An interview with this great personage
that is sometimos forgotten, however, he plays an important
role in Lacrimosa. We talks about Lacrimosa and his life
and work. Enjoy it !
Stelio Diamantopoulos – Interview
with the creator of the cover-art of the Lacrimosa's albums.
Interview in exclusive for In-Nomine.net
by Stelio Diamantopoulos, creator of the cover art for
Lacrimosa’s albums. All the drawings which appear
in this web page were created by him.
When did you know Tilo? How did
you start to work with him?
Diamantopoulos: This... I think, I met
Tilo in 1990. He wanted to release his first album "Angst"
and was looking for an artist to do the cover art for
that album, and the Lacrimosa's logo, so that we met two
artists.
In the first two Lacrimosa's
albums you played the bass, what can you tell me about
that? How were the first concerts?
Diamantopoulos: I've never played in
any concert with Lacrimosa. I only played in the studio.
I gave a guitarist, a great friend of mine, who played
in a band when I was 14 years old and with whom I had
my first band. We had fun together. After that, Tilo wanted
me in a tour with him, but I wanted to follow drawing,
so that I asked to other of my friends to play the bass
for Lacrimosa in that tour, but as he was guitarist I
had to give him my dear bass. In some way, I was present
in that tour.
How is the process to make a
Lacrimosa's cover art? The idea of mading them black and
white was yours? Which one is your favourite cover art?
Diamantopoulos: It depends. Sometimes,
Tilo has a very concrete idea of what he wants; other
times I am, and other times we talk inclusive during months
until getting a final idea, but a cover art is never a
fruit of something without meditation. It is always a
piece which fits perfectly with the music and lyrics of
the album. That is why all of them are black and white.
They must have the Lacrimosa’s style in itself.
My favorite cover art... Uff !! It is difficult to say,
may be the last one, because is very personal and emotive.
Do you usually listen to Lacrimosa?
Diamontopoulos: No, I don't. This is
because when I listen to Lacrimosa, I cannot do another
thing except paying attention to the music, and if I am
working on my drawings... I am not productive.
Why did you decide to be an artist?
I think the beginings are very hard, aren't them?
Diamantopoulos: Yes, they are very hard,
so Imagine how it is after 20 years, but I have no choice,
I have to paint.
On 1998 you defined yourself
as an unhappy person. Are you still unhappy?
Diamantopoulos: Do you know? In the life,
there are always ups and downs. I've developed a mechanism
for which I don't fall down, but I am not a super enthusiast
person, either. Which is frustrating in the same measure.
Any way, I’ve never been an unhappy person, but
realist.
What is your source of inspiration
for creating your works of art?
Diamantopoulos: Everything. The world,
the emotions, the music, the movies, the books, the black,
the white, the gray...
Your current drawings are very
different than the first ones. I've always been amazed
about your alien drawings. What did you think to draw
them? I think they are very original and surrealists.
Diamontopoulos: I think there are similarities
between this drawings and the ones from the Reinassance
time. After them, the interest in the exterior world,
the space, sciences, was being developed and people asked
for more and more things. Nowadays, we see again a radical
change in the world. The result is more and more questions,
sometimes these questions have answers, but other time
do not.
Which one is your favorite time
or work of art?
Diamantopoulos: Most of the times, the
last one.
What are your plans for the future?
Diamantopoulos: That my dream about not
doing another thing except painting will be reality.
Do you still play the bass?
Diamantopoulos: Only in private sesions,
but you’ll never know them, ha ha!
Thank you very much, and my best
wishes from Spain.
Diamantopoulos: Thanks for all, I wish
you the best for you too from Switzerland.
