The Art of Prog

NOTE: Bill Murphy interviewed Fates Warning vocalist Ray Alder in July of this year.

Ray: Hello?

Bill: Is this Ray?

Ray: Hey, how you doin’, man?

Bill: Hey, this is Bill Murphy calling.

Ray: Ah, what’s going on?

Bill: Just wanted to do some chatting with you about your career and upcoming gig at ProgPower.

Ray: My career?

Bill: [laughs] It’s a long and famous one, yes.

Ray: Sounds so official, damn.

Bill: First of all, what’s the latest with FATES WARNING? I know you guys are playing ProgPower and I hear from Glenn Harveston it’s the only gig you’re playing this year. But what’s going on with the band? Are you guys going to do anything more?

Ray: Yeah, well right now we’re in the middle of writing another record, which has been a loooong time coming, obviously.

Bill: [laughs] Yeah.

Ray: [laughs] But the things that we do in our off time, our little other projects, other bands and things. They tend to get away from us, you know?

Bill: Oh yeah.

Ray: Time just goes by so quickly, before you realize it. I was working in REDEMPTION, Jim [Mateos] was writing and recording OSI, and it takes time to get back together and do something. You know?

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: But OSI’s done now, and the focus is doing the [next FATES] record, and not really going on the road. We haven’t had a record in so long, it doesn’t make sense for us to really tour, you know?

Bill: Yeah.

Ray: It’s kind of like punk bands. Punk bands can just tour all the time, you know.

Bill: [laughs] So you’re gonna be like THE BEATLES now, huh? You’re going to put out albums with no tours anymore. [laughs]

Ray: Well, me and Jim actually had a big sit down, over the phone of course. But we were talking about our careers. We’ve been doing this for so many years. [We were] wondering whether or not it was time to throw in the towel. We want to do. And we had a good run. We had a good time and made a lot of fans and did some good music. But we just decided this is not the time for us to go quietly into the night. We’re gonna make another record and see what happens. So we actually signed to a different label, the first time we’re going to release a record that’s not on Metal Blade. We signed with Inside Out in Europe.

Bill: Oh yeah, yeah.

Ray: Yeah. They’re having a hard time here, but as far as I know, we’re all good.

Bill: [laughs] Well that’s good. Can you take me back to that first album with FATES that you were on – No Exit? What was going on at the time? Were you a fan of the band before then? And how did you get that gig?

Ray: Yeah, man. John Arch, he was my favorite singer. They were pretty much my favorite band at the time. I mean, I lived in San Antonio at the time and I was a kid, I think I was 17. You know, I’d listen to [FATES], they’d play it on the radio. We had a DJ named Joe Anthony, the Godfather, they called him.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: And he would play, you know, he was one of the first DJs in America to play like TRIUMPH and RUSH and things like that on the radio in San Antonio years ago. And he played FATES WARNING on the radio, and that was the first time I heard it, and it blew me away, it just totally blew me away. And “Guardian” was the first song I ever heard.

Bill: Yeah, wow, that’s a great one to hear.

Ray: Yeah. And since then I was a fan. [laughs] And I remember thinking, I remember hearing that John Arch was no longer in the band, and I remember thinking, “Whoever they get’s going to suck!”

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: “It’s never going to be the same!” And I was signing for another band and there was a guy managing us, and he had actually brought FATES down, as a promoter, to play a show. And they contacted him and asked if he knew any singers. He kind of went behind my band’s back and asked me if I wanted to do it. So we made a four full track demo, and sent it in. Unfortunately, they picked another guy, named Chris Kronk, with a k, who was from San Antonio as well. And they flew him up there. But they said it just didn’t work out. Their personalities didn’t gel as well as we did. So I was their second choice.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: I’m second fiddle.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: But you know, whatever. I’ll take it. [laughs]

Bill: [laughs] Yeah.

Ray: I was really the kid, joining when I had just barely turned 19, maybe.

Bill: Wow.

Ray: Yeah. And it was crazy. I mean, I’m auditioning, I’d never even been out of the state of Texas in my life. And here I am I’m auditioning for my favorite band in the world in Connecticut. It was really fucking scary, I’ll tell you that.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: It was frightening. I mean if you’ve ever felt alone, if you ever want to feel alone, try something like that. That’s how it was.

Bill: [laughs] Well, what was your goal back then, Ray? Was your dream to be a rock star, and this, when you landed the gig with FATES, did you think, “Man, I’ve made it?”

Ray: No, I mean, I didn’t know what I was gonna do. I was young, and I joined, I was just having fun. My brother had a band and I just thought, “Maybe I’ll sing for you guys.” I didn’t know how to sing, but they let me. It was cool. And I was singing for several bands. I’d only been singing for about, I don’t know, just three years, maybe? Before I joined, and I had no plans. I just didn’t. I was playing in different bands, moving up in bigger bands since I was in San Antonio, and then that happened and I guess destiny took charge.

Bill: Were you singing in that sort of John Arch style at the time, so it was a natural switch over to FATES? Or did you have to work at that?

Ray: No. I was really, really influenced by Steve Perry.

Bill: Oh yeah.

Ray: And then I heard, you know, Rob Halford and SCORPIANS and IRON MAIDEN and bands like and I was totally hooked. And then I heard FATES and it was totally different to me. I mean, it did sound a bit like Bruce Dickenson, but not that much. It was just a different kind of band, and I loved it. So I guess I had my own style at the time, but I don’t know.

Bill: Wow.

Ray: Still to this day, I think John Arch’s melodies and vocals are just amazing. Amazing music.

Bill: Yeah. Everbody keeps asking about him, like on the ProgPower forum, everybody says, “Where’s John Arch? What’s John Arch doing?”

Ray: [laughs]

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: We’re going to make t-shirts that say, “Where’s John Arch?”

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: People always ask that. “Where’s John Arch?” “I don’t know. I don’t talk to him.” He had that studio thing a while back, the solo thing But I don’t think he’s doing [anything]. I haven’t talk to him in years.

Bill: Yeah.

Ray: That was cool meeting him too.

Bill: Was it really?

Ray: Yeah, I was like a fan, you know? All googly and “Hee-hee.” He goes, “Who are you?” It was really cool. And then we sang a song together in Connecticut, which was amazing, you know, one of the pinnacle moments definitely, for me, during this whole thing. [DREAM THEATER drummer Mike] Portnoy was there. Portnoy cried. It was fantastic.

Bill: [laughs] One of the things I like to ask the musicians I talk to is about the albums throughout their careers. I like to know what their most vivid memories were along the way. You just told me what your memory of No Exit was. But what about the next album, Perfect Symmetry [1989]? What do you remember most about putting that album together?

Ray: You know, we just did a complete 180. I remember I loved the direction [on No Exit], which was totally different than “[Awaken the] Guardian.” It was heavier in a different way. This was more raw, we had a lot more time changes and things.

Bill: Yeah.

Ray: And I really, really liked it. And then when Symmetry came around, they started writing music and laying it down, and it was just more modern? I don’t know, cleaner, not as heavy, more technical than anything. And I remember kind of being taken aback, I mean like, “Huh. Is this the route we’re gonna go?” But you know, then we had songs, “Through Different Eyes” and stuff like that, with a lot of melody, they’re kind of single-type songs. And then I really, really fell into it. I really began to love what we were doing, understanding the band, knowing that we can change styles and still be the same band, and still somehow kinda sound the same, you know? But that was my memory. Kinda being a little worried that I wouldn’t be happy with what we were going to do in the future.

Bill: [laughs] Well, how about Parallels [1991]? You went with Terry Brown, the RUSH producer, for Parallels. And that album is just loaded with so-called hit songs. I think it’s my favorite album, next to Perfect Symmetry. But what do you remember about making Parallels?

Ray: Oh man, that was crazy. We all met in Toronto. For some reason, we had this crazy idea to get away from everywhere, get away from everything, you know, why not go to Toronto? We don’t know anybody there.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: So we were right there. We had a lot of songs written – several, five or six songs written – and the plan was to, like, make four or five more, and then record it there with Terry Brown. Then, you know, I don’t know, it just, too many cooks in the kitchen and it just got to a point where we had a big band meeting and it was decided that Jim would write all the music, we would can everything that we were working on. I don’t know what happened to those songs, either. And Jim would just write all the lyrics and all the music. And I think it was a great decision. [laughs] Obviously.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: So he just, of course, holed up in his hotel room. We lived there for six months, literally.

Bill: Wow.

Ray: Living in hotels. So he just started writing the record. And you know, he would give us things, and we’d go to the studio, I’d work on it at night, and they’d work on things. Terry Brown would come and listen to things, and he’d have his two cents. In the studio, while we were recording, I just knew these songs are really, really great. It was a definite chance that some of it would make radio, you know. TV, whatever. [laughs]

Bill: Yeah. [laughs] TV. Yeah, well it’s an amazing album, like I said. The songs are just so memorable. Hit songs with a progressive metal band is just astounding.

Ray: Yeah, it was. I mean, I think the timing was just right, too. Everything was just kinda happening at that point. QUEENSRYCHE and that whole scene of modern-kind of rock. Prog metal was really a big deal, I guess. But it was fun. We had our long hair and black shirts on. Our hair was waving in the wind.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: [laughs] We look at the pictures now, it’s like, “Oh god, we look like girls, man.” [laughs]

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: But you know, it was the style at the time. It just was, you know?

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: But the timing was right, and I think Jim just wrote some great songs. It worked out.

Bill: Well, how about the next album – Inside Out [1994]? You had a new producer with that one, Bill Metoyer And you’ve got a writing credit on the song “Down to the Wire.” Tell me, what do you remember about Inside Out?

Ray: That was our grunge record. That’s what I remember.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: I mean, after Parallels, it was our most successful record, now, and the most successful tour we’ve ever done as well. I mean, it was like pretty much 99% of the shows were sold out and it was just incredible. It was the greatest time of our lives. And then all of a sudden everything crashed. So we got one American tour. That was it.

Bill: Really?

Ray: For as big an album as it was, I don’t know exactly what happened, I just know that somehow, it probably got pulled on us. And we became very defensive and angry and just said, “Fuck it. Fuck this whole business.” It doesn’t make sense. You try really hard, and then it’s not up to you anymore? So we basically, after Parallels, broke up.

Bill: Really?

Ray: For two years, yeah.

Bill: That’s why there’s three years in between those two albums.

Ray: Yeah. We never really announced it or anything. We just didn’t talk. We all just kind of moved on, did our own thing. Two years later or so, we started talking again and decided to do another record. And that’s what happened. We were really confused as to what direction to go in. Because obviously the record’s so different. And then all of a sudden we do Parallels, and then these singles kind of come out, and we didn’t know if that’s what we wanted to do, or should we try to be more prog band than what we are or whatever. So I think we were a little confused in the writing and things like that. I mean, I’ve heard some people say that’s their favorite record, but I don’t know. I think they’re lying.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: It was just a weird time. It was a really, really weird time. That was a really serendipitous moment and “Monument” was one of those songs that I laid the entire vocal down, and Jim came in, and we’re all listening to it and he just had this look on his face. And I was like, “You don’t like it, huh?” And he was like, “No. I really don’t like it.” And I was like, “Alright, I’ll write something else.” So I stayed in the studio all night, until like five in the morning, it was like 12 hours, me and Bill, or Bill was asleep, I think. I kept trying to talk to him, “Bill! Bill! Bill!” I look up and he’s asleep.

Bill: [laughs] That’s funny.

Ray: Yeah, he’s a good friend of mine, though. But then I’d lay another vocal track over, and left the other one on a different track, and then Jim came in, and we were listening to a new vocal track. And Bill hit the wrong button, so the other vocal track came up at the same time. And it was just absolute serendipity that when both vocals were running, there was actually harmony at some points, and it was like an answer and a call kind of thing going on. And that’s what you hear on the record now.

Bill: Wow.

Ray: It was a mistake. [laughs] So that was really, that’s my biggest memory from that record. That and being confused.

Bill: That’s a great song. The lyrics, this is the first time you’re credited with lyrics. Were lyrics something that you were writing all the time and were comfortable with?

Ray: No. It was my first time. Even with my other bands, I never really wrote lyrics, it was just kind of, I’d sing. And then Jim asked if I wanted to write lyrics for a song. I figured, yeah, it’s an opportunity, I mean if I’m going to go further in my career, then I need to do something. Be productive. So that was scary, because I didn’t know what exactly to write about, and unfortunately, as I dealt with my dad, who had cancer and was dying at the time, was the only thing I could really think of. I figure pain is art, so why not? [laughs]. So that was my first writing credit.

Bill: This would be a good time to ask about your vocal style. Because when FATES started you started off with a sort of John Arch sound, with the really operatic, high vocals. As FATES progressed that quieted down. The music got less dynamic and flamboyant. And your voice mellowed a bit. Was that a conscious decision? Or was it just you guys getting older and you wanted to do something different?

Ray: I’m sure it had a bit to do with both. I mean, obviously, my voice isn’t what it used to be. But, again, it was the style at the time to sing really, really high. As I got older, I realized I can do different things with my voice. You can actually emote more if you’re not screaming.

Bill: [laughs] Yes, that’s true.

Ray: So you know, again, I’d only been singing for a few years when I joined the band. So I started finding myself, I think around Parallels time is when I really started figuring out what sounded good to me. And yeah, I was an adult, I’m not 20, I’m not saying anything about anybody else, because that’s fine, whatever they want to do, because I did it. I’m saying personally, I just didn’t like the high screaming any more, you know?

Bill: [laughs] Yeah.

Ray: It just sounded better singing. And somehow, my band mates agree. They said, “You know what? Yeah, let’s not sing high anymore.” “Ok.”

Bill: Yeah. [laughs] The next album – A Pleasant Shade of Gray [1997] – is another three-year delay between albums. What do you remember most about recording A Pleasant Shade of Gray?

Ray: I remember arguing with Jim because it was taking so long to write melodies. I remember that.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: I was in Arizona, and at that time I had a full-time job, but it was a cool record because it was so different. And I remember the whole idea was, ok, we did Parallels, did great. Did Inside Out, confused, didn’t do as well, obviously. So we figured, we’ve been writing singles, and singles didn’t work for us, so we’re gonna write a song for us. And we’re gonna go the complete opposite route, and we’re gonna write a song that’s 51 minutes long.

Bill: Yep, yep.

Ray: You know?

Bill: Yep.

Ray: And have no titles. [laughs]

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: You know, it was anti-, it was very anti-popular. We just went the other route, and decided to do something for ourselves. And it was fun. It was really, really great in the studio once it all started coming together. We loved our record. It’s probably one of my favorite records, actually, to tell you the truth.

Bill: Yeah, that’s it. I was going to tell you that for singles I’d say Parallels is my favorite. But as an album, A Pleasant Shade of Grade is one phenomenal piece of music.

Ray: Thank you. Yeah. And I agree. And it was funny, because when we were writing it, in the studio, we were thinking, “How the hell are we going to pull this off live? I mean, who’s gonna wanna listen to one long song?”

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: And we won’t be finished for three hours, or who knows?

Bill: Yeah. [laughs]

Ray: But, I mean, we took a chance, obviously. But we went out, and our fans are great, man. Our fans have really, always been there. We went out, we played the entire album. Then we came out for encores and we played whatever else, and it actually went off pretty well. [laughs]

Bill: [laughs] Yeah.

Ray: We toured a lot for that record, man. I mean, we were all over the place for that record. It kept us busy for two years.

Bill: Tell me about Disconnected [2000]. I saw you on the that tour. You played with Savatage. You played in Grand Rapids. It was a great show. What do you remember about that album?

Ray: You know, Disconnected’s kind of a grey area for me. And it was, again it was probably one of those, to me, one of those albums that I didn’t really know what direction we were going in. I think we were maybe perhaps going to do some more singles kind of things, and then maybe mix it up with the prog thing. I don’t know. It’s not one of my favorite records, but I don’t remember a whole bunch, I really don’t.

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: Odd. [laughs] That’s a grey area.

Bill: [laughs] What about the next one, your most recent; FWX [2004]. What do you remember about that?

Ray: FWX. We’ve always recorded in studios and such. This time we actually went to Jim Matteo’s house and recorded there. So it was definitely different. And you know, everybody was really busy doing things, I was busy myself, and writing that record, it was just kinda, it was really hard, actually. You know, trying to get around to other stuff, and I had done the Engine thing already, and I was, I’m trying to figure out how I should sing, you know, I changed my singing style a bit, and it just didn’t really gel with what FATES did, you know what I mean?

Bill: Yeah.

Ray: That’s me personally. I don’t think I did as good a job as I could have. Probably because, as I said, I was trying different things I probably shouldn’t have. [laughs]

Bill: [laughs]

Ray: But you know, we’ll see.

Bill: Well, when you look back on FATES, what would you say is your finest hour, either as a lyricist, or a vocalist, or what are you most proud of so far in your career with FATES?

This ends Part One of Bill’s interview with Fates Warning vocalist Ray Alder. The complete interview can only be found in the official (printed) ProgPower USA program given to all attendees. If you want to read the entire interview, you have to come to the show!

Final Note: All photos are used in compliance with the principles of Fair Use. They illustrate reviews, opinions, and interviews with the band members who created the albums. Photos used to illustrate this particular interview (except album covers) were provided by Vince Edwards from Metal Blad, with many thanks. No copyright violations are intended.