KrashKarama and Vajra Interview, part 2 Vajra!
- Let’s talk a little bit about the style of your music, it’s unique. What has influenced you to bring this tone to your fans and the world?
Annamaria: I was living in Mumbai, India when I started writing the music that became our first album ‘Pleroma’. So I was definitely influenced a lot by the Classical Hindustani Music and also heavy prog rock stuff like Tool and Opeth. When I write, I just sit in front of a keyboard or a guitar and just try to empty myself and any assumptions I may have, and dissolve into that other space so I can hear what’s there. By opening myself, and truly listening, I can then translate what I hear into the material world. That’s how I think of the writing process. A lot of it is just getting out my own way and allowing myself to be open to possibilities.
Dave: I came in from a metal and classic rock background by way of a little detour I made playing in an electro/industrial band called Bile for a bunch of years. Vajra’s music calls for some seriously precise, and at the same time, experimental guitar playing, so I try to marry my experience playing straight ahead rock/metal guitar with Vajra’s overall feel. I think the live shows present with a heavy yet refined sound. It’s fun and challenging.
- What are you most proud of in the recent months?
Annamaria: We’ve got a lot of really cool stuff going on right now. First, I am really happy to be working with a very talented team of musicians who, not only are great musically, but also see the big picture in what we all need to do together to make this project move forward. Second, we all wrote a kick ass new song called ‘The Mirror’. It was a different way of writing in the sense that it was more of a collaborative process, and we were able to work with Red 13 Studios in Boston, who helped produce, engineer and mix the song. It was a little scary to have someone else help mind our baby but we are happy we did, because it turned out pretty bad ass. Third, we collaborated with a dear friend, Idit Nissenbaum who is a NYC based Multi-Media Artist, on our video for ‘The Mirror’. It’s pretty sick and we can’t wait to share it with you very soon. Finally, we booked a co-headlining tour with our friends Krashkarma from LA. We are calling it the To The Ends Of The Earth Tour and will be on the road for a month hitting a bunch of cities and towns across the US.
Dave: I am definitely proud of the new songs, and as I share in the video-editing aspect of the band, I am proud of how our upcoming video for ‘The Mirror’ came out. I am also happy to get out on the road this next month with a solid bunch of musicians who share this vision.
- How did each of you get into music?
Annamaria: I started dancing at 3, started playing violin at 6-8 and then got into flute from 8 through high school and then picked up little guitar and keys and then vox later on. But music was always a constant in my life-whether anything happened that was good or bad, music was the only thing that helped me share or express what I felt.
Dave: Easy-– Kiss led me to AC/DC which led me to my buying my first guitar at age 13.
Adam:
I’ve been playing music practically my whole life, but it really happened to me when I was 11 and I discovered the Beatles. It’s a common story. But I got absolutely obsessed, papered every wall of my bedroom with Beatles photos. Wanted to be a “songwriter.” Eventually I started picking up other instruments, starting on piano and moving onto guitar, bass, and drums. Bass has increasingly become important for me. There is a certain texture, aggression, and drive that I am most able to tap into with that instrument.
Shu: I started drumming when I was 15 because I wanted to form a cover band.
- What do you hope to accomplish through your music?
Annamaria: I hope to connect and further dissolve into that energy that binds all things and inspire others to come along on that journey with an end result of increasing all of our levels of consciousness through sound/vibration.
Adam:
Music is best for me when it opens completely new experiences of hearing, feeling, and being in general. Like, you did not even know that this mode of consciousness existed, and it here it is, materialized in sound.
Dave: I always had the dream to get out there and play. I hope our music keeps letting us do that.
-Fun questions
- Favorite Movie?
Annamaria: Mullholland Drive, Sunset Boulevard, Stalker
Adam: Last Year at Marienbad, Nights of Cabiria, Andre Rubilev, Contempt
Dave: Saturday Night Fever
Shu: Back To The Future, Seven, Edge Of Tomorrow
- Favorite Food?
Annamaria: Pasta with mostly anything but especially Pesto and also seafood
Dave: Pizza
Adam: Sushi
Shu: Baby Back Rib, Pulled Pork, All Japanese Foods
- Favorite Sport?
Annamaria: Running, Mountain Biking and Hiking
Dave: Umm…no comment!!
Shu: Snowboarding, Football(Soccer)
- Favorite Book?
Annamaria: Master & Margarita
Dave: I was a huge Stephen King fan, so all of his early books. I also love autobiographies from musicians for some reason. I just read Harley Flanagan’s autobiography (of Cro-Mags fame) and I found that very interesting as I grew up in NYC and the surrounding area as well and he has an awesome take on the old New York City. Motley Crue’s autobiography ‘The Dirt’ was top notch entertainment as well.
Adam: Being and Event
Shu: Fingerprints of the God
- Do you have any bands that you think people should listen to?
Annamaria: Tool, Opeth, Isis, If These Trees Can Talk, With Our Arms To The Sun, PJ Harvey, Deftones, Zakir Hussein, Fever Ray etc.
Dave: There’s a band called Oathbreaker from Belgium that I am hooked on right now. Also I am really addicted to Marissa Nadler’s music at the moment.
Adam: Can, Horse Lords, Oneohtrix Point Never, The Holydrug Couple, Tonstartssbandht, John Coltrane, Amon Duul II, Fela Kuti
ForgedWithSteelRebirth 