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raison d'être Let us now enter the dark ambient shadowscapes of raison d'être, a project which is actually a rather new experience to me eventhough its almost eleven years of existance. Yet the music of Peter Andersson has had a great impact on me and it was for this reason that I decided to contact him and ask him a couple of questions about the future, past and surroundings of this eminent project of his. You will notice that this interview is mainly centered around a raison d'être eventhough Peter's activities in several other projects. The reason for this is that I simply wanted to draw the line somewhere (interviewing 6 projects at once could become a quite long story you know). Perhaps there will be an interview with some other projects of Peter in the future but for now, you'll have to settle with this interview which Peter answered between yule and new years eve 2001. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ECTONAUT: As far as I know, raison d'être has been active since 1991. Would you please introduce raison d'être to our readers and give us a short briefing on what you have been up to during your almost 11 years of existance? PETER: A short overview: I formed raison d'être in 1991. I did a lot of music back then, and released some tapes in small private editions. In January 1992 I sent my latest tape to CMI. They liked it very much and released this, titled Aprés nous le Déluge on tape on their sub label Sound Source. Later they asked me to make new material for a CD release. So, in 1993 it was finished and Prospectus I was released, followed by Enthraled by the wind of lonelines in 1994. Some tapes was released now: Conspectus, Ring of Isvarah and Semblance on different labels. In 1995 CMI released my 3rd CD Within the depths of silence and phormation. 1997 CMI released a new album In sadness, silence and solitude and an Australian label, Bloodless Creations, released an album of my earliest material, from 1991, titled Reflections from the time of opening. This was followed by Lost Fragments, a seld produced CD-R, with early and very rare tracks from 1992 (soon to be released on real CD by CMI). In 1999 Collective Archives was released on CMI, a great 2 CD compilation with a lot of non album tracks. So, in 2000 my latest CD The Empty hollow unfolds was released. I have been doing some live performances since 1996, in countries like France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Check Republic and Russia. ECTONAUT: Raison d'être is french for "reason to live". Why did you chose this name for your project? Is raison d'être perhaps a reason for you to go on with your life or is there a deeper meaning behind this name? PETER: The name was an appropriate term for the reason why I did start this project. I found it in a book about the theories of C.G. Jung, which has influenced me a lot. Jung wrote: Through raison d'être I try to get a better understanding of my self and at the end (when I am old) reach completeness. Raison d'être (and my other music projects) is some sort of therapeutical tool for me. ECTONAUT: I guess you are familiar with Jung's theories of the collective unconscious. I think they are quite interesting since they explain pretty well why isolated cultures create a pretty similar mythos in the end. Is this anything that have faith in? Do you believe in the collective unconscious? PETER: I believe in it, a least it gives a reasonable explanation to why different isolated culture share a lot of common symbols. ECTONAUT: It seems to me like you are a very productive musician. You're active in at least 6 musical projects, you have no less than 2 temporary projects and you also run your own label named Yantra Atmospheres. Where do you find time and energy to maintain all these projects? PETER: Well, that's a problem with enough time. I simply can't make a new album for each project each year. I wouldn't work. I do a new album when I feel ready for it, and when I am inspired it goes pretty fast. I believe these projects sounds so different from each other so there is no problem to get inspiration for an album of a project even if an album of another project just was completed. The problem now is the lack of time. When I started most of these projects I was unemployed, but now I am studying at the university, and there is not much time left, except for the summer period, if I don't have too work. PETER: There is no need for me to have different projects. But as I release official albums, it might be confusing for the listeners, if raison d'être sounds like electronic space music on the next album. Or should I create a new project with the name Atomine Elektrine instead? I think you get it. I like a lot kinds of music and sounds and I feel satisfied to create these all kinds of music that I do. A project name is only good when releasing records and playing live. If I didn't do that there is no real reason to have a name, then I would just call it "my self-composed music". ECTONAUT: Do you consider raison d'être to be your main project in these days? PETER: Yes. It was my first ever serious music project and it's my most known project too. But I don't see my other existing projects as less important, they are all as important as raison d'être. ECTONAUT: You're signed to Cold Meat Industry and as you're one of the older acts on this label I guess you must have seen a number of bands come and go during your many years on this label. What do you think is that reason that raison d'être has survived on this label while other bands have been destined to fall away and be forgotten? PETER: Because I do quality music. But I don't think there are so many CMI bands that has been forgotten. Some bands has internal problems, changes of members, makes other kind of music. I haven't had any problems, and I am not making music that do not fit within the concept of CMI, so I will probably be around for a while this label. As far as CMI likes my music there is no problem. ECTONAUT: I guess you must be quite satisfied with CMI have done for you so far since you have chosen to stay loyal to this label for such a long time? Am I right? PETER: Yes, I am satisifed. Roger at CMI is also a close friend, so it feels good release my raison d'être albums on this label. Of all the labels I have been in contact with CMI is without doubt the best, it's in another division. Also, there is very big friendship between all the bands on CMI, and once a year, on midsummer, we are partying at CMI's headquarter. ECTONAUT: Do you feel that raison d'être get high-priority from CMI when you are about to release a new album? PETER: Sometimes, or at least for the Empty Hollow Unfolds album. It was completed in February and released in the end of March I think. Usually the bands have to wait at least a 6 months, or in some cases, over 2 years. I don't remember how long time I had to wait for my other albums, but I think around 6 months. ECTONAUT: There was this period in my life when I totally depended on Spiraal and Pathaway from Enthralled by the wind of loneliness to lull me into a dreamlike state before I went to sleep. I'm still amazed by the atmospheres in these two tracks. From where are tracks like these spawned and how much time do you need to complete tracks like these? PETER: I did these compositions in 1993 and 1994, but I have no idea of how much time I needed to complete them. I am not even sure how my music is made and from where the ideas come from and how it's grown. It's a natural process of my mind, I am born with the skill, I don't have to think, I just let my inner subconsciousness free. ECTONAUT: For how long have you been aware of this skill? When did you start composing your own music? PETER: I began creating my own music in 1988, but I had played in a rock group some years earlier, in 1985. I think I went aware of this skill just before starting raison d'être, let's say in late 1990, when I had more serious plans about doing music. I just had an overwhelming feeling of a need to create music. Probably there was a lot of psychological stuff that I had to ventilate through any medium, like painting or poetry, but music felt more suitable for me. ECTONAUT: What kind of equipment are you using when you're composing music? PETER: Today I mainly use a computer, a sampler and some synths. I also have some metal plates that I usually treat in different ways and then sample the sounds that arises. The computer is used to process samples and as a multitrack recorder. PETER: Anything I have been exposed to and experienced during life, has affected me in some way. How important one thing compared to another thing are, is not possible to tell, they are all mixed up in my brain anyway. But some of the inspirations sources would be sounds, words, pictures, myths, legends, decay, ruins, sadness, love etc.... ECTONAUT: Do you read much? If so, what do you prefer to read and is there perhaps a favorite author that you would like to share with us? PETER: Now I am studying Cultural, Social and Media production at the university, so I have to read much. I don't read much fiction, even if I should do that in order to get a better (bigger) vocabulary. I read some philosophy, psychology, history and science. Right now I am reading a book about synchronicity as described by C.G. Jung. I don't really have a favorite author, but one quite new experience that impressed me a lot was Nikanor Teratologen. Very strange and funny readings, it's only available in Swedish (or what to call it: extreme norrländska?) and probably not possible to translate into other languages. ECTONAUT: I'd say that the music of raison d'être is idealistic for visualisation. I mean, it's quite an experience to turn of the lights, light some candles and just lean back, visualizing desolate landscapes, icy forests and ethereal places where life is rare while listening to your music. Is making highly imaginistic music one of your aims? PETER: Well, it's not an aim, it just turn out to be that way. I like to imagine things, create fantasy in my head. I guess it's reflected in my music then. ECTONAUT: There's a high soundtrack value in the music of raison d'être. Have you ever been offered to compose a soundtrack to a movie ? Is this something you would like to do in the future if you get an opportunity? PETER: Yes, I have been offered to make soundtracks, actually I have got 3 offers. Two of them never happened (at least not yet). I did one soundtrack for a swedish film named Tulpa. The film is not finished, it's shot but not edited. They have some internal problems, and I am not sure if the film ever will be completed. The music will sooner or later be released. In order to make music a living, I can imagine doing music for movies (but only for strange films). ECTONAUT: Tell us about this Tulpa movie. What is it about? Who are acting in it? Will the soundtrack be music in the regular raison d'être style or will it be different in some way? PETER: The soundtrack sounds more as a mix between raison d'être, necrophorus and atomine elektrine than raison d'être alone. When it will be released on CD I probably called it "composed by Peter Andersson" and not referring it to any of my projects. The movie is about a group of people who are going to a place in the forest (or nearby a forest) and while there some strange things happen. It's not like Blairwitch Project. It's more a surreal thing, with some Tibetan elements. A tulpa (a Tibetan "ghost" figure) is a strange figure with a white face that appears sometimes in the film. If you have seen Lost Highway by David Lynch you know what I mean. The actors is a group of unknown people. ECTONAUT: You're to be featured on CMI.100 DVD compilation. Could you please tell us about your contribution to this very interesting release that Cold Meat Industry is planning at the moment? PETER: I have done the music now, but the visual parts remain. Some source visuals will be done by Martin Pels, who also has shot photos for some of the latest CMI releases. The video will then be edited by Fetish23. The music fits in the Empty Hollow Unfolds session. It's a 7 or 8 minutes composition, very industrial ambience, with metal plate hits, strings and choirs. ECTONAUT: Have you thought of a visual concept for the raison d'être video yet? PETER: Yes. I want the visuals to combine different elements with devastation as a theme, like industrial wasteland, corrosion, religious abandonment etc... Images that reflects the music. ECTONAUT: I think there's a very divine feeling in many of the tracks of raison d'être. Do you believe in a higher deity or somekind of divine intervention? PETER: No, not really, at least I wouldn't call it divine. I believe that we all, everything in this world (universe),is connected somehow, because everything is made of the same materia. We are all made of dust from stars, or something like that. ECTONAUT: Judging from tracks like The slow ascent, You're obviously interested in the chants of gregorian monks and their likes. When was it that you developed this interest and what is that you find so fascinating about this singingsstyle? PETER: I am not sure why I am interested in it, perhaps because of its tranquilizing effects. I do not listen to gregorian choirs more than when I sample them. I just like small parts, especially the parts that I sample. Too much gregorian choirs is pretty boring actually, it's too religious for me. ECTONAUT: Are you interested in any other "extraordinary" singingstyle? PETER: No. ECTONAUT: Your new homepage is one of the coolest ones I've seen so far. Who's responsible for the graphics and who came up with the ideas for the layout? PETER: I did everything by myself, except for some special java effects that's free to use and customize to fit for personal use. I am very satsified with the result. Also, the photos are contributions from friends, mostly from Martin Pels, the one who has done the photos for many of the CMI releases since Empty Hollow Unfolds. Click here to check out Peter's new homepage. ECTONAUT: You've released quite a number of albums until this date. Which Raison d'être release do you recommend to the new listerners who are completely unfamiliar with how you sound? ECTONAUT: Well, which release is your personal favorite? PETER: The Empty Hollow Unfolds, same reason as above. ECTONAUT: Have you ever thought of releasing somekind of box consisting of all your albums? Cold Meat Industry recently released an In Slaughter Natives consisting of 5 ISN albums of improved sound-quality. Could you imagine doing something similiar with raison d'être in the future? PETER: No, but Roger of CMI, joked about doing a raison d'être box containing a raison d'être dolly. I am not in the same situation as In Slaughter Natives. Roger has only released 2 ISN albums before, and I think all ISN albums has been out of print for some time. CMI just got the rights to the other 2 ISN albums from Staalplaat. So an "introducing" box, re-mastered, and with some new material, is a nice return for ISN on CMI. I do not need that kind of "introduction", as my CD's always been available on CMI. But I do think my first 3 CD's need a re-mastering. ECTONAUT: You have contributed to a compilation CD named Funeral songs. I haven't had any chance to listen to it yet but judging by its title, it seems to me like the songs are more or less of a funeral nature. Am I right? Would you please tell us about your contribution to this CD? PETER: Yes, Funeral is the concept. However, my 2 contributions was created long before the idea for this compilation. They were originally composed as interludes for an Abyssic Hate release. But I guess my songs fit in the concept, as most that I am doing with raison d'être fits in a funeral concept. The 2 songs is composed in 1997, titled Procession and Forgotten Mound, sounds a bit like the earlier raison d'être sounds of Prospectus I or Within the depths... ECTONAUT: I think I understand now why one of your songs on Funeral Songs was dedicated to the late Mr Jung but I'm quite curious towards the fact that the other track was dedicated to the great Salvador Dali. Why did you chose to dedicate a track to this artist? Are you interested in let's say, surrealism and such? PETER: I was asked by Crowd Control to dedicate my tracks to two persons. Both my tracks was dedicated to Salvador Dali and C.G Jung but Crowd Control separeted it later, so one track was dedicated to Jung and the other to Dali. Anyway, I love the works (and life) of Dali. Surrealism is not too far from Jung, because they are both interested in the unconsciousness. I am very interested in dreams. Ten years ago I used to write down my dreams. Unfortunately I don't do that now, but I think I should. I think that my interest in dreams made me interested in Jung and Dali in the first place. Then my interest grow to a wider scale of surrealism and the theories of Jung. ECTONAUT: I heard that Mr. Dali once sent his father a condom filled with sperm along with a letter saying something like, "this is the only thing I owe you". ECTONAUT: The question we've all been waiting for: The next raison d'être album, when will it be released? What will we hear on this next album of yours? Will there be new elements added into your music? Tell us about it please... PETER: Well, you have to wait. I haven't started yet, but I will begin to collect sounds in the first half of next year, perhaps start to record new songs next summer. How it will sound? I can't tell you as I have no clue. I want to do a Panzar album first, before starting with any raison d'être. ECTONAUT: I'm not familiar with the music of Panzar. Would you please write a couple of lines about this other project of yours and the up-coming album that you spoke of above. PETER: I have just started to compose music for a Panzar album, so It's a bit early to say anything about it. Anyway, the 7" single I released earlier did sound a bit like early BDN, with growling drones, noises and voices. I guess the new material will sound less BDN. ECTONAUT: You mentioned live performances by raison d'être earlier in this interview. How would you describe a raison d'être live-show? Are there any special FX? PETER: No special FX, just a videobackdrop, me and and a lot of beers. I would like to create a better show, but then I would like to perform in a ruin or in catacombs. I would then create a certain atmosphere that fits the music. ECTONAUT: You recently performed in Denmark along with Unveiled from World Serpent. Was this gig a success or do you have any bad memories? PETER: First of all, I don't have any memories. I was too drunk. No, actually it was great and everything was well organized. I sold a lot of CD's as well. The only bad experince was the danish language. PETER:I didn't think about that so much while I was there. I don't care either. Unveiled did a great performance, and if I correctly understand the audience the audience, they enjoyed both performances. I feel I got some more attention than Unveiled, but of course, I am much more well known, while Unveiled is a pretty new band. ECTONAUT: Are there any shows planned for this year? PETER: It's only plans yet, nothing is finally decided, so I think it's better to not speak about them too much. But I have around 10 performances to do if everything works as planned. One performance is planned in a castle in Germany. ECTONAUT: Thanks Peter, that was all I wanted to know. Please end this interview by giving us a summary on what you have planned for raison d'être and your other projects in 2002. Peter Andersson |
ECTONAUT: Why do you need to have so many side-projects?
ECTONAUT: Would you please tell us a little about your spiritual, physical and musical sources of inspiration?
PETER: I would always recommend my latest release, so it would be The Empty Hollow Unfolds. I will hopefully always be most satisfied with my latest release.
PETER: In 2002 I will do material for a new panzar, Stratvm Terror and raison d'être album. A lot of live performances. Check out my web site for the latest news: