In this interview spotlight, I chat with Dan Baldwin of Flesh Club Society about the latest release, challenges, motivations and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
My name is Dan Baldwin and I’m from the UK, born in North Yorkshire but currently residing in Newcastle-under-Lyme. I create all sorts of music, but Flesh Club Society and “A Cleansing” (the upcoming album 30/11) definitely lean towards electronic/industrial rock. It’s pretty experimental.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
When I started Flesh Club Society I had a vague idea of what it would be. I wanted it to be noisy. I wanted it to be industrial. I did not expect it to take the shape that it did however. I had created a bunch of tracks that definitely had industrial elements but were in totally different vein to, say, Nine Inch Nails or Ministry. The mindset I was in at the time motivated me keep going with the tracks. During this period I was struggling to comprehend humanity and my place in it. Everything seemed to be failing. Looking back it probably wasn’t as extreme as it felt at the time, but the resultant album was something I was proud of. In general the love of music motivates me to keep going. It sounds dumb when I say it but it wasn’t until last year that I realised how much music mattered to me and how much my life revolved around it. I could quite as happily work on a pop song or a grindcore song or an EDM banger; I simply have a passion for the art that is music.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
Well it is the first release under this moniker; I’ve previously released an album and EP as one half of “We Come From Mars”. That was a blend of traditional English folk tunes and modern synth elements. I was responsible for the latter. Flesh Club Society is a totally different beast. This track, Paranoia, is probably the most minimalist track from the album; I’ve described it as tense and subtle which I think is an apt description. On a general basis the album is much louder, heavier, more experimental and there’s no stringed instruments on it at all, it’s purely synth based.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this oversaturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
The greatest challenge I think any musician faces in the current state of music is getting people to care, especially when you’re a totally new artist. When you can listen to any song recorded in the past 70+ plus years, why should you listen to mine? Everyone is screaming to be heard but no one is listening. It’s sites like yours that are great for the indie musician. The other main challenge I’m currently facing is promoting a niche genre, especially when I don’t know exactly what it is or where it fits into the grand scheme of things. This album I’ve created, I still have no idea of really what it is or the type of person that would enjoy such an album. I feel the best approach is just to show it to everyone even if 9/10 people aren’t the audience, it’s all about finding that 10%.
What was the last song you listened to?
Saul Williams’ cover of “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2. Great cover well worth checking out.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I have to say there is a certain je ne sais quoi to vinyl; just being able to look and feel the artwork in your hand whilst the record spins is a totally different experience to getting on the computer and simply hitting play. For convenience though, when I want music right this second, MP3s and streaming work wonders.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Personally, I use Spotify simply because I’ve had it for years and I have all my playlists on there. As an artist I find Bandcamp to be the most “user friendly”
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
Best place to connect with me is likely Instagram or Twitter both of which are @flesh_club
Regarding new music they’ll be the first places to be informed.
Anything else before we sign off?
Just to say thanks and let your readers know that Paranoia is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music etc. It’s also available as a free download on Bandcamp and Soundcloud. Cheers.
