(Premiere) “Paranoia” by VENUS FURS, Plus Exclusive Interview with Madness To Creation on Mental Health Awareness & George Floyd
Editor’s Note: Venus Furs, the moniker of Montreal’s Paul Kasner, has announced the release of his upcoming self-titled LP out July 10th 2020 The LP will be released with his independent label, Silk Screaming Records. Pre-Orders have been made available here. Today, Venus Furs is premiering the single of “Paranoia” with Madness To Creation along with an in-depth conversation on mental health awareness, the writing and recording process of his upcoming self-titled release, and how a Montreal native sees the George Floyd protests in America and around the world. Glide Magazine has described Venus Furs as “a rigorously crafted set of songs that voyage heedlessly through sonic and mental terrain in a way that could only be the product of a single idiosyncratic mind”. Fans can find Venus Furs at the following locations:
Madness To Creation: What are some things that you do to help you when you feel depressed and isolated?
Venus Furs: I’m still trying to figure it out, but it helps to remind myself of things that I enjoy. Listening to music and comedy often helps, and exercise too, but it’s not always easy to do the things that I know will help. Talking to people is great too (friends or family, or a therapist). The thing that helps me the most is writing something new.
Madness To Creation: The song “Paranoia” struck a chord with me, what gets you through the difficult times and what advice do you have for our readers and listeners?
Venus Furs: I recently watched a video of a Kurt Vonnegut lecture at a University, and something he said during it really resonated with me. He was telling a story of how an uncle of his noticed that people often didn’t notice when they were happy, and how he would often stop and say “if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is”. I’ve recently tried to incorporate that into my life, both when things are nice, but also when things aren’t, as a reminder of the little things in life that bring me happiness even in difficult times. I would encourage everyone to try this as well. I’d also encourage people to remind themselves of what makes them happy (for me: writing, music, comedy) and to try to indulge in those things. Lastly, I would encourage people to not be too hard on themselves when they are suffering, or to feel weak or guilty for what they are experiencing or how they’re feeling.
Madness To Creation: How have you been coping with Covid-19 pandemic?
Venus Furs: I’m very lucky to be living with my wife and two cats, so as difficult as it is I am grateful to have some company, and I can only imagine how difficult it must be for people living alone at this time. That being said, the cats seem to be really enjoying themselves – it’s almost as if they have no awareness as to what the world is going through right now.
Madness To Creation: What weighs on your mind when it comes to the George Floyd protests? What areas in our country do you think we can improve upon?
Venus Furs: I’ve been trying to step back and listen and educate myself, however the thing that weighs on my mind the most is how horrifying and disturbing the police brutality has been during these times. I’m really glad that people are protesting and standing up for themselves. The thing I hope for the most is that this attitude and demand for change lasts beyond this current moment, so that lasting positive changes will continue beyond these protests.
Madness To Creation: You’re releasing your debut record July 10th, what were some challenging parts and rewarding parts in creating this record?
Venus Furs: The most challenging thing has been actually finishing this record – it’s been years of work – and getting to the point of actually releasing it is the most rewarding part. Beyond this, I really hope that people listen to it, and that it resonates, but just getting it out has been an achievement. I began recording with a drummer and sound engineer who were both in the process of moving to different cities, so the rush resulted in some less than optimal conditions that then took a long time to fix. I’m also a perfectionist and took a long time to get the album sounding the way that I wanted it to.
Madness To Creation: Given everything that’s going on, what are you going to do to promote the album?
Venus Furs: Unfortunately, I’m not exactly sure when I will be able to tour this release (I may have to wait and tour it’s follow up album which I’m in the process of writing), but I am going to be releasing several music videos, and will do some solo performances online closer to the album’s release.
Madness To Creation: What’s the first thing that you want to do when this is all over?
Venus Furs: I can’t wait to see friends and family (and eat in a restaurant), and start performing and going to shows again. Maybe I’ll combine all those things together.
Madness To Creation: What else would you like to add in regards to Venus Furs?
Venus Furs: Thank you for listening to my music, I’m very grateful that you did and hope you enjoy the rest of album!
And there you have it! Go pick up a copy of his self-titled record July 10th!
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