‘Servant’ is the debut EP from Berlin-based noise rockers Errorr. Band founder and lead singer Leonard Kaage is known as the guitar player of The Underground Youth but also for his work with bands like The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Holy Motors, The Blue Angel Lounge and many more.

‘Servant’ is a reflection over political power sung with sensual vocals from the perspective of the top of a hierarchy. The distinctive bass line and catchy guitar sound captivate you and make you want to dance to the overbearing lyrics. This represents the meaning of the song perfectly as the music seduces you to move along with the dominant “speech” of the song, which is held by “the state”.

The multi-instrumentalist, born in Gothenburg, Sweden, first took the opportunity to pick up a blank canvas and paint with his own instrumentation, production and arrangement. The EP was recorded and played solely by Kaage in his basement studio in Friedrichshain in 2019, whenever he found time in between recording and touring with other bands around Europe, Asia and the US. After a few months of creating, the characteristic sound of Errorr took shape. Loud guitars and fuzzy bass supported by straight-forward drum beats. Leonard’s voice cuts through the mighty wall
of beautiful noise with messages about social injustice. The band feels inspired by a lot of great rock bands of the early 90s. Avant-Garde bands like Sonic Youth, Pixies and Nirvana are seen as pioneers in their raw and honest interpretation of rock’n’roll and punk rock. Errorr’s fuzz-drenched soundscape hover in between post-punk and shoegaze with a punk-rock attitude. The band is already working on their debut album, which is scheduled to be released in summer 2022.

“I was picking songs from a collection that I had made”

‘Servant’ EP was recently released. How long did you work on it?

Leonard Kaage: I think I spent some months, maybe half a year, on recording ideas and demos in my studio before I even really knew what it was for. At one point I started to see a red line in the songs and picked out the ones that I thought were fitting best together. This was in 2018/19 and it took until 2020 to put out the first single. Then Corona and everything happened so we didn’t release it until now.

You’re the guitar player of The Underground Youth and you also work with The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Holy Motors, The Blue Angel Lounge and many more. I guess you had a bit more time for your personal projects during the Covid-era?

Yes, that is true. Without anything happening and being at home so much, I made a lot of songs. For myself and for others. Although, I don’t think it was overall beneficial for my creative process since It’s hard to get inspired when the world is standing still. But, yes, hitting the stop button for a while did help me focus on one thing at the time instead of a thousand things.

There was quite an intensive creating process behind it. Can you share some further words on how ‘Servant’ came together?

As mentioned before, I was picking songs from a collection that I had made. Then I re-recorded some of them. My girlfriend would sometimes sit on the computer and push “record”, as the drum-kit was in a different room but besides that, I did everything on my own. I often stayed up late or tried to make time for this when I could, in between tours, gigs and work. At the time I was mostly focusing on getting a sound together so that I could create a band and start to gig more but as time went on I got more devoted to the songs and the sound. Now it’s constantly in my head.

<a href="https://anomicrecords.bandcamp.com/album/servant-ep">Servant EP by Errorr</a>

I really enjoy your vocal delivery on a pretty much very noise-oriented record. Was it difficult to produce the EP?

Thank you. When I make music for Errorr I always picture the songs being performed live. I’m quite excited about playing loud and to surround myself in walls of feedback and fuzz, while on stage. It can be hard to produce that feeling on a record as loudness volume is set by the listener. In production I have to find ways for the music to appear as “loud” on low volumes without turning it into metal music. On this EP I decided to sing relatively softly. I find that it can be more powerful to listen to a singer keeping his/her cool through-out the most ear-piercing noise, than a singer trying to top the emotion by screaming through-out the whole song.

Would you please speak to your guitars and the effects pedals you employ?

Honestly, I am still in search of the right guitar. I often record with a telecaster with bigsby and something with loud output pick-ups. On the recordings that I am making right now, I’m trying to strip back my pedal chain as much as possible. Make the most of as little as possible. Having too many options can be overwhelming for me and I forget to focus on what I’m playing.

“I’m going for a pretty raw and honest sound”

You’re planning to release an album in the Summer of 2022. Can you reveal some details about it?

As I mentioned, during Corona times, I had a lot of time to write songs. Last weekend we tracked drums for 16 songs. I don’t think all of them will make it on the record, but it’s good to have a few to choose from. I’m going for a pretty raw and honest sound on this one and am having great help from band members and friends in making it. The whole procedure is pretty straight forward in terms of sound. I want it to sound like we sound live. I’m recording the whole thing in my studio in Berlin.

Is there a certain backstory behind the cover artwork of the EP?

Olga Karatzioti, whom I’m running Anomic Records with, makes all the artwork for the band. She took the picture in her family home in Greece. We had a few different options for the cover but when she showed me this one I knew directly it was it. It somehow reminded me of ‘Daydream Nation’ from Sonic Youth, which has been a big inspiration. The religious painting makes sense as I often tend to write about power and hierarchies. Masters and servants et cetera. But it’s more about capturing the mood of the EP rather than giving a message with what’s in the picture.

What else are you currently working on?

I have been pretty busy preparing for tours that have been cancelled. Haha. Well, it seems like it’s opening up a bit now with so many people having the vaccine. My next mission is to book as many shows as possible with Errorr.

I’m working a lot on setting up my studio and trying to create a good workflow for making the new Errorr album. I also get some requests from different bands to record them. Running the record label is another daily activity.

“I find the DIY punk philosophy very inspiring”

Tell us about Anomic Records.

Olga and I started Anomic Records in 2020. In the beginning we were discussing how to put out my Errorr songs. After looking at the different options we decided to do it ourselves. It’s been in the back of my head for a long time, to run a label. I find the DIY punk philosophy very inspiring. Soon after having decided to release Errorr ourselves, we took the next step and started releasing other bands and now we have a list of bands that we are working with. There are so many cool bands that are being overseen by the money driven music industry and we definitely want to try to be there to help them be seen and come out and play gigs. It’s all about being supportive in the scene and trying to keep it alive.

Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

They say that when you turn 30 you stop discovering new music. I don’t believe that at all but what has happened to me is that I have started to listen to music that I listened to as a teenager. Pixies, Nirvana, My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain and so on. I listen to a lot of different music and try to collect vinyl when I have money for it.

The other day I was in my studio and took a break in the sun and put on John Wonderling’s ‘Daybreaks’. I really enjoyed that moment. I saw that you posted about Boris – ‘Akuma No Uta’. It sounds like the record will start to burn when you listen to that one. They recorded it so hot on tape! When it comes to new music, I recorded a band called Holy Motors a while ago, definitely check them out. I’m also gonna take this opportunity to recommend some of my band members’ music. André Leo is playing guitar with Errorr and has a solo project called Wombed and used to have a band called Medicine Boy. Uri who plays drums has been in a million bands but is currently playing with Jealous and Nick who is on bass is playing with a band called Perilymph. All great bands, check them out!

Thank you. Last word is yours.

Thank you! We have a bunch of very exciting stuff coming up with Errorr and bands on Anomic Records. Follow us on Insta or Facebook. Thanks for reading. Go to shows, support local venues and bands and stay healthy.

Klemen Breznikar

Headline photo: Olga Karatzioti

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