Clan of Xymox Talk New Album, Musical Memories And More

 As so often in their long and storied career, Clan Of Xymox have picked the perfect moment for their eagerly awaited return. ‘Exodus’, their 18th studio album, showcases the strengths and virtues of the dark wave and goth scene leaders. We spoke to Ronny Moorings about the new album, his musical memories and more: 

Who is in Clan Of Xymox, what do they play and how did you all meet?

I started the band in early 1981. Since then a lot of people played live in the band. I started the band when I studied Sociology in Nijmegen , the Netherlands. Because I started with a 4 track recorder I never needed people working on my songs. In the beginning I involved my flatmate Pieter and then girlfriend Anke with songwriting but that didn’t work out in the end. We all wanted to write and release our own songs and that is what happened. Since then I release only my own material being the sole original songwriter of the band. All instruments are also played by me.

Playing live is what I like the most and my live band for a very long time now is : Ronny Moorings, Mojca Zugna, Mario Usai, Sean Winzer and Daniel Hoffman.

What is the origin/story/meaning behind Clan Of Xymox?

The name ‘Clan of Xymox’ has a somewhat enigmatic origin, contributing to the band’s mysterious and dark image a lot of people think.

‘Clan’: is a close-knit group or family, implying a sense of unity and belonging among the band members and their followers. It evokes an image of a collective or tribe, aligning with the band’s cohesive and immersive musical style.

‘Xymox’: This part of the name is more abstract and has been interpreted in various ways. It doesn’t have a direct meaning in English or Dutch . The term ‘Xymox’ was chosen for its futuristic, otherworldly sound, fitting well with the band’s ethereal and dark aesthetic. It derives from the word ‘Zymotic’, a contagious disease . So I wanted to infect people with my music. The word is unique so when people remember the name they remember it forever 😉

What is your earliest musical memory?

My childhood was filled with music. My father was a music lover and had a stereo radio and record player in one. It was very expensive at the time but he was always interested in music. He also DJ’d in a local youth club when he was young. My very first singles I bought was from Dutch bands like Golden Earring and Shocking Blue.

Your new album ‘Exodus’ is released on 7th June 2024. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

By just writing music:) As simple as that. There was no concept like there was with ‘Limbo’, its album predecessor, which was about the declared ‘pandemic’ and ‘lockdown’ measures. It was a very inspirational time which related to me to all the classic dystopian books I read in the ‘80s. This album is in the end has lots of themes which scare me. The end of the world as we know it. The nuclear threat which we were all afraid of in the ‘80s is now more actual then ever. This time all parties involved are playing out their Neo-geographical fantasies with a finger on the button. The scariest is that there are already scenarios counting on 6 billion people dead and only 2 surviving (if that is even possible). This album is about the turmoil we live in.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

I record now for a long time my material in my own studio named The Torture Chamber. I also produced the album .

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

When we leave the stage after a live show we are not finished. We have a small break and then go to the audience who want to have pictures , selfies with us or autographs. It is most fulfilling. I hope always that the audience had a great time and we played their favourite songs.

 One of the tracks is ‘The Afterglow’. What is the story/inspiration behind the track?

Afterglow metaphorically describes the warm feeling you have after a pleasurable experience and plays with the fact of having a radiance of light in the sky after the sun has set or maybe after a nuclear attack. So the message is to declare your love to your loved one before it’s too late.

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

My stage instrument is the guitar. Sometimes in the past I also used a melodica but I stick now to my guitar and let Sean do that as well. My favourite pedals are Electric Harmonix pedals which I use live. It consists of delays, reverbs, chorus, compressor, fuzz and the like. It’s the combination which makes it interesting.

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

My hometown now is Leipzig. I live here with Mojca now for over 18 years. It’s a historic city in the Eastern part of Germany . It’s known for its rich cultural heritage, vibrant art scene and rich historic past. Even Napoleon got defeated in Leipzig.

 How do you look after your voice?

My voice? By living healthy. I don’t smoke and don’t drink hard liquor. I lead a healthy lifestyle. I like to play sport as well.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

I have done myself some videos with books in mind like ‘Big Brother’ or ‘Brave New World’. Dystopian themes attract me. Directors have used our music for films and I like that very much. David Fincher’s ‘Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ (2011) was the biggest one for me so far.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

You can hear these on the released album ‘Kindred Spirits’ which got released in 2012. I took a sample of bands who influenced my taste in music. There are so many bands now which I like and if you want you can find these on my Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4cUAB8xGgtzJ6Zhc3NhZw 

Which of the tracks on your new album hear you at your a) happiest : ‘Once Upon A Time’ – it’s about my childhood

b) angriest : ‘Save Our Souls’, but that is inward anger, not outward expressed anger like you would shout it out.

and c) most reflective? ‘Fear Of A World At War’ – no explanation there.

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2024?

We have a homepage with our tour on it. Since we are already booking in 2025 I would suggest to look on our page as it is quite long: https://clanofxymox.com/tour-2024 

In the UK we play in October 2025: Wed 29 Oct 2025 – The Garage, London | Thu 30 Oct 2025 – TBA, Manchester | Fri 31 Oct 2025 – The Pavilion, Whitby.

 Was it a difficult album to write?

Absolutely not. It went really fast as I was super inspired. Even after delivering the album I wrote another song which is out now on the ‘X-Odus’ EP. The name of this new song is ‘Suffer’.

 What makes Clan Of Xymox happy and what makes you unhappy?

Nothing makes me unhappy at the moment concerning the band. Sometimes I wished Mojca could do more shows with us but that is at the moment not possible for her as we have a school going daughter. The happiest I am playing live and seeing the world.