André Savetier: So, Bob, how was your concert in Luxemburg for the European Steampunk Convention (ESC)?

Bob Eisenstein: A big event! Wonderful audience, and the organizers were so good people. It will remain as one of our best gigs in Europe.

Savetier: How did it come that you play there and not somewhere in France? Were there no events for ESC?

Eisenstein: Well... let's say it the softer way. Nothing happens in France. Even my good friend Utelo from Steam Rocket who organized something in June for Frenchy and the Punk and Victor Sierra didn't get the success he was waiting for.
Only Aymeric Langlois (from Machina Vapora in Lyon reached something with Lugdunum Steampunk Imaginarium - the first and only real convention in France).
The people who organized ESC in Paris are barely able to organize anything more than a picnic. I had been in contact with them last January and in August I was still waiting for them to answer...
Then I spoke with Marcus Gilman [the founder of the European Steampunk Convention] and he put me in contact with the people from Luxemburg, all for the better!

Savetier: And there is a lively Steampunk scene in Luxemburg?

Eisenstein: Well... I don't know but we met fantastic people, in particular Frederic Humbel (he 's the director of the site where the event took place: the Musée Industriel et Ferroviaire du Fond De Gras) and Oliver, a prominent member of the local Steampunk scene.

Savetier: How would you describe your style of music to someone who did not yet listen to it?

Eisenstein: Ouch... the question I fear most... Let's say: retro-futuristic inspired epic electro rock project. But more than a project, Victor Sierra is a universe. We have our own way of imagining our work. There are many things to find out through many facets and layers, because the obvious is boring. Our music is fueled by many different substances…

Savetier: One can definitely see that Victor Sierra works with a special aesthetic. The artwork, the music, the videos I saw on youtube... Do you make this all by yourself? And, as the visuals seem to be an important factor for the band, do you have any visual artist (any kind, could be a painter or a moviemaker) that you find particularly inspiring?

Eisenstein: You've got it right. We almost do everything ourselves: music and video and our stage outfits as well (designed by Anouk). It's the first time I'm asked this question about visual artists... I don't know... really... I'll think about it for the next time we have a conversation. I promise.

Savetier: So you also see the DIY as an important factor of Steampunk lifestyle? How "Steampunk" are you in your every day life?

Eisenstein: DIY is the main thing. I've always been used to do everything myself, steampunk or not steampunk. I enjoy a lot to make contraptions for our stage decor. It's very relaxing and creative for me. I don't live the lifestyle everyday regarding my outfit and such. But I definitely live it in my mind and about steampunk itself I could say that it is an expression of "uchronia" (the time that doesn't exist as in "utopia" is the place that doesn't)… I enjoy "what ifs?" very much. Several realities crossing themselves…

Savetier: How and when did you find out about Steampunk?

Eisenstein: When Big Machine joined the band three years ago, he told us about Steampunk. We had never heard of it before. So we googled it and everything seemed so familiar to us… The dystopia, the "uchronical" visions, the outfits ands contraptions, the mix of genres… The encounter of romance and technology. Victor Sierra has been a steampunk band from the beginning without us being actually aware. But I would like to mention that Dieselpunk does attract me, as well. That's how we came to create the Airship Hydrogen Queen -of which I'm the Commander! It's yesterday's tomorrow.

Savetier: I had a similar experience of being Steampunk without knowing it a few years ago. Maybe I should put a question for the technically interested: How is the Hydrogen Queen propelled?

Eisenstein: Well... It's a very "for your eyes only" information... I have to ask Big Machine... It's a very secret formula. Yet the schematics and diagram of the engine come from an alternate reality I know little of... and almost nothing of the type of fuel they drink... But everything seems very reliable!

Savetier: To come back to the Diselpunk topic: For me Victor Sierra actually fits to both aesthetics, Steampunk and Dieselpunk. How do you see the potential of Dieselpunk? Did it already evolve to an own thing or is it still the little brother of Steampunk?

Eisenstein: As I said before, I'm and we are definitely more in the retro-futuristic area. Meaning that it includes Steampunk, Dieselpunk and even Atompunk. The "what ifs" are very important to me. I don't see DP to be put under SP as a little brother or sub-genre. I've always wanted to use all the material, the universes, the styles and images I could find. What I don't enjoy much is the willing to stick 100% to an era or another.

Savetier: This open-mindedness is also audible in your music. Your style is quite unique, at least I cannot think of anything similar. And also that you sing in several different languages. How many languages does Victor Sierra speak, when you sum up the knowledge of all three members?

Eisenstein: English, Spanish, French... I can write a bit of Hebrew in my lyrics now and then... I know a lot of words in Yiddish but it is our good friend Elsa Drezner who writes the lyrics in this language.

Savetier: There are many signs in your music and image to build bridges and tear down borders. The Hydrogen Queen can go anywhere, languages are not an obstacle. Is this a statement for internationality?

Eisenstein: In a way, yes. But I don't see humanity as a whole. Differences are huge and it's no use to try to avoid them. The Hydrogen Queen is a powerful and magical airship. We can travel behind the lines and cross anomalies (the secret passages between worlds)...

Savetier: When will the journey of the Hydrogen Queen continue? Are there any records in progress?

Eisenstein: Yes. We plan to release a new album next spring. We have a US tour in progress and gigs in Europe (France, Germany, Netherlands, UK) all to be confirmed.

Savetier: Sounds like you are on the way towards your break-through...

Eisenstein: I hope so! We've been proposed a nice contract to tour in Europe a few days ago... I hope to tell you more next time or you'll see it when we announce new gigs!

Savetier: Is Victor Sierra the flag-ship of European Steampunk/Dieselpunk/retro-futurism? With your special sound and everything around it you have at least the potential of being it.

Eisenstein: Wow... thank you, dear! We have the ambition to offer our best. It's our internal propeller!

Savetier: For your way I wish you all the best. In a review on Electric Rain I wrote: "I would say that Victor Sierra finally found their sound, and it was definitely worth to wait. Steampunk irrevocably set foot on the European continent. I was also positively surprised by the multilingualism of the artists: their songs are not just French or English, but also Spanish and Yiddish. And this internationality and open-mindedness is exactly what Steampunk should be about." Have I been right with my analysis?

Eisenstein: You are perfectly right my friend! I couldn't say better...

Savetier: Thank you! Now you have the chance to say something to the readers, what might be important to you but was not mentioned yet...

Eisenstein: Well... I just want to tell them that we're ready to come to perform at their place. For now hey can contact me here:
[email protected]
(and I'll post our (possibly) tour mangement company contact as soon as we sign with them.)
We love to cross borders and we are definitely open to anything interesting.
I am pleased to answer emails whenever I have some spare time, so don't be shy.
And last but not least, I wanted to thank you for your good job, André!

Savetier: Oh, thank you for the compliment! One last question I have for you: As we are trying hard to establish the retro-futuristic idea in Central and Eastern Europe, what can you suggest to us to make it more popular from your own experience?

Eisenstein: You have everything in Central Europe in order to reach your goal. Wasn't Nikola Tesla from Serbia? Time is different in your area, I suppose. Think it over!

Savetier: Hah, we actually had Tesla as topic for our last Steamed event...

Eisenstein: See ;-)

Savetier: We also had the idea of Austro-Hungarian Steampunk, like a locally flavoured Steampunk version for Central/Eastern Europe.

Eisenstein: If you have any opportunity for us to come, let me know about it... We'd love to come to perform.

Savetier: That is something I will seriously think about, Bob! Thank you for this interview!

Eisenstein: Anytime, André! Thanks to you.