InterView: Auger – King in the North/Unveiling Depths0

With a new single out now and an album soon to follow, ReGen‘s Stitch Mayo speaks with Auger founder and frontman Kyle Blaqk about the band’s rising fortunes and artistic development.
 

 

An InterView with Kyle Blaqk of Auger

By Stitch Mayo (StitchM)

The north of England and darker music are vastly synonymous, so it stands to reason that it’s here that Auger took its first breath, shaping a musical identity that resonates with the atmospheric backdrop of the band’s origins. This dark rock duo’s genre-defying music captures an enigmatic fusion of influences all across goth, metal, electronic, and pop, creating a melodic landscape that spans decades of inspiration. This creative evolution has manifested in three albums with each resounding powerfully with much critical acclaim and especially with the fans. With a new album on the horizon, ReGen sat down for a cuppa and a chat with frontman Kyle Blaqk on a rainy evening to talk world domination, art, and… Eurovision?!

 

First of all, how are you, and how is your 2023?

Blaqk: I’m very good, thank you. It has been a wonderful 2023 so far – went into it with a couple of exciting shows that we knew were coming up, and obviously, we’re only halfway through it and already those shows have far exceeded expectation. They’ve been really, really good fun. I think it’s been a very productive year already and everything has been executed with even more experience, care, and passion. I feel like we’re coming away from every show thinking, ‘Wow, I feel like we’ve really moved on from where we were the previous show.’ Everything feels like a big step up and it might just be overconfidence… who knows? But as I’ve always said with it, I’m so passionate and I care so much about it that I truly believe in what’s happening and hearing that people are enjoying it. I’m just excited to get more material out there. And that’s the big thing for this year as well, there’s been a lot of recording ready for a new album; we’re also taking a lot of care with that album and really doing it slowly and doing it right.
What’s come of these shows as well has been really amazing. We’ve already received a lot of great offers going into the following year, which is what we wanted. So, hopefully this ball will just keep rolling. We always refer to Auger as a train – it doesn’t stop, it sometimes doesn’t move as fast as you want it to, but it always moves forward. It never stops, never goes backwards, always goes forwards. And it feels like the momentum of the train and it’s a force to be reckoned with. So that’s a good position to be in, I think.

There’s been a bit of a lineup change with Kieran Thornton leaving the band, but also a new dynamic in the lineup this year. Can you tell us a bit about that?

Blaqk: Yeah, so Kieran decided to step down officially from the band, and obviously, I was very sad about that. But I kind of knew it was coming… I think we both did, and it was very, very mutual. And he’s going to focus a lot more on his career, which is something that he hadn’t really given himself time to do beforehand. So, I appreciate the sacrifice that he made for Auger up until that point and he was very happy that it kept going. I’ve always said that the doors are always open for him if he can find the time in the future to come back for it. So, it was a big shift.
There were a couple of shows that I did solo – one in Torgau, Germany, and the other one in Prague in the Czech Republic. They were very odd, very awkward to do on my own, but I feel like it worked. I did miss having someone to travel with, but all the while, I had in my mind that I was practicing and rehearsing with Marcus Carter (our new drummer), and live drums is something that I’ve wanted to bring to the band ever since its formation in late 2017. It’s just always felt like such a logistical headache to get drums on and I’m sure anyone with drummers can appreciate that, but I feel like I’ve really lucked out with Marcus. He couldn’t have made the transition easier, and really, what it’s done to the sound and how it’s moved us forward again – this metaphorical train that I keep speaking of – I can’t even quantify how big of an impact it’s had. It’s just been great fun to play with drums and the sound is obviously very electronic with a lot of synthesized elements in there, so to have real drums over it just brings this live element to it, something real about it, and I think moving forward, it will help us get on the bill of some of some other festivals that potentially wouldn’t have considered us if we didn’t have a live drummer.
I always felt a little bit in the back of my mind that performing to a backing track, even though we did the guitars and the keyboards and the vocals live, still felt a little bit like cheating. It’s very well accepted in the scene that it is something that you do, yet somehow, it just didn’t really sit right. I knew that we wouldn’t get taken seriously enough in the much wider scene and in the rock and metal scene for doing that. So, it was a logical step, and it really worked, and I’m very excited to move forward. It’s already been brilliant to have Marcus’ input into some of the songs as well. The songs obviously are always going to change, and the sound is always going to be different from the last stuff that we’ve done, but that’s just the nature of Auger and what we’ve always done.
There is some scope as well to get a talented keyboardist or guitarist or, even better, someone who can do both. And if they can juggle well, that’s the cherry on the icing on the cake. But yeah, it was a good decision.

Speaking of festivals, how did it feel stepping onto the Wave Gotik Treffen stage for the first time this year?

Blaqk: Yeah, so that was amazing! It was also tiring because silly me decided that, ‘Oh, you know what? We’ll drive because we have to bring a drumkit, so let’s drive to Leipzig!’ And obviously, Leipzig is on the other side of Germany from where we are – I already live in Blackpool, and just to get down to Folkstone on a good day is about seven hours, so we’re not even halfway there by that point. So, by the time we got onstage, we were very, very tired, but just standing on that stage and knowing that we had that final headline slot of the night and that the stage was ours and we could really sort of make it our own, and that it was going to be hopefully filled with lots and lots of people was just an amazing feeling.
And then going around the festival a little bit beforehand, we saw the numbers that were showing, and I did get a little bit worried and thinking, ‘We’re playing on a Sunday, what if people don’t come along to see us? I’m obviously very grateful to be here, but I really wanted it to be an extra special show.’ Then we stepped out when our backing track started – this sort of big intro happens – and there was just so many people. The venue was completely packed out and the atmosphere from song one all the way through was just intense. It was such a good show… it’s possibly my favorite so far. We always make a really big deal about speaking to people before the show, and after as soon as our gear’s pushed to one side, jumping down off the stage and just chatting to as many people as possible. It was really wonderful to hear everyone’s opinions on how it went and obviously, being the first high profile show we’ve done, particularly with a drummer. So, I was very curious to hear what people said – it was all very nice things!
Security had to go on to the doors to stop people from going in because it was too full. And then more security were told to go on to the venue doors because the foyer café was getting too full of people trying to watch through the door. So, it was obviously a really pivotal moment for us, and what a memory to cherish. I think I just gave it absolutely everything, as I always do, but somehow, I found a little bit more.

Nighthawks had a pretty distinctive visual aesthetic both in the music videos and the album art. Can you talk a little bit about the process behind that and how you came up with the visual ideas to accompany the music? What are some of your inspirations at the moment?

Blaqk: The visual element of Nighthawks basically came off the back of writing this one song called ‘City Never Sleeps.’ It opens the album, and it was the first time I’d really written a song visually. I had this idea in my head about this visual – I’d recently traveled to America and had this sort of drizzly, dark street scene in my head, and I wrote some stuff off the back of it. I’d listened to a lot of Tears for Fears and stuff, so a lot of that influence came in, that kind of ’80s vibe. So, I wrote the whole song based off the visual that I had where there was this sort of artificially lit café, or street, or something artificial, with these roads and it’s very mysterious and a little bit drizzly. I played it to Stephen, our manager, and he always comments on the songs. He always goes through and says, ‘Okay, this sounds like this,’ or ‘This sounds like this.’ He always talks about musical references to how the song sounds, but for the first time ever, he said, ‘This gives me a really strong visual.’ And I was like, ‘Hmm, that’s interesting!’ Obviously, me knowing that I’d written it visually and not musically, I thought that’s really fascinating how he’s picked up that it’s a visual song. And he said, the visual that he’s got in his head is this dimly lit, artificial kind of street, kind of dark, sort of ’40s or ’50s, and sort of lonely, and sort of American. I was just absolutely lost for words. And I thought, ‘How? How have you got that from this song?’
And he said, ‘Yeah, it reminds me of this painting. I think it’s called ‘Nighthawks’ or something’. And I thought, ‘Oh, that’s really interesting…’ So, I googled Nighthawks, and the image, the scene that I had in my head for that song was the first image that came up. It was the ‘Nighthawks’ painting by Edward Hopper, and I just couldn’t believe it. I don’t ever recall seeing it. I must have seen it because it’s very famous, but it was just so bizarre to have this in my head for so long and write a song about it for someone then to comment on the visual, and then to just basically pull me full circle to see that painting. That then became the basis for the rest of the album, to make it really visual and to try and make it a bit more like a journey. I went back to America for three months and spent a lot of time in Chicago, and that change of scene just really brought a lot of inspiration. It was obviously a whole new visual for me to take in with my eyes. Wherever I go, it’s slightly different, so that fed into a lot of the songs, and it became this nice visual package. The CD became an embodiment of that, really. Are there 11 songs? I should know how many songs there are! I want to say there are 11 songs. For each of the songs, I got someone to do some art based not on the lyrics, but just the song title and included that in the album art book as a gallery to keep the art theme going.
It became interesting because you end up looking at the song title or maybe even hearing the song first, then seeing the painting someone’s done, and then it might change your perspective on what the song means. Then you read the lyrics and it changes again, and then you read the title and it changes. So, it’s all this… I guess it’s all very artsy-fartsy, isn’t it? But there’s something I quite like about that because typically, I’m the person that makes fun of people who stand in front of paintings, stroking their chin in thought, going ‘Ah, yes, I get it.’ But actually, after doing that album and walking around The Art Institute of Chicago where I saw ‘Nighthawks’ in person, I became one of those people and I totally get it! So yeah, I guess it’s a confession as much as anything.

 

 

The cover of the Nighthawks seems to pay a subtle homage to Tears for Fears and the album was released under The Big Chair. Can you tell us more about the influence Tears for Fears has had on your music and also about the label itself?

Blaqk: Oooh, a Tears for Fears question. Right, I absolutely love Tears for Fears. Brilliant. I love them so much. I first discovered The Hurting and was absolutely obsessed with that, and then started to go through their catalog. This was maybe 10-15 years ago, and I always really, really loved it. There’s a classiness you get with their music, even songs like ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World,’ which is a very pop sort of song. Really, it’s just classy… it’s like a tuxedo, and it’s very grown up in a way that just oozes class. I really wish I had a better adjective, but you get my point.
As for their influence, I think a lot of that comes across in the album, particularly the latest one. And the imagery… we did the classic Tears for Fears photo where they look like they’re just fallen out with each other. I stared very angrily into one direction and Kieran stared very angrily into the other direction, and obviously, worked that into the ‘Nighthawks’ painting as well. And then going from a record label to being independent, which we felt was the right move… I obviously have a lot of respect and still talk to the old label and really get on well with them, but it was definitely the best decision we made, and it’s been really, really good. Of course, if I get an opportunity to start a record label and I can call it The Big Chair, which means that every song we release is a ‘Song from The Big Chair,’ then that satisfies the inner desire for me to make puns out of everything! So, that was a nice little connection.

What were your thoughts on The Tipping Point as an album? The ReGen writers had it as one of last year’s favorites? Did it meet your expectations?

Blaqk: The Tipping Point is a good album. It’s a grower. I wasn’t super sold when I first heard it and I think it’s unfair to compare bands’ albums to other albums, particularly when the whole point is that they’re writing something new. And then, when you factor in the fact that it’s been so many years since the last one, of course it’s going to be really different. It’s always going to be a new take on life and the new perspectives that they have gained. So, you can’t really compare it. But I think it is good. I do listen to a couple songs on it, but I will still also go back through and listen to The Hurting. I don’t really listen to The Seeds of Love very much, but I do Raoul and the Kings of Spain and all the Roland Orzabal albums as well.

This year’s seen some touring with Empathy Test and you’re hitting the road with Solar Fake for their first U.K. tour in October. As you continue to tour with diverse acts, do you find that your own musical identity is becoming more defined as a result? Or do you enjoy exploring different styles and incorporating new elements into your sound?

Blaqk: It’s always interesting. I’m always looking at how to make the Auger experience better, particularly live, and I do that when I’m writing. I try and write with a mind as to how are people going to enjoy this live, and I’m trying to visualize singing it in my head and whatever movements I’m going to do or whatever it is as I’m writing it. So, with that in mind whenever we support bands like Empathy Test or Solar Fake or any of the other bands we’ve supported, it’s always interesting to watch what they do to see if there’s anything else that I’ve missed. Are there any sort of performance cues that I’ve missed? Is there anything that the drummer’s doing that I’m thinking, ‘Oh, that really works like that. I can maybe incorporate that a little bit more?’ Sometimes, you support a band, and you think, ‘Well, that was great, but I bet it would be even better with this,’ and you kind of incorporate it into it. It’s all a bit of an experience and I’m always wanting to better what I’ve done, constantly chasing that next thing, and making it even more special for people who are kind enough to give up their time to come and see and listen to us.
It’s also really nice to meet people and to chat to the band and hear their experiences. We didn’t speak to Solar Fake too much when we last played with them. I spoke to Sven Friedrich for about 15 minutes just about… I don’t know what it was about! But then, we’ve been chatting a lot to Isaac Howlett of Empathy Test whenever we bumped into each other, which we seem to have done quite a lot recently. It’s been nice to make some new friends and we’re all kind of in it together; if there’s something that we can share, be it musically or based on experience, then I think it’s always best practice to help people along and to give advice wherever you can. I mean, I’ve always said that I want to play stadiums, and I only laugh at that just because I know that people’s reaction to that is like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s nice…,’ as if to say, ‘Yeah, keep dreaming!’ But why not? When we’re at that level, if these people have been nice to us, then I guess they could support or at least be backstage and make the most of the free donuts.

As you tour with both U.K. and German bands, how do you perceive the reception and appreciation of the darker electronic genres in each country? Do you notice any variations in audience engagement or reactions to the music between here and Germany?

Blaqk: Yeah, there is a definite difference between the two. That’s not to say that one is better than the other. I think there are typically more people in Europe who are more open to it, so what you end up finding is a lot more people come along, and therefore there’s a certain atmosphere there because they like what they hear and they’re getting involved with it, being enthusiastic, and it’s really, really great to witness. In the U.K., I think people perhaps are slightly more reserved when it comes to seeing something they haven’t seen before or don’t know what to risk and what not to. They haven’t really got that same sort of thing, so what ends up happening is the people are still just as enthusiastic, but there are just less of them. So, it means that when we play with a band like ACTORS for example, which is a sort of a genre that’s totally different, so they pull a totally different crowd than we normally play in front of… we perform in front of them and the reaction is really, really positive. It’s like, ‘Oh my god, I’ve never heard this before!’ because they wouldn’t have necessarily given it a chance. I think that’s just the difference. Whereas when you go over to Europe, they see something, music’s on, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, let’s check it out!’ and they’re really receptive of everything over there.

Are there any notable trends or shifts you’ve observed within the U.K. darker scene in recent years. How do you see it evolving and what factors do you think will contribute to its growth or transformation?

Blaqk: One thing to note is that it’s it is a small scene in this country, and that can be a really good thing as well, because we know literally everyone and it’s so nice to see whenever we play a show; it doesn’t matter where it is, the chances are that we know at least 70 % of the audience, we know their first and second names, probably what they’ve had for breakfast that morning, and the name of their dog! Because the scene is small, everyone’s very friendly and it’s a real community. It’s very unique. They have your back and they come en masse to your shows, they travel, and you can rely on them to be there, and it is really wonderful.
I think there’s always this debate when a festival, for example, announces its lineup and it’s the same bands that have kind of always been playing in this country, and the reaction is typically there’s 50% of people that go, ‘Yay!,’ and the other 50% of people go, ‘It’s the same bands, book some new bands!’ But then, they book new bands the following year and 70% of people go, ‘Who the hell are these?,’ and the other 30% say, ‘You never book anyone good!’

You’ve done a couple of collaborations – Imogen Evans and Lord of the Lost. Could you tell us the story behind these and tell us what they brought to the table?

Blaqk: The collaborations with Imogen we first did on the third album, Insurgence, for a song called ‘Tell Me I’m Wrong,’ and then again on the newer album for ‘As the World Falls Apart.’ I said, ‘Hey, do you want to sing on the album?’ Because the second she went into the studio and she started to sing one of her songs that were recorded, I was absolutely blown away and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I was like, ‘Damn, you can sing.’ So really, it was just absolute luck that she did that. Her voice really complements the deepness of mine, I think, and there’s definitely a lot more room in the future for some more collaborations. With ‘As the World Falls Apart,’ we meant to record it… I was flying away to America for a few months, and she was due to come around to the studio, but she got COVID. So, I said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll still be on the album – find a place that’s well soundproofed, maybe your wardrobe, and hold up your phone or your iPad and sing into that, and it should be a good enough quality for me to then use in the song.’ So, she did that and sent it over and I mixed it while I was over in Chicago. I think it worked really well. You can definitely tell that it’s not recorded in the studio, but I think it actually adds something quite eerie to it. That was good fun. She’s releasing music by herself as well, which is really cool, and I’m putting it out on The Big Chair label. There’s a lot more to come and the songs just keep getting better.
 

 
The collaboration with Chris Harms of Lord of the Lost was great. I didn’t expect him to want to do it, let alone to listen to it really intently. He added some extra bits in the chorus and kind of jigged around the vocals, so it sounded more like a duet. He did a really good job of it, and having those sorts of fresh perspectives on something can really help with writing. So yeah, it was good and I’m very grateful that he gave up his time to do that. It definitely helped expand our audience ever so slightly on the leadup to the to the album as well, because it was timed just before then, so it was a good arrangement that benefited us both. Maybe there’ll be another one in the future, I don’t know. They are very busy touring with Iron Maiden and all the Eurovision stuff, but I’m just very grateful that he gave his time in the first place to do that.

Are there any other artists that you would love to collaborate with in the future? And if so, who are they and what aspects of the artistry do you find intriguing? potentially complementary to your own musical ideas?

Blaqk: I would love to collaborate with a list of so many people, only because I listen to a lot of stuff and I always think that it’d be great to incorporate into this music. Specifically? We’re playing Madrid next year on a festival called Dark Mad, and so are Propaganda, which if you don’t know are a band from the ’80s. I think the biggest song was called ‘Duel’ and Claudia Brücken, the singer, I would absolutely love her to sing on one of the tracks. I think because we’re playing the same show as them, in my head, we’re not only doing that, but we’re doing a duet onstage and it’s amazing. That’d be a really good one.
There are quite a few I’d love to do a song with. Gary Numan… I think that’d be really great. His sort of vocal style, I think, would work well. I’ve always wanted to do a collaboration with Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory, which I know is very, very different, but I think his voice, especially when he sings, has got a really different timbre to it that I think… it’s one thing to collaborate with someone and you listen to it and you’re like, ‘oh who’s this dude singing on the album?’ Whereas I think if he did it, everyone would know exactly who it is. And of course, I mean I’d really like to get myself a very, very nice house and a very big car so, if I did a collaboration with someone like James Hetfield or something like that, then maybe the royalties would come through and I could eventually do that, so I wouldn’t turn that one down either. Not to say I’m a huge Metallica fan, but hey, if James is asking you do it, then you say yeah. Or rather, ‘YEAH-E-YEAH!’ as he would say.

With the introduction of ‘Fascinate Me’ in your live performances, can we consider this a preview of what’s to come with the next album? Are there any overarching themes or concepts that you plan to explore in this upcoming release?

Blaqk: That is definitely a good little taster of the next album, and we’ve been dropping a couple of new tracks in here and there, just to kind of test the water and to see what goes down well with fans. With ‘Fascinate Me,’ the reaction was almost the same as what we get for the songs that they know, so they were already dancing and moving around and clapping along, and a couple people were singing it by the end because it’s quite repetitive, which is good. I think it’s a good start, it shows that we’re on the right track, and the audience is ready for something like that.
As far as themes, there will be a theme that will tie throughout, but there’s definitely this kind of more… positive, not necessarily happy, but a very optimistic kind of feel about the tracks that we’ve got lined up already. There’s certainly an energy to it and a lot more tempo, a little bit rockier, but there are lots of synths. But the synths tend to be more lush and big as opposed to lots of different layers of bitty stuff – nice big pads and things like that. It should be a really feel-good album and it’s very ’80s influenced, more so than the other stuff.
There’s one song that I’m desperate to release because it’s so cool, but it’s really, really different. Basically, I’d watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and wrote what I like to call my John Hughes song. I’m actually going to release it with a John Hughes mix, which is going to be three times the length and incorporate multiple saxophone solos. There’s lots of stuff to look forward to with the next album and it’s definitely a much more creative expression than it has been before. It’s got a lot of meaning to it and I’ve really tried to take my time with it, particularly with the production and the mixing, but also with the lyrics as well.
For the next single, I’ve had it mastered by Metropolis Studios in London, who deal with ginormous profile bands, to really put that polish on it. That kind of sums up what the next album is going to be. I want it to have that level of class and quality to it.

Your music showcases a blend of pop, goth, synth, and industrial influences. With such a unique sound and noting the impressive sounds that we heard at the Eurovision Song Contest this year, if asked, would you ever consider bringing your music to Eurovision and are you a fan of the competition?

Blaqk: Yes, absolutely. Why not? I think it’s such a wonderful opportunity, and it goes to so many people, and you can tell that with Lord of the Lost. I mean, that’s why a lot of people were talking about it recently, particularly within our scene. But you just had to see the fact that they came rock bottom last, but they had an absolute blast of a time, and for exposure alone it was worth it, let alone all the experiences they’ve had. They went into a couple of schools as well and did some workshops, and they explored and made a whole thing of it. And why not? I mean, what a great experience to do that. I think anyone who says that they shouldn’t is just jealous of the fact that they could never get on it. I mean, it is cheesy, but sometimes, I think especially in this day and age, we need more cheese.

Lord of the Lost definitely didn’t deserve to come last – what did you think of the other darker/electronic representation with Australia and Finland’s entries?

Blaqk: I think they said it was a bit of a German curse, and I hadn’t realized that the Germans have done badly for a while. I know that it isn’t any discredit to the music, I think it’s just bad luck more than anything else, but I did feel sorry for them. I hope that at least someone would vote 12 for them, but maybe not.
That band from Australia, was it Voyager? They were brilliant. I think they really brought something interesting to it. And you’re right, there was a good mix of that kind of darker, more synth- and guitar-led stuff, which was normally a novelty. I mean, I think Lordi did it first off, that I remember anyway, and then I think Rasmus came back and did something. So, every now and then, someone does it, but I think this year, it was a whole list of bands where actually we thought, ‘Oh, they’re pretty good actually!’

 

 

No one who calls themselves goth can actually decide, and it causes a lot of debates, but what is goth?

Blaqk: I think it’s quite simple really – it’s just a subculture, and within that subculture, like in any subculture, there is music and there are common things that people like who are within that subculture. There are outfits and ways of life and opinions and all that kind of stuff that any subculture encompasses, and a part of that is music. I wouldn’t say that goth is a genre of music. It’s a subculture and within that, the people who call themselves goth enjoy a huge range of different music – everything from the ’80s and ’70s and whenever, and even earlier than that, all the way through to modern stuff, heavy stuff, pop stuff, folk stuff. I feel like it all sort of branches underneath this subculture.
I mean, with the metal subculture for example, you’ve got the whole list of bands there that are just as varied comparatively to each other. I think it’s always kind of been that. I think maybe in the ’80s, it was more of a trend or fad, and then it kind of stuck around long enough that it’s established itself as more of a long term subculture. It’s a community, and the people in there are very, very friendly, and there’s a whole ginormous range of people with different backgrounds.

You have a new single? Tell us more.

Blaqk: We have a new single, you should listen to it. I’ll love you forever if you do. It’s called ‘Before It Began,’ and it’s the ending of summer anthem, dedicated to all the what ifs and love affairs of the holiday – big, bold, and crammed full of energy. It has a shiny new video, and it can be streamed just about anywhere and everywhere. I really hope you like it!

 

 

Auger
Website, Facebook, Bandcamp, YouTube, Instagram
The Big Chair
Website, Bandcamp, Instagram

 

Band Photograph and “Before It Began” Still by Matty Clearway, courtesy of Clearway Media
Live Photograph by Dajana Fotodesign
All photography provided courtesy of Auger