K: Could you tell us a bit about the beginnings of Bête Noire - how were you formed, where did you take the name from, etc.
-ARNOLD GÓRKA (vocal, guitar): We are still at the beginning of the road, the band doesn't have a history yet. I found the name for band while looking through the dictionary of foreign words. The first concert of BÊTE NOIRE took place in March 2003.One year later we recorded our first songs i.a. "Nothing At All" and "My Revenge". This year we've recorded a very good, in my opinion, demo "Omen". Two songs of the demo ("Lśnienie", "Już") were broadcast by the radio "Trójka". We also managed to play important concerts together with Hedone, Closterkeller or DHM. During the two years there were several changes of band's members. We played as trio, than quartet, now there are five of us.
K: What are the problems the band which wants to come into being on Polish scene may come acoross?
-JANEK KRUKOWSKI (drums): In my opinion it's mostly the fact that the bands aren't taken seriously, that is people assume that if the band is young and unknown any conditions may be set out and the band will comply with anyway.
-KRZYSIEK RAK (bass): There are some financial problems. Internet for example helps in promotion of the band however, in the wider perspective of the band's existence in mass consciousness occur barriers in national medias. On the other hand, I think that good music is an advertisement itself and it may get anywhere.
-PAWEŁ MACIEJA (clarinet): One could ask what means "to come into being on the stage" (I assume we talk about so called "independent scene"). Is it a few good reviews in press? Or a few concerts that met with good reception? A group of fans? The basic matter is a release of the CD that meets with some response from audience (on condition that it will be promoted well). There are few groups in Poland now that can afford professional recording of their music while in Western Europe it's a standard ( the average artist there can release several CDs a year, yet, through that they intensify the overproduction of music publishings in the world). Summing up, I've an impression that real values will defend themselves, but in case of "independent music" they don't have to entail great economic profits and great fame. One may remain free and in agreement with oneself instead.
K: How would you describe your music and audience you play for?
-A.G.: One may find the elements of cold wave, psychodelia, or even electronic attempts in our music. Such versatility lets us go towards different directions which itself is very inspiring and stimulates the band's development. We do not direct our music to any particular audience. The audience comes on its own. By playing this and not the other way we rather convict ourselves to narrow audience, but such audience is "musically developed", at least I think so. I believe that fans of bands such as THE CURE or BAUHAUS will be interested in BÊTE NOIRE as well.
-K.R.: We want our music to attract by its sound and melody, to be a concise entity.
K: What is the basic difference between your first EP "Nothing At All" and the second "Omen"? What is the direction your music is going to take?
-A.G.: Musically, "Omen" is a natural consequence of "Nothing at all", however, it is better done as far as arrangements are concerned - there are keyboards, electronics. The CD is also more concise, each song is a result of the previous one. "Nothing At All" is a compilation, the material recorded in order to summ up the first stage of band's activity and to present various tones of BÊTE NOIRE (cold wave, psychodelia, rock, pop-rock). Which turn will our music take is unknown yet as our eclecticism lets us go into various ways. We've recently been in BAUHAUS musical regions most often.
-GRZESIEK DZIEWICKI (guitar, keyboards): "Omen" is above all diversified in sound and more reflective, thoughtful. "Nothing At All" is more of a rock style. As to the future, I think we will abandon rock even to a greater degree, at least I hope so.
K: What is your inspiration to create music and lyrics, musical and other?
-K.R.: All these great bands that have that "something" in music. My mates from the band are always the inspiration for me: the music must be the common conversation, common effort.
-G.D.: Music ideas come from the emotions evoked while listening to other artists. It's a process hard to control and to describe.
-P.M.: Life itself brings inspiration: it can be ordinary, everyday situations, meetings with people, discussions at beer, newspaper articles, shit coming from the radio etc. together with more conscious contact with literature, music, film that is so called "culture". My recent music inspirations are Soft
Cell, Antony And The Johnsons, D.A.F., Tuxedomoon, David Sylvian, early This Mortal Coil, Organum, Labradford, Bauhaus, K. Komeda, Księżyc.
-J.K.: I listen to jazz and improvised music. However, I do not limit myself in any way. I believe my good taste, that's all.
K: What, in your opinion, is important to create good music? Do you think that musical education is necessary for that, or are there any other conditions?
-K.R.: Talent and work
-J.K.: To make music a lot of good will, open mind and a bit of skills is enough.
-G.D.: In my opinion you need to be first of all honest, a bit of music knowledge wouldn't be an obstacle too. The music education could be helpful, however it could disturb as well, for example in crossing certain academic schemes.
-A.G.: I think the necessary conditions are : a bit of talent, a bit of technique, a bit od music taste and a bit of passion. Music education... it can be helpful for sure. Without advice and hints of those musically educated I wouldn't manage with many things.
-P.M.: I don't think there is one ready receipt for "good music". At some point it just "appears" and it's a big mystery... It doesn't have to be connected with some superhuman work and (pseudo) virtuosity. Music education may help some people (like people who look for job in state music institutions like philharmonic), while the others will be rendered manneristic by it and their individual development will be stopped ( especially in Polish reality)
K: What do you think about the music scene in Wrocław and generally in Poland?
-K.R.: SKALPEL, PINK FREUD, MOŻDŻER, FISZ are ok.
-P.M.: There are several bands in Wroclaw centered around Ośrodek Postaw Twórczych or the club Firlej. Generally there are some things going on, but nothing that exceptional.
-J.K.: The music scene in Wroclaw is starting to generate only now. In fact, there are no important centres where young bands could gather around.
-A.G.: I'm quite well-informed as far as Wrocław music scene is concerned. There are some interesting bands, like e.g. PSYCHOFORMALINA which plays cold, trance music, full of dirt, rooted in cold-wave.
K: What are your nearest plans?
-K.R.: Concerts, concerts, CDs, concerts...
-A.G.: I think it's high time to enter the studio and record the material for our debut album, the thing that's been dragged away several times. We've got the material for three CDs, so we've got plenty of stuff to pick up from. Finally the band is stable as far as members are concerned.
Bête Noire:
Arnold Górka – guitar, vocals
Grzegorz Dziewicki - guitar, keyboard, programming
Krzysztof Rak - bass
Jan Krukowski – drums
Paweł Macieja – clarinet
www.betenoire.prv.pl
www.myspace.com/betenoirepl
Other articles:
- DarkBeat Festival - 2006-03-27 (Live reports)
- Bete Noire - Omen - 2005-11-29 (Music reviews)
