Interview
(Progressive Newsletter Nr.60 09/07)
excerpts from an interview with Gilbert Marshall (Vocals, Keyboards)
In fall 2001 the lot of us received a telephone call from Kim, who asked us: "Do you wanna join me starting a prog rock band?" Well, we did and here we are six years later. We started out jamming, and probing a couple of ideas of Kimīs and also some covers. After a while we drew the line and decided to go for it, making our own original songs - to be an original band. We all had our musical luggage, so the result became a blend of all kinds of influences. Although we hadnīt set our for making this or that, we soon discovered the strenght of the band being melodic song with strong vocal tunes. After having our bassplayer quit, getting a new, and also adding Allan, this was to be the present member line-up. Since then we have managed to release two albums and played quite some really pleasant gigs. And thatīs the story so far, I guess...
Do you had any musical vision in mind when you started with the songs of "Circus of life" or did everything evolve more or less very naturally?
Kim is probably the best person to answer this, but in what the rest of us experienced, Kim had a strong idea of where he wanted the piece to land. We pretty much followed Kimīs original demos for the arrangements, vocal melody and moodchanges in the songs. As for arrangements, it was also the case of suggestions such as the choir and other things, which landed more spontaneously.
The title-track contains several parts with over 40 minutes of music. How did this epic track evolve?
Kim first recorded the demos for part 1-3 and played it for the rest of us. We then rehearsed it and played the parts live for about a year. - With very good reception! During this period Kim finished the demos for part 4-5. It was just a natural evolvement, as he always had a clear vision of how I wanted it to sound like in the end. The most important thing during this process was to make sure each track would work on itīs own, not just as parts of a whole piece. This album also called for some more laidback tunes, like "What if...", "The Clown" & "Welcome", since we didnīt have anything like these on our first album.
How did you get the right balance between instrumental and non-instrumental parts?
With emphasis on the vocal melodies, the balance sort of got around naturally. Because of the many changes and different parts, there had to be dynamics envolved. When not singing, the guitars and the keys of course get more focus, taking over the vocal role, perhaps. It was also a listening prosess, of course, where we found out some parts too strong or too low.
You sound like you seem to have a lot of fun playing together, even though there are some complex parts and rhythmical changes. How do you manage this kind of "easy" feeling in your music?
In short - we really have fun playing the songs live. Itīs intricate pieces of music and we have to struggle a couple of times to get it together at rehersal, but it seems like once we get on stage, we loosen up and start enjoying ourselves more, not thinking to "technical" even if the intricacy is still there.
Does it bother you at all to be often compared to the Flower Kings and also others bands of the progressive rock genre?
It doesnīt bother us at all. We really enjoy listening to TFK and they are not the worst band to bare comparisans with. At least as long as people donīt expect us to sound or be like TFK. Although being compared to a lot of good bands, we feel we have established a kind of "Magic Pie sound".
Do you think it was easier to develop your own style, for that you all have a musical history and experience, being no musical newcomer?
Yes and no... Itīs easier in the way that we are more experienced musicians having a musical history, but perhaps not so easy in the way that these blend. Not all ideas blend to well, and when thereīs many influences going on, the trick is maybe not trying to blend all at once, I think.
You've played last year as the opening act at the ROSfest in the U.S.A. This year you were invited to come back. What lead the organizers of the festival to this decision and how are your impressions of that festival?
Ha Ha - short story: The issue of getting spockīs beard to ROSfest 2007 were spoken out loud by the organizers, and we simply - for no spesific fishing trip - told them half in joke to wait a year, so that we could play along with them, being SB fans ourselves. Their heads came together, and after a minute of whispering they said to us: " Well - do you guys wanna come back next year if we get Spockīs...?" Freaky...
Kristian Selm © Progressive Newsletter 2007