FMA 005: Cédric “Gredin” Pagès (Hypno5e)

Cédric “Gredin” Pagès (Hypno5e)

This is one of my favorite photos I have taken throughout this project. To me “Gredin” really looks some kind of “hypno5ed” due to the white light.

I approached HYPNO5E after their sound check. “Gredin” immediately joined me and we sat down in front of the quiet delicious looking buffet.

During this interview the Dutch main act went through its sound check, so I was quiet worried about the audio quality of this video. But luckily it turned out just fine although one can perceive some sound check snippets during the video.

“Gredin” dug deep and started his monologue with a cute anecdote from his childhood. So far nobody in FMA has started her or his contribution with an infant anecdote.

Funnily enough, I had never heard of HYPNO5E before that day but a couple of months later I read an interview with them in the next edition (#57) of my favorite magazine FUZE MAGAZINE. Sometimes things come full circle by themselves.

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HYPNO5E have recently released their third record “Shores Of The Abstract Line” via PelagicRecords.

FMA 004: Philip Schubert & Oskar Braun (Nautilus)

Philip Schubert & Oskar Braun (Nautilus)

On interview-day NAUTILUS played a support-slot for a Pop-Punk band from the Czech Republic.

A couple of days before the show we’ve come to terms to do the video.

While talking to Oskar and Philip I was actually confronted with the ‘word’ “sheesh” for the first time. Although, some time has passed since that day I still have no clue how and when to use “sheesh”. I guess it is just the sound to portray “rolling your eyes” verbally. Or isn’t it? Please someone tell me…

After the show we hung out with the other headliner of that night – a band from Essex, United Kingdom. We heard some amazing stories about famous British bands which rather remain unpublished to public ears.

But way more amazingly: Although we had never met before Oskar and I found out that once we both had the identical idea how we’d call a cynic run-off-the-mill Beatdown band – WIFEBEATER.

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NAUTILUS just released a DIY-video for their song “85“ via PitCam TV.

FMA 003: xDavyx Beeckman (xVICIOUSx)

xDavyx Beeckman (xVICIOUSx)

During this project I’ve met Marius who is the sound engineer at the venue where have done most of the videos. Just like everybody else Marius celebrates his birthday once a year. In 2016 he decided to book himself a birthday-show with a couple of Belgian and local bands. Happily, I was invited.

One of those bands was xVICIOUSx.

As I approached them the guys immediately told me to shoot the video with Davy for he probably speaks the best English of ‘em all.

After the interview we kept chatting and stranded talking about TITLE FIGHT. I like their “Floral Green”. Davy likes “Hyperview” and additionally recommended CEREMONY’s latest effort “The L-Shaped Man”.

Furthermore, he told me that xVICIOUSx played in Dresden the night before with a band called SOULBREAKER.

Well… Okay… Why does that matter?

SOULBREAKER is a band from my hometown area of Senftenberg in Brandenburg and the new project of Caro (BITTER VERSES) and Hoschi (ex-FACEPUNCH). Some members of those bands and I visited the same school.

In that moment I once more realized how small this world can be as I talked to a stranger from Belgium on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Frankfurt/Main who just shared the stage with people from the place in which I grew up. Sick.

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xVICIOUSx just released their debut full-length “XXIV” on Reality Records.

Make sure to check out Davy’s other project ANIMAL CLUB.

FMA 002: Carla Janiel & Timo Giesecke (Texas Local News)

TEXAS LOCAL NEWS were one of the few bands that I actually emailed before I went to their show. Luckily, they replied and, even better, agreed to join this project. 

On the day we made the video TLN played at the EP-release show of another local band.

After I arrived at the venue I greeted them in front of their merchandise. They remembered what my idea was about and had nothing but one question:

“We’re a GEMA-band. Isn’t that some kind of too ‘commercial’ for your project?”

“No”, I said, “since this is probably more to you than just getting a couple of bucks for your airplays etc., isn’t it?”

We shared that one glance that said it all.

And off we went to shoot the video backstage.

Carla Janiel & Timo Giesecke (Texas Local News)

Unfortunately, Carla has been one of only three women who joined FMA so far. I tried to shape FMA as diverse as possible. After all the Alternative/Punk/Hardcore/Metalcore scene always brags about being tolerant, welcoming and open-minded. Still the question remains: Why do we then mostly just see white males performing on stage? That doesn’t seem too diverse at all…

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TEXAS LOCAL NEWS just released their debut full length “Momentum” via Redfield Digital. Go check out their vidoe for "Disclosure".