Robin Stap: My dad gave me an electric guitar when I was 13. I fell in love.
What was the first metal concert you attended?
I'm a hardcore kid. My first show was Sick of It All in 1994, supported by Strife. That show blew my mind and that's when I got into the hardcore and straight edge scene. I didn't really get into metal until I was 20 or 21, but apparently these genres met at some point, hardcore bands started incorporating metal riffing and drumming into their sound and metal bands started using hardcore breakdowns as well, so it's hard to say what was my first metal show. I always listened to progressive bands that were employing elements from all different musical realms.
What was your first band, and what kind of music did they play?
It was a cover band. I was 14 and we were covering songs by Gorilla Biscuits, Strife and Insight. It was horrible.
Were your parent supportive of your career choice?
Absolutely, and they still are. As I mentioned before, my dad gave me my first electric guitar. I'm from a small town far away from any concert venue, and he used to drive me and my friends to shows an hour away when we were 15, 16 and then he would film us stagediving. He's a musician himself and though it took him a while to understand the thrill about aggressive music, he always saw the positive ideas behind it. I was as much into straight edge and animal rights as I was into the music at that time and my dad was always in full favor of these ideas. He still comes to see a lot of shows today.
What's currently in heavy rotation on your CD/MP3 player?
Khoma – the first track off their new album A Final Storm is on repeat for weeks; The Swans - Soundtrack for the Blind (they played the Manchester Academy the same night as us, in a different hall. I had no idea, went upstairs, and see the Swans on stage! Incredible, but true. Even without Jarboe it was the most epic thing I have seen in years. Since that night, Soundtrack for the Blind is on heavy rotation again in the tour bus.
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis. I've been a fan of this band for at least 10 years and being on tour with them and seeing them destroy the stage every single night of the tour is just awesome. Crippled Black Phoenix - 200 Tons of Bad Luck and The Black Atlantic - Reference for Fallen Trees.
Anything else you'd like to mention or promote?
Check out the special silver-foiled box versions we're doing for the Heliocentric/Anthropocentric albums on my own label Pelagic Records. Pelagic is a small label devoted to releasing music we love with extensive packaging and art. We believe that if fans are still to buy music as a physical product these days, you gotta give them a reason - and nice artwork and fancy packaging are the best reason.
We're releasing a combined version of our Heliocentric and Anthropocentric albums in a silver-foiled box with 4x 180 grams vinyls, a set of cards, star map and 2 gatefold covers inside; each with 3 revolving transparent silver-foiled PVC dials depicting the sun/earth and the planets orbiting around it. The same is available as a 4xCD box as well including instrumental versions of the albums.
We're also releasing a band called Earthship in November. I play guitar there, it's heavy stuff somewhere between Crowbar, Baroness and Iron Monkey, and another Swiss band called Abraham who sound a bit like The Beyond-era Cult Of Luna. Check it out at www.pelagic-records.com, we also just opened a unique new download portal that allows you to purchase a download first and then upgrade to CD whenever you want.
