Tearful Moon are from Houston/Texas, a very talented and dedicated band in darkwave music. This is all about dark, atmospheric and melodic music, involving sentimental, poetic lyrics (curses and suspense), all ‘packed in a forgotten and dusty bottle’. Their craft is synthesized, and based on this heritage, managing effortlessly to nail you in front of your speakers, so this is talent! We couldn’t pass by in making an interview with them, so please open their ‘In The Dark Morning‘ “book”, pour some absinthe in your glass and enjoy the beauty of darkness…
A darkwave band from Houston, how did it all start? Please introduce yourselves to our readers.
Sky Lesco (SL): Hi, I’m Sky Lesco, and I’m the singer/songwriter of Tearful Moon.
Manuel Lozano (ML): Hello, I’m Manuel Lozano, and I play the synths, and create the music for our project.
SL: Well, I’ve never tried to sing, and never dreamt I’d be doing it now! I’ve been writing poetry since I learned to write. When Manuel and I started dating exclusively, I decided that I wanted to be his muse, because I saw so much potential and talent in his music, one of the things I fell in love with right away. But then I had this idea for us to collaborate on something because I felt that his music sort of mirrored my poetry. So I asked him if he’d be interested in doing a spoken word project with me that would feature his ambient music. That’s how it started. Our earliest spoken word tracks are found on Soundcloud. But then we joked around with one of my poems, and I sung it just for fun, and then another lightbulb went off to take this somewhere else.
How did you end up with that sound, regarding that southern US, although sometimes involved with dull and foggy art, has no real tradition in “wave” music (like the East and West coast)?
ML: Well, we both have a lot of influences between us that are far from Southern US.
SL: We also don’t have a huge scene here for the genre, not in Houston, Tx. So it’s very challenging for us, but we don’t care. We love the music that we do, even if it’s not popular in our home town.
How do you consider your art? Meaning that you play darkwave, synth based music with obviously a lot of other elements in…
ML: I guess it’s a mixture of both our personal interests as well as personal feelings of the world.
Lyrics: All darkwavers pay a lot of attention in their lyrics, same as Tearful Moon. You write strong, dark and poetic lyrics. What leads you in such a dark manifest and what actually influences you in writing?
SL: Well, all the songs have been influenced by all my personal experiences. And I’ve always had a dark side, melancholy emotions since childhood, and pen and paper have been a savior for me to channel my demons, and cast them out as I like to describe it. The most painful parts of my life have been written into words. Most of the lyrics have originated from a stack of poetry I’ve accumulated over a decade give or take. I think love, loss, and depression have been the most explored as well as spirituality, for I am very spiritual.
Earlier in September you released your debut ‘In The Dark Morning’ LP, which included the single ‘Lust Spell’. A significant part of dedicated media mentioned your name and now you are hitting the stage in cities outside US too, also signing by Brazilian label Wave Records. Tell us all about it please!
SL: Well, it’s all really exciting and like a dream we are walking in! We just got back from our second visit to Mexico City, and I feel so blessed for the people there, and the friends we have made. I’m happy and honored to be on this journey, and that Alex Borges (Wave Records) is helping us with this album.
ML: I think what helped us the most is the media, and we are where we are because of our supporters who have been following us since we started. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have kept going.
What is inspiring you in making such a dedicated and underground form of music?
ML: It’s the only thing that I like, and only place I feel that we belong.
SL: For me, it’s the other artists that we admire, and having the pleasure to connect with them. That’s very rewarding. For example, I’m a big fan of This Cold Night (another darkwave Texas project) and Chase Morledge (man behind the project) is someone who I adore as an artist and a person, I love to share things with him and it’s just fun to be involved in something where there’s this energy and connection with other like minded people and supporting others and vice versa.
Future plans? Performing live or any new music coming soon?
ML: Yes of course.
SL: We are currently working on new stuff, and plans to release an EP soon, more live shows coming up too that we are excited about.
What differences do you notice, mostly between US and European darkwave musicians?
SL: I can’t think of any really. I think every artist is unique, and that it doesn’t matter where they come from.
Are there any other music/art projects you are involved with?
ML: I have my solo project called Dark Figure, where I sing and play the guitar.
SL: I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate on a song with Werner Karloff called ‘Demoralization’, and there’s a possible plan to collaborate on one with Stockhaussen, both amazing artists from Mexico City.
Tearful Moon is a sorrowful, gothic name. But, what does it really mean for you?
SL: Well, I’ve always felt a profound connection with the moon. I just know that one full moon night, I looked up and saw the face of the Virgin Mary crying in it. Sounds crazy and silly.
But it was late at night on a beach, when I was feeling very sad. It was like the moon was crying with me, and I felt less alone, and nature during the night was everything that I am as a person.
Thank you very much for the interview, please close it as you like!
SL: Thank you, guys!
ML: Thanks.
Photo credits: Angel Mavarez
Mike Dimitriou