Beauty In Chaos is an intriguing musical collective, creating outstanding tunes like Kiss Me Goodbye, which we reviewed recently. I wanted to find out more about the collective and how it works, so decided to have a chat with Michael Ciravolo to find out more! If you missed the track, you can also find it at the end of this interview.
By Jane Howkins
Hi Michael. Thanks for chatting with us today. You’ve recently released a new single titled Kiss Me (Goodbye). What can you tell us about this track?
Hey, thank you! Always happy to talk about BIC! Kiss Me (Goodbye) seems to have struck a nerve with a lot of new people that may have not gravitated to what Beauty In Chaos has done previously. While there are certainly layers and textures throughout, it is probably a bit more downplayed than usual for us, putting the focus squarely on Julian’s infectious ear-worm of a chorus! With BIC not being built as a live band per se, videos are important to us, and are basically the face of BIC.
We really strive to make each video, of which Kiss Me (Goodbye) is the twentieth, as different in look, style and feel from its predecessor. We found a cool multi-set location and went in with Vicente Cordero (Industrialism Films), who has done most of our other videos, and just had fun. A lot of ‘hey, lets try this’ moments! I think the result is the perfect visual companion for this song.
How has the reception to this single been so far? What was your latest release before this?
As I mentioned above, I think the song has introduced BIC to a wider audience. It seems to be showing up on more Spotify playlists than our other ‘singles’, which, to some, is sadly the gauge of success. BUT, I’ll stay off my ‘what’s wrong with the music industry today’ soapbox! Our previous release was our rendition of Concrete Blonde’s Bloodletting (The Vampire Song), which we gothically released on All Hallow’s Eve 2022! I had always loved that song, and I was determined to get a new track released before the end of ’22. It also gave me the opportunity to handle lead vocals, something I had been wanting to give a go at.
As usual for BIC, we released the track, with a video, which had a cool, campy, B horror movie vibe!
The track also features Julian Shah-Taylor (who is also from York) and Pete Parada (of The Offspring and Face to Face). How did the collaboration come about? What’s the backstory?
Julian had done a handful of wonderful remixes for us, and we had talked about working together on a song. Michael Rozon (producer and my partner in BIC crime) built the track from what became the song’s main guitar riff, and I sent it to Julian in hopes it would artistically spark him. Thankfully it did and he turned it into something special. As for Pete, I have known him for over two decades, and we played together for a few years back in Gene Loves Jezebel. We were a bit up against the wall time-wise with Michael Rozon leaving for a 6 week tour with Jerry Cantrell, and I was determined to finish this song before he left. We just didn’t have time to track the live drums ourselves, so I called in a favor from Pete to play and record the drums at his studio in Nashville. Of course, he killed it just as he did on Un-Natural Disaster on our debut album!
Are you planning to release any new music in the near future?
Originally, I planned to conform a bit to today’s norms and short attention spans and release some singles as opposed to a full album. While I am happy we did Kiss Me (Goodbye) when and how we did it, I am beginning to feel it is far more natural for Michael and I to work in the context of a full album. I guess we are both proudly old school! So we are now working on songs with the plan of a new album. With my impatience, I would like to think we could release it by the end of the year, but Michael is also going to be working again with Al Jourgensen on the next Ministry album, This will limit our studio time, and more than likely push the next BIC record into early 2024.
We have three tracks already in the hand’s of singers, and are really close on a fourth. I also have a title and a cover in my brain, of which I probably will not stray from. So unless my impatience totally overtakes me, the next music from BIC will be a full album.
You’re a musical collective. How does that work? What is the writing and recording process like for you?
It hasn’t changed much since our debut release, Finding Beauty In Chaos, came out in 2018. Michael and I create music and it does not, at least in my brain, become a song until the singer adds their words and melody. I have been really blessed to have matched the music with the right singer. I’m not sure how or why, but our process just works. If anything has changed since the first record, it’s that I think we send more ‘open’ music to the singers. This gives us the ability to add more parts around the vocals, playing off what the singer has done. I know it feels even more collaborative dong it this way.
Do you have any other creative projects on the go?
Beyond working on our album, I have added some guitars to some songs by Wayne Hussey’s wife Cynthia. She has an amazing voice and writes absolutely beautiful lyrics. Her song Open Wound Heart on our last album Behind The Veil is one of my favourites. Hopefully, her album will be released this year.
I have also been asked by a very talented Italian artist, Stella Wembley, to add some guitars and textures to a couple of her dark-electro songs. I am looking forward to that creative challenge. And how knows, I may be asked to join by old bandmates Human Drama on stage again in Mexico…
What/who influences you most as an artist?
My early influences still stick with me – Bowie, T. Rex and the New York Dolls. BIC has certainly blessed me with the chance to collaborate with some amazing artists that make up a big portion of my record collection. It’s still very surreal to think that I would be on an album with members of The Mission, The Cure, Cheap Trick and The Psychedelic Furs, along with a lot of other amazing artists.
As for what influences me? I think BIC starts from sounds – whatever happens when I plug a guitar through a vast array of effects pedal, and it gets further warped and manipulated by Mr. Rozon. I have to add that we have a blast making this music.
What have you been listening to recently?
Honestly, not much outside of some the new songs of the artists that have been part of BIC. Ashton Nyte , Human Drama, Whitney Tai, Curse Mackey and Holy Wars have all released some beautiful new music. I do have to add that after seeing The Cure at five shows on their recent US tour, I am really looking forward to their next album. The new songs are deep, dark and beautiful. It Can Never Be The Same pulls hard on the heart strings, which is what a great song should do.
You’re based in Los Angeles – is this where you are originally from?
Hell no! Born and raised in The Big Easy – New Orleans!
How is the local music scene faring at the moment?
I would be lying to say that I know very much about it now. I know it is somewhat sadly different than when I moved here in the late ‘80s with Human Drama. Tish and I’s youngest daughter, Sophia, has been co-promoting a ‘battle of the bands’. It has been really wonderful watching this come together and seeing the bi-weekly shows. Lots of very good and different bands. It is inspiring to see the DIY process, and just how supportive the bands are of each other. That certainly gives the post-Covid music scene hope.
Anything else you’d like to share with your fans and our readers? Where can they find your music?
I never take any of this for granted. BIC has been a remarkable journey, and we are certainly not done yet! I ask that everyone please dive into the catalogues of all of the amazing artists that have given their talents and time to make Beauty In Chaos possible. If you like any of the artists or bands – support them. Go to their shows, BUY their music. This is the only way ‘this’ works.As for Beauty In Chaos? While we’e on all streaming platforms, all of our albums are available in physical formats, such as vinyl and compact disc. Digital versions are included with both. I do ask that if you buy one or all of our albums, PLEASE give it a listen at least once from the top to the bottom in its intended order – preferably LOUD, in a low-light room with a glass of red wine!
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