The Venus Fly Trap | Interview | ‘Time Lapse 1989-1994’
British alternative rock band founded in Northampton in the late 1980’s. Their eclectic style of alternative music blended post-punk with goth to form a dark psychedelic hybrid.
The band was formed by Alex Novak (vocals, formerly of Religious Overdose, Attrition, and The Tempest) and John Novak (guitar, vocals, formerly Where’s Lisse?), and Tony Booker on bass guitar prior to their debut twelve-inch single ‘Morphine’ in March 1988. The band decided to release a very interesting compilation, ‘Time Lapse’. It’s a selection of tracks collected from the albums ‘Totem’, ‘Pandora’s Box’ and ‘Luna Tide’, placed together as a possible alternative album in this alternate reality. “Time Lapse” used to refer to a method of filming, by taking a series of single pictures over a period of time and then putting them together to show the action happening quickly. Plot – Urban decay, on the concourse, escapism via drugs, machines choking the arteries. A Moscow apartment, economic refugees, the human menagerie. Zen and the art of vehicles, crucified by the highway, on the road to…Fallen statues in public parks, the prince of narcosis, to the sea of tranquility. T minus and counting, dedicated to all astronomers … keep watching the skies.
“Alternative album for this alternate reality”
Can you give a brief history of Venus Fly Trap.
Alex Novak: I had been in a band called Attrition who were based in London at the time, I had done an album and toured Holland/UK with them. Decided to move back to my native Northampton famous for Bauhaus, Alan Moore and the film Kinky Boots, hooked up with my brother John Novak (Isaws, Where’s Lisse) and Tony Booker an ex art school student, I had also studied at art school. The line up has changed many times over the years, Andy Denton joined via a local band Crowman, initially as the drummer and ended up playing guitar and has done for many years.
Your new album ‘Time Lapse’ collects tracks from three albums ‘Totem’, ‘Pandora’s Box’ and ‘Luna Tide’. What was your reasoning for a three-in-one rather than individual releases?
It was basically the time it would take to release individual albums, to promote those albums, and the costs, it just seemed to make more sense, if someone else would like to re-issue everything in one go in the future then that’s fine. It gave me an opportunity to pick tracks and create an alternative album for this alternate reality.
You’ve talked about Venus Fly Trap’s albums as existing in triptychs. How do these three albums relate to each other?
Well, two came out on Danceteria, the line-up was pretty consistent with the core members being present, I would say ‘Luna Tide’ was a transition album with members who had joined at the time of ‘Pandora’s Box’ being retained, so shifts in line-up rather than seismic changes. But generally it was a band line-up with the usual drums, guitar, bass and keys which kept it within certain parameters but with some experimenting in the studio.
There was quite a sonic shift from the post punk of ‘Totem’ to more organic ‘Luna Tide’. Why the constant evolution?
As new members join they add their influences to the pot, also we replaced electronic drum pads with a real drummer (on ‘Mars’ we had a drum machine) and sequencers with an analogue keyboard player so that will effect the feel.
Despite this they remain easily identifiable as Venus Fly Trap. What’s the aesthetic holding them together?
I guess one thing would be myself: I have been the only constant in all the line ups and I want the sound to fit certain parameters, ‘Luna Tide’ was at the edge of those parameters and I didn’t want to continue in that particular direction for ‘Dark Amour’ but that’s another story.
Certainly not a metal album ‘Luna Tide’ nevertheless got a glowing review in the metal bible Kerrang!. What was the crossover appeal?
I think at that time the magazine was covering a lot wider musical tastes not just the traditional stuff but also grunge, alternative rock and goth so we fitted within that brief.
How did you decide what tracks to include on ‘Time Lapse’?
Tried to get tracks to fit together and get a flow going, changed the order on some of the tracks from ‘Luna Tide’ as they seemed to fit together better.
Fans have a special relationship with songs. Were you worried about omitting someone’s favourite when assembling ‘Time Lapse’?
This is an alternative album for an alternate reality, those albums don’t exist in this reality, another time and another place the dice would fall differently.
‘Time Lapse’ seems a pretty apt title for these strange times.
Time has been changed are we going forward or are we in limbo?
How will you promote the album in the midst of a pandemic?
Via the net, magazines, radio and whatever portals and wormholes are open to transmit information.
Peter Dennis
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