SOUNDZ magazine (CIS-region), June 2002
Interview with Anna-Varney by Anastasiya Samotyja

Q.: In SOPOR AETERNUS' works one can easily find traces of different countries' and cultures' musical traditions, that reveals your impressing musical and cultural background. Were you studying music somewhere, or is it just a result of your "travelling experiences" ?
A.: Oh, please, you are embarrassing me. I know nothing about anything, really ... - I just do "music for dead children", that's all.

Q.: What kind of music do you listen to most often ? Is it classical stuff ?
A.: That entirely depends on the mood I am in ... and the outside temperature. Yes, there really is something like seasonal music - well, roughly speaking, that is - , which means, that the warmer it gets, the more minimalistic (and electronic) my music tends to become. But there are exception, of course. As I said, it all depends on the mood I am in... , and very often I need to listen to extremely different types music in a direct succession, in order to get myself balanced.

Q.: What was the worst kind of music (or, maybe, a certain band) you've ever heard ?
A.: Oh, that's probably some of my own stuff, I am afraid.
Hmm, what is bad music ? I would say, music (or all forms art in general, for that matter) that is uninspired and/or pretentious. Art needs to be based on truth, always. Period. If it isn't, it becomes utterly pointless ... and a mere waste of time for everyone concerned.

Q.: What kind of images do you have while writing SA music and lyrics ? Does your inspiration have any visual side ?
A.: That varies from song to song. As I have said many times before, I believe that there is a special intention working in secret behind all things, as nothing ever happens without a reason or motive. I also believe that it is so for all lyrics and music... in a certain moment and position within the continuum of space and time... a special melody or music is already assigned.
The consequence arising from this idea is the circumstance of having no real choice regarding the selection, instrumentation and final sound of 'our' music, -at least not when one has chosen truth as the criteria of the work- since its appearance is automatically defined by our own individual way of being (i.e. consciousness etc.)... in the very moment of the invocation of the song. Indeed, the artist's interaction with her/his entire (spiritual) environment - and with the lyrics, which are being defined by their individual title, that is the name (!) of the song or poem - actually seem to create this definition, or important facets of it already.
If one keeps in mind that equal things always attract each other, allow me then to illustrate these thoughts by using the following model:
Try to imagine an empty room. At its centre a peculiar source of light is sending out its rays. This source of light shall be the essence of the song upon which we have chosen to focus.
Attracted by the characteristically pulsating rhythm of this light, the perhaps strangest, yet still corresponding entities, or energies, (however one prefers to call them) enter the space as they follow our invitation, leaving their traces behind whilst moving through it:
Those entities, or energies, are the exact equivalent to the instruments and voices of the song. In fact, they do represent them.
If we take a closer look at the resulting scenario after a certain space of time, that is, the room, the traces that have been left behind and the source of light all together as a whole... then from this picture we may perceive a symbolic equivalent of the moment when music and lyrics unite.
It is, of course, important to capture the very moment of the highest intensity, in order to be as close as possible to the true essence of the song, and therefore also to the emotion one attempts to express in the first place.

Q.: Have you ever had any out-of-body experience, and (if you did) can you describe it ?
A.: Hmm..., yes, when I was under sedation during an operation at the age of six. The consequence was that I began to hate my body even more, and it took me more than 20 years to more or less heal the wound..

Q.: Are there any people around you, or do you still prefer to live in an absolute solitude with only the spirits to communicate with ?
A.: I do not live in total isolation anymore, though I still hardly speak a hundred words a day ... - but that is fine. Most of the time, anyway.

Q.: Have you ever been interested in people, in their behaviour ?
A.: Only on a mere theoretical level ... in order to understand my own behaviour better. That's all.

Q.: Have you ever met people that seemed really interesting to you ?
A.: Actually met ? No.

Q.: Do you believe in love ? Have you ever fallen in love ?
A.: I think it is rather the concept of "Love under Will", an altruistic love, or compassion that I believe in. The concept of a romantic love on the other hand is, the way I perceive, in itself entirely neurotic ... just as erotic attraction, and like the feeling of being in love with someone, is merely a hormonal/chemical reaction in the body/brain. I have no interest these sort of things.

Q.: Can you describe your usual day ? What are your favourite ways of spending your life-time ?
A.: Sorry.

Q.: What is the most enjoyable thing in the world for you personally ?
A.: Well, I have thought about this myself some time ago ... several times, actually ... and the only thing I seem to come up with is music.

Q.: As far as I know, you've never had a job and therefore have always been short of money. Why do you hate work that much ?
A.: What makes you believe that I generally hate to work ? And what gives you the idea that creating art for that matter is not work ? Just because I don't have a steady income, or what ??? Please...

Q.: What is the "brightest" memory of your childhood ? (I mean, something that impressed you most of all and influenced all your life or/and your personality.)
A.: Oh, I remember absolutely everything.

Q.: What is the earliest age you can remember yourself ?
A.: I am not quite sure... - smile.

Q.: Can you say you where a happy child ?
A.: Hmm ..., from the age of five or six on I got more and more depressive with every year. At the age of twelve I was playing around with the idea of suicide for the first time. As a child I got beaten by my parents on a regular basis and my teenage days in school - looking like a walking dead already - were just terrible. But then again, all of this provided the source for my transformation, my wonderful development into the beautiful being that I am now... -so, yes, I was a very happy child !!!

Q.: What kind of relationships were dominating in your family ?
A.: Double-bind.

Q.: Where you the only kid ?
A.: No, I have a sister.

Q.: What are your favourite books ?
A.: I have none, really.

Q.: What is your attitude towards alcohol and drugs ? Some people use this stuff in order to broaden their horizons and to feel more than the usual senses can give. What is your opinion on that ?
A.: I have no interest in any of these ... - in other words: I neither smoke, nor drink. However, using certain hallucinogenic drugs under controlled circumstances in order to, let's say, experience a certain kind of vision, is absolutely fine. But consuming alcohol in order to expand your consciousness ? Are you joking ???

Q.: It's stated somewhere that your name, Anna-Varney, has it's origin in the book "Varney the Vampire" by Edward Lloyd ? Is it really so ? Did you choose the name because you liked that book, or were there any other reasons ?
A.: Ah, back to the old cliches, huh ? But sure, why not ... I'm in the mood for it. Well, first of all the book (originally a penny dreadful-serial) was not written by Edward Lloyd, he was merely the publisher. Actually, it is not even 100% sure, who the author was; some people tend to credit Thomas Peckett Prest, while others believe is was written by James Malcolm Rymer. Anyway, both were working for Lloyd's company at the time.
The reason why I adapted this name in the first place ... well ... back then it was a purely intuitive choice, I would say. I certainly liked the book, yes, and I felt strongly drawn to the protagonist, or certain aspects of his existence that is... - well, I was a sad teen, remember. Changing my name, my identity, was also another (beautiful) way of killing myself.
It is rather interesting that you bring up this point, because currently I am working on this particular topic again ... - vampirism, I mean ... as I am cleaning up my kitchen, so to speak.

Q.: Can you tell (PLEASE, once again) what is meant by the following terms:
· The Saturnian Path
A.: That simples comprises all aspects that are associated with the principle of Saturn ... and the life that is (subconsciously, or by active choice) dominated by it.
· The Neutral Zone
A.: Well, the Neutral Zone, in a way, is the (spiritual, mental, but also social) state in which transsexual-, cross-gendered people, or people of an otherwise alternative sexual identity exist (and work ..., or fight). It is also the ground on which we operate.
· The Blue Light
A.. Not my cup of tea. Sorry. (Well, actually, I used this term only once to describe my first realisation of Jupiter approaching influence on my life/work.)
· The Dark Force
A.: DARTH VADER, of course... - no, I'm just kidding. Well, it depends on the context, but generally speaking I would perhaps use this term to describe the power of Samsara, or MAYA, the great illusion.
· The Garden of Nothing
A.: Oh, the Garden of Nothing can be many things, and it is certainly linked to Samsara. It is also an illusory state of false calm, of a sick and heavy emptiness ... and, as a place of refuge, it is beautifully described as Midian in Clive Barker's "Cabal".

Q.: What is implied in being the "freie Kriegerin" ?
A.: An (seemingly, at least) androgynous, spiritual warrior.

Q.: Does the term "JUSA" stand for the balance of forces, the light and the darkness entity and eternal fight ?
A.: Hmm, to a certain degree perhaps. JUSA is the marriage of two principles, as you can find it illustrated and expressed in the logo of SOPOR AETERNUS. It about describes the following:
as long as Saturn (Cronos) rules in autocracy, he faces life entirely negative... - he denies it. But when deprived of his powers under the reign of the tolerant Jupiter, he turns his view forward, frees himself from sheer transience, and his formerly restrictive principle becomes a stimulation of development. Having learned from his past-time experiences, he now supports a restriction to the essence(!), emphasising this essence by killing and restricting all things unimportant. In this quality he becomes the "keeper of the threshold", who uses his scythe to mercilessly cut off any unnecessary things. (Often illustrated in the image of "the reaper"). No-one ever gets beyond him to the other side, who has not lost a few feathers... - the colourful feathers of multiple interests and attributes of this world.
Now Cronos is no longer a lethal force that takes, or, at least impedes life, but instead be becomes the very authority, that guarantees the strictness of form, serious straightness, simplicity ... - and eventually unity. His methods might still appear rather unpleasant, which earned him the reputation of being the worst bringer of bad tidings and misfortune (even before Mars). Disease, pain, separation, loss and loneliness are associated with him. But if we take a closer look, we will realise, that exactly those tragic strokes of fate support our development. Yes, it is the suffering that Cronos brings to us, that forces us to learn faster.

Q.: You have spoken about the existence of five genders. What kind of spirits "live" in the multi-spirited (as you call it) fifth gender body, then ? What gender do you think you belong to ?
A.: Well, the thing is most people in our western society/culture still believe that there are merely two different types of gender on this planet, namely male and female... - which, of course, is absolute nonsense. (Please, remember the Warriors of the Neutral Zone, for example). If we dare to take a closer look at this particular subject, we will discover that not all cultures have this limited conception.
The Navajo Indians of North America, for example, acknowledge four different genders. Their number does not reflect their position in a social hierarchy, but simply indicate the sequence of their creation in cultural myth ... that goes something like this:
When the Gods of the Navajo created the first world, there were neither humans nor animals. The earth was red and empty. Then out of yellow corncob, the Gods made the first woman and from a white corncob thy made the first man. Both were spirits, created at the same moment and without hierarchy. Those first spirits climbed from the first world up to the second, from the red in to the blue world. Here, the first man packed his medicine bundles, which he intended to assign to the genders in a religious ceremony. Then, so quickly did he climb up into the third, the yellow world, that he accidentally mixed the bundles... - and so, besides the first gender (the woman) and the second gender (the man), hybrid forms were born: the male-woman as the third, and the female-man as the firth gender.
I myself, am a daughter of the fifth gender (to a certain degree counted with the Navajo's fourth gender), yet being one of the so-called "Nadleehe", which means the changed ones, or transformed. These people are, for example, woman (who are 100% accepted as such), even though they were born as biological man, that is, with male body and male genitalia. Their acceptance is not for their sexual preferences, but for the work they do. Such people have a high status in the Navajo culture, as they are referred to as the "two-spirited people", who are often called upon for religious performances, as it is said, that they are know to be very rich ... - rich in knowledge, that is. So, usually, every family feels honoured when having a Nadleehe in their midst.
The problem is that even in our today's society people are still very much afraid of anything that is strange, unusual ..., or ambiguous for that matter. Instead of seeing the wonderful beauty in all "things" that are different from them, and the unique change to learn from them, most people rather consider it sick, or even wrong. It is, for example, still common practise, that, when a baby is born and the doctors feel unable to decide whether the child's genitalia are definitively male or female, they (instead of leaving everything as it is) simple choose one extreme ... and make an operation, often without even informing the parents. This can sometimes mean, that when a boy's penis is not big enough (according to the doctors' taste and/our neurotic attitudes), they mutilate the poor baby ... and construct an artificial vagina, so that they - the doctors - do not have to feel afraid anymore. You have to image this, just because some Nazi-fuckers are too neurotic to deal with their own sexuality, they, out of fear and insecurity, want to eliminate everything that is different. But this is exactly one of the things we, the Warriors of the Neutral Zone do not tolerate anymore !!! You have to understand that the victims of these cruel acts are often forced to suffer for the rest of their lives... - which is even more tragic when you recall the fact that nature loves - and needs - variety !!!
But to get back to your initial question: the term "multi-spirited people of the fifth gender" is generally open to all gender-bending people, spirits and minds of this beautiful planet. You know, we are currently entering the Age of Aquarius, and I dare say, that the aspect of androgyny is going to show even stronger with the coming years. The highest aim, as I perceive it right now, is to reach a state wherein one is truly BOTH ! In other words, living the woman to 100% and living the man to 100% ... all in one and all absolutely equal !

Q.: I know ... you are sick and tired of this topic, but ... let me bother you with it once again. You know ... speaking of SOPOR AETERNUS, some reviewers refer to you as a male and some as a female. Who is right and how do you prefer to be referred to ?
A.: I am simply Anna-Varney ... - also known as: "[S]he with the ?S? in brackets", ha !!! Well, the old question: are you a woman or a man? To which the answer is: yes, of course !

Q.: In your lyrics I can see symbols, names and ideas taken from various occult, mythological and religious systems (except, probably, the Christian one). There's an idea that all religions and beliefs that exist in the world all speak about the same things, all of them meaning just the same, although said in different words and portrayed by different images. Can you agree to this ?
A.: Yes, all the great religions of this world do speak of the same thing: truth. But since people have different characters, personalities, temperaments and (not to forget) karma ... we therefore need different ways and exercises to accomplish our long-term aim ... - which is enlightenment. You know, it is all quite understandable, if you think about it ... some people love apples, or chocolate, others don't ..., what feels like heaven for one person might be the worst kind of hell for someone else.

Q.: Do you think that all religions can actually be synthesised in one ?
A.: Why should they be ?! I wouldn't make any sense. Practising some kind of "patchwork spirituality" can actually be rather dangerous.

Q.: One can easily notice your perfect knowledge on English, which is actually not your native language ? Where did you learn it ?
A.: I am sorry to disappoint you ... but, actually, my English is just terrible, really. Sometimes I find it even hard to construct a simple S.P.O. sentence ... and my active vocabulary is sadly limited.

Q.: Your vision of art often coincides with the decadent ideas of Oscar Wilde. What is your opinion of this person and his literary work ? Do you really share the decadent art principles ?
A.: Perhaps to my own shame I have to admit that I've never really been that interested in Oscar Wilde, though for a "queer" person this is probably considered obligatory. As far as I remember, I only read "the Ghost of Canterville" and, of course, "The Picture of Dorian Gray"... - this one being particularly interesting in the context of vampirism.
To me, art - the one that really deserves to be called thus, the marriage of content and form - is always based on truth ... and is therefore sacred. True art is born out of an inner necessity... - it is to create, or die ... literally. If an artist is not allowed to live his creativity, to express what needs to be expressed, s/he is going to suffer ... and eventually perish. True art is free, has no limitations, does not bother about morality, or convention. True art has the power to deeply move (and deliberate) our souls, it can sometimes be painful (for both, creator and percipient), but in the long run it is always to our benefit ... - it supports our spiritual growth.

Q.: In one of the interviews you mentioned that Holger became your servant. What did you mean by saying this ? No sado-maso experience, I suppose ?!
A.: Hmm..., perhaps in a way it was, ha. As usual it all depends on the definition and perspective, you know. But actually, I was merely joking when I called him my servant. It is one of these stupid rumours that tend to spread around. This particular one, I believe, was created by some French (or Belgian) music-magazine, who just claimed that I was living in some subterranean cave at the time, and that my fingernails had grown to such an extend over the years ... that I apparently wasn't able to get dressed on my own any more ... so that Holger, my servant, therefore had to help me gettng into my clothes each morning. I couldn't help smiling when I first read it, as I thought this idea was just too ridiculous to expect anyone to believe... - but, apparently, most people did exactly that.

Q.: What are the places you like to visit most of all ?
A.: Sleep...

Q.: Where do you feel totally comfortable ?
A.: In the brief moment before reaching the R.E.M.-state.

Q.: Once you said your inspiration comes from your dreams. You know ... none of the scientists have given the full explanation of the process of sleep so far - of the places we visit while in a dream, of the actions we perform, etc. Do you have any idea of what SLEEP is like ? Can you explain that ? Is there any similarity between Sleep and Death ?
A.: Yes, there certainly is, remember that sleep has always been referred to as the "Little Brother of Death" ... and in a way, it is kind of like rehearsing the actual experience of dying. It means, travelling through a (sometimes very dangerous) world of projections that is constantly changing, sometimes (when we are lucid) even at our conscious command. Some people say that the so-called "Deep Dream" actually takes us into those regions, or spheres, where the very gate is located, that leads us out of this world/life... - it happened to me several times that I really had to struggle to wake my body, as I felt that otherwise I would have been lost somewhere in a space, or region, where I am only allowed to travel for a relative short period of time.