An interview with Ronin Harris

by Craig Harvey with Max Michaels

Sitting down with Ronin Harris is like seeing an old friend you haven't been in touch with for a while. He never forgets a face, is always funny, intelligent and a wonderful warm human being in general. This is our 3rd interview with Mr. Harris and even though the backstage venue is somewhat loud (but not as loud as opening act "Coder 23" is outside in the venue) we somehow manage to find a (semi) quiet nook to do the interview. With a brand new album ("Matter and Form") due to hit the stores in a few short months, VNV Nation found some spare time to do a mini tour and give the audiences a brief taste the new material. Here is what we learned is in store for the fans, when VNV Nation returns later in the year with a full blown US tour with a new (as yet unknown) opening act and other cool tidbits from the world of Ronin Harris.

Craig:  You’ve got a new album coming out, Matter and Form, can you give us just some details on it.  Like how long it took you to record it, what musical direction you took as far as variations from the other album.
 
Ronin:  I would say it doesn't sound like other VNV albums it's so very electronic. Well, it’s all electronic, but the mood has changed.  It's very optimistic in a lot of places.  In some places very hard hitting like very sort of edgy, very soulful, gritty, and a lot of harmonics on it.  Places it kind of  takes influences from indie, you know I don't know how to explain that.  A lot of underground alternative sounds from the early 80's.  As well as modern set of undergrounds, very underground dance styles, but it's just full of bits and pieces that are references of music that  I like.  What I was more interested in doing with this album, I have been writing over the last couple of years, as far as the songs were concerned, before I got to instrumentation and they have just been songs I can sing.  Songs that I can just sit there and just feel a complete vibe to and lose myself in.  Rather then writing hits or writing this or that or the other, there's a lot of diversity on the album.  You'll here two songs tonight, Entropy and Homeward, and they are both very diverse, total opposites of one another.  There are the dark hearted moments on there. There are the dance bits and pieces but it's not like Future Perfect.  Future Perfect was an album of disappointments.  Trying to see away through to see a better future. Where as this album is about realizing potential.  The title actually comes from watching comes from the Greek philosophy about how the erosion of sands, before they knew what atoms were or what the analyses of matter was, they decided that was not an object was matter and had the potential to become an object.  And when it realized its form it became an object.  Metaphysical philosophers took that further into an ocean of the spirit being potential.  Personality. The ability of the person being, realizing and that's what this album is about.  The songs aren't about singing about that.  It's the album it self.  The whole over all thing.  The lyrical content and what it's doing about.  Realizing for ourselves a lot of things.  I get really happy, good vibes, intense vibes but very focused.  That's my way to describe it.  Melodically a lot of the songs people have heard on previous albums sort of it touches on them, but it's not a trance album. 
 
Craig:  It's still recognizably different?
 
Ronin:  Oh, God yeah.   But the thing is I played a couple of songs, and people are like wow, what's this?
 
 
Craig:  That's good.  That’s always a good evolution.  Are you still composing most of your music on your lap top?
 
 
Ronin:  No, I’m doing it on a G5, in the studio.  I compose music in my head and then I just use the G5 in my studio environment.
 
Craig: So it’s still going to be on computer software?
 
Ronin:   A lot external stuff for this album, a lot more analogue.   I picked out the ones that I really want to use and I’m using a lot more out board.  Mainly for the vibe, to get the quality and get the sound quality I wanted.  I went back and used some choice analogue pieces.  I also had a friend of mine helping me in loaning me some good pieces.
 
Craig:  So you are using a lot more hardware then you were on the last album?
 
Ronin:  Very much so.  I went back to using a lot of analogue stuff, and it makes all the difference on this album.  The things that really give me a vibe also give me the sound that I want.  Plus I am working in a very professional studio using a producer that’s actually adding the more professional touch to it with sound and sound sculpting.  I do all the originals.  I do all the songs. I do all sounds. He basically mixes it.  I give it to him, he does the complete mixes.
 
Craig:  But you have final say?
 
Ronin:  Absolutely, I just basically wanted somebody who would if I mixed them would want it to sound like that.  Also I trust him a lot.  He modifies things. He’s going to put something really, really cool.  He’s taught me a lot of tricks since I picked him.  Some that I wouldn’t even begin to think of.  The whole point for me is that I write songs.  I want someone realize the potential of the sound.  Actually making something sound a certain way. 
 
Craig: Just getting the quality more then nothing else? 
 
Ronin:  Yeah, also the sound it self it’s got to progress a little bit.  Just the feel of music and how do I get it to sound like that.  How do I get this drum queue?  That’s his job.
 
Craig:  Where did you record this album?  What studio?
 
Ronin:  I used a studio in Hamburg.  It’s actually one of my studios, it’s a loft complex with a lot of studios in there and I’ve got one of the studios.  As soon as I get in there the creativity in that place from all the different musicians is fantastic.  We are working together and they ask me if wanted to come in and now I have a studio in there. 
 
Craig:  Do you still live in Germany?
 
Ronin:  I do. I live in Hamburg.
 
Craig:  Do you still like it there?
 
Ronin:  I love it. Hamburg works for me.  It’s a city I love and I love music. Great city for a lot of other scenes.  There are a lot of things here that are different then Europe, but as far as perceptions of what’s alternative music you don’t have that.  Instead of alternative guitar music is on a big road journey.
 
Craig:  Are you producing any bands?
 
Ronin:  No, not at the moment.  I don’t have anytime to do that.  We master all our albums.  We will be working on that when we are finish up here.  Then I will be working till mid March, late March then we head off on the road again. 
 
Craig:  Did you work with Angels and Agony on their new album?
 
Ronin:  No, I had nothing to do with that.  No time for remixes or anything because my schedule is completely full.
 
Craig:  You got a new label that’s entirely your own.   What was the formation of that label and   was it out of frustration of dealing with other peoples stuff? Or just having more quality?
 
Ronin:  More option.  To be honest, when we left the pennant we left Pennant after the contract expired.  We had the option of going to a major sub division.  Meaning somebody who fit the long list of criteria.  Meaning they have the resources but they also believe in creativity and they believe in giving us that opportunities. The big music labels, they are not going to take chances.  They go for the formula.  Because in the music scene the retail income is made so important.  We have the distribution company.  We have the promotion company.  We have all the right people in front of us, so why should we give our music to someone else.  We can do the job.  We have to.  We are doing it with this release.  I think it’s not going to be any lesser because of it. 
 
Craig:  When is the new release coming out?
 
Ronin: I am unable to say. 
 
Craig:  Metropolis will have it?
 
Ronin:  Sweden, Scandinavia, Europe and North America will all be simultaneous releases.
 
Max:  Does that have anything to do with pirating? 
 
Ronin: All the labels want it at the same time.  They want the promotion. If it’s out two weeks before in Europe everybody would mail order it through some other source first.
 
Craig:  Mark, I’m sorry he’s wasn’t here, I was going to ask him too, but maybe you could answer this ; He did some vocals for The Parallel Project CD, which was really, really good.  I was wondering if was going to contribute any vocals to the new VNV album.  Or will he ever do that in the future? 
 
Ronin:  I don’t know if will contribute anything.  So far the answer is no.  He has his own role in the band, but musically I write the songs and the vocals. I write the lyrics and over see production.  Its kind like of a one off thing.  Some one had asked him ………….maybe I don’t know.
 
Craig:  Obviously neither one of you has any side projects right now, because you have no time.

Ronin:  I’ve got three that I will have finished by next year.
 
Craig:  Oh, you have side projects.  What are they?
 
Ronin:  One of them is a project called Low Rider, which is more down beat industrial.   The other project which is working with very off the wall electronic sounds and noises.  It’s a series of stories. Ten stories and songs.  Very, very soulful, very kind of not beat driven, very kind of interesting production.  The guy’s ideas once you start making music it’s very cool.  I have written a lot of songs that are not VNV and you could call them stories about people and particular points in their life; describing that particular points in their lives.  Which how VNV songs have not actually worked.  When I heard his production ideas I said ‘good’.  I have songs written on a basic format, basic sounds, basic melodies, and stuff; I said, “What do you want to do with it?”   He said, “Let’s work together.”   It’s very jarred and ambient.  It’s kind of more VNV times a hundred.
 
Craig:  Ok, it sounds like good stuff.  I can’t wait to hear it. 
 
Ronin:  I want to get a lot done with VNV this year.  If I dedicate the studio to all this great changes going on it will work really well. 
 
Craig:  For better or worse how do you feel about the term future pop?
 
Ronin:  It’s dead.  It was dead a long time ago.  The term was invented to get us played originally.  This is two parts: One, it’s a great name with defining what ourselves, Apoptygma, and Covenant The main reason was radio. We would not compromise our music by getting it on the radio.  We aren’t making music to be played the radio.  It just doesn’t get played because they just don’t want anything to do with anything that has the word industrial, ebm, or goth attached to it.  So we coined the term future pop.  And they thought it was this crazy new underground cult thing, some new movement. The thing is the actual title we defined it as is that we were taking influences from contemporary dance music and some really creative stuff.   Not junk, not stuff that’s in the charts, like formulaic stuff, We were taking from really big and good creative artists and making really great music from it.   Every song is different.  There isn’t a one sound to every song, fast songs, slow songs, what ever.  From a dance person perspective they could say this is kind of club, sort of dance music sensibility to it.  We were trying to incorporate a lot of that stuff into it.  Some of these bands tried to sound like Empires, United States of Mind etc……….what ever so they are in our future, so which is the complete opposite of what we intended.  We have moved on, all the bands have moved on.  We don’t regret the title.  The title serves its purpose, but I don’t like the term at all.   Consider us an alternative electronic band. I see us as just having a broad spectrum of influences to call ourselves one particular genre.  The all encompassing title of industrial.  We’ll leave it at that.   We’re just one branch of it. 
 
Craig:  What do you like to spin when you DJ?
 
Ronin:  ………Just pumping out trance music.  I want people to sweat.  I want them to have a night club experience.  I think some songs are known for my singing.  It’s what ever fits my form.  What ever drives me, if it kicks ass then definitely.
 
Craig:  You are doing the mini tour here.  When the album is released are you going to come back to the states to do a full U.S. tour?
 
Ronin: With someone very different.
 
Craig:  Do you know who’s going to tour with you?
 
Ronin: No, I don’t know.  We have a long list and we are going to work on a short list next week.  We have wanted something interesting. We want something that raises an eyebrow or two and fits the band.  We certainly don’t want to jump off with a band that has nothing to do with us.  Try to fit the mold.  We want to create something very cool that will bring people to maybe hear what we do.   For example, there are a lot of bands in America who have the same message as us.  They’re not the same music, but we share fans because we deal with the same music style.  To me it’s all about if we come back how we can have a different stage show.  We want to do something different we have a lot of new ideas, things we want to do.  So if we get a lot shipped over it’s going to be very, very cool.  The European tour we've got planned is pretty impressive. 
We had the option of doing this with SITD which are good friends.  We are also trying to broaden our spectrum because if you look at the audience has changed massively.  We have a lot less Goths, I think kind of the elite.  There was this issue a couple years ago you had the goth contingent, the raver contingent, and the rivet head contingent and they all hate one another.  Music has changed a great deal.  It’s less about elitism and more about having fun.  They enjoy the music for what it is.  I have actually seen the faces of people who hated us over the past couple of years.  Because we were just suddenly forced in to the face of the popular mass.  And that sort of stopped for them.  Now they enjoy the shows because they enjoy the music.  I think it’s very much, it’s just longevity.  There are people in Miami who were like, ‘I won’t go and see them I would never see them ‘I saw eight of those people.  Thanks for coming out you guys.  We appreciate your support.  It’s our music.  If you like the songs, if the songs meant something to you once or twice.  It doesn’t make any difference if you’re the only kid in your town with the CD by  this band.  Which is someone some have an issue with this it’s suddenly lost the elitism.  They like this small band and they became really popular, and they suddenly thought we are making commercial music. We don’t make commercial music. I don’t like to make hits deliberately. The last song on the album has become the greatest thing we have ever done.  You could play it ten times a night and people would still be happy.  
 
Craig:  It’s amazing that people; once a band gets popular …they compromise what they are doing.  You guys never compromise. You always do what you want to do.  I mean look outside at the fans, that should tell you right there!
 
Ronin:  I don’t know what happened.  I am absolutely floored by this cause every city it has been the same.  We are over packed out.  I don’t just know who this happened. We haven’t changed from the albums.  They have never heard of Covenent, they have never heard of Apoptygma, they have never heard of Blutengel, they never heard of Wolfsheim.  They just heard VNV from their friends.  We get a lot of AFI fans at our shows.
 
Craig: Really??!!
 
Ronin:  They are one of those bands that have the same message as us.  They have the same mentality towards their fans.  They only come from a hard core back ground.  They reach a great, much, broader population of people. Alternative music over here is a sub culture, with loads of sub genres.   It’s kind of an oppositional reaction to marching of the mediocrity of the mainstream.  America, unfortunately, have the media and the government celebrating the idea of consume, have the nice house, two cars, and that’s the vision of success.  That’s not success that’s death.   So the sub culture which is basically all elements of an alternative genre.   You wearing a t-shirt of the movie Donnie Darko, which is like the classic movie.  When it was released, no one wanted to give it money, but the producers paid for it out of their own pockets.  It’s an incredible statement on being different.  And it is a movie that resounds in resonates in with a lot of people who grew up as an alternative person.  I think it’s a movie that’s just ground breaking. Then look at the cult status it got, then the big companies got involved, why because it’s popular?   I hate that.  So it swings both ways, because when you become popular and you are still expressing something very alternative and so isn’t main stream you have to watch yourself, and make sure we don’t change who we are.  We have to be careful, it gets a lot more complicated the more people come to your shows and the more pressure you have.  Like there are so many people that want answers from me, want things from me, organization and stuff.  You have to try to be bigger and better.  We still have  time to hang out when possible. Like tonight we’ll be hanging out at the Castle.
 
Craig: You do that almost every time you come down.
 
Ronin: I am a resident DJ there 4 times a year.
 
Craig: There are a lot of negative people in the scene lately.
 
Ronin: There are a lot of people who associate the main stream movie thing with this negative stay in the corner,  hand against our fore head, very depressed talking about the end of the world worshiping Satan, screwin’ dogs or something (laughs) I’m a very spiritual person.  I have a lot of morals and views and values.  I have a lot of believe it or not a lot of very religious people that like VNV, that I discuss things with on a regular level.  And I have a great deal of respect for people of all religious backgrounds.  I just can’t stand, having grown up in Ireland, to see the ignorance of people who are reading or listening to their religion.  They don’t care.  They just have a mentality and they just rally around it.  That shit caused the crusades.  The thing is I saw this with Catholicism.  I don’t want to see that shit happen again.  I was brought up Catholic.  I asked way too many questions.  I was the teenager reading up on the origins of religion.  The origins were the traditions that the nations came from and as you start find out this a lot of things people take for face value.  In Judaism you are invited to question.  You must question your faith.  I think that’s a fantastic notion.  Buddhism, and spiritualism, Buddhism doesn’t advocate the idea of God.  It depends on the flavor.  I think that in American and present culture I get emails from so many people whether they be religious or not talking about how they feel vindicated or not vindicated, victimized by people from the main stream because they are not towing the line of what the people that are banner marchers.  You know, like we are on the march to glory and hallelujah and all that .  I kind of think it’s important to keep that balance by having a voice.  But to be honest try living in Europe for a few months and see how much freedom you have. And then come over here.  I’m not going to dis this country but I think what has happened is that  it has gotten a lot worse .
 
Craig:  This is kind of a humorous thing.  This friend of mine sent me this thing, about an animated video called Afraid of Swords.
 
Ronin:  Yeah, I have seen that.
 
Craig:  What did you think of that?
 
Ronin:  I thought it was funny.  I thought the other guys set ups on attacks on us personally, a bit more frat boy mentality, like they were childish.
 
Craig:  Which part?
 
Ronin:  The live journal page where it came from.
 
Craig: I was going to ask you about that. I thought that was something to do with a tribute to VNV thing. Well, the thing was he kept saying happy birthday to Ronin.
 
Ronin: Really? That live journal page was totally about dising’ us. The guy who started it was just there to poke fun, the other people on the page who supported it were dising’ us.  He’s just there to parody us.  And that’s ok.  Parody is cool. Sometimes it kind of touched my nerves.
 
Craig: Well again, thanks for everything.
 
Ronin: Always a pleasure.



VNV NATION ALBUM INFO

VNV Nation’s eagerly awaited new album, "Matter and Form", is already being hailed by critics as their strongest and most comprehensive album yet. Produced by renowned German producer Gerrit Frerichs (aka Humate) and VNV Nation’s Ronan Harris, the album features an amazing variety in tone and sound - from raw, punchy tracks like "Chrome" and "Entropy" to more ethereal, soulful sounds like "Endless Skies" and "Homeward". With this album VNV Nation have moved into new electronic territories while still focusing and retaining the energy and emotion that have become the hallmarks of the VNV Nation sound. When six snippets from "Matter and Form" were made available on the internet recently, it resulted in 20,000 downloads in the first week alone. At the beginning of 2005 their mini tour sold out venues in major cities across the US and in April 2005, the band will embark on a three month World tour, that will see them playing on four Continents, including 36 dates in North America.


VNV NATION TOUR DATES

VNV Nation Formation Tour 2005
May 06 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room – On Sale: 3/25/05
May 07 - Tampa, FL @ The Masquerade – On Sale: Now
May 09 - Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall – On Sale: 3/25/05
May 11 - Atlanta, GA @ Earthlink Live – On Sale: 3/25/05
May 12 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In – On Sale: 3/26/05
May 13 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues (18+) – On Sale: 3/26/05
May 14 - Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa – On Sale: 3/24/05
May 15 - Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Ballroom (17+) – On Sale: 3/26/05
May 17 - Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theatre – On Sale: 3/25/05
May 18 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues * – On Sale: 3/18/05
May 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ Avalon * – On Sale: 3/18/05
May 20 - San Diego, CA @ 4th & B * (21+) – On Sale: 3/18/05
May 21 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore * – On Sale: 3/27/05
May 22 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore * – On Sale: 3/27/05
May 24 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre – On Sale: 3/26/05
May 25 - Vancouver, BC CAN @ Commodore Ballroom (19+) – On Sale: 3/25/05
May 26 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox – On Sale: 3/26/05
May 28 - Edmonton, AB CAN @ Starlite Room (18+) – On Sale: 3/25/05
May 29 - Calgary, AB CAN @ The Whiskey (18+) – On Sale: 3/25/05
May 31 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Lo-Fi Café – On Sale: 3/25/05
Jun 01 - Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre – On Sale: 3/26/05
Jun 02 - Kansas City, MO @ Madrid – On Sale: 3/26/05
Jun 03 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe (18+) – On Sale: 3/26/05
Jun 04 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave – On Sale: 3/26/05
Jun 06 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues (18+) – On Sale: 3/26/05
Jun 07 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues – On Sale: 3/30/05
Jun 08 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theater – On Sale: 3/25/05
Jun 09 - Toronto, ON CAN @ The Phoenix – On Sale: 3/26/05
Jun 10 - Montréal, QC CAN @ Spectrum – On Sale: 3/25/05
Jun 12 - Boston, MA @ Axis (18+) – On Sale: 3/26/05
Jun 14 - Covington, KY @ Madison Theatre – On Sale: 3/30/05
Jun 15 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero – On Sale:3/23/05
Jun 16 - Washington, DC @ Nation (18+) – On Sale: Now
Jun 17 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza * – On Sale: 4/01/05
Jun 18 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza * – On Sale: 4/01/05

All shows are "All Ages" unless otherwise indicated.
* = a different set list will be played at these shows



VNV NATION BIOGRAPHY

VNV Nation has emerged in the past few years to become a powerhouse performer in the electronic dance scene. The name VNV Nation stands for "Victory Not Vengeance;" a motto that means that one should strive to achieve, not just sit in bitter regret. Originally formed in 1990 in London, England by Ronan Harris, VNV Nation began as a collage project of orchestral, electronic, and soundtrack inspired pieces designed for the electronic dance scene. It is now a highly successful act that has had every release since 1999 reach number one in the German Alternative Charts.
The first release by VNV Nation was the 12" vinyl single Body Pulse, which was released in May of 1990. A second 12" single, called "Strength of Youth" followed in November of that same year. At the end of 1990, VNV Nation moved to Canada, where they were able to tour as a support act for the popular electronic dance act Nitzer Ebb. VNV Nation returned to Europe and began to produce both new and reworked material, with exclusive tracks appearing on several compilations.
In 1995, VNV Nation’s first full length release, Advance and Follow, was released by the German label Discordia. Following "Advance and Follow," and after the demise of the Discordia label, VNV Nation signed with the German label Offbeat for their second album, Praise the Fallen. This album, released in the US by TVT records, broke VNV Nation to wide popularity in dance clubs worldwide. The clean and propulsive electronic music of the band, married to Ronan’s thought provoking lyrics, represents the band’s concept of the clashing of modern and classical elements in today’s culture.
Following Praise the Fallen, the band began work on Empires, with their new European label Dependent and American partner Metropolis Records. With preview singles like "Darkangel" and "Standing" already being featured in dance clubs, Empires was a highly anticipated 2000 release for Metropolis Records. Ronan talked of the concept behind Empires by saying, "People or groups of people and even larger groups of people replicate the mechanics and the workings of an empire in the way they try to preserve their little group or status that they built up all around them."
In 2001, VNV Nation presented a two-part single, "Genesis.1" and "Genesis.2," taken from the album Futureperfect. This spring 2002 release was explained by Ronan Harris as "a reflection of where we as a society could have gone and where we are headed. It is also the celebration of our humanity and our eternal spirit, despite the efforts of flawed visions to mold us into figures and details." Futureperfect’s intellectual lyrics fused with lively synth lines, throbbing beats, and intricate sequences make it a riveting album. It sold 55,000 copies worldwide, reached number 26 in the German album charts and topped the German Alternative Charts.
VNV Nation’s first DVD release, Pastperfect, documented the band’s "Futureperfect tour" with 12 live tracks and a host of extra features including a studio report, interviews, tour impressions and much more. The live tracks were recorded during concerts at the Columbiahalle, Berlin and at the Mera Luna Festival in Germany where the band played to an audience of over 15,000 people. Covering Europe and North America twice, the tour ran between October 2001 and April 2002 and had well over 50,000 attendees. Two versions of Pastperfect were released; a Special Edition limited to 7,000 copies and a regular addition.
In early 2005, VNV Nation returns with Matter + Form, co-produced by world renowned German producer Humate and Ronan Harris. From the haunting, quiet beauty of tracks like "Colours of Rain" to the introspective depths of "Homeward" and "Arena," to the dancefloor anthems like "Chrome," "Entropy," and "Strata," Matter + Form is an album crafted to move not only bodies on the dancefloor, but hearts as well. With every release so far they have changed the face of the genre, but with Matter + Form they haven’t changed it, they have completely re-invented it.

Find out more about VNV NATION, watch videos, and hear music at...
www.vnvnation.com