DarkArt: How was your band born?
Bonzo:  The band started in 1994-

Lanthier:  13 years ago!

Bonzo:  Yes, exactly, and it was a 4-person project with 4 persons’ opinions and perspectives and influences on what music should be.  So there were punk elements, deathrock elements, experimental elements, big band elements…

Lanthier:  We were babes, lost in the woods.

Bonzo:  But no longer.  Now, Cinema Strange is a multinational conglomerate, and a major shareholder in various industrial sectors in rapidly developing nations.  Profits are up!

Lanthier:  Now we’re babes, lost in the woods, and wearing really expensive business suits.

DarkArt: What were your motivations when you decided to create your band?
And why did you choose this sort of music?
Bonzo:  As I said before, the band started with a mix of opinions and ideas on how music should be created.

Lanthier:  We combined all of our ridiculous notions until songs were born.  I don’t think anyone consciously tried to make songs of a certain style, or choose to work with a certain type of music.  We just wrote the songs we wanted to hear.

DarkArt: What are your musical and artistic influences?
Bonzo:  The band members really have a wide range of tastes and preferences.  They listen to all kinds of music, and appreciate many types/styles of filmmaking, painting, sculpture…

Lanthier:  Interior design, Faberge eggs, riverboat gambling, taxidermy…

Bonzo:  Exactly.  It would be unrealistic to quote anyone as having a predominate influence in any area.

DarkArt: What is the subject that you prefer to talk about in your text?
Lanthier:  If you are referring to the song lyrics, then I always end up telling a story of some kind.  Ghost stories, candy elf stories, stories of the deep sea…

Bonzo:  The lyrics have always lent a theatrical air to the band’s musical proceedings, that’s for sure.

Lanthier:  I suppose I’m just naturally dramatic.  I’m crying right now, in fact.  And just before this interview, I was up on the castle battlements, delivering a soliliquay.

DarkArt: What is the song that you prefer playing at your show?  Why?
Lanthier:  I think we all enjoy playing songs that we have not played in a long time, so that list is ever-changing.  However, I have a few favorites that I don’t mind playing every show.  “Mr. Quilt’s Rotten Luck”, “The Red and Silver Fantastique…”, “The Toad Curse”…  I think the reason why is because when we sold our souls to the Dark Lord, in order to help us right songs, part of the deal was to make those songs fun to play, and to listen to, every single time.  It’s working.  Which means that we don’t get our souls back, I suppose.

DarkArt: What are your plans for the future?
Lanthier:  I’m actually working on the new Deadfly Ensemble album right now.  Almost finished!  And hopefully both the Deadfly Ensemble and Cinema Strange will be back in Europe this autumn.

DarkArt: One word for our reader?

Bonzo:  “primitive”

Lanthier:  “dandelion wine”

Bonzo:  That’s two words.

Lanthier:  Ooops!  Okay, let me try again:  “hydrogenated”

Bonzo:  Tres bien.  Au revoir, et merci!

Cinema Strange Official site:

http://www.cinemastrange.nightmarezone.de

MySpaces:

http://www.myspace.com/cinemastrange

http://www.myspace.com/thedeadflyensemble

Article by Melliarine.