In the second part of this feature (first installment here), Lupen Crook talks about the broader concept behind the forthcoming EP and outlines some of the ideas that inspired its songs.  He also explains the reasons for choosing to support YoungMinds and why the charity’s work deserves your attention.

The new EP is called Curse Of The Mirror Wicked.  What does this title symbolise?

Cats, mirrors, magpies, and triangles are all images that have both assisted and resisted my development over the years. It once struck me that paranoia is merely a heightened kind of vanity. In our day and age, for me the mirror represents vanity and in turn represents paranoia, which in turn leads us straight into the lobby of lunacy. I wonder whether, when the ego is provided for too much – or in fact the ‘animal self’ is too weak to keep the ego in line – dangerous and uncontrollable states of mind can arise.

Humans are so utterly concerned with the relationship between themselves and everything else around them. Eyes looking into a mirror that in turn are looking back. Thoughts that trace lines, refracting and reflecting back into the mind. People believing, feeling, and knowing, that certain things are afoot when in fact the only evidence for their belief exists within their mind… these are very frustrating experiences. Such scenarios panic the senses, fray the edges of nerves and are often the beginning of a spiral into all sorts of psychological mayhem.

I guess that’s where this title comes from: thoughts like these, silly ideas.  Because of the mind’s ability to be so irrational, ultimately, for me, the greatest human mystery is our mysterious relationship with ourselves. Deludedly, I like to believe mental illness is a symptom of our evolution – growing pains of the mind.

Tell us about the songs on the EP.  What subjects do they cover and what was their inspiration?

Sunshine Devils is about being human. I have recently dreamed of Death Valley – oh, the wonder of living life in that hot heat and inescapable surroundings, to see if I were able to survive in those conditions, as only few animals can. It was written as a vocal line after I’d slept the night in an internet cafe in Oxford Circus. I had staggered half-awake into the crossroads at 8am, to witness the beautiful and insane rush past me on their way to work. Hardly a desert setting, yet I felt so separate from all else around me, this song seemed to encapsulate that mood of being in a desert perfectly.

Just before the release of The Lost Belongings EP on July 4th I lost my voice due to a bout of laryngitis. The thought occurred that this could well be a curse laid upon me for my ill actions and cruel methodical practices: karma. As I’ve said, this kick-started the beginning of a relapse, so Love Underground was initially a song about that, and embracing the almost certain fact that this band and our music are destined to spend their life lost to obscurity. Boy That Won’t Be Told is simply about the terrible treatment of my partner Sam, who bears the brunt of my awful psychosis and ill-tempered pokes to the side.

Devil’s Son was written whilst wandering the streets of London, mad as I can be, at a time when I was completely hell-bent, moon-drunk and beastly; ill at ease with everything around me, looking forward to the prospect of disappearing forever. Of Lovers And Lost Children is the last song written in this chapter of songs (and that includes the forthcoming album), simply about a man admitting to himself and his love what he has become, a man seeking forgiveness. Dead Girls And Daggers always was and remains a simple ‘throwaway’ song: a drunken dance number, pure pop, a bit of fun with sinister subject matter pinning it to the ground.

The EP’s release supports the YoungMinds mental health charity.  What do you think is the importance of this organisation in particular?

In discussions over the summer, there was talk of focusing the new album around a project like this, on the subject of mental illness.  However, it became clear that this was inappropriate and slightly unjust. We didn’t want this to appear as a marketing ploy, so the decision was made quite hastily to record a live session and release it as a charitable EP before the album. We used the fee from our most recent gig to go back into Ranscombe Studios for one day. Jim Riley contributed to the cause with a very kind discounted session. We recorded, mixed and mastered these six tracks in seven hours. As for the choice of charity, it goes without saying that my recent episode was a definite factor. As myself and Bob Murderbird are parents, it felt even more appropriate to select this charity in particular.

I don’t believe we can cure a mental illness. I’m not entirely sure I would want to if it was possible. Nevertheless, understanding mental illness is an absolute necessity if we are serious about pushing forth and succeeding as a society. YoungMinds deals with children, teenagers and the parents of those who may be suffering from mental illness. A parent will naturally suffer awful pangs of guilt, sometimes leading to a dangerous denial of their child’s deteriorating behaviour and mind. Mental illnesses remain an awkward subject and I have been keen to tackle that. Awareness can only lead to further understanding, and understanding is paramount to our survival. If we don’t survive ourselves, we are working towards a blank future. Children are the future, so YoungMinds was the charity I wanted to focus this release upon.

As 2009 draws to a close and a shiny new decade is only a few weeks away, how do you feel about the future?

Terrified, but in bloody good company.  So goes the Crooked Family.

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The download link for the Curse Of The Mirror Wicked mini-site will appear on this site on Monday morning.  In the meantime, any questions or comments are welcome.  If you can make it to any of the band’s gigs in Gillingham, Maidstone or Kentish Town this weekend, we’ll see you there.