Murdah SRVC (Murder Service) is an audio and visual project based in Catania, Italy, mixing Manga illustrations with music. It's creator Che spoke to Lee about his upcoming single and artwork, his time in Japan, and future plans for an exciting live concept...
LEE HEIR: Hello Che! Let's start our talk today by discussing the CALTI remix of 'My Only', your track from 2018... MURDAH SRVC: Well, after a two year hiatus I decided to start releasing music again. This whole COVID19 lockdown gifted me the time to sit back and focusing on songwriting and producing. At the same time I thought that I wanted to start again from where I left off, so I called my long time collaborator and friend CALTI, who plays keys and programming in MURDAH SRVC band, and asked him to give 'My Only' a new dress! LH: I was drawn by the juxtaposition of an edgy yet commercial sounding track mixed with the dark, edgy animated design. Was the interesting and brave combination intentional? |
MS: I'm very happy you enjoyed it. I started off writing a plot for a sci-fi manga and from that I was inspired for writing songs. So basically the music is a soundtrack for the manga, and the manga is the visual for the music. I combined my biggest passions, manga and electronic soul music, which I call Future Soul. For this single I wanted to pay homage to Satoshi Kon's masterpiece 'Perfect Blue' which I believe is a perfect match with the dark visuals to this song thanks to video editing by Monika.
LH: How do you think that fans of this simple yet commercial musical style will react to the darker artwork content, and do you have plans to add those visual characters so that they become a key component to the songs?
MS: When you come to see the band live or watch a video I want you to enter MURDAH SRVC world. We perform with heavily influenced Japanese culture visuals synced to the music, from pop culture to anime, to Japanese older movie scenes like Yasujiro Ozu 1950s movies. This definitely will be interesting for people that are fascinated by Japanese culture or might even be shocking because sometimes I use strong images. Everything, in the end, reconnects to the storyline of the manga...
LH: Ahh that sounds fantastic! I love the likes of Ozu and Mizoguchi and their films. A fascinating looking place is Japan. You spent a few years there... What led to that part of your life?
MS: I lived in Osaka, Japan for one year as an exchange student about 10 years ago because my major in college was Japanese Language and Literature. I've been fascinated by anime since I was a child, so I started drawing at a very young age and my idea was to become a professional manga artist. Then when I was in high school I started making music as well so when I choose to go to college I thought it was more responsible to choose something I could get a more regular job from but still I had passion for. So I won a scholarship and had the chance to spend one year there, learning the language better and making music as well. It was definitely a very significant experience to me as a person and artist.
LH: So tell me about some of the fun experiences you had there? And any stories about Japanese culture compared to us Western Europeans?
MS: Osaka people are very open, loud, friendly. It was surreal how every morning I would meet elementary students on my way to uni or work and they would greet me with "Harooooo (Hello)" just because I was a foreigner. Once I was having dinner at a very cheap Pachinko parlor cafeteria - everything was only 100 ¥ - and a lady gifted me a bag of pineapple chips; she just came closer to me and handed me the bag without saying a word and she left! At the beginning I was wondering how could they sleep on trains for the exact amount of time until their stop, at the end of the year I found myself doing that and bowing over the phone while speaking Japanese!
LH: So talking of travel, how is life in Italy post-Lockdown?
MS: The situation is getting back to normal one step at the time. As musicians we're in a grey area 'cause big concerts are not allowed, or allowed with many restrictions while clubbing is not, which makes no sense. So very little gigs and a tremendous need for live music!
LH: We opened the pubs and bars here in the UK and as many English people can't control themselves, it sounded like a bit of a mess. I'm happy indoors at the moment as there are too many idiots out there! And our useless Conservative government decided to open bars on Saturday as they must want to kill people, so there you go. We had 3 weeks to get things better than Italy and they still managed to make a worse job of it!
MS: Gotta say that BoJo dropped some pearls for good laughter!
LH: It's only funny from afar believe me ha ha! The man is an embarrassment. So... Tell me more about your background in music that led to MURDAH SRVC as someone who is completely new to what you do?
MS: I've been making music for about 20 years. I was vocalist for several bands and I did some songwriting work for indie and major artists. In 2014 I started working on the MURDAH SRVC project and produced some songs with Italian producer John Lui. In 2017 I started touring internationally, the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan...
LH: That sounds brilliant. What have you found to be the differences in those different countries? I've played Germany a few times and did some small acoustic shows in Holland last year, we had a great time. I've never had the pleasure of playing Italy but have visited there a couple of times and seen some live music there too.
MS: I think there is more education about listening to original music. I had lots of positive feedback in small pub gigs or bigger club ones. People are eager to discover new music and have no prejudice. In Italy I find people willing to sing along to songs they already know or that are on the radio at the moment. That's why I chose to sing in English and to perform abroad before I did in Italy for this project, even because the music genre is not popular over here. The experience in Japan was at the beginning of 2020. It's been great going back after so many years!
LH: So you think that smooth electronic soul sound doesn't translate well to audiences in Italy? That reminds me what Joe Strummer of The Clash said on an interview once: "You can't be a prophet in your own country and that's a fact". That's why I've always been annoyed by musicians I have collaborated with who don't like to travel. To me seeing different cultures and places and the fact that essentially we're all the same and just want to enjoy great music and entertainment for a few hours. Music truly translates everywhere if it's done well.
MS: Honestly I consider myself a world citizen. I've always been traveling my whole life and it's just something I love to do. Even more when music takes me to new places. The situation in Italy is not the brightest for small acts. Most cities, besides the bigger ones, have little opportunities for bands to perform their own music. Nevertheless, I had the chance to rock bigger stages as well in my country, some festivals too and had lots of love showed, but somehow it's been just single events. Italians are not familiar with this sound, so I hope that they will grow an interest in it.
LH: British culture, even in small towns, has such a history for giving live music a chance, that it's amazing when I go to a city like Dortmund in Germany which has seemingly no live music whatsoever. Working class places like that here in the UK would have lots of bands playing. Saying that, Birmingham is a hard place to get a show at. There doesn't seem to be too much of a culture for setting up grass-roots touring music there unless you are very local and know someone. Prices for room hire should be kept lower in my opinion... So, tell me more about future release plans: Can you tell me what's on the horizon for the rest of this Summer?
MS: I planned to release songs regularly to keep my audience entertained. I took advantage of this whole lockdown situation by producing lots of music. On July 31st my next song will be released, a remix of my song 'Icarus' by Italian producer and synth developer Simone Liotta. I got plenty of songs I'd love to share plus I'm working for the manga to be released by 2021.
LH: So when you say working on the manga what exactly will that entail? A graphic novel or online scenario via a website?
MS: To be honest with you I'm not a huge fan of online comics. There are several platforms where comic writers nowadays can upload their production and can be seen worldwide easily. But for my manga I'd love to pursuit the old school printed media. At the moment there is no publisher involved, but when I'm finished I'd like to submit the work. And if I won't find the right agreement I'll probably print it myself and sell it online and at shows.
LH: This sounds fantastic. I'm a huge fan of the film director John Carpenter and I just had a Halloween box set arrive in the post that came with a comic it looked great... I can definitely imagine a CD, DVD and comic package for your work, and I look forward to seeing it! I was a big fan of DC Comics, especially Batman and Superman as a kid, and nothing looks and smells nicer than a fresh comic does it? I've probably got a fetish...
MS: I hear you on the fetish! I keep my manga in perfect conditions and I won't let anybody touch it. ***
LH: So in terms of your releases after 'Icarus', do you know what the songs and releases will be, or are you waiting for the right producer/remixer to throw some inspiration your way?
MS: I already got everything planned. During lockdown I've done the production/mixing /mastering work so now I can focus on promoting. In the meantime I've been working on new material that will be released in 2021.
LH: Do you think as you get older you become more patient with waiting for the right time to release things instead of rushing? Is that something you regret with your early music or did you always have a great game plan of what to do next?
MS: I think experience is key. I learned how productive I can be, I learned how long it takes for me to finish one gig, whether it's music or visuals. So I learned how not to overdo. By nature, I'd like to do 100 things cause I get super-excited and I want to try new stuff. But then I end up not completing not even 50%. So I started studying some marketing as well, to get more organised and to understand the things I had to do myself, and the ones I could outsource. I managed to find a team I trust, and learned how to take the best out of each individual. It's definitely not an overnight thing, it takes time to do it and in my case I think there's still room for improvement!
LH: It sounds like you have learned a lot and are laying some great foundations for the project. It has the potential to be very exciting and I'm intrigued as to where you will take it!
MS: Let's say that music-wise and visually-wise I'm where I'd love to be today. I just hope I find the right way to communicate to likeminded people and create a real community rather than just try to look cool on social media. I hope that people can feel they can be part of something, a whole new world when they think of MURDAH SRVC.
LH: It sounds like the right mix of talent and passion is there for the project and I have no doubt it will be a success! Thanks for taking the time to talk to me and good luck for the release.
MS: Thank you so much for having me and giving some space to music - and visuals - from the soul!
*** Lee:
"Oh God Che, I remember having a copy of the 'Death in the Family' Joker graphic novel as a 9-year-old kid and it ripped and I cried ha ha. I looked back at the rip a few years ago and it was miniscule. I remember battling my friend Jon for first editions of the 4 comics too in Nottingham's Forbidden Planet shop..."
MURDAH SRVC 'My Only' remix is out now. The 'Icarus' remix is out on July 31st on all streaming avenues.
Prime UK Band - 'Art / Facts' compilation is out now on digipak (with extra tracks) and the usual streaming sites.
Links:
MURDAH SRVC can be found at:
www.facebook.com/murdahsrvc/ Instagram - @murdahsrvc/
'My Only' Link:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5GJa1UvUTY6DWQIgvieKrq
Lee Heir of Prime (UK Band) is online at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukprime + Twitter / Instagram: @primeukband + Youtube: @badfridaypictures
Spotify 'Art Facts' Link:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2GocqlOhEgW5hoL4exwxrJ
LH: How do you think that fans of this simple yet commercial musical style will react to the darker artwork content, and do you have plans to add those visual characters so that they become a key component to the songs?
MS: When you come to see the band live or watch a video I want you to enter MURDAH SRVC world. We perform with heavily influenced Japanese culture visuals synced to the music, from pop culture to anime, to Japanese older movie scenes like Yasujiro Ozu 1950s movies. This definitely will be interesting for people that are fascinated by Japanese culture or might even be shocking because sometimes I use strong images. Everything, in the end, reconnects to the storyline of the manga...
LH: Ahh that sounds fantastic! I love the likes of Ozu and Mizoguchi and their films. A fascinating looking place is Japan. You spent a few years there... What led to that part of your life?
MS: I lived in Osaka, Japan for one year as an exchange student about 10 years ago because my major in college was Japanese Language and Literature. I've been fascinated by anime since I was a child, so I started drawing at a very young age and my idea was to become a professional manga artist. Then when I was in high school I started making music as well so when I choose to go to college I thought it was more responsible to choose something I could get a more regular job from but still I had passion for. So I won a scholarship and had the chance to spend one year there, learning the language better and making music as well. It was definitely a very significant experience to me as a person and artist.
LH: So tell me about some of the fun experiences you had there? And any stories about Japanese culture compared to us Western Europeans?
MS: Osaka people are very open, loud, friendly. It was surreal how every morning I would meet elementary students on my way to uni or work and they would greet me with "Harooooo (Hello)" just because I was a foreigner. Once I was having dinner at a very cheap Pachinko parlor cafeteria - everything was only 100 ¥ - and a lady gifted me a bag of pineapple chips; she just came closer to me and handed me the bag without saying a word and she left! At the beginning I was wondering how could they sleep on trains for the exact amount of time until their stop, at the end of the year I found myself doing that and bowing over the phone while speaking Japanese!
LH: So talking of travel, how is life in Italy post-Lockdown?
MS: The situation is getting back to normal one step at the time. As musicians we're in a grey area 'cause big concerts are not allowed, or allowed with many restrictions while clubbing is not, which makes no sense. So very little gigs and a tremendous need for live music!
LH: We opened the pubs and bars here in the UK and as many English people can't control themselves, it sounded like a bit of a mess. I'm happy indoors at the moment as there are too many idiots out there! And our useless Conservative government decided to open bars on Saturday as they must want to kill people, so there you go. We had 3 weeks to get things better than Italy and they still managed to make a worse job of it!
MS: Gotta say that BoJo dropped some pearls for good laughter!
LH: It's only funny from afar believe me ha ha! The man is an embarrassment. So... Tell me more about your background in music that led to MURDAH SRVC as someone who is completely new to what you do?
MS: I've been making music for about 20 years. I was vocalist for several bands and I did some songwriting work for indie and major artists. In 2014 I started working on the MURDAH SRVC project and produced some songs with Italian producer John Lui. In 2017 I started touring internationally, the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan...
LH: That sounds brilliant. What have you found to be the differences in those different countries? I've played Germany a few times and did some small acoustic shows in Holland last year, we had a great time. I've never had the pleasure of playing Italy but have visited there a couple of times and seen some live music there too.
MS: I think there is more education about listening to original music. I had lots of positive feedback in small pub gigs or bigger club ones. People are eager to discover new music and have no prejudice. In Italy I find people willing to sing along to songs they already know or that are on the radio at the moment. That's why I chose to sing in English and to perform abroad before I did in Italy for this project, even because the music genre is not popular over here. The experience in Japan was at the beginning of 2020. It's been great going back after so many years!
LH: So you think that smooth electronic soul sound doesn't translate well to audiences in Italy? That reminds me what Joe Strummer of The Clash said on an interview once: "You can't be a prophet in your own country and that's a fact". That's why I've always been annoyed by musicians I have collaborated with who don't like to travel. To me seeing different cultures and places and the fact that essentially we're all the same and just want to enjoy great music and entertainment for a few hours. Music truly translates everywhere if it's done well.
MS: Honestly I consider myself a world citizen. I've always been traveling my whole life and it's just something I love to do. Even more when music takes me to new places. The situation in Italy is not the brightest for small acts. Most cities, besides the bigger ones, have little opportunities for bands to perform their own music. Nevertheless, I had the chance to rock bigger stages as well in my country, some festivals too and had lots of love showed, but somehow it's been just single events. Italians are not familiar with this sound, so I hope that they will grow an interest in it.
LH: British culture, even in small towns, has such a history for giving live music a chance, that it's amazing when I go to a city like Dortmund in Germany which has seemingly no live music whatsoever. Working class places like that here in the UK would have lots of bands playing. Saying that, Birmingham is a hard place to get a show at. There doesn't seem to be too much of a culture for setting up grass-roots touring music there unless you are very local and know someone. Prices for room hire should be kept lower in my opinion... So, tell me more about future release plans: Can you tell me what's on the horizon for the rest of this Summer?
MS: I planned to release songs regularly to keep my audience entertained. I took advantage of this whole lockdown situation by producing lots of music. On July 31st my next song will be released, a remix of my song 'Icarus' by Italian producer and synth developer Simone Liotta. I got plenty of songs I'd love to share plus I'm working for the manga to be released by 2021.
LH: So when you say working on the manga what exactly will that entail? A graphic novel or online scenario via a website?
MS: To be honest with you I'm not a huge fan of online comics. There are several platforms where comic writers nowadays can upload their production and can be seen worldwide easily. But for my manga I'd love to pursuit the old school printed media. At the moment there is no publisher involved, but when I'm finished I'd like to submit the work. And if I won't find the right agreement I'll probably print it myself and sell it online and at shows.
LH: This sounds fantastic. I'm a huge fan of the film director John Carpenter and I just had a Halloween box set arrive in the post that came with a comic it looked great... I can definitely imagine a CD, DVD and comic package for your work, and I look forward to seeing it! I was a big fan of DC Comics, especially Batman and Superman as a kid, and nothing looks and smells nicer than a fresh comic does it? I've probably got a fetish...
MS: I hear you on the fetish! I keep my manga in perfect conditions and I won't let anybody touch it. ***
LH: So in terms of your releases after 'Icarus', do you know what the songs and releases will be, or are you waiting for the right producer/remixer to throw some inspiration your way?
MS: I already got everything planned. During lockdown I've done the production/mixing /mastering work so now I can focus on promoting. In the meantime I've been working on new material that will be released in 2021.
LH: Do you think as you get older you become more patient with waiting for the right time to release things instead of rushing? Is that something you regret with your early music or did you always have a great game plan of what to do next?
MS: I think experience is key. I learned how productive I can be, I learned how long it takes for me to finish one gig, whether it's music or visuals. So I learned how not to overdo. By nature, I'd like to do 100 things cause I get super-excited and I want to try new stuff. But then I end up not completing not even 50%. So I started studying some marketing as well, to get more organised and to understand the things I had to do myself, and the ones I could outsource. I managed to find a team I trust, and learned how to take the best out of each individual. It's definitely not an overnight thing, it takes time to do it and in my case I think there's still room for improvement!
LH: It sounds like you have learned a lot and are laying some great foundations for the project. It has the potential to be very exciting and I'm intrigued as to where you will take it!
MS: Let's say that music-wise and visually-wise I'm where I'd love to be today. I just hope I find the right way to communicate to likeminded people and create a real community rather than just try to look cool on social media. I hope that people can feel they can be part of something, a whole new world when they think of MURDAH SRVC.
LH: It sounds like the right mix of talent and passion is there for the project and I have no doubt it will be a success! Thanks for taking the time to talk to me and good luck for the release.
MS: Thank you so much for having me and giving some space to music - and visuals - from the soul!
*** Lee:
"Oh God Che, I remember having a copy of the 'Death in the Family' Joker graphic novel as a 9-year-old kid and it ripped and I cried ha ha. I looked back at the rip a few years ago and it was miniscule. I remember battling my friend Jon for first editions of the 4 comics too in Nottingham's Forbidden Planet shop..."
MURDAH SRVC 'My Only' remix is out now. The 'Icarus' remix is out on July 31st on all streaming avenues.
Prime UK Band - 'Art / Facts' compilation is out now on digipak (with extra tracks) and the usual streaming sites.
Links:
MURDAH SRVC can be found at:
www.facebook.com/murdahsrvc/ Instagram - @murdahsrvc/
'My Only' Link:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5GJa1UvUTY6DWQIgvieKrq
Lee Heir of Prime (UK Band) is online at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukprime + Twitter / Instagram: @primeukband + Youtube: @badfridaypictures
Spotify 'Art Facts' Link:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2GocqlOhEgW5hoL4exwxrJ
Primeband.co.uk
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