Interview of Servant

Questions answered by Farago

Hello there, nice to have you on Volatile Weekly! What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music, what would you be doing today?

Hello and thank you for your interest in Servant. Speaking personally, I would say that my father had a big influence on it. I can still remember quite well when I was a little boy how he put his old Sennheiser headphones over my ears and turned on records by Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. That thrill has remained to this day. In the same year he gave me an old acoustic guitar and showed me the first songs of my newly discovered heroes. At that moment i knew that music would accompany me for the rest of my life. I really can't say what I would be doing today if I wasn't making music. I'm not a good athlete or whatever. An alternative was not an option for me. I mean what can I say. I work in a music store to this day.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music, and how does that influence your creativity?

Well, I was born in the former Yugoslavia and came into contact with different cultures and languages ​​as a child. So I would say that it had a big influence on me personally.To this day I am very interested in the different languages ​​and historical events that have shaped us all. I would be lying if I said it didn't mix with my music. After all, it's a part of me.

How long has your band been around?

It's actually quite difficult to say, but the first ideas for Servant must have been 15 years old. But back then, some of the songs that ended up on our debut album were for a reunion of my old band. This reunion never happened. That's why I teamed up with our guitar player Samael to work on other songs. Occasionally we have been pursuing other projects. So I would say that the band in its current line-up can be called Servant and the line-up is around since 2019.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

That's relatively easy to answer. The entire band devotes their hearts and souls to create something special. We all serve a vision that lies above every single individual person. This is Servant!

Tell me about your most memorable shows. What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

Because Servant is still a young band, we haven't really been able to play a lot of shows yet. But luckily so far the servant shows have been great and have been able to transport the energy well. I think the audience is as important to the show as the band on stage. There is always an interaction between sending and receiving energy. But of course each of us within the band  has one or the other strange or funny stagestories to tell. But as far as Servant is concerned, the focus is on transporting the created songs as well as possible!

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

I think the most important thing is to follow your vision with passion. Of course, it also includes learn your instrument as much as needed to have a good tool to fulfill your vision. Don’t close things off and always try to be open minded. Think about what is the best way for you to make your music audible to others. Be patient with yourself. Stay authentic!

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Never start smoking kids!

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

I think the band is still too young for that. But right now the track “Negate the I” works great as the last song in the set and you can feel like all the energy is released at the end of the song. But of course we hope that we will eventually get to the point you mentioned. But now, after the release of our second album, our live set will change as well, and of course the entire dynamic of the show will change as a result of it.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

The sources of inspiration are different. Often we don't have to think far for it. Because many things come from our emotional world which is strongly connected to our personality. But historical, biblical and occult themes can also be found in our lyrics. Regarding the music the instruments are of course an important part of the songwriting process and should also be composed and treated in an inspiring way. The best case scenario is when lyrics and music perfectly unite and they become inseparable.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

As I mentioned before, all  themes that inspire us are relevant in the message of the lyrics. Things that are anchored in us all. From the emotionally human abyss to complete sublimity. The lyrical core on the new record  is based  on a biblical, occult and historical background. Nevertheless, all these themes still influences the emotional world of every human being very strongly.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

In fact, Servant are a very unproblematic band in that regard. We always try to care more about our shared vision for Servant than a brief disagreement.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

Now we are happy about the release of our second album. Of course we will continue to write new material. But now Servant will finally be back as a live band and I'm really looking forward to that. Everything else time will tell.

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

Anyone interested in the band is welcome to follow our social media activities. We're probably using the same platforms as everyone else,

haha...@servantmagick is the keyword. Otherwise thank you for the nice chat!