|
Saturday, 14th July, 2007
Article by Richard Donohue
In southeastern Europe, nestled at the foot of the mountain Vitosha, a revolution is taking place.
The contemporary music scene in Bulgaria has developed without a clear vision of the future, stagnating great talent into obscurity. One company is planning on changing that: Stain Studio. And don’t worry, they’ve brought their own army.
 Traditional folk music has been ingrained in the Balkan culture for centuries, but lately, it’s the infusion of Rock and Metal to these traditions that makes the Bulgarian music scene so unique. Due to Bulgaria’s geographical location and former politics, these contemporary sounds have had difficulty gaining acceptance.
Vla_Doom, vocalist and founder of Cigaretta, describes the scene as such, When the communist stage play was replaced by the capitalist stage play, it wasn't a job very well done. There was an awkward and awful gap. We saw the panicked director. We saw the stagehands. It was a bad thing to do to a living creature.
 It’s still very hard to find the proper professionals in the field of music audio and video production, Geppy says. Angel Kasparyanov, vocalist for Sepuko 6 explains further, Bulgarian rock music has developed without any rules, without strong business oriented thinking. There isn’t a real music/show business in Bulgaria. Several generations of musicians were and are doomed to look for the right formula themselves. Stain Studio strives to buck that trend, and provide a place for non commercial musicians. Our goal is to raise the authority and prestige of Bulgarian music not only on a local level, but in the whole world, says Geppy...
... We’re working with artists with a damn serious attitude toward music.
Stationed in Bulgaria’s capital city of Sofia, the studio was originally founded by Gospodin Geppy Gospodinov and Kilmet Kalev in 1999. The two men wished to record the debut album of Stain, a group Geppy headlined, on their own terms. The quality of the release was met with praise, and soon other bands flocked to get similar treatment. In 2002, Stain disbanded, but the name stayed. Now, the studio is one of the leading companies in Bulgaria in not only music, but video production, artist distribution and concert promotion.
 The independence of their first release lives on. Stain Studio is home to the hottest independent artists in Bulgaria: Crowfish, Fyeld, Sepuko 6, Cigaretta, and Ostava to name a few.
 In our country, every new song is a new victory, says Sepuko 6’s vocalist Angel Kasparyanov. The thrash metal foursome has been with Stain Studio since 2004. Our music sounds quite minor and often hysteric, says Angel. Their 2005 release, Opitomen
 features the track Dushcomfort. Simply put, it’s infectious. It’s about searching for your own personal comfort of the soul, explains Angel, To be more precise, it’s mainly about the comfort or discomfort of smoking pot – it makes you a bit paranoid, a bit relaxed and a little sad. And it doesn’t really give you comfort, it’s not enough – that’s what the chorus says: ‘And it’s not enough, again’.
The punk rock trio Crowfish are veterans to the Bulgarian music scene. Chavdar, Bojo, Joro have been together since 1997, and have three albums under their belt. They are currently on tour promoting their latest release, From Crowfish to Revelation. The Indizoo featured song, Nicotine is from their critically acclaimed, Requiem for a Broken Heart.
Suffocation. Helplessness. A tangible blackness of the soul only found trapped under the chains of depression. Will you allow yourself to continue the downward spiral, or will you fight to escape? These themes are explored in Cigaretta’s haunting single, Oldie. It's based on an old motive I bumped into while rummaging through my old demo tapes, says Vla_Doom, The ancient version was more from the suicidal point of view, the new one is supposedly more, god forbid, pro-life.
Pure rage. Pure anger. Pure malice. Pure fear
Stain Studio released their first full length album, 14 Songs in 2003. The initial collision took place around 1999 and with time, the studio has gradually evolved into a space-time occurrence which ‘Cigaretta’ can proudly call a home, says Doom. It’s a unique mix of blues, classic rock, and metal. When asked to put their sound into words, Vla_Doom replies, Pure rage. Pure anger. Pure malice. Pure fear. Oldie is the new single off the experimental group’s recently released second CD entitled, Pluke. The video is equally chilling, and is evidence of the studio’s attention to detail in the medium. It was just the thing we wanted - a video equivalent for our own oldie, says Doom.
Fyeld was formed in 1998, and hasn’t pulled a punch yet. We got fed up of counting the worthy bands in Bulgaria on the fingers of half a hand. We think there's definitely space for a different kind of music here, says frontman Bobz, People felt kinda strange when they first heard about us but our attitude convinced them we’re worth listening [to]. Anyone familiar with bands like System of a Down or Stone Sour will feel right at home here. Their influences are surprisingly eclectic: Cannibal Corpse, Pantera, DMX, Eboman, Cypress Hill, Crystal Method, Sepultura. Their self titled album explodes with heavy riffs and throaty screams.
The artists of Stain are never satisfied. Sepuko 6 and Fyeld are currently working on their second albums which will release later this year. Cigaretta will go on tour this year to promote “Pluke”. The boundaries of the Balkan music scene have been stretched to the limit, and soon, it’s liable to explode. The revolution rages on, and it’ll be tough not to hear it.
INTERVIEW:
Indizoo.com, recently down with Geppy, the man behind Stain Studio. This multi-talented musician has his hand in every aspect, from production, promotion, to even directing music videos! We were honored to hold him down for five minutes and get his thoughts on the scene, the studio, and his upcoming Solo-project.
INDIZOO: Geppy, thank you for speaking with us. You’ve accomplished a lot in your life, played in renowned festivals and bands, won awards, what would you say is your greatest achievement thus far?
Geppy: Stain Studio. I’m proud we managed to create and develop one of Bulgaria’s most serious and avant-garde music companies. At present Stain Studio is the only local record label that produces not only commercial stuff, but especially experimental stuff, and experimenting is the key to success in all sorts of music, I believe.
INDIZOO: What makes the Bulgarian music scene unique?
Geppy: Here, in Bulgaria, we still have a lot of work to do to spread the word about our music to the world, but all circumstances for it are present.
You know, the Balkans are a very unique region, and Bulgaria is in the center of that area and has been the biggest and strongest kingdom here for centuries, so our culture has influenced our neighboring countries more or less. I dare say we’ve contributed to the development of European culture as well. Why not give something valuable to the world too, our music?
INDIZOO: What was the moment you knew you were to be a music artist?
Geppy: It all began at a very early age, since I was a kid. I think I was about 7 years old or something... I composed my first own melodies at the age of 12, and... Yeah, I guess I’ve always wanted to create music ever since.
INDIZOO: Who or what inspires you or has the biggest influence on your music?
Geppy: I’ve passed through different periods throughout my career. In the beginning, when I was still a kid, I was listening a lot to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd. Then, during the first half of the 80’s, I got into heavy metal – stuff like Iron Maiden, Merciful Fate, King Diamond. Afterwards it was the Seattle sound of the early 90’s that inspired me. I also checked out some disco and electronic tunes.
However, all this time until now I’ve found the biggest satisfaction in listening to three bands in particular – Depeche Mode, U2 and Nine Inch Nails.
The other thing that has inspired me all my life has been traditional Bulgarian music. My mother was a folklore singer with a huge repertoire – more than 300 authentic songs from all regions in Bulgaria, so I have to thank her for making me familiar with the roots of my country’s music.
INDIZOO: Who do you think is the greatest musician of all time? Why?
Geppy: I don’t admire virtuosos or some so-called stars with a bunch of MTV-friendly hits, but artists who really have something to say and express with their music, that’s why I’ll mention two names – John Lennon of The Beatles and Bono of U2. These musicians have managed to influence huge masses with the social attitude and opinion on the world incorporated in their songs.
 INDIZOO: Do you like any other country’s music in particular?
Geppy: I like all kinds of folk music. Every, and I really mean every country has a unique type of energy in its traditional songs. This is simply admirable! I always get deeply impressed when listening to folklore music from different parts of the globe – it’s more than impressive how much in common there is in those melodies and ways of expression... Now I’m working on my debut full-length album which shall contain modern music fused with authentic Bulgarian folklore motifs, which you can hear in my first two songs A Matter of Time and Rootsick. However, my second CD shall be built of modern world music in the broadest sense – contemporary melodies with plenty of traditional elements from all parts of the world.
INDIZOO: When can we expect the release of your debut?
Geppy: December 4, 2006. Of course, that’s just tentative. Let’s hope everything shall be ok and as planned….. [Ed. note: Geppy’s albums will be released by Stain Studio in Bulgaria only]
INDIZOO: Is there a tour in the works?
Geppy: You know, promotional tours are something almost impossible to arrange here in Bulgaria – I mean real promotional tours. If I like I could play a bunch of club shows, but my wish is to do something real, at bigger venues, so I still cannot tell whether a tour shall take place or not.
INDIZOO: You describe your music as, electro-ethno-rock. How did you develop such a unique sound?
Geppy: Thank you very much! I always wanted to incorporate the energy of authentic Bulgarian folklore in modern sounds. I’ve been composing contemporary music for quite a while now, especially with my former band Stain, so finally, in the very beginning of 2006, the time to experiment with my own solo-project came. That’s what Geppy is about – a mix of modern tunes and traditional, authentic folklore elements.
 INDIZOO: What would you like to accomplish?
Geppy: I just try to reach people’s minds and hearts with my music, my thoughts and feelings.
INDIZOO: What is your priority, studio recording or live performance?
Geppy: Both go together. Both are important. However, at present there’s no such thing as a strong live scene in Bulgaria, there are not many suitable places for live performances, especially when it comes to experimental and non-commercial stuff, so I guess that’s my priority at the moment, both as musician and producer.
INDIZOO: You’re involved with Stain Studio’s music video production. We’re very impressed. Tell us about that. Any influences in that area?
Geppy: Video production is still a new field of work for me, and I’m constantly learning and developing. I still have not managed to create stuff that really makes me feel proud of, although most people seem to like my videos... I wish to accomplish something more, to use more diverse ideas, to shoot and direct something unique...
INDIZOO: Do you have a favorite director or movie?
Geppy: I’d say I like Chinese and French cinema the most. My favorite movie is Hero, and my fave director is Zhang Yimou.
INDIZOO: It seems that you’re constantly involved with Stain Studio. What does a man like Geppy do on a day off?
Geppy: I devote every spare moment to my family – my wife Ekaterina, and my two daughters, Monica and Victoria. Besides, I’m a fitness maniac and a keen biker.
INDIZOO: Wine, Beer, or none at all?
Geppy: Traditional Bulgarian cuisine. There’s nothing tastier than a lamb roasted the way our ancestors did, a pile of Shopska salad, and a bottle of our national alcohol drink – the mighty Rakiya!
 INDIZOO: Nightclub or Bar?
Geppy: I’d prefer the woods, actually.
INDIZOO: What would you really like the world to know about you?
Geppy: The world is wonderful and I live for it.
If anyone would like to release, license and/or distribute Geppy or any of Stain Studio’s artists outside of Bulgaria, please write to info@stainstudio.com
|
