Interview
(Progressive Newsletter Nr.48 04/04)
excerpts from an interview with Rick Duncan (Drums, Keyboards, Guitars, Bass)
The first tracks of the album were recorded almost 3 years ago but most - about 90% of it - was recorded between January and October 2003.
It's known already that most of progressive rock bands in the world go through hard moments at first by finding musicians who not always share the same musical viewpoint and so forth. What sort of trouble did you have before putting this project through?
This album was mostly a collaboration between myself and vocalist Todd Plant. Todd and I have known each other for years and we work very well together. Todd and I also had both worked with Robert Van Dyne before in previous projects and had recorded the song "Colored leaf" which fit nicely into the story. When it came time to put finishing touches - guitar solos, keyboard solo's, violin solo's, etc. - I used a wide variety of musicians that I knew to fill in the spaces. There really wasn't any of the problems sometimes associated with a typical band project.
Have you thought about including some of these guests to the fold of the band?
We are now forming a band to play the songs live. The band will include Todd and I and new members John Zahner on keyboards and Matt Laporte on Guitar. John and Matt both played in Circle II Circle. John also played with Robby Steinhardt of Kansas in the band Steinhardt Moon. We have a couple different bass players in mind and would like to find a 6th member that could play keyboards or violin. Robert Van Dyne is currently working a full time job and going to medical school so he unfortunately doesn't have the time to do the live show.
Could you please let me know a little bit about the progressive scene in Florida, is it quite possible for you to find an audience devoted to this kind of music over there?
The music scene in general is not so good here. It's real hard for a new prog band to get any attention here. We have had a much better response from other countries.
You have been taken actually for a very prolific songwriter, seen that all the songs on the album are signed by yourself. By the way, where do you generally take all this inspiration from?
Actually Robert did write "Colored leaf" and the lyrics for "Contemplation" and Todd wrote some of the lyrics on the song "Moments of clarity". I wrote the rest of the album. I think the best songs come from as Neal Morse calls it "The great nothing." When you just start hearing melody lines and changes and everything just falls into place. I have been writing a lot recently and I think it's some of the best stuff I have ever written.
A stunning co-operation was given by the famous and gifted violinist David Ragsdale, do you admit hereafter having his collaboration once again on the next work?
I definitely would like to get David to do the violin tracks for the next album. I will probably have more violin on it.
At present, where are most of the feedbacks coming from? From your own country or abroad?
So far we have sold most of our CD in Europe and South America. You are lucky you have a much better prog scene down there than we do here.
Could you please tell me about your plans for the time being, and also for the times to come?
We will be getting the live show together to play a few festivals and working on the new album. I feel the new album is going to be something really special.
Antonio Sergio de Jesus Motta © Progressive Newsletter 2004