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Jay Tye and G.W. Childs
Of
SOIL & ECLIPSE

Jay:  Well, it's definitely electronic, I can't deny that fact. Ambient, sometimes light and dark.  I prefer classical vocals to processors.  I've always enjoyed more of  an operatic vocal quality although I am not above experimentation.  We ride the line between genres.   I don't want to classify Soil & Eclipse as this or that, I'd much prefer to create a genre than to slide neatly into one that's been prefabricated.   I suppose if I was forced to classify Soil & Eclipse and what it is evolving towards, it could be considered a sort of Post Electro-Millennial Renaissance.

G.W.:  I like to think of it along the same lines but would like to

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Last Sigh: I've known Soil & Eclipse to appeal to a diverse audience, from Industrialists, to those in the Gothic scene to die hard Synthpop fans.  Do you find this to be the case with your fans as well?  What is it like to be in a position in which your music is able to reach a whole array of audiences?

Jay:  I think that's one of the things I like most about Soil & Eclipse; we have not limited ourselves.  I can be true to the music without feeling like I am obligated to conform to some mold.  I guess that's what gives Soil & Eclipse its diversity, and why it appeals to a wide audience.

G.W.:  I think that's one of the things I'm most proud of in our music.  This was one of my goals for this project.  I've always had a hard time fitting in with any set crowd so it would make sense that the music I do with Jay would be the same.

Last Sigh:  Can you fill us in on what we can expect with your upcoming release?  How will it differ and/or be similar to your previous release, Necromancy?  

Jay:  We are currently in the process of the next release Meridian.  We are really beginning to gel as a band and I think that it will be reflected in this production.   In comparison to Necromancy, I believe this release will define the personality of Soil & Eclipse and the direction we are headed while bridging the gap between multiple genres.  I want Meridian to open people's eyes to the unseen world around them.  Look past the Apocalypse, wake up from the Technological Dark Ages and witness the coming Renaissance.

G.W.:  The album is scheduled for release in October.  Be expecting a little more diversity than our first. Expect some instrumentals as well.  Expect the same feel but with a little more contrast.  It definitely defines the personality of Soil & Eclipse.

Last Sigh:  Will Romell Regulacion of Razed in Black be co-producing your upcoming release as he did with Necromancy?  What was it like working with him?

Jay:  Romell is an amazing individual.  It was more than a pleasure to work with him.  Christian of COP Int'l Records will be co-producing the next release.  I am very excited, especially after listening to the work he has done with Battery.

G.W.:  I will say that it's looking like there will be another remix from Romell on our forthcoming album.  I'm producing the music and so forth on the new one.  Christian Hell is going to be producing the final post production, vocals, and overall equalization.   I loved working with Romell, the current music though, I want to make sure it sounds exactly like what I hear in my head or as close to it as possible.  The first CD contained music we had been doing for quite some time.  It was a case where we needed a genius like Romell to go through and add that shine to it after we had been dulling it.  He did wonders with it and remains a very good friend of mine.   I learned a lot from him and continue to.

Last Sigh:  Do you have any plans for touring at all?  What has the live experience been like for Soil & Eclipse?  What do you enjoy most about playing live?  What is the most difficult aspect for the band when performing live?

Jay:  We are in the process of relocating to San Francisco, but will be touring in the future, although as of yet I have no scheduled dates. I love playing live, I feed off the audience.  All the energy I receive is channeled straight into the music.  Just knowing that your on that stage totally vulnerable, open wide, confronting all your fears, expressing things in a way you never could through any other medium. It's a very powerful experience.  I guess it's pretty good therapy.  The most difficult thing about a live performance is that damn feedback!  I am somewhat of a reverb junkie and it always seems to present problems.

G.W.: There will definitely be some touring. The times we have performed has been really cool, but really sort of stressful at the same time.  You go through all that work for a single moment of bliss.  Don't get me wrong, I need my fix just like most other musician but it can be disturbing.  I agree with Jay, the feedback gets really annoying.   One of my on-going science projects is eliminating this particular problem.

Last Sigh:  Will you be playing COP Int'l Record's 3 day live event -- COPFEST 98, July 16-18th in San Francisco?  If so, what can fans expect at COPFEST 98 from Soil & Eclipse?

Jay: Yes and no, we will be at COPFEST with the other bands in kind of a free for all cover night.

G.W.:  To sum it up, no, there won't be a Soil & Eclipse gig for the COPFEST but expect some in the Fall or sooner.  Individuals from Soil & Eclipse will be performing though on the cover night with other COP bands.

Last Sigh:   What other bands have you played live with?

Jay:  Pulse Legion, Deathride 69, Razed in Black, Deathline Int'l.

G.W.:  Don't forget Mentallo and the Fixer and Slave Unit.

Last Sigh:  I remember reading in an interview that you were planning on leaving Hawaii, and I sensed frustration on your part as to being isolated on the islands.  What is the scene like in Hawaii?  Do you have any advice for bands starting out who are in a similar situation, living in a place which is isolated from the music scene?

Jay:  Use your connections.  Network, seek out the clubs, get to know the DJ's and flyer like your life depends on it.  A small area can boast a lot of larger venues that would be difficult to attain in a more populated area.  G.W. was, is and always will be the king of P.R.

G.W.:  Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses given by your situation and use one to overcome another. Everyone wants to hear music if it's quality. College radio stations and public access TV stations are always looking for things like bands and so on.  Throw your ego out the window, being in a band doesn't make you better than anyone else and finally treat people the way you want to be treated.

Last Sigh:  After listening to Soil & Eclipse, one cannot help but comment on Jay's voice.  It really is one of the most incredible voices I have come across in a while.   Jay, what is your singing background and who are some of your most respected vocalists?

Jay:  Thank you.   I received some Classical training in College.  I was involved in vocal ensemble and madrigal choirs.  I dig chamber music. The exposure to such a variety of pieces really helped to broaden my musical perspective.  I took a short course in Electronic Studio, and did quite a few backing vocal tracks for other students while working on my own projects.  I guess that's where I fell in love with electronic music.  So much power in that little studio.  My most respected vocalists?   Honestly I have always been very impressed with Morrissey.  I think he deserves more credit than he's been given.  I have yet to hear another male vocalist carry a falsetto the way he does.  I'm in love with Sarah McLachlan's voice.  I am especially impressed with the work she did on Delerium's Karma.  Bing Crosby, crooning is a lost art. Aretha Franklin for her sincerity and soul.

Last Sigh:  G.W., could you tell us about your musical background?  I find that overall, the music of Soil & Eclipse is quite soothing and enchanting even.  What sort of things do you have in mind while creating the music of Soil & Eclipse?

G.W.:  I had a few piano lessons as a child but for the most part I've been playing synthesizers and programming since I was around ten.  My parents, when I was younger, used to shelter me from what kinds of music I could listen to.  I wasn't really in to Country or Christian Contemporary, but I loved the music I heard in movie soundtracks.  I used to just sit around and make synth-based ballads, I'd pretend I was writing a movie soundtrack. My friends thought it was kind of weird, so I kept it to myself.  As I got older, I started grabbing more and more equipment and discovered Techno-Pop and New Wave and Industrial along the way and that was reassuring to know that I wasn't alone, tons of people were doing pure electronic music.  It was sad, because when I was eighteen I abandoned it all, sold everything and joined the Army.  I lost myself for a long time to drinking and 'being a soldier'.  Obviously, I picked up my first addiction again though.

Last Sigh:  I didn't even notice that guitars were implemented in the music (with the exception of the Razed in Black Remix of "Fields of Stone"), until after a couple of listens to the album.  The guitars and electronics blend so well together in the sounds of Soil & Eclipse, thus creating some beautiful melodies.  Was the subtlety of the guitars a conscious effort or did it just end up that way?

Jay:  We didn't want the guitar to override the rest of the band, that's not what we're about. We wanted to create more of a symbiotic relationship, and still keep the intensity.  Thanks to Romell, I think we got pretty close to that goal.

Last Sigh:  Who writes all of the lyrics?  Religion seems to be a major focus within the lyrics of Soil & Eclipse.  Is this assumption correct? What sort of message are you trying to get across to your audiences through your lyrics?

Jay:  Both G.W. and I write lyrics.  It all depends on which song or melody grabs you.   Sometimes he will come up with lyrics to fit a song that I have no clue what to do with.  And vice versa.  Necromancy was a time of clearing and dealing with some very personal issues for us all.  We were all getting to know each other as a band and learning what about the experiences and ideas we had in common and writing about them.  Suicide, Afterlife, Eternal Damnation, Ceremonial Magick.   Questioning their validity and attempting an answer.  Look at the world around you, at the signs and symbols that suggest a higher reality.  Don't take life for face value, explore the possibilities.  So much knowledge has been lost in the mysteries of antiquity.

G.W.: All of the above, but I would like to add that some of the time we'll just make a story for the sake of storytelling.  Sometimes it's nice to hear a song that simply takes you somewhere else without making you think of all the crap life throws at you every day.

Last Sigh: Taking note of the originality of Soil & Eclipse, it would be difficult to guess what your influences and inspirations were before you all started creating music on your own.  Could you name off a few of them?  

Jay  Skinny Puppy, Joan Baez, Nitzer Ebb, Front 242, The Cure, Led Zeppelin, The Sisters of Mercy, Leather Strip, Beastie Boys, Ray Lynch, Mike Oldfield, Vangelis, The Smiths, Ministry, Sarah McLachlan, Delerium, FLA, The Messiah, 808 State, Utah Saints, Mentallo and the Fixer, Fair Sex, Prodigy, "The Brady Bunch" theme song and Prince for his versatility.

G.W.:  Abba, Danny Elfman, Front Line Assembly, Vangelis, Kristin Hersch.

Last Sigh:  Are there any artists or bands you wish to collaborate with one day?

Jay:  We had been talking about working on something with Imbue.

G.W.:  I've been talking to Eric of Index about some collaboration.  I'd like to work with Pulse Legion again at some point too.

Last Sigh:  Are any of the members working on any musical projects aside from Soil & Eclipse?

G.W.: Not currently, we work pretty hard to pull off Soil & Eclipse.  If it ever slows down and the opportunity arose for something cool, I'd be into it but not until Soil & Eclipse is a little more situated.

Last Sigh:  Soil & Eclipse is COP Int'l Records most recent signing.  Do you have any advice for bands just starting out and trying to land themselves a record deal?

Jay:  Make lots of demos.  Seriously.  Don't sign anything until you've had a lawyer review it.

G.W.:  I'll repeat it again, avoid developing an ego, you can't ever be the best, there's always someone better.   Never turn down an offer of help from someone.  People love to help out bands just starting out and most bands tend to ignore this.  By just being nice to people and getting to know them, you can open up a huge network for yourself.  Not to mention cultivate a loyal fanbase.  Get ready to pay your dues too, this is not a glamorous lifestyle.  Get ready to pay more than you make at first to.  Do it for the fun of it most of all, if you're not having fun with it then you shouldn't do it.

Last Sigh:  In what direction would you like to see Soil & Eclipse heading in the future and what goals has the band set out for itself?

Jay:  I think Soil & Eclipse is going to move into new territory.  We are much tighter as a band and have been through a lot together.  Our ability to focus on a common interest has been honed over the trials of the first release, and we are progressing very confidently towards the next.  I would like to see Soil & Eclipse evolving towards a sonic presence that will breach the Apocalyptic visions of our time, and route itself firmly in the soil of a Post-Millennial future.  And I wouldn't mind touring The U.K.

G.W.:  We will continue to march to the beat of our own drum.  I would say I'd like to get more experimental but in reality that's what we're doing most of the time, experimenting, having fun.

Last Sigh:  Thanks a lot!  It's been a pleasure working with you.

Jay:  It's been my pleasure.

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