"It seems like everything is spinning faster and faster..."
INTERVIEW AUDIO: Voivod drummer Michel "Away" Langevin on technology, dystopian sci-fi themes, Steve Albini + more.
Today (July 29th, 2022) is the release date of the new Voivod box set, Forgotten In Space: The Noise Records Years (details here), so I figured I’d open the vault and unveil my own “box set” of sorts.
I spoke with drummer Away at length on multiple occasions in 2020, 2022, and back in ‘03 — several hours’ worth in total.
Here’s part 1 (it’s also up on Apple and Amazon):
We spoke before the release of the band’s second official live album, 2020’s Lost Machine, which you can stream in its entirety here.
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Voivod have had a long, winding career that’s going to hit the 40-year mark soon. Langevin and I pretty much covered all of it.
Enjoy my work? You can buy me a coffee — or donate via PayPal or Venmo.
Subscribing to this newsletter also helps. Your support means everything, thank you!
Even if you’re not in to metal, there’s something for you in part 1 of this interview, where we discussed technology, how the band drew lyrical inspiration from the pages of Omni magazine, how the lyrical tone has changed to adapt to present-day concerns, a “lost album” of sorts that sits waiting to be released, Langevin's biggest career regret, and his visual art — which, like the band’s music, has a singular style and aesthetic that’s instantly recognizable.
Without question, this is one of the most unique and out-there bands to ever play metal. It’s also one of the most meaningful bands to me on a personal level. Along with other acts I’ve discussed in a previous post (and covered elsewhere many times — like here, here, here, and here), Voivod fulfilled so much of what I needed as a highly distressed adolescent. In their classic catalog — a run of five albums spanning from 1984 to 1989 — one hears not just the momentous aggression of speed metal, but also an entire youth generation’s gasp of fear over nuclear war and environmental degradation, as well as an uncommon intelligence and interest in science fiction and a kind of heavy metal metaphysics that was quite radical for its time.
In a very real sense, the anxieties that Voivod expressed about the hyper-acceleration of technology have become all too real. That said, their music brought me a profound sense of peace, equilibrium, wonderment, and joy as a teenager — as they did for so many. Their music spoke — or screamed — to the hormones and the brain in equal measure, and their progression from crude punk-influenced thrash to complex prog metal was quite breathtaking to behold.
I was lucky enough to see them live at the peak of their powers in January of 1990 at the fabled New York City venue The Ritz with Soundgarden and Faith No More, just before the rug got pulled out from under the thrash movement, at a moment where it was cresting and seemed to be on an unstoppable upward surge. (I’ve argued that the 1991 paradigm shift in music was somewhat artificially manufactured, pointing to that touring bill in particular to make my point).
In any case, if part 1 of my talk with Away still leaves you wanting more, I’d also recommend Kerrang! magazine’s interview feature from last year (2021).
And for more of Langevin’s artwork, you should check out this limited-edition coffeetable book, his Facebook group Worlds Away, as well as this Pinterest page. Here’s a drawing Langevin did after the Frantic Fest in Pescara, Italy in August of 2019, courtesy of Worlds Away:
As a teaser for the box set, the band shared a demo version of the song “Psychic Vacuum” from their 1988 classic Dimension Hatross, an album we discussed above — though I wouldn’t suggest starting with this demo if you’re new to the band.
In fact, you should leave a comment or reach out to me some other way if you want tips on where to start with their catalog. It’s tricky because they’ve changed styles multiple times, but I’m happy to point you in the right direction based on your tastes.
I’m here for you!
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