'Never Bet The Devil Your Head' is the latest track from France-based duo Sonic Winter and deserves a special mention. The production contains a lot of interesting sounds that are certainly able to capture the mind of the listener. Sonic Winter knows how to create quality tracks and 'Never Bet The Devil Your Head' is a great proof of that. If you are curious to hear what guitarist Jean-Marc Millière and keyboardist Francis Girola have to say, check out the interview. I think it will satisfy your curiosity and you will want to explore Sonic Winter further.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hey Sonic Winter, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
“I think that one of my strengths is that I have a very eclectic taste in music. Likewise, our repertoire is equally varied: fusing elements of rock, electro, jazz... a blend of all the things Jean-Marc and I love. I like music that breaks the mould and artists who do not restrict themselves to a particular genre.” Francis Girola
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
“Having all my life to explain to other people what I do.” Jean-Marc Millière
Your latest track is 'Never Bet The Devil Your Head'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
“While is title is borrowed from a short story by Edgar Allen Poe, this song is actually a tribute to blues legend Robert Johnson, who allegedly sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for success. I have always found this myth fascinating! This track was in the pipeline for quite a while but it eventually came to fruition during the lockdown. I guess staying creative was a good way to cope with all the doom and gloom at the time. Everything was recorded and mixed remotely. Our collaboration with American illustrator Charlie Padgett also took place online. We first came across one of his pieces titled ‘The Devil’s Muse’ totally by chance, and we instantly fell in love with it. Charlie not only allowed us to use it as our cover art, but he also directed our official music video with stunning animations. We could not have dreamt of a better collaboration. It was as if things were meant to be!” Francis
Where do you see your musical career in 10 years?
“Madison Square Garden!” Jean-Marc
Do you have a mentor or coach?
“Although I have never actually met any of them, my mentors are the artists I revere. We contemporary musicians stand on the shoulders of giants. Therefore, I always take a look back at some of my idols and try to take inspiration from them. One of my mottos is: ‘What would Serge Gainsbourg do?’” Francis
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an artist?
“I try to practise my guitar as little as possible to keep the spontaneity of a beginner, forget the way you’re supposed to play in order to find the best way to play, this is my motto! “ Jean-Marc
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
“Aside from my career as a musician, I also work as professional mystery entertainer: I am a magician, mind reader and hypnotist, I perform at private events in the UK and internationally. I try to find the right balance between those two worlds. In any case, if I somehow had to stop both careers, I am certain I would end up choosing another creative endeavour. That’s just who I am!” Francis
How do you structure your week?
“I do not structure my week, I take day by day, Carpe Diem.” Jean-Marc
What's the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?
“Always play as loud as possible, great or terrible, the audience in both cases will remember you.” Jean-Marc
What are your plans for next year? Do you have any productions ready to be released?
“As a matter of fact, we technically have enough material to produce a full-length album already. However, we’ve decided to release everything into bite-size instalments to gradually build up our audience. It’s also good to leave people hungry for more! We’re really excited to share our brand-new sounds. As usual, all of our latest tracks have different identities, like an invitation to a unique musical journey each time. Yet, I feel there is a leading thread in all of them, as if each song was the building block of a bigger picture. Consequently, our upcoming releases will follow a constant progression leading to the full spectrum of the Sonic Winter sound. Our next single will launch in early 2022.” Francis