Interview: Aldo Struyf of Creature With The Atom Brain

March 8th, 2008 by The Editor

Creature With The Atom Brain website
Creature With The Atom Brain MySpace page
Aldo Struyf, Guitar, keys, vox

Aldo Struyf may not be a name you recognise instantly, but if you’re a fan of down and dirty rock music in one form or another, you’ve probably heard him play on at least one album – maybe as keyboard player for Mark Lanegan, or as frontman of freak-rockers Millionaire.

The Dreaded Press got the opportunity to pester Aldo by email to ask him about his latest personal project, Creature With The Atom Brain. The band’s first album I Am The Golden Gate Bridge is out very soon [review], and features guest vocals from Mark Lanegan as well as twelve tracks of sleazy doped-up rock’n'roll madness.

So step into the world of Creature With The Atom Brain, and discover secret dub side-projects, why touring with Queens Of The Stone Age was better than touring with Deftones, and what it’s like to work with Mark Lanegan.

TDP: Where are you right now, and what have you been doing today?

Aldo Struyf: I just got back from my radio show at Radio Centraal. Every Wednesday from 12 pm till 3 pm I play the good shit on our local independent radio station here in Antwerp.

Before that I had breakfast and had a coffee in a bar in the centre of Antwerp; I don’t know what the rest of the day will bring. I might go see Dave [drummer for Creature With The Atom Brain] and record some dub tunes. Just like The Mars Volta have their Defacto project, we like recording some sunny tunes too. Then we transform into Jahlino and King Dabby, a.k.a. Babylon.

TDP: How did the recording of I Am The Golden Gate Bridge go?

Aldo Struyf: As we didn’t have any money we recorded the album in our rehearsal room. We got some mics from dEUS, a 8 track tape recorder from a friend, and my laptop … and we tried our best. I know it’s no big production, but it went OK for a first time. We surely had fun!

TDP: What goals or plans did you have before you headed for the studio?

Aldo Struyf: Just to record the Creature With The Atom Brain songs as well as possible. It’s not easy to do so if you’re rather inexperienced.

TDP: What was influencing you (musically or otherwise) during the writing and recording?

Aldo Struyf: Nothing in particular. We listened to Barkmarket, Ween, Will Oldham, Can, Comets on Fire, Melvins, Radio Birdman, Beta Band, Sonic Youth, Wolf Eyes, Sun Ra, Feathers, the Who, Todd, Spoon, Espers, Pink Floyd … just good music.

TDP: How did it turn out, compared to what you expected before you started?

Aldo Struyf: Production-wise, it could have been better!

TDP: Where and when can we see you playing these songs live?

Aldo Struyf: Our first Creature With The Atom Brain show in the UK will be next week at the Roundhouse in London; we’re supporting the Jesus And Mary Chain. We already played three shows with them in LA and San Fransisco last October. At the end of May we will return to London for more.

TDP: You’ve been on the road a lot in various bands – what’s the worst aspect of touring?

Aldo Struyf: With my (and our drummer Dave’s) other band Millionaire we’ve toured quite a bit. Mostly (e.g. with Queens Of The Stone Age) the conditions were perfect: we had all we needed and everything went smoothly, QOTSA took good care of us. Also, touring with the Mark Lanegan Band was perfect. People don’t know how super, sweet and cool Mark is! So, only good memories there.

But we also did a Taste Of Chaos tour with Millionaire (headliner was Deftones) and that sucked big-time. We played in big venues in the States with a bunch of shitty metal bands (not a bad word to say about Deftones, though) and the audience wasn’t interested in our freaky, funky rock music. Driving for 2 days to play for fifteen minutes to a crowd that isn’t interested ain’t fun.

TDP: Tell us about the worst show you ever played.

Aldo Struyf: The worst show was no doubt a show we did in Brussels, on a square outside the Recyclart venue. My amp broke down, so I had to play through the DI. The sound that came out of the monitors also came out of our bass player’s amp - don’t ask me how ! Our sound-guy was drunk as hell … it sounded terrible and felt terrible.

TDP: What do feel is your best piece of work (song or album)?

Aldo Struyf: Best album would be Bubblegum [Mark Lanegan Band]. Although my participation is limited, I think it’s the best album I played on because of the wealth of great musicians appearing on it, and Mark’s superb songwriting and singing.

Best song would be “16 Inch Revolver”. It’s simple but works just great, like an AC/DC or Eagles Of Death Metal riff you can’t stop dancing to.

TDP: If you could delete one song from your back catalogue (and from the minds of mankind), which would it be?

Aldo Struyf: Probably “Eisenhower Memorial Hospital/C.G.”, a song on our second EP, Kill The Snake. I recorded it the night I heard Chris Goss nearly died at that hospital. I should have put more work into the song; it sounds shitty and should have lyrics.

TDP: Which song or album of someone else’s would you erase from history, and why?

Aldo Struyf: Well, no songs - every song has its fans. It would have been good though if some bands (for example The Red Hot Chilli Peppers) had quit years ago. I really loved their first albums, but now I hate ‘em and I can’t listen to their earlier releases any more. Good thing John Frusciante is doing great solo stuff.

TDP: What was the [album/gig/artist/book/religious experience] that tipped you over and made you decide to become a musician?

Aldo Struyf: That must have been Locust Abortion Technician by Butthole Surfers. I was blown away by that album - it’s like the devil creeps out of the record player each time I turn it on! Never heard anything like it.

TDP: If you could go back in time and visit yourself just after you made that decision, what’s the most important piece of advice you’d give yourself?

Aldo Struyf: Exercise more!

TDP: How did you come to work with Mark Lanegan? What’s he like to work with? And how many cigarettes does he have to smoke each day to make his voice sound that way?

Aldo Struyf: Working with Mark is brilliant. First time I worked with him was for the Bubblegum album. That Christmas in Joshua Tree was special: turkey at Chris Goss’ place, making one of that year’s best albums with Mark, Josh, Nick, Chris, … at the Rancho de la Luna. Super!

But for I Am The Golden Gate Bridge, Mark recorded his vocal tracks in the States and brought them with him when he came to Belgium for a show with Soulsavers. I had sent him the music a couple of weeks before.

TDP: If you could collaborate with any other musician, living or dead, who would it be, and why?

Aldo Struyf: There’s so many! Roky Erickson, I think, because he’s got a voice I adore - same as Mark’s. I wouldn’t have any problem with Roky or Mark singing every Creature With The Atom Brain song.

TDP: What would you be doing right now if you’d never made it as a musician?

Aldo Struyf: I would be a father, I’d grow vegetables in my garden and I would cook. At night I’d go DJ in a local bar or venue.

TDP: Philosophical moment: will the human race survive the next two centuries, and does it deserve to do so?

Aldo Struyf: I think it won’t survive, although it should - there’s lot of beautiful people with beautiful projects. But I’m afraid the insects will take over.

TDP: Finally, if you could list a handful of songs and albums that you are listening to a lot at the moment, that’d be great.

Aldo Struyf: The records I bought this month :