A conversation with singer Rou Reynolds about ideology, Richard Wagner and the destruction of the world.
Enter Shikari recently topped the British charts for the first time with their seventh studio album. With “A KISS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD” the band from St. Albans stays true to their electronic hardcore genre mix. We met singer Rou Reynolds before the exclusive release show at Knust in Hamburg. And talked to him about the topics that are occupying him at the moment: ideology, Richard Wagner and the destruction of the world.
ME: In the run-up to the album release you said that you weren’t able to write music for a long time…
Rou Reynolds: … Yes. Shortly after we released our last album “NOTHING IS TRUE & EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE” in April 2020, the first major corona lockdown came. So we didn’t have a chance to play our album live for a very long time. That was a strange experience. I kind of lost connection with people during that time. And with it my ability to write songs. I’m pretty sure there was a connection. I lacked the energy of a live show – then I got a block. I had never had that before. I’ve always written music. Since I was ten or eleven years old.
ME: But you were still writing during this time. A book entitled: A Treatise on Possibility: Perspectives on Humanity Hereafter
Rou Reynolds: Since I was no longer able to make music and play shows, I put all my energy into this book. But writing a book like this requires a different kind of creativity. It’s more about research. You know, in a song that’s three to four minutes long, I can only condense the things that are on my mind. In such a book, on the other hand, I can carry them out, derive them, explain them in detail. This book complements and comments on our music. With the book I tried to analyze the world in which we live to a certain extent. It wasn’t planned to be that comprehensive. But maybe the time during the pandemic was my only chance to make something like this happen.
ME: You write: “The way we structure the world brings out the worst in us”. What does that mean?
Rou Reynolds: When we look at the problems in this world, we feel that a large part of the problems are individual problems. Personal struggles that each of us fights. But that’s not the case. Our supposedly personal problems are often based on the structures of our economic system or our societies. And presently we live in a society that favors only one side of our human nature. Our selfish, competitive and ruthless side. We have built an economic system that requires exactly these properties to make it work.
ME: Can you be more specific?
Rou Reynolds: The best and most obvious example is Donald Trump. Trump is emblematic of how much the system favors a person who ruthlessly looks out only for themselves. But there are numerous people who sit in positions of power and success who are narcissistic, problematic personalities who live by the creed of radical self-maximization. In the music of Enter Shikari we dealt with these problematic structures and systems very early on.
ME: In the book you repeatedly criticize that it is repeatedly said that there is “no alternative” to our system. But what alternative do you see?
Rou Reynolds: There is also another side to our nature, one that is compassionate and community oriented. I wish we could build a system that favors that part of us. What exactly does this system look like? I don’t know that. But I want a dialogue to start about it. There is always an alternative. But at the moment I have the impression that such a debate is being nipped in the bud. As soon as you question our capitalism, it means that you are for socialism. But I advocate getting out of this false dualism.
ME: But does this duality of ideologies really still exist? We actually live in a huge remix culture in which we only use ideological building blocks that no longer compete but stand side by side.
Rou Reynolds: That’s an interesting thought. In part, that’s certainly true. And that doesn’t just apply to political ideologies, but to our entire culture. In music, too, all genre boundaries have long been abolished. Everything flows into each other. That’s insanely liberating. It would be nice if that were to happen at the political level as well. That would be a good development. However, I fear that we still live in a world that is very much influenced by a form of tribalism. The more we can break through these rigid worldviews, the better.
ME: Can we even break through them? We’re sitting here in Hamburg – and you’ve just flown in from Japan. The Ukraine war, for example, which concerns us here, will hardly play a role there. We have a Eurocentric view of our problems…
Rou Reynolds: … and vice versa, we also know far too little about the current problems that are being dealt with on the other side of the world. That’s correct. That’s a problem. But something has changed. The really big problems that are emerging right now are actually preoccupying us all. Be it the pandemic. Be it climate change or threats from spreading wars in which nuclear weapon systems could be used. Our world is more interconnected than ever before. So we need a completely different, global awareness of our planet. The awareness that we are all on this spaceship and we need to talk about how we are dividing our resources.
ME: In the Corona pandemic, it seemed for a brief moment that the world was focusing on tackling a common problem. But nothing has changed. How optimistic are you about the future?
Rou Reynolds: I am absolutely certain that our system will change. The path we are on compels us to do so. It inevitably leads to disaster. We have to change, otherwise there is a threat of civilization collapse. But even if we continue on this self-destructive course, our system will perish even then. So there will definitely be a change. In my book, I wanted to give a voice to people who have put a lot of thought into these change processes. One of the last tattoos I got is based on a statement by Australian philosopher Tony Ord, who said there’s a one in six chance that we as humanity will survive the next century.
ME: Let’s talk about the music that comes out of it. “THE SPARK” was an album about personal fears. “NOTHING IS TRUE & EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE‘ one about societal concerns. The new record now sounds a lot more liberated and… more optimistic?
Rou Reynolds: I think “A KISS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD” is a synthesis of the two albums you mentioned. This time it’s about both personal and social problems – but also about the fact that something can still be changed. There really is a lot of hope in these songs. I think that came naturally. I couldn’t write during the pandemic. When I was finally able to make music again, it was a huge liberation for me. I finally had a chance to express myself again. I felt empowered. And I wanted to share that with people. I want people to take this feeling of self-empowerment with them from this album.
ME: Do you actually want your music to be understood politically, or should it rather be an escape from the problems?
Rou Reynolds: (think) That’s a very complex question. It leads back to a dispute over direction between Brahms and Wagner. Should music explain the world or should it be an escape and consolation from it? To be honest, it’s really hard for me to make a decision here. Because I want to do both. There’s a sweet spot, a point where the music gives you comfort and comfort, but not so much comfort that you turn your mind off completely. I want to hit that spot. Our music should be challenging, show a new perspective and at the same time give a feeling of empowerment. It should be activating.
ME: Richard Wagner also saw his operas as a total work of art, of which the music only occupies a part.
Rou Reynolds: It’s funny you bring that up because just prior to the interview we were talking about our biggest festival show to date – the Slam Dunk Festival in the UK – and we’re in the process of planning the production of the show. I love the possibilities that come with playing such big shows. The theatrical possibilities. Enhance the music visually with light effects in such a way that it also touches the audience emotionally. There are also purists, classic hardcore and punk kids who don’t care. They say a concert has to be intense and sweaty – nothing more. But I love the idea that we don’t just touch people with the music. I love the idea of constantly working on some kind of total work of art.