Interviews
Data Fragments, loud and violent stories through emotional dark sounds | Interview
Data Fragments, will perform their darkest stories in Death Disco Mini Fest 2k20 - Post-Punk Edition.
When I listened to the Data Fragments's same titled debut album, I thought that this is a post-punk band coming from the roots of dark, post-punk in the 80's. But the case is that they sound so beautiful, as if they have dived into this sea of the new romantics and the lyricism of the past and then they rise to give back, in an emotional way, all this aura. And Data Fragments use their post-punk guitar riffs and beats, along with the beautiful vocals of Panagiotis Dedepsidis to create this soundscapes.
Data Fragments are one of the best modern Greek post-punk bands and they will, definitely, create their own strong path in dark wave music. A great debut album, including seven songs, telling the darkest stories and released in March 2019 from Geheimnis Records, is making the expectations for their peformances and new music, getting real high!
On the occasion of their upcoming appearance in DeatDisco MiniFest 2k20 - Post Punk Edition, we have spoken with Data Fragments about the music, the words, the influences and, of course, the live show on Saturday, February 8th.
Hello Data Fragments. Thank you for this interview. Really happy to talk with a great Greek band.
ES: Hi Data Fragments. One of the best new bands and debut albums, and, to my opinion, not only in Greece. Before going into details, would you like to introduce yourselves and the band to our readers?
Data Fragments: Nice to meet you everyone, we are Data Fragments, Panagiotis Dedepsidis(Guitar/Vocals) Stathis Leontiadis(Bass Guitar) & Panos Dimopoulos(Synths) & we play New Wave since 2018.
ES:. How did you meet each other and what was the point or the fact that made you decide, that you will form Data Fragments and you will create a dark wave, postpunk sound?
DF: Panagiotis and Panos knew each other from “Komodia Thanatou”. Stathis saw them at one of their gigs and met them. After some time we thought that, since we like the same stuff why don't we jam together for fun and see what happens. To spice things up,Panos played synths, instead of bass and Stathis played bass, instead of synths. Our first session was at Stathis place and it was kind of a shock, because of the great chemistry between us three. And so it begun.
ES:. I want to ask a lot about the album, but I will do it in a while. Now I want to ask about the forthcoming live appearance. Death Disco MiniFest 2k20. Could you give us some info on the event?
DF: DeathDiscoMinifest/The post punk edition will take place on Saturday, 8th February at Gagarin, a vision of Leonidas Skiadas to combine the old with the new, the teachers with the pupils & prove once again that post punk is always re-birthing as long we have stories to tell. The Chameleons, Soviet Soviet, Leyki Symphonia, Holygram, Data Fragments are the living proof.
ES: You are going to share the stage with some of the best and well-known post-punk bands around Europe. How do you feel about that? Has any of those bands influence Data Fragments's sound?
DF: The Chameleons are obviously a huge influence in our sound & our life in general. But every band involved in this minifest, is brilliant and unigue in so many ways & we cannot wait to share the stage with all of them!
ES: I want ta ask you about two of the bands of DeathDisco Minifest's line-up. The first one is The Chameleons. How did you feel when you realised that you will share the stage with a legendary post-punk band? The second is Lefki Symfonia. A special appearance from another legendary post-punk band from Greece?
DF: The Chameleons is a band everyone should see live and we have never missed a gig in Athens ever and it feels like a dream sharing the stage with them. Lefki Symphonia are one of the most loving bands and so powerful live! It is and honor and a dream come true playing with the bands that you listened from your early teens till now. Who would have thought that!
ES: What can we expect from the Data Fragments in this festival appearance?
DF: Very loud and violent stories of our present and a few preverted fairytales of our future.
ES: Let's go to the album. Data Fragments same titled full length album, released on March 2019, from Geheimnis Records. As I’ve already said, one of the best dark wave, post-punk albums in 2019, including seven gems and already included in our top list for 2019. Can you tell us some things about the album?
DF: Thank you for your kind words,we are more than greatful that our stories, being present, in some ones' everyday life. We've just wrote a few songs of our nihilism and how our generation is obliged to be apathetic. Well, guess again we aren't. We are united and we are present.
ES: In the album, several influences of some post-punk bands and artists can be distinguished. Apart from what we've already discussed before, can you tell us about your music influences?
DF: We've got so many influences, our sentiment from early 80's Greek bands such as South Of No North, Fear Condition, The Reporters, our temper from The Chameleons, Sad Lovers and Giants, The Sound, our thymic from And Also The Tress and we can keep mentioning influences but the most important question is what do you have to say today? Be our Guest.
ES: The sound of the album is a melancholic, emotional dark sound and with the lyrics moving in the same lines. Which facts have inspired you lyric-wise? What is the concept behind Data Fragments's words?
DF: There is no concept there. We happened to be in a generation that dreaming is prohibited Our lyrics would never stop pointing the obvious. We still exist.
ES: Which are the next steps for the band? Is there any new material planned to be released? And where would you like to see Data Fragments in the future?
DF: We have so many new stories to tell & keep working on our next album, we will tell a few new ones at the mini fest but the future is so near, we cannot plan it. We just wish our music give shelter to anyone out there needed one.
ES: Thank you very much for this interview. Would you like to add anything more? Any last words for post-punk lovers?
DF: Never Afraid to live your life, scared to face your past, living in a cage that is made of dust. Thank you very much.
Looking forward to see you performing live and listen to your next releases. I wish you the best
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