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Originally aired on Modsnap Radio’s ‘Queen of Wands’ with Dj Nocturna, August 22nd, 2020. Visit DjNocturna.com
Ronny Moorings, Singer, Songwriter and Frontman of Clan of Xymox
Dj Nocturna: I’m speaking with a singer songwriter, producer and founder of the dark electro goth band, Clan of Xymox, the iconic Ronny Moorings. First of all, I want to say, thank you for doing this interview. I am honored as I have been, as you know, a big fan and supporter of you and, and your music for the last, what 35 years or even longer? I think, I mean, that’s how Iconic is it. Congratulations for bringing 35 years of beautiful original, quality music, you know, to the planet, you know, Clan of Xymox is certainly one of my greatest inspirations. You know, I describe you as iconic because you are, you know, you’ve always stayed true to your roots. You know, you’re authentic.. your authenticity, your music, your lyrics, even, you evoke that great creative, that dark creative inspiration, the fire that burns within us, right? Even your hairstyle is iconic and your whole style, you know, I’m sure many people have told you that, right? You have that distinguished style and look that separates you from the others that makes you who you are. You know, the last time we spoke, it was at a concert in San Francisco, which was a really good show that was at the Chapel.
And, yeah, I’m just after that, the pandemic hit, but you know, I’m so glad I went, I’m so glad I didn’t cancel my trip. So I know you, you write your music, you record it and you mix it as well. Right? and you play all the instruments.
Ronny Moorings: Correct. Yes.
Dj Nocturna: How would you describe your creative process in doing that?
I know that, You know, it’s really late at night right now. 1:00 AM there. Is this a time when you’re, when you’re up, when your creative juices are flowing?
Ronny Moorings: It used to be like actually, most of the time I work at night because then, it’s like everyone sleeps and I feel more relaxed cause there’s nothing to do. No one’s texting you or calling you and you can do, you know, like concentrate on music. I did change that a bit the last couple of years because I noticed that during the day time I couldn’t concentrate. If I just shut everything off and close the door. And, but I mean, I’m still a night person. I think you need to be. You are a night person because you’re, I mean, we play the night a lot, so it is always late. And that’s my bio rhythm is late. I, I don’t, I don’t do mornings practically, so yeah. So it’s just a different schedule. but it’s like, it’s all to do with peace of mind and, that you don’t really get disturbed. Now, if anything else on your mind then, concentrate on music. And that, that’s where I find, you know, the wee hours of the day are the best.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah. You know, you have so many albums that’s been out. How many is it ? like 16? Is it 16? I don’t know how many..
Ronny Moorings: I don’t even keep track.
Dj Nocturna: I’ve been counting it, you know, and I know you do the best of and all the others too, but it’s a lot.
And they’re all beautiful titles. I have to say. They’re always beautiful title: “Medusa,” “In love with Trust.” I mean, I love that, “Kindred Spirits,” all of that. How do you choose, the song titles? Do you just, Is it you get an inspiration one day. You just figured, “Oh, I love this title.”
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, well, you know, like kindred spirits is pretty easy because it’s like it’s reflects to, when I started music, there were a lot, of course I listened to a lot of bands the same. And, I considered like, these bands were like, like the bands I recorded or made a cover, some version of, I thought I thought they were important to me. And I just want to do something with that Idea and record it like 10 songs of, of a cover versions and, you know, because I think they are in the same type of scene that I am, and that’s why I call them kindred spirits. So there’s like a self-evident title, same as the best of. It’s very easy. It’s like, the best of Clan of Xymox so, you know, like sometimes it’s very easy. it’s most of the time, like, like regular, like, like albums, I want to bring out as an album. Either look at the title or like something in the lyrics that kind of gets to the title of an album. That’s not really real process. It’s kind of like a feeling like, what do you want as a title, what appeals as an album type? It’s all, you know.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah. You know, growing up in the seventies and eighties, as, you know, as a child, going back to the, going back to the pre-goth, pre-death rock, what kind of music or genre would you say influenced you as a musician today or helped shape your eclectic style and taste?
Ronny Moorings: Hmm. My musical history goes back a long, long time. I think, I was, already interested in music when, at the age of three. So…
Dj Nocturna: I believe it !
Ronny Moorings: My mom can testify. So I grew up, I grew up with like sixties bands but into the seventies and the eighties and the nineties. And, you know, I kept on listening to bands I’ve been listening to from a young age also, like when I was at school at 12, I played in bands I was also deejaying. So basically I was always buying records. So I was always trying to get the best tunes for me at the time to, and, and play them, as a DJ and also like trying to, make music, as a band. I started in a band when I was like, 11, but then we just played cover versions of bands we liked. That’s how I got into the thing of like trying to be a musician and being a musician. And only later in life, when I was like 20 something, I tried to, do a more serious thing, trying to do something on my own. And like, like trying, not having anyone around that was like when pre “Subsequent Pleasures” and “Subsequent Pleasures” was done….And from there on, I was building the Clan of Xymox concepts. It’s like, you know, it was not like. “Oh, yeah. I’m going to start a band.” They was like in my genes.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I was just going to say that, you know, they say that we manifest our thoughts, right. Or whatever we want in life and for you, you have been very successful as an artist and as a band. Did you always know that at a very young age, that you wanted to form a band? Just exactly like this.
Ronny Moorings: I had this idea. Like I wanted to have a band that I wanted to be in a band and I worked on, I didn’t know how exactly. So that’s why I tried the lot of things, when I was a kid, like, you know, having a band with my, my mates or like friends, who knew a little bit more than I did. Yeah. It was like music, music, music was always the right .. in my, my life. But at the same time, I didn’t think I could do anything with music. So of course I paid attention at school. I went to the University and studied. But still, like, there was always this nagging thing that I wanted to make music. And so I did everything along with my studies. It’s like, I kept on doing music..music, always coincided with, whatever I studied. and I was like, I thought study would be my main thing and I will do something, you know, like, media studies is like, would be my doctorate study, but I did media thing.…
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Wow. You know, your music, Clan of Xymox ,were featured in some TV shows and film, “The Guests 2014.” And then “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” that was a film in 2011.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. I think even last year was like, something about, Berlin, it was like a Mexican, the new Berlin, or I can’t remember the title now, but it’s a Mexican movie about, about, Berlin kind of like for, but for Mexicans. And it was like..It’s like a really, it looked really good. So I still haven’t seen it. I’m trying to get a hold of a copy when it’s on the, on, on DVD or something, it’s just like a, I think it was awarded as well, so yeah. Yeah. We get our music being played in the movies and this actually what I, I really like, cause I always dreamt of having a, you know, soundtracks with Clan of Xymox in it.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. I’m, I’m sure it will because you’re manifesting it. So it will happen. Yeah. Yeah.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. We are getting more and more of, like, like, requests if, if they can use our music. And of course I’m just flattered with the requests.
Dj Nocturna: How did they choose the songs for the film? For example, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” how did they..they heard it and they just wanted to include that in the soundtrack?
Ronny Moorings: I have no idea, really, because it’s like most time they talk to the record label or the publicist and it’s most of time It doesn’t go through me. I like I get notified like, “Ronny, do you mind if they have this and this in a movie? ” and all the requests so far has been just like good requests in terms of that. I, you know, I don’t mind at all.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, I’m sure. I’m sure there’ll be more.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, because like, yeah, no, no, that’s great. I mean, you know, I think, I think for this, this last album, I’m sure there will be also some use of some tracks coming up.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Because especially now there’s so many more darker shows, you know, on TV.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah ! Somehow like, it’s the right time again for this type of music to be highlighted. And as a matter of fact, also 2020 feels to me, feels like 1981 or something. Yes. It’s like, in those days it was like, Other reasons why everyone was without a job.
And it was like all these hopeless stuff going on and it feels just the same. It’s like you have like your switch on the TV, so many jobs that are going to get lost. So many businesses going out of business and it’s like,
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, so sad.
Ronny Moorings: Luckily. Luckily I experienced that, the periods and like, I know we’ve all got through it, but it was not a good period for a lot of people just to, you know, there was like they had to hang on to little things and trying to, well, in a way the good thing was like, they try to be creative and now you can be creative in so many ways more.
Dj Nocturna: Yes, Yes ! You know, I love how you celebrate women in your music you know, I, I read that you, you know, some of the women in the song titles, “Emily,” “Jasmine and Rose” they’re fictional. Is that true, they’re fictional?
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, absolutely they’re absolutely fictional. I don’t think I could actually sing about the name of a woman I would actually know. Actually most people I actually know and would love to sing about, they don’t have the right names to sing in the song. So I have to create my own names. I mean, you know, it’s, it’s like ..Yeah, this last album actually does not have that, women theme. So it’s, it’s fine.
Dj Nocturna: It’s okay. You can take a break. I’m sure you’ll do it in the next album. Yeah. so you have a new album coming out. It’s called “Spider on the Wall.” Now, prior to the release, I want to mention there was, there was a beautiful single called “She.” That was released…
Ronny Moorings: Actually ! There, there you go….There you go. “She” is for everyone.
Dj Nocturna: Yes. There you go. “She” Yeah, that’s good. It’s a beautiful song. It was released on Valentine’s day, February 14 of this year. And then I, I believe one of your other albums, I think “Matters of the Mind and Body and Soul” that was released on Valentine’s day too, back in 2014?
Ronny Moorings: Correct ! Yes !
Dj Nocturna: Do you consider yourself, I know Valentine’s day is special, but do you consider yourself romantic?
Ronny Moorings: (Laugh) Actually, actually we made the total wrong choice then, because it’s like, at the end I realized that it was not deliberate “She” was released on Valentine’s day, but like, because She was, released on Valentine’s day and our second single was called “Lovers.” Oh, my God, we should have released “Lovers” first on Valentines Day , but because there actually was no plan whatsoever. It was just like, okay, we will. Yeah. I think “She” is a single, let’s go with “She,” and then they got schedules on Valentine’s day as like, almost like an anti Valentine’s day song, because it was like about someone feeling really lonely.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. No,
Ronny Moorings: that’s not a feeling. That’s not a feeling you should get on Valentine’s Day.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. It’s good. I love the two songs together. I love them, Yes !
Ronny Moorings: It works great live. It’s like, I, you know, I can’t wait to play live again, like, we played this when you were in San Francisco. We played there. Yeah. We got to a grinding halt in Houston in the end, because then there’s was like, okay, if you, if you don’t go out of the country, you’ll never get out of the country anymore.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. I remember. I was watching that too. I was, I was thinking, Oh my God, I hope they’re okay.
Ronny Moorings: Like in the movie I felt like, you know, trying to escape this, this, country in order to get back home, it was like almost, it was a really daunting experience actually. Everything went right. But anyway, Houston was the last one. And now in two weeks time, we have this prospect to play in Prague again. I really love to play “She” again, and some new songs of the album. Cause, it’s been a long time and Prague is one of the few countries in Europe we just don’t play, believe it or not.
Yeah. Yeah. Well, Germany is also, Germany is also a caveat. Like some shows planned, but it’s all, you know, COVID approved. It’s not like there’s a bunch of people together. It’s all like responsibly planned and half to a quarter of the capacity as you would normally do. But we, we feel like that we have to, to work on the culture thing, because I have a feeling like the whole culture will be dead in, in a few months, if, if nothing happens because of this locked down.
When it started we thought this lockdown would be like be two or three weeks, you know, like I know flatten the curve and here we are 6 months later and they’re starting to talk about the second waves, the third wave, the fifth wave, the a hundred and 20th wave, you know, they could keep going on.
So we have to do something against that, proving that you can do things publicly.
Dj Nocturna: That’s smart ! That’s smart !
Ronny Moorings: Without, without having anything idiotic going on and like two weeks ago, this could take luckily like the, you know, gothic parties . Did he hear anything in the news about that? That anything happens? No. No, nothing happened whatsoever. So you can do it. Yeah. You have to be a bit more careful about. And in that way we always have to be careful about like, you know, when I sit in the airplane, I don’t want to get sick before I go on tour either.
You know, it’s like, you don’t want to get, you don’t want to touch things. You know, I have washed my hands. I don’t want to breathe in the air when someone’s coughing or sneezing.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah.
Ronny Moorings: And so on. So it goes for everything.
Dj Nocturna: You know, I was going to ask you that too, about, you know, the world changing rapidly and all these unpredictable unforeseen things, you know, I was going to ask you about how does Clan of Xymox prepare for that unforeseen changes in the future.
Ronny Moorings: I think life is short. I want to enjoy my life and otherwise, yeah. If I can’t enjoy my life, if I can’t live my life, then I don’t think it’s worth living. It’s like, I don’t want to be locked up like a, some scared person until indefinite. I don’t want to have our freedoms taken away because of a scare. There are more intelligent ways in order to get around that.
And I would want to reverse it like whenever someone is scared, stay home. I would. If I’m totally scared about things, I would stay at home. And so no one’s forcing anyone to do anything. So it’s like, if, if there are people out there who want to do things and not in a stupid way, mind you, it’s like not, you know, like you can still recognize there is something going on is like, not in our grasp in the moment.
Dj Nocturna: Let’s be very, mindful. Yeah. Yes. I understand.
Ronny Moorings: Oh, it’s the same with AIDS..like how long do we live with AIDS at the moment? Like we have 30 years. There’s no vaccination against AIDS. people know they have to be careful with their sex.
Dj Nocturna:: Yeah, good point.
Ronny Moorings: So you don’t see people like sleeping around anymore. You have to adapt your ways. So we could do the same with COVID-19. You don’t have to be locked up. We didn’t lock up anyone. “Ok, No more sex for anyone or 30 years to come. Yeah. Until we have a vaccination.”
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. I totally understand.
Ronny Moorings: We can do that with any virus. That’s what I like. Like people. I think still need to kind of grasp that there’s like, there’s no black or white in these things. Like, come on. We have to find a way around it because life is unbearable at the moment. I think like six months to lock up people and change rules every two or three days. There’s that? “No, you can’t do that. No, you have to do that.” And, but it’s not only nationally. It’s locally. So if you go from one town to another, there are other rules, it’s like, this is like making people mad. This is like a classic, a classic thriller. This is a classic futuristic thriller. What we are waiting for at the moment.
Dj Nocturna: I agree because you know, for me, I don’t want to be stuck here anymore. I’m tired, you know, but what do you do?
Ronny Moorings: Yes, Everyone is tired.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. I mean, we gotta, we want to open up the economy to keep the economy… Hawaii depends on tourism. We need tourists here, but at the same time, you know, what do you do? People are getting it. I mean, we’re just, I don’t know. Yeah. But, you know, I totally agree. And I’m glad that you are taking that, you know, you’re taking that step.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. I’m sure a lot of people would say, yeah, I will, you know, you’re totally wrong. Wear a cap until the government says you don’t have to wear that anymore, but like, come on.
You know? And, I’m really, I have nothing else to do, but reading up about this problem and trying to go around in a sensible way and without hurting anyone else or whatever, you know, like, and if you don’t want to be hurt, I’m not going to elderly homes. I’m just playing in the band.
Dj Nocturna: I totally agree. You mentioned earlier that you DJed at school parties, right? You’re a DJ. And I know you still DJ, right? Do you still DJ sometimes?
Ronny Moorings: Yes. I still do once in a while. Not, not that often, but like just for fun somewhere.
Dj Nocturna: Would you consider deejaying, touring as well as a DJ? Would you consider that like a side thing ?
Ronny Moorings: Often I combine a DJ, you know, like, like, like doing a show somewhere and DJ. Depends on how long we are in a town, like in the town for two, three days. And like one night deejaying and the bands we talked to people and I’ll DJ, and then we have a show Things like that. So most of the time that works really, really cool. Because, you know, it’s a different thing, DJ, playing music from other bands and yeah, that works.
That works for me. And I love deejaying. I love, I love to play music.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah. I would love to hear your set. I want to hear that sometime.
Ronny Moorings: Invite me to Hawaii I would say !
Dj Nocturna: I know. Yeah, that’s a plan. You know, so your album artwork, or your cover on the album reflects the theme of the album. How do you choose them?
Ronny Moorings: Mojca does all the artworks. She’s also in the band.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, yeah, yeah. They’re beautiful.
Ronny Moorings: And she’s my spouse.
Dj Nocturna: Very good point. That’s good. You collaborate together like that.
That that’s, that’s a special, you know,
Ronny Moorings: For the last 30 years, so it’s like, it’s nothing new. It’s just like, see, she always makes the artwork. She listens to the music and reads the lyrics and she gets inspired by it. And then she makes the artwork and she shows it to me, she asked me, do you like it?
I always say, Yeah. I always agree. So there’s this, I don’t think, I can’t recall that I said, I don’t like something. Sometimes he gives me choices like what do you think? I choose something like, yeah, it’s my choice as well. So actually one line with the arts, same and I love it.
So it’s like a red line, eh, Also in the release of Clan of Xymox, the artwork for myself since the 90s, basically.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. You know, you know, I love that cover that you did. It’s not, it’s not in Kindred Spirit, but it’s a cover, “Wild is the Wind.” Wild is the Wind. I love that. I love that song. Yeah. So she must be your, your kindred spirit ?
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, yeah. Bowie been always like, inspiring for me, like, when I was at school. And I saw him as an artist and I just adored him. I liked his image, his albums, his, he was kind of like, Yeah, the old one out at that time, it was like, you didn’t really have in those days, alternate music that what Bowie was then. It was considered alternative.Yeah. Like not too many people knew him.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. So it’s like a, like a, something I held him very high him as an artist. I kept following him, of course. Yeah. That’s why I have some cover songs of him.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah It’s beautiful. Beautiful cover. I love that one in particular also. Would you ever consider playing an acoustic solo?
Ronny Moorings: No. No, simply no, because you know, I always use electronics
Dj Nocturna: Okay.
Ronny Moorings: Like acoustic would be the false message. Something I’m not.
Dj Nocturna: Ok . If have a favorite quote that best describes Ronny Moorings, do you have one? Do you have one like a favorite quote?
Ronny Moorings: Favorite quote? “Don’t stab me in the back, Stab me in the front.”
Dj Nocturna: Okay. That’s good.
Ronny Moorings: Oh, that was Oscar Wilde, I think.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I love Oscar Wilde.
Ronny Moorings: He is the master of quotes. I wish I was witty and smart as he was just like, he is brilliant. He has the best quotes ever. That just came to me and I’m sure there’s way more wittier quotes.
Dj Nocturna: yeah, I love the Portrait of Dorian Gray. I totally love Oscar Wilde.
Ronny Moorings: Absolutely.
Dj Nocturna: You know, so I’m looking forward to your new album being played Live. Maybe later on you’ll come back to the U S and play again, live shows.
Ronny Moorings: Absolutely. That’s the plan. We had originally had to break off our tour and, Now we just have to wait until the coast is clear.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah.
Ronny Moorings: I don’t think it will be definitely not this year. 2021 is like all the shows from 2020 are nearly all going to be bounced to 21. So I think to be honest, I think. I hope we can play in the States in 2021 or otherwise 2022. We also have to see which venues are still available.
Dj Nocturna: Right, right, right.
Ronny Moorings: And also like how many bands are going to wanting to play all at once in the same territory . Everything at at Topsy Turvy at the moment. So I have no idea.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything’s up in the air. So it’s so crazy, but yeah, no, you know, I always wished the best for you and Clan of Xymox. Congratulations again. And, I’m looking forward to the next, you know, 100 years of Clan of Xymox. If anybody wants to check out your updates, there’s www.clanofxymox.com Right? That’s a website. Yes.
Ronny Moorings: And Facebook is the most up to date, always because it’s so much easier to put a message on them and like a kind of like dot com address, but yeah, both.
Dj Nocturna: And also your band camp, you have a band camp, right. Band Camp. If people wanted to check it,
Ronny Moorings: That’s from the label the Bandcamp that’s a metropolis records. They have records there of course.
Dj Nocturna: but the best place is of course clanofxymox.com because that’s where all the updates are and the Facebook.
Ronny Moorings: And the Facebook. Yes. Yes.
Dj Nocturna: Okay. Well, you know, thank you. I am looking forward to more new music as it comes, you know and playing it on the radio and the clubs.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. Working on the next single on the B sides. I still have to write this. It’s kind of like, I’m halfway, it’s getting warm. That’s for later in the year, that’s going to be the four single and then have to also think about a video.. like fun stuff
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. You know, I, I read that, you don’t like to write happy songs and I don’t blame you. Is that right?
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, I don’t, I consider myself as like a miserable person or a moody person. Maybe I am moody. And when I’m in my studio and think about things and write music. So it’s like, seeing this, like, you know, the shy guy who, never talks to anyone until it’s …States animal. So there’s kind of like, you can have that in all sorts of ways. Like you don’t have like, any situation, draws out something out of you, and it’s in this very, like if I go, making music, I’m looking for the other tunes, then the happy tunes.
Dj Nocturna: I totally get it.
Ronny Moorings: I can’t help herself. That’s the way it is. I can’t even force myself. This doesn’t work.
Dj Nocturna: mean, no, if it fits you, it suits you. If you start writing happy music and wouldn’t fit. I mean, I like it. I love them. I love the way you sound. Yeah. Don’t don’t change I love the way it is.
Ronny Moorings: I think, I think, coming out of my mind, I think I wrote once upon a time, a happy song called “Soul Free,” but that was like on the Head Clouds album. It was my London years. I wrote a happy tunes. That’s what I remember. Possibly, the only one.
Dj Nocturna: That’s good. No, I like it. I like everything. Thank you very much. I am looking. Yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing him again and, thank you, you know, and best wishes.
Ronny Moorings: Thank you so much, Ann. You have a good day.
Dj Nocturna: Thank you. You take care.
Ronny Moorings: I’ll have a glass of wine now. It works best against Covid.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Be safe. Alright. Bye bye. Thank you.
Ronny Moorings: Bye bye.
Ronny Moorings, Singer, Songwriter and Frontman of Clan of Xymox
Dj Nocturna: I’m speaking with a singer songwriter, producer and founder of the dark electro goth band, Clan of Xymox, the iconic Ronny Moorings. First of all, I want to say, thank you for doing this interview. I am honored as I have been, as you know, a big fan and supporter of you and, and your music for the last, what 35 years or even longer? I think, I mean, that’s how Iconic is it. Congratulations for bringing 35 years of beautiful original, quality music, you know, to the planet, you know, Clan of Xymox is certainly one of my greatest inspirations. You know, I describe you as iconic because you are, you know, you’ve always stayed true to your roots. You know, you’re authentic.. your authenticity, your music, your lyrics, even, you evoke that great creative, that dark creative inspiration, the fire that burns within us, right? Even your hairstyle is iconic and your whole style, you know, I’m sure many people have told you that, right? You have that distinguished style and look that separates you from the others that makes you who you are. You know, the last time we spoke, it was at a concert in San Francisco, which was a really good show that was at the Chapel.
And, yeah, I’m just after that, the pandemic hit, but you know, I’m so glad I went, I’m so glad I didn’t cancel my trip. So I know you, you write your music, you record it and you mix it as well. Right? and you play all the instruments.
Ronny Moorings: Correct. Yes.
Dj Nocturna: How would you describe your creative process in doing that?
I know that, You know, it’s really late at night right now. 1:00 AM there. Is this a time when you’re, when you’re up, when your creative juices are flowing?
Ronny Moorings: It used to be like actually, most of the time I work at night because then, it’s like everyone sleeps and I feel more relaxed cause there’s nothing to do. No one’s texting you or calling you and you can do, you know, like concentrate on music. I did change that a bit the last couple of years because I noticed that during the day time I couldn’t concentrate. If I just shut everything off and close the door. And, but I mean, I’m still a night person. I think you need to be. You are a night person because you’re, I mean, we play the night a lot, so it is always late. And that’s my bio rhythm is late. I, I don’t, I don’t do mornings practically, so yeah. So it’s just a different schedule. but it’s like, it’s all to do with peace of mind and, that you don’t really get disturbed. Now, if anything else on your mind then, concentrate on music. And that, that’s where I find, you know, the wee hours of the day are the best.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah. You know, you have so many albums that’s been out. How many is it ? like 16? Is it 16? I don’t know how many..
Ronny Moorings: I don’t even keep track.
Dj Nocturna: I’ve been counting it, you know, and I know you do the best of and all the others too, but it’s a lot.
And they’re all beautiful titles. I have to say. They’re always beautiful title: “Medusa,” “In love with Trust.” I mean, I love that, “Kindred Spirits,” all of that. How do you choose, the song titles? Do you just, Is it you get an inspiration one day. You just figured, “Oh, I love this title.”
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, well, you know, like kindred spirits is pretty easy because it’s like it’s reflects to, when I started music, there were a lot, of course I listened to a lot of bands the same. And, I considered like, these bands were like, like the bands I recorded or made a cover, some version of, I thought I thought they were important to me. And I just want to do something with that Idea and record it like 10 songs of, of a cover versions and, you know, because I think they are in the same type of scene that I am, and that’s why I call them kindred spirits. So there’s like a self-evident title, same as the best of. It’s very easy. It’s like, the best of Clan of Xymox so, you know, like sometimes it’s very easy. it’s most of the time, like, like regular, like, like albums, I want to bring out as an album. Either look at the title or like something in the lyrics that kind of gets to the title of an album. That’s not really real process. It’s kind of like a feeling like, what do you want as a title, what appeals as an album type? It’s all, you know.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah. You know, growing up in the seventies and eighties, as, you know, as a child, going back to the, going back to the pre-goth, pre-death rock, what kind of music or genre would you say influenced you as a musician today or helped shape your eclectic style and taste?
Ronny Moorings: Hmm. My musical history goes back a long, long time. I think, I was, already interested in music when, at the age of three. So…
Dj Nocturna: I believe it !
Ronny Moorings: My mom can testify. So I grew up, I grew up with like sixties bands but into the seventies and the eighties and the nineties. And, you know, I kept on listening to bands I’ve been listening to from a young age also, like when I was at school at 12, I played in bands I was also deejaying. So basically I was always buying records. So I was always trying to get the best tunes for me at the time to, and, and play them, as a DJ and also like trying to, make music, as a band. I started in a band when I was like, 11, but then we just played cover versions of bands we liked. That’s how I got into the thing of like trying to be a musician and being a musician. And only later in life, when I was like 20 something, I tried to, do a more serious thing, trying to do something on my own. And like, like trying, not having anyone around that was like when pre “Subsequent Pleasures” and “Subsequent Pleasures” was done….And from there on, I was building the Clan of Xymox concepts. It’s like, you know, it was not like. “Oh, yeah. I’m going to start a band.” They was like in my genes.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I was just going to say that, you know, they say that we manifest our thoughts, right. Or whatever we want in life and for you, you have been very successful as an artist and as a band. Did you always know that at a very young age, that you wanted to form a band? Just exactly like this.
Ronny Moorings: I had this idea. Like I wanted to have a band that I wanted to be in a band and I worked on, I didn’t know how exactly. So that’s why I tried the lot of things, when I was a kid, like, you know, having a band with my, my mates or like friends, who knew a little bit more than I did. Yeah. It was like music, music, music was always the right .. in my, my life. But at the same time, I didn’t think I could do anything with music. So of course I paid attention at school. I went to the University and studied. But still, like, there was always this nagging thing that I wanted to make music. And so I did everything along with my studies. It’s like, I kept on doing music..music, always coincided with, whatever I studied. and I was like, I thought study would be my main thing and I will do something, you know, like, media studies is like, would be my doctorate study, but I did media thing.…
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Wow. You know, your music, Clan of Xymox ,were featured in some TV shows and film, “The Guests 2014.” And then “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” that was a film in 2011.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. I think even last year was like, something about, Berlin, it was like a Mexican, the new Berlin, or I can’t remember the title now, but it’s a Mexican movie about, about, Berlin kind of like for, but for Mexicans. And it was like..It’s like a really, it looked really good. So I still haven’t seen it. I’m trying to get a hold of a copy when it’s on the, on, on DVD or something, it’s just like a, I think it was awarded as well, so yeah. Yeah. We get our music being played in the movies and this actually what I, I really like, cause I always dreamt of having a, you know, soundtracks with Clan of Xymox in it.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. I’m, I’m sure it will because you’re manifesting it. So it will happen. Yeah. Yeah.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. We are getting more and more of, like, like, requests if, if they can use our music. And of course I’m just flattered with the requests.
Dj Nocturna: How did they choose the songs for the film? For example, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” how did they..they heard it and they just wanted to include that in the soundtrack?
Ronny Moorings: I have no idea, really, because it’s like most time they talk to the record label or the publicist and it’s most of time It doesn’t go through me. I like I get notified like, “Ronny, do you mind if they have this and this in a movie? ” and all the requests so far has been just like good requests in terms of that. I, you know, I don’t mind at all.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, I’m sure. I’m sure there’ll be more.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, because like, yeah, no, no, that’s great. I mean, you know, I think, I think for this, this last album, I’m sure there will be also some use of some tracks coming up.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Because especially now there’s so many more darker shows, you know, on TV.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah ! Somehow like, it’s the right time again for this type of music to be highlighted. And as a matter of fact, also 2020 feels to me, feels like 1981 or something. Yes. It’s like, in those days it was like, Other reasons why everyone was without a job.
And it was like all these hopeless stuff going on and it feels just the same. It’s like you have like your switch on the TV, so many jobs that are going to get lost. So many businesses going out of business and it’s like,
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, so sad.
Ronny Moorings: Luckily. Luckily I experienced that, the periods and like, I know we’ve all got through it, but it was not a good period for a lot of people just to, you know, there was like they had to hang on to little things and trying to, well, in a way the good thing was like, they try to be creative and now you can be creative in so many ways more.
Dj Nocturna: Yes, Yes ! You know, I love how you celebrate women in your music you know, I, I read that you, you know, some of the women in the song titles, “Emily,” “Jasmine and Rose” they’re fictional. Is that true, they’re fictional?
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, absolutely they’re absolutely fictional. I don’t think I could actually sing about the name of a woman I would actually know. Actually most people I actually know and would love to sing about, they don’t have the right names to sing in the song. So I have to create my own names. I mean, you know, it’s, it’s like ..Yeah, this last album actually does not have that, women theme. So it’s, it’s fine.
Dj Nocturna: It’s okay. You can take a break. I’m sure you’ll do it in the next album. Yeah. so you have a new album coming out. It’s called “Spider on the Wall.” Now, prior to the release, I want to mention there was, there was a beautiful single called “She.” That was released…
Ronny Moorings: Actually ! There, there you go….There you go. “She” is for everyone.
Dj Nocturna: Yes. There you go. “She” Yeah, that’s good. It’s a beautiful song. It was released on Valentine’s day, February 14 of this year. And then I, I believe one of your other albums, I think “Matters of the Mind and Body and Soul” that was released on Valentine’s day too, back in 2014?
Ronny Moorings: Correct ! Yes !
Dj Nocturna: Do you consider yourself, I know Valentine’s day is special, but do you consider yourself romantic?
Ronny Moorings: (Laugh) Actually, actually we made the total wrong choice then, because it’s like, at the end I realized that it was not deliberate “She” was released on Valentine’s day, but like, because She was, released on Valentine’s day and our second single was called “Lovers.” Oh, my God, we should have released “Lovers” first on Valentines Day , but because there actually was no plan whatsoever. It was just like, okay, we will. Yeah. I think “She” is a single, let’s go with “She,” and then they got schedules on Valentine’s day as like, almost like an anti Valentine’s day song, because it was like about someone feeling really lonely.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. No,
Ronny Moorings: that’s not a feeling. That’s not a feeling you should get on Valentine’s Day.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. It’s good. I love the two songs together. I love them, Yes !
Ronny Moorings: It works great live. It’s like, I, you know, I can’t wait to play live again, like, we played this when you were in San Francisco. We played there. Yeah. We got to a grinding halt in Houston in the end, because then there’s was like, okay, if you, if you don’t go out of the country, you’ll never get out of the country anymore.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. I remember. I was watching that too. I was, I was thinking, Oh my God, I hope they’re okay.
Ronny Moorings: Like in the movie I felt like, you know, trying to escape this, this, country in order to get back home, it was like almost, it was a really daunting experience actually. Everything went right. But anyway, Houston was the last one. And now in two weeks time, we have this prospect to play in Prague again. I really love to play “She” again, and some new songs of the album. Cause, it’s been a long time and Prague is one of the few countries in Europe we just don’t play, believe it or not.
Yeah. Yeah. Well, Germany is also, Germany is also a caveat. Like some shows planned, but it’s all, you know, COVID approved. It’s not like there’s a bunch of people together. It’s all like responsibly planned and half to a quarter of the capacity as you would normally do. But we, we feel like that we have to, to work on the culture thing, because I have a feeling like the whole culture will be dead in, in a few months, if, if nothing happens because of this locked down.
When it started we thought this lockdown would be like be two or three weeks, you know, like I know flatten the curve and here we are 6 months later and they’re starting to talk about the second waves, the third wave, the fifth wave, the a hundred and 20th wave, you know, they could keep going on.
So we have to do something against that, proving that you can do things publicly.
Dj Nocturna: That’s smart ! That’s smart !
Ronny Moorings: Without, without having anything idiotic going on and like two weeks ago, this could take luckily like the, you know, gothic parties . Did he hear anything in the news about that? That anything happens? No. No, nothing happened whatsoever. So you can do it. Yeah. You have to be a bit more careful about. And in that way we always have to be careful about like, you know, when I sit in the airplane, I don’t want to get sick before I go on tour either.
You know, it’s like, you don’t want to get, you don’t want to touch things. You know, I have washed my hands. I don’t want to breathe in the air when someone’s coughing or sneezing.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah.
Ronny Moorings: And so on. So it goes for everything.
Dj Nocturna: You know, I was going to ask you that too, about, you know, the world changing rapidly and all these unpredictable unforeseen things, you know, I was going to ask you about how does Clan of Xymox prepare for that unforeseen changes in the future.
Ronny Moorings: I think life is short. I want to enjoy my life and otherwise, yeah. If I can’t enjoy my life, if I can’t live my life, then I don’t think it’s worth living. It’s like, I don’t want to be locked up like a, some scared person until indefinite. I don’t want to have our freedoms taken away because of a scare. There are more intelligent ways in order to get around that.
And I would want to reverse it like whenever someone is scared, stay home. I would. If I’m totally scared about things, I would stay at home. And so no one’s forcing anyone to do anything. So it’s like, if, if there are people out there who want to do things and not in a stupid way, mind you, it’s like not, you know, like you can still recognize there is something going on is like, not in our grasp in the moment.
Dj Nocturna: Let’s be very, mindful. Yeah. Yes. I understand.
Ronny Moorings: Oh, it’s the same with AIDS..like how long do we live with AIDS at the moment? Like we have 30 years. There’s no vaccination against AIDS. people know they have to be careful with their sex.
Dj Nocturna:: Yeah, good point.
Ronny Moorings: So you don’t see people like sleeping around anymore. You have to adapt your ways. So we could do the same with COVID-19. You don’t have to be locked up. We didn’t lock up anyone. “Ok, No more sex for anyone or 30 years to come. Yeah. Until we have a vaccination.”
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. I totally understand.
Ronny Moorings: We can do that with any virus. That’s what I like. Like people. I think still need to kind of grasp that there’s like, there’s no black or white in these things. Like, come on. We have to find a way around it because life is unbearable at the moment. I think like six months to lock up people and change rules every two or three days. There’s that? “No, you can’t do that. No, you have to do that.” And, but it’s not only nationally. It’s locally. So if you go from one town to another, there are other rules, it’s like, this is like making people mad. This is like a classic, a classic thriller. This is a classic futuristic thriller. What we are waiting for at the moment.
Dj Nocturna: I agree because you know, for me, I don’t want to be stuck here anymore. I’m tired, you know, but what do you do?
Ronny Moorings: Yes, Everyone is tired.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. I mean, we gotta, we want to open up the economy to keep the economy… Hawaii depends on tourism. We need tourists here, but at the same time, you know, what do you do? People are getting it. I mean, we’re just, I don’t know. Yeah. But, you know, I totally agree. And I’m glad that you are taking that, you know, you’re taking that step.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. I’m sure a lot of people would say, yeah, I will, you know, you’re totally wrong. Wear a cap until the government says you don’t have to wear that anymore, but like, come on.
You know? And, I’m really, I have nothing else to do, but reading up about this problem and trying to go around in a sensible way and without hurting anyone else or whatever, you know, like, and if you don’t want to be hurt, I’m not going to elderly homes. I’m just playing in the band.
Dj Nocturna: I totally agree. You mentioned earlier that you DJed at school parties, right? You’re a DJ. And I know you still DJ, right? Do you still DJ sometimes?
Ronny Moorings: Yes. I still do once in a while. Not, not that often, but like just for fun somewhere.
Dj Nocturna: Would you consider deejaying, touring as well as a DJ? Would you consider that like a side thing ?
Ronny Moorings: Often I combine a DJ, you know, like, like, like doing a show somewhere and DJ. Depends on how long we are in a town, like in the town for two, three days. And like one night deejaying and the bands we talked to people and I’ll DJ, and then we have a show Things like that. So most of the time that works really, really cool. Because, you know, it’s a different thing, DJ, playing music from other bands and yeah, that works.
That works for me. And I love deejaying. I love, I love to play music.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah. I would love to hear your set. I want to hear that sometime.
Ronny Moorings: Invite me to Hawaii I would say !
Dj Nocturna: I know. Yeah, that’s a plan. You know, so your album artwork, or your cover on the album reflects the theme of the album. How do you choose them?
Ronny Moorings: Mojca does all the artworks. She’s also in the band.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, yeah, yeah. They’re beautiful.
Ronny Moorings: And she’s my spouse.
Dj Nocturna: Very good point. That’s good. You collaborate together like that.
That that’s, that’s a special, you know,
Ronny Moorings: For the last 30 years, so it’s like, it’s nothing new. It’s just like, see, she always makes the artwork. She listens to the music and reads the lyrics and she gets inspired by it. And then she makes the artwork and she shows it to me, she asked me, do you like it?
I always say, Yeah. I always agree. So there’s this, I don’t think, I can’t recall that I said, I don’t like something. Sometimes he gives me choices like what do you think? I choose something like, yeah, it’s my choice as well. So actually one line with the arts, same and I love it.
So it’s like a red line, eh, Also in the release of Clan of Xymox, the artwork for myself since the 90s, basically.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. You know, you know, I love that cover that you did. It’s not, it’s not in Kindred Spirit, but it’s a cover, “Wild is the Wind.” Wild is the Wind. I love that. I love that song. Yeah. So she must be your, your kindred spirit ?
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, yeah. Bowie been always like, inspiring for me, like, when I was at school. And I saw him as an artist and I just adored him. I liked his image, his albums, his, he was kind of like, Yeah, the old one out at that time, it was like, you didn’t really have in those days, alternate music that what Bowie was then. It was considered alternative.Yeah. Like not too many people knew him.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. So it’s like a, like a, something I held him very high him as an artist. I kept following him, of course. Yeah. That’s why I have some cover songs of him.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah It’s beautiful. Beautiful cover. I love that one in particular also. Would you ever consider playing an acoustic solo?
Ronny Moorings: No. No, simply no, because you know, I always use electronics
Dj Nocturna: Okay.
Ronny Moorings: Like acoustic would be the false message. Something I’m not.
Dj Nocturna: Ok . If have a favorite quote that best describes Ronny Moorings, do you have one? Do you have one like a favorite quote?
Ronny Moorings: Favorite quote? “Don’t stab me in the back, Stab me in the front.”
Dj Nocturna: Okay. That’s good.
Ronny Moorings: Oh, that was Oscar Wilde, I think.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I love Oscar Wilde.
Ronny Moorings: He is the master of quotes. I wish I was witty and smart as he was just like, he is brilliant. He has the best quotes ever. That just came to me and I’m sure there’s way more wittier quotes.
Dj Nocturna: yeah, I love the Portrait of Dorian Gray. I totally love Oscar Wilde.
Ronny Moorings: Absolutely.
Dj Nocturna: You know, so I’m looking forward to your new album being played Live. Maybe later on you’ll come back to the U S and play again, live shows.
Ronny Moorings: Absolutely. That’s the plan. We had originally had to break off our tour and, Now we just have to wait until the coast is clear.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah.
Ronny Moorings: I don’t think it will be definitely not this year. 2021 is like all the shows from 2020 are nearly all going to be bounced to 21. So I think to be honest, I think. I hope we can play in the States in 2021 or otherwise 2022. We also have to see which venues are still available.
Dj Nocturna: Right, right, right.
Ronny Moorings: And also like how many bands are going to wanting to play all at once in the same territory . Everything at at Topsy Turvy at the moment. So I have no idea.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything’s up in the air. So it’s so crazy, but yeah, no, you know, I always wished the best for you and Clan of Xymox. Congratulations again. And, I’m looking forward to the next, you know, 100 years of Clan of Xymox. If anybody wants to check out your updates, there’s www.clanofxymox.com Right? That’s a website. Yes.
Ronny Moorings: And Facebook is the most up to date, always because it’s so much easier to put a message on them and like a kind of like dot com address, but yeah, both.
Dj Nocturna: And also your band camp, you have a band camp, right. Band Camp. If people wanted to check it,
Ronny Moorings: That’s from the label the Bandcamp that’s a metropolis records. They have records there of course.
Dj Nocturna: but the best place is of course clanofxymox.com because that’s where all the updates are and the Facebook.
Ronny Moorings: And the Facebook. Yes. Yes.
Dj Nocturna: Okay. Well, you know, thank you. I am looking forward to more new music as it comes, you know and playing it on the radio and the clubs.
Ronny Moorings: Yeah. Working on the next single on the B sides. I still have to write this. It’s kind of like, I’m halfway, it’s getting warm. That’s for later in the year, that’s going to be the four single and then have to also think about a video.. like fun stuff
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. You know, I, I read that, you don’t like to write happy songs and I don’t blame you. Is that right?
Ronny Moorings: Yeah, I don’t, I consider myself as like a miserable person or a moody person. Maybe I am moody. And when I’m in my studio and think about things and write music. So it’s like, seeing this, like, you know, the shy guy who, never talks to anyone until it’s …States animal. So there’s kind of like, you can have that in all sorts of ways. Like you don’t have like, any situation, draws out something out of you, and it’s in this very, like if I go, making music, I’m looking for the other tunes, then the happy tunes.
Dj Nocturna: I totally get it.
Ronny Moorings: I can’t help herself. That’s the way it is. I can’t even force myself. This doesn’t work.
Dj Nocturna: mean, no, if it fits you, it suits you. If you start writing happy music and wouldn’t fit. I mean, I like it. I love them. I love the way you sound. Yeah. Don’t don’t change I love the way it is.
Ronny Moorings: I think, I think, coming out of my mind, I think I wrote once upon a time, a happy song called “Soul Free,” but that was like on the Head Clouds album. It was my London years. I wrote a happy tunes. That’s what I remember. Possibly, the only one.
Dj Nocturna: That’s good. No, I like it. I like everything. Thank you very much. I am looking. Yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing him again and, thank you, you know, and best wishes.
Ronny Moorings: Thank you so much, Ann. You have a good day.
Dj Nocturna: Thank you. You take care.
Ronny Moorings: I’ll have a glass of wine now. It works best against Covid.
Dj Nocturna: Yeah. Be safe. Alright. Bye bye. Thank you.
Ronny Moorings: Bye bye.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
