Music has the power to connect people across languages, cultures and countries. No matter where you are from or where you go, there will always be a community within the music you love. Ghøstkid proved this on Friday, Feb. 7, when they played at Altar at the Masquerade.
Coming from Germany on their first headlining U.S. tour, the band is the solo project of former Electric Callboy (EC) member Sebastian Biesler, who goes by “Sushi.” The group includes Steve Joakim on drums, “Jappo” Heinz and Chris Kisseler on guitars and “Stani” Czywil on bass. Kisseler has so far been unable to join the band on their United States tour dates.
Before their show, while the line outside the Altar doors grew longer, The Technique met up with Sushi to talk about undertaking a solo project after leaving EC and reflecting before what would be the last date of the “Ghøstkid: Live in the US” tour.
How’ve you guys been liking your first headliner in the United States?
I mean, it’s not the first time that we are here. We’ve been on tour with Black Veil Brides last year in May. But it’s a lot of fun so far. Of course, if you’re on your own, you have a lot more responsibility, but shows are great. Hawk and Crucifixion are absolutely lovely. So it’s a really great tour. It’s a lot of fun.
And you guys [played] Shiprocked before this, right? How was that?
It was amazing … With my old band, we played some cruises as well, but that was definitely a different thing. People were in a great mood; I had a sunstroke [and] that was probably the only downer. But it was a lot of fun for sure.
Did you know you wanted to make music [for international audiences] when you started?
Absolutely … I try to include as many people as possible, so that’s the reason why I had started [playing internationally]. I try to keep everything in English as much as possible, even if I have German interviews … I used to translate them and I always try, at least, to tell the people what’s going on.
What made you decide to start making music?
I would just say I was always looking for my thing … and so music was the only thing I really stuck to. Because you just have it in your own hands, how good you want to be and how far you want to go or come. So, you have so many options and opportunities that [have] just something to do with yourself. For me, in the first place, I just wanted to have a place I could call home. And music was the only thing that was always there for me.
Did you have any inspirations that you remember looking up to when deciding to go into music?
I would say probably everything started because of my dad. He used to record old rock concerts on the TV. So when I started playing guitar, he always [recorded shows] on a regular TV. And for me, that was something magical — to see bands like Korn and Slipknot … back in the days just performing live, I said, “I want to be there on that stage.” So I would say this is how everything started. And, of course, I grew up in the nu-metal era. So yeah, there have been a lot of bands and artists I looked up to.
So if you could tour with anyone, who would you want it to be?
I would love to tour with Bring Me The Horizon because they’re my favorite band. But I’m more interested in characters, like with bands that I like. So I wouldn’t mind, even if I’m not that much into the music, I would say, if it’s worth it — if it’s a good band — I would love to tour with them. But Bring Me would be great.
When you say “character,” do you mean who the people are versus the band?
Yeah. [I’ve] met a bunch of people since I started to do music, and it’s always interesting. [You] … hear all those rumors sometimes about the artist … and if you meet them, it’s like a completely different person. It’s super interesting … You meet so many different characters.
A lot [of artists’] stage presence is very different than their offstage presence. Would you say you’re more introverted or extroverted?
Sometimes, I can transfer [the onstage energy] to my private life, but on stage, you know what [you’re doing]. It’s like it’s a switch. But I would say, in general, I’m more introverted but just when it comes down to strangers. In my regular space though, if I know people, I’m not introverted.
I know you said that Ghøstkid came from wanting to do solo stuff, so how did you meet the other guys?
Everybody who’s in the band [I’ve known] for years. For example, my bass player, Stani, [I’ve known] this guy since we were 15 years old. So we played in the band a long time ago, and he’s one of my closest friends. Same with Jappo, for example. He used to be the guitar check in my old band, [and that’s] how we met for the first time, and we always stayed in touch. So [when forming Ghøstkid], it was like, “Okay, these are the right guys to start a band with.”… That doesn’t mean that we don’t fight a lot, but it is what it is. I would consider them more family than just “regular musicians.”
What would you say is your favorite part of being on tour?
I would say that it feels like time stands still for a moment because you’re just in your bubble. [Because] you know what to do. You see some nice places and so on. You meet interesting people … I love the United States, so I’m just happy to be here; the vibe is so different.
What do you want your music to mean to people?
I think, for me, the biggest validation… is always if people just find the meaning, and if it helps people just to make it through tough times, that’s the reason why I’m doing music. And if it resonates with people and it helps them to overcome hard times … that’s the most important thing that I can share, this part of my story. I always used to say music, in general, is like a big family because everybody sticks together because of the same reason.
What is your writing process like?
It always depends. Usually, I just record voice messages. Every time I feel inspired by something, I just lay down a little voice message. And most of the time, I start with the vocals, so I’m just mumbling, and then I try to build lyrics out of that, and then I just add the instrumentals and just play guitar and see if it works or not. This is how I work, usually. I’m just waiting for this moment [when] something comes into my mind that I need to express. So usually, when I feel bad, I’m a lot more productive.
When you were a kid, did you see yourself where you are now?
I tried a lot of different things. I started with music pretty late, even though my parents always used to sing in church choirs. My dad used to play the flute, [and he’s] still doing that, so music was always around. But not [in a way that] I had a connection. Even in school, I was so bad in music [class]; I always had the worst rating, but at some point, I just got attracted to it, and I realized that, through music, you can discover the whole world.
To be honest, for me, music is like unlimited power. So maybe that’s the reason why I stuck to it because you can change the whole world in your bedroom. This is what music is … if you just do what you love, eventually you’re gonna speak to a lot of people. And now it’s, I don’t know, twenty, twenty-five years later and I’ve seen the whole world through something that started as an idea or a dream as a child.
Ghøstkid’s live shows are fantastic, especially for a comparatively “newer” band — forming in 2020. Both Sushi’s vocals and the band’s appearance are distinct, and they often wear facepaint, unnatural-looking contacts and outfits unique to each member but cohesive in their aesthetic.
Sushi covers both vocal styles characteristic of the metal genre, doing each one with incredible prowess. His screams hold levels of emotion that add extra depth to the songs, and his clean vocals are uniquely textured, containing subtle flashes of his accent.
Each of the other members brings individuality to the shows, with Joakim’s tangible drumming passion standing out. When fans watch him in particular, they will notice his habit of spinning and flipping his drumsticks in a way that looks so second-nature that it doesn’t seem like he is “showing off.” Even to those who have never seen him play before, it would look unnatural to see him drumming without the sticks leaving his hands.
Both the band and the crowd seemed to have a blast at the high-energy show, with people screaming and singing along close to the stage while a moshpit remained open the whole night.
Though the tour is now over, make sure to keep an eye out for whatever Ghøstkid does next. For fans of heavier music, they are the group to watch.