The Man & His Failures, the Greek band that is drawing its own distinctive line in the field of dark electronica, has recently released its debut album. “Survival Kit” is a commendable piece of work, featuring exquisite songs that blend electronic music with various other musical elements. Myth of Rock, very excited about this album, got in touch with the band, who provided engaging answers to our list of questions. Push play and proceed!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
First of all, why did you baptize the band “The Man & His Failures”?
Hey guys, thanks a lot for having us. We feel the band’s name is pretty straightforward. It reflects our general themes and the way we see how humans, as a species, haven’t really managed to do a great job on this planet.
After so many EPs and singles, how does it finally feel to drop your first full album?
We feel amazing about releasing our first full-length album. We’ve been working on it for almost three whole years, so it really feels like a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders.
Describe the writing and recording process of “Survival Kit”.
Lots of hours in the studio, then lots of listening back at home, tons of fixes, borderline burnout, and then back to spending even more hours in the studio.
Who did the production of the album? The mixing and the mastering?
The production was handled by Alekos Sorrοs, while mixing and mastering were done by Panos Tsekouras. Alekos is actually one of the three members of the band. Now that I think about it, Panos is basically the unofficial fourth member.
Who is responsible for the music and the lyrics of The Man & His Failures?
All three of us are responsible for everything. I usually write the lyrics, but the rest of the guys also throw in ideas, and we discuss everything when it comes to the concept and the atmosphere of each release and each song. The music is a group effort as well, depending on the track one of us might contribute more, less, or even handle it entirely.
Which bands or artists pushed you the most during the writing of this album?
Since the whole process took almost three years for various reasons, like we mentioned before, there were a lot of artists we were listening to throughout that time. Bands like The Cure, Depeche Mode, Sisters of Mercy, Skinny Puppy, Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb are definitely some good examples.
How do post-punk, EBM, industrial and darkwave all coexist in your sound without fighting each other?
From the very beginning, we had in mind to balance all those musical influences on this record, so it would feel like a smooth transition from our previous singles and EPs. I’m glad you feel we managed to pull it off too. Like I said, three years is no small thing.
“Survival Kit” is a concept album. Can you give us all the details about this concept?
Yeah, “Survival Kit” is definitely a concept album and to a large extent a political one. Through its stories, it reflects what we actually experience ourselves as people in our everyday lives in the city we live in, which is Athens. And you know, the dystopia that comes through on the record is really something we live with, not some imaginary scenario.
How important are lyrics for you compared to atmosphere and rhythm?
For us, the lyrics are just as important as the music, and a lot of the time they set the tone for the concept we want to present.
Do you start with beats, synths or lyrics, when a new track is born?
It depends. Usually we start with a beat and a melody and build a track from there, but a lot of the time there are also lyrics lying around that we try out on it.
Which song best represents the core of “Survival Kit” and why?
Probably “Subjects”, which is also the first video we’ve released, because both the lyrics and the music give a clear taste of the direction of the album
Do you see “Survival Kit” as an album made more for headphones or for the stage?
We take our music just as seriously whether it’s being released or performed live, so I’d say that “Survival Kit” works really well in both situations.
How much experimenting went on in the studio?
Oh gods, a lot.
As a trio, how do you usually solve creative disagreements?
We just try out any idea that any of us wants to experiment with, and then when we hear the result, we can tell if that idea works or not.
Do you feel part of a wider dark electronic scene in Greece, or more like outsiders?
We definitely feel like part of the wider Greek dark scene, and we’re really happy that it’s become so popular worldwide.
What do you think Greek bands still struggle with the most today?
Money, equipment costs, lack of time. It’s definitely not easy to have a “normal job” and work on music at the same time.
How important is visuals and aesthetics for The Man & His Failures?
Super important, which is why we have a crew of artists supporting us and handling this stuff. Nikos Chatzis with the videos, Spyreas Sidiropoulos with the graphics, Christina Chrysanthopoulou, who’s a visual artist and painted our cover on canvas, and Athina Papagianni, our photographer. I can’t even describe how lucky and happy we feel to have them.
If “Survival Kit” was a movie, what genre would it be?
I don’t know, probably some dystopian sci-fi like Hardware or Mad Max.
What kind of emotions do you want people to feel after listening to the album?
I wouldn’t want to answer something like that. Everyone will feel the emotions the record brings out in them, and that’s what matters. The only thing I know for sure is what we felt while making it.
Looking back, what would you change — if anything — about the album?
I wouldn’t change a thing. The record is exactly the way we wanted it after a lot of hard work, and that’s exactly why we released it.
What’s next after “Survival Kit” — more releases or more live shows?
Definitely lots of shows and an album launch in Athens on May 9th, but we’ll share more about that in the future. We’re also already discussing the concept for the next record. Thanks so much!
