The Inquisition: 066.We Stood Like Kings (answered by Judith)

1. How did you come up with the name of the band?

Judith (piano): In fact, the name We Stood Like Kings comes from the lyrics of a reggae song, which were painted on a wall in Costa Rica. Our drummer spent a few months there and took a picture of that wall… and he just happened to remember these words when we had to find a band name. Also we felt it sounded right with the kind of music (post-rock) we were playing. 

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? 

Mainly we like to jam around some musical ideas brought by a band member. It’s always a real team work when we compose songs, as each person influences the music in a specific direction. In fact, we never know how a song will sound in the end, it may become very, very different from the first time we played it. 

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

I think we all listen to a lot of different styles. As a pianist, I had the chance to have a classical education and have always been inspired by classical music. I try to use these influences in the way I design the piano parts in We Stood Like Kings’ music. I guess that element might be setting us apart from the more mainstream kind of post-rock, also the fact that we use the piano as a leading instrument on the same level as the guitars, bass and drums, and not only as a side thing. 

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

That’s a difficult question. I would say that « The Joy of Motion » by Animals As Leaders is one of the albums which have deeply marked the four of us in the last years. It’s our bass player who made us discover it, and we know it all pretty much by heart now. You should check it out right now if you don’t know these guys ;) 

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

« Showbiz », Muse’s very first album. 

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

For us, it would be an honor to share the stage with A Cinematic Orchestra, as they too have done a project with a silent movie (« A Man With A Movie Camera ») which is really amazing. It would be incredible to organize an event with post-rock music for silent movies and have several bands perform with screenings (I also think of Year Of No Light, 3epkano, SZ…). 

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? 

Well I remember very well receiving a letter from a Turkish fan some years ago. I will never forget that feeling because it’s one of the first times we felt how the power of internet could help us spread our music. So definitely, the internet helps a lot to get your stuff heard by people all across the planet. 

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

I think that each artist should choose for himself under which conditions and on which platforms they want to sell their music. I guess even if platforms like Spotify are not paying artists well, it’s still a way of expanding your audience and of letting your music be heard by as many people as possible. However I must say we very much prefer selling our CD’s and vinyls after shows and meeting our fans in real life. It creates a real bond with your audience and we value that very highly as a band. Bandcamp is definitely a very respectful platform towards artists. 

9. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 

We hope to continue growing as a band, write music for other silent movies, with which we can tour around the world. I guess it’s a long term story and each day you have to work towards your goal… hard work will pay off in the end and we can’t complain with our achievements of the last two years, which have been amazing with the release of our first two albums BERLIN 1927 and USSR 1926, several European tours and so on. Let’s hope it grows and grows. 

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

I think that it’s as important as it used to be. Not everyone is interested in artwork, but nice artwork is definitely an important thing for most people, because it attracts the eye, and is a part of your universe as an artist. I must say that an album with nice artwork is easier to buy than without. 

11. What is you favorite album cover? 

No idea! 

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? 

Probably, it’s because everything becomes more and more digital, so people feel like going back to the more analogue, authentic side of things. Also there’s the acoustic element as it’s really different to listen to a vinyl, to a CD or to digital versions of the same music. Some like it better, some like it less, I guess it’s up to you as a music lover to choose which format you prefer. Personally I like a bit of everything, vinyl, CD, digital… Depends on the context. 

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

Definitely our first tour, in early 2014. As a whole, it has been an incredible experience for all of us, something we also wanted to do and we enjoyed every moment of it. Since then we did several other tours, that were as great and enriching, but that first one will remain with us for a long time.

We Stood Like Kings are releasing their second album "USSR 1926", a new soundtrack for a silent movie called “A sixth part of the world” by Russian director Dziga Vertov, on 30th October on Kapitän Platte.

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