Eyajo Joseph

INTERVIEW WITH EYAJO JOSEPH aka (DECEMBER TWITCH), FROM HOLLYWOOD. JUNE 2008.

DarkArt: Can you tell us what is your artistic way since astrovamps?

EYAJO: Well, lets start by saying, that I sure have been keeping busy. Alot of times I will get involved with projects (music, literature or art)that I may not have the time for. That's my curse, my creative drive compels me to always come up with new ideas. Yet luckily for me I do find the discipline to finish the most important projects though. Since ending the "Vamps", my art has gone darker, into a poetic, romantic, haunting and surrealistic direction. This description, can easily describe the music, poetry and art I'm working on right now. It was a natural direction for me.

DarkArt: Actually you're in two bands, The Black Heroin Gallery and 23 zombie ragdolls, you also play keyboards in a band named Willow Wisp, why have you choose to be in so much bands instead of to stay only in one, do you need that?

EYAJO: Well, it might seem like a full plate, I didn't intend to be involved with so many bands, yet things come your way that you want to be part of, so you say 'what the hell' and give it a shot, but truth be told, it's more like this; "THE BLACK HEROIN GALLERY" is my main music project right now. And about a week ago I finally found our last member. So things will start getting pretty exciting around the TBHG camp very soon. Which I'm very happy about. I've written a few songs for the project and Toe Knee has co-wrote some songs with me as well, but I'm waiting to get into band rehearsals to see how the other guys react to the music, before I write rest of the songs. "23 ZOMBIE RAGDOLLS" is suppose to be a one album band, at least that's what I have envisioned. So we'll see how that one develops, it contains compositions that wouldn't fit TBHG and that's why I created it. "WILLOW WISP" is Toe Knee's band and after the "Vamps" broke up he asked me if
I would join and I agreed. I'm recording their new album with them, which by the way should be done in two weeks. I also co-wrote a new "Willow Wisp" song with Toe Knee for the new album. The song is called, "The Dead Man's Ballad." It came out very twisted, creepy and romantic. You've got to hear it, to understand what I'm talking about.

  

DarkArt: Can you tell us what are the differences between all your bands? What are their major influences?

EYAJO: "THE BLACK HEROIN GALLERY", is dark, poetic, gloomy, raw and ambient. Mixed into the sound is the raw energy of deathrock, goth, batcave and darkwave. The influences of TBHG are many, but here's a few. "Bauhaus", "Virgin Prunes", "Velvet underground", "Fields of Nephlim", "Rozz's Christian Death", "Doors", "Pink Floyd", "Sister's of Mercy", etc.
"23 ZOMBIE RAGDOLLS", is a bit like my old band "Astrovamps", but darker. It could simply be described as deathrock/batcave/glam. The influences would be "New York Dolls", "Astrovamps", "rozz's Christian Death", "Specimen", "45 Grave", "Alien Sex Fiend", "Bauhaus", and "Virgin Prunes."
"WILLOW WISP", is best described as experimental Goth/black/death/theater/metal.

DarkArt: I think that you have been asked by few other underground artist to write lyrics for their songs, can you tell us who are this artist? And how have you worked for that(have you choose the subject of the lyrics...)?

EYAJO: Well a few of those offers are still in the talking stages, but there is one project going ahead, Ex-Willow Wisp vocalist "AIR-IK", has contacted me about working with him on his solo album. So that should be a great collaboration. As far as writing Lyrics for some ones Else's songs; I just listen to their music and the images/mood/words just come to me, sometimes if they suggest a title or theme i might go with that, but the words have to be my composition.

DarkArt: I think that you're actually recording, when do you think that the Cd's should be out?

EYAJO: Yes, I'm recording with "Willow Wisp", on their new album. I'm not sure when their label will release the Cd, but I think it should be out by the end of the summer.

DarkArt: You also have a book, a collection of poems, who should be out in July 2008, caled " The Dreadful Dead Of Blackberry Creek", can you speak a little bit about it?

EYAJO: Yes i have actually two book projects that are being prepared for publication, one is the poetry book THE DREADFUL DEAD OF BLACKBERRY CREEK and the other is an art book called NOCFAYLAND.
The "dreadful dead", book is a collection of dark poetry, where the poems are a mixture of styles...narrative, lyrical and fablesque. Most of my poetry is about strange worlds or creatures i make up, but alot of it, is me penning confessional poetry through the guises of freaks and monsters. The "nocfayland" art book is a collection of "pin-up" style black ink drawings, which are all inspired by one of those worlds in my poetry that i made up and write about, "Nocfayland." Both books are slated for a 2008 release.
     

  

DarkArt: I think that you have a real artistic need , is it a sort of outlet for you?

EYAJO: Yes, if i don't create art, than i die.


DarkArt: With all of this projects, aren't you too much busy?

EYAJO: Yes i do get too busy sometimes, but as a project gets closer to being finish, i put the other projects on hold and finish up, the one that's closest to publication. then i go back to working on the other ones.

DarkArt: What are your plans for the futur?

EYAJO: To record and tour with my new Band THE BLACK HEROIN GALLERY, and to do some tour dates with WILLOW WISP. Other than that i have alot of projects line up and i'll make them public as they get closer too completion.

DarkArt: One word for our readers?

EYAJO: yes, i like to leave your readers with a quote from one of my favorite authors,

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions, small people always do that, but the really great, make you feel that you, too, can become great."--Mark Twain.

Or look at it this way, Truely great artists, don't feel threaten by the talents of others, they
learn and take inspiration from the worst to the best.

EYAJO: I want to thank Melliarine of "Dark Art" online magazine for the interview and support of my art and music.
thanks again for the interview.

www.myspace. com/theblackheroingallery
www.myspace. com/eyajojoseph
www.myspace. com/willowwispband
www.fantasyartists. org/eyajojoseph
www.myspace. com/23zombieragdolls
www.myspace. com/astrovamps

Article by Melliarine.