Interview with Neil Carter all instruments for 10:13 done by Patrick
1.Hello Neil how is the new year starting out for you? Please tell the readers a little about yourself?
- This years starting out good. It was a long hard road to get to this point. I'm kind of the guy that's been alongside since the founding bands, but realized over time if anything was gonna get produced around my drumming, then I would have to make every other instrument happen myself. I can't help but roll my eyes when I hear of another one-man Black Metal band. Usually the drums and vocals are worlds away from what I've become accustomed to. I wanted to make something that was listenable for myself.
2.When did you first become interested in writing and playing music? What were the first instruments you learned to play?
- I guess I should at least start from the beginning. Without knowing it, before birth I was already being exposed to stuff from how my parents were into music, so by the time I could 1st hear anything I was taking in these experimental Prog bands whether I liked it or not. I did'nt really fully understand or appreciate my folks until I got around and saw a little culture. I just assumed every Dad randomly had Suicidal Tendencies or Slayer on vinyl here and there. From that foundation I was then able to stay up to 11:45 and catch the og Headbangers Ball where the 1st night I recorded Morbid Angel's - Rapture video. I too this day think it's a top 3 song and video. Beavis and Butthead came along around the same time with some tasteful bands that I would go buy. Around 12 1st tried guitar and it was'nt making sense so I gravitate toward wanting to play drums. I got a kit around that age but never put out any recorded music until now in my 30's. And it was best that way because I still feel it's barely acceptable.
3.Are you self taught or did you take lessons when first starting out? What instruments do you currently play? And are their any instruments that you would like to learn to play one day?
-The Accordion would be insane if you could skillfully play it, but to just go nuts on pulling out some slow demented tones. Everything I play now: drums, keyboard, bass, guitar, harmonica is all self taught. I did'nt have the drive once I started having school friends to go out and be seen. I had a lot of impatience in public, so early on I would drum along as best I could to the Death, Suffocation, Entombed, or Monstrosity albums.
4.Who are some of your biggest influences and favorite musicians?
-Marco Kehren of Deinonychus, Misteltein and Tony Macalpine have paved the way.
5. Neil when did you first get the idea to start the band 10:13 and how did you choose 10:13 as the name of the project and does it have a special meaning?
- I just chose my birthday. I figured October Friday the 13th could be some special show where I murder someone. I knew I would be going at this alone so I did'nt mind. Oathbade was what I had for a band name in my head many years prior.
6.Who would you say are some of the bands biggest influences on the debut recording? And for the readers who have never heard the bands music how would you best describe the style and sound?
-The biggest at heart from around the world was Xasthur. I use to have such in depth thoughts with myself on how that had to have affected Scandinavian bands. I to this day have not heard much come near that realm. It's like people put their heads in the sand until it went away. I personally want to hear other bands pick up with elements of where he left off. For those that have not heard 10:13...each instrument is doing its own things. I think it's a little difficult for certain people to be ready for that kind of experience. For #1 it's really depressive, but also the layering takes a decent system or headphones and definately your full attention repeatedly. And honestly who has that kind of time. The drummings pretty blasty on parts with a few different technical genres influencing me. It can be sporadic on a couple songs, but others have underlying repeating parts. I try to set a theme with movie samples and vocals that are pretty tragic.
7.Results of An Iron Age is the debut release which you are self releasing towards the end of January did you look for a label to release the debut or do you prefer to self-release your music?
- I never looked for a label because there was always one more step I seemed to be undertaking. By the end of the process I had managed having pieced together getting it produced, so I went with creating UncleBaby Records. I have gotten randon contact about European distribution since releasing this a week ago. I'm definately interested in manufacturing as much as I can while I'm able to.
8.How long did it take you to write the music for the debut release? How long does it usually take you to complete one song?
-I wrote about 2 albums worth in the span of a very productive year back in 2014. So this debut is some newer and old material. The songs I chose to hold off on were so important that I wanted to build up my muscle before recording them. The recording process After the drums can take two to three weeks if I'm quick. I write and rehearse a lot of the parts as I'm recording the final. But after mixing and everything, one song has a few months if not years into them. I'll write the keyboard chords 1st, then I have to think ahead so far into the song (which is near impossible) in order to come up with drum arrangements. Bass is very important to me, and more important than non-musicians think...so that comes following. What I do next on clean guitar is a lot where the Xasthur atonal influence comes in. I wanted those clean parts to be very stale/colorless in delivery. Lead and rhythm guitar complete the shading with slow to fast tempos.
9.Besides the upcoming debut release do you have any other merchandise currently available or more coming out this year? If yes what is available and where can the readers buy it?
- I have the album artwork on shirts. The physical disk along with those aswell are on my bandcamp. I wanted to keep the number of music accounts small. Facebook I use basically to get to the bandcamp and youtube page.
10. I know you had some guest musicians appear on the debut release, are their any plans to add more members to do some live shows or is this strictly a studio project?
-If Im able to stay on track these next few months with rehearsing, people just might see a live show of some sort in 2019. Other live musicians are out of the question for the next few years....but I'm a Drummer, so who wants to see anyone else around. Any future albums will definately have some guests I threatened to work for me.
11.Besides working in 10:13 do you currently work with any other solo projects or bands? If yes please tell the readers a little about them?
- There are a lot of bands I would've been thrilled to drum for at some brief period of their career, but I could'nt see myself setting up and driving around for anyone else at the moment. The 5 bands I would join I could'nt because the drummers are all assassins. Anyway I feel people got all jacked up on the internet and frankly they're taking a lot of understanding on my part, as I feel it's the same with them. I feel until people soften up a bit, the best thing for me to do to ride this out is to make some tunes.
12.When you need to take a break from working on new music or band business what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
-Right now I start the last season of Trailer Park boys, before that I went through the Sopranos and East Bound and Down. I don't do much other than work and music at the moment, but I do occasionally enjoy commercial free tv for samples or a break.
13.Thank you Neil for taking the time to do this interview. Do you have any finally comments for the readers?
-Thanks for taking an interest in the band. I'm already of the mindset of taking the style to a more hypnotic/listenable direction. Some of the songs on this debut cd are nearing 4 years old so I'm eager to bite a chunk of meat out of the face of the next one....
https://1013.bandcamp.com/album/result-of-an-iron-age
https://www.facebook.com/1013neilcarter/
