lahka Muza we wanted to do pure electronic ritual music with strong live presentation with performers . Therefore we decided that we create a new band – Hieros Gamos (Gudrun-vocal&performing, 677-keyboard&programming, Black Cats – electronics &performing) only for special art events &festivals…Here in Europe is not easy to present this kind of artwork on stages…Is more places only for bands outside special visual presentation…So Hieros Gamos is special project for art souls…We are more like only musicians.. We like also visual art , design and etc…Lahka Muza will be continue in her own roads . We will hold both bands . We love great guitar sound and also pure electronic music…So this will be the best way for us like artists. Absolute art liberty !

Kaleidoscope: The name refers to the marriage or union between a god(dess) and a human – what is the relevance of this, and what are your own religious beliefs?

Gudrun: Course, name of Hieros Gamos has also this contents . But we used this name in wider concept . Hieros Gamos is ritual…and we play ritual music…Hieros Gamos is full of erotic impulses…Our live show with 3 women and one man too…I think that real magic and strong art must contains also woman` s side…So Hieros Gamos maybe to stay also some answer on a lot of clearly men bands on neo-folk or dark wave music scene…We are looking for our Anima & Animus . This is reason why name Hieros Gamos . Goes about picture of connection between Anima and Animus… And like liberal artists – we don t let capture of some concrete religious …We are too free souls for this nippers…

Kaleidoscope: Is it easier to recreate the concept of Hieros Gamos on stage or in the studio?

Gudrun: Hieros Gamos is multimedia project…So we could to record all music in studio only…We are more complex on stage….strong music with great ritual vocal and special performens…I think that live show of Hieros Gamos is very strong experience for viewers . Therefore we completed album of Hieros Gamos with special 160 pictures gallery….So fans can better to understand our ideas together with visual part of artwork…

Kaleidoscope: What sort of music did you listen to when you were a child / teenager, and how did you discover your own ability to create music? Did the system of govt in your country have an effect on your musical access and appreciation?

Gudrun : You know, we lived in closed communist Czecho-Slovakia and here wasn`t easy to have some fresh music collection or to listen some free music radio…But wave of Punk and after New Wave & Industrial arrived to our state enough quickly…So we listened mainly punk and new wave music…So we liked bands like Sex Pistols , Clash , The Ex etc… Our first band was punk/new wave band too….We was young and full of resistance for this public system…Our band was forbidden and we cooperated with strong underground scene from Czechia . After “ velvet revolution’ at 1989 are things in art better, but still very demanding…So Lahka Muza&Hieros Gamos are here in Slovakia “unwelcome” also in this post-communist system too…Slovakia is strong catholic state and we are too free for this system…So we are cooperating more with people from our borders like with “ native” people….We was “dangerous “ for old system and also for current too….but it is matter of all free people…

Kaleidoscope: How did you discover the interest in fetishism that is evident in your stage shows?

Gudrun: Hm…Is not easy to explain all things around our stage shows or visual in a few lines.. but let`s go…like I said in previous answer , core of band is one strong man and woman…we are very balanced pair…and both we like in art strong themes of Love , Passions , Erotic and Liberty…So for us was very natural to go till behind limits of music ( even if our music is very emotive ) and to continue on our wild roads together with our imaginations about visual effects…And because we live in 21th century we only use modern facilities like black lack & leather wear …or we are join old magician visual with a new design…We like every human like original art product…and this people have also some relations between each other…the dominance , subsidiarity or balance….so we are using all this symbols…and “fetish” theme is very near of this basic themes…

Kaleidoscope: What inspires your lyrics?

Gudrun : A good question . I am singing all lyrics in our native language ( Slovak) so is not easy to understand even if we use on our albums translations into English. 677 – which is writing all lyrics – likes old magic lyrics, taoism philosophy and we both love power of nature & fatal relations...so our lyrics are full of feelings free souls inside unfree World...and of eternal combat with this Matrix...Our lyrics contain of knowledge necessary and power for suppression of feelings solitude and void in the hard moments of our lives...because the roads of light flows of darkness...

Kaleidoscope: What are your next plans for your music?

Gudrun: Our planes are very easy....to play with both bands on great events in Europe , to prepare a new songs for 6 th album of Lahka Muza and to take a lot of nice pictures with Hieros Gamos .To cooperate with magazines , to have occasions share with our fans our together ideas and to enjoy with their from our new artworks...

Kaleidoscope : What are your 3 favourite films, books and CDs?

Gudrun :Uff...is not easy to write only 3 favourite things...because we are lovers of a good music, books, movies, paintings and interesting philosophic ways...and we are in band 4 different persons with own taste.. so I will talk only about my personal selection. From music – I prefer albums from Skin ( M.Gira&Jarboe) and Swans , Clock DVA, Death in June , Diamanda Galas , Virgin Prunes and a lot of great music with a hot heart...From movies – Drakula from Coppola, The Piano , Space Odyssey 2001 , Matrix , Blade Runner , Hunger, Caravan/Himalayas, serial Twin Peaks and tones next....Books – great magic stories from our writers like Gustav Meyrink , Ladislav Klima and deep psychological books about the most secret parts of human soul.... So we are very renaissance kind of people...

Kaleidoscope: What are your earliest childhood memories?

Gudrun : Great, the question like from Freud`s divan...I think that my first feeling was a deep fears from isolation of own being ...and this feelings determine all my life...so I am looking for affinity souls...and together with their “to penetrate to till border “ like I am singing in one of our songs...to join our souls, hearts and minds in more free and kinder World like is this.... In the World of Art...

Kaleidoscope : If you could visit any place in the world during any period where and when would you go and why?

Gudrun : Well, I am not classic tourist soul...I prefer system of “genius loci” . So I need feel from some places or people something strong and magic....I am not consumer...Only still divining charm of strong reality...so therefore I want to go at old druidical lands and to meet with my friend from South America . To see magic country of England and Ireland for her cold beauty and power of magic and South America for the most hot hearts of the World...