Interview with Cold Cave
Musician, songwriter, singer and poet Wesley Eisold, aka Cold Cave, is deep not only in his musical sound but also in his reflections on the purpose and production of music. Behind every choice, every sound or noise, and every song is a wealth of feeling and a conscious reasoning.
We spoke to Eisold about his relation to music, the evolution of his sound and his lyrical capabilities.
fluoro. You’ve expressed that you find the music writing process daunting compared to writing lyrics, which you love. Why do you insist on developing the music yourself?
Wesley Eisold. To keep it true to the source. I’ve worked with people on songs and have been happy with it, but I started Cold Cave as a vehicle to express myself fully, without others. With people comes egos and I wanted to avoid those. Amy Lee and I work well together though.
f. How has your music evolved since you established Cold Cave?
WE. It started based in noise, more experimental, influenced by early English industrial and post punk. Eventually, just because of the equipment I was using, I accidentally wrote songs like Love Comes Close, which was very satisfying to me. I just kept going from there, kept getting more comfortable with song writing and my equipment. I like to follow an idea I have and see where it goes.
f. You have experimented with different subcultures and sounds since 2000. What is the sound that you feel perfectly expresses your lyrics?
WE. Different sounds for different moods and periods of my life. There isn’t just one sound. My life has felt sad, violent, romantic, and I always find beauty in the underdogs and was drawn to the deep end. I like urgency in music. I like it to be hard and romantic, in sound and/or subject. Sincerity over everything.
f. In which direction is your music heading now? Will you settle within a certain genre or create one of your own?
WE. My new music is encompassing all of the sounds from before and then more. But it’s not even really like that… I don’t consider the genre. It just all makes sense together. Genres are for people writing about the music or for musicians looking for a home. I’d rather be homeless.
f. While the sound has changed, your lyrics have always been deeply personal, marked by a poetic aesthetic. Where did you develop that way of writing?
WE. My father’s side of my family has a long history of writers but I didn’t know that until later in my life. I surely inherited something there. Growing up I was on the move a lot and felt isolated and didn’t know how to express myself, so I listened to music and wrote. Writing was a cathartic release. I had a lifetime of feelings and when I was 18 I was able to get them out. Music has been helpful to me, I hope mine is for others.
f. You have expressed that you are not keen on having band members but you do make use of collaborations. What would be a dream collaboration?
WE. Robert Smith or Morrissey. The two most important musical and lyrical inspirations to me.
f. What are you currently working on and what’s in store for the coming year?
WE. [We are playing at the] FYF Festival at the end of the month. After that I’m going to finish some new songs to release and tour next Spring. I don’t like lulls or waiting or doing the traditional record cycle thing. I like to release music when it’s ready so that the initial feeling isn’t too far away when the audience hears it.
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Cold Cave will be playing at the FYF Festival in Los Angeles, United States on Saturday 22 August 2015.
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