Interviews: TurboWitch

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Rock band TurboWitch from Japan. Check out the interview and follow this band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it or came out just come out that?

Seeking inspiration for a band name, a friend suddenly asked what music actually is about. Merlin’s spontaneous answer was “music is magic”. So now the course was plotted: the band name had to be some magical creature, as a bonus honouring Merlin’s Welsh roots. “Magician” was too tacky, “Dragonforce” taken already. But what about witches, witchcraft, this dark person joyfully dabbling around with supernatural forces? No one knows exactly where she is from or how she is doing it.

This resonated.

There is always something mystical about music that cannot be explained, doesn’t want to be explained. Something “occult”, especially with Blues, Goth, Grunge, and Metal, often verbalizes darker feelings. So the witch had the job!

Contrasts are a fantastic stylistic tool, which is why we combine contrastive styles - so the witch needed a contrast. We like to combine a touch of goth & blues together with more heavy-pushing, progressive styles. “Progressive Witch” sounds plain awful, but what about a Turbo and a Witch: this weird lady from the woods no longer working with herbs and bones but puts her broomstick on the backseat of her 21st-century car, speeding off to Merlin’s castle, ready for some crazy rituals exploring the dark and the hidden. Bingo!

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

What genre are we?

We don’t care about music genres, labels, or any boundaries. Merlin and the other magical creatures, witches, wizards & and lizards in this coven put together all styles we like in order to create a unique blend of something wild and free. We bring it all back together with lots of rock, grunge, goth, a bit of soul, blues, bossa nova, and whatever we like.

When Merlin had lessons in modern music history, which meant watching videos, in one interview from back in the 80s, an early producer of Metallica called them a “second Led Zeppelin” because “they would just take anything they liked from any kind of music and smack it together into something wild and heavy, which is what Led Zeppelin had done before.” The producer named this the “Led Zeppelin” principle ... and finally Merlin’s mystical quest was over: put everything together you like, creating something wild, don’t worry about genres and labels.

Having said that, Rock, Grunge, and Goth are a must for Merlin. They simply resonate the most.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

No, all magical creatures in the TurboWitch coven met there.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Merlin loves Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses, Sabbath, Type O Negative, Alice in Chains, Motörhead, and many, many more.

The Morrigan enjoys many different artists, Tom Jones, Rosenstolz, and Galneryus, to name a few.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

For both the Morrigan and Merlin, it is this inner urge to express their creativity, and for Merlin also to express deeper feelings in particular. Also, all these musical impressions we have gathered scream to be released.

6. Where was your last gig?

“Three” in Shimokitawaza, Tokyo, Japan. With the words of the world’s best actor: I’ll be back.

7. Where would you like to perform?

Brixton Academy, London. Thanks to Motörhead, Merlin has very fond memories of this place, and once decided (while nearly being squashed to death in the front row at a Motörhead gig), he wants to be on that stage!

And Castell Caerdydd (‘Cardiff Castle’). We have recently visited Caerdydd and saw that Slayer was to perform inside the castle court. What a magical place to perform a gig.

8. Whom would you like to perform with?

Merlin’s heroes are Slash and Jerry Cantrell, and Joe Perry; this would be a dream!

9. Whom not?

God. According to the bible, he doesn’t like witches. Merlin doesn’t want to tempt fate. What if God doesn’t like the gig and starts raining down brimstone onto our precious gear?

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Merlin usually stays cool, but it is the last 10 minutes before the gig when it tends to get him. Surviving those ten minutes. And weirdly, the smaller the venue, the stronger the stage fright. Perhaps because it is more intense.

What to do about it? Be really well-rehearsed so you don’t have a reason to be worried about something. And when stage fright hits (it tends to come in waves), keep your mind occupied for that moment, like going through the setlist or something. Do. Not. Think. About “Oh, I am getting nervous now”!!! Once on stage, get started - asap. As soon as the beats are rolling, the stage fright is gone.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

When Merlin was feeling itchy to pick up an instrument, Aerosmith launched a new record – and we are not talking about their late ballads, but before 2000, when they still made some real noise. On that fateful day, Merlin was exposed to their track “Falling in Love (is hard on the knees)”, and it was the map to his Holy Grail: the guitar.

He grew up with all sorts of music. So when he picked up the guitar, this went totally wild: Merlin tried really hard to get all his influences on board, but with Blues today, Black Sabbath tomorrow, and some Bossa Nova on Friday, this was easier said than done.

Time for some name-dropping: he started off with Blues and Rock, then Hard Rock. We are talking about Hendrix, Led Zep, Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses. Then he got hooked on Grunge, Goth, anyway, both are a must! (RIP Pete Steele, we love you forever). Also, he can’t keep his fingers off the heavy stuff & the more melodic types of metal, any genre as long as it is melodious. He has always been a sucker for sweet melodies, so you will find him listening to Soul, Motown, or 80s pop, too. This is all in addition to his classical training. And these are just the main influences. Music is freedom of expression; anything goes.

Led Zep and Guns are not rotating on his playlists so much these days. Alice in Chains, however, have always been on the playlist, and since their comeback, Jerry Cantrell has become more and more influential. And recently, Merlin has been re-hooked on Black Sabbath once again.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

During our Japan tour, around 2pm, arriving for the soundcheck, a Japanese gentleman approached the Morrigan and Merlin just outside the live house, and both were just about to enter. He asked shily and in a really kind way whether he could take a picture of us both (us both, wearing sweaty t-shirts, loaded with gear, make-up half missing). Of course he could! And then left. Neither attended the gig, nor wanted some merch (would have got something for free), no. A picture of two sweaty, foreign musicians in street clothes. This sparked joy for him. Not being funny, he was very happy about it. Ok. Always keep your fans happy, you know.

13. What do you think of your fans?

They are the backbone, the foundation of this all. They are just as much the reason epic musicians have been able to tour and produce numerous albums because they are the ones enabling everything, really. So we always think highly of our fans. When we got a brief moment to talk to one and they shared with us what our music means to them, this means the world to us.

14. What do you think of our site?

You put great effort into listing indie bands, which is much needed these days. Actually, we started to check out two bands we discovered on your site, thanks! Also the cursor being the metal horn is quite cool.

15. Something to add?

Stay tuned, we have begun our next recordings and are working on a tour!