Arhangelsky interview

An interview with Nikita – guitarist and leader of a new-formed band called “RAVELS”.

Q. Hello, Nik, nice to meet you. So, first of all, say something about yourself in general.

A. Hello, nice to meet you too. Well, my name is Nikita, I’m 22 years old. I work as a design engineer and play in the band called “RAVELS” as a guitarist. We play garage rock with the bias towards post-punk revival.

Q. So, let’s start from the beginning. Tell us please, how did you start playing music?

A. Well, it wasn’t a conscious decision at all. I bought my first guitar at the age of 16 and it was awfully cheap. But I didn’t give up exercising and played it more and more, also listening for a lot of music that influenced me. For example, “Sonic Youth”, “Yeah Yeah Yeahs”, “Radiohead” and “BRMC”.

Q. And what can you say about your first attempts to play in a band?

A. When I entered the university I met Andrey, a guy who loved the same music and played drums very well. So we found a third person and started play something incomprehensible and strange. Then a few years later we changed some musicians and became what we are today.

Q. Very interesting information. I’ve listened to your songs and I should say that you have an unusual approach to your sound. Could you say something about your sound?

A. I always liked the sound of these bands (SY, YYY, BRMC), so I tried to build my setup that way. I’m fond of sub-octave sound and slapped-back delay sound.

I also like “trebled guitars” like Jazzmasters and Jaguars. To cut a long story short – I really spend a lot of time to choose effects I’d like to use and to customize them. But it works.

Q. Could you express your opinion about modern music in general, please? What do you like and dislike in it?

A. I’d better say what I really dislike. I guess, the main problem of music nowadays is the audience. A lot of my friends are listening to a really awful and tasteless music, which sometimes doesn’t even have a melody – just an unreadable bullshit. So it’s hard to make music like our music, because the majority of people won’t understand it at all.

Q. Interesting opinion. So, answer the last question please. Tell us about musical problems in our city, please.

A. I guess, the problems are the same. There are no really good places to perform. There are not so many picky listeners, too. But there are many bands, which play and record their songs careless. They never care about their sound and performance and do everything by 50%. I think, the situation won’t change till the musicians are not aware of all the responsibility in making music.

Q. It was a very interesting interview, thanks for your answers. Bye.

A. No problems, bye.