Kajsa Lindh called up the man behind IAMX – Chris Corner, who in early October released his sixth solo album “Metanoia”.

It became an intimate conversation surrounding confused sexuality, mental illness and a need of change..

(Photo: Saryn Christian)

– According to Spotify I am now talking to the guy who wrote the album I have listened to the most in 2015. Hi Chris Corner from IAMX,  how are you?

I’m extremely well considering I´ve done 40 shows in a row. I feel incredible actually.

– Congratulations on a fantastic new album. Tell me of the making of your 6:th album, “Metanoia”.

It was actually the easiest album I’ve ever made. The period before I went through kind of a dark period in my private life and this was kind of a manifestation of all the difficult issues that I went through. Although I had been through a difficult time, struggling with depression and insomnia at the time, by the time I made the album it was actually quite easy to make because I had done a lot of psychological work and I was in a very good place. So, although the album is talking about difficult issues it was actually smoothly to make. Technically and emotionally. I went back to making it the way I made the first record, which is just me with one computer, one microphone, one man. That simplified things for me and made it less stressful. Made it a bit more electronic. But, even more personal.

– You kind of answered this question but I feel like the songs on the album are darker but also cleaner. Do you agree?

Yes, that was intentional. I felt that the last couple of albums I tried to collaborate and I did lots of sophisticated recordings, tried complicating instruments and combine that with electronic programming and technology. I think it just got a bit too complicated for me to keep up. So simplifying things, going back to a very clean electronic sound and going with that concept I think it made it stronger in a way because I feel I didn’t have to struggle with the production so I could focus on the message, on the lyrics, on the vocal-performance. The only things I recorded was a piano and the vocals. Everything else was electronic and programmed. And that, I think from a mixing point of view, made it clean.

– First single released was “Happiness”. What makes you happy?

What makes me happy? Hm. Movement makes me happy. Moving forward. And with good people. Being in a place where I’m not surrounded by the ignorance of humanity. Maybe that’s why I like being on the road. Being with good people, always moving to different places. I think I´ve always been a bit of a gypsy at heart. Which works great with this lifestyle. Making records is also a similar thing where, psychologically you’re always challenging yourself. You’re always trying to learn, and particularly if you are a techy kind of person, which I am. Those things make me happy. Architecture makes me happy too. And film.

– As you said, you just toured, 40 gigs in America, Europe and Russia. Tonight the first part of the tour ends in Frankfurt.

Yes, I’ve got a month or two off were I go back to LA, where I live. I have a small cabin in the desert where I am going to spend Christmas and spend some time out there in the calm, in the silence. And then I will be back on the road. Probably February.

– What has been most surprising to you on this tour?

The main thing is that I feel like I’ve changed. The whole album, the concept of Metanoia is about a psychological rebirth and that’s really how it feels for me. Going through that difficult period has made me appreciate everything much more and appreciate the music, the fans, I have learnt to love myself more. It all sounds pretty cheesy but it’s actually really true and putting that into practice, which is what this tour has been about, it’s just extremely rewarding

And seeing that if you do honestly show yourself, warts and all, you actually get more back. I was pretty scared about that. After dealing with mental illness, actually writing about it and exposing that side of my personality… I was pretty scared to show that because I thought people might be turned off…..but it was the opposite. And I’ve had much more love and support than one man can take in a lifetime.

– You now live in America. Why did you move from Berlin to LA?

For a complete change of scene, attitude and weather. I had visited LA over the years, on tour, and I really hated it in the beginning. I bought the cliché of that it was a spiritual wasteland and that it was empty and all about fame and money. And it is all of those things but it’s many other things too, like all western cities are, multidimensional and I’ve found the other side of it and fallen in love with it. I have many friends there. I love the positivity and the support that I get from the American attitude. It’s quite different to how I felt in Germany, as much as I love Berlin and it’s all sexy and dark  atmospheric city, I felt a little bit dragged down by the attitude. So, it’s really help me with my recovery in LA and I will stay there for a while I think.

– Please finish the sentence:

Growing up as a boy..

..brought many psychological complications, because I was surrounded by very strong women in my life. So, my mother was the most dominant figure in the family. My sister was extremely dominant and I found that I was much more nursed in femininity for a long time. So I did struggled with sexuality quite a bit. But I’m actually straight. In the end.  I’ve dabbled with many things so to speak. It was complicated. But it´s much easier now and actually it’s allowed me to express myself much more in my music. Growing up with femininity. God, that’s a long answer. But yeah.

I cannot live without..

..wine. I thought I could. When I was sick I didn’t drink at all for two years and I thought it was a part of my problem. But it wasn’t, it ran much deeper. And I’ve come to accept that wine is a wonderful pleasure that I don’t wanna live without.

I wish I was better at..

..this is fighting against everything I’ve learnt in therapy because I’m supposed to love everything myself. But ok….I wish I was better at….drawing. I wish I was a better painter. I’m shit. And I would love to be able to express myself on the canvas. But as much as I have tried….well, I haven’t really tried it enough, but I just feel I have no talent for that.

– You mentioned that film makes you happy. You’ve also made some songs for movies, some of your songs have been used in tv and films. Is acting something you would like to do?

I have been asked. But I think that would be a huge mistake. As tempted as I have been, because people have tried to push me in to that direction….no, I’m terrible. In that context I’m too self-conscious. In the performance context, because I’m occupied doing something, I’m singing, expressing through music, that is acceptable. But trying to act, I’m too self-conscious for that.

– What music do you listen to, who influences you in your music?

When it comes to contemporary music, I’m a bit of a retard. I don’t listen to anything. I really should listen to music, but I don’t.

I like to listen to things that comforted me in my childhood and think my music is a reflexion of that. If I was to go to something it would be someone like David Sylvian, who was a huge influence on me as a child. I was actually programmed to like him by my uncle who made me listen to that weird music when I was about six, seven years old. I have to thank him for giving me some kind of cultural programming when I was a kid (laughs). Maybe that’s led to who I am now.

– Know any Swedish musicians or bands?

I have a friend from LA who manages a Swedish band… I think they are called Amason?? I have met them.

I haven’t actually listened to their music yet. I should do that now actually, don’t you think. Would you recommend it?

– I absolutely recommend it. One final question, is there anything you want to tell your Swedish fans?

Express yourself freely. If you want to experiment with drugs do so but don’t get addicted to them. Listen to my music until …..until you have to come and see me live…. I’d like to tell them to come to my show. And this might be a spoiler, but I think it will be in February.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE NEW ALBUM “METANOIA” ON CD AND VINYL