Interview with Pure Obsessions & Red Nights

«There is no monsters in God's eyes»

Unfortunately, not much information about this band can be found on the internet. French band Pure Obsessions & Red Nights (original name PORN), was formed by Philippe Deschemin with the idea of creating "a kind of beautiful, tasty fruit with a blade inside". Their genre is inspired by a mixture of dark industrial and new wave - bands like Nine Inch Nails and Depeche mode. However, behind the dry words of the band's work, there is a whole universe with its own unique characters. Luckily, Philippe took some time to answer our questions in more detail about his dark and sexy characters and about his strengths and weaknesses.

How quickly did you realize you wanted to be a musician?

It's hard to tell. Something like natural... To me it's not a job, not a hobby. It's part of my life, I just do music... ! I don't care about the success, I just write songs, produce music...

If rumors from the media are true, you have made it your mission to make dark, dangerous and sexy music. How did you come to this path in art? 

Hey... I probably said that... Music has to be subversive. And I like it sexy, dark and dangerous! That's it.

Do you have your stage alter ego and does it often "wake up" in regular life? 

I created this character : Mr Strangler. He is a complex dude. A killer, but not entirely a bad person. But, in the way he thinks, there is not bad or good person, only bad or good move. No one is forever bad or good, everyone is a monster one day. I don't think there is any difference between me and him, between you and him.

Do you often struggle with your dark side?  Is it easy for you to combine your dark creative side with your regular personality and be a fun person in your regular life?

I don't struggle with it, I embrace it. There is no point struggling with yourself. It's more about managing to live with yourself.  To me, creativity, to be specific, writing songs, is kind of a dialogue, a discussion with the world. I don't talk that much, I never talked that much, I never knew why, I just learned to deal with it. I have a lot of anger, It's more about not to put myself in situation where Mr Strangler emerge. I am calm as a bomb, and sometimes I explode. But I am a funny guy, really.

Do you like to leave your personal life in the shadows?

In a way... I just like  to live in the shadows.

Music lovers can find in your musical style many tendencies from the 80s. Are you a big fan of that era?

Absolutly! To be true I am a big fan of all eras. I listen a lot of music. A very lot... From Sinatra, Elvis to nowadays... What I like the most about the 80's is the sound. Those typical drum-machines, the synths, the production... I also do like a lot the 90's. One of my fav band is Stone temple pilots... I love Soundgarden, Bush, Jane's addiction...

In my current trilogy, The Night Trilogy, I wanted to create a darkwave synth driven soundtrack. I am using a lot of legendary gear from the 80's. So that's why it sounds so 80's.

There is a perception that the current market is already oversaturated with dark and sexy music. What do you think about that? Sex still sells?

There is a lot of great bands theses days. I am not that aware obout the new things. Cause I spent a lot of time discovering bands from the 80's,90's,00's...

I am not that kind of dude who criticized everything new, not at all. I am always happy when new musical things emerge. About “sex still sells?”, I dunno... But I fuckin love music when its sexy... From Inxs to Type O Negative...

Can you name the weirdest tool you've used to create your unique sound or some creative idea?

When I produce songs, I am always experimenting. I learned everything by myself and I am always tryign things... So the only rule is: there is no rules. If it sounds good, it sounds good.

It seems like you're trying to create some sort of universe of your own with your creativity. Can you tell us a little about this universe? Who is your favorite character from this universe?

I started the Mr Strangler Trilogy with the album The Ogre Inside.  The Ogre inside is an album about inner struggle, about dark desires, how society can opresses your will. This is a fight no one can win, the Ogre that devours you from the inside always wins..The album is an invocation, a way to set the Ogre free, embrace your ”true”self and allow your darkest desires to express themselves. It's an incitement to act.The Ogre inside won this inner struggle, giving birth to Mr Strangler.

In the second opus, The Darkest of human desires ,Mr  Strangler, by embracing his « true-self », expresses his dark impulses without limitations and has no boundaries.  With his crew, Mr Strangler commits murders and massacres. He  also invites everyone to make a step forward and act, invites you to express your darkest desires and join his death cult. For Mr Strangler and his team, the Ogre was released. They let the darkest of human desires be : murder .

In the last part, No Monsters in God's eyes, Mr Strangler's bloody odyssey comes to an end. He is in jail awaiting execution. This final Act is his testament. Faced with the imminent end of his life, he takes stock of his life and begins a dialogue with his death and enjoins everyone to continue his work... the work of God, because if God exists everything is his. And even the worst monsters are the children of God. There is no monsters in God's eyes.



In the album “We are the Stranglings”, Mr Strangler is gone, a new character was introduced: The Guide. A cult leader who have met Mr Strangler in jail.



In the current Trilogy, The Night Trilogy,  Mr Strangler is back.   The former serial killer is back from the dead. But in this new Trilogy, he is more a shade,  a spirit in the night than a real person. Half alive half dead, Mr Strangler haunts the Night, and helps people in despair. As a guide in the night,  teaching you how to live, how to fight, when you think that all hope is gone...

Is there any personality you would most like to collaborate with?

David Gilmour, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Robert Smith, Alice Cooper, Tori Amos, Pj harvey, Depeche mode...

How hard is it to make music in In the modern world when all the techniques and ideas have already been used?

I don't know... I always tried to do my own things ! So I just do it... The techniques are constantly evolving, and there is always new bands creating new sounds. Even if I think that some bands will never forgotten ( Pink Floyd, The doors, The Cure...) , I am always happy when a band comes with a new sound. And I try, each time, to produce something different. I don't wannabe a clone. I know that is easier for the business to be labelled, to be part of a scene... I am an outsider, I do things my own way. I am free.

Can you give us a hint as to what unexpected projects we can expect from you in the future?

No! But be sure, there will always be new songs and albums with me ! So stay connected!

What would you say is the hardest thing about being a musician?

Realising that the majority of the people in the music business ( including the musicians ) don't five a fuck about music.

And a word or two for our readers and music fans...

Be yourself.

Jenet Bonishi