Doomed Confessionary: Jim Kotsis (Saturday Night Satan)
Photos by Petros Poulopoulos
Saturday Night Satan is an occult rock duo hailing from Athens, Greece.
Emerging like a shadow from the underground, Saturday Night Satan is an occult heavy metal band that draws inspiration from the masterpiece albums of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Influenced by the occult rock movement, horror cinema, and all things dark and gloomy, the band is intricately carving out its niche in the world of heavy metal.
Saturday Night Satan released their debut album »All Things Black« on March 15th, 2024 via Made Of Stone Recordings.
Can you say a few words about your band?
That’s a tough one! Well, we’re Saturday Night Satan from Athens, Greece. Longtime friends call us SNS, and we’re practically a duo, consisting of me (Jim – bass, guitars, backing vocals) and Kate (vocals). We create our songs through short Saturday Night rituals (home recordings), then head to the studio to record them, and finally, onto the stage to perform them, accompanied by good friends and talented musicians. We recently released our debut album »All Things Black« and are currently performing shows to promote it. While new music is always on our agenda, for now, we’re taking some time to let our success sink in and decide what’s next! And just to clarify, we’re not devil worshipers; we’re devil lovers!
What was the biggest challenge for the band last year?
The biggest challenge we faced was completing the album, particularly during the post-production phase. This encompassed everything, from designing the cover artwork and arranging photoshoots to handling mixing, mastering, and creating packaging for our CDs and LPs, as well as developing our digital assets. During this phase, you transition from the creative process of writing songs and lyrics to the technical aspects of production. It’s easy to lose motivation during this transition, especially for a DIY band like ours, which doesn’t expect significant revenue from sales. Dedication is essential, and above all, a deep love for music, which is what drives us forward!
What can you be most proud of so far?
We’re proud of every single step we took along the way. Most of all, we’re proud that we didn’t let overthinking get the best of us. Every action was driven by passion, and the result is an album of which we’re proud of every aspect. The positive reception from people is a testament to that, making it a win-win situation!
What was your biggest regret?
No regrets, really. I thought I might regret not putting more time into music, but it’s tough to afford good production and video shoots without working hard for the money. Overall, we’re happy with how we balanced everyday life and music. Things worked out well for us.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
We’ve only performed a handful of times on stage, but our show with the Swedish occult rock band, Lucifer, really stands out. It might not have been our largest show to date, but the energy was off the charts! We had a blast, and it seemed like the audience did too. We’re eager for more gigs like that one!
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
There have been a lot of good records released lately, but I find it rare to be genuinely surprised anymore. However, the latest albums by White Ward and Khold were amazing. My good friend Mpampis Georgiadis released a great album with his side project Skinher last year, and he’s also gearing up for a new album with Hail Spirit Noir, which I predict will be the Greek scene’s release of the year.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
I listen to a lot of music soundtracks, mostly from horror films. At the same time, I’m trying really hard not to turn SNS into a horror movie soundtracks band! Hahaha! I’m always listening to a lot of Blue Oyster Cult too, but I guess that’s not a surprise!
Can you say something more about the music scene in Athens / Greece?
You’ll meet many people who say that the Greek heavy music scene is great, and in some aspects, it truly is. We have good bands in various genres. However, in my opinion, there isn’t a strong core in the Greek music scene. Recently, I’ve seen many bands evolving and creating something significant out of nothing, which is promising. Yet, the financial crisis and the aesthetic preferences of the majority of the audience don’t really support the growth of bands or their consistency in musical endeavors. It’s easy to become disheartened here. To persevere against all odds, you must be truly determined. Having some savings always helps, as no one else will invest in your music if you don’t.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
We’re a small, emerging band, so at the moment, we only have a couple of festival appearances scheduled. Next year, we plan to focus on touring outside Greece and see where this journey takes us. There’s not much you can do within the borders of Greece. While you can always develop and expand your audience, in terms of experiences, I believe we’ve somewhat hit the ceiling with the few great live shows we’ve already played in our hometowns, Athens and Thessaloniki.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Our goal is to play as many shows as possible, release numerous albums, strengthen our bond as a team, experience enjoyable moments, have fun, and perhaps achieve a milestone or two. If we choose to persist, we know there’s a long road ahead of us.
How can people best support your band?
By buying our stuff and coming to our live shows.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Send a few kind words every now and then. We don’t take that as granted and it really is fuel for our tries!
Links:
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Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well