The Lodge @ Le' rue Delashay Interview

Le' rue Delashay
an interview with himself

How are you feeling and what have you been doing lately? Describe the ambient surrounding you (the room, music, etc.).
Well, I feel quite drawn out at this moment, as many things are transpiring around me in many directions, of which we shall speak. The atmosphere is quite appropriate for my current state of mind. I am listening to the Theatre of the Macabre's single, Bathed in the Blood of Angels, which we just finished recording in Angel Beach Studios and I have been working on getting promo singles ready to ship in two weeks. The Scent of Nag Champa and stale cigarette smoke lingers in the air (and the air is quite chilling).

Le' rue Delashay is still a quite unknown act, so tell me what was the cause or reason of creation to give it birth and, on the subject here, from where did the moniker come and what is its conceptual value or significance?
In order for you to properly realise the meaning of the pseudonym of Le' rue Delashay, I feel that some background into my realms is appropriate. Have you ever met an illuminated streetwalker, or sagely bum? Someone who is on other surface quite unassuming, but who catches you off guard with a statement that is all too true, yet tinged with occult wisdom? With that though in mind, let me unfold a tale, a metaphysical journey into the realms of psychedelia wherein I journeyed and met a man who stated that he was the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning and the end. While we discussed many things that evening, that which stood in my mind, was the opportunity that he took to give me a name which he deemed worthy, one that at the time was not my own. Le' rue Delashay is the name which he gave me, which stated was more appropriate and which has stayed with me. Not until much later did I hear mention of this individual again and it was then that I learned he was in a mental hospital, a patient who had lived his life in one hospital to the next and he had to be re-instated. I have not spoken to him since that fateful eve.

You mostly work with keyboards, ambiences and other atmospheric elements: what's the reason to produce music in such linear form and not any other elaborate sonority? Is this a way for you to expel (and expand) at psychic levels by leaving a vague, abstract "landscape" on the listener's mind?
I will say that throughout my musical creations, many things have come to pass: my first release Walpurgisnacht, the Haunting, was created for Haunted House soundtracks within the U.S., The Court Composer was more of an effort to recapture the elements of the elder masters of the European breed of musical imagery, by utilising concepts related to harmonic theory in Classical Music and my latest release, Musick in Theory and Practice is my fledgling attempt at bringing out the universal and metaphysical aspects of music, which I have found to be quite numerous and shall be continued in my forthcoming release, to be entitled The Law Of 8ve (octaves) and will relate to that theory.

How does the creation process of a musical piece begins? Do you need to enter any specific state of mind or mood in order to feel inspired, or is it all already planned and thought-out before literally played? Tell me from where do you feel more influenced or interested and what drives you to compose?
Each creation is an individual entity, unique in many ways; my music has been formulated in many mind frames (many moods have affected my material and many motifs have begun their existence with my own inner mind, screaming to be set free). One important aspect for me, is to make every piece its own force, separate from all the others, yet a part of the whole, as random thoughts make the individual. The desire to unravel the mysteries of the universe and my self inspires and coerces me to compose.

How did the opportunity of composing soundtracks for haunted house movies sprang (who found you or listened to your music)? Tell more about this thrilling experience, by giving some additional info (such as the movie titles).
I have been in contact with Outrageous Media and Jon Hyers for some time now, going on four years. It is relatively easy for us to keep in contact, as he lives in the sister city of Minneapolis, which is St. Paul (hence the name Twin Cities).
I find it quite appropriate to be doing Haunted House soundtracks, as it allows me to express that side of my being very efficiently and I enjoy creating music meant expressly to inspire horror in others.
As far as soundtrack work, I have recently been asked to do the Musick for Vamperotica Magazine's first movie release, which may also be accompanied by a Le' rue Delashay video.

Your latest release, Musick in Theory and Practice, seems to be somehow linked with occult imagery and all the fancy adorns of this decaying self-discovery study. Is it important for you to connect the spiritual side of an intellect together with the subconscious final work he has achieved? For instance, would you agree that more or less, all music was already played/discovered - for we are only giving different approaches and a sort of identity to the primordial seven notes existent?
In many ways, I feel that you have come close to hitting the nail on the head. Indeed, there is much wonder and truth in the fundamental harmony of Music and the universe (both in the macrocosm and the microcosm). Quantum theory and new physics is wonderfully occult literature, as can be seen in super-string, which breaks down the atomic nucleus (positrons, neutrons and quarks) into its composite structure, which is deemed as an oscillating two-dimensional string (akin to a mobious continuum). This string vibrates at an enormous frequency and, through its flaying around, produces what is known as the quark, or the fundamental building block of all material objects. As such, all things within this universe contain their own unique musical signature in the form of minute soundwaves. To that end, I have been pursuing the theory that Music is the universal language, that which unveils the secrets of the universe.

To support the last question (and in order to complete it), give me your short view on the following terms and concepts, by stating the first impression springing on your mind:
- Life vs. Death (is Death the end, or beginning and life just a state of mind?): life is the ability to evolve the self to a new level, a new state of being and evolution; death is the unfortunate side effect of moving from an asexual procreation of the self to a reproductive state, which depends upon the death of one cycle to make way for the next cycle to begin. All things are energy and will remain energy no matter what state they happen to presently be in.
- Pain and Pleasure (dependent upon each other?): pain and Pleasure are stimuli, things which we react to. This question stems from 1st circuitry thinking, which is very primal - the fight or flee stimulus. Pleasure is something which is a desired state; pain is something to overcome or run away from.
- Intellectualisation (always necessary?) many people confuse trivial knowledge with intellect; I believe that the search for meaning and the questioning of that which is deemed truth or law is important for the individual to continue upon the quest of evolution of the self, which in turn brings forth self-knowledge and knowledge of the universal laws and troth.
- Crime: where there are laws, there will always be crime, as there cannot be one without the other. Unfortunately, in today's day and age, laws and crimes are generally the effects of a faceless society. In tribal societies, where there is a bond of family and culture, the laws were there to uphold that society and protect your tribe. Punishment was swift and thorough; today there are too many cases of your assailant being a total stranger to you or your circle of friends and family. We live in a world of strangers and crime is a reflection of that mentality.
- Heaven, Hell, Religion, Dogmas, etc.: once again, Heaven and Hell (in the Christian concept), is a case of the Pleasure and Pain mentality: they offer you a very primal choice, one that millions of evolution has already taught us. Their choice is obvious, is it not? Religion is a western concept as Spirituality is Eastern. Daoist principles and messages are much more insightful than Christian Dogma and law.
- Abyss (what's an Abyss for you and what does it represent?): abyss (literally) is the land of North Africa thought to be the end of the world and ancient times. On a more personal note, an "abyss" is a state of self-defeating thought and life, dwelling upon your failures and wrongs and staying in that mentality.

Besides your work as a musician - and I know you play in another projects - what do you do in your everyday life - do you have any parallel job (any unusual hobbies, behaviours, etc.)? How do you spend most of your time? Do you have any pets?
Your last question strikes hard, as my cat, Pagannini, has been missing for the last few weeks and I am afraid that he has left on his own journeys. In my reality now, I hold a job at a used book store, which is adequate for me, as learning and research are priorities in my life and if I must work, I will do what is important to me. In what spare time I do have, I enjoy getting away from the city to revel in nature's beauty; I am generally quite hermetic by nature and so do not "socialise" (i.e. go out drinking very much), preferring to remain in my own realms.

Would you care to share some of your artistic tastes on literature, music and so forth? What are your all-time favourite authors and books and, on the music field, what are the bands and composers with most importance for you? What were the latest albums you bought or listened to, as well as books?
At the moment I am studying Quantum Mechanics and Chaos Magic, of which Peter Carroll has a wonderful book entitled Liber Null and Psychonaut, mainly dealing with aspects of Chaos Magic and self-illumination; also to note are such authors as Robert Anton Wilsons' Cosmic Trigger, Crowley's Magick in Theory and Practice, Timothy Leary, Edred Thorrson, Lao Tsu, H.P. Lovecraft (pure genius), Tolkien, G.I. Gurjief and many others most worthy of attention. As to Music, in the realms of Metal, I have been studying the likes of bands such as Emperor, Cradle Of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, who have all made it to the top of the genre (I will make Theatre of the Macabre the American equivalent to that scene). Other things in my player include Skinny Puppy, Wumpscut, Christian Death (only Theatre of Pain), Vivaldi, Stravinsky, Wagner, any Danny Elfman soundtracks and I have been listening to label-mates Somnus, quite a bit as of late.

Enlight us in what is the importance of music in your life - what do you see yourself doing if not composing, or if there was no music at all?
I faced the hard decision in my life of whether to pursue a musical career, or that of the painterly artist; I choose to go the path of the musician (that which you do makes what you are: the way of the Troth.

How do you view the constant progress in modern technology, being aware that the Media and other sources of power keep preventing Man of thinking for his own or even from a wider intellectual expansion? Would you agree that we've already gone too far?
We have evolved as species to the top of the food chain (nothing stands in our way but nature herself), therefore we are now at war with nature; but alas, all species which have forgotten the laws of nature and the universe have grown extinct, it is foolish to think that man will continue on his chosen path forever and not suffer the consequences. Technology is wonderful, in what is has the potential to do for humanity, but perhaps technology is there to develop an even more form of life, as has been shown in the ex-potential growth of the artificial intelligence of the machine within the last fifty years, by a blink in the eye of evolution.

How do you see nowadays civilisation in comparison with ancient times and how do you cope with the commercially-orientated system in which we try to fit in?
In regards to modern society, or any society that is not based in small isolated tribes, I feel that society is a powerful illusion to keep us in servitude to those alpha males who benefit from our slavery, is a system which works for a few at the expense of the many - which is unfortunately in the height of itss power, here in America. Society has forever been the same, only refined and reproduced for the present day. It is so easy to only look at the present, without wondering what made it so. There is great fundamental truth to be had in the Black Metal arising of the Teutonic peoples of the north and their quest to usurp the slavery of Christianity and go back to the ways of their people. It is something I admire and respect, as I also am of Teutonic stock - being of Norwegian, Swedish and Germanic descent - and am proud to say that my family continued the ways of the Viking when they came again to settle this land.

If you had a chance to alter something in yourself, or even in the world in general, what would be the first thing you would change?
My status as underpaid and underappreciated musician; it is a ritual which I am definitely conjuring.

The other day, I was talking with a person about the feeling of being selfish; we were arguing that it would be much easier if everyone admitted how selfish we are and if the collective façade would be unmasked of such arrogance and hypocrisy and, if everyone would be frontal and sincere enough to speak their own mind, it would be much easier to cooperate and improve at all levels. Are you the type of person who prefers to keep things for yourself, or do you deliberately speak what you feel (regardless of the consequences)?
I work on many levels, depending upon the circumstance, but I would indeed say that I think for myself and do not blindly agree for the sake of appearances. Selfishness is a fundamental trait of all thinking beings - it is too bad it is not tempered more for others which the individual holds dear, as opposed to love wasted on ingrates.

You're currently shooting a video for Symphonaire Noctem (of Court Composer), right? How are things going until now and let me know if there's any specific concept in mind for the video?
Jon Hyers, of Outrageous Media, has agreed to help me with the video shoot, as he is a videographer for visual haunted house effects. The video will be shot for the Symphonaire Noctem song, from the Court Composer and, not to ruin the video, but I will state that it's based upon the theft and return of the magicians' secrets, the keys of cosmic creation and the divine powers of the will.

I'm not much informed on Theatre of the Macabre; I believe it's mainly orchestral Black Metal, dealing with horror themes and there will be a debut album to be released through Root of All Evil. Give me a more in-depth journey in what will this group consist and how will it differ from other acts in the field.
Theatre of the Macabre is an outlet for me to express that which originally brought me to Music. The driving force of Metal music is very alluring and we have been doing Theatre of the Macabre since 1994; unfortunately, the selfish natures of our beings forced us to split in 1996, after recording our debut release Tales of Tragedy. I formed Lorde of all Desire in that downtime and grew frustrated in dealing with yet more selfish beings (that is when Le' rue truly took shape). Now, with the reformation of the original trinity, Theatre of the Macabre is back and we have all the necessary means at our disposal to claim the throne of American Black Metal and showcase the glory that is bred on foreign soil; we shall dominate the American Black Metal scene and provide fitting accompaniment for the international acts which choose to play here. Theatre of the Macabre are set to explore the relationship of Horror with the elements of Extreme Metal music and our evolution will be in accordance with the state of times - let the 1000 year reign begin!

Your look on most of your photos carries a strong resemblance with aristocracy. Could you elucidate me further on what inspires you to portray this sort of look and what means most to you concerning this epoch?
I felt that it was appropriate for the style of music that I was creating - which was of a very classical nature. I have always felt that the aristocratic Victorian style was very elegant and romantic. Today’s values of blue jeans and flowered dresses do nothing to stimulate me (and bore the hell out of me); they show no elegance, no style, no sense of beauty - but once again, that is what we are programmed to think of as beautiful and alluring.

Does Musick in Theory and Practice have any sort of link to Crowley's Magick in Theory and Practice book?
Of course.

Thanks for your time; if there's anything more you would like to say, please address yourself.
If I have the opportunity to conduct more interviews of this quality and depth, I will rest assured that there are indeed others out there with both a broad encompassing mind and inquiring mentality that is to be looked at as something to be admired and respected.

www.leruedelashay.com

© 2002 Abyss

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