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Interview with nucleusprog.com (argentina) |
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DANCING WITH THE TIDE |
| Interview with the guitarist Mario van den Bogaard and the singer Biejanka, members of the Dutch progressive rock/melodic metal band FeedForward |
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In the first place, for those who don’t know you yet, could you please tell us who FeedForward is?
Mario: FeedForward originates from Brabant, the South of Holland and is a 5 piece band. Drummer Pi, guitarist Mario and singer Biejanka started some 5 years ago, and were later joined by keyboard player Job and Jan on bass. We’ve been together in this line-up for little over a year. |
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In general terms, how would you summarize your career?
Mario: It’s been a bumpy ride, but a good one!... Through the years we’ve been searching for, or maybe developing is a better word, our own style. With all of us being pretty outspoken in the kind off music we want to make, and us all having our (different) influences, we’ve been trying hard to fit that all in into our music. In the first 2 demo’s you can hear that we still haven’t found that distinct sound we were looking for. Adding keys to the band was a first step in the right direction and with the CD-single “Stop to think” we kind off made our mark on where we wanted to go. Then, after we changed bass players due to some personal friction, things fell into place and our first full-length album is a fact. Though last year has been a bit of a “slow” year, gig-wise, playing our music live always has been, and still is, our priority… getting the music out to the people. |
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How would you describe your music?
Mario: It’s always tough to categorize, but a cross between progressive rock and melodic metal comes closest. We take what we think are the strong points from both genres and blend it in to our own style and in that way get a good mix of complexity and simplicity, always keeping in mind that the music stays accessible to the listener, but interesting enough for them to keep listening. |
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Were you looking for some sound in particular when you began to write the material for “Barefoot & Naked”?
Mario: Well, it’s not like we “set out” to write material with an album in mind. Things kind off evolved from “Stop to think” naturally. We now had ourselves a reference of what we wanted for a sound and learned how to build up a song structure, how to compose. As song writing is an ongoing process in our band, ideas were made into basic songs and when we had enough material, we decided to record. We took a closer look at each preliminary version and added or left out what we thought was necessary to make the definite songs stronger and more defined. We had a clear view on how we wanted the album to sound. Production wise, open yet heavy, and with the songs being so diverse, it was important to have a distinct all over sound to link them together. All songs should sound FeedForward, but without it being “thirteen in a dozen”….. |
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Could you give me a brief description of each song? Were you according to the album? What themes do you try in the lyrics of the songs?
Mario: Going to answer both at the same time, because one goes with the other. Barefoot & Naked is not a concept album, all songs stand on their own, but the lyrics sort off bond them together with an overall theme, dealing with subjects that, though very personal, most can relate to… everyday life, your place in society, how you see yourself and are viewed by others… the album title says it all… As for each song: “Fade away” is about the frustration of realizing you’re in a relationship you know you shouldn’t be in anymore. What you had and who you were faded away with time and as hard as it is to admit, it’s up to you to end it… that frustration you feel in the music, how it builds up… “Run the race” deals with society, and the strain it puts on you as an individual to keep up with what’s expected, if you want to or not… day in, day out you have to run the race and keep pace (like the music in the verses) and there’s little time for you ( chorus feel)… In “Crossing the line” the song structure tells the story off doubt, thoughts going through your mind, when you come across somebody you parted ways with. Struggling with yourself to cross the line, and by doing so, opening yourself up to all those emotions again. Is it worth it..?... “Innocence” is the ultimate ballad, fragile as a newborn baby and it is about just that. How fascinating new life is, the innocence we were born with, and how quickly we lose it once life gets a hold of us… and though it is kind off a sad thing, the uplifting sound of the chorus’s a celebration to life… The title “143” was actually the working title at first and stands for the beats per minute, but once we started writing lyrics for the song, our drummer (who co-wrote with our singer) worked it into the words, so we decided to keep it as the definite. Basically the song’s about dealing with past mistakes and learning from them… One day our keyboard player was fiddling around with the piano, when we were setting up for rehearsal, and things just clicked with our singer. Lyrics she already wrote years before, about a distant love, fell right into place and “Our sky” was born then and there. Simple, but heartfelt and meant to be just that… “Before I leave” is the more prog song of the album. Musically diverse in itself and lyrically our singer added to the progressiveness by using metaphorical lyrics. Which is a bit of course to her usual writing, but fitting with the song. The vocals change with each different feel the instruments bring across… confusion…. “Silent” is the “odd” one of the album. This is an example of a song that evolved while recording. It started out more basic, but our singer added the 3 part harmony parts while recording, giving it that “spacey” sound. Works very well with the music in the verses and allows the instruments their time in the choruses. The song deals with losing sight off who you are, because of everybody else’s opinions of what you should be. Losing that voice inside you could always depend on… “Moving” is the instrumental song of the album. “Barefoot and naked”, with only our instruments doing the talking. An emotional rollercoaster ride, highs and lows, and moving from beginning to end… Even though we previously released it as a CD single, we wanted “Stop to think” to be on our first album, because it has special meaning to us. And, as said before, it’s kind off where it all started to take form. So we added it as a bonus track. It tells a story ( with the words as well as the music) about having something major happening in your life that turns it upside down, and makes you wonder if you can even deal with it…. The title goes two ways, how you either want to just stop thinking sometimes, or how you sometimes want to stop everything and just think…. |
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How would you describe or characterise your composing process?
Mario: Song writing is an ongoing process in our band. We’re always coming up with ideas, be it a riff, a melody, or a beat… |
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What process you usually use to compose your music?
Mario: We get together once a week for rehearsal. Sometimes a song just happens, jamming, as we warm up for rehearsal. Very rarely a completed song’s brought in, so mostly we take one of our ideas and “mould” them into a song. Each musician adding their own parts, so we have a draft of what we want it to sound like, what works as a verse, what as a chorus, and so on. We make recordings, listen to those at home, let them sink in and see if they work. Vocals usually get added last, when we have the basic song structure down, and depending on those we can make some more adjustments, if needed. These preliminary versions of songs we rehearse, make changes along the way, and occasionally try them out on an audience, see how the crowd responds to it and based on that see if it needs more adjusting. Before we go into the studio, all songs get reviewed one last time, and even after that we can still add, or leave out, while recording. |
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What or who was your biggest influence as musicians?
Biejanka: Since I’m the one answering… Queensrÿche’s Geoff Tate for his amazing vocal skills, Fates Warning’s Ray Alder for his on-stage presence, Anathema’s Vincent Cavanaugh for his passion and Enchant’s Ted Leonard for the way he tells the story and gets every emotion across with his voice… |
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And what non-musical things influence your musical style?
Biejanka: One word only… LIFE… |
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Can you please, let me know about your band activities' today? I mean, have you been currently working upon a new project, doing gigs and so forth?
Mario: We have a few interesting gigs behind us, and also a few coming up. We’re also working on new songs (we have a lot off material we plan on using for, we hope, a second album) and on “different” versions of the “Barefoot & Naked” songs, to give the people that come to our gigs a little something extra. We’re going to be appearing in a radio show in a few months, so we’re working on acoustic versions for 3 songs for that as well. The rest of our band time we spend on getting known, basically. So thanks for helping us out with that…. |
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What music type are you listening at this time? Which are your favorite artists?
Biejanka: Most important is that music does something for you, moves you, in whatever way. Though we’re all “metal-based”, meaning metal in the broadest sense of the word, we’re open to all kinds off music and we don’t limit ourselves by sticking to one genre. If we’d have to mention all our favorite artist the list would go on and on. So not going to name names, listen to “Barefoot & Naked” and you’ll find them all in there… and then you can tell us… |
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Some bands would you recommend at the moment?
Biejanka: Besides Feedforward…?.. haha… But seriously, taste is so personal and people should keep an open mind an listen to whatever they think works, for them and try not to become “boxed-in”… let’s leave it at that… |
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What are your future plans (short and long term)?
Mario: Well, doing gigs is the most important plan, getting the music to the people. It would be very nice to play abroad, sometime. And we of course hope to get signed, so we can release the material we’re working on, as a second album. We’ll just see what comes across our path and go with what feels right at the time. |
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Many thanks friends! Some final message for our readers?
Mario: Thanks for your time and till later! Biejanka: Well, the answer to the previous question and a big, BIG thanx to you Sergio… and for your readers... Hasta luego! |
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View source at www.nucleusprog.com |
