Publication: Culture Asylum
t.o.t.s. Interview w/Gira777, Culture Asylum (Dec. 1998)
Many bands strive for a creative impact but few reach that point. One band that has is Things Outside The Skin. Their cassette “PIED PIPER” is incredible, especially when you’re a band that can do a remake of a Residents’ song with style. Their version of “Ginger’s Lament” is insane I love it. There are six tracks on Pied Piper they are as follows: “Mettle., mov.III:Truth”, “Ginger’s Lament”, “New Law,” “Acquiesce,” “Atmosphere,” and “Eve of Separation”. They incorporate interesting textures that make you feel that you visually see the chaos within the music. The effects are memorizing. I recommend this for those who are interested in music that will slap you speechless. Continue reading Culture Asylum, interview (1998)
Publication: SuperCoolNothing
t.o.t.s. Interview (2005)
by; Mr Drum Machine
[Mr Drum Machine]: This is probably the worst, most cliched question to start an interview with–but I can’t resist: what’s the story behind the name of your band? “Things Outside The Skin” sounds more emo than industrial–nary an umlaut or a “23″ to be found.
[Chvad]: The name! It goes back a bit actually. During my first band (Recherche’) the guitarist (Raphael/Mortal Angel from Sealed in Silence) and I were in the process of creating a new project (the now defunct “Blood in Vain”) and “THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN” was one of the ideas I had had. I was looking for a name that used simple words that could project larger concepts, a name that could be flexible enough to keep up with constantly changing ideas and identities and I also wanted it to be a bit creepy without be heavy handed. Despite our (Raphael and I) decision to not use the name then in 1996, I wound up releasing a bunch of ambient recordings under the name in 1997 while retaining the name “Recherche’” for the heavier material. In 1998 I dropped “Recherche’” permanently and put everything into T.O.T.S.
[MrDM]: From the pictures on your website, one could assume that you incorporate a lot of theatrics into your live shows. For someone who hasn’t seen a T.O.T.S. show, can you describe what it’s like?
[Chvad]: I like to think it’s, at the very least, an energetic show. We really give the show 200% every time. Energy wise, whatever we have we try to put on the stage. It’s exciting for me to be on a stage and perform and at the very minimum I’d like the audience to feel the same excitement. As far as staged stuff goes…there’s always something new. None of us like to keep the same shtick for long so we’re always bringing something new to the show. Lighting and video has always been important for me. Unfortunately video has taken a back seat for a few years due to budget constraints but the lighting part of the show has really taken off the past couple of years. For me, these elements are every bit as important as the music. It’s a show. It needs to be a show and fun to hear AND watch. I consider lighting even when we’re recording. I’ll change a song if I think it’ll look better with a particular lighting arrangement. We’re restricted with time and budget a lot but I think what we’re bringing to the stage right now is pretty great. I’m hoping to re-integrate video in 2006/2007 but that all depends on whether or not I can get the means to do it. Continue reading SuperCoolNothing, interview (2005)
Publication: Drowning in Odium
t.o.t.s. Interview w/ Drowning in Odium
by; Royce Icon
I got the chance to shoot the shit with Chvad from Things Outside The Skin, and here’s what was said.
Royce Icon: Describe yourself and Things Outside the Skin for those not in the know.
Chvad SB: THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN is a satirical audio and visual creative entity. Sometimes in greater quantities of one than the other. Snooty enough for ya’? It’s really tough for me to quantify it as anything specific and I’m not wanting to come across as pretentious when I say that. A lot of bands will say things like “we’re not industrial, we’re “electro-dark-tech-rock-pop” or “we’re not goth, we’re wacky carbonated bubble snap emo grunge” or whatever. t.o.t.s., probably to our detriment, has no real direction and that’s really my fault. I’m interested in tons of things and like most of us, have a limited amount of time at my disposal for my creative endeavors. My solution was to create a project that could embody all of these creative desires at once. I love visual arts, performance, music, etc etc I love technological and non-technological approaches to things. Most importantly, I love content. Whenever I am approaching a new subject to work on, the tools generally change. The end results are questionable. Some people like it, others don’t. Like anything I guess. Continue reading Drowning in Odium, interview (2006)
Publication: Space Junkies Magazine
t.o.t.s. Interview w/Space Junkies Magazine (Oct. 2005)
by; Hare Mengele
[Hare]: How would you describe Things Outside The Skin?
Chvad SB [Chvad]: Like Godzilla a load of simplified messages in the guise of over the top, overly loud, and ultimately cheesy monster movie. At least that’s my take on the whole thing.
Blight Productions [Blight]: One part insane, one part funky, one part synthetic, and three parts rock!
The 1-2-3-4 [Tim]: The Charlie Brown of industrial rock.
Hare: What are some of your influences?
Chvad: The major catalyst to make me get up off of my ass, and start making music was, without a doubt, the single for Ministry’s “Jesus Built My Hotrod.” Prior to that, I grew up listening to DEVO (In particular, their “New Traditionalists” album, which shielded me from a religious upbringing. Thanks DEVO!), Men Without Hats, Camouflage, Alphaville, Peter Schilling, Falco, TSOL, The Dickies, The Damned, The Ramones, and stuff like that – mostly a combination of punk, and early synth-pop. What I had exposure to was somewhat limited as we (Blight and myself) grew up in a swamp. Later influences include artists like Frank Black, Michael Patton, Godflesh and The Residents.
Blight: One would assume growing up together, Chvad and I would have the same influences. Well, that’s just not true. While we do have some crossovers like the Residents, DEVO, Ministry, and the Ramones, I tend to drift more towards the likes of Primus, Bootsy Collins, P-Funk, Tom Waits, and Faith No More. Other artists such as Edward Gory, The Brothers Quay, Bill Plimpton, and Tony Oursler also inspire me.
Chvad: It’s funny, even though I do a lot of visual arts related stuff, I don’t think I’ve ever been inspired by a visual artist – wacky.
Tim: Budweiser and Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Continue reading Space Junkies Magazine, interview (2005)
Publication: Dark Heart Magazin
t.o.t.s. Interview w/Dark Heart Magazin (2005)
by; Andreas
DH: First, tell us something about your development as musicians. How long has Things Outside The Skin existed and when and how did you meet? How did you get the idea for the name of the group?
Chvad SB: I started playing music regularly in 91′. Prior to that I had noodled around with it but never with any solid commitment. THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN has been around since 1997. Initially it was a solo project for me that has expanded to include more players. Current band members include my brother Blight on bass guitar and Tim Durland on drums. In regards to the name “things outside the skin”, that came about a few years prior to the actual start of the project. I wanted a name that could project an endless canvass of ideas. Some name that could embody any thing and any idea beyond the scope of my own person. A name that would allow me to constantly re-envision the product without changing the core identity of the band itself.
DH: Which roots in a musical sense do you have? Are you an electro or an industrial band?
Chvad SB: My influential roots are pretty heavily rooted in early synthpop, new wave, punk rock and rap. Whether or not we’re an electro or industrial band… I don’t know. The answer seems to change depending upon whom you ask. With as many inane genres and sub-genres that exist today I’m sure we fit in somewhere but in the event we don’t, it’s safe to say we’re just a rock band with a conscience. Continue reading Dark Heart Magazin, interview (2005)
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