As with the very recent interview
With Purrmachine, the following
Interview with Scotland's 'Zealous Veil'
Also came through myspace.com
(As will no doubt a series of forthcoming
Other interviews no doubt).
For this interview, I was having
A general look through what
Experimental acts were on
And possibly because Zealous
Veil is so close to the end of
The alaphbet it was perhaps
Destiny I stumbled across
This aching, soft tones which
Kind of reminded me of Philip
Glass if he tried darkwave
Music.
It only made natural sense
For me to approach Z V
For this interview and almost
As quick as the Purr Machine
This interview soon followed
Into my inbox.
Special thanks to Zealous
Veil for this incredibly long
And honest interview - it
Is probably one of the most
Honest interviews I have
Had in ages.
Setting Sun:
How are tricks and what are you up to at the
moment?
Zealous Veil:
At the moment I'm very busy with study at school actually.
The music has admittedly been put a little on hold as, you
know, I have to make the grades to get into university (I
have been offered a place in Sociology at the University of
Abertay in my hometown - Dundee), so this is what I'm
currently working towards.
Musically there are always new little bits and pieces being
made on impulse, and once I get my grades at school, I
can focus more on putting these pieces together.
Setting Sun:
Next, can you tell us all a little bit about the
history off Zealous Veil - i.e - where it all started
etc?
Zealous Veil:
Zealous Veil began in early 2005 after I had started to make
Music a number of months before. I began to notice that the
music I was making could potentionally run well together with
a concept, and so Zealous Veil was born as that outlet for me.
Experiences I have been through such as bullying throughout the
Majority of my school life contribute to the meaning behind
Zealous Veil. I needed something to express myself and release
built up emotion, and music has let me do this.
Setting Sun:
What are your influences and what music are you
listening to at the moment?
Zealous Veil:
My main influences are experiences and the emotional
Remnants they leave behind. As I mentioned before,
Bullying is a particularly prevalent source of how I
Felt, how I currently feel and how I hope people can feel
While listening to the sounds I create.
However I am not only inspired by negative experiences
And the sadness and darkness of the mind, but also by love,
Beauty and touching experiences, whether it be
Special words said to me by someone, or a simple realisation
Of beauty in nature. Recently I have been writing music
Dedicated to someone to me, and that in itself is an
Influence.
As for the music I am listening to currently, in terms of very
Recently, as in this week, the Shadow of the Colossus OST has
Never been off (laughs). The music for that game is so
Unbelievely beautiful ranging from being hauntingly slow and
Silent to thundering blasts of energy with precise string sequences
And refreshing ambient natural instruments.
In addition to that however, I have been listening to a lot of the
Usual for me, which is Schwarz Stein, VELVET EDEN, Luna
Sea, HOCICO, 2bullet and some random trance/EB/darkwave.
Whatever it may be.
I love to listen to a good range of music and as with anyone it really
Just depends on my mood at the time. A lot of electronic and
trancey stuff though.
Setting Sun:
Do you play concerts or if you don't how you
approach it?
Zealous Veil:
At the moment I don't actually play concerts, however it is
Definitely something I would like to experiment with in future,
Maybe with my good friend and fellow musician Flood of Rain.
I hope my feelings come through well in the songs alone however
I am aware there is a certain energy that can only be captured and
Experienced in the situation of a live show and that's definitely
Something I want to experience myself in the future if at all possible.
I don't see why not!
Setting Sun:
How does this compare to your recorded material? Is
Their one you prefer over the other?
Zealous Veil:
As I don't currently play concerts, I cannot answer this question.
All I can say is that I prefer the recorded material, because I don't
Have anything to compare it to (laughs)
Setting Sun:
What is also the inspiration behind your name
'Zealous Veil' - interesting choice for a name I must
admit.
Zealous Veil:
Zealous Veil is a very interesting name. I think this is because it
Maybe contradicts itself, or divides itself into two parts while also
Combinding and becoming one. I suppose if you were to take
the name as a whole, you'd maybe get a meaning such as
'Enthusiasm powered by corruption'.... Or something like that?
(laughs). But I feel it is more a two part situation 'Zealous' reflects
my enthusiasm and passion in things that I do that I feel very strongely
about, whether it be music or something else, and 'Veil' relates to the
bad experiences that I have been through. And how that has tainted
me as a person.
It's actually quite a confusing name, but it does have a ring to it
(laughs). I suppose in summary, you could say that Zealous Veil is
what became of enthusiasm born from my past misfortunes.
Setting Sun:
Probably I think my favourite song of yours that I
Have heard to date is one available on your myspace
Page 'Signal Complex' - Can you tell us a little bit
More about this song - where it came from etc...
Zealous Veil:
Thank you for the interest in this song! "Signal Complex'
Is a favourite of many people it seems.
I feel this song dwells on the darker side of my mind, maybe as
A result of the bullying experiences mentioned before.
It's hard for me to say exactly what it means, as I don't
usually have a plan or intention for a piece before
I make it, it just creates itself.
The song was, I think, the third song I made in Zealous Veil.
It sounds quite dark and menacing to me, but I think it feels like
The person involved in the story of it is overcoming their
Problems, rather than being taken over by them - maybe
'Revenge' is the word here? The name itself through
Signal Complex, basicially means the lack of connection to
The 'outside world' someone with an emotional or social
Disposition experiences. I have experienced this, and so
I think this song is mainly aimed at the people who can
Relate to that.
Setting Sun:
What's next for you? Do you have any more recordings
Planned etc?
Zealous Veil:
I do have some more songs that aren't available on MySpace as
of yet. Some Are finished, and some just need the finishing
production process, likely to be carried out by Flood of Rain.
I have a couple of CDs planned, one of which will be the
mini-album 'Signal Complex' which will of course contain the
title track itself along with breathless, and maybe 4 or 5 other
tracks. I also have plans to work on a second mini-album based on
the song 'Protector', written for and dedicated to someone who's
very special to me at the moment, and certain beautiful things
that they said which inspired me to put my emotions into sound
as sometimes words can't express everything we wish they could.
Setting Sun:
Where are you from by the way? Have you seen
any good concerts recently?
Zealous Veil:
Where am I from?
Scotland! In this city of Dundee to be precise!
I haven't seen any good concerts recently because in
This area there's never usually anything good on in
Terms of shows
(Laughs)
Maybe I can change that one day
I'd love to see a larger, more established electronic
music scene around here
I do like to go to clubs, but I don't think that counts!
(Laughs)
Setting Sun:
Anyway, a couple of light hearted questions for you
to finish off with, firstly. What would you like to
do when you are 60?
Zealous Veil:
When I'm 60 I hope to be sitting at home still listening to my
favourite music while playing whichever model of
Playstation is out at that time. That would suit me fine!
If I become unable to do those things, I don't think
I'd want to live any longer (laughs)
Setting Sun:
What will you be doing when you are 60?
Zealous Veil:
Hopefully the above!
Setting Sun:
Lastly, hacking a question one of my friends
used to use in her magazine, if you were
stranded on a desert Island with a record player
(although I could be tempted to let you upgrade
it to a CD player if I was feeling nice), what
5 records what you choose to have with you?
Zealous Veil:
Schwarz Stein - New vogue children
Schwarz Stein - Artificial Hallucination
Kow Otani - Wander and the Colossus ~
Roar of the Earth~ Original Soundtrack
VELVET EDEN - Street of ALICE
Me - A burned CD of everything else that I
missed in that list, haha
