ORKUS: Unfortunately, I have not much information on Lahka Muza, so please forgive me for asking some basic things: 

a) What does your band name mean?

LM: In an English translation it means “light muse“ and that perhaps does not evoke anything to you... but in our region are by this denomination named so-called “fallen kinds of art”... and since the bad taste of today is the taste of tomorrow and the truth you have to find there, where you would not look for in any case, seemed just this name very suitable, concerning that, what we have been doing all the years. Our work oscillates on one side between the respected art and on the other – ignored lampoon...

b) Who is in the band?

LM: In 1984 created the band four members: 677, Gudrun, German H and Dr.K. From this line-up remained only the duo of 677 (guitar,programming,keyboard) Gudrun (vocal) and them joined bass guitar player Voda. Another member –nonmusical – is performeress Cora, which performs with us on stage and on our promo photographs of the band.

c) When were you founded and what was your "founding vision", a goal or a musical aim that you are still trying or to or have succeeded to live up to?

LM: As I have said before, the foundations of the band were laid down in 1984. Until 1989 it was the “studying” period full of searching of our own way... Since 1990 it is “ full-blooded” Lahka Muza. And our aims – to create specific and original project, that works on the basis of minimalistic composi- tional process with actual rock/electro sound. As well to connect our Slavonic tradition with the present musical events in sphere of  “darker“ genres of music. Whether, and to what size we are successful in fulfilling of our visions can judge only our listeners... 

ORKUS: I suppose the title of your album means (as it says on the album sleeve) "The roads of light flow through darkness". What is implied in this title and how does it transpose in your music?

LM: Each our album is always thematically aimed on certain idea. In the name of the album we try to define the space, which we want to search. As with our album “Shadow of Pain“ “Vibration of Absolute“, “The dream of defined life“ also the newest has its own main theme. The implication of this album is knowledge that the bigger part of darkness you enlight, the deeper abyss you can see... and just our music wants to join those who search on dangerous walks through the lands of human soul... and whatever you´ll see, not to forget, that even in the greatest darkness there is a primordium of light... just to find the courage and power to see it... 

ORKUS: Does your album title possibly also imply that the album is best listened to at night, in the dark... as an so-to-speak enlightning experience?

LM: Yes, it is possible to take in a wider context also this interpretation. We think, that this kind of music really works best on the listener in the quiet of night silence... the magic power of night together with the vibrations of the sound him strongly brings inside of the inner virtual space of own soul... and by the specially disposed persons it is not excluded that through such kind of music they can involuntarily pass from the level of feelings to new thought forms... and if the listener is able to utilize some energy that is being hybernated, the work is done...

ORKUS: Your music is described as minimalistic electro-gothic-industrial, however the most striking aspect of your compositions are the vocals, very much in the vein of the Grande Dames, such as Lisa Gerrard. Have you undergone vocal training? Could you name any specific inspirations or influences?

LM: Yes, in our music we give to singing special position.From the very beginning it is defined by some specifics... so all songs are sang in our native language – Slovak - and then there are used different vocal techniques – from the shamanicly/mantrical declamative style, through the experiments with vocal effects, to the classical and operatic singing... my expression is often compared to Lisa Gerrard. In the part, where I use the classic and operatic technique, you can really find similiar methods. But the listeners, who know also the other albums, perceive my vocal in a wider context. I try for my own approach, though I am not saying, that I do not watch with interest what and how sing my favourite singers. But the paradox is that I am attracted mainly by interesting male vocal, and because of this I do not use that type of “tearful” and angelic fragile female expression...as regards to my vocal technique, I am in this some kind of an “explorer”... all techniques, that I use, have been developed by myself without the help of teachers... this for I am not afraid to use also many unusual methods, that are forbidden by the vocal pedagogist amongst the first... I have always been into the combination of animal and highly cultivate expression... 

ORKUS: Your music has a strong sacral, almost holy feel to it. Are you inspired by religious beliefs and religious art?

LM: We are pleased, when our work acts on the listeners exactly this way, for we try for this effect. That, what we are interested in our work is searching and understanding to the causality of this Universe through revealing of the secrets of your own soul... in a sense of a rule: what is above is also downhere... for this reason it can seem, that all our work is strongly inspired by religious belief. In the way of our approach we definitely do not prefer any concrete religious directions, but we rather accept the basic laws, that are over all the concrete religious forms... 

ORKUS: In your lyrics, do you incorporate mystical or spiritual ideas?

LM: In view of the fact, that our lyrics are to us equally important as our music, we devote to it much patience. We try, that they could support each other at their best while still creating one whole. Through our lyrics we try to interpret our own attitude and knowledge, that is based on thoughts, that can be described as spiritual. Main part of our fans even admits to our lyrics the right to exist without the musical part... they take them as original poems in prose... and as little magical works... 

ORKUS: How is the music scene in Slovakia?

LM: Such being the case, that we live in a catholic state of five millions, without any deeper tradition of these kinds of art, is also the scene scared by some “poor-blooding”. There are few bands here that try to do something else from the average. Amongst the most interesting undoubtely belongs gothic/electro The Last Days of Jesus, industrial Einleitungszeit and EBM K.I.F.O.T.H.. As regards to our activities, we play besides Slovakia mainly in Czechia, where is the situation a little better, and then in the country of our producer – in Poland. 

ORKUS: Has living and creating in Slovakia in some way shaped your artistic views in any specific direction?

LM: As I have said before, this is for bands of our statute in countries like Slovakia very hard for several reasons. Beside the poor base of audience we suffer of lack of clubs, magazines and media, where it could be possible to present also other kinds of art, than the sterile general average... another very serious problem is the whole economic weakness in the post-communist states, where are the economic facilities only a fragment from those, that have the bands in the west part of Europe... and another specific point, that complicates the situation is the whole, rather military/catholic character of this state, where exactly these activities, as we devote to too, will always oscillate at the edge of a blade... on the other hand you have at least still that feel, when that what you do has, even with some problems, certain meaning... 

ORKUS: Visually – as one can see on the photos, as well as on the icons you use on your CD /website – you experiment with the congruency of motives. Also, you seem to be inspired by the S&M and fetish scene? Is this true? 

LM: Yes, various visual motives and the overall expression can very well support musical and lyric part of the work. And because we feel to be more than only musicians, for we are very close to the video-art, we try to experiment also in this territory. On the covers of our last two albums we really use a combination of special motives, where the main motive was doubled – as with the third album it is an image of two Snakes / Dragons in one body and on the new album two Lions joined with one head...in a wider meaning are these motives something like Jing-Jang in the West tradition... and in the closer sense we see in it our own parallel, because me and 677, we are Snake,Dragon and in the west zodiac we are both Lions...and to our promo photographies: we quite often meet with these kinds of questions. At first they really can evoke S&M and fetish themes, but this is only the formal part of the matter. In the inner part they are the symbolically expressed certain psychic and thought images. And the questions about freedom, slavery, controlling and reciprocity are in the wider context always very close to erotic themes... so we are definitely not interested in any empty first – way planed provocations of this nature...