The Long awaited SADNESS interview:
=== Why have you chosen the band name "Sadness"?
- At that time, we were very young. But we knew precisely what music style we wanted to play.
The somber and melancholic side of the melodies that we played each in approached us in our corner
and we decided to create a group with the music that we wanted to hear and we didn't found with
the other standard groups. Gradel, simply started thinking of the only name which summarizes the
group without classifying us in the mass of the metalbands of that time: SADNESS simply allured us,
because it enabled us to play any kind of music without ever having to respect a too linear policy. The
members of the group like all the different music styles: gothic - heavy - rock - black metal -
jazz. Luckily, with a simple name that's difficult to classify to a music style, it enables us to
go every direction that we want.
=== What does the album title "Ames de Marbre" mean?
- The ashes and the earth, you are made like that ...like said in a song.
And if live begins here, then I'll go elsewhere.
There are two ways to see life, the first is being a body, an animal biological body.
The second way is to have a body, that is, that my body is a vehicle which makes me move in the current
world that we think we know, but the spirit exists, we know it, and I believe that this part of
us can go to another place, that certainly has nothing do to with the ideas given by the
bible or any other religion.
For me, it is an place of electric power. The universe is a whole and all is in the universe. When you die,
your energy leaves to travel through the universe to meet other energy that feels good with its own.
These energies are coupled, and this couple is coupled with other couples until it forms a star which will be created
by an explosion. From what is a too large number of couples of joint energy, a sun which will give life has a solar
system with element: satellites, planets, or the life for which it is created. Lives surely different from ours is
created in this system, and die..... to become with themselves an energy and thus the loop is looped in a circle
without end.
While following my way of thinking, people aren't ready to admit such an ideology and refuse it by different religious
reasons without ever understanding it. The idea of death frightens them... and I understand them. For me they are hearts
locked up in stone bodies like statues. But the statues are so beautiful and so comfortable that they become of marble.
People hold their hearts prisoner of their body-statues as if it were marble. The first cd speaks about this way of
living and the resulting voyage in the universe, feelings and fear which we imagine, here, on Earth.
All energy does not die, it changes.
=== The lyrics to "Ames de Marbre" are very poetic. Who has written them?
- It is true they are very poetic, and the only one who is the best in this genre is GRADEL.
Thus, it is GRADEL who has composed almost all the lyrics. Only some texts like: ANTOFAGASTA are mine.
His second book on poems comes out now.
=== Why have you used so many different languages in those lyrics?
- Each language has its characteristic way of expressing different sounds and has different melodic impacts. I found
that certain titles of Sadness can only be sung in certain languages. Andy speaks quite well German, and I can manage
myself in Spanish since we played over there.
- Every one on the earth learns me much about things, by my voyages and simply by the books. I discovered the views
of various people of the planet. They learned me and told me about enormous subjects and when I write
a title, lots of ideas find their place in my head and I think of certain countries that I know and I start to dream
and my subject either sinks or otherwise I keep the idea by feeling what I feel when I think of a
certain place on the planet. In fact, I travel in my head and the music starts to play all by itself. Thus according
to my state of mind the title born with such or such basic subject, but the feeling comes from far.
=== What can you tell me about the people on the cover of the 'Ames...' cd. Why have you chosen this
picture?
- The men who are on the cover of Ames de Marbre are covered with white painting, a kind of chalk which makes it
possible to reach a higher spiritual level
- The teenagers of this tribe from the south of Africa must keep it 5 years on their face
- To await the state of mind of God, their gods who is in any thing and any thing at the same time. And that, by the
white color on the black color of their skins, they accept the extremes of life and especially they accept that they
exist. Thus, this white color is an extreme of purification for them and they find spirituality in an abstract but also
such a concrete world for them. At the time when they find it, they withdraw their painting. I found that this
photograph went well with the first pieces of Sadness and it represents the feelings of spirituality and search of the
unknown, of the abstract that pieces like Lueurs or Red Script have got.
- Because, the music that we convey, in this disc, is not forcing a very significant message but a state of mind that
everyone can find, at his own way, and feel the feeling compared to his own personality. I want to say that we don't
feel and understand all the music in the same way, but the significance is the feelings that it causes
- The parallel worlds between the life and death, thought and the instinct summarizes the direction of Ames de Marbre.
I feel very allured by these men of this sober tribe and there's a common point between them and our music.
=== The musical style of "Danteferno" seems more a 'metal' style than "Ames de Marbre". Have you
changed to this musical style intentionally?
- Yes, exactly!
- Danteferno is an album about different present and ancient tribal cultures from the World. Metal is a style of music
which releases enough energy to call upon an idea like that. Of course, the entire disc doesn't speak only about that,
it deals with other subjects but the reason is the metal sound has more sides. Martin E. AIN, understands our way
of seeing things and the concept of this disc very well and we have worked well in a policy of good understanding and we
pushed the sound of our guitars to the maximum of their power and the result is very good. Inevitably different from the
first disc by its mixing and its sound style, but the way of playing remains of SADNESS.
Let us not forget that our butts first went in the directions that we like without ever thinking: will the discs be sold?
Or if our identity is likely to lose its credibility? Not, Sadness is a musicgroup for all and we are able to sound
good or bad... So, to make classical music or techno if it represents the song and its original idea well, why not?
I believe that the fans have followed us because they understand this mentality.
=== What exactly do we see on the cover of Danteferno?
- This cover represents the second idea of Danteferno: a culture different from the past and present people. The Arabs,
the Indians or the Vikings but most popular represents the principal cultures which we treat in DANTEFERNO in a
phantasmagoric way. The first and basic idea of this disc is the DIVINE COMEDIE of DANTE.
- Thus, the photographs (flames, horses, torches...) show the imaginative concept of the disc. But the principal spirit
and influence of Dante remain in the texts.
=== The title "Danteferno" seems to be derived from "Dante's Inferno". Is the album also inspired by
this book (or movie)?
- Completely, it is true! Before composing DANTEFERNO, I believe that I have read various editions of the work well ten
times to understand the author really well. This book really had an enormous effect on me in the way of seeing paradise
and hell, in a very broad direction of the subject, whose heroes are very surprising and interesting. I sadly didn't
take the divine comedy in a metaphorical way as a starting point. Although the disc doesn't always speak of it, it
remains the base of the design.
The film?? I think that you speak about SEVEN because it is the most commercial one in the subject, the other films
are too old or badly distributed.
I was already well in the subject when the promo of film came out and I said to myself: Damn, why did they make a film
at the time of the release of the disc.
My fears were that the fans would think that we had chosen the copy of the idea of the film.
But when the film came out my fears were calmed. Although the play of the actors is superb and the scenario of a
thriller as SEVEN is very good the concept remains very summary. It remains a very public film or else the divine comedy
would becomes a popular book at the end of the film. Shame, because it could have still much better done.
=== Why were there only four new songs on "Evangelion"?
I had the idea of replaying the old pieces with new arrangements and a new interpretation. But the other musicians and
the record company thought otherwise and did not want to touch the original works. Moreover, the fans required to find
the old version of RED SCRIPT for a long time, and as AMES DE MARBRE was not republished any more, the label decided
to place the original tracks of that time. We then did not have many new good pieces in reserve so we recorded only the
four whom we like best at the time.
=== What is your favourite Sadness album / song?
Your question is extremely difficult to answer because for any artist to choose one creation out of the others is very
hard. The work and the energy which one gives for creating a title is so much and in affinity with your personality,
it is hard to choose. I like all the titles of Sadness, because they all have good things to learn even if the
production changes style. But, a title which makes me rather proud is: Lucurs.
But I must say that The Mask is rather fabulous. For the icy titles, I adore: Below and the Danteferno song.
=== What bands have been an influence for you?
Much, which is contradictory with the idea of the beginning of your interview. I'll explaine: for me in each group
there is something good but the album in entirety never comes to maturity.
The groups are always in a TOO definite style defined since the beginning of album, and I hate that because there are
only few colors and few differences between one title and the other. But groups like: Neurosis, Bathory, Black Sabbath,
Thundermachine, Billy Idol, and the classical musicians that are dark enough have filled me with wonder, although I don't
listen to it often, because you have to listen to classical in analog and not in digital according to all serious experts
and because I often do not find works which I like on LP, I do not listen much. But all the artists I know always filled
me with wonder one way or the other. Currently, I sadly don't listen to the discs of HIM I find rather interesting...
that would not disturb me if one day we made a trick together.
=== Have you played in any other bands before Sadness?
- Yes and no, I want to say that before Sadness does not exist (Besides, I was very young and I sought myself musically)
I played in not bad shit groups and it never stuck as I wanted, so then I quit or I was told nicely that I should quit.
- I hated the groups with their first degree shit images, I found that so much limiting and with a lack of intelligence,
then very quickly the tensions existed in the groups where I played. To believe that their images is more important than
the quality that they offer to the fans. The groups like that do not go on for a long time because the fashion changes
and the fans aren't stupid, they do not love only one taste of the mouth. Only the groups which plays with their Hearts
really REMAIN: they are artists for me. Although the look helps to sell it is the disc which you will listen to and will
re-listen during years and not to look at their photographs like a moron!
=== How would you like to describe the musical style of Sadness? Or don't you like to 'label' your music?
Sadness is as I told you a group of music and musicians of various musical cultures. Obviously we have bases but we
aren't a brand product like a barrel of detergent. The asset of the artist is the inspiration. The inspiration can't
always BE of the same intensity, I want to say that one does not feel the same inspiration each time at the same moment.
I will not say now: I make such or such music style then it is necessary that I remain in the same one line. No.
The music is universal thus I compose with my state of heart, so I place sounds according to my needs and not according
to a mark; and that becomes what it becomes.
To be an artist is to give pleasure to the listener and not with the labels which produce such or such Mark of products.
I do not go to the studio with a stamping machine of work schedule. Sadness remains a music group.
=== What do you think about the current metal scene?
I think that in the style of metal music, one must remain positive because there are lots of true groups which are in
the shade and which are very good... So I think that we will have beautiful surprises. Now, with the level of what
currently comes out I'm only interested in it very little because I find there's not really much new and original that
comes out in the mass.
But I must say that the last Therion doesn't leave me cold, They made beautiful works. But as I said it to you I remain
positive, because there will always be a group to surprise us! Perhaps, a new disc of Sadness? Ha, ha... no, I'm
kidding. No matter what?
=== What do you think about the musical techno-style of Hostage?
To be honest, I haven't really listened to what Andy made. Just on the WEB, I listened to a title available but I
cannot make an opinion on only one title. But the rumour says that it is very well so if they want to play me as a
support I will be happy, ha, ha... But as I know Andy it can't be bad.
=== So you make music for Manga animations? What do you like most about Manga?
- ah! I thought well that one day someone would ask me a question about this subject.
I adore it and I believe that I fell in when I was a kid.
For the musical creation of the topic on manga films or series, I went to Tokyo in different studio and for
my own pleasure too. It should be known that the metal is very present over there, and I had two, three gigs of
Sadness of which they had the kindness to listened to it with an enormous interest.
And I worked on some small gigs for the moment, like GRENDIZER, the celebrated Goldorak who is not so very popular
in Japan compared to the impact that he had had here in Europe.
And I am working on a new series and also a film with Japanese musicians. But all that is still at a vague stage. I must
go back to Japan soon and I will be able to plan all that a little or I can refuse if the subject does not suit me.
However, yes, I adore the manga style MATSUMOTO, NAGAI obviously, and I like the science fiction series very much. But
I also like the American literature like the comics much: Marval (even if they don't precede the manga)
Captain America, Iron man or Spidey have always amused me but the manga remains the best style. Because of this, we have
laughed much with Martin because he is a very amateur of manga. Because we started to talk almost more about super heroes
than about music...... ha,ha
=== Have you got more interests in japanese culture, or is it just the manga?
- You'll have to know that the manga is a part of the Japanese culture and because of the passion for manga, I started
to like and to interest myself for this country.
I do not say that it is a society easy to understand and I am still not at all able to understand it though I know it
very well.
It should be known that it is a country with deep convictions and filled with traditions. Moreover, the habits and
customs are completely different from Europe.
But if I had the choice and opportunity, I believe that I would leave to live over there. I feel closer to their
mentality on much subjects. And it should not be forgotten that the beauty of the country is impressive.
Of course, the manga and the videogames are everywhere and in gigantic proportions. For me it is cool at a material
level.
=== What kind of movies do you like to watch? Is there any genre that's your favourite?
I love movies, especially since the DVD exists which makes it possible to have enormous advantage, except the price!
Films like: the war of the worlds, Las Vegas parano, Aliens' series, Star Wars, And BLADE RUNNER, are rather fantastic.
But I must say that I like very diverse kinds of movies.
Good News! Steff is going to start up Sadness again!!!
After a long pause SADNESS realise now in studio a news title......
we don't know when this new realisation is out a day but I'm working ......
for the info about SADNESS
Andy play always the electronic music and all is ok for him . May be andy is dad for the next months .....
Chiva ? I have no contact (but we are always frend)
Lloys work in the assurance agency
Gradel OUT a second book .
and me...
I'm prof. of the sport .
i've too play for a jungle TV ( animation manga)
and now i compose a new title in my studio and for the futur is possible that this jog out a day.
I'm afraid I have to start this page with the worst news: Sadness is no more.
Steff Terry explains:
MEMORIES UNDER SADNESS BY STEFF TERRY
My band SADNESS, is maybe a part of my story and my convictions about life and about
metal. In reality, I was a true fan of bands like: Celtic Frost, Venom, Bathory,
Christian Death and The Cure and also the heavy metal bands like Wasp, Motley Crue,
Black Sabbat and Bon Jovi, yes Bon Jovi too.
Why??
I believe that all these bands are very sentimental for the hate, the love and I like
the bands with a true reality about their music, a true attitude and a very good
mentality. I will respect the public with SADNESS like these bands because I believe in
the fans that help me over this very long way between labels. Who chose us between all
bands who always think about the money, and who release a news cd each 6 months with
very stupid songs.
But it is only my opinion. With SADNESS, I realised a new thing, true, but professional.
It was very important for me .
---------- STEFF TERRY ----------
1973 - I was born in Sion, a little city in Wallis in Switzerland. My life is very normal
like all boys, sport (hockey), music and school. I was 10 years when in school I saw a
very strange boy, always sad and alone. It was Philippe Riand (Chiva). I don't know why
but him and me (Stephane Roessli), we have a good contact.
1985 - I play with all bands in Wallis as guitarist or bass-player, heavy-metal as
Antartica, black metal as Alastis or Misery but in all these bands, I didn't have very
much feeling so always I left the band.
A day in 1988 Chiva and 2 others musicians that play in a little band without a bandname
tell me to play with them and after many spechees I was very interessed because we played
a new kind of music. Also I was very interessed when I saw the look of all members
between the metal and the gothic and their attitudes. I know that my place was in this
band. The drumer, Gradel (Claude Lugon), a very strange guy, may be on of the more dark
men of all bands in this period. He asked me if I was interessed in the name of SADNESS
for the band and it was a very good name. Short and simple, and with this the name wasn't
CULT. Because I play with Sadness for the cult and not for the glory or the money.
1989 - The band is born and we play all days to be the best and original possible.
We recorded our first demo, "Y", in '89 with 4 songs in a style not very interesting, but
it is very succesfull in this time with 1000 copies sold. Eric, our firts vocalist and
bass player left the band for Alastis and this is why I come as singer, also a very young
and funny guy comes in Sadness: Andy (Andre Zuffrey).
This guy is the true best in sampler and bass. Really a beast but very funny, but we had
many problems with him in the future for this reasons, but we liked him too and so he
always staid in the band.
In this period we have many problems with Samael because Sadness is more and more
popular and Samael hates this. In particular I have a little problem with the girls, I
love the girls and the girls like me and the girls of the members of Samael love me very
much too.
1989 - We record the second demo with the cult song Red Script and this is the first time
that I sing. With a influance of Celtic Frost and The Cure it is new in the metal in this
period. It is very succesfull (1500 copies solded and many contact).
Many lables are very interessed in Sadness but for us, we were looking for a good label
for the distubution and we want to be free about our style.
Tours in Poland, Holland, France, Deutschland are very important for us and the public is
very happy to see Sadness live.
1993 - First cd: Ames de Marbre. It is a real succes. Incredible!!!
After many tours in Europe, Mr. Lloyd joined the band.
1995 - A major record company, Flying Records, is very interessed in us. So, we sign for
the realisation of Danteferno. Danteferno is realised with Celtic Frost and is a succes.
1997 - the Evangelion cd.
1998 - The end of sadness
We will give all our love at all fans of Sadness for all. I say one thing.
Goodbye and thanx!!!
Now STEFF TERRY is married. Gradel is author. Chiva plays a music alone and classic for
him. Andy works with techno. Lloyd is married.
True names:
Steff Terry is Stephane Rössli
Chiva is Phillippe Riand
Gradel is Claude Lugon
Lloyd is Laurent Perroud
Andy is Andre Zuffrey
---------- STEFF TERRY ----------
I just got news that Andy works together with Lloyd in the techno band 'HOSTAGE'.
The Hostage homepage is at http://www.phobos.ch/~hostage.
And Christel Pillet mailed me that Lloyd isn't married. Lloyd only was her boyfriend for seven years.
Sorry, Christel!
