An Interview with THE CALM GREY (Part 1 of 2)
In our two-part interview, we talk with The Calm Grey about “In Between Sadness.”
Between post-punk and personal grief
Hailing from North Rhine-Westphalia, with roots in Essen, Herne, and Bielefeld, the post-punk and dark wave duo The Calm Grey crafts its very own blend of melancholy, energy, and hope. Singer Rio Black and instrumentalist Mirco Rappsilber present “In Between Sadness,” an album born deep from personal loss and genuine emotional turmoil. “These songs had to be on one record together,” says Rio. Mirco lost his parents within a few months and later his in-laws as well. “I was thrust from a state of absolute happiness into total grief,” he says, describing the time when everything changed.
Music as a Way to Cope
After the loss, nothing seemed possible for Mirco at first. “I really thought I might never be able to make music again.” The line from “The Last Year”—“No sound, no music, no sound”—reflects that fear and the pain behind it. It wasn’t until weeks later that a creative breakthrough occurred: “Suddenly, something just ‘clicked.’” For Rio, too, the album became an outlet. “It was grief, frustration, and emptiness—the beginning of the healing process.” “The Last Year” and “Leaving the Flat” in particular speak of saying goodbye, speechlessness, and the feeling of suddenly, definitively becoming an adult.
Jan Schütz (Meersein)
Lineup:
Rio Black – Vocals
Mirco Rappsilber – Instruments
Check out the interview about “These Grey Alleys”:
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