Posted on 16 Feb, 2007 - Comparing his gift for music as being like a welcome curse, Erk Aicrag knows it is his blood for better or for worse. Though landing success via his status as the vocalist for the notorious Hocico, Aicrag rsquo;s passions couldn rsquo;t be sated in only playing the role of only a singer. While his partner in crime, Rasco Argoyam found his own voice with his heavy EBM solo project Dulce Liquido, Erk felt it was time to also re-invent himself, and thus Rabia Sorda was born.
While Hocico rsquo;s rhythmic attacks are quite extroverted, Rabia is his outlet for introspection. Dissecting his own point of view to a soundtrack that fuses organic instrumentation with his trademark hard electronics, it is a hybrid of harsh electro and industrial rock, a megaphone that announces Erk rsquo;s audio attack has only just begun. (By Vlad McNeally)
SL.
In the past, it seems you were almost solely responsible for the lyrics and vocals of Hocico, leaving Racso in control of creating the music. How does it feel to be in charge of that task with Rabia Sorda, and was it a difficult jump from vocalist to solo artist?
E.
It wasn rsquo;t an easy break at all. Even though I had already composed some songs on my own, I wasn rsquo;t at all sure of them, so this solo project represented a major challenge for me. I believed enough in myself, though, and in what I wanted to say so that I gradually gained confidence mdash;the end result being a fantastic journey of self-exploration.
Rabia Sorda forced me to delve deeper into myself. Much more than making a mere album, it was a self-exploratory experience. I somehow managed to access lsquo;thought-scapes rsquo; I had never known were inside of me.
I discovered a whole new inner world that was utterly amazing to me; it opened up a floodgate of new sensations, new experiences.
SL. I saw that John Fryer mixed your first single and album.
How did that collaboration occur, and what was that experience like?
E. John Fryer is a magnificent producer and he did a great job on the mix of ldquo;M e todos del Caos rdquo;.
He is a hard worker mdash;always calm and relaxed mdash;and he was completely open to my input to get the sound I wanted just right. Working with him was a wonderful experience. When I was looking for someone to mix the album, the Out of Line people told me that John would probably be interested.
So they contacted him, he listened to some of the rough cuts, and then simply said, lsquo;yes rsquo;.
SL. Despite the fame of Hocico and the growing popularity of Amduscia, few people in Europe have been exposed to your homeland industrial scene.
What is it like these days in Mexico for a hard electro fan, and do you see any new impressive artists that you have inspired to follow in the wake your success?
E. The underground/industrial scene in Mexico is fairly extensive nowadays, in cities like Tijuana, Puebla, Guadalajara, Queretaro, Leon, Monterrey, but particularly in Mexico City, because that rsquo;s where most of the bands are concentrated mdash;and it rsquo;s especially huge since there are three clubs devoted exclusively to the underground music styles, open Thursday through Saturday.
So all you need to do is check the flyers that are distributed around the city and/or check the listings posted on the Internet to decide to what concert or party to go to on any given weekend. There are dozens of emerging bands from synth pop to power noise all around the country, and some are definitely worth listening to. A few, like Ogo, have been going for years.
Others, like Deus Ex Machina, are back on the scene again, and there are brand new bands like Disfuncion Organica. International shows are happening more frequently, and I would say that little by little Mexico City is becoming a stopover-must for every major band touring the U.S.
A hard electro fan in Mexico City never has a boring weekend.
SL. At one time, it was your wish to tour South America, which became a reality for Hocico.
What was that experience like for you?
E. It was incredible.
I really enjoyed the whole trip. The people of South America treated us really well, and, contrary to what others may think, the promoters got us first-rate venues, with the best PA systems and lighting. Peru and Argentina were great, and we were particularly impressed by how massive the scene was particularly in Chile.
To read the complete interview, be sure to buy Side-Line issue 57 !
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