The Art of Prog

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Andy B. Franck: “I learned a lot from Bruce Dickinson, so probably he was my teacher…I should pay him for that”

July 21st, 2009 · Brainstorm Interview

NOTE: Greg Hasbrouck interviewed Brainstorm vocalist Andy B. Franck, in June of this year.

Brainstorm Downburst Greg: Thanks a bunch for taking time out of your schedule to talk to me. I’m a big fan and I really appreciate it.

Andy: Thank you very much, thank you very much.

Greg: So, let’s start off with something simple. For those people, who in this scene, have been living under a rock, how would you describe BRAINSTORM’s music?

Andy: Boring like hell? (mutual laughter)

Andy: No. I don’t think that’s 100% right. No, actually I think that BRAINSTORM is this particular type of Heavy Metal, in the traditional way, you know? This is how I discovered Heavy Metal in the ‘80s. I think the kind do of music we play is exactly what Heavy Metal is all about, you know. It’s rough, it’s loud, it features some melody and so on. It’s a typical kind of Heavy Metal. It’s not a trendy style, a trendy thing. It’s pure fucking Metal. It’s nothing to do with Speed, Thrash or whatever. This is Heavy Metal. If one kid comes up to me and says Andy, “What is Heavy Metal about?” I would say listen to BRAINSTORM. This is it.

Brainstorm BYH 2007Greg: Excellent. A lot of people may not realize this, but BRAINSTORM has actually been around for something like 20 years. You’ve been with them for about 10 years ago. Can you talk a little bit about how you came to join the band?

Andy: I started making music when I was 14 years old. A few years later I recorded my first album with a band called IVANHOE. But when I left IVANHOE I formed my own band, SYMPHORCE, I also met Torsten (Ihlenfeld) the guitarist for BRAINSTORM, when I went to a show near my home town of Stuttgart. We talked about the possibility of, sooner or later, someday, we want to record an album together. The funny thing is that a few weeks after, he just asked me if I could also sing in BRAINSTORM? I said, “Yeah… OK, I can do that. But I do not want to give up SYMPHORCE.” So they said, “No, it’s no big deal Andy. So if you want to continue with SYMPHORCE, no problem, you can do that. But we want you as our brand new singer.” And I personally think, it’s the fact that the music and my voice just fits together perfectly. Sometimes I do buy myself albums from other bands and I think, “Wow. Great music, great musicians, but the singer sucks”, you know. (mutual laughter) And on the other hand, it’s the same around; great vocalist but the music doesn’t fit, you know. The best example is [Read more →]

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Kobi Farhi: “Mabool is combining all beliefs together in a synergy and harmony, and saying that everything belongs to one constant”

July 14th, 2009 · Orphaned Land Interview

NOTE: Greg Hasbrouck interviewed Orphaned Land vocalist Kobi Farhi in June of this year.

Orphaned Land Mabool Greg: It’s a pleasure to speak to you; I’m a big fan of yours.

Kobi: Thanks a lot. Thank you. The pleasure is mine.

Greg: Let’s start off some place easy. Since there are some people who are unfamiliar with your music, and even those of us who are may not know how to accurately describe it, how would you describe Orphaned Land to someone who’s never heard your music?

Kobi: It’s a very good question, you know. Because Orphaned Land, on one hand, is a Metal band. On the other hand, we are maybe one of the most unusual Metal bands around. I guess that part of the answer really relates to the fact that it comes from a region such as the Middle East. Being an Israeli, living in Israel, and the complexity of being an Israeli… The Jewish people came from all over the world, gathered together, immigrants, again in their home land, and brought so many habits and cultures along with them. And of course living here, surrounded by many cultures such as Christianity, Muslim and Judaism all together. So I would say that Orphaned Land is Middle Eastern, universal, Progressive Metal band.

Orphaned Land, 2005Greg: That seems to be as accurate a description as any. So… you mentioned you guys are from Israel, which figures heavily into your music. I read in an interview, that when you were starting out, you used the fact that there weren’t really any Metal bands from Israel to your advantage, because it provided you a blank slate to work from. Does that contribute to your uniqueness… the fact that you’re not part of a “scene”?

Kobi: I don’t think it has a direct connection to it. What I actually think is, we chose to take as an inspiration, the place we live and the atmosphere of our region, we chose to reflect it in the music. I never found any common sense in living in Israel and trying to make Norwegian Black Metal; which I really like at the of the day, but as an artist I didn’t really find it attractive or interesting or even related to what I can reflect. And I think this is our contribution, we can reflect, we can give an atmosphere to [Read more →]

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Michael Eriksen: “That’s what Circus Maximus is all about, melodies”

July 14th, 2009 · Circus Maximus Interview

NOTE: Greg Hasbrouck interviewed Circus Maximus vocalist Michael Eriksen in May of this year.

Circus Maximus IsolateGreg: How are you doing?

Michael: I’m doing good… how are you?

Greg: I’m doing really well. It’s a pleasure to speak with you. I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule.

Michael: Of course. Anytime my friend… anytime.

Greg: I was thinking about approaching this interview chronologically. So with that said, let’s begin at the beginning. So tell me, when did you first begin to develop an interest or love for music?

Michael: Well… I still remember the first time I heard the song “Hysteria” from DEF LEPPARD (laughter).

Greg: Oh really?

Michael: Yeah. That was the first album I ever bought…. Hysteria by DEF LEPPARD. That’s when I became a fanboy. I grew up in the 80s, so bands like DEF LEPPARD, WHITESNAKE, SKID ROW had a huge impact on me.

Greg: I’m with you… I’m also a child of the 80s. So at what age do you begin to realize, “Hey… I can sing a little bit”?

Michael: Well… I first started playing guitar when I was 12. And after a while, me and some friends started a band [Read more →]

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Nils K. Rue: “There’s something about the music of Pagan’s Mind that triggers a lot of American fans even more than European fans”

July 14th, 2009 · Pagan's Mind Interview

NOTE: Greg Hasbrouck interviewed Pagan’s Mind vocalist Nils K. Rue in May of this year.

Pagan's Mind God's Equation Greg: Hi Nils, it’s Greg, how are you?

Nils: Fine, Greg. How about you?

Greg: I’m well. So first off, thank you for taking some time out of your evening to speak with me. So how are things going for you guys these days?

Nils: It’s going pretty good. We’re in a phase where we do very little gigs. Mostly rehearsing, writing new songs for the new record. Also, we’re working on the upcoming DVD. So, we’re having one gig in two weeks, together with Kamelot, here in Norway. And after that, I think it’s two or three gigs during the summer. So it’s pretty slow before the tour starts in September. But that’s OK, because we have time to do different stuff with the band.

Greg: You mentioned the DVD. If I recall, the DVD was filmed in Oslo?

Nils: Yes. At a music hall called Rockefeller. It’s a mid-sized venue in Norway where bands like NIGHTWISH and SYMPHONY X play. It’s a pretty good venue. It was a packed house and everything. So we did the main concert for the DVD there and that was the first date of the tour in November.

Greg: That was the tour with SONATA ARCTICA?

Nils: Yeah… it was really friggin awesome, because SONATA ARCTICA has [Read more →]

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Gregg Rossetti: “I always liked the Muppets and I loved seeing Zoot…that’s what made me want to play sax”

July 14th, 2009 · Suspyre Interview

NOTE: Greg Hasbrouck interviewed Suspyre guitarist/saxophonist Gregg Rossetti in May of this year.

Suspyre When Time FadesGreg: Hello… Gregg? This is also Greg. How are you doing?

Gregg (Suspyre): How are you doing? I’m well.

Greg: It’s nice to be talking to somebody else from New Jersey for a change; these long distance calls to Norway are killing me.

(mutual laughter)

Gregg (Suspyre): I believe it.

Greg: Let’s start off with some basics, as some of the people who might read this may not be familiar with Suspyre. How would you describe Suspyre’s music?

Gregg (Suspyre): Good question. OK… we’re mix of all our influences. Suspyre’s music really has no boundaries. We didn’t set out to start a progressive Metal band, or whatever people call it… Power Metal. We just all listen to different genres of music and [Read more →]

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ProgPower USA X…BE THERE!

July 4th, 2009 · ProgPower USA X Ticket Link

Less than 200 tickets remain to America’s Premiere Metal Fest. If you’re a fan of the world’s finest progressive power and progressive metal, you need to buy your tickets now. Don’t wait. Buy them now.

Just click on this Ticketmaster link.

I’ll wait.

I mean it.

Do it!

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