Gunning through the years | An Interview with Wes Eisold

I have been following Wesley Eisold's musical and creative endeavours since I first discovered and fell in love with American Nightmare. There are no simple words to describe my love and affinity to that music and that time. Wes's current band Cold Cave are a much more somber sound but like AN, found a place and time in my life where they fit perfectly. I recently had the awesome opportunity to interview Wes. Below is that interview.

 Of course, a lot of people know you first and foremost as the front man from American Nightmare/Give up the Ghost, can you describe the evolution and progression from AN to Cold Cave?

Years in between really. Much as I had different interests at age 10 than 20, I had different interests at age 30 than 20. To me it's different in sound but comes from similar places. I want to move along and age gracefully without too much explanation or apologies.

How different is the writing and creative process in Cold Cave compared to your previous music projects?

With Cold Cave I oversee everything and I'm more connected to it from all angles. With American Nightmare or Some Girls I was the singer who wrote lyrics and sang on music written by friends.

How have you found your old fan's acceptance of your new musical direction? As we both know, Hardcore fans can become fixated on one aesthetic.. Have you copped much flack from the Hardcore scene and how have you dealt with it?

I don't care what umbrella someone falls under! What I do is not for everyone. It is the same now as it was ten years ago. 

Would you say you have found your true musical outlet or dare I say "happy place" with Cold Cave? And how have you changed from those more angry Hardcore days?

Yes but even then I know there's so much more I haven't done with songwriting that I want to. I was angry then but more than angry I was full of fear and sadness and so were my friends and that was our youth and our time and we're mostly all still here.

Seattle 2012 by Angel Ceballos

How have you found the experience of performing live with Cold Cave?

I love it. I love playing with Dom. I love that it took years to figure out what did and didn't work. And it's always been a work in progress. I love feeling so satisfied one day and like such a failure the next. All of this is a gift to keep moving and learning and growing and expressing how it feels to be alive and human in this confusing world.

In Dec 11'/ Jan 12' American Nightmare performed live for the first time  in years since the disbandment. How was it seeing and playing with those guys again and what was the experience like singing those words again? 

It was one of the best days of my life. I'm so thankful for the experience of playing with every one else in AN and to everyone who was there and shared it with us. I was in tears for most of the show. I could never say enough how much I love everyone.

Was the reunion something you ever thought you would see happen?

For years I never thought about it. We all needed a break.

There has been some criticism about the motivation for the AN Reunion shows. Of course with the emphasis on money being the sole motivator. What do you have to say about that?

This is a tired observation. If someone has a problem with the infrastructure of performances in a venue then the solution is simple, don't go. A band plays and people pay money to go see them play. Even then there's no point in addressing it. It's negative. I would rather be asked about the people who were ecstatic to see us play. What we did and do doesn't end with music. This kept some of us alive and I don't just mean the people on stage.

Photo : http://www.flickr.com/photos/leahisawkward/5633316916/

How do you find the time between Cold Cave, Heartworm Press and now the AN reunion shows to do anything?  

This is my life. I don't want to do anything else. 

Looking back, what has been your greatest personal achievement with Cold Cave?

Writing and recording songs I love for myself and the people who identify with them.

After moving on from AN/GUTG you have taken on  a great many projects.  Of course,  Heartworm and Cold Cave being the major ones. What can we expect from you moving forward? 

More and more of those mostly. 

Is there plans for a new Cold Cave album? And, have there been any offers put forward to see Cold Cave tour the likes of our Australian shores anytime in the future? 

We'll come for the next album. Last time I was in Australia I had bottles and coins thrown at me for 20 minutes and was detained by the Police. Of course I want to come back.