(This interview was originally published on February 6th 2019, and is as is.)
What is behind the band’s name? Why “All Gone Dead?” Was the bands name influenced by the “Subhumans (U.K) song “All Gone Dead”?
Darlin: We are all fans of the Subhumans and ‘The Day the Country Diedi is an phenomenal album. All Gone Dead is a post-apocalyptic view of the world. The name just fitted the purpose and we went for it.
Stich: We are all fans of the Subhumans. However I it was not a direct pull. Our message and music has a lot of Post Apocalyptic social commentary. When you analyze our message and art work it is in he space between the transition of Dying and Death. The name fit so we use it….and that was” the day the country died”.
What has inspired the music through the years?
Darlin: Anything and everything. The political climate, our personal experiences, dreams, nightmares… You put all that in a blender and voila!
Stich: In a nutshell…Literature, Art, Death, Mankinds wrongs and the ever-growing state of human consumption
Through the years you guys have traveled quite a bit as a band. What is some advice you would give to other bands who are traveling?
Darlin: Don’t be an asshole. Be respectful of other countries’ culture and be grateful for the experience.
Stich: Soak it in while it lasts. Live in the moments and really understand and enjoy the short moments your given. Challenge you self to learn new cultures and ways of life.
You guys have had a long hiatus and left your fans in wonder, now you guys are back, started with Wave Gotik Treffen, then Release the bats. How was it being on stage again after all the years? And how was the festival?
Darlin: It was just perfect, like we never left really. Being with the guys on stage is always a blast! It felt natural and super comfortable! We are all very close friends, more like a family, and the energy on stage is just amazing. The festival was great albeit very short. I was able to see friends I have not seen in over a decade and it was just wonderful. I can’t wait to go back!
Stich: I have not stopped doing art/ music. I have been playing, touring, writing and apart of the fast-paced music life since All Gone Dead took a break. I have played WGT and Release the Bats more than once with the other musical projects. When AGD took the stage, I felt like I was just follow the path I created for myself. I was where I needed to be at that moment in my life.
Miah: I love being on stage, and playing with these guys has proved to be great fun. For me I think the festival was great, it was well organized and executed. We were only there for a very short period of time, so there wasn’t a lot of getting out to the other events, But the ones we did get to were amazing and it was great fun to see , and meet so many like minded people in one place.
Mentioning Release the bats; tell us about your first time playing there?
Darlin: We have all played Bats before with other bands, however it was just magical this time around We were very honored to be the last band to play that stage and we couldn’t be more grateful. We all have deep love and respect for Jenn and Dave Bats and when they asked us to play it was no brainer! We had to do it!
Stich: I have played at Release the Bats 5 times (in different bands) over the 20-year span. I love the club, culture and life style that follows the club. Dave and Jenn are amazing people. When I was younger in the early 2000’s I use to get a car full of friends and drive out to Release the Bats just because we all loved being apart of it. I have attended the club countless times and I would not change it for anything. It will always have a piece of my heart.
Miah: (You mean the first time playing there as All Gone Dead?) It was fantastic, and since we were the last band to ever perform there, it was a very special and emotional night for all of us. Dave and Jenn have a very special place in all of our hearts, and we were grateful for the opportunity to help close it out. It was also great to catch up with so many people I hadn’t seen in years. We loved it.
We put together a little clip of All Gone Dead when they played at Release the Bats, and Darlin collaborated with me and added extra silly clips to the mix!
Tell us about your spotlight in Germany’s goth magazine for your 3 track demo “Conceiving the Subversion?” That must have been pretty exciting right? How did that happened? It was like “Best unsigned band” right?
Darlin: Jeez! That happened many, many moons ago! Who has the demo? I certainly don’t!!
Being nominated the best unsigned band by Orkus magazine opened a lot of doors for us and we couldn’t be more grateful. I think I recall our buddy Thomas Thyssen letting us know about this and being super excited. We couldn’t have done it without the help of the fans!
Stich: We did good and Germany and still do. AGD was featured in tons of European magazines and I guess that was just another rewarding moment in the bands biography. Conceiving the Subversion was a 3 track Demo recorded at out old guitar player home studio. I have other unreleased songs from before that when AGD was a solo project, However that Demo was the 1st release as a band.
Who or what has influenced each of you through the years?
Darlin: I love music and art and film and literature so for me anything is an inspiration. From bands like Van Halen and Talking Heads to authors like Oscar Wilde… We all carry our influences with pride. They helped us shape who we are now.
Stich: Disgust & Dissatisfaction…
What is behind your song “Skritch and Skrill?” from your 2006 album?
Darlin: Politics. What else?
Stich: The title of the track is a play on words “Kill the Rich”. The track focuses on the direction the world is going. A political statement on the ever-growing race for power and control. We need change on a global level.
What is some advice you could give out to bands just starting out?
Darlin: Just do what you love and have fun while doing it!
Stich: ….Don’t, ß that was a poor joke. My advice is to create it on your own terms. Don’t change or settle. If you confident it shows.
Do you have any funny or silly stories you guys could share with us from any of your shows?
Darlin: Where to begin! In all the years and travels we’ve had so many adventures and therefore it is very difficult to pinpoint just the one (without embarrassing anybody in the process). But I would say that we are all very fond of Miah’s nuts!
Stich: We have thousands of stories from over the years. One of the best is a penis being zipped up in your pants seconds before a show starts… Never rush to take a pee before you have to hit the stage.
Miah Smith has played both shows this year for All Gone Dead. We have heard he is going to hang around for awhile.
So Miah tell me about yourself, whatever you would like to offer? Fans are wanting to know! Well that is a broad questions hahah. I have actually known Stitch and Darlin, since before there was an All Gone Dead. Stitch and I have toured together a few times, when he was first in Tragic Black, and I was fronting my other project Redemption(bound). Darlin, came out to SLC and we met shortly before Stitch moved to England, so we have all known each other a long time. Stitch and I are pretty close friends, and run in the same circle here in Salt Lake City. So when there was a spot to fill for the Treffen performance, I was a natural choice for him. He and I have good chemistry when working together and approach music and performing in much the same way. Those things are important when you have to put together something quickly. Darlin and I have also become very close since we began this process. It’s been great fun, We all talk together now all day every day, hahah.
A lot of your fans want to know if you have anything new coming out, and will you guys be staying for us all or was this just a special year for Germany and Long Beach?
Darlin: We are currently working hard on new music that we can’t wait to share with you all. So it is safe to say that we are back with a vengeance!
Stich: We will have a EP releasing in 2019 and be playing selected shows.
Miah: As a matter of fact we have been hard at work in the studio, working on new material that we hope to release soon.
This is a follow up question to the question asked above, do you think you guys will be touring anytime in the near future?
Darlin: We would love to tour! It’s just a matter of logistics and having the right promoters.
Stich: We will be playing selected shows.
Have any of you guys been involved in other things during your hiatus, if so do tell.
Darlin: Mainly small projects and collaborations other than playing for other bands in the past such as The Readership Hostile and Voodoo Church. I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by incredibly talented musicians who inspire me daily. I would definitely love to do more collaborations with the right people.
Stich: Since the AGD disbandment I have played and tour in many projects. Tragic Black (Death, Goth, Industrial, Rock), Stich (Solo album), Substained (Black Metal), Corvid (Rock N Roll), Shadow WindHawk and the Morticians (Horror punk), Redemption (Goth Rock)…Ext I have been stuck on a nonstop music journey.
What is life like for Stitch and Darlin? What do you guys do nowadays outside of band stuff?
Darlin: Life is chilled. Other than going to work and surviving in Los Angeles, going to shows and enjoying time with loved ones and chilling out in the couch with a good movie and cuddles. Best of times!
Stich: I just Play/Write Music, Paint, Art, Motorcycles, Animals assistance and sort of hide away from the world.
Is there anything else you would like to leave us with?
Darlin: Thank you to all the fans old and new for the love and support! We are very grateful and humbled we still have a very strong fan base after all these years. You guys rock!!!
Stich: Just a huge token of gratuity and a swift kick in the ass
FAN QUESTIONS - ALL GONE DEAD
I saw All Gone Dead ages ago, wanted to know if Stitch and Darlin would let me have their babies? And if I could join the band and play the tambourines?
Darlin: We are all well served with babies so that is certainly a NO! Hahaha! As far as tambourine duties, we already have Cedric Krane… And he would be extremely sad if we were to find a replacement :-P
Stich: Absolutely! We don’t give birth to tambourines… Sorry I can help you there
When are you coming to New Zealand? -Fredrikc A.
Darlin: When someone bring us there. All we need is flights and accommodation. Are you game?
Stich: I guess when hell freezes over. We are ready when you are.
Everytime I see Darlin in video my knees wobble. Does she do this to everyone with her witchery?
All Gone Dead: Don’t underestimate the wizardry powers of Ms. Darlin’ Grave… She is a conundrum! 😉 In all seriousness, you might want to check those knees though…
Stich: · BAW WHAHAHAH
Darlin are you a shy quiet person, I get that vibe from you when I see you in videos on stage? If you are shy how did you overcome the stage? I am curious because I want to start a band but I am full of anxiety and have stage freight, a lot of people tell me I won’t be able to start a band or be in one because of it. I just do not think that is true at all. -Veronica H.
I don’t consider myself shy at all, as I’m very blunt and direct , just somewhat antisocian’t be able to start a band or be in one because of it. I just do not think that is true at all. -Veronica H.l.I literally have no sense of ridicule or stage fright. Being on stage is one of the places where I feel most comfortable. When I go on stage the feeling is indescribable. Powerful! I just transform into a different person. If you are shy or have stage fright, the best thing you can do is just go for it! No fear!!!
When will you guys come to Denmark? I will pay for your room or you can stay with me in Coppenhagen? -Dana H.
Darlin: We have already visited Denmark and played there in 2006 on board of The Stubnitz. We had a blast and we would love to come back.
Stich: We have not been to Copenhagen in many moons. We would love to come back!
Hya Ben, this question is for Ben. How was it being in Tragic Black and All Gone Dead? I mean these are two super rad bands. How do you keep up, or did you keep up? Do you like being a front man? Or prefer playing an instrument? -Jose M.
In short I have no life. Thank you for the kind words I don’t really have a preference. They both touch me in different ways.
What was a band you guys played with that you were like in aweee that you got to play with them?
Darlin: I personally enjoyed most of the bands we have played with, it was so much fun opening for Ausgang! I have very fond memories with the guys from Chants of Maldoror and our lovely frenchies, Joy Disaster.
Stich: For me… Chants of Maldoror. I was a big fan for years before.
When you guys lived in London, how was the scene over there and how was it different to SLC or Los Angeles? Has the scene changed at all through the years?
Darlin: I couldn’t tell as I don’t really go out to goth clubs or anything. My spare time is spent in other ventures that does not include clubbing, however, I’m assuming, like everything, things have changed. I did notice a shift at this year’s Wave Gotik Treffen.
Stich: I don’t really know the difference. It is all a drunken memory.. LOL
Is All Gone Dead really back together I can not believe this! This is a dream come true. I just learned about All Gone Dead in 2012, and I was sad to see that they were no longer playing. So this is so cool. Do you guys plan to possibly come to Seattle or Washington anytime soon?
Darlin: Absolutely! We are back! I have never been to Seattle or Washington o if someone wants to bring us there, I’m totally game!
Stich: We love that Northwest area and would love to play some tou rdates in that area. We are back and will have new music in 2019
Why did you guy disband and disappear? -Alex C.
Things run their course and we had to call it quits for a while. It’s nice to take a break from things sometimes to gain perspective.
Did you guys every play at SlimeLight in London when you were there? Also, did you ever play Electrowerks or The CroBAr? Or anywhere in Manchester or Blackpool? -Sara D.
Darlin: I've been to Slimelight in so many occasions, but we never played there. (Eletrowerks is actually the same as Slimelight. Just the name of the venue). Never played the CroBar either. We did play in Blackpool but never Manchester. Maybe one day? I miss Blighty so much!
Stich: So many reason. Foremost we all moved to different parts of the Earth and felt best to let it rest and do other things with our lives.
What song is your favorite out of all your songs? - Mikel Alex
Darlin: I love playing Skritch &Skrill, Cedric Krane and Sunday Went Mute.
Stich: Unknown…Maybe Orchids In Ruin?
Have you ever made a sex tape Ben? If you have not would you like to make one with me or anyone? I know a group of people who would love to participate? Wink Wink -Ash M.
How much are you paying??? Hahaha!
What is one thing you guys think would help you to continue making music? What makes you guys feel good?
Music is happiness!! I love writing songs and play them live and playing music with people you love and get along with is just an incredible experience. A lot of things make me feel good. My loved ones, sunshine, ice cream, singing, dancing, creating new memories, travelling, adventures, margaritas… and chocolate!