As it is that STARGAZER is a relatively young band, only being formed at the start of 1995, I think it is best if we start with an introduction of sorts. Maybe a bit of relevant history, releases thus far, why you formed the band - things like this.
I do not want to necessarily repeat what our bio only says better in short, though, yes we formed early 1995, released a very rough reh/tape, which did not circulate exceedingly, by choice though. In mid-1996 we made available our "Gloat" reh/demo, which to this day has been received with good rapport, much to our liking.
I somewhat mis-interpreted STARGAZER as being synonymous with the Ideal the Vision that is HOMO GALACTICA, however you tell me it is rather more of a both backward and forward looking, an all-encompassing view beyond the bounds of linear thought. I am thinking of Origin and Destiny, Birth and Death revolving in Cycles un-ending...to this is there anything you wish to add?
As we have discussed our concept of Stargazer previously, you pretty much hit the mark. If origin, destiny, the source of all lifeforce, the knowledge of passing and the spiritual ratio was discovered and in cases, rediscovered, could one imagine such a world? Then please do so, and ponder on the importance of such.
I have been told the picture you have used for the cover of "Gloat" has also been used by another band from Adelaide who don't exist now, Intellect Devourer or somesuch, a tenuous link I know, but did any of you characters have anything to do with this band?
An old friend of ours drew that picture in question for us during the days when Intellect Devourer were active, it was not used for anything remotely official, so we used it for "Gloat". Yes, I primarily had something to do with this band, as I was a founding member in 1992.
On some of your flyers is a representation of the founder of Maori Civilization riding on his bird who did spirit him to the islands of New Zealand inaugurating the wave of Maori settlement. On another is an Aboriginal painting from the Kimberley region in far North-Western Australia which some say are records of ancient visits from alien beings, the rings about their heads are said to be helmets of a kind. I am wondering what is your reasoning behind the use of said artwork?
All "Epics Of Creation", regardless of antiquity and origin, recount a recurring theme of the founding of humankind (and civilization); elsewhere this planet. A dozen other pictures could have done well to emphasise this, so these two were not necessarily particulars.
Are you content or even happy living where you do in the City of Churches? Are you living deep in the bowels of suburban Adelaide or are you out on the outskirts/fringes, in the hills amidst the bush and whatnot? Do you get out of Adelaide often and roam about the countryside?
The smaller size of urban Adelaide is most pleasing, though we have talked of moving to Tasmania before, I doubt that would happen! Even from the city, it does not require a long drive to reach the native surroundings. When weather conditions are not so harsh, we take a little time to visit such sites, and bushwalking only enhances ones bond to the pure and pervasive energy of life, so prominent. I reside an equal stride between the outskirts and the city.
Awhile ago now marijuana was decriminalized in South Australia, gaol terms and convictions being replaced with on the spot fines for small amounts of the drug, vastly different than Queensland law. Recently I have heard murmurings of South Australia adopting a similar Euthanasia Act to the one the Northern Territory is desperately trying to push through Parliament but are being held up by that dickhead in Melbourne sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong and is not wanted. Going by these examples, do you think it is fair to say South Australia is more open minded, is more welcoming to change than the rest of the country?
In concerns with Parliament/Political relation, it is hard to discern what is open minded and advantageous, to what could be oft corrupt in its working and pass as a bill. Care and genuine concern for South Australia's well being and honest development for our betterment is questionable, and therefore unanswerable.
As time goes by Australia is further losing itself to this all-pervading Global Village con. More susceptible are the younger generation who gleefully follow what is plastered up in front of them and proclaimed to be the new craze/trend/fashion. It is that Australia's Heritage is being neglected in favour of a worldwide, mass-consumer, drone "culture" that seeks to stifle Human Potential. The People are bombarded by messages the like of "Solutions for a Small Planet" etc, being led to believe this is the way of things. The contempt shown for the hardships the early settlers went through and the reverance for the plastic "here today, gone tommorrow" society we live in is very much quite ridiculous not to mention sickening. With this all-pervading propaganda reaching into just about every nook and cranny of society, do you think there will be a "strike back", a unified RESURGENCE of our inherent Tribal Heritage in face of this?
A distressing situation indeed. This Global Village theme is really the New World Order at work in a sickly disguise, seen through by only few, in account of the worldwide populous that do not. The powers that shape this world know and always know that our premeditated, disposable lifestyle/population could never succeed in terms of universal, a la planetary survival, and the New World Order makes damn sure they are in control when all seemingly fails. To "strike back" is to be aware, it is almost as simple as that. To counter, is something very hard to do without huge financial backing and power. To have huge numbers of people be aware, then counter, is a key to righteous succession. The unity of thought alone is a strength inherent in all beings and will be the determining factor in true universal freedom. In other words, we are capable of taking over this world for whatever resons, as long as we are all thinking on the same relevant wavelengths.
Recently, Australia's new gun "laws" went through the various parliamentary procedures and are now fully fledged, though I wouldn't say that they are written in stone, law. It is no longer "valid" to own a firearm for personal protection, all of a sudden Australians far and wide are "criminals" with the passing of this act. In the wake of Port Arthur not a great deal was said about how quickly these "laws" were drawn up and how the un-co-operative states were forced into line, those opposing the changes being painted as backward, redneck, draconian, bigotted hillbillys. We now hear of many, many weapons being handed in during the amnesty to be destroyed - the figure as at mid December 96 stood at c.220,000 firearms, a veritable arsenal! Now that the Australian People have been disarmed, or are in the process of being disarmed, what lies in the future?
Noting these underhanded coincidences, there really had to be a set-up. One extra point I'll make is that if the Port Arthur Massacre had taken place in urban, even rural America, the gunman would have been shot down sooner, and would probably have gone unnoticed. The setting was right, "they" picked the perfect freak for the job, and knew what to do whilst tempers were high. To remove arsenal from public hands was the order of the day, and via the massacre, that's exactly what happened. I recommend people hide their firearms, as you'll need them one day. The military does the same.
Though the talk of Australia's so-called need to become a republic has dulled slightly with the removal of the Labour Govt., continuing un-abated is the one about Australia being a part of Asia, funny how things change...virtually a complete about-face to just 30 years ago. Of course, in the last year this has been the centre of much heated debate sparked by the initial reaction to words spoken by Pauline Hanson. It is that a mentality of much apologizing and continually sucking up to our Asian neighbours has seeped its way into Australian society, whenever politicians head north not a harsh word is ever spoken in fear of hurting trade relations. We are told over and over how Australia depends on the Asian marketplace etc etc ad nauseum... Your thoughts if you will.
Regarding Pauline Hanson and this sudden racist tag Australians have suddenly, is a lie. Unwelcome facts were brought to the fore, which was in no way related or relevant to Asiatic trade (or was it?!). You cannot blame Asians for migrating here, I'm sure anyone would appreciate a better place to live. Yet Australia doesn't really welcome forced space unless we accept a parallel of America's population and consequences thereof.
Not long ago when the United States launched yet another attack on Iraq, the official line was the treatment of Kurds in the north of Iraq forced the US to act. The more publicized reason however, was the election in the US and getting that good 'ole Iraqi hatred going to sweep Clinton back into the Oval Office for another term. Be that as it may, I can't help thinking this is belittlement on a major scale, pretty piss-poor "justification" in my books. Being that the US has self-proclaimed itself "ruler of the roost", I saw "Election Storm" as a big, fat kick in the teeth to get Iraq back in line when Hussein started to flex his muscles again, to get those "bad" Iraqis to stop misbehaving and bend to Yanky "order" (?). Again, your thoughts.
The United States are warmongers, and wish world power, and continue making progress in doing so, most of which is not publicised. There's a bit to be made in everyone's wars, and they make sure they keep control while getting their piece of cake. Whatever the United Nations/States of America have on their cards is bound for unlawful purposes.
You are aware of the pyramid outside the town of Gympie in south-east Queensland and a baboon like statue recovered from the area. Apparently the authorities fob the pyramid off as a hill terraced by Italians or Greeks at the turn of the century to grow grapevines and the statue as a "trinket" carved by a Chinese gold digger last century. However, the statue is said to be a very close likeness of the Egyptian THOTH and as for the pyramid, it is reported there was at one stage tunnels leading into the bowels of the structure before they were closed by the Army in the 1930s because local farmers complained of losing cattle to the "terraced, grapevine hill". What do you think of the authenticity of these finds?
Well, I'd believe the locals before the army, no matter how stray the stories. The baboon looking statue I have yet to see, though a statue (not a statuette) would not have resulted from a mere hobby on some Chinese gold digger's behalf. Scarab beetles have been unearthed at random sites in Australia plus other truly unexplainable sites left behind in a tribute to our ignorance of ancient history.
If I may ask, how far have you managed to trace your Blood Lines, what is the importance of your Heritage to yourselves? Was it an uphill battle or somesuch, did you have trouble finding The Link in Europe?
All my mother's side traces to Holland and my father's to Hungary, though I know not much of that. Our drummer TPB keeps a small interest in his Irish heritage, moreso than myself and Damon. I am moreso interested in original human culture, ie; Sumer, Assyria, Akkad etc.... I would really like to further trace both sides of my family, and I'll be darned if it's not all Northern European!
You once wrote to me of "Australia...will be a surviving country, elusive to the forthcoming disaster and change of the 'end days'.". What are you referring to here, some sort of Cosmic Cataclysm, you did also mention a comet, or something terrestial, a war or some sort of Plate disturbance or something? I must also ask how so Australia surviving?
According to many a prophecy, what is oft called "end-time", is due 2010-2015, and if one credits the ancients cultures and gives such, a literal chance, we may find this time come about in ways we least expect. Many of the prophecies have already appeared in a subtle and even blatent reverence. Whether there be elliptical floods, a return of gods, a due plate disturbance in effect of negativities, or a tilt in the axis, Australia is left devoid of direct disturbance. Either way, if nothing overt occurs, a grand political, social and spiritual upheaval will. Many spiritual teachers, and even acolytes sense the unrest. Now I'll remind some of the Sumerian truths to ye, in that the 12th planet, Nibiru, is due its orbit, onwards to its perigee (past Mars and Jupiter) and will duly affect Earth as it did in that age known of as the "Great Flood". Note that this planet was spotted approximately 3 years ago, nearing Pluto. How soon it arrives is another story as its orbit increases speed upon nearing its perigee. Excuse me for not going on, but I would fill a couple of pages with such otherwise.
Throughout Humanities History have been many people of great reknown, whose influence can still be felt today in just as many cases. Of all those that have gone before us, who stands out as far as you are concerned and for what reasons? Who do you think doesn't get the respect they deserve? What about the here and now, is there anyone whose being is worthy of reverence or respect, and again, why so?
I'd give credit to all who have attempted to thoroughly examine the human spirit function. Whether completely, morally or naturally inept, if an attempt is made, we can all be assured of re-developing our lost humanity. People must learn to put aside lies, certain prejudices (not all are unnecessary) and hollow belief systems, and discover the cores and origins of all things. Some animals could teach us a little of the humanities, even that special energy many claim to have been in awe and effect of, is essential for development.
Erich von Daniken strikes me as not giving the ancient people of the world much credit, being that he says their knowledge, their insight did originate from some "external teachers" of a kind, which of course comes across as though their very development was entirely dependent on these outside influences, not being born of some innate, inner spirit/inspiration/will. This is quite different to the vivid view of the ancients depicted by John Anthony West as advanced, intelligent and capable peoples who fully understood and practised the intricacies of their architecture, mathematics, art, science and whatnot. But then West also points to an external seeding civilization as well... Daniken says beyond the EARTH, West points to ATLANTIS - with its own much debated seeding predecessors...a quagmire very much so, what do you reckon?
Certain later cultures appearing after the "arrival" of our godlike ancestors, we helped along by these, yet the ancients people are the direct lineage of these beings, and even the non-divine, bereft of immortality, received verily, wisdom from (the serpent) Enki. The ancient civilizations were a direct operation of gods, demi-gods and humans. Yea, Atlantis, Lemur also; all part of the original ages and cultural civilization. The fact that humankind as we know, appeared so sudden is an obvious notable apart from other truths of our origins. Cultures farther advanced were established on certain parts of olden Earth and then passed on, or in Atlantis's case, disappeared, as the later Minoans and other recognised cultures did. To discover this human origin, and the godlike existence we righteously and effectively lived by, is something I vow utter credit to the ancients for. In a bid for proper survival and ingenious life codes, a return to somewhat ancient cultures as a procedure could only prove advantageous to current humanity.
Pressing on now, I am wondering how STARGAZER goes about the composing of their songs. When and where does inspiration strike, is there much twiddling on the guitar to come up with a tune or do you have a definite picture of how the song will be before you actually sit down and play a note? Are the lyrics moulded to the music or vice-versa, do you feel the music does exude a certain feel that determines the lyrical subject or do you arrive at the subject matter in some other way? In fact, might you shed some light on the essence of some of your lyrics - what are they about?
Presently I have 9 lyrics pre-written, and yes, music is sometimes written in conform to the lyrical structure, yet moreso to the general tone the lyrics exude. We are still using lyrics from 1995, as we have been working chronologically through them. As my listening and inspiration comes at different times, many of the riffs I write are not used for one song in works. Therefore riffs are distributed befittingly to a certain song. Sometimes we work on 2-3 songs at a time because of this. Most of the later lyrics have proven very apocryphal, and one could spend hours deciphering (even myself!) the totality of each text. I'll run through topics covered generally in accordance of the unused lyrics; Lost/Non-human culture, Human origin, Original spirituality and the purging of falsities, Genetic manipulation, Energies and nature, matter and the immaterial, Prophetic displays of unearthly powers/technologies and general super-natural study, Spiritual/Non-Spiritual entities, Eastern lotus philosophies, Our ancient giantkin, Passage into the densities of light, Mazdean inspired apocalypse on the Evil Mind etc..... Our earlier lyrics are equally varied. As base as some of these earlier lyrics may seem to us, there is still a little to gain from them. Some may seem a little garbled or exotic, yet that would have been representative only of my style then, not necessarily exact in its connotations.
You have chosen to term your music "Extreme and Bizarre Metal", which, when one considers your music is beyond the narrow confines that define pigeonholes, this is quite apt. STARGAZER itself, I must say, races along at a blistering pace, your music, your delivery from your respective instruments always hits me as extremely energetic and highly vigourous, the oft unintelligible vocals brought forth forcefully in a so very venomous, determined, rasping manner that works so very, very well! Being this is the affect via stereo, I can't help to imagine in the live arena STARGAZER to be naught but unrelentingly infectious, so tell me now, how have your live shows gone, what has the audience reaction been like, are there any particular gigs that stand out for one reason or another?
2 shows have ensued, and we will have performed one or two more by the time this is available. Stargazer records nothing we cannot perform live, so our live sound is similar recorded sound. As our expectations of other live bands are high, we deliver extremity and entertainment as best we can. With music in the fore, we are working on some extra visual element, which is important for a 3-piece. We attain a very audible live sound and responses have been no less than good. Some releases would sure help in preventing most material going over peoples heads though.
Similar to this, how are relations among the many South Australian bands, is there to a certain degree, some sort of Unity, are the people who are involved decent types worthy of attention?
Most of the bands here are on generally good terms, and I'm sure each new band gets support they need from other local bands. Each band is worthy of attention in it's own way. A standard of high quality has been applied in recent years here in South Australia, and I believe interstate folk will be thoroughly shocked by the talent refining here.
You have told me soon STARGAZER shall have a 7" released by Sovereign Productions containing "Darkest Nether from the Solstice Pits", previously heard on the rehearsal demo, a live track and two other songs. Being that one of those songs is "A Mist Falls", are these songs quite old, been around for some time? Could you fill us in on all the details; release date, availability and whatnot? You also tell me you have a great deal of other material all ready to go, what is happening with these songs, have you had much label interest that may lead to a full-length release in the future?
As I write, our 7" is being prepared for pressing. The tracks are as follows; "Darkest Nether From The Solstice Pits", "A Mist Falls", "Abstract Flames Burn White" and "Ride The Everglade Of Reogniroro". These are old Stargazer tracks. Flyers should be circulating in due time, and in that time people can make pre-orders to the label "Sovereign Productions". We are currently preparing a promo for select labels. Hopefully we can get a MCD deal and better from this as we would necessitate a MCD release by years end, due to our large amount of newer material.
What of the other bands you blokes are involved in, namely DREAM SOVEREIGN and MOURNFUL CONGREGATION, what's in the pipeline for these outfits? Has there been much label interest forthcoming in regards to either of them?
I performed bass on the first Dream Sovereign demo, that's as far as my direct involvement in the band went, as they secured a good line-up thereafter. Dream Sovereign are releasing a quality demo through (gasp!) "Sovereign Productions", so buy that too! Mournful Congregation is mostly Damon's project, and I shall most probably provide the 2nd guitar for all future exploits. I have only written minimal music for Mournful C., as Damon provides the goods (he he). He is the rightful heir to King Doom and Queen Lament!! In other words, Mournful Congregation is great. I am also working in some (no names here) projects, which will see the light of the underground very soon.
In closing I shall wish you best of luck with your music and the future and I will thank you in advance for taking the time to answer this interview.
Taking the time alright! This is the longest interview I'd ever laid eyes on. My pen is blunt! So I firmly salute you, Hugh, for your efforts. Buy any metal from South Australia and a hello goes to those respective bands and associates. Cheers to the man in kilt, Camazotz, Samain, Oracle Of The Void, Grand Belial's Key, Crucifier and Arghoslent. A warning to the Liberals....."Your Heinous Logics Shalt Pass".....get out of Australia!!
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