THE RED MOON MACABRE

Resurrected after 32 years in 2021, now very active again. Interview with Renzo Tellez, founder of the classic Goth Rock band ‘The Red Moon Macabre’.

First there was Kathedral …

As recording for The Red Moon Macabre was about to commence, I was asked to play guitar for the musical act The Empire Hideous in 1990. So, recording my music was put on hold. Shortly, the bass player and I left to form Kathedral and recorded some of my compositions. I was very active during the early Nineties Goth scene in New York City. Kathedral performed many great nightclubs during that time. The last Kathedral performance took place in 1992, opening for Shadow Project. A band fronted by Rozz Williams. That was a legendary show that is talked about to this day.

That performance must have had a major impact on you as an artist. What made you quit Kathedral and continue again with The Red Moon Macabre?

That last performance closed a chapter in my life for a period of time. Experiencing the NYC Goth scene of the late eighties and early nineties, I wanted to travel and experience Europe to grow as a musician. I have always loved classical music, especially European early music of the 16th and 17th centuries. So I took a hiatus with live music and recording, traveled for quite a long time, but never stopped being a musician. Taking the time to absorb the experiences of life that would reflect back on my creative process.

Decades later, I was asked by Goth fans of Kathedral if I had any more music to bring to the table. Music is always churning in my head, and I am always creating, so my answer was, "Yes, I do." I resurrected "The Red Moon Macabre" in 2021. Since then, I have recorded over a hundred songs in my humble home studio and are now available to Goth audiences worldwide.

It is indeed quite a biography you have so far, especially taking into account that you are only back in business since 2021. Where do you get your inspiration?

I have always been inspired by old works of art, history, and fantasy. A book I owned of Edgar Allan Poe's collected works illustrated by Harry Clarke was the catalyst for creating The Red Moon Macabre. One of my favorites of Poe's short stories is The Masque of the Red Death. I wanted to create Goth Rock resonating my inspirations.

In these times of my life, the music ideas just show up in my mind in the mornings.

A melody creeps up, and then I decide to record the song, then finish the track with mixing, mastering, and releasing it by the end of the evening. I work very quickly, and all I need is one full day to complete a song or two.

Well, I hope many of those morning creep ups will continue to follow. Don’t think the fans would mind (including myself). Are there any goals you would like to accomplish? Maybe a performance in Belgium?

That's very kind! I am very pleased to have returned back to Gothic Rock. As far as future goals, to be able to perform live in Europe would be fantastic.

I would love to perform in Belgium!

Hopefully one day. Thank you very much Renzo for making time for us and do this interview. To conclude, where can fans and people who want to get to know your music go?

Thank you, Hayley! It has been a pleasure to be a part of this interview. Music of The Red Moon Macabre can be found at theredmoonmacabre.com, Bandcamp and various streaming platforms.

Hayley CLX
09/05/2024