1. What year decided to create A Pregnant Light? Why choose the name of A Pregnant Light?
I started the band in my head a long time ago, maybe around 2004 or 2005. But I was playing in other bands and had a bunch of other things I was doing. Around 2010 I decided to start working on things, and got it off the ground in 2011, but I had a ton of material. So, I had a steady stream of material. Some was rewritten, some was used, and even on the last record, there is stuff from 2005. APL is the music of my life. It’s my defining artistic statement. It was always there, it just took the right time and place for it to come to the surface. As for the name, it just popped in my head one day. I like that it it’s feminine, and sexual, but APL is very masculine- but APL is also quite sexual and strong. I like the contrast. It also makes me think of the Virgin Mary, which is a cool correlation to have. So much of the band has many layers of meaning, and the music is very layered, so it’s kind of nice to have a name that could mean anything and doesn’t really have a deep meaning initially.
2. You are involved in various projects in varying degrees has to do with the black, such as: Aksumite, Bound Bible, Ornamental Headpiece, Secret Creation, This Station of Life, all of them, What Light is Pregnant their priority or each project are important to you? Do you find it very difficult to deal with all the bands?
APL is my personal project and passion in life. I play in a few other bands like Aksumite, Known Abuser, Prison Suicide and the others you mentioned. Aksumite is a collaboration with my musical partner Tim, he’s sort of the Keith Richards to my Mick Jagger. He helps me with a lot. When I write a riff or have a song idea, it’s usually pretty clear where they all should go. The projects are similar, but they all have their own aesthetic. I don’t think it’s that hard to keep things straight. I’m pretty good at working on one thing at a time. APL always take personal priority and since I’m the only member, it’s easy to work on it anytime the muse strikes. It does get top priority in my mind.
3. The process of composing a work like his recent "My Game Does not Have a Name", is a constant process or work in an impulsive way?
There were parts, like I mentioned that were over ten years old! Riffs and ideas, and some of it was very impulsive. I try to be open to any idea, new or old. I don’t want to be governed by concepts or ideas that are tied to a certain mindset. I think anything should be allowed or at least, I would like to be open to anything. “Purple Light,” for example on the record, just came to me in a single take. All the music (not that it’s that impressive musically) and the lyrics. I actually cut another song that I had recorded to make room for “Purple Light” on the record. It was very spontaneous. A song like “Fresh Flower Offering” I have actually had for over 5 years, but I was waiting for the right release to pair it with. It never seemed to fit until it made sense in the context of the full length.
4. Do you find it very difficult to have to compose all the parts of instruments and voices? What is the hardest part of recording for you?
The guitar parts are my favorite, and the easiest. It’s my love. I love the guitar so much. The bass is becoming easier, but it’s a bit tricky. I’m a big fan of bands like New Order and The Smiths, where the bass playing takes a melodic role. I like that style a lot, and I’m trying to let that influence show if it makes sense in the song. I think “My Days In Nights and You” is a great example of that. I’m very proud of that song. The drums are hardest, I’m trying to become a better drummer, and since APL started and I began tracking drums, I started paying way more attention to the drums in the music that I like. It’s hard, but vocals are the hardest. It wasn’t until very, very recently that I was happy with a vocal performance. But, I can’t stress myself out over it. My voice is an instrument like my guitar. I haven’t put much time into training my voice. So, I’m trying do to that more. To make it stronger. As a general rule, I like the creativity of being in the studio, but I don’t like the technical aspects of recording. I recorded parts of the last album with a friend who helped engineer the record. It wasn’t an extremely pleasant experience, and I’m sort of keeping my eyes open for studios that I think may be a good fit to work with in the future.
5. The different issues that has been offering regularly with A Pregnant Light format demos and EPs, Would have served to hone their sound and offer all the guarantees their first full album?
I think so! I didn’t think about that until I was making the full length. I knew that I wanted the first full-length to be perfect, to be above reproach. Something that I can be proud of for ages to come. I like the small-format releases like demos and EPs, and making an entire album can be exhausting, but it is very rewarding. I think all my work, not just my work as APL has lead me to make the first APL album the special thing that it is.
That’s a great question, and one I don’t know the answer to myself. I try to be open to any sort of influence or direction that my heart takes me in. I won’t know until the song is finished. I don’t want to have any ideas or notions going into the next series. I want my heart to be my guide. I think the next batch of songs will probably be very aggressive, If I had to guess.
7. A Pregnant Light lyrics are you far from fanciful themes and focus more on the reality and life experiences, what inspired to compose the lyrics of the songs Apregnant Light?
I really hate lyrics that are tacky. So many metal lyrics are just so cheesy. I wanted to write something that would age well. I also wanted people to be confronted by reality. I did not want a record that was clouded by metaphor and and fantasy. Life is more extreme than any fantasy, so I chose to embrace reality. I’m pretty happy with the change in direction. It’s much more honest and naked feeling, but at the same time, I think a lot of people are caught off guard by it.
8. For the recording of his last album had the collaboration of a pair of musicians, how should these collaborations? Are you willing to incorporate musicians permanently to A Pregnant Light?
For the full length, I just wanted the best possible performances. I know that my friends TIm and Jake could play bass and drums than I could, so I asked for their help. I made demos of the material and had a sort of “musical roadmap” for them to follow. For the most part, they just played what I wrote, but of course they added a bit of their own flavor and I think it turned out wonderfully. I don’t think anyone will ever be “permanent” in APL except for me. I don’t want people to get attached to a lineup. APL is me, and me alone.
9. How were your beginnings in music and why he decided to become a musician? What other hobbies besides music occupy your time?
I saw Nirvana on MTV in 1993 and music has been my main focus since then. That’s when I decided I wanted to play music. I don’t really have any hobbies that aren’t music related. I listen to music, learn about it. Check out bands, and buy records. I don’t go to a lot of shows. My only real hobby is that I love American football. I’m a Kansas City Chiefs fan. I love football and live for it during the season, but even then- when I’m watching games I have a guitar in my hands and am usually writing riffs.
10. On the cover of "My Game Does not Have a Name" appears a picture of him, leaving seems somewhat covers the inclusion of related films or evocative scenes of death and loneliness, Have you chosen the latter by what "My Game Does not Have a Name" is a more personal album?
Yes! I wanted the cover to not be some shitty graphic design nightmare, or bad photoshop affair. I wanted it to be a classic and timeless image. I of course wanted it to be myself, and in black and white. Something stark, real, and honest. I was inspired by photos of Elvis and James Dean, and John F. Kennedy. I wanted the photo to be beautiful, but open to interpretation. I think death and loneliness are interesting observations. I felt that the record had a certain weariness of the world. I think we are alone, always. Even in the company of others. I feel that even though I may be around people, or experience love in some ways, I am empty inside. It’s sad, but true. I have peace, but my heart is always heavy and sad. I hope that doesn’t make me seem to melodramatic. I’m generally a quite affable, funny person, but I suppose the older I get, the more I realize that no one and nothing fits quite like it used to.
11. What has imminent plans to A Pregnant Light?
My main goal is go get massively popular, be able to buy a Rolex, get a white gold tooth, and maybe get my face tattooed. I would also like to be loved and adored like Morrissey or Elvis. and to keep writing the best music in the whole world.
12. Thank you very much for taking the time to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for the followers of A Pregnant Light, this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into these questions! I hope that my answers find you and your readers well. I hope that they shed a bit of light and I just want to thank you personally, and your readers for taking the time to care! My final message is simple. Join the Lilajugend. c u in the L.I.G.H.T.
- Damian Master (A Pregnant Light)
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