We sit down with the 'ghost' behind the synthpop, new waver band The Deathless, Paul Rhodes.
Sensual, fearless, in the midst of darkness alongside a ballad of lyrics about dying and being reborn is exactly what to expect in his first cassette release entitled 'Ghost' which was just added to our slew of visionaries on magic rub label. Its 15 minutes of spook pop on a cream cassette with tracks like 'nightmare' which I'm sure you can imagine is as creepy as the title. Its catching two chord synth notes bearing a connection of new order and joy division with a fresh take on the end of days as we know it. With lyrics like 'don't try to run and hide' 'You can not hide' you can not escape the night, just give up'. Paul Rhodes is bearing a fist to the darkness and is hungry for souls to follow in his cult lush pop vision.
When I begin to ask the first interview question I start to wonder what happened to this guy in his childhood to make him want to release his demons on the surface and open his heart to us on a warped cassette but fuck I'm so glad he has! I light a American Spirit smoke and shoot the first question off:
MR: Why the name "the deathless'?
PR: Well the name actually came from an episode of Adventure Time. Which is one of my favorite shows. I have also always loved bands that have the at the beginning and I am into the dark aesthetic that the name creates.
MR: Why is the number '666' is added to your email?
PR: BECAUSE ITS THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST!!!
So I am thinking don't piss this guy off he might cut my throat with roland synth laser beams or call all the dark demons from beneath the earth to feed on my heart and soul, haha.
MR: What is it like in your state, Memphis right? never been there
PR: Memphis is big and run down. But when you grew up here your proud of it. The scene here is slow. There are some really rad kids that come out to shows but its hard to grab the attention of a lot of people. Especially when you are playing synthpop. Its a little obscure and weird to muggles.
MR: How do you form your lyrics for your songs, really love the darkside that seems to always be present, tell me about this?
PR: My lyrics are the most important thing about my music. Most of my songs are dark metaphors for personal experiences or struggles. They are formed sometimes sitting down and deliberately trying to write them or they will just come to me randomly and I jot them down on my pocket notebook.
MR: I'm sure you have tons of influences in your sounds, what are some you want to note??
PR: Yes, Prince, Nine Inch Nails, Future Islands, Cold Cave, and TEEEL.
Oh yeah we can see the Prince vibe and I like how his sounds are hard to classify and put in a genre, which is one of the things that made us want to have him on our label. Very synthesizer driven and heavy on the drum machine loop. Which brings me to my next question...
MR: Whats your recording process? you seem to make a nice attempt on catchy 90's pop, very put together in a verse chorus verse chorus kind of format?
PR: I usually write the song as I am recording it. I go in with a dope beat or a cool synth hook and just start building everything around that.
MR: Yeah the 'hook' is a great way to explain. Well you got the 'Ghost' 15 min out and we are also sometime soon already have in the works a brand new Deathless cassette and also heard something about a split tape in the works?? and we will have you on our new mixtape series soon as well you got a bunch going on something with synth records too right??
PR: Yeah "Ghost" has been out courtesy of Magicrub for a little bit now.
My new EP entitled "Playing Dead" will be coming out this winter on Werkstatt Recordings and the cassette on magic rub.I am hashing out the details for split with an awesome artist. This artist will be announced soon. I will have songs on compilations by Bedroom Cassette Masters 80-89, Ritual Tapes, Chameleon Tapes, and Magicrub Cassettes. So be on the lookout. The Deathless does not have anything to do with synth records. However, I have previously released music with them in a band I am in called Suicide Forest. I do plan on working with Werkstatt Recordings more in the future. If no one has checked them out you should. Everything they release is awesome. I will have a video for every song on my EP "Playing Dead". have those online soon and I will be hitting the road for a while in either May or June.
interview by magic rub cassettes 2013
Listen/ buy/ share The Deathless 'Ghost' cassette out now on magic rub cassettes below
NOTE: Also look for new material on a upcoming split tape and also on Magic Rub Cassettes new mixtape series called 'Drug therapy' vol one which is set to be out very soon.
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