Dear readers, we are pleased to offer you in this article an interview with a French duo that proposes Heavy Prog & Psych. We welcome Moundrag.
Hi, how are you?
“Hi! We are really good, thank you!“
Where does the name of your band Moundrag come from and what does it mean?
“We wanted to have a single word for a name. So we decided to join the word “Organ” and “Drum “together to create an anagrama. MOUNDRAG is the anagrama of Organ and Drum.“
Your sound incorporates elements of Heavy Psychedelia and Prog, where does your passion for these sounds come from?
“We are really fans of this period since we were teenagers. It’s our Irish uncle who gave us our first CD of rock and roll and it was Deep Purple Made in Japan and we never change our musical affection to this music!”
Your debut album “Hic Sunt Moundrages” is about to be reissued, how would you describe this work?
“It took us two years to compose and record our first album during the Covid. And we wanted to record a prog album as they used to do in the 70s.
Side A: singles
Side B : one 20 minutes prog song called La Poule. It’s our hommage to Emmerson Lake and Palmer cause we are Big fans of ELP…“
You recently released a studio session with covers of Atomic Rooster, what links you to this band?
“We are really fans too for a long time ! When we listened for the first time to them we didn’t appreciate this band, it was the black snake live session in 1972 and it seemed weird to our Young ears! But later we discovered all the talent and the black magic of this band!“
Several guests participated in the session, how did the collaboration come about and what did they bring to the sound?
“We are all big fans of Atomic Rooster and we always said that one day we should record a cover together. And we did it!
It was really instance because we never rehearsed these songs together, Everything played was live!“
In October you will be on tour for your “Hic Sunt Moundrages – Part III,” what do you expect from these live dates?
“We hope to make great concerts and meet nice people as always when we tour in Spain and Portugal. It is the third Time we tour in thèse country si we expect more and more people to our shows and better venues!“
Besides the re-release of your debut, are you working on new music for an upcoming record release?
“Yes of course ! we never stop to create music, it’s what we do the best ! we wish to record our next album this winter…“
You have been active for a few years now, how has your sound evolved over time?
“We evolved thanks to our friends and all their suggestions. And we keep on working our instrument and our sound. Everything is naturally moving on this space and time so the music must evolved too.“
You are a duo and your sounds are elaborate and engaging, how is the creative process of your music?
“First of all we Jam together and the magic happens, or not ! But in the end we have a few songs. We like to produce theese songs with extra keyboards, percussions like to have a full Orchestra with us ! And After Come the lyrics that write together about our mind set in the moment and find some poesy in it. After that we like to record theese songs in a studio owned by our friend Goudzou to make them sound better ! He have great ideas for sound production ! Last step is to play them live before record the last version tapes.“
Both the music and the vocals are intense, what themes do your lyrics deal with?
“We deal with the actuals natural crisis, political, religions things and ecological disasters and about all the Minds and souls which are living in this World which is falling down.“
Music is constantly evolving, how do you see the current scene and the future of your genre?
“We are already living in the future man! Prog music will be the salvation for you all.“
Do you have any other passions or artistic activities outside music?
“Yes of course like anybody else. We like rock of course and hanging out with people that we love, discovering new things. We love going on holidays, discovering new cities, other cultures and to get lost in landscapes. And theese things feed our music.“
I thank Moundrag for the interview and wish them all the best for the continuation of their artistic career.
