What made you decide that music is a thing for you?
- When I was in Junior High I played Dungeons & Dragons with my friends in the morning before school started in the school’s cafeteria. This was around 1990 or 1991 and I was really into the Misfits and Metallica’s 80s work at the time. I wanted to start a metal band so I asked each of my friends to learn an instrument. I learned guitar and none of my other friends learned how to play. From then on I loved writing and playing music of different genres.
Introduce us to you all and your musical history.
- Twice Dark is a solo act, created by me (Josh Kreuzman) in late 2019 in Bloomington, IN. I had always wanted to be in a goth band, I made dark electronic music before that but never released it. I played in bands through high school, college and into adulthood. That spanned the 1990s through to late 2010s. Mostly I played in Punk and Indie Rock bands but eventually I wanted to make my own music on my own terms and I started my love of goth music in the early 2000s. From then on I wanted to create goth rock. It took me a long time to get there with some false starts but I finally realized my vision with Twice Dark.
What’s the live music scene like in BLOOMINGTON right now? Anyone we should be looking out for (Bar you of course)
- I live in Bloomington, IN which is a college town and there’s always been a strong music scene here. Planet X Records, Bluesanct, Secretly Canadian, John Mellencamp, the Zero Boys and others put Bloomignton on the map. Currently I run a goth night called Gallow Dance which started in 2021. Indianapolis is the capital city and is only an hour away. There are several goth nights and clubs there as well. Lots of good bands. Angel-Maker, Homunculus Algorithm, Blak Sunday, Wayde 31, Square Hollow and 9th Circle Symphony to name a few.
I’ve seen a lot of people struggling for support recently online. What’s your view on the industry?
- In preparation for the release of Telekinetic the single, album of the same name and many remixes, I took a PR class through Music Gateway and Kym Musgrove. Kym was extremely helpful in teaching me the ins and outs of how to get my music heard, reviewed and followed. With that new knowledge I’d say it’s a very hard industry to break into and can be extremely finicky. Being a solo artist I do all the work myself because I can’t afford a full time PR team and it’s exhausting just to get a handful of people to listen to my music. If press and fame were the only reason I made music I would’ve given up a long time ago. I do it for the love of making music.
Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry?
- I feel I’m at the lowest rung on the ladder in terms of success. I have a long long way to go. That said, I have made some progress and I’ve learned a lot. I’ve met amazing people along the way and I’m excited to see where this new release takes me.
Tell us Two truths and a lie about you.
- I work as a Career Advisor for my day job, I’ve written and illustrated 2 graphic novels and I’m a happy consumer content to watch sports when I’m not working.
Do you ever worry about people taking things the wrong way or cancel culture? Discuss….
- I can only speak in terms of my own creative output. As a music promoter for Gallow Dance, I’ve had a few instances where I had to cancel a band because of things they were accused of and prosecuted for. I want to make sure I share the stage with positive people who stand for positivity and who don’t abuse others. I can’t say I’ve been too concerned that my music would be misunderstood and I might be canceled because of it but anything is possible. I don’t feel I write very controversial music, mostly my message is about pulling ourselves out of the darkness and learning how to enjoy the short time we have here. However, I can’t say that it’s never crossed my mind that someone might misconstrue something I’ve written or said.
Do you sign up to any conspiracy theories? If not why not?
- When I was younger I had friends who were into books like Behold a Pale Horse by William Cooper and some friends who were very Christian who had beliefs like the world being flat and that the earth is only 6 thousand years old. Their proof being human footprints inside of Dinosaur footprints and things like that. In the late 1990s I felt I was more susceptible to ideas like this (I was a young dumb teenage boy going to raves and taking too much acid) but I never really bought into them too much. I try not to dismiss anything outright because I can’t say with certainty much of anything really. Existence is an odd thing, the universe is even stranger, if the big bang theory is true then who created all the matter and antimatter? I don’t know enough about it to argue one way or another but I’m human and I think about being and not being a lot. I believe the earth is spherical, I believe the universe is vast and there’s probably more life out there somewhere.
What was your best experience on stage?
- I’ve played with Voltaire, Ashcode, and Boots Black. I’ve also played a show with Scary Lady Sarah from Bellwether Syndicate. Those were all amazing but I’d say my 2 favorite shows so far was a show I put together for a compilation I made called Midwest Gothic. Most of the bands on the comp played and so many people came out to see us. It was a great night. I also recently got to play my first relatively big festival, Dark Castle in Louisville. That was a big goal of mine and a great time.
What was your worst experience on stage?
- That’s hard to say, I haven’t had such bad experiences that they stuck with me. There’s only one that comes to mind. I played a show at the Art Sanctuary in Louisville, KY one time and no one seemed to be into it. No one talked to me after the show and I didn’t sell any merch. I was floored because I felt I had played very well. But, fast forward 8 months later and I’m back at the same venue playing Dark Castle so I must’ve done something right that night.
Tell us something about you that you think people would be surprised about.
- I can only think of one thing that might be surprising to some. In 2013 and some of 2014 I was homeless due to my own actions and addictions. Since then I’ve turned my life around completely and am back doing what I love.
What are the next steps you plan to take as a band to reach the next level?
- I’m releasing 3 more singles and 7 remixes using the same promotional methods I used for Telekinetic. That’s my current plan. Beyond that I plan on making a proper music video for Telekinetic, touring the east coast of the United States and applying for more festivals.
I hear you have a new music, what can you tell us about it.
- Telekinetic is the first single from my upcoming album of the same name. I have 3 other singles coming out for the album this year and early next. The album will be out in early 2025. Each song on the album (with the exception of 2) is about using supernatural abilities to change your life for good or bad. Most of my songs are dark in nature but the heart or message is light. I write about the struggle of simply being, the fear of death, the fear of not knowing what comes next and the ability to be ok with all of that and live your life to the fullest. I’m still trying to actualize these ideas in my own life but the song writing helps me get there.
What was the recording process like?
- I recorded most of the music on my own in my home studio. I sent the stems to the studio and recorded the Bass Guitar and Vocals at Postal Recording in Indianapolis. That’s the studio I used for my self titled album and Fault Line. I try to keep studio time to a minimum, a single day or 2 at the most. Studios are expensive and these days an unnecessary expense if you do a little research.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
- I wanted these songs to sound different than my previous songs. My previous material was very dark, heavy goth and industrial. I started getting more and more into synth pop and I wanted these songs to have a lot of synth pop elements. I had to find the right drums and keys to really sell the 80s synth pop vibe. I wanted Telekinetic to sound like a cross between New Order, the Cure and Depeche Mode and I think I was largely successful.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
- I don’t think so, I think the album is exactly what I set out to make. I think it’s very strong and probably my best work in terms of being polished, clean, solid performances, and professional quality. I also had guest vocalists on 5 of the 7 songs which I think will help each of our fan bases. I had 7 remixes made of these songs as well so all in all, I think it’s a solid album and a stepping stone to the next work I produce.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
- Expect more singles, remixes and the full album in the coming months. I’ve already started writing music for the following album which will continue with the synth pop vibes and add some new beat, EBM elements as well. More awesome music to come. Don’t wait until you have the perfect equipment to create or write. If you do that, you’ll never make anything. Start now with what you have.
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