Archive
How could we define Archive’s sound? Probably we won’t even try because the band feeds in many styles of music. A fifteen years career and eight albums later comes Controlling Crowds, considered as the best album of Darius Keeler’s collective – because Archive is more than a band, it’s a collective. Members change, always trying to reach perfection. Maybe Darius is difficult to convince or not, but surely he is a perfectionist.
Archive will play the Rockhal on September the twentieth. Luxuriant sat for a moment with the boss, trying to persuade you to be part of the show, enjoying a special musical experience you can’t find anywhere else.
So Darius, what’s your idea of a music band, does it always have to change its members to evolve?
It’s helpful. I think it’s a good thing to look for new talents.
Does it mean that it’s difficult to work with you as a team manager?
It seems quite difficult because I have a good idea of what I want, of what I try to do. Then people from Archive must have this similar vision and that’s hard to find. I don’t just tell them what to do, they are free but have to follow my rules.
Is Archive a kind of family?
Definitely, with closer relations besides the musicians.
Living in a cloudy universe…
I’m just honest. I don’t want to make it cloudy, only explain my feelings. There is a lot of darkness in today’s world. 60s, 70s, even 80s, these generations had hope. Today we are destroying the world. It’s difficult to get out. We are all slaves.
What’s the meaning of Controlling Crowds?
Controlling crowds represents a kind of despair. I needed to explain how it feels to be controlled. Controlled by governments sending soldiers to war. It’s been quite difficult for me to realise that I was part of this “free world”.
Do you want to work on another movie soundtrack? Maybe for a better movie than Michel Vaillant?
I’d love to! When we worked on Michel Vaillant I was just naive. Really, this movie is just a big piece of shit.
And your favourite movie is?
2001 a Space Odyssey, and the Shining. Stanley Kubrick made so many masterpieces.
Do you need strong visuals to support your music?
If visuals are too strong they can tell you how to think. When we play live we just need an atmosphere, we don’t want to disturb the audience. We were looking for people to get involved with Archive and be as passionate as we are about the band and creative side. Then came Hello Charlie who directed Bullets’ video. These three guys are very talented, they seem to look at the music and see it in a way we wanted to see it.
People always compare you to Pink Floyd, what’s your favourite Floyd album?
Animals. I just love the atmosphere. I listened to this album when I was a kid and even if we have our own sound, I’m sure that my subconscious is trying to recreate a part of it.
You will be playing in Luxembourg in September; do you expect to control the crowd or to be controlled?
Shows are definitely more powerful than before and we all gonna be controlled.
