www.hollywoodmusic.tv/butterflycoma
HMTV Canada Tina: 1. Hi Butterfly Coma how are things going? Is it getting colder in Germany?
Butterfly Coma: Hi Tina, we are all doing absolutely great, thanks. And yes, indeed we have had night frost for the first time this year last night.
HMTV Canada Tina: 2. Just curious what is the music scene like over in Germany, what are the popular music genres?
Butterfly Coma: I guess the music scene in general is pretty much alike in most "western countries". You got those hollow fake ass mainstream pop-acts on the one hand, who get airplay at radio-stations and music-television, and you got the creative underground (no matter if Metal, Electro or Rap) on the other hand. At the moment I feel like Rock and Metal is getting more and more popular here again. Guess the kids are sick of soft plastic bands. Time for some serious ROCK.
HMTV Canada Tina: 3. Before we get started can you include all your web addresses so fans can access your music?
Butterfly Coma: O.k., that is: http://www.butterflycoma.com
http://www.hollywoodmusic.tv/butterflycoma
http://www.myspace.com/butterflycoma
HMTV Canada Tina: 4. In 2006 Butterfly Coma rose like a phoenix to create uncompromisingly hard, but yet multi-layered melodic music. When did you form your band and what inspired you to make music together?
Butterfly Coma: I played together in a band with 2 of the guys before, and when that band broke up we looked for talented musicians to start something new and unique. We wanted to create heavy music that still really touches the listener, without that whiny Emo-attitude, and without that Hardcore-tough-guy-image. We actually started playing shows as Butterfly Coma in February 2006.
HMTV Canada Tina: 5. How long has each band member known each other, what are each members name and their role (instruments) in Butterfly Coma?
Butterfly Coma: Like I said before, I have been playing in a band with Dennis Diehl (Vocals) and Benny Richter (Keyboards), who also plays in “Krypteria”, for like 5 years, before the band broke up and the other guys, apart from us 3, went separate ways. When we started pre-producing new songs Benny brought Sky Hoff (Guitars) who also plays in “Machinemade God” into the Studio to help us out. He became a permanent member of the band and he recruited Sven Kalinowski (Drums). During that time we could also win over Dominic Paraskevopoulos (Bass) to complete the band. By the way, my name is Thomas Helten (Turntables / Samples).
HMTV Canada Tina: 6. What genre of music do you consider your band to be do you have any major influences?
Butterfly Coma: Our music is often described as "metalcore", due to the fact that our music is mainly influenced by various styles of metal and hardcore among other styles of music.
HMTV Canada Tina: 7. How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
Butterfly Coma: When we started Butterfly Coma we had a vision of what our songs should be like. I guess we have pretty well managed to get close to this vision from the very beginning. We wanted to create uncompromisingly heavy, but yet multi-layered melodic music, and generally we still stick to this course. The songs just have to feel right for us, and I think by-and-by we learned how to work hand-in-hand while writing songs, so we get to this point easier.
HMTV Canada Tina: 8. Can you tell us about your own unique style of music–making process from the instruments to the recording environment?
Butterfly Coma: The music is mostly written by Benny and Sky. Either of them comes up with a melody, or riff, or an whole idea for a song. Then they sit together and properly compose and arrange the song. After the structure is built the rest of the band normally gets to hear the material and adds their instruments and their ideas. Additionally I normally write the lyrics to the songs. Luckily Sky has a legit home recording studio and Benny even co-owns a real recording studio near our place. So once the songwriting is finished we can instantly start recording our stuff properly.
HMTV Canada Tina: 9. What are your rehearsals like, do you set a time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
Butterfly Coma: Our rehearsals are mostly spontaneous. We rehearse prior to shows and sometimes just for the fun of it.
HMTV Canada Tina: 10. Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?
Butterfly Coma: The music is mostly written by Benny and Sky. The lyrics are mostly written by me. The topics of the lyrics depend on the feeling of the song and on what concerns me in general at the moment I am writing. We have no certain areas of interest that we always write songs about, although the lyrics tend to turn out leaving an depressed but yet aggressive aftertaste in the mouth of the listener.
HMTV Canada Tina: 11. Do you think these topics will change over time? What do you empower for inspiration when writing your lyrics?
Butterfly Coma: As our lyrics are quite diverse, I am convinced that the topics will change over time. I even hope so. I like the thought of canalizing what's happening around me into our lyrics. Like art is a mirror of reality and vice versa. I personally enjoy lyrics that create an interesting image in my mind.
HMTV Canada Tina: 12. Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any organizations? Are you affiliated with any dark underground scenes like vampire freaks for example?
Butterfly Coma: We managed to draw some attention on our band, but we have no record label so far. We are not a member of an organization and I guess we are not affiliated with any particular underground scene that bears a name.
HMTV Canada Tina: 13. Can you tell us about your latest Demo CD release, anything from messages to inspirations, your biggest challenge as a band? Can we buy your tracks from Itunes?
Butterfly Coma: Our first Demo CD was produced by our keyboarder Benny who also produced the latest Caliban Album. The songs were mixed by Jacob Bredahl (Hatesphere) in Denmark. This Demo CD was our first step in getting people into our music, and getting our message across. You can buy our Demo CD in the shop-section on our website (www.butterflycoma.com). Since then we have constantly been writing and recording new songs, which we already play live.
HMTV Canada Tina: 14. What are some of the highlights in the works right now for Butterfly Coma? Do you plan on releasing a video soon?
Butterfly Coma: Yes in fact, we shot our first music-video last weekend! Was such fun. We have been shooting in an old opera-style theater, and at a haunted house in Germany's biggest theme-park. We had 6 female dancers on stage with demon make up and the whole audience got demon make up and costumes. I'm so excited to see how the video turns out in the end. The film-material is going through post-production process at the moment. We also did an interviews with Germany's biggest youth-magazine after the shooting.
HMTV Canada Tina: 15. Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite music venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
Butterfly Coma: Although we have no record deal we played a lot of shows and festivals during this year:
Hunter Festival - w/ SEPULTURA, SICK OF IT ALL, WALLS OF JERICHO, KREATOR,
Darkness over Europe – w/ BLEEDING THROUGH, CALIBAN, ALL SHALL PERISH
Reload Festival - w/ LAMB OF GOD,CHIMAIRA, STATIC-X, H-BLOCKS,
Vainstream Festival – w/ AS I LAY DYING, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DROPKICK MURPHYS
Matrix, Bochum – w/ ILL NINO
Zeche Carl, Essen - w/ SUCH A SURGE
Outlaw Festival 2007 – w/ NARZISS Lido Berlin – w/ BETZEFER, MAINTAIN
...just to mention the biggest shows.
I guess we pretty much like every venue, as long as the stage is big enough to occupy the band. We don't ask much. We are happy when the venue is packed and the audience is having a blast!
These are the upcoming shows:
Show: November 3, 2007 - 8:00 AM
Event: Headbangers ballroom
Place: HDJ, Duesseldorf
- Show: December 8, 2007 - 8:00 AM
Event: Blizzard Festival
Place: Das Zentrum, Dortmund
- Show: December 14, 2007 - 6:00 PM
Event: Evil Horde Metal fest VII
Place: Druckluft, Oberhausen
- Show: March 15, 2008 - 8:00 AM
Event: Butterfly Coma (headliner show)
Place: JuZe, Bochum
Apart from that we will be headlining a Germany-Tour by February 2008.
HMTV Canada Tina: 16. Which songs do you perform the most frequently do you ever play covers? Do you have a set play list?
Butterfly Coma: There are like 5 songs we normally play in every live set because people know these songs and come to hear them. Then we add some of our new stuff and some older songs. We normally put a play list together before the shows, but from time to time someone feels like it's time for a certain song during the set, then he gives the other band members a shout and we play that particular song!
HMTV Canada Tina: 17. How are fans currently reacting to your music when performing at live music venues?
Butterfly Coma: Be assured that our fans always tear the place down! They are so freakin great! We're infamous for walls-of-death and circle-pits here in Germany. It's a boiling pot anytime. We get down on stage with a 200% of action. Did you check out the video on my myspace-profile of our show at the Essen-Werden festival? Was a 3000 people crowd with a 300 people wall of death and circle pit.... They're literally stepping on each other... We truly love our fans.
HMTV Canada Tina: 18. How has the Internet helped Butterfly Coma as a marketing tool to promote your music?
Butterfly Coma: The Internet means a big deal, definitely. People come across your music on myspace and hollywoodmusic and show up at the gigs with their friends. It's a perfect and independent platform to show what you are doing.
HMTV Canada Tina: 19. What advice do you have for aspiring young musicians that want to form their own bands?
Butterfly Coma: I know this phrase might have been over-used, but it's definitely true: "Never f*!?ing give up!" We have heard a thousand times from promoters, A&Rs, music-managers and all other kinds of people that our band sucks, and then you see these same people at the next festival watching your band and the reaction of the audience with jaws all on the floor. So don't ever care about other people's opinion.
HMTV Canada Tina: 20. How do you like our music site at Hollywood Music TV?
Butterfly Coma: Your VJ Serra Scarrs came across BUTTERFLY COMA, we started talking, and she recommended us to start a profile at Hollywoodmusic.tv. So we just started our profile here recently. But I like it a lot. It's amazing how you get contact to interesting people involved in music. Also the bands I have checked out are amazing. Great place!
HMTV Canada Tina: 21. Before we close our interview is there anyone that you would like to acknowledge, any last words?
Butterfly Coma: O.k., luckily there are so many people that have helped us on our way so far. All the bands we have played with, all the promoters, DJs and Radio-Djs that have given us a chance to be heart. Right now we would like to thank Marc Terenzi, Damion and Europa Park for giving us the opportunity to shoot our music-video. Thanks to Nelly (Miss Germany) for staring our video. Thanks to Armin at Hellfest for believing in us. Many thanks to Marek for being the best booker out there and for being a friend. Finally to the fans. Guys, we love all these people...
Thank you Butterfly Coma for taking the time to complete HMTV Canada’s Online Ezine Interview. You Rock
Butterfly Coma: Many thanks to you for interviewing us! It's our pleasure.
Brought to you by Hollywood Music TV Canada Tina
