Meeting Bazie is always like a meeting an old friend you haven't seen in a long time. Which is true anyway, since I will  grant myself such audacity as to call this great and incredibly kind musician a friend of mine. This was the first time we sat and talked ''officially'' about all things 69, so make yourself a nice vodka on rocks, hold the rocks - and enjoy the following interview for HelsinkiVampyyrit.com! Oceans of graditude to you, Bazie!<3

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Darkness 69: When it comes to the term ‘cult’, the media always perceived you as a ‘cult gothic rock band’. Have you ever tried or ever wanted to escape that term?

Bazie 69: No… Actually, I realised that after the last album, ‘cause the record company is always pushing you, they want you to be like mainstream. In Finland we have been, but now we are actually back to what we’ve started, not that mainstream anymore. When we started the album, I said to the guys: “We’re never gonna be like mainstream, so why bother trying, let’s concentrate on what we are”. So, I’m happy with that. We can tour everywhere in the world, so that’s the most important. When we went to EMI with “Devils” and “Angels”, it’s so hard with record companies nowadays, because we don’t fit the mainstream audience anyway.

Darkness 69: But to me, most albums are all made the same way, to please a large part of the audience…

Bazie 69: We do what we do, of course. Somebody could like it, but you never think that a song like “Dead Girls Are Easy” is gonna be played big anyway (both laugh). That was our record company’s idea to put it as a single. That was like “Ok, you really want to put this as a single? Then go for it, wtf… Are you sure?” (both laugh)

Darkness 69: So, what would have been your pick for the first single?

Bazie 69: It would have been “Dead N’Gone”, the second one. We were having a discussion about that, the most commercial song that way is “We Own The Night”, so we put it out as a radio single. But we don’t do any more videos, it’s so expensive. That song was, it’s different, done that way…

Darkness 69: Female vocals and stuff like that.

Bazie 69: Yeah, so that was one of the songs.. you know, it’s totally different that the other songs. And “Dead N’Gone” was my first choice. Now we’re actually asking people what they want as the next single…

Darkness 69: Yeah, on Twitter. I voted!

Bazie 69: Yeah, it was “We Own The Night”.

Darkness 69: Actually, I voted for “Kiss Me Undead”, but basically it changes every day, that’s the thing.

Bazie 69: That was one of the songs we were thinking, like in Germany it may come out, they want that as a single, so let’s see. But nowadays, it’s just like download, they don’t even do the singles anymore. There’s no need for this, because they don’t put out singles…

Darkness 69: Yeah, it’s more of a collector’s item… sadly.

Bazie 69: There you go.

Darkness 69: Since I imagine The 69 Eyes becoming The Rolling Stones of goth'n'roll when it comes to vitality, what's in store for the next 20 years?
(both laugh)

Bazie 69: I don’t know… it’s actually weird, because the more we are in the band, the more we actually do that way, more music and touring. Usually we think six months ahead, now we know what we’re basically gonna do until September. We’re gonna do a lot touringwise, now we’re going around Europe, then festivals… I think we go to South America, we haven’t been there in a long time. There’s a huge demand, Mexico has been asking us to come, so…  We may do some acoustic thing, maybe… It’s different, because this album was the last for EMI, so our record deal expires. It’s no problem getting a new one, it’s not that, but it always changes.

Darkness 69: So you don’t look that far ahead, 6 months ahead and that’s it.

Bazie 69: Yeah, it’s basically it. We have learned what was good now, like before we never had a manager, and now we’ve had one for 2, 2,5 years. So it changed a lot, to be more professional that way, and get things done for us. And that’s why we are here, for example. He’s like really pushing us to do all these things, because we should do them. Same is with the producer, somebody outside the band leading.

Darkness 69: Somebody with a fresh ear.

Bazie 69: Yeah, actually we had a meeting in Berlin, and decided, ‘cause everything changes, you never know what will go on. Basically we’ve decided what to do this year, we’re gonna see it later, like spring where to go from there. So, that’s basically how far we think. Because of course, doing music is the next thing, to start writing music. But it’s really hard on the tour to do anything.

Darkness 69: Different city every day.

Bazie 69: Yeah, It’s like even though you have time sometimes, you could do that, like here’s a lot of space, but some places when we toured the US, there’s nothing there, not even backstage, so we wait in the bus. So we’re trying to survive! (laughs). You have to have a lot of peace of mind when you do music. Nothing else going on, because that’s it. Now there was so much going on for the album, the promotion, learn the new songs, lots of things, not much time for that stuff. After spring, hopefully we’ll try to start writing, then it’s festivals…

Darkness 69: Always something.

Bazie 69: Always something, but…

Darkness 69: Maybe you’ll find one or two weeks in between.

Bazie 69: But you know, that’s one thing you just have to decide, to start, otherwise it will not happen.

Darkness 69: There were quite a few promo parties for the new album, including the Bosnian promo party on Halloween. Now can you tell us some good tips for making a good goth’n’roll party? Needful things?

Bazie 69: Yeah, we had a lot of these record parties… Well, just get the band there and get us drunk! (both laugh) That’s a good recipe for a party! Everything after that...

Darkness 69: You and alcohol equals good fun!

Bazie 69: Yeah, but not too much [alcohol, Eds.]!

Darkness 69: What about parties when people just wanna have a good gothic party at their house, besides alcohol, what do you need to have…

Bazie 69: Get somebody with a good record collection, good songs…

Darkness 69: A good DJ…

Bazie 69: Yeah, a good DJ, that’s one thing. That was fun, actually when we went to Australia for the first time, they’ve had a party there, and we were DJ-ing ourselves. Even Timo took a spin! (both laugh)

Darkness 69: Wow, I didn’t know that!

Bazie 69: Yeah, and I think good music is best when you’re having a party. Anyway, to have a gothic party, you must have fun even though it’s a gothic one!

Darkness 69: Good! OK, in the end, I would really like to thank you for this interview for the Bosnian website, and I want to wish you the best show tonight! Tell me if you have a few words for the fans in Bosnia, for the Bosnian vampires!

Bazie 69: I said it all for the gothic party, but in general, If you’re feeling down, just try to enjoy life, even though it’s sometimes hard, even for us. Hopefully our music has been inspiring you, ‘cause you fans are inspiring us to do more music and touring. Thank you for your support!

Darkness 69: Thank you!

Copyright by Darkness 69 (c) 2010.

Do not use without permission.