White Cell are responsible for some fairly chunky grooves: pigeonhole yourself and tell the readers the band’s major influences?
“In one word (if I had to use one): ‘metal’. We are a pretty diverse group of guys, with about 10 years separating our oldest and youngest members, so that makes for an interesting range of influences. I guess as a whole, musically we all enjoy the influence of ’90s metal bands like Sevendust, Mudvayne and Deftones. Lyrically, artists like Paul Simon, Michael Jackson and Zack De La Rocha have been the biggest for me; along with ideas of political injustice, the monetary system, religion and different entheogens.”
While on tour with HFA you broke a beer bottle on a pylon while singing and sprayed the crowd in shards of glass and beer! Should punters stay clear of the stage at a White Cell gig?
“Ha. Yeah, maybe. I can still be a bit unpredictable and off-the-hook. I can assure the punters that they are definitely in store for a visual feed of energy personified, inspired by psycho-social-fueled angst. We do enjoy breaking things and knocking each other over. I think punters want to use their eyes as well as their ears at a live show, so being visually intriguing is important. We don’t use a massive specialised lighting rig or props, so we rely completely on the energy we emit live.”
Why is it important for punters to be aware of the Zeitgeist movement?
“I think the world is currently unstable as far as people’s way of thinking and the things we classify as important within our society. We tend to align ourselves with ideas that contradict what’s best for the human race… and we know this. Mainly because of the monetary institution we’re all part of, we base decisions on cost and profit as opposed to its benefit on the well being for all. The Zeitgeist Movement offers a source of information for those who are interested in looking for a plausible alternative to current systems that are out of date.”
Why should punters get along to the show on Friday night?
“For several reasons. We have a touring band from WA called Brutus who are one of the tightest, kick-arse rock bands in Australia. Of course it’s only the second show for The Khyber Belt and there’s a lot of interest around because of their links with previous bands on the Melbourne scene, that being Bushido, Rook and Sleep Parade. We have interactive art-music project Afterwhite running all night which is a must-see. We have the free DVD and info giveaways from The Zeitgeist Movement, who will also be running a projector showing clips and slideshows. And of course there is Sadhana and White Cell also on the bill, demonstrating some of the best Melbourne rock bands. It will truly be a unique environment to be in and it definitely offers something new for the average punter.”
Best gig you’ve been to and Why?
“Fleetwood Mac at the WACA about 2003. Because they kicked arse. They were obviously a band that had a knack for writing brilliant songs and their years together showed. That performance followed closely be RATM at Festival Hall, which I was just happy to be at.”
Top 3 albums of all time?
“1) Paul Simon – Graceland. 2) Faith No More – Album Of The Year. 3) Tony Bennett – MTV Unplugged.”
KHYBER BELT answer WHITE CELL’s hard-hitting inquiries
The band name “The Khyber Belt”. How did it come about and what does it represent?
“The ‘Kuiper Belt’ is said to be the giver and taker of life on our planet. We misspelt the name and have stuck with it! Asteroids from the belt containing certain elements collided with Earth many moons ago and when the elements combined they formed water, the giver of life! Its rocks are also responsible for causing the Ice Age and other various catastrophic events.”
Have the Zeitgeist films been an influence on your way of thinking at all and do some of the ideas resonate with themes within your songs?
“The Zeitgeist movies have opened my mind to possibilities I hadn’t considered before. This altered my perception of how our lives are controlled. Some of our songs have a definite resonance of this train of thought.”
Music and art are a powerful tool for helping influence different paradigms of thinking. Have any artists influenced the way you think?
“Absolutely, Rage Against The Machine, Tool and Cog just to name a few. All those bands exposed me to lyrical content that forced me to reevaluate the way I think.”
What message do you think people could take from the ideas in your songs?
“Some of the tracks are to do with the above-mentioned themes and others are songs about regret, relationships and other boring shit that no one will listen to unless it’s sung to them!”
What can punters expect to experience during The Khyber Belt’s live show?
“Working equipment for one! Our first show was a technical disaster to say the least. We plan on making amends like none made before it.”
