Dommin Speak To SonicAbuse

Since signing to Roadrunner records Dommin have been busy making one hell of a name for themselves to the point that they have only recently been nominated for the coveted Best International Newcomer award by Kerrang (you can submit your vote here). Musically a hybrid of Type O Negative’s gothic grandeur and the more accessible sound of bands such as Lacuna Coil, Dommin particularly excel in the lyrical field, with front-man Kristopher Dommin displaying a level of honesty that is both rare and instantly appealing to music fans in search of music played from the heart.

We were lucky enough to be able to pose a few questions to band leader Kristopher (KD) and bassist Billy James (BJ) who took some time to talk about the award, their lyrics and music and the ambitions of this exciting band.

1.    Unlike many other genres, gothic music rarely seems to crack the mainstream (with the notable exceptions of Sisters of Mercy and Type O Negative) – what would you say the secret of your success is?

KD:  I would say that my primary focus has been on the songwriting more than anything else.  And good songwriting no matter what genre it’s in, will always stand out.

2.     In another interview you suggested that your lyrics offer hope to people despite being somewhat downbeat: how much time do you spend on creating the lyrics and what are your influences?

KD:  I spend a lot of time on lyrics making sure they are saying exactly what I want them to convey.  I like to keep them honest, but also at times vague so that many things have dual meanings.  There are a few people who I think are great lyricists like Martin Gore, Ben Gibbard and Peter Steele but I’m not sure who has influenced me in that regard.

3.     Don’t you feel that by putting the emphasis purely on your own heartbreak, that the lyrics put an awful lot of yourself in the public domain?

KD:  Yeah, I really have to fight myself about it.  I want to keep the music I make honest and passionate which means I have to write about things that are very personal to me.  However, I don’t necessarily like being in the public eye and putting my life on display.  But if
it means that I can continue to make music, I guess I will have to sacrifice some privacy and anonymity.

4.     Do you feel that bands such as yourselves have a positive impact on the lives of others, youngsters in particular, and in what way?

BJ:  I have seen a lot of evidence of the positive impact.  It’s not something I have ever thought about before.  We have received letters and emails from people that have told us that the music has helped
them through everything from heartbreak, the death of a loved one to getting out of abusive situations.  Some people just tell us that the music makes a bad day easier to get through.

5.     How did Dommin form and what would you say your influences are?

KD:  I started this as a side project from the other bands I had been a part of over the years.  In the beginning, I would record demos and play all the instruments with the exception of the drums which my brother would play at the time.  Eventually over the years and a few changing members, the band slowly evolved into what it is today.  I have a lot of different influences.  AC/DC, KISS, Rammstein, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, Type O Negative, Danzig, Fiona Apple, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Benny Goodman.  I listen to them all and I find myself borrowing my favorite aspects of each of them in creating Dommin’s music.

6.     How does it feel to have been nominated for the Kerrang awards, Best International Newcomer?

BJ:  It’s really nice to be recognized.  I know we have a lot of people pulling for us and we are very grateful to our fans in the Dommin Nation.  They are the reason we are nominated.

7.     Have you reached the point with Dommin that your members can rely on it as a source of income or do you have to balance your band commitments with jobs?

BJ:  When we aren’t on tour, we all have do what we can to pay the bills.  The band isn’t at the point yet where we can rely on it to live.

8.     How did you come to sign to Roadrunner and what attracted you to the label?

KD:  After working with Lucas Banker and Logan Mader as producers for about 3 years, Roadrunner started to respond to the demo that had been sent to them through Logan.  They were one of the few if not one of the only labels that saw any value in Dommin at all.  But I also knew that they were a label that had a very active hands-on approach.  I also knew that they had experience with bands like Type O and therefore were likely to understand exactly what to do with a band like us.

9.     What are the benefits of being on Roadrunner?

BJ:  Roadrunner has some passionate people.  They are fans of Dommin and of the album.  It’s nice to have that belief.  There is also a credibility for some people that comes with just being on the label.

10.  Visually I feel that your band shares a lot in common with Danzig – to what extent do you feel that to be valid and was he an inspiration for you?

KD:  Certainly the little rockabilly hair-do I wear at times is reminiscent of the devil locke worn by all the members of the Misfits and Danzig is certainly part of that.  In my opinion, I think there is probably more of a sonic commonality with Danzig than a visual one.  I grew up a Danzig fan and Glenn along with a lot of his influences like Jim Morrison and Elvis also are a big influence on my style of singing.  I think visually, we probably have more in common with Depeche Mode or perhaps a band from the 50’s.

11.  What bands do you consider influences musically and what do you feel Dommin offers that sets you aside from those artists?

KD:  I think most bands are like a mixed drink.  If you put a little more or a little less of a particular ingredient then you get a different result.  I think the key ingredient that sets anyone apart from their influences comes from the personality of the songwriter. So because our influences range from Depeche to Rammstein to the crooners of the 1940’s, we are mixing a lot of different styles that
have little to do with each other and topped with whatever my personality and worldview brings.

12.  Having named the band after Kristofer, is there a danger that Dommin will be seen as a solo project rather than a fully fledged band?

BJ:  There’s nothing wrong with people seeing Dommin as Kris’ baby. He started the band and was doing it for years before the rest of us ever got involved.  He writes most of the songs though we all try to contribute a bit of our own spice.  But it’s primarily his vision.

KD:  I’m grateful to have a band of great musicians and good people who respect me as a songwriter and trust in me to lead the band.

13.  Kristofer wrote a good deal of the songs before the band existed in its current form – to what extent has the addition of other members changed the material?

BJ:  I don’t think it’s changed the material at all.  It’s just added a flavor to a few songs here and there.

KD:  When it comes to creating the songs, I tend to go off by myself and bring the band finished songs.  But I love to collaborate and many times, I can be creative in a different way when working with others. So it’s really great to have that creative outlet and create with the band if I ever hit a wall on my own.  It’s already yielded some great songs like Awake and Dark Holiday.

14.  Your first album, ‘Mend Your Misery’ was released independently – how was that funded and how difficult was it to spread the word of your band?

KD:  I don’t really consider that our first album.  ‘Mend Your Misery’ was really two separate demo sessions that were put together to make an album when I had given up on the hope of having some label backing. Fortunately, Lucas and Logan who produced those songs recorded it all for free in exchange for a small percentage of the publishing because they believed in Dommin and knew it was only a matter of time before we’d be recording a real album with them.  Billy designed the artwork
and I put up money I had saved from my day job to print the actual CDs and booklets.  We primarily used social networking sites like MySpace to spread the word about the band.

15.  What are your ambitions now and where can you see Dommin heading in the future?

BJ:  I just hope we can see more of the world and play for bigger and bigger crowds.

KD:  I’d really like to have the opportunity to have more elaborate productions.  I really strive to create a visual experience for people as well as present the music in a different way at our liveperformances.  I would also like to see the music used in film.  I think that’s where it belongs.  I think this first album is a small piece to a larger puzzle.  I think as more music is released, people will get a better understanding of who we are and what we are doing.