Who is Aunia Kahn?
She is this girl that writes music, makes art and loves animals.
You are an internationally known visual artist, why start an industrial band?
I started to create music before I became an internationally known artist. I have always been creating at some level, and since music has always been a major part of my life, the songs that I would make up in my head randomly became something I wanted to make in real time, so I gave it a whirl. Much of the lyrical work of my songs are based on writings which started to materialize in grade school. I started singing very young, not professionally but because I loved it and found singing to be very comforting. I use to make songs up and sing myself to sleep. I drove my mother crazy. No doubt, I really wanted to be on Star Search. Go figure? Overall, I have been creating all my life in some way shape or form. I enjoy creating art as much as I enjoy singing and making music.
To us it seems that all of you work is about expression, are we right?
Totally, I guess expressing my emotions comes out vividly in all my creations. I am not good about hiding my feelings. When people read my lyrics or look at my art they are aware that there is something more than a pretty picture or catchy synth lines/lyrics.
When I started to make music I was living in Detroit MI in a loft. One day I was playing around with some magnetic poetry on a friend’s refrigerator trying to come up with a band name for my project. So the words “after” and ”chain” worked very well together. I have always been a fan of two words not typically placed next to each other forming a new word. It’s the way I have always named a lot of my artwork or song titles. When I thought about the name deeper than aesthetic purposes or liking the way the two words sounded when said together, I found a deeper meaning. I grew up in a very abusive home, and found that in music; just as well as art, I was healing myself. Needless to say “AfterChain” to me meant, “After a Chain of events” or “After being Chained to something you world not want to be” a rebirth of oneself. Breaking away. So it stuck.
What inspires when you are writing music and does it differ from the sources of inspiration for your visual work?
Actually both are the same, they are just different ways to express how I feel and think, but overall I am inspired by my life for both.
You just released the ep “Void”. What can you tell about the process of making it, was it hard and did you run across some problems. It seems it took a pretty long time as well?
Yes it took a very long time! Writing music takes a lot more time for me than creating art. I feel there is a much more complex process being your own band. When you are a solo artist creating the music, writing the lyrics and vocals the process can get a little hectic. When I was getting close to finishing the CD a few years ago my art started to take off and the CD took a backseat for a while, and so did writing music. So, it then became something that was always lurking behind me begging for it to be finished, so as I work on completing some of my major projects, the EP was one I finally finished.
Out of the 7 tracks, 4 are remixes. Why this construction instead of more original tracks and lesser remixes? How did you get bands/people like Razed in Black and Daniel Myer to do a remix for you?
I have always been a fan of collaboration and of remixes and since this was an EP I would keep in to a few of my tracks, but give people more music by including fantastic remixes from people I adore and respect. I met Romell from Razed in Black in 1998, and have kept in contact with him since. At that time I was just a fan out watching them play with Switchblade Symphony in Detroit, but now creating my own music in a similar genre I thought what an honor it world be for Romell to remix a track on this CD, so he did. As for Daniel Myer he is one of my biggest inspirations for creating music, so that’s why I looked to him for a remix. I am honored to have them both on the CD along with Neo Land (Netherlands) and John Zero (Flesh Eating Foundation, UK).
Most of my sales are coming from Japan and I don’t speak Japanese so I am not too sure. No, really it seems that people are enjoying the CD, but want more of my original music and are pulling for my full length CD “Perilous Function”.
What are your goals for Afterchain?
One of the main goals is to finish “Perils Function”, and to collaborate with more musicians out there on remixes and projects. My art is just taking so much time with exhibiting, interviews, creating it and so on that I can’t dedicate the time I want for my music. I am looking to try in 2009 to set aside more time for that. I miss it terribly!
You are someone who is very socially aware, what important themes for you personally. To what subjects do you really feel connected?
I feel connected to those that feel that they have lost something in this life. I feel connected to the less fortunate, the abused, the lost, the misfits per se. I have always been a misfit from day one, so I understand and identify with them. I think that is why I help with animal rescues, curate an exhibition for those who have mental illness or have been abused and if I ever have kids (SLIM CHANCE) I will only adopt. I feel fortunate in being able to use my gifts to help, so I feel that it’s something given to me to promote good.
You also published the “silver era tarot” . Was this hard to make for you and what role does spirituality have in your life?
It’s not published yet; we are working on that currently. It’s a two-year project, so far and it’s been a very large undertaking for sure. Tarot cards are interesting and basically to complete this 78 card project I hard to live through, learn and restage the central theme of each card with my creative vision. For people that don’t know much about tarot cards, the symbolism itself is the most important part of the deck, and to make a deck workable requires a lot of precision. As an artist you are free to do what you want, but you have to stick to some of the rules to make it a worthwhile deck. People make strictly art decks, but many times they are not usable by other people. I really wanted this deck to be something people could fall in love with and connect with on a whole other scale. I have always been a spiritual person. Although as a child I was brought up Catholic, and had hard and fast rules, with a lot of guilt. As a child I tried to retain a connection to my higher power, but it always seemed so fake. When I got older I became more spiritual, so I left the Catholic title of religion behind for a more truthful, loving life filed with “spirituality”. This tarot card deck has been a creation on that journey. On a side note if the readers don’t know much about tarot cards they should research them, they are not taboo or negative which is the stigma they sadly get. Tarot cards and decks are fascinating and very positive.
The theme is my life. It’s like a visual journal of my past, present and future.
Is there anything left you still want to do but due to lack of time you can’t?
Everything! I think music has really taken the back burner, so that is something I wish I had more time for. As for other things, truly I want to try and do almost everything once. When I am introduced to something new I just want to get my hands all over it and give it a try. It doesn’t matter if I royally suck at it, I experienced it.
In what way does the visual art scene deviate from the music scene and what are connections as well?
That’s a tough question. To me they are only connected by the fact that they are both creative, and those that like music tend to like art. As for a correlation between galleries and lets say DJ’s (clubs), to get your art seen or your music played is all handled completely differently. They are two completely different worlds. You must put on one game face for art, and another for music. Other people might view it differently but that is just what I have seen.
Everybody has an addiction what is yours?
Collecting Hello Kitty, Old Clocks, Cameras, and Vintage Door handles. I do also feel that I am addicted to creating, I sometimes get overly consumed.
There is a host of things going on for both. AfterChain will be putting out a full length CD (Perilous Function), releasing a couple new music videos, possibly doing some live shows, and doing collaborations with other musicians. Aunia Kahn, will be putting out a couple books (Obvious Remote Chaos, TBA), producing and acting in the feature film “The Dead and the Dreaming”, publishing the tarot deck “Silver Era Tarot”, illustrating books/comic books and exhibiting all over the world. There is so much more that will be going on, some things I just can’t publically release yet, but if you’re a fan of either of my works then I would visit my websites from time to time, there are always new updates and things going on.
www.findkahn.com (Directory Kahn)
www.afterchain.com (Music)
www.auniakahn.com (Art)
www.auniakahndesign.com (Design)
www.silvereratarot.com (Tarot)
Last words for the readers?
Thanks for tuning in, now back to your regularly scheduled program.