Lazurus Blackstar Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Mikey-Well things are quiet at the moment since were all busy with other projects, family, education, jobs and so on. But it’s not like people are screaming to us to play shows? Well decent ones anyway. But the new split with black shape of nexus will be our 3^rd release in 3 years so that’s a positive

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the newer material and also how does it differ from previous releases?

Mikey- Personally for me it’s like a bad hangover from a near death experience ha ha.  Musically it’s a heavy symphony of misery with layers of mourning melody, ultra-heavy blues. In my opinion it’s always different with each release because Lazarus blackstar is always moving forwards whilst standing perfectly still, we only move when we feel the need to do so because everything we do is on our own terms. So I think the sound we create is completely natural to us all, there is always a feeling in the air that we are hanging on barely, just surviving and somehow through that experience mutating into something else. It’s a tough band to be in, there’s a lot of tension and anger.  It’s not an easy band for people to listen to and I don’t really care if they can because we do it for us. It’s very inward looking, inner war, but live it becomes confrontational, threating towards anybody who stands in front of us, friend or foe.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the new release explores?

Mikey-Early releases I performed on were very personal lyrics as I was going through a rough time, exercising some demons if you like. I want to create a feeling of utter hopelessness but not in a way to drag other people down, maybe to help liberate bad feelings. I think working through these things on earlier releases has helped me build up towards empathy for other people going through hell. So now I try to write about things that are on the outside of the self, not so inward. i was trying to get into the mind set of somebody who has lost everything because of our governments and there never ending war on everybody who is not part of the fucking elite, these murderous fucking cunts, the world collapsing around us, the state making its people suffer whilst the rich get richer. The Birth work death existence that people are being forced into. I want revenge.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Lazarus Black Star?

Mikey-It was a song title from bri and lee’s previous band kang that evolved into Lazarus blackstar.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Mikey-I liked it when we played with discharge and skinheads wanted to kill me for singing “weird”.

6. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Mikey-If somebody makes a good offer the yes, were too old for shit venues and rip off promoter’s, am not wasting any more breath screaming in some  cunts  faces just to get fucking 20 quid gas money. If your one of them people, then fuck off.

7. This year you have released splits with both Headless Kross and Black Shape of Nexus, what are your thoughts on the bands that participated with these splits?

Mikey-I love black shape of nexus, I had been listening to them a lot then out of the blue they asked us to do a record together, I was shocked that somebody good actually likes us. I never knew anything about headless kross before that split, It was originally meant to be a split with gloomy Sunday from Sweden, it was recorded years ago before our last album hymns for the cursed.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of sludge and doom metal?

Mikey- Minimal. We are underdogs. Maybe people will like us more when we are gone.

9. Are there any other musical projects going on these days?

Mikey-I play guitars in skitvarld a noisy punk band based in Liverpool

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Mikey-Further into the abyss

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Mikey- I don’t really have a musical influence for lbs now, when I first joined I was listening to burning witch a lot, but am listening to tons of punk. Infernoh, kromosom , bastard, anti-cimex, disorder, zyanose,  invasion from Barcelona have been on repeat this week. Am really bored of metal, doom, and so on, the scene is flooded with utter shit.

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Mikey- am a fashion student /designer, I also make art for bands, albums covers, t-shirts, flyers and so on. I like making arty stuff in general.   Sci fi books, traveling, cats