‘Click Interview’ with Larva: ‘A Live Show Means Live, Not Only The Band, But Also The Crowd’
It all started in 1998 as Morbid Mind. They had less money and equipment, but a great motivation. Later on they changed the name of the band, moving on as LARVA. Driven by the creative impulses of Marco aka ‘InqUesT’ and assisted by ‘Anoxia’ the Spanish project from Barcelona (Spain) slowly conquered the dark-electro scene. Their newest full length “Desolation Road” has been already released on Advoxya and is for sure their most accomplished album to date. There’s still the initial power of the band, but the overwhelming atmospheres became more important and even an essential aspect of their work. Unfortunately 2020 hasn’t been the most happy year for the band’s front man…
(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)
Q: Spain has been seriously impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. How do you as Spanish citizens and artists experience(d) this drama?
Marco: Well, I suffered this pandemic in a different ways. I lost my mother because of a Covid-19 infection in May, and I got infected too.
And of course, all the shows, the tourism, the travels, etc were and are completely stopped. We had to postpone our tour through Mexico, USA and Perú for 2021. So, no shows from February on… In fact, 2020 is being a shitty year in a lot of ways.
Q: The good news is you this year released your newest album “Desolation Road”. Tell us a bit more about the way this album was conceived and what does the title stands for?
Marco: This album is some kind of monographic. It’s about the feelings you experience when you take some decisions in your life. Sometimes these decisions make your way more lonely. But you can’t do another thing, because it’s your only way.
Q: I experienced the new songs as more ‘atmospheric’-like; it all feels like the songs are less aggressive, but more poignant and even emotional. Is it an aspect of the production you recognize and eventually work on? What do you perceive as the biggest changes/evolutions compared to previous albums?
Marco: I think it’s evolution. I try to not over think things too much; I only do what I want to do in that specific moment. My tastes evolve, and that is reflected in production, composition, etc…
At the beginning we were really raw, we were younger and without that much experience, but we really wanted to shout, to experiment with everything, to be really direct. All these things are here today, but with another point of view. Maybe more refined.
Q: I noticed –like many other bands, you did some live streams. How does it feel playing without audience and what have been the reactions so far?
Marco: At the beginning it was really weird! To have only my two Chihuahuas as a crowd, hahaha. Streaming live shows is the only thing that we had until now from the beginning of the pandemic. That’s not so bad, but to me, a live show means LIVE, not only the band, but also the crowd. It’s another experience.
It’s not only about listening music, or watching a show; it’s about feelings, it’s a complete experience.
And I think you can only feel that if you are there. And of course, another important aspect is that in our live shows we need that feedback from the crowd, that you only can get when you are there, seeing them, feeling them and sharing that magic moment with them.
Q: Covid-19 and the lockdown inspired numerous artists to compose new songs or working on remixes and release new clips. What have you been doing and was the lockdown a creative period?
Marco: A lot of things! We have finished an EP that we plan to release before the end of 2020; working on two music videos, and of course lot of new songs (including remixes). What can you do when you live in a really small town, and lockdown in your studio all the day?
Q: Larva seems to have a serious fan basis in Russia –next to other countries. How do you explain this success in Russia and in, which way is it related to your label Advoxya Records having a connection with Russia?
Marco: I don’t know really… I mean, in Mexico it’s easy for us to have a lot of followers because of the language, so the people can understand our lyrics easily. And because we share some kind of ‘social reality’ and ‘day by day base’.
But Russia was a surprise from the first day we played there. I don’t know, maybe because we understand the live performances the same way. They enjoy very powerful, visceral and raw performances. And that is what we do and what makes us happy.
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