Interview with Stig from Amebix

Amebix is one of those bands that marked me with fire. Both musically and ideologically, Rob and Stig have been a big influence on this writer. So when my girlfriend Laura said "we have an interview with Stig, from Amebix" emotion came over me. Imagine my excitement when Stig sent me the answers. Finally, emotion aside, here is the interview with Stig, Amebix guitarist, one of the biggest bands in the Universe.

Puro Ruido: Stig Hello, how are you? Before we begin, let me thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. It is an honor for me as a fan of the group, be able to interview you.

Let's start with something we ask all fans of Amebix: there is a successor of "Sonic Mass" on the way.

Stig: My pleasure mate ..a successor ? no not at this time anyway ..i have no idea weather or not  anything else will come out of Amebix in future ..

PR: Speaking of "Sonic Mass", what vision you have of this great album today, 3 years of its release? Personally, I think it's a masterpiece. But I wonder what is your opinion of that album today, if you've changed your mind about something than you thought when the album just came out to the street

S: To be honest i haven't listened to it much since its release ..as i spent so much time listening to it when we were writing and mixing it ..to add ideas and stuff to it … no i still think its a great record and that was what we came to do ..

PR: Amebix born as a group with influences from bands like Killing Joke, Joy Division, Bauhaus, etc.. What prompted you to create a harder music, with a shrill sound and bringing everything to a new level of rawness and aggression?

S: I don't know .anger /boredom /poverty all those things i guess..

PR: When you started, are included in the Anarcho Punk scene. Then were included in the Crust Punk scene. Someone once said that Amebix is a mix between Crust and Doom, and others prefer to say that you play Crust and Heavy Metal. You feel comfortable with these tags? Or would you rather feel free and do only what you feel like doing, without giving importance to the tags?

S: I  don't care about tags .there was no such thing as "crust "or any of these tags when we first started doing this ..we came from punk rock .

PR: In 2009 you made your first tour in North America. It is particularly this because you released "Arise!" through an American label, Alternative Tentacles. What happened in those distant years 80 in order that Amebix was not coming to USA, to promoting your album playing live in this country?

S: well we were not active after 1987 ..we split up as things were going nowhere we could not keep going. Amebix was not famous or anything back then we were respected but not well known …it was hard to keep playing getting nothing back … no we came back to the US  on tour really just to see what things could have been like if we had the know how back in the day ..it was great touring though fantastic crowds ..lots of love for Amebix  all good ..

PR: There is something that always I wanted to ask them: what does inspire them the moment to write the lyrics? I want to say, you have never been characterized for write lyrics reduced to 2 or 3 basic ideas, and to limit itself to speaking always of the same topics. There are another approach, more philosophical / existential questions in the Amebix's lyrics hat do that the style of the group being completely original

S: My brother Rob is really the lyrical genius behind  that he is very clever with words ..i am more clever with atmospheres and riffs  but sometimes we will pool ideas ..thats his thing though really ..

PR: Stig, what you did over the years that Amebix was out of the activity? You played in Zygote, right? You did something else during those years?

S: I did a few bands and solo projects ..some i am still working on finishing   i did a band called Karnyx in the early 2000s but we didn't really get anything recorded ..so now I'm back doing solo stuff again for a while ….

PR: Once, someone said “Amebix were clearly an anarchist band, but they were always more interested in art than propaganda”. Do you agree with this opinion?
S: Maybe a little

PR: There is a word that arises in my mind every time I listen to Amebix: Land. However, you are not a nationalist band, or at least that's what I think. What is the reason Amebix are so connected to the Land? What is the concept behind that?
S: I don't think about it really i have always felt that way being connected to the land and spirit of humanity is natural to me and my brother ..we grew up in the countryside ..big magic you know /

PR: Let's talk about music. Amebix music is very powerful, evokes emotions and sensations that shake and transport the listener into the personal universe of the group. Seek to affect the listener thereby generating inside all those feelings and emotions? How powerful is the music inside of you when you create it and record it?

S: For me its more powerful what i can hear in my head i try to translate that into reality sometimes it works and sometimes its just ok ..but the sounds in my head are huge..if i could get them like that in reality ..then the world would just fade away ..ha ha

PR: Ok, Stig, come to an end. Plans for the future of the band? Someday we may see you in South America?
S: Well hopefully one day when everyone is ready we will get out on tour again but i am currently in and out of hospital and must get well first ..in the meantime i will concentrate of my other music to keep me going ..

PR: Well, Stig, I think this is all. Of course, I must thank you again, as I have grown up listening to the music of Amebix. Therefore, interview you is a dream come true. You want to add something for latinos fans of Amebix?
S: Well er …..thanks for the interview …i do hope that one day we will see you out there .
cheers Stig C Miller