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Ignis Fatuus is the
musickal project of Christus 777,
whose eagerly anticipated debut CD The Futility Goddess
was released recently on Cold Spring, after a production
history of nearly 5 years. The musick of Ignis Fatuus combines
a classical sensibility with modern instrumentation,
in songs that are deeply atmospheric and evocative.
The lyrics -- some of which are performed by Jarboe
(formerly of Swans) -- ponder archetypal questions of love
and the very nature of existence itself.
Christus 777 is currently working on a new project
entitled The Suicide Pact, which also features the
talents of Jarboe, Brett Smith (of Caul) and John
Bergin (of Trust Obey and C17H19NO3). At
the time of this interview, the expected release
date of this project is early 1999.
Last Sigh: Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background, especially in relation to your musick? Christus: I come from Midwestern America. Somehow I made out with the awareness that I now have (and continue to cultivate). From an early age I felt on the fringes of any sort of thinkly woven social fabric. This, although it seemed to me painful and difficult at the time, allowed me to observe people and their behavior. Even though I was at the end of their prodding stick a lot, I feel that I had something that gave me the ability to be sensitive to others and at the same time able to critique society and all of its shortcomings. Musick became very important to me early on. It could talk to me unlike anyone else around me at the time. As years of this went by, I developed a hunger to express myself in this arena also. A good friend (Brett Smith, now recording exquisitely haunting musick under the name Caul) and I began recording on his older brother's 4 track portastudio. These recordings were very experimental and silly sometimes, but they served as impetus to explore musick further. I eventually started recording stuff on my own and eventually bought my own 4 track. Then an 8 track. Then a keyboard. Musick was always very personal to me (whether it be my own or someone else's) and I found that when I started to make my own musick, on my own terms, that it became extremely personal to me. So much so that I dare not tap into it too much, lest I never come back. Last Sigh: Could you tell us something more about the special awareness that you feel you have, and how this perhaps influences the musick that you compose? Christus: Well, the awareness that I spoke of basically amounts to a case of hyper-sensitivity. This can work to one's advantage as well as to one's disadvantage. I don't know if I could identify any direct links from it to my musick, but, as they both come from me, I suppose that they are connected by association, as everything is. Maybe it does have to do with my musickal process though. As I can become overwhelmed by all that I see around me I can also get overwhelmed by the vastness of the language of musick. This can be a problem in the sense of being able to see so many potential possibilities for musickal direction as to let it paralyze you. I have been having a dry spell creatively for the past few months, and I think that this has to do with feeling overwhelmed. I have been dwelling in my head as opposed to living in action. This, I feel, is reaching a breaking point though. There comes a time when hesitation has no place and there is no option but to act, lest one stay static in the realm of possibility. Also, quickly approaching deadlines can help. Last Sigh: Your musick has a very spiritual
feel, and from what you say above you come across as a strongly spiritual person -- is
this spirituality rooted in a specific established belief system, or do you have a more
individual and unique belief or religion? Last Sigh: You
call yourself Christus 777, could you explain this name? Last Sigh: What
is it about musick in particular -- do you think -- that makes it able to speak to you
(and probably many other people) on such a profound level? Christus: Well, there are
several reasons that it took so long. Many of them being scheduling difficulties, but the
main being that my work process progresses very slowly. I came to Justin with the
idea for my CD long before it was completed, and then on top of that I didn't own my own
keyboard, so I was alternately renting one when I could, and borrowing a friend's. Christus: well, there was Brett & I's group (aforementioned) Ped Sking. I collaborated on musick with different people when I lived in Kansas City about 10 years ago. I used to dabble in performance art and published my own magazine (Purge) for a few years. Last Sigh: What does "Ignis Fatuus" mean? And why did you choose it as the name to represent your musical work?Christus: Ignis Fatuus
simply means "foolish fire". Somehow this equates to me the illusory nature of
things (particularly beauty since, it seems, that if its around for any length of time, we
tend to get used to it and stop nurturing it, and then it soon vanishes or changes). I
feel that this is what my musick might communicate. both awareness of beauty itself, and
the transformation of it. The transformatory nature of everything in this life. Last Sigh: The lyrics to "Prelude/Immersion" are very beautiful and also mysterious, telling a story that seems very central to the experience of being human, but doing so in a rather mythical and dreamy manner. Would you care to explain a little about what this "story" is that you tell on this specific song? Christus: Well, basically
the story is the "pursuer" describing one of his many dream-encounters with the
Goddess that he communes with every full moon. I included it on the CD to set the mood of
these encounters, to describe what kind of experiences that he has when he meets her in
his dreams. The ease of their interaction, the playfulness they engage in, the mystery
that brings them together. Christus: I have no
set work process. It just consists of me sitting down and plucking out whatever comes into
my head at the time. I hardly ever come to the keyboard with a preconceived notion of what
I want to express. It's completely subconscious. I'm still finding different layers to the
musick on the CD. I play keyboards. I have the desire to utilize other instruments, but
for the "Goddess" I knew that I wanted the work to sound symphonic and so I did
the best that I could with the resources that I had to work with (an Ensoniq 16 and a
small sound library). Christus: Good question! Yes, I do believe that composing brings an awareness to me. Not only because of the process itself of manifesting the emotional into the aural, but also because of the care that goes into giving something life. Realizing that these sounds that so deeply affect me, might just as well affect another as strongly, and just what would I so much want to hear if I were the soul that I am in a world such as this? It can be a very delicate process. Last Sigh: You have released your musick on Cold Spring from the beginning. How did you become involved with Cold Spring? What artistic possibilities do Cold Spring offer you that other labels would not?Christus: Well, I
came across Justin when I saw a request that he had placed in a TOPY newsletter,
asking for people to contribute to a cassette compilation consisting of all TOPY members.
I sent him some songs, but I was about a year too late! He liked what he heard, and, of
his own volition, reviewed the tape I sent him in a column that he was writing at the time
for a music magazine. We continued contact, and he told me of a CD label that he was
trying to put together. I joked about him releasing a CD of my musick, and he agreed!!
that's when the 5 years started. Christus: I contacted Jarboe, after I heard from Justin that she liked my song best on the Cold Spring compilation (Shrine) that we both appeared on to thank her. I suggested that we try some stuff together. She agreed; so we did. I have since done some musick for her upcoming solo CD, and she will be working with me on mine. There has been talk of her and I and two other friends (the aforementioned Brett and John Bergin of Trust/Obey fame) getting a recording project together under the name "The Suicide Pact". Still embryonic as of yet. Last Sigh: Do you (and/or do you have any plans to) perform your musick live?Christus: I've performed a few songs live about 9 years ago. I really have a desire to perform live and I have it in mind when I work on the second CD. Hopefully some day soon!! Last Sigh: Will we have to wait another five years for your next album? Christus: No!
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