When and how AIN SOPH started?

AIN SOPH original line members knew each others before forming the group. Some used to go to school together and everyone was involved in the same Punk/New Wave Roman musical underground, playing in different bands: THX in Mors Justy, ClauDEDI in TV de Sade , Spectrae and Crucifige in Rosen Kreutz. Forenovis with THX built Ain Soph primordial nucleus in which they brought ClauDEDI and Crucifige for their first work "I" and will enter as stable members in definitive way with "II".

Which were your intentions and aims of the band?

The starting idea was to create some musical basis for our esoteric studies and not that of creating a musical group, but then our first tape started going around in esoteric underground, since some friends given to them to be used for meditative aims, and for some weird coincidence it ended up in the hears of Nekrophile Rec. Cult label of industrial esoteric music in those years, who asked us to publish two tracks from "I" in a compilation they were assembling. We had nothing against it and we were honored by it, the rest is story.

Can you explain what causes your interest to Magic?

How can we explain it? Everyone of us had his more or less conscious or unconscious reasons to blindly believe in Christian religion of Vatican State to a different religious research. Probably we've always been interested by the occult, the mystery and religions; surely there was a form of rebellion inside of us after the Big Dome that dominates Rome and our lives.

Music is not the only way to practice Magic. Have you tried some other rituals and exercises?

Some our experiences has been brought in music in the released records, others are personal and we prefer to not speak about them.

How do you create your music?

There's no existing criteria. We meet in rehearsing room and we speak about what we want to transmit and tell with our lyrics, then we start playing searching for the sounds and the music that can be perfect soundtracks for our ideas.

Which are your main inspiration sources?

We think we must be opened to any kind of external and internal stimulation, sensorial and extra-sensorial, natural and lysergic, mystical and sexual, each of this can be a source of knowledge and life teacher. Principal guide sources for AIN SOPH are Aleister Crowley and Julius Evola, but everyone in the project follows his own personal path and it would be difficult to list them all.

From your early stuff I have familiar only with "III" release. How much it differs from previous works?

"I" , "II" & "III" are a unique work divided in three chapters thought as soundtracks for magick rituals, a trilogy which was supposed to end with "Kshatriya" that was our stylistic turning point concerning music and conceptually for our esoteric interests.

Btw, the sleeve for "Kshatriya" CD was designed with a participation of Simon Balestrazzi, the frontman of T.A.C. Have you cooperated with him more? Also which other Italian musical projects can you recommend?

Although we know Simone Balestrazzi's works, we have never actually worked with him. The original LP sleeve artwork was conceived by THX. When the LP was re-issued by Musica Maxima Magnetica, Luciano Dari (boss of MMM) contracted Simone to draw a new cover. I think you should listen to Spiritual Front (Roma) and Argine (Napoli).

The one of interesting feature of your music is the use of different languages - Italian, French, German, English. And this in not full list�

The fact we use in our works different languages is because Crucifige (who sings) knows different languages and some likes Greek and Latin. It permits us to don't put ourselves limits concerning creativity and musical variety.

AIN SOPH's life philosophy?

We are loyal to good old principles: SEX, DRUGS AND ROCK'N'ROLL.

Which are your interests outside AIN SOPH?

We are interested of modern (pop art) and futurist art , we are interested in politic, economy and we play in bands of totally other kind of music than AIN SOPH, like those of Spectra Electric, Circus joy and Sex Voto which has been released in the past by Misty Circles.

What was the "reading di poesie" happened past Summer?

Some of us (ClauDEDI, Spectrae & Steve Stroll) enjoy themselves in taking part once in a while Beat & New Beat Poetry readings, in these evenings various poets read to the public famous Beat author's works as their own writings.

About your own texts. I am very intrigued by phrase from �White Guard" � �from the snows of Russia, 1921, comes this song..."

We don't like to explain our songs, we can tell you that the song has been written by Crucifige who is an enthusiast studious of historical events and it has been inspired by the images of Denikin , Wrangler, Vlasov and his Damned ones.

And what the modern Russia inspires to you?

Russia makes us think about a great Nation, a Great People with solid traditions and great artists in music and literature, and we find very sad (as for Italy) it's governed by corrupted politicians.

Have you heard about concept "Moscow is Third Rome"?

We know that concept, but we are unsure of its own meaning, probably it has lots to do with Roman Empire magnificence, and we think that during the centuries after Rome and Bisanzio, Moscow has been close to that greatness, even if we think that Rome is and has been ONE

Why you give live performances in Rome so rarely? After BLOOD AXIS/ AIN SOPH live in Rome Michael Moynihan wrote that you made the special exclusion for him�

First time we played in Rome was 12/01/86 at Piper Club; second at Velvet Club in 1998; in the meantime we only played several times - in Milano, Napoli, Monaco and at Pagan Muzak Festival near Munich. Why? Because we don't like playing live.

Come back home. What is your view of modern Italia?

We believe that in Italy life quality is better and higher than many other industrial nations, the real cancer in our country is the oppressive power of the Vatican State and the white dressed Polish guy who act on a herd of bigot and ignorant sheep and then corrupt politicians and mafia who govern and run together with the clergy life of Italian population.

You do not regard Vatican with favour�

We can't do anything but thinking everything bad about it. Jesus Christ's teaching can't be surely found in that corruption place, you can din instead the merchants of the temple and not God's home.

Mentions about other AIN SOPH from Japan can be found in Internet. What do you know about this band?

We know about their existence, discovered through the net. We know they are a 70's Japanese progressive band, but we never heard anything about them, we'd like to listen some of their records. We found a funny casualty the fact that two bands have the same name. Beware that the Italian Black Metal band called ENSOPH is not us!

What are the most important things discovered by you last year?

That we've never been on the moon, the NASA made the whole world fool with it.

At which stage is the work under your new album?

The new album is all nearly composed and it will be recorded soon. We like to work on things with all the time we need so we don't have idea when it will be out. Possibly, the album (as yet unnamed) is likely to be more electric than Aurora.

Plans for the year 2000?

To reprint on CD recordings from our old catalogue, a new 7" and a CD of circus joy, an acoustic SPIRITUAL FRONT 10" and an Argine live. Then a compilation "Inquinamento acustico Vol.1", devoted to industrial noise. Everything will be released with valid and important support, depending on necessity, of Old Europe Cafe , Oktagon and WolfAge.

Good luck to you in all acts.

Thanks. Ciao!