Hello Severina and Shane, how are you doing?
Severina: Hello CyberAngels! I do very fine thank you!
Shane: -Better than Oprah
Severina you played in Europe 2 years ago with Cylab, how do you look back at that experience, did it bring you what you expected from it?
Severina: I really enjoyed the Netherlands. My favorite part was drinking Skorppio vodka, having much fun and getting to know you Cyber Angels! The festival was a great show, a great line up of talent and an awesome venue! I would do it again in a heartbeat. London was classic tho I would love to hit it again with harder vibes of black lipstick and grit.
Severina the people could already hear a new Cylab song on the Endzeit Bunkertracks compilation, when can we expect a new album?
Severina: The new album for Cylab is called Cut & Coil. It is a very dynamic work of art ranging from songs harsh, darkly sweet, horrific and then filled with light! The album is completed now and will be released this summer 2010.
Severina shortly after your visit to Europe you mentioned having another band to me, The Break Up? Can you give a brief introduction to it?
Severina: The Break Up is absolutely contagious music that hits you in the heart strings like a glass of vodka/champagne punch. At first it just tastes super yummy and you want more and more; and then watch out! -you’re affected.. deeper than you thought with both pleasure and pain and a strong desire for more.
Shane, what did you do before you started The Break Up?
Shane: Chartruese and Soda. It's the band I was in before the Breakup. I've been performing in Seattle, New York and L.A. for about a decade. The Breakup is the latest project of mine.
How did you guys meet and what lead to forming a band together?
Severina: Shane and I met 11 years ago, geeking out, I think I was wearing bunny ears and he was wearing a mickey mouse hat. We recognized each other as long lost speshul friends. We’ve been the best of friends for all these years since then. A couple years ago, Shane was playing me some loops from his solo project and after watching me fall completely in love with the sound, he invited me to bring my vocals to the project.
Being in a band is often compared to a marriage, how would you describe the chemistry between you and Severina?
Shane: I wouldn't call it a marriage, we're like an affair. We've been friends for years, longing to create something together. Finally, after 9 years of half-assed efforts we grew up and got serious. The Breakup really came from a break up and I started writing an album that was honest and emotional. Severina tapped into a part of me that I couldn't explain and put words to it.
Severina: Our chemistry is strong! Haha! We love fiercely and sometimes strongly disagree. Yet we are very dynamic, with our hearts in the right places and our heads on the bigger picture. -Sometimes we completely dork out, somedays we philosophize about aliens, mayans and the apocalypse. Then other days we are making music like a team on iron chef america! Speaking of food, we love cooking together which may lead to another joint venture someday. Nom…
The music of The Break Up is a mixture of different styles of music, what are the ingredients for this great musical cocktail and how do you blend it?
Shane: electro-pop. Shaken, not stirred.
Severina: We just call it Electro-pop. It’s electronic and pop-y.
Was it hard to find the right musical direction since you both have a different background in music?
Severina: No, sometimes we joke that we are part of the same bigger brain. We often times ‘hear’ the same thing musically. We both love good bassy dance beats and emotional vocals. And actually within the first few weeks of meeting on another, we were jamming on keys and mics, recording and calling our collaborative effort, “Casio Confessions”. I still have the tape! Another project we shared was 7 years ago, first as an idea of mine called “Sol Sirenn” and then a more partnered effort, called “XS01”.
Your myspace mentions two other people as bandmembers, not the least ones. Eric James Peterson on live drums and Jasyn Bangert as producer, how did you manage to get them involved as well?
Severina: Jasyn Bangert is a dear friend of mine. He heard our music, fell in love like we did and wanted to produce it. We love the songs he produced, yet over time his schedule became overwhelmed with his own projects. We decided to have fun and experiment completing the album with self production. – Eric is an amazing drummer. I had the honor of performing and playing briefly with him in another project last year. I remembered him being full of talent, integrity, and wicked beats on his live kit. We invited him to be a part of the band and it’s been a great fit.
Shane: Jasyn saw the talent and potential in us and we are eternally thankful for that. Eric is an awsome drummer and gave life to our stage show. I can't wait for his influence on the second album.
You just released the debut album, why did you decide to limit it to a 100 copies? Is it a self release and can it be seen as a teaser of things to come?
Severina: We are definitely open to seeing what offers we get. If we decide not to sign, we will most likely release the album as a full package cd including artwork and lyrics. As well, we are already making way into a second album. So yes, are you teased?? There IS more to come!
How did the recordings of your debut album go, did everything work out as planned or were you facing some unexpected problems?
Shane: We didn't have as much time as I would have liked to record this album, I'm a perfectionist. Of course there were problems.
Who are the fans of The Break Up? What kind of people will like your music?
Shane: So far the crowd has been pretty diverse, anybody can relate to a broken heart.
Severina your lyrics are more direct on The Break Up album than on Cylab’s album, why this change, is the Severina of Cylab another person compared to the Severina of The Break Up?
Severina: I’m the same person of course; both bands are true expressions for me. The Break Up seems more direct because it is coming from baser emotional states of being that occur through the nature of relationships. My expression with Cylab is the part of me that is a meditative thinker; I focus more on topics of human nature, evolution, the cosmos, symbolism, etc.
Severina your own favorite song is “Black Ocean” why is this song so special to you?
Severina: I wrote this song as a request from Shane. It is deeply personal for him. As for me, it is a melancholic ode, or tribute if you will, to those special loved ones who were very close to me and that chose to pass from this world, choosing the devastating and heart wrenching path of suicide or overdose.
Shane what is your personal favorite track on the album and why?
Shane: Guillotine. it's my next tattoo, the word in script on the side of my neck. why? because it's about who is lying next to me right now.
The visual part is very important for The Break up, can you explain this and how do you make that part of the liveshows?
Severina: Shane and I both simply love performance art, fashion and fabulousness whatever expression; modern, military, vogue, noir, punk, trash and hot messes! --- Audio and Visuals should always happen together to effect the most provocative response of the senses.
Shane: -That is just one aspect of the whole experience. Ya gotta have the complete package these days.
You will tour soon in the USA with Project Pitchfork and Ayria, how do you prepare for such a tour and what are your expectations of it?
Severina: We are honored to be sharing the stage with them! We are currently conspiring and planning what our live show will be and enjoying shows in between here in Seattle. Personally, my only expectation is to enjoy ourselves immensely and to deliver that entertainment like water to the parched! ;-)
Shane: - Exposure, exposure, exposure! Lol...
Are there any plans for a European tour as well?
Severina: Sure! We’ll come to Europe!! When? Where?! Lets fucking do this!
What will be next for The Break Up?
Severina: Mmmm.. beaucoup plus s'il vous plait!!!!
Shane: We'll see, I'm not Dionne Warwick.
Any last words for the readers?
Severina: Thank you for being so very beautifully you! Come out, dance and play with us! Write to us ~ Tell us your thoughts, dreams, desires.. Be our Muses.
Shane: humanity is at an intellectual and emotional precipice. There has never been a better time for individuals to connect with each other.
www.wearethebreakup.com