WL//WH Interview THE MAN & HIS FAILURES
photo by @athinapapagianni
In celebration of the release of their debut LP, “Survival Kit,” I spoke with Manos K, the frontman of The Man & His Failures. We discussed the band’s latest news, their present and future, the album’s concept, and various other intriguing topics. It’s worth noting that the band is made up of former members from notable groups in the Greek alternative music scene, such as Mani Deum, Active Member, Brigada, Rodes, Sigmataf, and Cyanna Mercury, among others. Manos Karakatsanis, Alekos Sorros, and Dimitris Vlasopoulos have been playing together since 2018. Their music encompasses a wide range of electronic styles, skillfully blending elements of industrial, EBM, darkwave, and goth. Here we go!
Welcome to WL//WH! Let’s dive into the latest news. A series of live events is scheduled to support your new album. Please tell us where and when these events will take place. (album presentation, upcoming livegigs)
Hello, and thank you very much for having us at WL//WH! We will be performing at the Weirdfishes Radio event on the 27th of this month. After that, all our focus is on the presentation of our new album “Survival Kit,” which will take place in Athens at Ilion Plus on May 9th, with our friends Modern Ruin as special guests. We are putting a lot of work into this show, and we will also have several guest musicians joining us on stage. Afterwards, we will be heading outside Athens with our good friends Incirrina for live shows in Larissa and Thessaloniki, while more concerts outside Greece will be announced gradually.
Please, tell us about the collaboration with Panos Dread and Geheimnis Music Productions.
Our collaboration with Geheimnis Music Productions came together in a very natural way, as we have known Panos Dread for quite some time and deeply respect and admire the work he has been doing with the label all these years. It truly feels great and is an absolute honor for us to be part of the Geheimnis family, alongside so many remarkable and inspiring releases!
The “SURVIVAL KIT” LP is a concept album. What is hidden inside, what are the stakes of the story, andwhere does the band shine its light?
“Survival Kit” is a concept album that also takes a clear political stance, shaped by our own filters and lived experiences. Inside it lies a dystopia that is, in fact, very real, not only in the country we live in, but on a global scale. It becomes especially interesting when someone realizes that the sci-fi scenarios within “Survival Kit” are not fictional stories, but reflections of the reality we are already experiencing. The band finally shines its light in the last track, which shares the album’s title, offering our own perspective on what this “Survival Kit” we so desperately need actually is, and what we should truly be paying attention to.
The band’s lineup is diverse, coming from various music genres and backgrounds, yet they work well together. How was this achieved?
This has been achieved because we share the same vision for the music we want to create with this project, as well as for the messages we want to convey. When there is a shared vision, there is a shared direction.
There is an official video clip for “Subjects”, and I’d like to ask about your decision to work with NikosChantzis (Press Eject and Give Me The Tape), what exactly is in the footage, and what is lurking within this film?
Our collaboration with Nikos Chantzis also came about very naturally, as we were already familiar with his work through his films and other music videos he had directed. We met, had a coffee, and within an hour, we had jointly settled on the concept for “Subjects.” Then we invited our friend, actor Angelos Nerantzis, to star in the video, and also actor Mary Voulgari to make a friendly guest appearance. Something special, which we’re sharing for the first time here, is that the next video will tell the story of Mary from “Subjects,” so the narrative will continue. The story of “Subjects” revolves around a modern individual literally lost in the whirlwind of their city and deeply wounded by it.
What kind of music do you say The Man & His Failures play, and where will they drive it in the future?
We would describe our music as a mix of industrial and darkwave, with touches of EBM, synthpop, and even some techno moments. In the future, we may move toward an even more “cold” approach, but it’s still too early to make any definite guesses. That said, we are already in the process of starting work on our next album.
What is the origin of this dark, occasionally industrial soundscape? What inspires your musical approach?
Our inspiration comes literally from what we experience every day. We discuss it, let it ferment among ourselves, and this process naturally flows into our songs.
I see that you used excerpts from Gabor Maté and Carl Sagan in 2 tracks on the album. How did that happen? I also want to ask: what inspires Manos to write lyrics for a song?
For these two particular samples, the inspiration came from Alekos Sorros, who also handles the production, and of course, the rest of us agreed, as they truly fit perfectly with the mood of the album. When I write lyrics, I usually need to organize my thoughts and decide what I want to express at that particular moment. This is always connected to the concept of each album, and through that, I sit down and work thoroughly on the lyrical part, sometimes with the help of the other two, of course.
There is a significant global discussion about the role of AI in people’s lives, but I want to focus specifically onart, particularly music. What do you think is the ideal way to incorporate AI into a work of art? Additionally,do you believe that AI will overshadow the human element in musical creation?
In my view, at least for now in music, AI is mostly a tool for those who are not looking to engage deeply or seriously with the creative process. It can help produce something that resembles what someone else, somewhere, has already created, but it cannot replace the hours of learning, experimentation, and hands-on work required to achieve an original and meaningful result. That said, AI can be useful as a quick tool for technical questions or experimentation. But no, I don’t believe it will ever overshadow the human element in music creation.
photo by @ten_fifteen_10.15
Where will our species be led if our thinking and daily lives are “robotized”?
It will inevitably lead to a loss of personal filters and critical thinking, bringing us one step closer to absolute destruction.
Are there or have there been any music albums that somehow predicted such a geometric dystopia?
Many, such as “Caustic Grip” by Front Line Assembly, “Bites” by Skinny Puppy, or “Tyranny for You” by Front 242, to name just a few.
Would you like to share which book you recently read and whether you recommend it?
Recently, I read “The Beginnings of the Revolution,” which includes texts by Sergey Nechayev and Mikhail Bakunin, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in this side of history.
Manos K, thank you for your time. Last words on you!
Thank you very much for the very interesting questions and for having us! We look forward to seeing you all at the Survival Kit album presentation and at a show somewhere out there!
Keep up with The Man & His Failures:photo by @athinapapagianni
Interview by Mike D.
