Sonic Perspectives

Never a band to rest on their laurels, Blind Guardian have always moved forward and changed their sound from time to time. From their speed metal beginnings, to absorbing thrash influences in subsequent releases, and finally establishing themselves as power metal ambassadors, there was always something new with every release. For epic performances at Wacken Open Air and other festivals up to hosting their own Blind Guardian Open Air, their fan base seems to grow at every release.

2019 brings another exploration of these Germans, and one that took almost 23 years to be completed: a purely orchestral album, the monumental “Legacy of the Dark Lands”. Released under the moniker Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra, this project will open another door to the seemingly endless well of creativity of the band. Discussions about a fully orchestral album date back to 1996/1997, so the sense of accomplishment is palpable throughout the tracks of this concept piece.

Sonic Perspectives collaborator Rodrigo Altaf had the chance to speak to with Blind Guardian‘s singer Hansi Kürsch to discuss the new album, the concept behind it, the plans on how to present it live, and much more! Listen to their revealing chat below and always remember to subscribe our social media channels to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

Slideshow photographs by Blazing Metal Photography

The post BLIND GUARDIAN Leader HANSI KÜRSCH Talks “Legacy Of The Dark Lands” Album: “I Feel Relieved And Proud It, And It Was a Natural Step for BLIND GUARDIAN to Record an Album Like That” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

With four full-length albums and a notable guest appearance under her belt, Canadian singer Leah has been making waves lately with her distinctive other-worldly take on Celtic-inspired folk metal. Fresh off last year’s collaboration with Testament‘s Eric Peterson on the third Dragonlord album as well as her own album “The Quest,” the Vancouver-based siren quickly got cranking on a project that, in other hands, oft goes awry:

She decided to make a holiday album.

“I love to experiment with different genres,” Leah says. “The idea was to give it that magical atmosphere that we love, and give it a soundtrack.” She pauses before painting the mental picture her music aspires to depict: “I want it to feel like a medieval chapel. I want to see monks and choirs. It’s snowing outside, and we’re somewhere in the UK and there are ruins,” she wistfully portrays as if in reverie. She snaps back to reality. “It has a festive, holiday vibe, but I just wanted it to sound magical and enchanting, with a medieval Celtic twist to it.”

The resulting album, “Ancient Winter,” is the holiday album I’ve always wanted, and the one you never knew you needed. Despite the presence of three Christian hymns (including a rearranged Gregorian chant), Leah has managed to make a holiday album that’s neither saccharine-sweet nor grotesquely materialistic. Rather than resorting to songs about bells, baby Jesus, and a fat guy in a red suit, Leah has created a collection of songs that evoke the sound and spirit of winter. Smartly penning lyrics that honor the Christian tradition and setting them to the folk music often associated with pagan lore, “Ancient Winter” is a Christmas album that’s somehow both secular enough for the heathen, and pious enough for a church service. And to top it off, she recruited the help of Everon’s Oliver Philips, former Eluveitie badasses Anna Murphy and Shir-Ran Yinon, and even Nightwish piper Troy Donockley (formerly of the Celtic rock group Iona) to round out an already engaging album. 

Leah graciously chatted with Sonic Perspectives Texas Bureau Chief Gonzalo Pozo on All Hallows’ Eve eve to discuss “Ancient Winter,” her origin story, the marketing savvy she regularly discusses on her own podcast, and the challenges of carving out a career in metal as a married mother of five. “Ancient Winter” is currently available for pre-order at this location.

As usual remember to subscribe our social media channels to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

The post Canadian Singer LEAH On The Metal Lifestyle: “It’s Bigger Than The Music. The Music Is Just Part Of The Culture.” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Very few people in metal today embody the term “persistence” as much as Frankie Banali. Having formed Quiet Riot in the 80’s and reached the top of the charts in 1983, going above Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller” and The Police‘s “Synchronicity”, Frankie surely had his share of hardships since then. He faced a million lineup changes in the band, lost his long time friend Kevin Dubrow to a drug overdose in 2007, and now is facing a battle against stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Six months into treatment, Frankie seems optimistic about the future, and is focusing his efforts on his recovery and on being productive. Quiet Riot‘s new album, “Hollywood Cowboys” is set for release on November 8th via Frontiers Music, and it’s by far the most diverse they have ever done.

Musically, the new album offers exactly what you would expect from Quiet Riot. Arena ready hard rock with strong hooks and infectious riffs, along with a maturity in the songwriting that only a band with such a history and pedigree can offer. The lineup on the record is completed by bassist Chuck Wright, guitarist Alex Grossi and powerhouse vocalist James Durbin, who sadly has quit the band a few months ago, after the recording was finished.

Sonic Perspectives collaborator Rodrigo Altaf sat down with Frankie Banali to discuss the writing and recording of “Hollywood Cowboys”, his fight against cancer, his efforts to carry on the legacy of Quiet Riot and much more. And as usual remember to subscribe our social media channels to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

Slideshow photographs by Joe Schaeffer

The post FRANKIE BANALI Reflects On QUIET RIOT’s New Album and the Support for His Fight Against Cancer: “I Had No Idea That the Response Worldwide Would Be So Positive and Touching” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The Swedish progressive band Opeth released their thirteenth studio album, “In Cauda Venenum,” on September 27. Widely hailed as a more focused and biting effort than its more psychedelic predecessor, “In Cauda Venenum” sees the band perfecting the sound they adopted after their more metallic era came to a close nearly a decade ago. On the 29th episode of Talking Perspectives, host Gonzalo Pozo and guests Nate Treese and Jeff Partyka dissect the album, a record perhaps unwittingly released within a month of the twentieth anniversary of the release of “Still Life,” easily one of the high points of Opeth‘s death metal era.

The trio also discusses Nate and Jeff’s own podcast, Satan and Rainbows, a frightfully detailed examination of a band’s entire discography that focuses on progressive rock and heavy metal. Having already tackled such massive catalogs as those of Judas Priest and Gentle Giant, the current season of Satan and Rainbows examines the birth and growth of the technical metal scene, a movement about which Gonzo is perhaps a bit too passionate…

The panel wraps things up with a summer concert retrospective (in October, because Texas summers last for freaking ever), where they confess to the love of music not entirely progressive or metallic. Pop in those earbuds, find a household chore that will eat half your day, and queue #TalkingPerspectives29 stat, because this chat was so much fun and so informative, those two and half hours flew right by in just 150 minutes.

The post TALKING PERSPECTIVES: Dissecting Opeth’s “In Cauda Venenum” / Satan And Rainbows Podcast / Summer Concerts Retrospective (Episode No. 29) appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Changes in musical direction have always  been a part of what Leprous are about. On the new album “Pitfalls” set for release on October 25th (check out our comprehensive review here), the Norwegians are taking it to new territories, with quite a departure from their previous effort, 2017’s “Malina”. Written during a time when front-man Einar Solberg was dealing with depression, “Pitfalls” is a very personal account of how he dealt with this condition. And as such, it doesn’t follow straight lines or a predictable narrative, but places its bets on the confused state and mood swings brought by this disease. There are moments of relief of course, but it concludes itself in dramatic fashion, with the longest and weirdest track as the album closer.

Clocking in at 55 minutes,and nine songs, “Pitfalls” could be split in two halves: the first one representing the poppier side of the band’s sound, and the second one being a lot more experimental and progressive. And while there’s definitely a conceptual theme running through the lyrics, on the musical side every one of the compositions has a distinct flavor and stands on its own. The album was produced by Solberg with David Castillo, who worked on “Malina”, and mixed by Adam Noble, who previously collaborated with bands like Placebo and Deaf Havana.

The uncompromising nature of “Pitfalls” is transpired also by the way their members speak fondly of this release. Einar sat down with Sonic Perspectives collaborator Rodrigo Altaf to discuss several aspects of the writing and recording of the album, how the new songs will blend in with the back catalogue on stage, and a myriad of other topics. As usual listen to their talk below and remember to subscribe to our Podcast in several platforms to listen and be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

The post LEPROUS Front-man EINAR SOLBERG Talks “Pitfalls” Album Direction: “We Still Have a Lot Of Guitars On It, We’re Just Using Them In a Different Way” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Most music fans got to know Derek Sherinian when he joined Dream Theater. However, he already had a rich history in music when these American prog metal giants brought him in, having toured with Alice Cooper, Kiss and Jimi Hendrix‘ drummer Buddy Miles. Known for his distinctively heavy keyboard sound, Derek soon embarked on a varied and increasingly complex solo career, with albums featuring collaborations with Allan Holdsworth, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde and many more.

In addition to his solo efforts, Derek was a founding member of Planet X, Black Country Communion, and more recently he formed Sons of Apollo, with his fellow Dream Theater partner-in-crime Mike Portnoy (drums), Billy Sheehan (bass), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (guitars) and Jeff Scott Soto (vocals).

While Sons of Apollo have just finished recording their second album, the follow up to 2017’s “Psychotic Symphony”, Derek sat down with Sonic Perspectives workaholic interviewer Rodrigo Altaf, and the two discussed in detail all the twist and turns of his musical endeavours for the last 3 decades, his keyboard signature tone and his preferences when selecting gear, and even details of the upcoming Sons of Apollo album. Listen to and watch the streaming audio slideshow, or enjoy the audio in your favorite podcast player. And as usual remember to subscribe our social media channels to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

The post World Class Keyboardist DEREK SHERINIAN Reflects On His 30 Years Career: “It’s Pretty Wild to Think I’m Still Making Relevant Music After 3 Decades, and I Hope for 30 More Years” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

You can read the transcription below, listen to and watch the streaming audio slideshow, or enjoy the audio in your favorite podcast player. And as usual remember to subscribe our social media channels to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

Slideshow photographs by Jim Arbogast Photography and Norrsken Photography and Design

Hey everyone, we’ve got a fantastic interview today with Dave LaRue who is just in between gigs because Flying Colors is out on the road. Kind of a rare thing, but we’re glad it’s happening right now. Welcome to call Dave!

Thank you very much. Great to be here.

Let’s start off with Flying Colors. The album “Third Degree” just came out and people have been getting their first full taste of it. What’s been your impression of the new album this third time around?

Well, I’m really proud of the album. I think it came out great. One of the most important things is I think it’s the best album we’ve done. And I’m really always pleased when I see the band continue to grow. So for me it’s a really enjoyable thing. And the response that I’ve both seen and heard from people has been really great and the crowd at the live gigs seem to really enjoy the new stuff. So all good so far.

What are the qualities that make you feel like the new album is standing even above the two predecessors?

Well, you know, it’s funny. As I prepared for the tour, I have to go back and listen to the older stuff and relearn the songs. So I was really pretty much A, B, C’ing the three records. Cause we’re doing a couple of tracks from each album. And it just became obvious to me that the performances, the recording, the lyrics, everything just seemed really a cut above the older stuff. Which, you know, is a normal thing. But I liked that it continues to head in the right direction as opposed to us repeating ourselves or putting out a lackluster product. Just like, Oh it’s time…we’ve got to do a record…okay, let’s rush through this, whatever, I don’t care. But no, I think the band, as I said, continues to grow and that became obvious to me as I was playing through the older stuff.

You guys took your time with this third one and I think it shows. In a way, it’s a much more consistent and mature offering. You’ve really established the Flying Colors sound now.

Yeah. Well said! That exactly what I’ve thought for a while. I couldn’t agree more.

On the track “Guardian”, you’ve got a nice extended solo section toward the latter part of, of the song. How did that section come about?

That’s pretty funny. We were working on the tune, and as we do we’re all together and we’re playing through stuff and throwing out ideas and discarding ideas and then putting things together. And we got to that point, it’s like, you know, we need to do something here. And Neal said: “This could be a great spot for a bass solo, Dave needs to take this!” So, it was Neal‘s idea! And of course I was like, “Okay, yeah, that’s a good idea! I second the motion!” So he was hearing it. And so we developed that whole section, worked on ideas and got a section for me to play over. And it ended up being a really long section at a really fast tempo, so it wasn’t that easy! But, it was a lot of fun. And I’m pretty pleased with the results, so yeah, that’s Neal chiming in!

Well it’s interesting because it comes right after this really nice guitar solo section, I think in nine/eight time, and then it just transfers right over to you and that’s really cool.

Yeah, and a whole nother mood. So, yeah, I like it. I think the song came out great.

It seems like on every album you have at least one piece that’s kind of a funk tour de force, and on this one the song would be “Geronimo”.

Absolutely.

Did the whole band write that one together?

Yeah, I bought in the initial idea and then it morphs from there. Like the chorus and all that stuff got added to it. Because that’s basically how we write: people bring in ideas and concepts and things. But there’s a taboo on bringing in a full song. We just won’t do it. We’ve actually run into that and we said No, that’s a great song but you should put it on your solo record, or whatever. We really try to honor the idea of the five of us writing together. But we have to start somewhere. So everybody always brings in, like Casey will bring in some really great hooks he’s got and the tune will start from there. And then these guys are so amazing. They’re so prolific! Ideas start flying around. [laughs] So as I said earlier, I mean, we’re discarding and adding ideas as quickly as guys come up with anything. It’s an amazing process!

I bet it is. On the track “Geronimo”, who steered that song towards the Steely Dan vibe that it’s got?

Well, I mean, I guess the whole initial group thing is what sets that up. And then later we added the second section, which yeah, really says Steely Dan. In addition to the bursts and the groove that sets the tune up, then we have those hits which I can almost picture as being a horn section playing that, which is what Steely Dan would do. It just kind of morphed into all that. So yeah, it’s actually hard to remember what the process was. As I said, things are flying around and we’re trying things. But yeah, the Steely Dan analogy, you’re the first one that’s made that and that’s exactly what I thought.

Yeah, it suddenly goes into latter-day Steely Dan, but then it goes into a whole nother direction that’s signature Flying Colors. It’s its own thing.

Yeah. And I think the fact that it’s different than what we normally do is very Flying Colors in and of itself because there’s five personalities here and something different always is introduced. And that’s one of the things I love about playing with this band. I’m not good at playing one genre for an hour and a half. I’ll go nuts and then I’ll have to be replaced at some point. [laughs] So, one of the things that attracted me to this band is the fact that we’re diverse. And it’s great cause I get to play some things that are just very groove oriented. You know, like “You Are Not Alone” is a challenge to play what’s right, what musically helps the song. Like, that’s not a song for a bass solo! So, it challenged me to like keep it strong, make it groove and then enhance it when I can. And then there’s other things where there’s a lot of musical, you know, instrumental strength going on. And that’s fun too. Like “Crawl” and “Guardian” as you said. So it really keeps me interested and I know the other guys in the band are also of that mindset. So it works well.

I can see why this would be a band for you. I was listening to your solo album “Hub City Kid” a little while ago. And again, even right there, there’s so many different styles on that one album, you can get a sense that you don’t like to stand still.

Yeah. And in working with the Steve Morse Band, and The Dregs, it’s like the perfect gig for me because Steve, as I said, is of that mindset. We’ll play a hard rocking tune. And then the next thing you know, we’ll be doing a Baroque thing and then the next thing you know, Steve‘s just blowing over this incredibly fast bluegrass tempo. And then the next thing, like a song called “Night Meets Light”, it’s just this beautifully colored textured ballady thing where the time signature isn’t the same for more than two bars in a row. [laughs] It’s really challenging for me! I love that kind of playing.

And you guys, you, Steve and Van Romaine, just got the chance to get back together as the Steve Morse Band to do a short show at Morsefest. Did that gig feel great?

Yeah, it was really fun! That was Neal‘s idea also. I mean, Neal puts so much into Morsefest, he’s just amazing. His behind the scenes stuff is incredible! He’s the one that gets all the background singers and the strings prepared to go for both bands (the Neal Morse Band and Flying Colors) and then all the nitty gritty details, you know, overseeing merch and how people are flying in and all that stuff. Granted he has help, but he’s the force behind everything. And he really wanted us to play and he asked Steve again as we were approaching the deadline (Steve had initially blown it off) and then Steve asked me if we wanted to do it and I said, of course! And so we did. But you know, Neal really wanted that to happen. He thought it would be special and it was. It’s funny, I just played with another one of my bands up in the Northeast. We did a week’s worth of dates and Van was on that gig. So we’ve kind of gotten to play together a little more recently.

I was at that show at Morsefest and the crowd was just going nuts and loving it. It must’ve felt like a really nice return after about seven years since you had played out live?

Well, seven years since we played with Van, yeah. We’ve done a few things in between with Drew Betts who is the drummer from my band but not with Van.

Yeah. Do you think this has inspired you guys to maybe do some future recording or even live shows?

Well, we chatted about that. We’ll have to see. Steve‘s with Deep Purple and Flying Colors right now, he’s out doing dates. But yeah, we talked about that after. And actually Steve and I live close together, so as we were trying to prepare for Morsefest, I would go over to his place and we’d play together a little bit and the subject came up! So we’ll see where it goes.

Did it feel really good for you? Just getting back to that material again?

Oh, I love that material. Of course. Yeah, it’s some of my favorite stuff. The Steve Morse Band is like the ideal gig for me. I also like that it’s a trio. So needless to say, there’s a lot of room for me to play!

Well, getting back to Flying Colors, you guys are out on the road now and you’ve got just a handful of dates that’s kind of crisscrossing with Steve’s Deep Purple touring schedules. So it’s really unusual that way. I was curious, is it a challenge for you playing such short tours with Flying Colors? Like do you feel the band can really hit their stride with so few shows?

It’s tough. I mean, that’s a good question. Yeah, it’s definitely tougher because as you play more shows consecutively, it just becomes so much easier and things get locked in and you start just doing things instinctively. But when they’re spread out, you have to kind of constantly reinforce it and just make sure you’re doing what you need to do. So the little things can get lost. The nuanced things that start to happen when the show is just second nature. It’s hard to get to that point when the gigs are so spread out. But you know, the musicians in the band are all really top notch. So, we manage. And actually, that’s what I was doing today. We played the show in New York recently and I’m just reviewing for Friday night’s show today. Just to make sure I’m up on the stuff and keeping it fresh because we didn’t play a show for two days.

How did the New York show go the other night?

Oh, it was great. It was packed and the crowd was great which was nice to see. I mean they really wanted the new material, too. So it was a fun show.

Now that the album’s out, New York might have been the first time you’ve played a couple of more new songs from the new album, is that right?

Correct. Yeah, we added a couple of tracks. We did three at Morsefest, cause the videos had already been released, we added two more. We added “The Loss Inside”, and “Love Letter”.

Any hopes of adding even more of them as you get over to Europe or further in the tour?

Well, I don’t think we’ll add anything to the European dates that we have now. But there’s talk of doing more stuff, we’ll just have to see how it falls with everybody’s schedule. It’s always tough with this band!

Well, it would be great. It’s such a strong album, it’d be great to hear songs like “Last Train Home” and “Geronimo” and “Cadence” and “Guardian”, on and on.

Yup. Well, “Geronimo” is next on the list. We were going to try to do that, but Mike and Neal were getting ready to go over and record a new Transatlantic album. So they just kind of begged off on that. Cause we did have “Love Letter” and “The Loss Inside” and so it was like, “That’s enough, come on, I’m getting overwhelmed here!” But “Geronimo” is next. We may add that for Chicago. I’m pretty positive we’ll do that in Europe. I can’t say 100% positive, but I’m pretty sure we’re going to do that. And Casey wants to get “Last Train Home” into the set too, so that may happen as well, too.

Yeah, that’s such a classic Flying Colors song, it’d be great to hear that live, too. And then of course you guys are on the ship again, the Cruise to the Edge, next year as well.

Yup. And we finally get to do full shows!

That’d be nice. For listeners who may not know, Flying Colors has actually performed twice already on Cruise to the Edge, but neither time has really been announced ahead of time. It’s been sort of surprise shows.

Yeah, we were surprise guests and we played for like 45 minutes and that was it. So it was great. I took my family and we just had a vacation! But the first time we went was nice. Well actually, there’s two funny stories. First of all, they were trying to keep this secret and they hustled us all on the boat and got us on there and there was some mess up with my son’s passport. So over the loudspeaker, they paged me! So much for the hiding out thing! But the good thing was we played the sail-away concert, so we played for 45 minutes first! We kicked the thing off and then I was done! I was on vacation. I was like, wow.

Yeah, I was actually on the ship for both of those times. And I remember, I was sitting in the dining room and even in the dining room over the loud speakers, you hear “Mr. Dave LaRue, will you please check in?” And in the whole dining room, everyone busts up laughing like, Well, I guess that cat’s out of the bag now. And Mike is probably pissed that it’s not a secret anymore!

Yeah, I heard about it from him! I was like, “Well, what am I supposed to do?” [laughs] I mean we were getting ready to sail away and they were like, we gotta have this paperwork on your son. You know, there was a confusion, so yada yada. So we got it worked out.

Yeah. So, the relationship between the bass player and the drummer is so key to finding the groove and the feel of each project that you’re in. And so with your own sense of musicality, how much do you find yourself coming towards what the drummer is playing, or rather leading the rhythmic charge, or do you meet somewhere in the middle?

Oh, I think we meet somewhere in the middle. Mike is such a great player. He’s really strong and I’m always trying to do the right thing in terms of how we both play together. It’s fairly easy. The only time I really dig in and push a little bit is when he has to sing. Although I have to admit, he’s probably the best singing drummer I’ve ever played with. But I do try to just help him out if need be all, to keep it strong. A lot of singing drummers I play with, the bottom just falls out and the time starts to sag and it’s like, “Whoa, hold on, hold on!” But he’s really good and we’re really simpatico in a lot of ways. It’s a very easy gig, I never worry about that with him. We get along well musically.

Is there a drummer that you haven’t played with yet that you’d really love to have that opportunity?

Well, I’m very fortunate. My career has been great. I’ve played with all the great guitar players and some really great drummers. Rod Morgenstein, Van, I did Planet X for a while, so I worked with Virgil Donati for two years or something. One of my favorite drummers is actually Jeff Campitelli, whom I played with in the Joe Satriani band. That guy has the biggest pocket in the world. I mean, it was fun and that was a little bit of a simpler gig for me in many respects. But it didn’t matter because it just felt so good, the groove was so strong, Jeff‘s really great at that. So I enjoyed playing with him. I mean, that was not a chops gig where we’re all freaking out, (unlike Planet X) so that was fun. And I’m forgetting people, so I apologize for those who I’m leaving out, but I’m more kind of thinking of who we’ve been talking about. And Mike Portnoy of course. Oh, and Mike Mangini. I probably shouldn’t mention them in the same breath! I got to do G3 last year for five months with John Pettruci and Mike Mangini was on that gig. So that’s another great drummer I can chalk up. I mean, there are so many great players, like Dennis Chambers, I can go on and on! But let’s just say that I’m really blessed to have been able to play with so many great musicians, many drummers and a ton of guitar players. I played with a lot of great guitar players, so I’m really fortunate.

And does your approach to bass playing change significantly at all depending on the guitarist?

Well, depending on the music, really. I mean, I approach some songs differently within Flying Colors. Within the set my mindset will change a little bit depending upon the tune. So it’s more about that. Doing Joe‘s gig was one thing and doing John Pettruci‘s was an entirely different thing. So yeah, I adjust my mindset. But it’s really more about what the music requires. Like I said, with Joe and Jeff was playing drums, his music tends to be a little simpler bass-wise and my role changes. But it was a really fun gig because it was all groove oriented, so I wasn’t bored, you know. I mean it was all about that! What’s the best I can do for the music?

You’ve got a new project out now with your old friend Glenn Alexander. What can you tell us about the new band L.A.X.?

Well, actually Glenn and I have been playing gigs, we’ve been playing together for so long and he’s one of my best friends in the world and we wrote all this music together and finally got it all recorded over the course of several years. So we wanted to release that and we actually just did a bunch of shows, up in the New York area, in the Northeast and Van played with us and it was really fun. It’s a different kind of project for me. We like to call the band sort of a combination of Stevie Ray Vaughn and The Dregs. So there’s a little bit more of a bluesy thing. And of course I inject some funk into that too, but there’s a lot of chops. A lot of unison lines and of course a lot of bass solos and that kind of thing. It’s really a power trio basically, but a little more leaning towards the blues thing, than the prog-rock thing. But it’s a really fun project for me. And I think the album turned out great and Glenn‘s turned into a great singer. He’s always been a great guitar player, but his vocals on the record are really good. And I got to sing background on some stuff. That was fun for me, it’s a fun experience. And of course we write all these crazy parts that we have to sing over! It’s tricky!

So why haven’t the boys in Flying Colors been able to convince you to be a fourth vocal?

We don’t need it now. I mean, we write for the three guys and that’s good. But these guys are all so good. And we’re happy with that!

Anything you want to let people know who may not be aware of the Dave LaRue band?

Well, that’s a band that I have here in Orlando that I work with when I’m off the road. And actually it showcases all of my compositions. That’s all my stuff. That’s a little proggier. It’s instrumental. A great guitar player named Bobby Koelble plays guitar and a great drummer Drew Betts. Those are my local guys, but they’ll be on the record with me. I mean they really are outstanding players. So we’re in the middle of recording that too when I have time. It’s hard to get all this stuff done! But we have all the material and we started cutting some tracks. So that’s sometime later this year or next year.

Wow, fantastic. You’ve got a lot going on right now.

Yeah. Gotta stay busy!

Well Dave, thanks so much for talking with us for a bit and I hope the remaining shows are great with Flying Colors. Anything else you want to mention before we head out?

No, that’s it. Thanks for having me on Sonic Perspectives and thanks for the great questions and the good conversation. It was fun and easy!

Oh well, I’m glad for that. And I always appreciate you playing out live. So I’m really glad you’re so busy and so many people are getting to enjoy you now. And big congratulations on the new Flying Colors album because it is a great recording.

Well, thank you so much. I’m glad to hear that. Let’s talk again! Bye, bye.

The post DAVE LARUE Talks New FLYING COLORS Album: “I Think This Is the Best Album We’ve Done and I’m Happy to See the Band Continues to Grow” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Although he is credited with helping to initiate prog’s resurgence in the 90’s with his band The Flower Kings, Roine Stolt first made his mark in the mid-70s by joining Kaipa as a teenager. His vast wealth of experience has come full circle this past decade as he has recorded and toured with some of his heroes such as Steve Hackett and Jon Anderson, while also being a key player and instigator of other bands like The Sea Within, Agents of Mercy and Kaipa de Capo. His celebrated band Transatlantic, with band mates Neal Morse, Pete Trewavas and Mike Portnoy has released four epic albums since 2000 and is currently preparing their fifth recording.

In this article we discuss Stolt’s return from the initial 10-day Transatlantic writing and recording session, and delve into the “Waiting for Miracles” album that The Flower Kings are set to release on November 8th. Always a delight to talk with amidst this whirlwind of activity, Stolt gives insights to the current state of his bands, as well as the state of the world. There’s a lot on the horizon for fans of The Flower Kings and Transatlantic, and this interview will help prepare you for what’s to come.

You can read the transcription below, listen to and watch the streaming audio slideshow, or enjoy the audio in your favorite podcast player. And as usual remember to subscribe our social media channels to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

Welcome everybody. This is Scott Medina for Sonic Perspectives. We’ve got a new Flower King’s album coming out later this month. And so it’s the perfect time to talk with Roine Stolt about this new album and everything else going on in your world. Welcome to the call of Roine!

Thank you! Thank you for having me.

Are you back at home right now…are we talking to you as you’re at home?

Oh, absolutely, I’m at home! I actually arrived about an hour ago from the southern part of Sweden where I spent 10 days recording…again! [laughs] Not with Flower Kings this time, but with Transatlantic. We’re working on the fifth album and I just finished that today and just arrived home. Only to start new interviews!

Welcome back! Wow, from one project to another.

Yeah, I know, I know. Crazy! It is crazy.

So how did those sessions go? You said 10 days you were recording?

Yeah. Or I would say it was probably more like a writing session, per se, because we get together and we throw all these ideas on the table. You know, we play a little bit, we jam a little bit and like magic after 10 days we have like 70 minutes of music! It’s a different way of writing music or communicating. I mean, normally people would send stuff on the internet but there’s something happening when we actually get together and we’re in the same room. I think that’s more like in the old days; we actually like to be in the same room because there’s something happening, the chemistry is different being in the same room, than sending files back and forth.

So you really didn’t send material out to each other ahead of time?

Well, I did. But I think I got something from Neal just one day before I left here to go to the studio. So I didn’t hear much, you know. And Pete may have sent something a couple of days before we got together also. So there hasn’t been an awful lot of time for us to digest the music, really. So it’s another way of working. Whatever works, you know, if there’s music coming out of it, it’s all good.

Oh, absolutely. And you guys have quite the track record already for succeeding that format. So what does that actually look like? You’ve spent 10 days together, you’ve been writing…and at the end of that do you have a certain amount that’s actually been recorded? Has the whole album been written at this point and maybe only parts of it recorded or where are you at?

Well, the album is the written. But then possibly Mike will re-track some of the drums. Pete may re-track a little bit of the bass. Neal will get home and he will probably look over what kind of keyboard sounds will be used for certain sections. And basically the same thing for me. I go home and then I pick whatever guitar I think would work: acoustic guitars, electrics, or different kind of sounds and electric sounds that can be used for certain sections. And then we start building the dynamics of the album, because sometimes it’s small, sometimes it’s super big, sometimes it has one voice and sometimes we are thinking of many layers of voices or choirs and stuff like that. So it’s sort of a template that we can work from. I know it’s a strange way of working, but this is sort of the skeleton or the steel construction that we will build on top of, where we’ll put all the glorious marble or, woodworks on top of it, or the feathers or the colors. So that’s the way we work and today you can do that because of computers and stuff like that.

So you have the album pretty much written now and maybe the skeleton of the drums and the bass are already recorded and now you just go in and add from there. You build it up from there.

Yup! Yeah, I mean, even the guitars…I bet there’s probably like 30% or 35% of the guitar that I’ve already put down that will be used. I will sit down now and listen to what sounds I like and if I maybe want to put the Stratocaster on that one, maybe there’s gonna be some acoustic or some 12 string or some slide guitar, lap steel or ukulele or whatever! All different kinds of stringed instruments. And even I play some keyboards too, so there’s going to be mellotrons and stuff put in there once we have the song structures that we have now constructed in the studio.

So how did it feel to be in back with the guys or are you excited? Is this a regenerate rejuvenating for, for you guys now?

It’s exciting and it’s kind of strange because you can feel the pressure to come up with something that’s, you know…I personally feel like “The Whirlwind” is probably our best album and would be sort of the benchmark album for me and I’m kind of scared to see if we can come up with something that is equally great as “The Whirlwind”. Maybe we can, but it’s too early to tell. And that sort of the goal: to make something that’s even greater. I mean, for every band that’s the way it works. Step in and try your best. That’s all you can do.

Do you have hopes that that this fifth one might reach that bar of “The Whirlwind”, from what you’ve heard already?

[think for a moment] I couldn’t tell. I’m always very careful to say too much. And, I mean it goes for Transatlantic or for Flower Kings or anything I’m working on. Some people will say, “Oh, this is the greatest album we have done ever!” And I hope it is, but you never know. So it’s like, then you’re looking back and then you can maybe say in the case of the Flower Kings, I’ll say, “Okay, maybe ‘Stardust We Are’ is my favorite album or ‘Unfold the Future’. Those are sort of the peaks. And then there’s some other really good albums as well.”

So I’m curious, I know that most of you in Transatlantic, except for Pete, got to play on Cruise to the Edge last February. Did being together there help to inspire you to maybe finally start moving towards recording that fifth album?

I don’t know, really. It just happened to be that we were all on the boat. It was Mike‘s idea. If I’d be 100% honest, I think things like that are not really what I think is… Well, I always want to go in and I want to be really prepared with a sound crew that knows the band because it’s kind of complicated with all the setup with guitars and voices and keyboards and so we need a good monitor system. To just go up and play something like that doesn’t really come off the way you hope. I mean, it’s fun. I understand it’s great for the audience, but I think as far as the quality of the music…If you go up as a band like Transatlantic, then I think it should be well-rehearsed. But that’s just by my personal view. It’s always nice to meet the guys and play together, but I’d rather do it under very sort of controlled forms of rehearsing and with the sound crew. So you can actually play the music well, that’s all.

Sure. And so for this new recording, do you have a sense how long it might take? When are you aiming for a release date? And I know all of you are on board that Cruise to the Edge again next March.

We hope to finish up the recording this year. But then there’s gonna probably be mixing over the beginning of next year and that means possibly a release sometime next summer or end of next summer. That’s what I think is realistic.

So let’s dive into the new Flower Kings album that’s coming out “Waiting for Miracles”. So it seems like this phrase ‘waiting for miracles’ is woven throughout much of the album. What’s behind that phrase and using it as the album title?

Well using it as an album title was something that, uh, when you have a collection of songs and in the middle of making of demos and backing tracks at the studio and just trying to get these tracks done, every now and then over dinner or something you’re having talks about anything from artwork to the album title or what should we name the songs. Because the song titles that you have on the album are actually not the song titles that we have as the working titles. Those could be something else, you know? But then someone in the band just suggested a few possible album titles, and it seemed like the majority felt like ‘waiting for miracles’ (which was probably taken from one of the song lyrics) was something that was fitting. If you look at the album as a whole you could say that a lot of the lyrics are kind of pessimistic and like a reflection of the state of what we see today in the world in many places. And so, in a way, we’re sort of waiting for things to get better, maybe we’re waiting for miracles. I think that was the basic idea.

And then we have the track “Miracles for America”.

Yeah. Do you think…do you live in America?

I do, I’m in Colorado.

Colorado. Yeah, yeah. Colorado is nice. I love Colorado! But I mean, how do you feel? I mean, without getting too much into politics, how do you feel about the state of things? Because it was interesting now with bringing in Transatlantic again, because we never talked politics before in this band. I thought the guys were completely uninterested in politics. But now it seemed like one of the first things we talked about when getting together! We talked about politics and of course American politics and the guy in the office, you know. So that seemed to be interesting to them also now. We’re all watching, and we’re very aware of the situation and so you can’t really look away. Even if we’re in Europe, you know, and even if we’re in Sweden. And Sweden has been saved from conflicts for the last couple of a hundred years, whereas other parts of Europe have had problematic times, with a world war. We did stay out of the world war, for the first and the second one. And even even before that. So Sweden hasn’t been really involved in any conflicts. And it’s a good place to live, but we can sense it even here. You know, it’s like things are changing and the world is a little bit colder now than it was even like 30 years ago. So we’re just watching from here, you know.

Yeah. It’s telling that you guys in Transatlantic did start talking about that immediately. And of course you’ve woven some politics into your music all along, but people like Neal don’t really do that though in Marillion they do to an extent. But yeah, it’s very much at the fore and I like that phrase, actually. I think at this point we are waiting for a miracle. We do need some miracles in America for sure as things are getting more and more ramped up.

Yeah, yeah. We’re certainly waiting for something to happen, but something’s got to happen very, very soon, rather sooner than later, if you know what I mean, before everything is lost. And I think it will, but we’re just hoping. Even if you look now at the album cover, you see this elephant and I think it was interesting because this is actually a guy from Colorado that made the album cover (Kevin Sloan). And I wasn’t aware of him. I just happened to go online and search for things and then suddenly you find something and say, “Oh, that’s nice. That’s nice.” And I started looking at his page, his paintings, because he’s someone that paints with a brush on canvas. So it’s not like he’s making stuff up on a computer. So my aim was to have something that was sort of handcrafted that was real. Because many album covers now are computer generated. You can do fantastic stuff. But I like the handmade approach of someone who could actually paint and is a real artist in that sense. So I found all his elephants and the other stuff he does with butterflies and fish, lots of animals. Sometimes you get stuck on certain things, you know, but he has some favorite motifs that he comes back to. So this elephant you can find in different environments and different shapes and forms. But I found this one with the elephant standing on the house of cards. And I felt: this is what’s happening right now with like with global warming and everything. This elephant is standing on the house of cards, but it doesn’t work out, really! It works out for a couple of seconds. But soon the cards are gonna just fold! The other painting that’s inside the album cover is like a globe, our planet and it’s hanging on a very thin thread and there are swirling butterflies around it. These are beautiful paintings, but also there’s something about them that goes well with the lyrics I think. So I tried to pick from what he had. I tried to pick certain things that I felt like matched the theme. The other one is an octopus watching this treasure trove. So it goes well with the pirate theme for “Black Flag” but also as someone watching and guarding this treasure trove, you know, the money and all that. So we tried to pick a few things that sort of did work out with the lyrical content of the album, but still they’re great paintings and there’s like a certain vibe and they’re actually hand painted. So that was the aim, to try to be a little bit different than what we have done and what other bands do also.

Looking at the music on the album, there’s many gorgeous pieces of lead guitar as usual, on tracks like “The Rebel Circus” and “The Bridge”. Do you approach your guitar playing differently depending on who is in the band?

It’s all very spontaneous and I don’t think much about it really. Every now and then maybe I can think, Oh, maybe I shouldn’t go too heavy here or maybe I shouldn’t play too fast, or maybe I should have this kind of sound that would fit the song, you know? But generally I just plug in and play whatever comes to mind because I think it works that way. Not a lot of thought goes into it. I think it usually works best to kind of have the subconscious working for me. It doesn’t matter if it’s this band or The Sea Within or if I’m playing with Jon Anderson or whatever. I try to just go with what feels right at the moment and then hopefully other people like it, too. So that’s the approach I had recording these songs too. And sometimes I may look back and I think, “Oh wow, there’s not a lot of guitar in there, it’s kind of keyboard oriented.” And I tend to indulge in the keyboard layers and stuff like that too and then I think, Oh, where did my guitar go? Oh, come on, I’m a guitar player. I gotta put some guitar in there, you know. But, we try to find the balance that’s nice and that works. The signature sound lies in the orchestration, but also of course in my guitar playing and also in our voices, mine and Hasse’s. So, that’s part of the sound, too.

As you’re writing the material, at what point do you know whether you are going to be the lead vocalist or Hasse?

Ah, that’s pretty spontaneous, too. I just write the songs. I think of certain things, like Oh, this will be him because Hasse has a higher range than me, quite a bit actually. So he can hit those really high notes. I can’t, but I can sing the lower notes with more power than he can. So in a way it’s a perfect match for covering the lower register all the way up to the super high. Usually he just comes here to my studio and I just play the songs to him and I may suggest, Oh, what if you sang this? You know, how does that feel for you? And he tries and says, Oh yeah, that works. That’s a perfect key. And it sounds right. And it, uh, it feels okay for him to sing as far as the lyrics and everything. So we’re not a band that plans everything, really. I wouldn’t say we’re jamming because there’s an idea, but we’re trying to go with the impulse you get. I put on the tape, run a song, we hear it, I point out maybe What if you did this, sing the verse or sing the chorus here? A he sings it and we just look at each other and we’re just nodding and say Okay, let’s do it. And I just press “record” and we go! Then you can hear it back and say, Oh yeah, this is great. Or maybe you hear it back the next day and say, Hmm, that didn’t really work out, you know. So it’s very spontaneous, I would say.

With this lineup for the band, you and Jonas and Hasse are now joined by Zach and Mirko on drums. You were all able to tour for a while in the past year. Did being able to do a lot of live gigs together benefit you when you came into the studio? Did you feel strong and tight as a unit, as a band?

Yes, I think so. I mean, there’s a really good vibe going in the band right now and I think I have to give credit to the two new guys because they bring in all the enthusiasm, and maybe what has been lacking for a while. You know, they come in with lots of ideas and they write music and they are enthusiastic about just being here and playing the music, even playing the old songs. But on the new album, they contribute quite a bit. So I think that helps the rest of us, for me and Jonas and Hasse to sort of sharpen our skills and to be alert and trying to make the best possible album and taking chances and trying different things. And so I think it’s a very good time for the band. The touring definitely helped to sort of gel as friends because you have to be friends too, you know. You can make music together, but there has to be a good vibe and you have to be on friendly terms and simply, you have to like each other. You have to like your contributions as far as the music, you have to like each other even as people, you know. So I think that’s where we’ve arrive now. We’re just lucky to be right now. Maybe it doesn’t go on forever. I don’t know. I can’t tell. But right now it feels really like the band is creative and we like to play the old songs, we like to create this new music, and we like to look into the future and plan things and go elsewhere and play. And so I think it’s a good time for the band actually.

When we, when we spoke last year, you explained that the “Manifesto of an Alchemist” album was credited as Roine Stolt’s The Flower King, largely due to the record label’s request at the time and then you guys went out on the road as The Flower Kings Revisited and now you’re fully called The Flower Kings again. Are these slight variations just semantics as far as you’re concerned, or is it important to you?

No, it’s not the least important to me. To be honest, I simply don’t care. I, I just wanted to make it smooth. I just wanted to not upset people. I just wanted it to work out with the record label and everything. And, I think in reality, this is just another version of the Flower Kings, there’s no doubt about it. It’s not like it’s suddenly Roine Stolt‘s band, it’s The Flower Kings. Hasse is there, Jonas is there. Yes, there’s another drummer. We had many different drummers in the band before. And there’s another keyboard player, yes. But we also had another keyboard player filling in for Tomas. You know, we’ve been to South America, we’ve been to America, we’ve been touring in Europe with another keyboard player before. So I think in some strange way it seems like the music itself just lives on even if changing a few members. And I usually say, Oh, you can probably change every member, including myself! But then someone will protest, Oh no, no, you can’t do it with or without you. And maybe that’s true, but I dunno. In reality, I think every member can be changed. It will sound slightly different. But then again, certain things have to be there maybe to create the specific sound of the band. And I think in particular it’s the vocals. I think the vocals are me and Hasse. So I think even if there was another guitar player, if Hasse‘s and my voices are there, I think it would sound like The Flower Kings. And of course the songwriting part of it.

I would think most people would name your guitar playing as being pretty essential to the band. It would be hard to imagine that not being there and still called The Flower Kings.

Yeah, maybe, maybe so. But we don’t think much about it. I mean, the band is working out and we’re happy and people are very enthusiastic about playing live, about rehearsing, about recording new music, about writing new music. And that means we’re in a good spot, so we just thank whoever we should thank, but we just give thanks to the fact that we can do this right now when after whatever 20 almost 25 years and it’s still fun. And even go out and play the old songs! I mean, the two new guys, they’re playing new music, but for me and Hasse and Jonas, we’re playing songs that we played 20 years ago and it’s still fresh and fun to play it.

In some Flower Kings fans’ minds though, of course, they will think that a Flower Kings are, are primarily Roine and Tomas. And so the absence of Tomas will still be a question mark for some people. Is that just that you two are going in different directions at this point?

Yeah. You can say that. That’s probably what it is, and I would say sometimes you grow to be more together, better friends and sometimes you just grow apart as musicians or people. And, it’s not the end of the world. I mean, there’s no doubt of Tomas‘ contribution to the band over the years. And as I said, we had another keyboard player too, but I think sometimes fans read too much into it, saying, So this guy isn’t there anymore and then it can be The Flower Kings, etcetera. And I think that was never the case. Because I would say the voice of Hasse is equally important. Over different times certain members have been more involved, and we had like, whatever, five, six, seven different drummers, sometimes they’ve been involved in the music, but sometimes they have been more like a studio session drummer. So I think it’s shifting all the time. It’s a very romantic thought that it should be like these guys, Paul, George, John and Ringo, and no one else! Or Mick or Keith or Brian Jones or whatever. I mean, even look at all the incarnations of Yes and they’re going on and on and on with different people and different music. Sometimes it’s more Yes and sometimes it’s less Yes, you know, but it’s the way it works in reality in life. That’s where The Flower Kings are right now. And for me personally, the energy that you feel when you’re recording or you’re rehearsing or you’re playing music live on stage is super important to me because that’s why I stopped a couple of times with The Flower Kings because I felt there wasn’t a vibe really. It was just a good band playing, we sounded fine, but there wasn’t a vibe. There was no friendship, there wasn’t a vibe. And, and if you can get to a point where everyone is sort of aiming in the same direction, I think that’s a good place to be. And it goes for everybody. It doesn’t matter. It happens to everyone. It’s not like The Beatles are gonna last forever. It’s not like any band is gonna last forever. There’s a Grateful Dead out there playing now, you know. Jerry Garcia is gone, but other people play and it will sound different, it will be different. And, um, and here we are with The Flower Kings almost 25 years later. And, uh, and, uh, I mean in all honesty, it’s, a lot of it is based around my writing, etc. As well as my playing of course, but I think the writing in there is coming from me a lot over the years. So that means like, yes, probably I’d be the last member to go because without me, there probably wouldn’t be the band. Which is fine. But I mean, there’s been people coming in and out. It’s interesting now because on this new album, my brother who was the bass player in the band from the beginning, he’s playing on I think three or four songs on the new album. He came back for fun because he was there in the beginning and now he’s back helping on this album because Jonas had other commitments for some time. And, so he just came in and helped a little bit with the bass and singing a bit, you know, and so it’s an ongoing story.

Hey, you mentioned The Beatles there and I was just curious…I’m sure you guys were too busy recording, but since you were all together in Transatlantic and you’re such Beatles fans, I’m wondering if you’ve listened yet to the new deluxe edition of Abbey Road that came out?

I have not. I will do. Probably Mike has it already! I bet he has! But I haven’t. I think I have to listen to it, but at the same time sometimes you prefer the old recordings and we will see. We will see. I mean, I’ve heard some remixes of other bands and I’ve heard “Let It Be” naked, which I kind of liked the way, you know, it was stripped. And I’ve heard some of Steven Wilson‘s remixes of Yes albums and King Crimson albums, which sounded fine to me. I wouldn’t say it’s a priority, but it’s another way of sort of taking them into the spotlight again, I suppose making some more money and all that. And for fun. I mean, it’ll probably be sanctioned by Paul McCartney and, and Ringo I suppose. So I will check them out.

So you guys will be going out on the road this December with Kayak. How do you decide how much of the new album to play in your set considering you have such a long discography at this point?

Yeah. I would say you have to be realistic about how many people will hear the new album before we go on stage and play these shows and also how the album will be received and the fact that I think there’s something about playing old songs that just works really well. I think people buy concert tickets so that if you’re going to see Roger Waters, you probably don’t want him to play all of his new album. I think it is a good album. But I think when I went to see him, I think he played three songs from the new album. The rest was maybe something from his solo Hitchhiker album, but I think it was mostly old Pink Floyd songs and that’s based on the fact that I think most people in the concert hall will want to hear songs they know really well that they have connected to for 40 years, you know. And in the case of The Flower Kings, yes we have some songs that like “Stardust We Are” and “The Truth Will Set You Free”. These songs have to be played, you know? Then we bring in a couple of songs from the new album and then bit by bit you can sort of change around the set list and see what people like and see what the band like to play. And over time, we’re probably gonna change it. We’re going to change the old songs to take from some other albums. So there’s a lot to pick from. There’s like these 10 or 12 studio albums up till now. So, we’re not short of songs really to play!

And then next year, hopefully some more touring with the band?

Oh, definitely. There’s a lot happening right now. So we’re doing this Transatlantic session. We’re going to Japan in late January, I think. And we’re going back to Canada. We’re probably going back to South America, we’re doing more in Europe and the Cruise of course in the end of March. So, yeah, there’s stuff coming up and we’re in the planning stages for all of next year, really. And in between all that, we are gonna sort of try to find time to record yet another album. So it’s just, business as usual [laughs]. I don’t like the business side, but you know, you got to have a plan. It’s not like we’re sitting here waiting, but there’s offers coming in and then you need to start looking into it and do all the deals and get all the proper visas for going places like Japan and whatever. So we’ll see where Transatlantic goes. Maybe there could be possibilities of touring there also next year.

So with all that activity, do you have any space in your life for some of the other things, whether it’s The Sea Within or Jon Anderson or Nad Sylvan and, or Kaipa de Capo?

Well, Kaipa de Capo has been on rest. We played a show a couple of weeks ago, but we were not planning…there’s maybe some writing, but the other guys probably will be in charge of that and then I will add my stuff later on. The Sea Within, I can’t really see anything happening right now. Not this year and maybe not next year, but I wouldn’t rule out something happening in the future. Tom Brislin joined Kansas and Jonas is out with Steve Hackett and so I think there’s not really time for anything. And with Jon Anderson, there’s album number two in the works, we’ve got maybe 35 – 40 minutes of music that we’re trying to do some kind of a proper demo. I think in there is some really, really strong melodies and really good music. So it’s just having the time. Because everything takes time, you know? And when you’re into some project, like now with Transatlantic and just recently this summer I was mixing The Flower Kings album, you can’t really juggle much more than that. If I even started listening to any of the stuff that I did with Jon now, the new stuff, that would sort of just be frustrating to not be able to start working on it. So it’s just finding the right time when there is nothing, when The Flower Kings album is out and we’re not on tour and I’m not working on Transatlantic, then I have maybe a couple of weeks, so I can start looking into it again and see where Jon is at the time because he’s probably working on stuff too. So we’ll see.

Well, no lack of great projects and great music and great people to collaborate with. You’re blessed to work with so many amazing people.

Yeah. Yeah. You have to remind yourself, it could be very different. It could be something else like I could be in a, in a pub band or a bar band, you know, somewhere. I could be on a more regular job or as a music teacher or something. So that’s something you have to remind yourself all the time that it’s a blessing to be able to travel and see the world and play with these great musicians, collaborate with people, you know, that have great ideas and some of them are, I mean like Hackett and Jon Anderson. These guys were my heroes when I was a teenager, and then suddenly I’m there working with them, so that’s great. And being able to record and write all the music with people and new projects coming up all the time. It’s something you shouldn’t take for granted because it happens to very few people. So I’m trying to be grateful every day for this possibility.

I’m sure you are. And you live in Sweden! So, things might be getting a little darker, but not too dark there, hopefully.

No, no. I mean, America is not lost. So I think we need to wait a little bit and see if things change and I think it will change.

And since you are in Sweden, I was curious, how did you woo the other three guys in Transatlantic to come out there to you and record out there? It sounds like Mike has hardly ever recorded outside of America before!

That’s what he said! He said that he never recorded an album outside of United States. Well, the reality is, again, thanks to the way that America is run now, it’s difficult to actually get a proper visa. Because a couple of years back you could, but now getting a visa can, well…I don’t know how to put it. You can apply for it, but there’s there’s no guarantee that you actually get it. And then you have to invest a lot of money in it. So for me and Pete to try to get the visa to go into United States to record, because you need that too, it’s not just for performing. Once you go into United States and you do something that will generate money – and they will find out, you know, because you’re playing on a record recording a record that’s going to be released worldwide by Sony – they will find out. So there is the possibility that you go there and then they stop you at the border and say, Go home. And then we have set up a recording session already but we can’t get there. And so I tried to explain this to the other guys. And finally we saw that the coin dropped and so we knew that we need to find somewhere else. We looked at England and we looked at Sweden and finally we found one in Sweden that was nice and a decent price. And I knew the studio because I’d been there before. So that was the reason we had to record in Europe actually. It was the only safe guarantee that we actually could get together, the four of us, and write. And there is no time because the other guys, Mike and Neal, they’re going out now doing some shows with Flying Colors. So there’s like a schedule and this was the only time. So we ended up in Sweden, which was nice for me. And I think, I hope, hopefully they found experience nice too, because it’s different than a super nice studio.

If you go to America or if you go to London for instance, a studio like that, you can’t really afford it. But this happened to be in the countryside and this guy has this fantastic studio with the biggest desk you can imagine and all the finest microphones and everything is absolutely top notch. And so it was a possibility for us to go to a really nice place and create the music and do backing tracks. And here we are! I think the general feeling now is that we came up with something that will grow over the weeks now to something really good. And, uh, another great Transatlantic album.

Roine, thanks so much for talking with us today. I’m really excited about where Transatlantic’s going. I’m excited to hear about the energy in the band of the Flower Kings now and the new album sounds great. I’m sure fans are going to just love this as it comes out. We’re going to close the interview by playing Black Flag. Is there anything you’d like to say about that as an intro to the song?

Well, there’s lots of other people talking in the song. These are mostly pirates, I think. Now the funny thing is I would say the only thing – as far as the music, I couldn’t really say because I’m probably too close to it – but the funny thing is this theme of the pirate theme came up for whatever reason. I can’t really tell why. I wouldn’t write a song like that 15 years ago, but probably there was something in my mind telling, Oh, you should probably try something different. And I just came up with this fiction…the pirate thing happened back in the 1700’s or 1600’s, it happened because certain people that were outcast, you know, in England for instance, and they had to go somewhere and then suddenly they had to survive. So they go robbing other ships at sea. Or they take from the Queen. That was just seemed in a way like a fitting theme that goes well together with the other songs on the album. I wouldn’t say political, but it’s a story and you can make whatever you want from it. It was like a pure fiction fantasy pirate thing. I think it connects in a way, with what we’re seeing right now. There’s actually pirates right now too. I mean, in Africa you can actually get your ship boarded by pirates, but they don’t look that way anymore. They don’t have the black flags and stuff like that. But so anyway that’s kind of the odd song on the album. Musically speaking, it’s a probably a little bit different than the other The Flower Kings songs, but also has elements of of well known sounds and playing that you can hear him from way back also.

I think it’s a great opener and a great first single to release to the public. So thank you so much and all the best to you and welcome home!

Thank you! [laughs] I will enjoy a quiet evening now, I think. I hopefully will. We will see. Thank you, bye bye!

The post From TRANSATLANTIC to THE FLOWER KINGS: A Day In the Life of ROINE STOLT appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.