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An Interview with Ryan Shuck of Julien-K
Posted: Sunday, May 31, 2009
By: Denyss McKnight

At first it may seem as though the members of Julien-K have some large shoes to fill; with two members of electronic rock outfit Orgy, the first thought is, "How will this compare?" The thing to really consider about this band is that there really is no comparison. While the music and vibe is at times very reminiscent of Orgy's previous work, Ryan Shuck and Amir Derahk have come up with something that they can truly call their own. With the addition of Brandon Belsky and Elias Andra, the veterans have created a hybrid of their signature heavy rock laced with elements of electronica and teamed up with notable U.S. label Metropolis Records to release Death to Analog. Already hitting the stage in support of some very heavy hitters as well as working on a new project, Dead by Sunrise, with Link Park vocalist Chester Bennington, the future is looking bright for Julien-K.

Can you give us a little background on how the band took shape? How did you complete the lineup and make the decisions as far as choosing your label, your production team, etc.?

Shuck: Amir and I started the band. For quite a while, it was just the two of us writing music together as sort of a frustrated outlet from the drama of Orgy. We thought we'd just be an electro band and perhaps perform as just the two of us. Brandon had been a long time friend and collaborator in Orgy, and I asked him for some assistance recording and possibly some help writing – just having fun. When Fu came into the picture, Amir, Brandon and I were convinced that this was going to become a live band. Fu sort of helped us take it to another level. It became much more real. Fu, if anyone doesn't know, was another carryover from the Orgy sessions, a long-time friend and collaborator. Elias came later, when we were putting together the live band; of course, he was a long time friend as well. As far as our label is concerned, we thought Metropolis was a good fit stylistically. We thought the fans of that label would like us, and the deal was very straightforward and no nonsense.

Why Julien-K? It's a pseudonym for DJ sets, but where exactly did it come from?

Shuck: If I told you, I would have to kill you.

Personally, how do you feel the differences between Orgy and Julien-K demonstrate your musical evolution?

Shuck: I think Julien-K is more passionate and honest. It is also unapologetically electro. I think that's a bit more mature than what we were doing in Orgy. But I love Orgy as well. Julien-K is definitely a firm step away from Orgy.

During the time it took to put these songs together, were you aware of any kind of change taking place in your writing?

Shuck: Well, it was just me, lyrically, so I was allowed to really be honest. There was no democracy I had to work ideas through. It made things much more difficult, actually; it's hard when it's you and you alone responsible for the message.

To satisfy curiosity, how did the whole collaboration with Chester Bennington start out?

Shuck: Chester and I have been really close friends for over 10 years. I've always admired his voice and work ethic. He was a fan of Orgy and always thought I could do more. Early on in our relationship, we agreed that somehow, we would work together. It started happening as he got excited about Julien-K and blossomed into Dead by Sunrise.

You stated at one point that you had not come across any band that was really doing it for you. Where are you looking? Have you found anything yet? How far does your scope go?What are you listening to these days?

Shuck: The Presets have been the only band as of late to really kick my ass. I love that band. Of course I look everywhere; I just haven't really been turned on by anything. It doesn't mean that I don't like other bands. I just haven't been blown away by a band: their image, their entire record, their sound, and the innovative way they are achieving success. I am totally underwhelmed by the industry right now, and believe me, it's just as hard for us. I'm not giving Julien-K a free pass either, although I do think we are one of the best bands in the world.

What's going on with Orgy? Is the band on hiatus or is it truly something that happened that's not happening anymore?

Shuck: We have actually been talking about playing some shows next year, so stay tuned.

Have you guys been writing still? Have you started work on the next album? What does the new material sound like?

Shuck: Well, our record has been out for eight weeks. No new writing yet. But funny enough, we just began to talk about starting!

What's next on your agenda? Do you have any other plans you can tell us about?

Shuck: We're going to continue to try to spread the word and play as much as we can, in between Dead by Sunrise, for the rest of the year. We also anticipate that when Dead by Sunrise comes out, the whole story regarding what we are doing will grow and help spread the gospel of Julien-K.