Firewind

Interview date

19 Septembre 2010

Interviewer

Ostianne

I N T E R V I E W

Interview Gus G. (by phoners)


When Firewind began, you needed only one year to release an album. Since 2006, people have to wait two years. Is it because of the tours which are longer than before or is it because you are more demanding on your work so you need more time?

We never have problems to come out with new material. I think it's what you said, that with the first album, we didn't really tour. We were like a studio band. We had to do the album quicker, but now, after the albums release, twelve months of tour follow. We need one year to be on the road, and then we get another year to do an album together, so that's the reason.

And do you still have apprehension before a release or now that Firewind releases its sixth album, you don't care about what can be say?

Of course I care! You know, you always care. I mean, even if we're not having too many expectations on an album, I can only hope that people will like it. And hope that we will have some new fans. So far, that was the case with every album. And so far the reviews have been really good. Journalists and everybody were saying it's our best album, so it's very nice to hear it.

Does "Days of Defiance" have a link with the crisis that is known in Greece and all over the world?

Yeah. It looks like, maybe, a chronicle of crisis and people who are tired about corruption. They don't trust anybody, not political or religious leaders anymore. I just wanted to catch that kind of values in few songs. So I think it's a really suitable title.

It's not disturbing to listen to this album twice at a time. To you, is it better for the listeners to listen to it twice at a time, or do you prefer that they just listen to it once and think of what they heard because they have been so catch on?

Hopefully, there are albums that you need more to listen to it again and again to get into them, and there are albums which are yours in a shot listening. In any case, I think it is good for an album to listen to it more than once. If you like an album, there is no problem, but if you don't like something, you should definitely play it back to be sure.

"Embrace The Storm" is the song that reminds the most the previous albums, but it's "World On Fire" that has been chosen for the single. Are you satisfied that the single shows your evolution?

You know, on the first album, the single choice was a bit more a rock song and more commercial, more radio, a sort of speak. This time we wanted to go out with a song a little bit more metal, a song which pounces on the face, with heavy riff. It's still a real catchy song but it's heavier. That's why we chose it. We thought our fans would appreciate a heavy metal song.

On this album, there is this instrumental song, "The Departure"...

Actually, "The Departure" is an intro of "Heading For The Dawn". It's not like an instrumental song, it belongs to the other song. There is an other real instrumental song on this album which is "SKG"!

Yeah, you do a demonstration of your guitarists' talents on this song!

We wanted to show every band member talent you know! There is a bass, keyboards and even a little drum solo on this song. We wanted to show the best of all the musicians, because we usually wrote short songs, and we don't really have technical stuffs. So we thought that having an instrumental track like this one was a chance for us to show what we are able to do.

Don't you worry that it will be too different from the other songs of this album?

No, because I think that the duty of a band like Firewind which is a special band. We can play some heavy stuffs, we can play a really fast prog metal stuff, rock songs, mid-tempo songs, we can play ballads, weird instrumental tracks and all of them sound like Firewind. We already did a lot on our records.

Did Michael Ehré participate to the composition of "Days Of Defiance", as he did on Metalium albums?

I wrote the songs, that's obvious, and after that, Apollo wrote the lyrics and his line vocals. Bob also completed some songs but it was really a team, me Apollo and Bob. So no.

And according to you does the cover reflect the music of this new album because it's a little bit darker than the previous one?

Yeah I think so. And it's a little bit darker, that's what everybody says and I guess so. For me I don't know if there is really something different, I mean it's still a good record to me. But there are maybe some heavier tracks and the production is a bit more Appolo things and maybe that's why it's a little bit darker. But it's still cool!

I read that some fans of Firewind are afraid to see you leaving or being less involved in Firewind now you join Ozzy Osbourne. Do you understand that kind of worries?

No, actually, I don't understand it, no. I don't know why people and fans are getting so crazy about it. We are talking about this new album, "Days Of Defiance" is about to be release and there is no chance that I'm going to leave Firewind, because Firewind is my own band. So, no, I really don't get it!

When Ozzy Osbourne asked you to join him for his new album and this tour, what did you think?

I was very honoured when he asked me to join his band. When Ozzy Osbourne ask you to play in his band and you say no, you are an idiot! (Laughs).

How is going this tour?

Oh it's really great, really great! All shows, all tracks, we're getting great reviews and it's really a cool experiment.

You also participated to the new Kamelots' album, on "Hunter Seasons". How was this experiment?

Yeah, that's on that song. You know, Kamelot and I know each others for some years ago. And Thomas Youngblood and me are friends for so many years. So he asked me if I wanted to do a solo on this album. Of course I said yes because we are good friends and I really like Kamelot. I think they are a real special band, so that was that.

In twelve years, you participated and did a lot of albums. Do you think you will continue like that or will you ease off one day?

I don't really do many guests solo. I did it for Kamelot, for a band from Greece who is a friend of mine but that's about it. I've done with guest solos in album; I'm not really into that so much. If one band I like asked me, I won't probably say no. But that's right, I've been in a lot of bands, before Firewind I was playing in many bands. I didn't think that anything would happen you know. I was playing in bands, and I wanted to see if something worked. And all of my bands got signs, and got their tour offers, and albums. And these years were good for me because I learnt a lot of things, I get my name on it. And then, I couldn't pick up and that's why I quit all the other bands.

What does Firewind bring to you that the other bands didn't?

Firewind is the music I like to play! It's my own band and I'm proud of it.

I guess to see Firewind on stage, we will have to wait the end of Ozzy Osbournes' tour. Are you impatient to be on stage with your own band or are you already satisfied with the tour you are doing now?

I love to play with both. Firewind is my band so I love to play with those guys and play our songs. But with Ozzy, it's an amazing experience as well. I'm glad that I can be involve in that. But you know, Firewind will continue touring as well during the break. We will announce some shows for December and January. It's not gonna be that long to be back on stage! In fact, we are going to do a US tour in November. I have a few days off, and that's when the album will come out, so I thought it could be a good idea if we can flight the band to America and play there for the albums' release.

What do you think about the actual Greek metal scene?

I don't know because I don't care. I just care on what I do! (Laughs).

What else can you say to the fans who still have to wait more than one month to listen to the new album?

I just to tell them "please be patient!" It will be worth it to wait!

So they don't have to download it! (Laughs)

It's never a good idea to download anything! You can buy it, you can buy it on Itunes. That's what I do when I can't buy a physical album, I buy it on Itunes. That's legal!


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