A Gedi Knight: one-on-one with Ged Denton of Crisis NTI

Interview by Erik the Soul Manager

Cyberia: Your new album is called from Sea Slime to Robot in just Four Billion Years.
Ged: It used to be From Sea Slime to Robot in Just Four Billion Years, but we had a rethink and a rethink and came up with Shit Sandwich and Harder Faster Louder Stoked, but settled finally on A Fundamental Lack of Respect.
Cyb: How is it different from your debut, the alien conspiracy?
Ged:In many ways... Steve Show (the Chosen One) has played at almost all the Crisis shows and will be providing some punk-as-fuck attitude on the new album. We've both been in many punk bands over the last ten years and have gone back to our roots regarding songwriting. We've had a good eighteen months to get our shit together for this album which has been heaven considering that the alien conspiracy was written in three months! The new album is faster (BPMs averaging about 300),more melodic, and the lyrics say a lot more about the human condition. So come on in, the water's lovely.
Cyb: How the hell did you come up with that title?
Ged: From Sea Slime to Robot in Just Four Billion Years is basically God trying to sell the Earth in an shitty American 60s style advert. We were pissed as farts when that was conceded.. A Fundamental Lack of Respect is more us and more what the album is really about. Bear this in mind when you slam to Fuck The System.
Cyb: You told me that you weren't happy with your first album. What are some of your problems with it?
Ged: The whole album sucks! I mean, it's really fun to do these songs live because playing them through a huge PA gives them power. So does the addition of guitars. But, playing the CD makes me cringe. The production is shit, the mastering shoddy, the drums have no depth...I recorded the alien conspiracy in two days at John's studio (New Mind). We worked fucking hard to get it all down and basically it sounds rushed, unfinished, crude. Anyway...it's spilt milk (sniff!), so bollocks to it.
Cyb: Is Crisis NTI your main focus now?
Ged: Yes and no. All the music I'm involved with gets 100%. the music comes first every time. We'll talk about foci and projects in a different way. Crisis is superb fun because Steve and I just bang it out! Bang bang bang. If we can rouse a crowd then we're doing the right thing. Music is power, pleasure and passion, so totally and utterly expressive that I get overwhelmed. If a song is naked hate, then we'll tear your fuckin' heart out. I like to think you'll all be waving candles!! this feeling is fucking hard to capture on tape, especially if you have no money and limited studio time. But this time I think we've got it all down, all you have to do is hit >play<.
Cyb: You have another side project called Ground Zero.
Ged: Ground Zero is a really cool project that Steve and I are involved with. the other two guys are fun to hand out with and they keep our hardcore tendencies in check. Rock influences (yeech!), pop, shitty metal, industrial and of course, punk, all play a big role. It's half recorded now and should be finished sometime this year now that we've finally finished the C-Tec album, darker. Ground Zero is a big sound and can sound dangerous at time, but it is also really easy to get into.
Cyb: What's the Ground Zero line-up?
Ged: Jason Massa - a close friend, superb writer/vocalist and pornographer has written and rewritten tracks for this album. Chris Noon is another guitarist, but he's a music technology lecturer. He's got good production ideas and smokes shitloads of dope. Good credentials, eh? When Steve isn't off skating/snowboarding, doing too many drugs and making a complete tosser of himself is probably when he's asleep. ha! And then me, all 'round superhero, sex therapist, alcoholic and masturbator (especially when I watch cricket). This is Ground Zero.
Cyb: What does the NTI stand for?
Ged:Crisis NTI is a name you can trust. It stands for nothing and everything. For the alien conspiracy, NTI stands for "non-terrestrial intelligence," but for now it just means "needless three initials."
Cyb: What do you think about the alien conspiracy?
Ged: A lot of the alien stuff is just for laughs. However, as the album developed I started taking it a bit more seriously. By the time the album was being recorded I has said a but more than just "This is a crisis!" When I stood back I thought "am I talking about aliens or is this a metaphor?" Then I opened a can of lager and thought, "ah, fuck it." Aliens are cool. The whole notion that we are alone in the universe as stated in the bible is fucking ludicrous. "We Are Not Alone" is a piss-take song gone wrong.
Cyb: Where is your favorite place to play live?
Ged: We played in a town called Wergen in Belgium. Those kids know how to have fun! New York was good for giggles. the natives were very friendly, but Steve peaked on acid as we got on stage. Ouch! He kept stopping me in mid-shout and asking, "What song is this?" The crowds were very forgiving... It's a funny old world. London (Soho) is always good for a laugh. Some guy in a beige Armani suit ran up to me and stole the mic, shouting, "We love industrial! We love Crisis!" When I got the mike back from him I couldn't resist the old Blazing Saddles gag. "Hey," O shout,"are you in show biz?" and he says , "No." So I yell, "Then get the fuck OFF MY STAGE!" God, It's a laugh a week!
Cyb: What are the reactions from people regarding your side projects?
Ged: Disapproval, disappointment, hilarity and quite often encouragement, congratulations, but, unfortunately, never worship.
Cyb: What is the mission of Crisis NTI?
Ged:Steve and I were returning from a gig in Belgium when a bright light shone down on us. It was clearly a higher presence with far superior technology ( you know, like having e-mail) who had heard the album. They warned us that the downfall of our so-called civilization will not be traditional--oil spills, fossil fuels or chemical pollution of the planet-- but rather the ingestion of copious amounts of dangerously strong lager. Well, we were as shocked as you are now. But the quest had been made clear: eliminate all lager from the face of the earth. In our own way this is what we do. We know our task is fraught with danger and that it will take most of our lives, but together if we can convert this evil elixir into harmless urine, then we could save humanity. Don't thank us, thank the aliens...
Cyb: You talk a lot about beer. What are your favorites?
Ged: Cold ones (and warm ones), big ones and small ones--size doesn't really matter. D.A.B-German HEFE-German, Icehouse, USA. My favorite is Hoegarden--Belgium
Cyb: Jean-Luc deMeyer does a song called Radiance on the Cyber-tec Project album and you also do your own version of Radiance, same music but different vocals and lyrics. Who's song is that?
Ged: Radiance was finished and demo'ed when jean-Luc heard it. He was captivated and insisted we use it on C-Tec. His lyrics are far more stirring than mine...but I still love my version more. Give me an E, give me a G, give me an O...what's that spell? Cyb: Anything you care to say to the fans?
Ged: A message for industrialists, punks, goths, etc: This scene is small enough already, keep the faith...Big named bands keep fucking off and turning their backs on us. We have to keep an open mind to new talent, ideas, etc, no matter how good or bad. If you get jaded by something or someone and you just sit and whine, then you're already dead. Don't bitch and stab backs. If you can do better, then get up and fucking do it! Don't be afraid. The secret is to stare fear in the eye, finish your drink and then laugh. Insults don't mean shit if you're impervious to them. If you're in a rut, move on. If you're just another made-up face, then fuck off. We've got all the arseholes we need. Think for yourself!

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