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A: Are you ready?
Of
course… A: Ok then…
Well
I have to admit that your new album “The Reflections Of The I” was
really one of the best and emotional albums that I have listened to
lately! A: Thank you very much my friend.
Introduce
us the band. Tell us the latest news. A: What we’re doing right now is that we’re working on writing new material.
New
material… A: Yeah, we’re working on our new album. Since the “Reflection of the I” was released we have many great reviews and we were very happy, so we’re writing the new on right now.
To
soon I think. When it is going to be released? A: Do you mean the album that we’re doing right now?
Yes. A: Well in a short period from now, I hope (Interviewers note: the interview was taken in 14/05/2002). It’s going to be a very good album.
Is
this a full-time band or just a project? Are there any plans for a tour,
or are you just only a studio-band? A: Ahh, we don’t consider Winds as another project. We're 4 guys and everyone is dedicated to the band 100%. I guess the difference between a band and a project is that a project is a one time thing where people get together and record, but once you have a permanent line-up with the same people over several albums, at least to me, that is what I would consider a band. So that’s how we see ourselves as well.
I
told you so cause I know that Jan Axel (Hellhammer) is playing in
many… A: ... bands yes. But for Carl, Lars and I, Winds is our main band, but Jan Axel has other major bands as well. Basically he is a very versatile drummer and needs to play different styles in order to keep himself happy. So it’s only natural that a drummer of his talent doesn’t stick to just one thing, because then he wouldn’t be able to develop himself further as a drummer.
So
are you going to tour to promote the album? A: Well, we don’t have any offers yet. But if we do something like that it would be a great show with a live orchestra but it would also be very expensive, so I don’t know who would be willing to pay for that. We’ll see.
A: We would love to play there. Maybe next year we can work something out.
So
are you gonna look for a bass-player too? A: No, we have one!
But
I know that the singer played the bass in the album. Is that right? A: Yeah he is our bass-player. We’re not actually trying to find any other bass player right now. We have a perfect line up so there’s no need to look for a bass player.
Ok. Can you tell us how did you get your name? A: Well it actually came from another project I had worked on with a friend, but that project never developed into anything. It was a longer name but Winds was part of it, and so one day when Jan Axel and I were on the way home from the studio after recording the drums, the name Winds just came to my mind. I suggested it to Jan Axel and he immediately thought it was the perfect name for the band and the music we play. So then it was decided.
I
think that the name fits best to the band according to your music of
course. A: Yes, I agree with you cause it’s so close related to the music.
What
do you expect to achieve with this album? As far as I know you have got
many good reviews from 'zines. A: We just hope that people will appreciate the work we have done with this album. I think those who have a high appreciation for music will be very impressed with the album. We believe it features some of the best work we have ever done, as a band and as individuals.
I
think that you play (there’s a trick) with the album title. Explain
that to us. A: Well, the title of the album "Reflections Of The I" has a double meaning. First of all it represents the lyrical concept of the album, but secondly the title can also be viewed as this album being a reflection of us as musicians.
Tell
me some things about the lyrical concept…of the album of course! A: Yes of the album…(he laughs)
But
tell me first of all. Do you write the lyrics? A: Yes. I write the lyrics, yes.
And
now can you tell me about the lyrics and if the title of the
album was your idea. A: The idea for the title was mine. You could say I’m the brain behind the lyrical concept of Winds, and thus I make final decisions on album title and songs titles etc. But I often ask the others for opinions and sometimes they have suggestions as well. Our lyrics talk about the history of our country and about other countries history.
Yes, I understand. Are you interesting about Ancient Greece History? A: Well I have been to Greece, and I know some things about the history of your country. I think that the history of your country is very valuable for the whole world! (Interviewers note: I think the same too…)
Well
I know that you play the keys on the album… A:
Yeah
So
did you make the orchestration? A: Yeah I made it…
I
think that is brilliant A: Yeah, we also kept this in mind when we wrote the orchestration, that everything needed to fit in and compliment the different parts perfectly. I’m very proud of how it turned out in fact, and everyone in the band thought it ended up being better than we could ever have hoped for.
Was
your idea to invite those members from The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
and to participate in the album? Many bands nowadays prefer to do such
things by using synths. You know they play all the instruments and
that’s not very expensive for them. A: Yes, I think about that and we didn’t want to write some parts just to make them understand how they must play in our songs. The different thing that we’ve done is that we wrote everything, so the musicians knew exactly what they have to play. We talked about integrating strings into the sound after we recorded the MCD, because we felt that the new material we had really needed it. So we called them up and they were immediately interested, because they’re used to doing studio jobs with artists all the time. We wrote all the parts as you mentioned, so they only had to play the notes which we told them to, and they thought the music itself was really innovative, and a few of them even mentioned that this was much better than any metal music they had ever heard. Which is a great compliment to us of course, coming from them.
And
how would you characterize your music style of your band? A: It’s really difficult for me to characterize our music style. I generally like music, and our music has elements from many other music styles so it’s really hard for me to characterize it.
As
you know many journalists like to put the groups in categories and…(I
don't mean myself!) A: Yeah (he laughs). I know that they like to categorize every group!
Something
else that I want to ask you is about the production of the album. Did
you make the production? It’s very good. A: Yes, I made the production and…
Nice
work my friend. A: Thank you very much, I’m very happy with the production as well, and it was really necessary for us to find the balance between all the instruments considering the complexity of our sound. There’s a lot going on at once, and we can’t have something drown under something else.
To
tell you the truth I was surprised very much when I’ve listened to the
album for the first time! It was so good that I couldn’t believe it!
And I like it most from the new Arcturus album (I made the reviews on
both albums and I can tell that the new album of Winds might remind
you the new Arcturus album BUT only as a feeling – their music styles are quite different.) A: Really?
Yes
I like your new album very much (you can see that if you read the
review) A: That’s very good to hearing that you like so much our new album. I like too the new Arcturus album and as you said we have a quite different music style from them, but I can tell that both Winds and Arcturus are great bands.
A: I don’t really know but when I asked him how happy he is with Arcturus, he said quite happy and also he said that he is really exciting with Winds! So…
I
understand… also it is very good for a band to have such a great
drummer. A: Yeah, everyone in the band is very happy with Jan Axel. We really like him, and except that he is a great drummer he has also a very good character.
A: We worked with Travis Smith for the artwork. He is a very talented designer, and I was very impressed with what he managed to do for us. We had a very specific feel in mind, and it was very necessary for the art to compliment the feel of the music, and I think he managed to recreate that mood perfectly. I could not be happier with the artwork.
What are your favorite songs of the album? I like most “Realization”, “A passion’s Quest”, “Continuance” and “Existence”. A: Well I don’t really have any favorite songs from the album. It’s more like I have favorite parts. Since this is a concept album it’s also difficult for me to view the compositions as individual songs. Whenever I listen to the album I always have to listen to the whole thing, and I think that’s the thing about this album, there is no one songs that really stands out from the others, and there are no songs that are not as good. Everything holds the same quality standard, which in my opinion is rather high.
Yes
I understand, it’s really difficult for you to choose… A: Yeah, it’s really hard.
Ok then. Do you play in any other band? This is the band that you spent all your time. A:
I have another
project called Age Of Silence together with Hellhammer and a few other
guys who are exceptionally talented musicians.
And
now we go on with the “Weird Questions”!!!… An I must warn you
that they are really weird! A: Well let’s go on!
If
your wife was selling your half album-collection just to buy for herself
an expensive ring how would you react? A: To buy what?
An
expensive ring… A: An expensive ring……..(hahaha he laughs loudly!). How do you know that I’m married?! (Laughs from both sides!)
I
don’t know…. well I guess so! A: That question was very good…(he laughs!). Well first of all I don’t really have many albums (still laughing!), and if you sell them you won’t become rich. But my wife wouldn’t do that anyway (he laughs again!)
Are
you sure? A: Yeah, I think so… well I don’t know! (He can’t stop laughing – me either!)
So
since you are married the next question is not for you but just tell me
anyway, If you were dating with a very beautiful woman and you knew that
she hates extreme music and you were on a loft at evening with a
beautiful view … which 5
songs would you choose to play to make her feel comfortable, to break
the ice… and why? A: How many songs?
Only
5 but you know that she hates extreme metal music A: (He laughs) Ok, well I will actually choose to play….play…play….Winds! (Laughs from both sides)
Nice
answer… A: Yeah, I hope that she will probably like our music, as long as she hates extreme metal, because our music is something that can be appreciated even by people who don’t like metal at all. Otherwise I think classical music would be a better bet if she didn’t like metal. Those who don’t like metal tend to not change their mind about it, and just hate it the more they hear it. Hopefully we will change that after they hear Winds…
And
if you were dating with your wife (before you get married of course) A: Before we get married? Well maybe I would play a couple songs of Winds and then some classical music. She likes that kind of music very much. And maybe we were talk about it! (He laughs). Do these questions come from the fans of your site?
No,
my partners and I thought those questions and we think that it will
be great if we asked everyone that we interviewed something that he does
not expect! A: Oh, yeah they are really great my friend!
Thx
very much Andy. So tell me is there something that you love so much,
that you could leave Winds and generally music for dedicating only to
it? A: There is really nothing I can think of now that would make me have to choose, so this is a difficult question to answer. I haven’t thought about it enough to give an answer.
So
are you composing music for living? A: Well I actually try but it is…
Really
hard, I know. A: I’m writing music all the time and this is my life. Also I write music for many different things, such as cartoons!
That
is very good. Can you remember when did you get your first metal album
and what was it? A:
Yes, I was about 12 yeas old when I get my first metal album. It was the
“ Master Of Puppets" from Metallica. I think that they were a very
strong band in the 80’s. I also like many other kinds of music except
metal music.
Me
too. But do you see nowadays a band so strong like Metallica used to be
back in the 80’s? A: Well I don’t know, there are so many bands that may deserve to be that great but I can really tell you right now.
Ok,
just tell me 5 albums that you wish that you had written them. A: I don’t really wished that I had written any album I like very much the music that I write so, can tell you any album.
Maybe
“Master Of Puppets”? A: No not really. You know that I like them very much but I don’t wish to have written this album. They make their own music and I write the music that I like most. I hope that you understand.
Yes of course. Well those were my questions. Add anything you want for the end. I hope the best for you and Winds. Take care my friend... A: Well I don’t have really anything else to say, I think that we said many things. Thx for the support on the band. Check more about Winds on our website: www.winds.ws.
(Interviewers note: In this point I'd like to say a great thx to Andy who is really one of the best musician that I have talked with and he has also a very good character. Andy thx for your help and be sure that we’ll meet when you come to Greece for a live show.) by Thanos (Mc) Aggelakis |
Hi
my friend. How are you are? So let’s begin.