Interview with CYANIDE4

Jarod Smith

Oct 24, 2022

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

· Well, everybody in the band has an actual job, cause otherwise we would not be able to make a living and support our dream, that is called “Cyanide 4”! So, “unfortunately”, we can easily answer the 2nd part of the question, regarding what we would have been doing, except for music!
Well, the story regarding how we got into music is more or less the same for anybody of us. Most probably a TV or Radio commercial with a Rock music soundtrack that ‘accidentally’ lit the spark inside of our younger selves or an older brother-sister/cousin/close friend that burned a compilation CD for us (I could actually say ‘recorded a cassette’, but let’s better not show that old, haha), long long time ago!

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

· Taking into consideration our everyday jobs, well, relaxation is what we actually seek for in order to refresh ourselves, our minds and start thinking clearly of new music…Generally, creativity is a multi-factoral matter, so, it’s not so easy to be creative and productive all the time, especially if you have set high standards! Another problem is that inspiration mostly comes at THE MOST INAPPROPRIATE times, hahaha!

How long has your band been around?

· We’ve been around since April 2008, but have gone through some line-up changes, through the years.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

· The band is based in Athens, Greece. I don’t actually know how could that influence our music and what I actually mean is the fact that this particular genre of music is not popular at all in Greece, so, more or less, that should have been a ‘deterrent’ factor for us, getting involved with that style. But that is what we love, the lifestyle, the energy and the feeling of that music and wouldn’t really be ourselves if we hadn’t followed that path!

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

· We were looking for band names that would sound/look-like venomous and poisonous, so we came up with the idea of poisons like hemlock and cyanide. We put trust to cyanide and we added the number of the band members, so that sums it up to “Cyanide 4”, there you go!

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

· Surely the first stadium show with the Scorpions in summer 2009! Amazing vibes, around 8.000 people, a f@ckin’ big party!!! We were youngsters, early-days of our band back then, so for us it was no doubt a massively HUGE show, wooow!

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

· We love playing festivals and of course big festivals. We'd like to play at Sweden Rock Fest, where most of the greats of our music play during each edition…and someday why not touring the States. Everybody that respects itself dreams of playing at the Whisky…

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

· Motley -f@ckin’- Crue for sure! Generally, we’d love to share the stage with any of our idols and bands that have influenced us!

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?

· Quit, hahaha!!! Fun aside, it takes persistence, patience and a really strong stomach...and knowing exactly what you want! Besides, if you really love it, you find mental elements needed in order to achieve your purpose! Rock on and head up high!

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

· Persistence, patience, practice, closing your ears to bullshit of toxic people, head up high and rock on!

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

· It's called “A Light Among Darkness” off of our 2nd album “Nekyia” talking about personal spiritual healing.

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

· More or less, we play every song for which we’ve done a videoclip and then what is appropriate to suit the needs of a particular show. Some songs are put aside because they are some kind of fillers, serving their purpose on the albums, but don’t feel the same when they are performed live! In any case, songs from our 1st album “Everyday is a Masquerade” are a bit more fun to play live, we guess!

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

· Inspiration can come to you anytime, anywhere, there is not any particular formula. You can come up with an idea at work, at a special occasion, while you are driving, etc. Most importantly, it’s all about the feelings you have at a particular moment in time!

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

· Well, the themes of our songs differ a lot from each other. We don't make theme-albums and lyrically we have the freedom to speak about different subjects from time to time. There some songs that deal with matters around death, love, manipulation, feelings, freedom, dreams and anger, as well as partying and enjoying life at the maximum, but on the other hand, there are also songs talking about historical events, like 'Getaway' off of “Nekyia”.

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

· Definitely it’s hard to keep the pack steady all the time. A band consists of different individuals that -are supposed to- share a common dream and have the same goals. Sometimes, that doesn’t work. It’s better discussing about an issue directly, than putting it aside, letting it slowly grow to a bigger issue. Most things could be solved through discussion…Not all, but most!

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

· We are about to release our 2nd videoclip off of “Amalgama”, for the song “So In Vain” while hoping to be able to announce a first run of shows in support of the new album soon. Generally, working on the promotion of that new release, in any way possible! We are looking forward to hitting the stage once again and sharing our new music and its energy with all of you! Rock on!

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