The Inquisition: 036.☉ (L'Effondras)

1. How did you came up with the name of the band? What ☉ symbolizes and how it is pronounced?

Pierre L: Many bands names always look a bit ridiculous to us, vain mostly. We wanted something different that let interpretations free to the people. This sign can symbolise many things on different levels : alchemical, astrological, a structure of the universe, etc... We let people free to choose what suits to them. Some see a boob or a Mexican hat seen from above, I don't care. We pronounce it "L'Effondras", which is a place around where we come from, a very dull one where nothing happens. "S'effondrer" in french means to collapse. 

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it? 

Pierre L: We don't have a standard procedure. Most of the time one of us come with a riff and we jam around and the final track is completely different with the first idea we could have with the initial riff. The purpose is to let go and to be open with what each member may bring and we move on. 

Nicolas B: Sometimes it will take years to create a new song, and sometimes three hours. It depends also of the length, our mood... 

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home? 

Pierre L: Having influences isn't a conscious thing, we try to avoid them. I listen to so many different things (from classical stuff to post-punk with a huge preference for old blues)... The common point with all these different sounds could be the substantial aspect I find in it. I like music when it's pure. By the way people often speak about post-rock trying to define our music, but actually we don't listen to this kind of thing that much. 

Nicolas B: Mainly "rock" for me. I used to listen to a lot of music some years ago. The more i'm getting older, the less i'm listening to music, except classical stuff like Oxbow, Zu, Nick Cave, Cheval de Frise (yes, it's classical stuff for me) or friend's bands. 

Pierre J: Definitely blues .. the old one , the "black" one . These guys (Skip James, Blind Willie Johnson, Robert Johnson...) get the real sound with a piece of wood and a bottle of whiskey, thanks to their music, I found the pleasure to play guitar alone with 2 chords during hours, trying to find the simplest and the most forceful melody... I think it's become to me like a guideline of my way to play music. 

4. Which is the one album you can't live without? 

Pierre L: Is there anybody who even answered to that question? Just one? Impossible. I guess I couldn't live without Erik Satie, Skip James & Kurt Cobain. 

Nicolas B: Mine! even if there are many better albums. 

Pierre J: I really don't know.. 

5. What's the first record you've ever bought? 

Pierre L: The 9th Symphony of Dvorak. My first rock record was the orange live of Nirvana. 

Nicolas B: Hum... Maybe Dorothée, a french singer for the kids. 

Pierre J: Shame on me, I think it was the tape of the soundtrack of Robin Wood By .. oh fuck.. Bryan Adams... At this time I made my own bow and I though Kevin Costner was a real good actor.. 

6. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with? 

Pierre L: Mh... I'd love to share the stage with Swans but I also would freak out because they are so fucking good. 

Nicolas B: Earth, or Nick Cave. 

Pierre J: I'm agree with Pierre and Nico, I'd add PJ Harvey. 

7. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were surprised to know your music has reached to? 

Pierre L: Yes sure it did! And that's the moment where we thank you to contribute to making that happen. I saw that our sound was heard in Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Romania,Turkey, South Africa, etc... And we've been broadcasted on a radio station in Austin, Texas. I'm so glad of it. That's the best part of the internet for sure. 

Nicolas B: Indeed, I saw someone listening to our music on our Bandcamp who was Bulgarian! 

8. Do you support the idea of Bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like Spotify? 

Pierre L: Both I guess. The most important thing is to be heard and to have the opportunity of touring. If people want to have the record in their hands they pay for it otherwise music is free of course. 

Nicolas B: It seems that Bandcamp just added taxes in 2015. That's a pity for sure but yeah, the most important thing is to be heard if a Japanese, or a Bulgarian wants to. 

9. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 

Pierre L: Haha... I don't even wanna know. I hope we will have done better records and we will tour a lot. It's a basic answer. I don't really expect the champagne/cocain/groupies stuff. 

Nicolas B: Pierre told everything. 

10. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era? 

Pierre L: Precisely because of the digital era I'd say. It's a natural reaction. 

Nicolas B: Of course. It's the first thing people will see, even before listening to your music sometimes. So you have to be very careful of what do you want to show to the people. 

11. What is you favorite album cover? 

Pierre L: I don't know... Maybe the Earth 2 album's cover, because it figures so well what you gonna hear. Earth use to make good artworks. 

Nicolas B: Meshuggah, or Manowar I guess. All of them. 

Pierre J: I can't say my favourite, but I'm thinking of Wish You were Here, and Animals of Pink Floyd ..

12. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format? 

Pierre L: As the artwork thing it's a natural reaction linked with the digital era and this is my favorite media format of course. 

Nicolas B: For me every way is good to listen to music. It's the implication of people for the band they are listening to that will make them buying the vinyl, or MP3 on iTunes, or download for free. I think it's a very personal reaction. 

Pierre J: Music is air vibrations, I like the idea of creating an object to support it. We press vinyl to create vibrations by a mechanical process, it's the most beautiful frame to put your music on. 

13. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band? 

Pierre L: For me it was when we came back from the studio on our van. I had the feeling that something I live for had been finally made, the first step. It was very relieving. 

Nicolas B: Especially that kind of moments Pierre talked about, when we are connected. It's rare, but it's so important. On the other side, the moment of releasing an album is also a lot of stress and problems. 

Pierre J: Tour ! So many feelings in such a short time...

☉ (L'Effondras) released their amazing debut album in December.

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