How old were you when you first started making music?

- "I started around 1996/1997 at age 16-17 without any formal musical training. I still don't consider myself a musician to this day. I am just some crazy guy that creates music in his head all the time... even while I am asleep."

At that point in time, was it already clear in your head that making music was what you wanted to do with your life? Was there any particular event or album that made you say to yourself "hey, that's what I want to do!?

- "I've always been a music fan. Starting with Michael Jackson back in 1984. The music I listened to always influenced the way I dressed, even when I was a kid. Same when I was a teenager. I used to raise hell in class, same as I do nowadays when I am on stage. I haven't changed a bit (laughs). In class, I always acted like a clown, always seeking attention. I still do that today while on stage, because you know, isn't that what artists do? Always looking for acknowledgement, for better or worse sometimes."

For the production of your demo tape and first few albums, what were the major difficulties you encountered?

- "Hardware. I only had access to a synthesizer (8 tracks groovebox type with only 3 effects) and no computer at all. Believe me it was a shitty setup. I often ask myself: "how in hell have I been able to do my first demo and first two albums with that setup?""

What are the subjects that influence your writing?
- "The serial killers, the crazies (psychopaths, sexual perverts, schizophrenics etc) and horror movies from the 70's and 80's. I had super cool parents, so we would (me, my brother and my sisters) be allowed to watch these kind of movies at a very young age, like 4 or 5 years old. We have a huge collection now."

We can see (or hear) various influences in your material, what musical movements had an impact on you both as a person and as an artist?
- "Like I said earlier, I've listened to music since my early childhood. I started with Michael Jackson and a bunch of 80's stuff (New Wave, Hard Rock, movie soundtracks), then i got into american hip-hop during the late 80's. I also had a Nirvana period (like almost everybody else) until I discovered heavier music in the metal genre in 1993. Bands like Slayer, Morbid Angel, Sepultura, Unleashed, Sarcofago, Kreator to name a few. Then I was into Dark Electro/Industrial/EBM around 1995. I still like all these types of music so Obzön Geschöpf is like a melting pot of all these, depending on how I feel when I start the creation process of a particular track."

Does the fact that your music incorporates lots of various influences help during the process of organizing shows or get booked in festivals or getting gigs?
- "It doesn't help at all? I always get the same answers from these assholes that would book my band. Obzön Geschöpf is too metal for industrial fests/gigs or too industrial for metal fests/ gigs. Because of these fuckers, there won't be any crossover bands left someday. We just can't get booked! I hope they all burn in hell in 15 feet flames (an Otis Toole phantasm)."

If we take a closer look at your career, we can see a constant and gradual progression. Can you talk a bit about your musical path, from your beginnings to where you are at now?

- "At the beginning, after my first demo, 'Day of Suffering' (that was more of an electro/metal hybrid), I wasn't able to find a guitarist good enough and willing to play that particular type of music in my small hometown of Boulogne-Sur-Mer. So I had to adjust and went with a more Dark Electro/Industrial, probably because I was listening to a shitload of that music during the Yell Of Fright, Son Of Evil and Tomb Of The Dead era. Then I finally found a guitarist (Matthieu Merklen) for the 'Erection Body Mutilated' album so I started doing what I really had in mind for Obszön Geschöpf, a more violent EBM/Indus/Metal with an horror/gore flavor to it."

Did you incorporate these influences on purpose or is it something that came naturally?

- "It came naturally, depends on how I feel! If I feel hip hop metal or industrial death metal, it reflects on my creations but there is always that Obzön Geschöpf sound. Lots of people tell me that even if my songs have different flavors, they all still have my signature sound which to me is the best compliment I can get."

Do you have any formal training in music or are you self taught?

- "No, I rely on my ear!"

What is your typical creation process?

- "I always start in my head creating guitar riffs or synthesizer melodies, then I sing them in a Dictaphone like a mad man (so I won't forget what I come up with). Then I re-create them with my synthesiser and software before sending them to Matthieu (Merklen) so he can play them on real bass and guitar."

There are lots of horror movie samples from the 70's and 80's in your compositions. Can you elaborate on that passion of yours?

- "Like I said earlier, I am really passionate about it? to the point where some of the titles of my songs are actual movie titles (Bloodfeast, The Love Butcher, Deranged, The Beast Within?)"

You made excellent remixes for other bands/artists (Dope stars Inc, Vigilante, Circus Of Dead Squirrels, Technophobia). Is that something you enjoy doing?

- "Yes. I even do this in my head all the time when I listen to a track I like. I remix it in there, adding riffs and drum parts (laughs). One thing though, I won't do it for free anymore. I made lots of remixes that haven't been released for some reason and I feel it's a huge waste of my time. I'd rather work on my own project now."

I know you had a hard time trying to find a new label to release Highway of Horrors, so you decided to create a label of your own called Cemetery Records which is specialized in industrial metal. Can you talk about the process and the difficulties you had to face?
- "I sent like 20 promo packs to the biggest metal labels out there. Either I didn't receive an answer or got answers like they have too many bands already, wasn't their typical music type etc?"

Your previous releases are almost all out-of-print and/or sold-out. Do you plan on re-release them on your label? Any plan for a box-set?

- "I'd like to release a box-set for the end of 2013 or early 2014 to celebrate Obzön Geschöpf's 15 years of existence. Like 3 or 4 CDs with a compilation of all albums and demos, some old tracks never released, lots of remixes, some new tracks and covers of well known bands. But it will only be possible if the sales for my latest release go well enough to allow me to do so."

I really like the artwork of your last 2 albums. Who's the artist and how did you found out about him?

- "The artist is Motlla-Art and he is from Austria. I met him a couple years ago on Myspace where I first saw his work. I worked with him for 'Symphony Of Decay' and I've been so pleased by his work that I always work with him now for every other release I put out."

You made a great cover of Judas Priest's Painkiller for HOH? Why that band and track?

- "It just happened. I was listening to that track and said to myself "I could see a fat EBM bassline on that!" so I just made it happen. Now there is one in there when I listen to that track again (laughs). Same thing is gonna happen to other covers I'll do in the future."

You toured the USA for 'Symphony Of Decay'. How did it go? Many fans out there?

- "Touring in the USA was my biggest dream. One of my greatest experience as Obzön Geschöpf. There are some things I'd do differently but I still look forward to doing it again, maybe in 2014! I got lots of fans back there, especially in the bigger cities like New York? It was unforgettable!"

Any plans to come to Canada someday?
- "I hope so! It is my main goal for 2013-2014. If anybody who would like to book us for the United States and Canada is reading this interview is interested, I am 666% available!!!"

What are you are currently listening to?
- "Old heavy metal, old school thrash metal, hard FM, some grunge, but next week, I could be listening to Italo disco! (laughs)"

What are your top 10 albums?
- "All Pantera albums, all Clawfinger albums, the early Sepultura stuff up until 'Roots', Die Krupps' 'Odyssey Of The Mind' and 'Paradise Now', Slayer's 'Divine Intervention', Morbid Angel's 'Blessed Are The Sick', Kreator's 'Extreme Aggression', Fear Factory's 'Demanufacture', Biohazard's 'State Of The World Address', Rorcharch Test's 'Unclean', Poupée Fabrikk's 'Your Pain Our Gain', GGFH's 'Disease', Downset's 'Downset', Strapping Young Lad's 'City', Rammstein's 'Herzeleid'... There are so many I gotta stop!"

What's your favorite Obzön Geschöpf release? Why?

- "I love 'em all...but today I'd say 'Highway Of Horrors' until there is a new one coming out, then it probably be the new album. Every release marks a part of my life and I am a pretty nostalgic person, so I love them all."

What's your favorite Obzön Geschöpf track? Why?

- "I created about a hundred track and I gotta say I love'em all, it all depends on how I feel at a particular moment."

What are the most memorable moments of your career... good or bad?

- "It would be my participation and eventually my selection for D Side Magazine contest. Only 15 bands were selected among more than 300 that auditioned. My first concert was also memorable, my first tour and my first USA tour among others. I try to only remember the good things!"

What's your family's take on your music? Have they always been supporting Obzön Geschöpf?

- "I got the best family in the world. My parents are super cool and they were always supportive of me, without them, no Obzön Geschöpf!"

You are pretty present on social medias (especially Facebook) and you seem to interact a lot with your fans...is it important for you to keep in touch with your fans?

- "Nope! I just do it to piss them off!! (laughs) Seriously, I think it's pretty cool now that the option is there! Would have loved to chat with my favorite bands in the 90's but it was kind of impossible."

Thanks a lot for your time!

- "No problem!"