Interview with Sula Bassana, Feb 2008

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I had the chance to make an interview with Dave Schmidt aka SULA BASSANA who is a pioneer of the psych scene in Germany and Austria. He's very busy working together with several bands and delivering excellent solo albums. Dave is located in Haag/Austria now and managing the Sulatron Records label. (this is translated into english and I apologize for potential mistakes ...)

- At the end of the last year you've been to Norway playing two gigs together with the band Øresund Space Collective (OSC). How did it happen?

Dave: Scott Heller, the leader of OSC, is a friend of mine for some years. We first met during one of the fantastic Hawkfan meetings in Hamburg in the 90s. I organized some Germany gigs for OSC in 2006 and he summarily invited me to join the band as the third guitar player. Something which I couldn't reject. Due to this fine experiences my friendship with the band grew. Because there was a lack of guitarists at that time they invited me to come to Norway. Flights are very cheap nowadays. I could also combine this with the chance to meet my friends of the band SEID and to spend holidays in Trondheim.

OSC with Dave (in the middle)

- What experiences did you make in Norway and is this able to inspire you relating to your plans for 2008?

Dave: It's the same straining procedure as I'm undergoing with ZONE SIX on tour. But equally very enjoyable because the relations between the band members are very considerate - even sincere. This characterizes both bands especially which is inspiring anyway! Probably I can participate at OSC gigs this year and I hope for some ZONE SIX concerts of course. Only two are announced for the Netherlands so far, one is at the Roadburn Festival in Tilburg.

 Zone Six live

- Sounds like you're not satisfied with the concert offers in general. Maybe the psychedelic space rock genre is too exotic? Do we have a lack of concert promoters which are having enough idealism?

Dave: How could I be satisfied with this situation? After ten years of band history you still have to clear yourself for the smallest fees which cannot cover the expenses. Concerts were cancelled - bad bad times for bands which don't want to have to do anything with mainstream. Some years ago we had the chance to make tours with 5 or 6 gigs anyhow - but even this is not possible today. Booking agencies are only looking for bands with rock’n’roll, punk or pop appeal and for GOA events we are rocking too much - it's very difficult.

- In 2006 you gave the last concert together with Mani Neumeier and Ax Genrich as PSYCHEDELIC MONSTERJAM at the Burg Herzberg Open Air Festival. What about the status? Is it a project at call or is it definetely terminated?

Dave: It looks like this is the end. It was very nice for a while, but it seems there is nothing more to come. The same for recordings even we have enough material for a new CD from the concert together with Damo Suzuki, Keiji Miash*ta and Horst Porkert. Unless there is a label which is interested in publishing this archive recordings ...

Psychedelic Monsterjam with Mani Neumeier and Ax Genrich

- With one exception the songs on your solo debut Dreamer are composed by yourself and you're playing all the instruments. Probably you are the 'Dreamer' who always dreamed about creating an album totally on your own and according to your taste or was it a result of a more spontaneous process?

Dave: I started as an electronic musician and was able to produce albums for my own from the beginning. Many songs were composed and recorded single-handed. But 'Dreamer' was my first offical solo CD and LP release. 'Dreamer' stands for my fundamental attitude of life and not for a dream which I'm able to accomplish relatively easy. Because of my behaviour and thought patterns I was often characterized as a dreamer. But for me it was always the question - whose reality is the better one? The title song is dealing with this aspects, without giving a solution because this I'll be told not until I can look back to my whole entire life, what hopefully might not be the case too early.

- 'Baby Blue Shuffle in D Major' - the exception I mentioned before - is a relatively unknown PINK FLOYD song. Did you make this cover as a deep bow to this band or is there any other reason for that?

Dave: The starting point came from Uwe Göller (founder of the german ProgRock magazine ECLIPSED) who released a PINK FLOYD tribute album whereas I could contribute one song. He made out a special collection of titles. Together with LIQUID VISIONS we recorded 'Ibiza Bar' and I could reach for 'Baby Blue Shuffle in D Major'. Originally this is a free blues which I could reinterpret superbly. This was extraordinary delightful. You can examine the original but I managed something completely new. And of course I raise my hat to one of the most wonderful bands ever!

- The songs of the album Nasoni Pop Art Experimental Band Vol 1 are differing noticablely compared with the long jams you are playing with ZONE SIX. They are a lot more compact. The name of this project - has this occured by accident or was it done with intention as a reminiscence to the WEST COAST POP ART EXPERIMENTAL BAND?

Dave: First of all the songs are completely elaborated pieces. They came up in jam sessions but I finally reworked and produced them with a lot of care. With ZONE SIX we make sure to hold the improvisation character - this is not the same with the Pop Art Experimental Band. This album is primarily dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Nasoni label and the title provided with Vol.1 points to a follower which is intended of course. But time to make music is short actually for me and all the others. This means it will take time. The name was a crazy idea as a matter of fact, instigated by Christian Koch, mastermind of the brilliant band VIBRAVOID who wanted to start a band with me named 'Westgerman Pop Art Experimental Band' or something like that. Considering this and of course also the american original brought up the band name. But it has not really something to do with this US band. It was just amusing for us. On the other hand I'm sure the name is corresponding to our music.

- Are you satisfied with the feedback of the last mentionend albums and is there any way to see excerpts of this live in the future?

Dave: 'Dreamer' had a pretty good resonance with a lot of nice reviews. And the orders have been successfully too. 'Nasoni Pop Art Experimental Band' had a lesser response, but I don't know why because this one is more self-contained - a completely rounded piece of work in my opinion. I'm not able to present this music live because I have no band. Unfortunately there is no chance to form a psychedelic band in this upper austrian solitude. I would like to play the easier songs, which I released on CD-R, at art galleries or similiar events coupled with light shows oder other floating performances. Only with guitar and echoes or some electronics. But relating to this there is actually nothing planed though. I gave one concert at the freakWEEKnoEND festival in 2006 with the „Spaced Out“ double CD-R as a result. An exciting experience. By the way - I'm working on a new album and for one song I'm looking for the adequate vocals. Now I'm having Stefan Koglek from the band COLOUR HAZE in mind. I hope it will be finished until summer this year.

- You mentioned the upper austrian solitude and you've settled in Haag - how could it happen?

Dave: When you're deep in love ... my girlfriend has grown up in this house and sometime it was obvious to move in. I had plans to leave Berlin with 40 anyhow. So I answered my wish three years earlier. First of all we passed one and a half year in Bavaria and then moved on to Haag. Just to notice - not that Haag where my festival took place last year - this was in the lower austrian eponymous town. Now this year it might be repeated. More precisely plans are on the way.

- Many thanks for the interview, Dave, and I'm curious about more exciting albums in the future ...

Edited by Rivertree - February 16 2008 at 08:02