meaning of ex-voto—a votive offering, a gift born from gratitude and sacred promises —also play a role in that choice? I first saw the word somewhere in print and it caught my eye. It was a very interesting looking word. So I looked into it and found out it was Latin and learned about devotional art. This was long before the internet, of course, so all that research was done the old-fashioned way. I thought it was beautiful and would make a great band name, one that would be memorable. Beyond that I didn't think too much about it - it's like my lyrics in that I don't ever set out with a particular idea or message I want to say. I write the music first. Then, and maybe this sounds corny, I just write whatever comes out of my heart and mind. But looking back at my songs and the kind of lyrics I tend to write I guess it makes sense that I would have been drawn to "ex-voto" as a band name. Imagine this: Avisionary showrunner is creating a dark, atmospheric TV series inspired by Ex-VoTo. Each episode is based on one of your songs — its mood, its story, its ghosts. Let’s call it The Ex-VoTo Files. Which tracks would you insist on being turned into full episodes? Falling Apart, Demons of the Night, I Cry, A Ring a Lake a Deception an Innocent Girl, If I Never. I think all of those have a "story" to them. Music. Howdid that release—and the collaboration with Poor Alice—come about? In 1988 ‘Falling Apart’ appeared on Bomp! Record's American Gothic: The Krypt Kompilation, an album featuring bands from L.A.'s gothic club, The Krypt. That gave us a lot of college radio airplay and brought us to the attention of New World Records and XXX Records. They approached us about doing an EP, that would become ‘Don't Look Back’. We would produce it and they would have the records pressed and distributed. Poor Alice Music is our personal label we created and everything we've done since has been released under that name. Working with record companies in both those instances was interesting. But I realized that there was nothing record companies were doing that we couldn't do on our own. It was a blessing in disguise that I didn't get involved in any other contracts because it's allowed me to keep the rights to all mymusic and retain control of the band.Throughout the 80s I had the band focused on live performances and these recording experiences encouraged me to record more. And of course the ‘If I Never’ music video came out of the ‘Don't Look Back’ release.That was a fun experience. I was going to ask how you came up with the band name, but your mention of the ceremonial wax objects seems to answer that already. Still, I’m curious — did the Latin - 27 - Returning to the haunted pulse of the live stage — ExVoTo has shared it with an iconic lineup of bands: Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiction, Hole, Christian Death, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Screams for Tina, London After Midnight, Kommunity FK … and the list goes on. Are there any moments or shows from those experiences that have stayedwith you—ones you’d like to sharewith us? I really enjoyed the shows we used to play at The Krypt. That was a really exciting time, the whole world felt like it was on fire with music. That was a prime venue of all of the Deathrock bands. When it comes to individual shows, I'm so focused on playing and singing that everything else becomes a blur. I'm more prone to remember the crazy stuff that happens before or after, like bands not showing up on time (or at all), fist fights, equipment failing, or in some instances even being sabotaged! The showwith The Jesus and Mary Chain was pretty memorable. They had been playing stadiums in England and their first show in the US ends up being with us at Safari Sam's.They were shocked when they came in and saw how small the club was! They even discussed leaving, but they stayed and played anyway. The sound guy had absolutely no idea who theywere.He even asked me what they were supposed to sound like so that he could mix them. I said "All I can tell you is that you better have a lot of reverb." www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
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