PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR US WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOU AND YOUR MUSIC AND TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
My Name is Gary Emmins AKA Mr.E and I am (in my other role) the singer /principle songwriter /guitarist and performer in the band The Filthy Spectacula . In the past I was also the lead singer on the well known steampunk song ‘The Last steampunk waltz ‘ with ghostfire.
GHASTLY MURDER is my solo project where I get to do all the songs that do not fit into the Filthy spectacula’s cannon. It takes a much darker and heavier path into my song writing and performing and is a creative vehicle for me to release that side of my music (more Gothic Rock based ) out into the world which is something I have always wanted to do.
GHASTLY MURDER was born out of frustration and the need to express this darker side of my writing, performing and singing.
It is a solo project purely because I could not find the ‘right’ musicians for this and rather than let the idea fester and stagnate whilst I searched for musicians I decided to grab the bull by the horns and make it happen myself and have full control over it.
The music created comes from myself with the help from members of the band Birdeatsbaby (Mishkin Fitzgerarld (who produced it) & her partner Garry Mitchel played most of the instrumentation (under my guidance and direction) along with drummer (Sam White)
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM OR SINGLE?
My current bunch of songs (6 in all) will become the basis of my new E.P. ‘The Rise & Demise Of Gory Emminence’ I have decided to release one track per month from it in the form of singles. The First of these offerings is a track called ‘TWITCH’ which is a catchy upbeat whirlwind of a tune which is in effect a summoning of ancient gods and demons.
My plan is in the future is to develop the songs from the E.P. and add to them in order to create a ‘loose’ concept album describing a dark punk post apocalyptic world and the characters and situations that exist in that world. I would also like to expand on this in producing a ‘themed’ visual live show that reflects the sound and stories – I have always been a visual artist even when working in song, my songs tell stories
WHAT INSPIRED THE ALBUM OR SINGLE?
The E.P. ‘The Rise & Demise of Gory Emminence’ is a collection of songs and a blue print of where I want to go musically with GHASTLY MURDER. They are hooky, heavy, dramatic, melodic powerful songs. The embryo of the idea for this collection of ditties comes from a bigger project that I have in mind so in a way this is an introduction to that.
The songs are not what I would call gloomy but they have a richness and almost seductive power to them.
The subject matters in the songs on the E.P. all delve into the darker side of life (sex & death).
As previously stated the lead off track ‘TWITCH’ is the summoning of ancient gods or demons
(within the post apocalyptic tribes). Other songs from the E.P. include songs about restraint and S&M ‘CHLOROFORM’, Songs of triumph in the face of adversity ‘HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE’ Songs of faith & fear ‘TALKING TO THE DEAD’ songs of weakness and addiction ‘LOVE ME’ and songs of possession in both meanings of the word ‘YOU’RE GHOSTS’
But even if the subject matters may be dark this music is catchy and infectious riddled with hooks and melody under the powerful trust & swirl of the music and the beat
CAN YOU SUM UP THE ALBUM IN A FEW WORDS?
Essential Purchase!..... Music of power, beauty, drama, vengeance, rage. A seething cacophony of songs about chaos of the human condition and the failings human kind all wrapped within snarling guitars ferocious drums with hooks and melody.
WHAT RECORD CHANGED YOUR LIFE AND WHY?
There is never 1 song….- but ‘Sonne’- Rammstien has such a power.. Mr Self Destruct –Nine Inch Nails rips the room apart and is like a caged animal ditto ‘Jesus Built my hotrod ‘ Ministry.
A lot of Gothic music I like such as ‘Wearwolf’ UK Decay or Bauhaus ‘Dark Entries’ or ‘Deep in the woods’ The Birthday Party or ‘Dominium’ Sisters of Mercy….or the darker elements of some of the Doors songs….. but if I had to choose one song that was my awakening then the classical piece ‘ O Fortuna from Carmina Burana’ by ·Carl Orff- AKA the theme from The Omen
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MUSIC VIDEO FILMED BY YOUR BAND OR ANOTHER ARTIST?
I am in the process of producing a couple of videos for the E.P.- look out for the videos of both the songs –‘TWITCH’ & CHLOROFORM’ cropping up on youtube in the next few months….. you can find Filthy Spectacula videos on youtube…. But if I had the budget I would love to do something in the grandiose scale of say Rammstien or Nine inch Nails (at their peak) video- I am as I said a visual style artist for me the look is as equal to the sound and the two need to be a perfect union to experience fully what I do- anyone out there???
WHAT WOULD WE FIND YOU DOING WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING MUSIC?
I like Film, Television, Art, Theatre, literature …er…Music. So apart from those you can find me drinking or drinking in the bleak scenery where I live or observing people all of which get filtered out into my art – oh yeah I also teach (video production)
DO YOU GET NERVOUS PERFORMING LIVE, IF SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
To be honest, no I don’t , something inside me gets triggered and I go into performance mode.
In the early days I used to and took a drink or two or three to calm the nerves ….but….I heard a recording of that performance and at the time I thought it sounded great until you hear the reality and it was shoddy as hell. I think if people pay to see you then you should respect that. I like performing,it is in my blood
HOW DID YOU FORM THE BAND?
I said to myself shall we do this ? then I said yes……….. The first venture of GHASTLY MURDER came about when I was offered free studio time and no one in my band could commit to the schedule so rather than waste the opportunity I went in and did a solo song (The HEARSE SONG – Mr E’s Ghastly Murder) that then triggered something within me that I could sonically experiment and make music that I liked without compromise or restraint. I enjoy that freedom but I am also a ‘team player’ when I am in a band especially if it creates better work. Right now due to reasons stated above this is a solo thing but I am not ruling out forming a band
HOW DO YOU WRITE? - DO YOU HAVE A KEY SONGWRITER, OR DO YOU ALL WORK TOGETHER?
For GHASTLY MURDER I am currently THE songwriter (I am also the main songwriter in The Filthy Spectacula) I am –when the mood takes me or when I have a project- quite prolific in terms of writing.
But as I said I am not against working in collaboration as long as the people you are with are on the same page.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
I am fundamentally a story teller and my work in various guises I think reflects that. I get inspiration from a turn of phrase or a type of situation or character..
Musically, it is finding and experimenting with chord structures and time signatures. I write mainly on guitar but I do like to try and write stuff on an instrument I am not familiar with to capture and create the ‘unknown’ Admittedly I am (as I have said) drawn towards the darkness (of life & of the heart) and this will often seep out within my work
WHAT IS NEXT?
GHASTLY MURDER will drop this EP in stages as I said- The second track from the EP (a very dark song ) called CHLOROFORM will be released on Friday December 3rd. I will continue to write for GHASTLY MURDER (I ‘d love to do that album)
I am interested to see what an audience makes of it all & I would like to move from a studio environment into a live environment where I could present these songs in living 3D- I have a visual concept that I would like to present so that people get the GHASTLY MURDER experience to all the senses (in a night to remember)…………… I am also continuing work with the Filthy Spectacula – but
that’s a completely different vibe
PLEASE TELL US ANY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS SO WE CAN SHARE.
GHASTLY MURDER can be found here
https://ghastlymurder.bandcamp.com/
where all the music will be released first prior to other digital platforms but we are on Spotify /Amazon /I Tunes etc.
or here
https://www.facebook.com/MrEsGHASTLYREDRUM.UK
where you can find out what’s going on in the world of Ghastly Murder
or here for Mr.E’s world
https://www.instagram.com/garyemmins/
Thank you- Est Spiritus, et Glorious!
Mr,E /Gary Emmins