CELTIC FROST




Interview with Celtic Frost Bassist Martin Eric Ain

Interview by Benji Womack-Your Music Magazine / Army of Pit Soldiers Presents

Ok, picking up this interview was really exciting. I have always loved the way this band has written their albums in the past and it is great to see them come back out for another run and to take us into the world of Celtic Frost. So check out this interview with Martin Eric Ain I conducted to find out more about this mysterious band.

Benji - Can you state your name and your band name for the record?
Martin- My name is Martin Eric Ain, and I'm from Celtic Frost and our new album is titled Monotheist

Benji - Can you tell me what you like about the new album vs. the others youve done in the past?
Martin - Well, it's hard to say, since we just finished the new album. We've been working on it the better part of 4 years, and I had a long break from Celtic Frost; about fifteen years since I've had anything to do with Celtic Frost, and it's been fifteen years since we did the last album. It was released in 1990. I think the important part for us was bringing back the legacy of what we thought Celtic Frost was all about and at the same time not trying to rehash the good ole days, but bring ourselves into this album and release something that we think is Celtic Frost nowadays as well.

Benji - How long does Celtic Frost plan to tour for the new album, and will you be taking on the entire world?
Martin - Yes, we are planning on taking on the entire world, and depend on the interest the entire world shows for us touring. But definitely for the United States this is going to be our biggest tour of the United States ever. We got 42 dates scheduled so far, and we just got 15 dates added on the first leg of the tour in the United States, and there's a chance that we might come back and do some more.

Benji - As of now, are you guys happy with your new relationship with Century Media records?
Martin - Yes, actually we're quite happy. As you might have known, we've basically financed and produced the entire album on our own. We, musically speaking, co-produced with Peter Peckrin. We took our time and wanted to do it on our own terms, so we wouldn't be forced by someone who wants the album out at a certain time on the market, and do this and do that, because we went through that the first time around, and that's one of the reasons why the band dissolved, because we were always hassled and man-handled by our old record company in the early days. But we're really happy with Century Media; they're great people doing a great job.

Benji - In your opinion, is the metal world living or dying?
Martin - Well, metal has been pronounced dead so many times that it's really hard to say. I think what has happened over the last two decades was that a lot of styles of metal, or a lot of bands have been grinding out records (and) touring on such a regular basis that it became a repetitive flow. But then again, I'm always surprised when young bands come out with such feel, aggressiveness, and determination that always makes it worthwhile for me. Even without the music that I would have pronounced ten or fifteen years ago as power metal, or black metal, whatever, they come out with their own personal and fresh sounds. As long as there is a young generation that can identify with any form of metal or hard music, I think there is a future for it.

Benji - What inspires you to write and perform for Celtic Frost?
Martin - Myself, my friends, my experiences in life.

Benji - Do you think there is a purpose for our existence?
Martin Yes, for me it is Celtic Frost, and of course some other more personal things. Its also my way of dealing with the reality of death that is kind of absolutely surreal, in life, thinking of death. Dying is natural, dying is a part of living, but death in itself is how can we be of importance, and of course, we're social beings, humans are social beings, so humanity as a whole should make our lives worthwhile and I see our endeavor, from my side, from my personal view point, everyone has different view points in regards to my viewpoints. I just see it as what my participation in what humanity is all about.

Benji What changes, if any, need to be made in the music industry?
Martin- Whoa, this one is one of the bigger questions! There are a lot of changes already going on, you know? Because this is a changing world and has gotten faster and faster as the world has gotten smaller with globalization and the internet, there has been a lot of talk about it over the last 5 or 6 years. I think what we will see happening is a lot more bands, a lot more smaller labels creating their own music, bringing it out and of course using the benefits of the internet for themselves. What I think is going to happen is that the major players are going to concentrate even more so on the absolutely commercial worldwide selling music and not build up young artists like they did in the early days. And therefore, Im not sure if youre familiar with Arctic Monkey - theyre not a metal band, it's a pop band out of Great Britain - they didnt release an album, they only did their demos through the internet, and started selling their first record through the internet on their own, and then released an album commercially and got to be number one in the UK charts. So I think this is what we're going to be seeing the near future, and I think that the metal market, or the smaller markets, the independent markets, that dont get radio play or commercial coverage on TV, MTV, or VH1, I think it will show that those labels still exist.

Benji - Any advice to the new bands out there, to help better their local scene, and help accomplish their goals as musicians?
Martin - Theres three things that I would like to put out. First of all, create your own music, be yourselves, find yourself in your music, and dont try to pursue whatever everybody body else thinks is important. Being in a scene is important, but it's also important to remain yourself while in the scene. Who needs umpteenth thousandth Iron Maiden sound-alikes, you know?
The second thing is, it's important that you give it your all and bring it across when you want to bring it across. But it is a business, theres a business side to it, and that you need to take care of this side as well, and try to inform yourself, and on the internet there are a lot of opportunities to inform yourself about the record industry and the music business and that you're not being pulled over the table, because even if you're creating the greatest music, youre not getting any money, or not having the chance to work on your music and you will be thrown out, wasted, you will not get far. The third thing is that it's about personality, about yourself, but it's also a social thing as a band and realize that you need to stick together to make it through.