Sometime has gone by since last talking with GABRIEL CYPHRE, way back when he had released his music, and to this day he has continued to do so. But quite a lot has to be said here, about his time of performance, releasing more content and where this all leads too next for him....
1. It's been 8 years, close to almost 10 years! Since we last spoke way back when in 2013, then you were a one man band are you to this day?
Gabriel: Hi Natalie, it's nice to be back here speaking to you, and wow, it feels like it was only yesterday, time flies! And of course I am, it's only passion for music and art in general that drives me to keep making contents by my own, that's the best part of it, that you get to express your feelings anyways the way you wish, with the music, instruments, compositions, lyrics, photos, and videos, without having others telling you what you can do and what you cannot do. Of course this has big disadvantage: time. I spent many hours everyday learning new skills to keep improving and creating new things.
2. So if you are still that one man band, when it comes to a live show how does that work out, do you become an octopus and play all the instruments at once!
Gabriel: I wish I could, but no. Usually a one man band pays tour members that play live music without being officially part of the band, which is not my case anyways. I simply don't do live shows around the world. If I had to do live shows then I wouldn't have enough time to create new contents, and also, I don't even have any idea of how to set up a live show. I'm a cat, I like to stay at home and work from home, a live show would not make me happy, even though could be profitable.
3. Speaking of live performances did GC get to play shows or go on tour since 2013? How did those play out for you?
Gabriel: I haven't played a single live show since 2010, when I had a live performance with Jeffree Star, and that was a big defeat for me, but, oh well, you don't grow without trying new things even if you're not successful at those, do you?
Now, usually when I talk about it to friends, they always ask me questions about it, and here I'm giving you content people want to know.
Yes I've met Jeffree Star in real life, in 2010, he had pink short hair, with a half shaved side, I was the first to get on the stage and perform, and he was there in the backstage.
Before my performance we were shaking hands, and he was the first coming to me saying "Hi, nice to meet you" with a big smile on his face, he was pretty kind, and he invited us (me and my band members) to his side of the backstage to eat food, there was a big amount of food everywhere, we said thanks but didn't join their party because we didn't know any of those people there. Then after my performance (because I was the first to perform that night) I went to the backstage, and we were taking photos with every bands there was; there were also other bands called Brokencide and another British band that I cannot recall the name, and Helalyn Flowers that for some technical problem didn't manage to reach us that night; but when we were about to take a photo with Jeffree, he turned around and went away, he was looking at us like he was pissed, his drummer stepped forward promising us to take a photo later and to leave them alone. That's what we did. At the end of the night, we were all supposed to take photos with fans, but, Jeffree star and his band was already in their van trying to go away; our manager asked us to take photos with his fans and tell people to wait for Jeffree to come in the hall, because Jeffree was mad at something and wanted to leave as soon as possible without being interrupted by the fans (there were about 300 people anyways, not too many); but all the people were stopping Jeffree's van from leaving, they realized he wouldn't take any photo with them and we couldn't have a photo with him as well.
The very next day, I've got a private message on twitter from Jeffree Star, and here I mention his words, I still have the screenshot: "You'll never be anyone, so stop trying to be me motherfucker!". And that was the day I have learnt an example not to follow, how not to behave with fans, followers, or just people that you inspire, because, he was one of the top 3 artists that I was mostly inspired from at that time, and reading those angry words and negative feelings against me, well I can assure you that was like a stab in the heart.
So, there I have decided that it was the last time I would do a live performance, because it was definitely not worth it, having to risk to encounter another similar experience in the future.
4. Are there any plans for anymore live showcases or touring in the coming future or perhaps an online gig?
Gabriel: There are definitely no plans for future live shows, it is a choice I have made back in 2010, and when I decide to chose something so important, that's a definitive choice, just like the choice I have made about not printing more albums to do my part with the battle against the plastic waste. Both are choices that damage my wallet , but I think there are things that are more important than money, nature and positivity are surely priceless.
5. Way back when you had released your new song and single titled "Children Of Madness", with that came your debut album "Master Of Madness", did that track appear on that release?
Gabriel: Master of Madness was an album coming earlier than that single; Children of Madness was a single coming after the album, it was a track to thank all the supporters that were there spending their money to keep making me create music, even though there weren't many at that time.
6. How many has GC changed since that debut album release up until the then and now that is 2021 in terms of music and style or are you still the same old GC?
Gabriel: This is a really big question, I could stay here talking for ages about it.
I'd say I have been changing a lot over the years, but something remained always the same. And now I explain it.
I have changed a lot, means that every album has it's own life, story and theme, after Master of Madness I have released "Rainbow on the Fallen Skylands" back in 2014, and it was a big mix of rock, metal, dubstep and orchestral instruments.
The lyrics and the atmospheres were all inspired by a book I have wrote when i was younger, but have never released; the book was about a story of a paradise destroyed to pieces by the darkness, and about a savior coming from another dimension that had to help the weak and fix the horror happening in that place. The story represents what's happening to our individual life, we born, we live our childhood, then we grow and realize that one day all the good things will end, and many of us grab ourselves to that hope that keeps us living better and boosts our self confidence, that hope called "religion", which is metaphorically the savior in my book, it is a kind of angel called "the bringer of rainbow", that falls to this place in ruins, and help all the super-natural beings he finds in this place, and they all fix the balance of the universe once they all reunite to work together against the foes. It is kind of the same story that we can read in the new testament, but it is in a more colorful and fantastic story.
After "Rainbow on the fallen skylands", without mentioning the EP and the singles, the next album was "Creepypasta" which is all inspired by different horror stories that were popular on the internet at that time, such as the "Slenderman" and "Jeff the Killer". For the making of the music for this album I have been inspired by all the famous horror movies of the 80s and 90s', for the very first time I wrote all the songs of this album in minor scales, and here I have learnt to write better lyrics and better compositions as well, still nothing comparable to the levels of what I can do nowadays.
In 2018 I have released the very first big masterpiece I have ever done before, at least that what it is for me. It is titled "Memento Mori".
I have been recently listening to it after a long time, and I was amazed about how I did manage to compose such music, and re-discover all the hidden meanings behind lyrics and the composition itself it was mind blowing.
The album is a "Remember that we have to die", it's a malencholic and yet romantic way of reminding the listener about the time ticking away, and that the listener is not alone. For me, it has been a therapeutic way of healing after a very important loss in my life.
I was crying all the nights and I needed to exorcise those demons tormenting me by making music and writing lyrics.
Of course the album respects a very symmetrical and studied structure, there are the 3 pillars of the album, "Memento Mori I Cypress, "M.M. II Ebony" and "M.M. III Ivory", each one of them, if united, make one single song of a Latin ancient Requiem prayer. The whole album has a symphonic orchestra sound and orchestral compositions, there's no track of rock at all.
In this album there's my favorite song of all times titled "Of Flash and Agony", the atmosphere of the music is inspired by a videogame called "Agony", but the lyrics are mostly poetry of a romantic love that has died, and one of the two lovers is suffering the loss of the other, "I die one kiss at a time", suffering a loss till the point of wanting to die. The album also contains "Soul Reaver", which is entirely inspired by the videogame titled the same way, and "Lightless Glory", this one is inspired by the story of the biggest mass suicide that happened in 1978 in Jonestown.
The album also contains "Darkness within" and "In the shadow of war", the first is inspired by the videogame "Vampyr" and the other by the stories of the world of Tolkien. All the songs of the album are connected by the number 13, 23, the cat, the theme of love and death, and the bible of the catholic religion. There would be a lot more to talk about this album, because the things hidden here and there are many, but maybe we'll do it another time.
However, after Memento Mori, I have been releasing loads of singles, till finally, the fifth studio album, and this time I have completely composed, written, and produced in my new studio with new instruments and devices, that's why the cost of this album has been absolutely higher than all others, about €21.500,00, and the sad part is that I will never get it back, because, as you may know, nowadays you can make money with music only if you're a billionaire, otherwise it's only a loss of capital, but, on the other hand, it is my passion, and what makes me keep doing music in 2021 is only the burning desire of expressing feelings; I receive messages everyday from fans telling me how my music has been therapeutic for them, and that makes me feel happy, and there's no money that can buy this feeling of gratitude I have for it.
The new album is titled "Why So Serious", it is heavily influenced by Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, and a little bit of David Bowie as well. The theme is obviously about the Batman's Joker, and the music and the lyrics reflect exactly the Joker's character: aggressive, energetic, funny, and a little romantic as well.
I have been using the Batman's Joker as a symbol of rebellion against nowadays society, against the wrong political administrations carrying the weak to the bottom, and the rich always to the top. We are facing a moment in history where the capitalism that has been re-designed by the USA in 1950, already crossed a border that is no longer sustainable, and the songs of this album is a wake up call for the listeners; again, there is too much to say about it, that it won't be enough just a couple of hours talking about it.
Like almost all other albums, this one is made of 13 songs, with the 3 pillars, "The Killing Smile I", "II", and "III". My favorite song of the album is indeed "Ha Ha Ha!", it represents the whole album, it's as energic as I was (and still am) while the making of the album, the lyrics are exactly about the main theme of the album, a big wake up call telling that we are slaves in invisible chains. "Killer Quinn", it's the only pop song of the album, it is the most romantic one, well, as romantic as the Joker would be anyways. I have used the Joker's world as a metaphor of our world, a big example is "Gotham in Flames", I am singing about Gotham, "Gotham is in flame, and who are you gonna hate when there's no one left to blame?" It's a clear mirror that reflects our world, in flames because the criminals set it to fire, and there's no one to blame but ourselves, we are the criminals killing our own world, ignoring the climate change and killing each other for money. Another song i love from this album is "Joker Forever", when you know all the things that are wrong in the world, such as disequalities, wrong political choices, politicians telling us lies to keep us behave like sheeps, you feel that feeling where your are in chains that you cannot even see, like a door that you are promised to walk through one day, but that day never comes, then you feel that feeling of revenge rising inside you, and you wish to just make everyone notice you by doing something extreme, such as a mass massacre, and that's what this song is all about "I complete you, a freak like me breaking your rules, You'll love me when my lips go blue", because history have teached us that those who make a change, are the same that have been making a loud noise, and being persecuted for singing outside of the choir, look at Galileo Galilei, Oscar Wilde, Nikola Tesla, Jamal Khashoggi, or Julian Assange, ambassadors of truth, persecuted by a corrupted law; those are my heroes, and this song talks about them as being the Jokers of our world, rebels for a good cause.
Another song I love about this new album is "Damaged Mind", it's about something I have learnt during many years, that you always have to be yourself to achieve what you want, you cannot walk somebody else's road, because everyone of us has different possibilities and luck, and we need to find those that work best for us, instead of emulating everybody else and being unhappy for the whole life. I sing "You'll never make it if you care what others think, we mature with the damage", and this exactly summarize what I'm just talking about, the road we are walking can be though, most of the times it feels like everything works against us, so many doors closed for us, but then, after trying a million times, you finally open one, and man if that feels good! I know there are many people struggling not being able to achieve what they wish, relationship, job, passion, because they simply do what they are teached to do, but the magic trick is exactly walking always to the point we wanna get, even though it's exhausting, and painful, and everybody does everything possible to stop you from doing that, I know how that feels, and that's what I mean "we mature with the damage", the more the stones they throw at you, the stronger you get, and the closer to your target you get.
As you can see, each album I have made, it has been a huge change if compared to the previous release, but, there are things that remained always the same, such as the number 13 being present in every album; this number symbolizes the death to the matter or to oneself and the birth to the spirit: the passage on a higher level of existence, for the superstitious, this number brings bad luck or misfortune, therefor it is indeed my fav number, and I hide it very well everywhere I can, even in my art name.
Another thing that has remained the same is the duality in the lyrics I write, and every single album has a spirit animal that is recalled in the lyrics, photos and music; for Master of Madness it was a butterfly symbol of metamorphosis and rebirth. Rainbow on the Fallen Skyland has a Flamingo as a spirit animal, it symbolizing effortless grace, balance and rebirth; ancient Egyptians considered the flamingo the embodiment of the sun god, Ra; Because of their bright, fire-like plumage, their image became a symbol of fire, emotions, and inspiration. Creepypasta has a dead deer as a spirit animal, symbolizing the death of gratefulness, kindness, and innocence. Memento Mori has a black cat, symbol of a bad omen and death. Why So Serious has a Hyena as spirit animal, which symbolizes good humor, slyness, and resourcefulness, Hyenas do indeed make loud barking noises that sound like cackling laughter, but it's not because they're amused by anything. Instead, a hyena's "laughter" is actually a form of communication used to convey frustration, excitement, or fear, just like the Batman's Joker.
7. You had said that album was part metalcore, gothic, and dubstep are those the genre of choice to this day or have you changed up the styling?
Gabriel: I have been changing style of music all the time, as previously declared, but one genre of music has remained the same since 2016, and I'm talking about that gothic "veil" in all my songs that I have made since then to the present days; some song has more of it and some other a little less.
8. So what have you released since that debut album, give us a brief summary if you may.
Gabriel: So far 5 studio albums in total and many covers and singles. As I have previously said, the albums are: "Master of Madness", "Rainbow on the Fallen Skylands", "Creepypasta", "Memento Mori", and "Why So Serious".
9. A new album is expected this August being released on F13 which I think you also did for your debut album releasing it on a F13 Day too! So will that be a GC staple?
Gabriel: The album has been released October the 13th, and it was available for pre-order in August the 13th.
10. Do you have any newer music in the works?
Gabriel: I'm always working on new music, I have loads of singles and covers that have never been released because, you know, as I said, it's always a big loss of money, but, yea, I am already starting to work on a new album as well, cannot say too much at the moment tho.
11. What about side projects any other activities at work or is GC the main aspect of you?
Gabriel: You mean if I have another project where I make music? I do not , it takes a big amount of time to make music for my project, but I do produce other bands music in my studio, I play instruments, compose their songs, record and mix them up for them, but that's one of my jobs, I am not officially a part of any other project, and probably never will; I love my project, I wouldn't change it for anything else.
12. When it comes to your appearance you tend to change things up, what's the current look for you?
Gabriel: Oh yes! I love changing, I don't feel like I'm a guy or a girl, I just love to stay in that limbo between the two, so I can switch based on my mood from one to the other; and the same thing can be told about what I look in the videos and in the photos, I think you can express more if you give yourself the chance to change things and being open to new horizons.
13. Does GC have any collabs in terms of fashion or anything along those areas because it seems you got quite the style and would think something would commence; rather appeal, comic, or maybe even beverages oh GREEN coffee since you tend to have green hair at times.
Gabriel: I do have some collaboration going on with important brands at the moment, I have been blessed with the most amazing fans in the world, and I'm very picky when I am about to sign a contract with new sponsors, because I need my fans to get the best contents and products. Differently from other influencers, I have declined, and still declining many opportunities that have been proposed to me, because I have high standards when it comes to business and art.
14. Upon your Spotify your debut album "Master Of Madness" isn't listed why is this, will we see a reissue or re-release coming soon?
Gabriel: That's true, my old music productions have been taken down, it was my choice, of letting the new people that discover my music to find only the best music productions I have made. I have been receiving tons of messages from my oldest fans, asking me all the time where they could find my old songs, well they are still available to buy but only in one of my online shops; this way, only those that already liked these songs back then, still have a chance to get them today; while the new fans are not even that much interested in those songs because they simply don't know them. If those songs will be re-released in all other platforms? I don't know, probably just a couple of them for a future greatest hits.
15. With that album it will be 10 years in just 2 years from now, would you consider celebrating it in any shape or form? It would be a cool idea to not just perform it in full, but really throw back and make yourself LOOK as you did during that album's cycle would be cool addition.
Gabriel: That's actually a quite interesting idea! We have 2 years to think about it, maybe I could actually do something nostalgic like that.
16. So what can the fans both new and old expect to see from you between now into the rest of this year?
Gabriel: I have in mind of making new videos, but who knows, time will tell us.
17. Would you like to say or add on anything more?
Gabriel: Actually yes, I am grateful to you for giving me another chance to speak with this interview. Thank you Natalie and knowing you're still keeping your blog fresh and alive after all these years, well that's really inspiring.
18. Is that your final answer?
Gabriel: Sure thing, thank you Natalie.
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