Kris Kylven Interview

Kris Kylven Email Interview

8/18/06

Electronic Drummer and DJ, Kris Kylven has been producing records over the past 10 years from Electro/Industrial to Chill Out. Learn more about the talented man behind the music! Thank you to Kris for taking time to respond to our questions! I look forward to bringing you more on his projects in the very near future! Be sure to take advantage of the links provided on this page and check out his work! ~ jo

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jo: Give me five facts about yourself.

Kris: I was born in France, originally from a Corsican / Arabian / Canadian family

jo: How did you get into the music biz? Remixing songs, DJ, your bands/projects...a little bit about each.

Kris: I started programming beatboxes I was 11 when I started to experiment with sounds I did get my first one it was a Korg, later with my best friend at the time (Yann) we did record radios thru a guitar amplifier mixed with some sounds from our tape decks and we even open the electric organ and tried to modify it for we could get more twisted sounds out of it this we managed very well, we broke it...at 16 I was singing in a cold wave band call DEAD END (joy division style) already, then it went on and on until I did art school then I got a job on a Radio and did a Sound engineering School, I always been into electronic stuff I mean my mother was a hippy and a friends were leaving a lot of good records bands like (Kratfwerk, Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd, Vangelis, Genesiss, etc..). I did get straight into electro / industrial / gothic later on they always been my favorite music styles... I moved into techno in 92 when nothing was really happening this rave stuff was taking over so I guess I saw a potential in that style that made me who I am now, I mean technically I have learn very much, a lot of sound wizardry in that techno field...so I did come back to my roots by traveling thru different styles of music before ethno/Chillout/Techno/gothic/industrial/Rock/pop/ HipHop/movie score it is very important what ever you decide to do musically to know what's going on outside your circle...it's called Culture...

jo: You were born in France? What brought you to Finland?

Kris: Yes, and I came to Finland cause I had a kid (my Daughter Priss ) but we were living in London for 5 years with the mother (Finnish)( I broke up with her in 1998)

jo: Biggest misconception about you?

Kris: People usually believe that I am only producing Banging & hard sounding stuff, I am not, I do have other music projects more mature...

jo: Do you play other instruments other than percussion?

Kris: Yes, I was a singer (getting back to it now a days), I play a bit of everything keyboards, bass & guitar the rest it's programming...

jo: Tell me a little bit about each of your current projects.

Kris: I have had tons of them, but now I did simplify the all thing by only few

Kris Kylven [myspace.com/kylven] It's my name I use it now a days because people started to lose it after doing so many projects, so I use my name for remixes & productions. I do have a touring band with me with one of my best mates Jan Rechberger [Amorphis]. He is a great Drummer, Programmer & Engineer and followed by different musician friends like Archzie69 [The 69Eyes]. I have also toured with my old pal Holeg Spies [myspace.com/holegspies] and I am doing a soundtrack album & more for his label Cinetiks (cinematic music).

Kris Kylven & Syb-Sonic [myspace.com/kriskylvensybsonic] That's my Ethno/electro/Chillout project and I am currently doing an album featuring female singers.

Dysmortal [myspace.com/dysmortal] Electro/ industrial project with long time friend pAn (singer/drummer/programmer) it is going very well...

And a new project with me singing is on the way too...

jo: What inspires you?

Kris: Anything artistic, I think mostly design. As I was graphic designer ( ref: I have designed my MySpace sites)

jo: If you could switch lives with anyone for 24 hours who would it be and why?

Kris: A female, possibly good looking & smart, just to try to understand the opposite sex better...

jo: If you could have one "do over" in life would you use it? Why or why not? What for?

Kris: I did too many already...

jo: What three things to you wish to accomplish before you die?

Kris:
    1 - leave a trace on this planet (do something that matter and will be remembered)
    2 - find the love of my life
    3 - Make a living (for my beloved)

jo: What is the craziest thing you have ever done in your life??

Kris: Jumped from the third floor of a flat where I was kidnapped for 4 days, but that was question of life or death...

jo: What is your best quality? Worst habit?

Kris: Best quality is I work hard & fast. Worst habit would be that I talk too much sometimes (France very bad for that) I wish I could be more quiet...

jo: Name a song that describes you.

Kris: That is not possible cause I like to many styles of music for choose only one song...

jo: What bands are you listening to right now?

Kris:

- Peter Murphy & Trent Reznor - radio sessions.

- Nine Inch Nails (remixes & deconstruction from The Fragile found on the net and made by fans - a lot of them).

- Underworld Evolution (SCORE) not the soundtrack.

- Battlestar Galactica the new Tv Serie(SCORES)

- Peter Gabriel (various Albums)

- Kloq (Unreleased album) (ex Empirion man with Doug Mccarthy the singer of Nitzer Ebb)

- Nitzer Ebb - Body Of Rework (remixes)

- Otto Von Schirach (anything by him is great)

- Psychic Tv / throbbing Gristle / Thee Majesty anything with Genesis P Orridge is great...

- Various Ethno Music from all over the world

Kris Kylven Fast Facts!

Date of Birth: Confidential
Place of Birth: Paris, France
Height: 182 cm = 5 foot 10 inches
Shoe Size: 41 and half (euro) = 8.5
Fave Food: Japanese
Fave Movie: Blade Runner
Fave Song: Too Many to Mention
Fave Band: Too Many to Mention
Fave Place in the World: Japan
Fave Drink: Japanese beer
Fave Star Wars Character
Old : Han Solo
New: Padmé (Natalie Portman is a beauty)
Fave Color: Turquoise
Fave Indulgence: Forgiveness

Either/Or...

New York City or Los Angeles? both
Rich or Famous? both
Love or Lust? both
Kiss or Hug? both
Heaven or Hell? Being a fallen angel I would say both
Truth or Lies? Truth. Lies only when necessary
Angels or Devils? both

Do you believe in...
Destiny: yes
Love at First Sight: yes , unfortunately
Angels: yes
Aliens: yes
Soul Mates: yes
Things Happen for a Reason: yes (I like "Lost" the tv series)
Heaven and Hell: yes
Ghosts: yes

photo by Jari Salo