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Krzysztof Rakowski interview [for Ukrainian Gothic Portal] [ via internet by Vitaliy 'Stranger' Fedun ]

[Details : Interview was made via e-mail. Krzysztof Rakowski , organizer of Castle Party festival and musician from famous polish dark wave band Fading Colours is answering questions. Style of writting is kept.]

Info : Castle Party is a biggest gothic / dark wave festival in Eastern Europe for already many years. Hosting place for famous gothic bands. More info on following links.

Official Castle Party page : http://castleparty.com , Images copyright (c) Ukrainian Gothic Portal - www.gothic.com.ua and Castle Party - www.castleparty.com

Notes : Krzysztof Rakowski - Kris, Vitaliy Fedun - Stranger.

Stranger: Kris, first of all could you please explain us what is your exact position for Castle Party (main organizer?) and what are your duties concerning this position ? (what you do)

Kris: Hmmm. Actually, I am responsible for everything there. I am helped by friends whom I trust. This used to be enough, but the event has grown bigger, there is more to do so I need more and more people's help.

Stranger: Could you tell our readers some facts about Castle Party in your interpretation - Whose idea it was ? Official site doesn't answer this question..=) When did it start and who started it ? Or you can just say the short historical stuff you know about..

Kris: We [Fading Colours] wanted to be able to play for our own public, in a special place. With time, the event grew bigger and I became the main organizer. Now the profile of the event has remained the same, with the added worry about how to keep it.

Stranger: I think everybody who is interested in goth electronics know the name of famous Polish band Fading Colours, but possibly not all the people know that names of both brothers Rakowski stands beyond the band name (and of course DeCoy). Kris, could you tell us how do you manage to make biggest in East Europe goth festival and to work creatively in Fading Colours?

Kris: If it weren't for Fading Colours, there wouldn't be Castle Party. Working with the band and with the organization of the festival taught me how to keep both these projects together and continue them with good results for both. Fading Colours is a family project, we mostly have responsibilities to each other, connected with the same name. Thanks to this, we avoid problems of the artistic nature. Those of family nature solve themselves.

Stranger: Lattest years we can see that Castle Party festival grows widely and gets its popularity aroud. The best evaluation of popularity of festival are the names of bands who play it. Last years in Castle Party participated cult on gothic scene bands such as Attrition, Inkubbus Sukkubus, Clan of Xymox, Dreadfull Shadows, Endraum and others famous ones. Is it difficult to arrange such well-known bands for participation ?

Kris: Not any more. Nowadays promoters in the West trust me, the festival has a good opinion. Organizing concerts of artists of the class you mentioned has always looked the same: what you have to do is listen to what they have to say. They know our reality, Poland is not Germany and you cannot forget about it.

Stranger: That is possibly a bit uncorrect question - but what are your favourite bands which played you festival - Castle Party ?

Kris: Clan Of Xymox and Psyche. But I like all the bands playing in Bolkow, it was I who invited them so I am not indifferent to the music they play.

Stranger: We put 4 huge reports and around 200 photos of bands after last festival on our Ukrainian CP site. How could you evaluate Ukrainian Castle Party Site - http://gothic.com.ua/castleparty ? What are your comments, proposals for it ?

Kris: First of all, I'd like to officially thank you for your help. Your site is excellent, it contains all the information that someone who lives in Ukraine requires if they want to go to this festival. I would not suggest any changes, as it is your site, so it is up to you what it looks like.

Stranger: Thanks for good words...Another question - last year there was Ukrainian gothic band - KOMU VNYZ performing on Castle Party, how do you like it?

Kris: It is the best Ukrainian band I have heard so far. I think it has a big chance to become known outside Ukraine as well.

Stranger: Great to hear it..=) Ukraine and Poland are really close to each other. Neighbors, actually. How do you see the future of Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in area of goth-industrial music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?

Kris: I have always been put off by the road to your country, the atmosphere on the border, the lack of the feeling of safety. But most of all both you and we lack money, even the communist Marx said that material being defines the way of thinking.

Stranger: Would Fading Colours like to participate in Ukrainian gothic fest "Angels of Night" [previously Children of Night] whenever it would be ?

Kris: Of course we would. We really like travelling and besides I would like to see what a Ukrainian festival looks like.

Stranger: Kris, this is a difficult duty to select bands for festival - I mean you should make a choice, this is always time- and nerve-consuming. How do you select bands ? Just those you like ? =)

Kris: I invite the bands that I think people would like to see, fans of this music in Poland and now not only in Poland. I can't afford inviting every band, this closes the way for some young bands to
some extent but perhaps there will come time for them as well. Of course, I think about the bands I like, but-as I said- I must be able to finance it so I can't think of myself only.

Stranger: You were first one of those in the world who listened to UkrainianGothic Compilation CD - what are the bands you liked and which ones you would like to see on your festival in future ?

1_castle1.jpg (6419 bytes) Kris: I like the compilation on the whole but I can't say anything about any particular bands, I still haven't listened to it enough. If I am to take any decisions concerning any bands on this CD, I will
certainly listen to it many more times.

Stranger: Do you know anything about Ukraine and ukrainian music ?

Kris: Thanks to you, I know your dark music scene, but I know that the reality is not too happy, as in every country that isn't very rich. I think this is a developing market, though, and it can be important in some years' time. I was in your country some years ago, I visited friends in Odessa. The city was beautiful but there wasn't any music scene there back then. Though there were concerts of Maszina Wriemieni and Avgust. I went to the Avgust one, there were a lot of soldiers there.

Stranger: Kris, first the Fading Colours started as gothic rock band and then you are making kind goth electro now. Why did FD change so much and what will be sound of new album ?

Kris: As both of us have already said, the band is our family project, it was difficult for us to work with other musicians so we work on our own and Leszek is very interested in samplers and in electronics in general, so we reduced the number of band members to just the three
of us. In the new album, there is a guest guitarist playing, which makes the sound stronger but it is still electro.

Stranger: I see you and Fading Colours on each big Eropean gothic festival - Wave Gotik Treffen, Mera Luna. Is it difficult to perform so many festivals ? How do you get time for CP ?

Kris: It doesn't take a lot of time, you just can't leave anything to be done later and then it all works out.

Stranger: Do you plan to perfom in USA ? Have you ever done that ?

Kris: Yes, we have already had a chance to play there, but they pay after the concert and we can't afford the cost of the flight, this is a lot of money in Poland, so I am not trying too hard to play there. If there is an opportunity, we will use it.

Stranger: After having worked so many year on the music market and in gothic show-biz could you please say what is gothic for you now? Did your attitude change with a time?

Kris: The best thing about our times is that all borders fade, in music as well. As far as gothic is concerned, I think it is the spirit, the atmosphere that count nowadays, I think Clan of Xymox is a really good example here.

Stranger: Kris, what are the final words you could say to our readers and all those in Ukraine who likes Castle Party and are fans of Fading Colours ?

Kris: First of all, I'd like to thank them for their patience, we have made them wait for the new album for so long. But it is almost ready now, it will soon be available in shops. And for all those who like the atmosphere in Bolkow I can say that the main thing there is to have a good time, of course listening to good music is a part of it, but do whatever you want as long as nobody else minds it, meet as many interesting people as possible to meet them there again next year.

Stranger: Kris, thank you very much good words for interview and also for your usefull information as for our readers and ukrainian goths as well as for those who just likes non-standard music. Here, in Ukraine, there is growing number of goths who will like to come to your festival and lots of fans of Fading Colours music - this interview will be really interesting for them. And we surely hope to see Fading Colours performing in Ukraine in close future. =) And to see Castle Party growing from year to year with Ukrainian bands participating in it.

P.S. I know that Fading Colours are performing Wave Gotik Treffen this year. Our ukrainian goth band - Komu Vnyz or Skrybin also are supposed to be there also this year. Hopefully we see the only two slavic bands from Eastern Europe on one stage!

Kris: That's great, see you there!