Dajana: Bonsoir, ça va? Tonight’s the second to last show of your European tour. So, how are you doing? Except for the fact that you caught you a cold…
Fursy: I’m doing very fine and I’m very happy with the tour and with our performances so far as well as with the mood, within the bands, with the people involved in the tour, all the people we met and the audiences, everything is perfect. But I’m also happy to go back home, because 17 dates without a day off is really… phew…
Dajana: Quite exhausting I guess...
Fursy: Yes. Definitely!

Dajana: But that sounds to me as if the tour was very successful so far.
Fursy: Yes. This tour turned out to be really great. A lot of people came to the shows. Many shows were sold out, in advance and also at doors. And we got a really good feedback from the audience. I’m really happy about all this, also because I feel how we are improving, within the band, the music, the vocals and all that stuff, and getting used to play live. I feel comfortable now to go on stage, I feel better, less stressy. That was the case at our first shows. So it’s very cool.
Dajana: That’s great hear. Seems like you really enjoy it.
Fursy: Yes, it’s really perfect.

Dajana: Do you gonna have a party tomorrow after the last show?
Fursy: Well, yeah, we could, I could do it, but I actually have to take the train back home early in the morning - ok, I could sleep in the train then, but the problem is, Alcest has to go to London the day after for recordings at the BBC and they are already very tired. And they will have many hours of driving after the last show so I guess they will take some rest too.
Dajana: So you have to party back home.
Fursy: I don’t know. Maybe we will do the party tonight *laughs* That’s actually what I expected.
Dajana: But then you might lose your voice completely…
Fursy: No, it’s ok. We already did some parties, not that heavy, but we did two big parties *laughs* Well, I can sleep and I drink a lot of water, so that’s ok ;)

Dajana: At least for Winterhalter it’s a double challenge to play every night since he is in both bands…
Fursy: And also the guitarist, everybody in the band has to play twice…
Dajana: Ah, that’s what I wanted to ask next… the live crew of both bands… (as there is Fursy on guitar, Alcest’s Neige on bass and Alcest’s live guitarist Zero on second guitar and vocals in replacement for Audrey, who did not take part in this tour)
Fursy: Winterhalter is very strong and healthy but yeah, it’s of course exhausting, especially for the drummer. But he loves to play, that is what he can do best.

Dajana: You have just released your sophomore Ariettes Oubliées, which is truly enchanting. What’s the response so far?
Fursy: Oh yeah, we got already a lot of reviews. What can I say… that I only read the good ones… *laughs* Ok, just kidding… The feedback has been very, very positive so far. I also read some bad reviews, well not bad reviews, but some where the writer preferred our first album. It’s a matter of taste you know.

Dajana: The title of the new album is Ariettes Oubliées, what does it mean? I found the English word “oubliette”, which means dungeon or prison…
Fursy: No, Ariettes Oubliées means “Forgotten Songs”. Ariette means “song” but is also a female name.
Dajana: Ah ok, I took it as a woman’s name and thought about Ariette’s Dungeon or something...

Dajana: My first impression listening to Ariettes Oubliées was: hey, that’s the album I was expecting from Alcest.
Fursy: Oh really?
Dajana: Yes, because Alcest’s new record became so much quieter and acoustic like without the Black Metal parts and the Post Rock and Shoegaze parts and Ariettes Oubliées exactly delivers all this I was expecting from Alcest. All these mesmerizing guitar walls and soundscapes… Ariettes Oubliées is really an enchanting album.
Fursy: You like it?
Dajana: Yes, I do a lot! These comparisons with Alcest you might get to hear more often I guess.
Fursy: Well, I did not read so many reviews with comparisons so far. But if so I have no problems with that. We are very close friends, so it’s ok ;)

Dajana: As it seems that you go now different paths musically there are still a lot of parallels between Alcest and LES DISCRETS. Do you think you will much more differ musically in the near future due to different developments?
Fursy: Yes I think so. Because we are speaking about what we will do next. The next LES DISCRETS album might be completely different than the one we did and from Alcest. Nobody knows. Maybe we won’t have any electric guitars, who knows. It might be totally different from what we did so far. And Alcest have some other ideas as well, which are completely the opposite of me. I’m trying to do the darkest and the saddest music and Alcest is trying to do it brighter, so there will be definitely big difference in the future. Me and Stéphane, we like both the music we compose and we are analyzing our music, I analyze the music Stéphane does and we see what’s good for Alcest and what’s good for LES DISCRETS. We naturally try to go different ways. Not because we don’t want to do the same music, just because we have other ways how to express ourselves in music. But there will be always some similarities, because we like the same music, we have the same background, we have the same taste in paintings, films… etc.

Dajana: You signed a 5 album deal with Prophecy Productions. With all your other work, especially as film director and illustrator, I guess you won’t have so much time to regularly release a record every two years for example… Sounds like you signed a lifelong contract ;)
Fursy: Yes. To be honest it is a little bit too much.
Dajana: Well, two records got already released, only three more to go…
Fursy: *lol* Yeah. As I said it is a bit too much. If there is something that goes wrong you can hardly change it. You never know what happens. I mean, the deal with Prophecy is perfect to me. That is what I wanted and there is absolutely nothing to complain about. But just in case… then I’d be completely blocked. But I don’t mind. Music is not where I make my living from. I don‘t get any money for my music. I’m spending a lot of money but don’t get any. I only do that for my pleasure. And the good thing with Prophecy is, they never ask or request an album in a certain period of time. We can do what we want, when we want. If we need 20 years for one album than it is ok, they don’t mind. They just want the artists to do their best, to compose the best music ever. And that is great for me. Because I don’t want to get any pressure doing music.

Dajana: But there is the business side of things, considering the music industry these days, which is so suffering…
Fursy: For Prophecy it is pretty difficult. I mean, I really respect artists, musicians, their work and I think it is really wonderful to do your best in making music as a job. It needs a lot of courage and fights till you have reached that point doing music as a job. And I think it’s a pity that people don’t have that in mind. People are just downloading tons of records and never pay for it.
Dajana: In this case Prophecy Production has a big advantage, because they always release high quality albums, because you, as their artists, have the freedom to do what you want, when you want, and they always release special packages. So I’m sure a Prophecy album will find its customer at all times.
Fursy: Yes, definitely!
Dajana: I absolutely love their boxes and artbooks… like the artbook from the debut Septembre Et Ses Dernières Pensées.
Fursy: Yes, me too. When I did the artwork for the debut I was only thinking about that we also would do an artbook, you have to think about the pictures, and to conceive the pictures, in big sizes. And then I did the jewel case and digi-pack. That is just wonderful and I’m really happy with that. You really get beautiful gems, like LPs. Ok, LPs are a bit trendy right now…
Dajana: Well, yes, I just started collecting vinyl too. Again :)
Fursy: Yeah, everybody does, me included but it’s completely trendy…
Dajana: Yeah it might be trendy, but the vinyls have a way better quality than back in the past and you always get a special edition when you buy one. It’s in fact pretty crazy. In the early 90s everybody sold LPs, because they were so… out of date and bought CDs and now, we buy them again…
Fursy: To me it’s very simple. I understand people who don’t want to pay 10 Euros for what you get in a jewel case. Of course, you get lyrics and pictures but that you can do easily yourself. People that cannot afford limited editions, boxes and artbooks still buy jewels cases to support the artists and that is really wonderful. But… I personally don’t buy jewel cases. I prefer to download music from the internet for free or to get these digi-books, which are classier for a few Euros more. Jewel cases are a useless form to me. I prefer to go to shows to support the bands. Same goes for vinyl, which is even more expensive than a digi-book but still many people go buying it. It’s proven: when you offer quality, people don’t hesitate to buy even more expensive stuff. And that is was Prophecy is doing. They keep on doing and making great artwork and nice packaging. The boss of Prophecy is very sensible when it comes to quality. Is the paper not good enough, the color or whatever, they send it back to the factory and let do it again and that is great.
Dajana: That must be very satisfying especially for you since you have your hands on all aspects regarding LES DISCRETS.
Fursy: Yes.

Dajana: And it seems you already infected Audrey who directed her and the band’s very first video ;)
Fursy: Yeah. I actually didn’t plan to make a video. Because for the first video I could not imagine anything else than an animated film. But one day Audrey came to me and told that she had a great idea for a music video and explained the story. And I said: ok, that’s super cool. Let’s do it. If you want you can do it yourself and that is what she wanted. And she did. I of course gave her some advice and did the editing, just for the techniques, because she didn’t know how to use the software and stuff...
Dajana: That’s awesome! When starts Winterhalter do paintings or drawing and writing poems?
Fursy: Hahaha. He is not a very good painter. He only does this kind of stuff (and shows me a sheet with some… um… drawings *lol*)

Dajana: I missed news on your website that you have directed the new video for Secrets Of The Moon, which got released today! I just saw Nyx before I came to the show. It was like… wow, awesome.
Fursy: You liked it?
Dajana: Yes, very much so. And it is not animated.
Fursy: No, it is not animated. I started kind of collaboration with a friend of mine who is much more into camera and video stuff. And we will work together the next months or so and we started with the Secret Of The Moon video. In terms of budget we had to do this kind of video. An animated film was too expensive for the band. So we went to Osnabrueck and shot it. It was very, very funny and it was the first experience for me as a director and for my friend as well. I did not give any news because I wanted Prophecy to do the promotion. We are on tour right now and I’m online maybe every two, three days or so and I had other stuff to do than to update my website. Beside, my website was down.
Dajana: Yep, noticed that when I was checking back your website for some info. I think Nyx has much of a Blair Witch Project vibe.
Fursy: Yes, definitely. That was some kind of a guideline.
Dajana: Though, I think regarding the theme “Nyx” you could have made more out of it. I mean, Nyx is the incarnation of the night… I have so much more pictures in my mind…
Fursy: Yeah, I know. We actually had some difficulties. We had deadlines, and a lot of things happened that prevented us to make exactly what we wanted. Especially the weather. Shooting in the nature is difficult, to find a good place, to have good lights… so it’s an abstract video with no storyline. That is what I’m missing the most, a good storyline. But it is an atmospheric video.
Dajana: Yes, I agree, the atmosphere is epic, just the character of Nyx is a bit pale. I also like the live performance in the video, the lights and the sign made out of tea candles.
Fursy: Yeah, that’s 500 candle lights. To light those all made my lighter even melting. Completely.

Dajana: When an idea pops up in your mind, do you become such kind of a hyperactive, sparkling and brimming individual that can’t sleep anymore till it’s done? Or are you more the contemplative guy, backing out?
Fursy: No, no, no. Not the contemplative one. All the time I’m not inspired (a few days in a row for example) I get depressed, think fuck I should stop that job and stuff and go back to my bed sleeping. But when I get an idea my mind get’s in full speed and I start working till it’s done. I can’t stop then. I need to work in stress. When I’m not inspired, I get in trouble and think I’ll never get inspired anymore and feel a big loss of confidence...
Dajana: So your life is pretty much a rollercoaster with up and downs all the time.
Fursy: Yes, indeed, it always goes up and down.

Dajana: You played last year’s Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig…
Fursy: Our first live show ever…
Dajana: Yes, and there was a comment of yours that got stuck: you said that you found all these Goth and Fetish people quite disturbing at first.
Fursy: Oh yes, that was 2 years ago, in 2010, when I was at the WGT the first time with Alcest as their bass player. And yes, it was really disturbing when we met all these naked people in the streets, naked girls with just a black stripe over the breast and so on and I was like wow, wow, wow, what is this. I never went to a Goth festival before and did not see any pictures of the WGT before. When I saw all this I was like… flabbergasted. It is not that I did not like it; I was just very surprised and thought, wow, everybody is dressed very, very sexy. And dark. As the guys with gas masks and white lenses… very eccentric. Now it’s one of my favorite festivals, I really love it.

Dajana: That brought back in mind the Sophie Lancaster case you made an animation for (Dark Angel 2007) in memory to that young girl, who was killed for just looking Goth, and for the Lancaster Foundation… A very, very disturbing animation.
Fursy: Yes. And it was really difficult for me to do this film. I had to act and to film myself for the animation, the course of motions and the beating scenes. You know, battering a pillow and watching myself in a mirror and so on. That was really hard. The people from the company explained to me what happened there and what they want to see on this film. It was really not easy because I’m very afraid of all that stuff that happens around, also regarding my own girlfriend. And when you then have to do a film exactly about that… that’s… huuuh. These have been very hard two weeks to do this film.

Dajana: You in the meantime did a second sequel called Dark Heart but it never was released. Why?
Fursy: Yeah, I did the film, it’s completely finished, I sent it to the clients and they were happy, also the mother of Sophie, she found it very realistic. The point is the film is very strong, accusing, against the criminal and the mother still lives in their neighborhood. She went to the police, shown the film and asked if that film can be broadcasted. The police said no, because if that film would have been shown to the public she might have gotten into serious trouble and threats and might have been even killed for that. So she stopped it all and it never got published. Six months of work for nothing.

Dajana: You do a lot of animated and short film. I actually love short films. You can put such strong and intensive messages in a short film… it does not need a 1 or 2 hrs movie. I’m sure you will go on with that. Do you have already special visions what you want to do, in the near future for example?
Fursy: Right now I have no special plans. Ideas yes, but nothing worked out yet. But I already have many, many good opportunities and already booked work for March till July/August. We will do a 15 minutes animated film in black and white about a serial killer. Black and white with a little bit of red color, which perfectly suits the story. And then I have been commissioned by a big French production company to be the director of a full movie with a big budget and stuff. So, things look good :)

Dajana: So I guess it’s time to finish now. I’m through with all my question. Have a great show now. And I hope I’ll get a great show too ;)
Fursy: Hahaha… yeah, hope so too. And thank you for this interview.
Dajana: I have to thank and see you on stage :)