CAT RAPES DOG
'We will try to put as much energy as possible into our performance. There will be no power ballads!'
22/01/2024, Hamis HIREK
photos: © Daniela Vordran / www.black-cat-net.de/
For the few (outsiders) whom might not yet heard of you, how did Cat Rapes Dog come together as a band, and what motivated the choice of such a unique and provocative name?
It was a long process before the band formed with the current lineup. It started as a duo with Joel as the lead vocalist, Annelie joined two years later. After another two years Jonas joined, then Joel left the band and was replaced by John. The name is just an absurd combination of words suggested by Joel and we couldn’t think of a better name so we were stuck with that.
Your music often blends electro, industrial, and EBM elements. How do you approach combining these genres, and what do you think sets Cat Rapes Dog apart in the electro-industrial scene?
We have always been listening to a variety of genres and you will be influenced by what you listen to, of course. We never had any plan or strategy, we just followed our whims. And we never really took the band seriously, it was just to have a bit of fun.
Over the years, Cat Rapes Dog's sound has evolved. Can you discuss the progression of your musical style and the influences that have played a role in shaping it?
In the beginning we were fascinated by the possibilities using sequencers and samplers, it was like taking a shortcut from years of learning to play a ’real’ instrument. If we would have been skilled musicians from the start, we likely would have sounded like The Cult or similar. We never made a conscious decision to start off as an EBM act, it just happened to sound like that. Later on we tried to bring in influences from other genres like house, techno and metal. But it seems no matter what we’re influenced by, it always comes out as typical CRD. We sort of invented our sound early on and I think you can tell if it’s us or another band. I think this is due to a lucky combination of personalities and skills.
Can you provide insights into your creative process when developing new music for Cat Rapes Dog? How do you collaborate within the band to bring your ideas to life?
Often we have like tons of ideas that we need to choose from and sort of boil down to a song. We’re still working on how to collaborate, we’re mostly concerned with pointing out all the bad aspects of an idea that someone else presents. We should fight more and let the winner decide. Or maybe act like the adults we are and support each other? Let’s see where the process will end up.
Your lyrics often explore thought-provoking and sometimes controversial themes. How do you approach lyricism, and what messages or concepts do you aim to convey through your songs?
Mostly, our lyrics are just weird nonsense. Already from the start we wanted to have lyrics that would make people react and think ”Did they really sing that?” Not because of any ideological conviction, it was just that we didn’t want to be predictable. The 90s was the irony decade and we embraced that to 100%. We also liked to explore where the boundary was between ”yes, still funny” and ”no, that’s just gross”. Sometimes we crossed that border.
Being a Scandinavian, do you think there's a distinct Scandinavian influence in your music or creative process? How has your cultural background shaped your artistic identity?
In all good songs, there’s always a touch of melancholy. In Scandinavia, we like to add more than just a touch. Maybe it’s the long, dark winter that affects our minds. Another thing is that all kids in Sweden used to learn how to play the recorder flute in elementary school. This is not an easy instrument to play, but it became a stepping stone for a lot of people to learn the instrument they wanted to play, like the guitar or the piano. Whatever the reason, Sweden has, compared to the size of its population, a big music industry that has produced a lot of successful bands. Not only within the electro, punk and metal scenes but also in the mainstream dance/pop and Eurovision genres. The successes of Abba, Roxette and Ace of Base made it natural for us to believe we could take our music outside Sweden.
What challenges have you faced as a band in the electro/industrial scene, and how have you overcome them?
The EBM scene is sometimes quite narrow-minded. When Annelie had joined the band, the audience made her feel that girls were not welcome on stage. That changed, and now she’s the person we can’t perform without. Another thing is this phobia against guitars. I get it if you’re young and just want to listen to a very particular genre, but as you get older your musical horizon should widen. Annelie was both a girl AND played guitar, so imagine the obstacles she had to overcome.
Soon you will be performing at the International EBM day festival in St-Niklaas, Belgium. To what extent do you feel involved in the EBM scene and do you have any related icons in that scene?
We toured a lot back in the 90s and then the EBM scene felt like a family. We still enjoy attending Front 242 concerts and we love to meet the nice people in Die Krupps and Covenant. Among the newer bands, we like Aux Animaux and Rein.
Looking back at your career, what do you consider the legacy of Cat Rapes Dog, and what can fans expect in terms of future releases or projects?
The legacy is our sound and the irony that seeped through everything we did. We do plan to release new songs, but it seems to take a very long time. Now we’re old and wise enough to realize that we shouldn’t try to be anything else than what we are.
And most important, what can we expect at the International EBM day from CRD?
We will try to put as much energy as possible into our performance. There will be no power ballads!
Hamis HIREK
22/01/2024
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