| TDE: |
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How did you come up with the name Ayreon? |
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| Arjen: |
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The story of my first CD was about an orphan who was born in April. It was called Aries, like the constellation. I had sung an example for Ian Parry, who had to sing on the CD. Ian didn't know what I meant by Aries, because I didn't pronounce it well. Ian told me how I had to pronounce it, but that didn't fit with the music, so I had to make up a new name. I was thinking about the story that plays in the past and in the future so I had to make up a name that fits in both times. 'Ay-' comes from old English writing (and fits in the past) and '-on' is like new writing (magnetron, the Dutch word for microwave, something from these times and from future). That combined with the sound of Aries comes to Ayreon. |
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| TDE: |
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'Into The Electric Castle' reveals a fascinating story, tell us about it. |
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| Arjen: |
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The story is about 8 stereotypes, who are all from different periods of time, and they are suddenly in another period. They hear a voice that says that this period is build of dreams and fears. The only way to come out is reaching The Electric Castle, but it is a dangerous journey. They wonder why they are there and who the voice is. The voice turns out to be an alien. The aliens are far evaluated and they don't have any feeling anymore. Sometimes they test feelings from human people, because the aliens have no feelings. Disc 1 is about the journey to The Electric Castle and disc 2 is about what they go through in The Electric Castle. |
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| TDE: |
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Narrator is Peter Daltrey (Kaleidoscope), how come? |
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| Arjen: |
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After 'Actual Fantasy' I did a secret project called 'Strange Hobby'. This is a CD with cover songs from the sixties but in a heavier performance. There is no name on the CD. For choosing the songs I listened to different compilation CDs and on one of those was Kaleidoscope. I became a fan of them and I collected all I could find. Later I heard that vocalist Peter Daltery was writing a solo CD. I contacted his record company and asked if they could bring me in contact with Peter. We wrote for a long time and we became friends. I send him the CDs I made and he liked it very much. When I said that I was writing 'Into The Electric Castle', he said that he wanted to compete with the CD. I asked him to be the Voice and to write his own text. He wrote the texts and he did it very well. I like it very much that a hero of mine plays on my CD! He asked me to play on his CD and I did it in return. I played rhythm-guitar and a big fat solo! |
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| TDE: |
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The cast of your CD, how did you come up with the names? |
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| Arjen: |
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There are a lot of people who are playing on my CD. I can't mention all names, but I can tell some stories.
Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena): I saw him playing with Pendragon. My record company knew him personally. I wrote Clive via the record company and that's how I came in contact. I asked him to play on my CD but I didn't have much left. We both liked it very much and he will play on my next CD for sure. Of course with more key parts.
Damian Wilson (Landmarq, ex-Threshold): I saw him with Landmarq. His voice reminds me of Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin). Later I saw him with Threshold. He did a fantastic concert. As an extra Threshold played a ballad. Damian sang very well, even after a concert with heavy songs he sang the ballad terrific. After the concert I went backstage and asked him to play on my CD.
Sharon van Adel (Within Temptation): I read an interview in the Dutch heavy metal magazine 'Aardschok' and there she said that she takes example by Ayreon. I didn't know Within Temptation well, and I went to the Dynamo Open Air Festival where they played. She saw me and asked me if she could sing on my new CD.
Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering): She was the opposite of Sharon. She didn't want to do anything but The Gathering. I kept asking and finally she wanted to sing for me. In less than 2 hours everything was recorded. |
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| TDE: |
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How is Into The Electric Castle different from the previous two albums? |
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| Arjen: |
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I don't want to repeat myself. Every CD is a new challenge. The first CD was very bombastic. The second was more modern with synthesizers and electronics. I used the vocals as an instrument. On the third CD were no samples and computers used. It is more acoustic. More real.
The next CD will be very different from the other CDs. |
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| TDE: |
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How do you describe your style of music? |
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| Arjen: |
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You can give several names to the music. Hardrock, heavy metal, progressive, sympho, etc. I always say that the style is Ayreon. It is mostly progressive and sympho. It is very adventurous. Everything must be possible. |
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| TDE: |
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You have a great list of musicians for the new album. Who are they? |
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| Arjen: |
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I have a lot of people in my mind and I am searching for contact with them. I will release 2 different CDs at the same time. A heavy one and a slow one. On the heavy one are playing for sure: Clive Nolan (Arena) and Ed Warby (Gorefest). Maybe Andy Deris (Helloween) will sing on the CD. On the slow one is Lana Lane invited and Erik Norlander (Rocket Scientists) too. The CDs will be released in the beginning of 2000. |
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| TDE: |
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Tell us about your time with Bodine and Vengeance. |
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| Arjen: |
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Bodine was my first professional band. I had seen them several times. Then I heard that they were searching for a new vocalist. I was very brutal to apply. I was a guitarist, not a vocalist. I had studied for some songs and played them. They admitted me as a member of Bodine, as a vocalist. Later I suggested the idea to let me play guitars too. We tried that and it seemed to be a good idea. That's how I became a singing guitarist (or a guitar-playing vocalist). This was all in the beginning of the eighties. The atmosphere in the band was bad. When we played a concert, Vengeance was playing as support. They played roughly and the atmosphere was very nice. I liked it very much. Some time later they called me. Their guitarist left the band and they wanted to know if I knew somebody who could replace him. I said that I knew a suitable guitarist. So, I played from '84 until '92 in Vengeance. I went through a great deal in those times. There were great times and times I'd rather want to forget. The bad times are still in my mind, more than the good times. It was a nice example of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. After my time with Vengeance I made a solo CD. It was a big disaster. I got some nice offers from Accept and Kingdome Come, but I wanted to create my own music. I didn't want to go on tour etc. Then the Ayreon-time began. |
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| TDE: |
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How was your musical upbringing? |
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| Arjen: |
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My parents didn't do anything with music. It all started with The Beatles. Then the Glam rock period with Alice Cooper came. I started playing in a playback band. We played songs from that time. I was too lazy to play a real guitar. Then I heard 'Made In Japan' by Deep Purple. I was very impressed and wanted to play that too. When I was about 15 years old I started to play a real guitar. |
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| TDE: |
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Who are your biggest influences? |
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| Arjen: |
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Qua vocalists: John Lennon and Robert Plant.
Qua guitarists: Blackmore, David Gilmore, Eddy Vanhalen and Steve Vai. Mostly Blackmore.
Qua Keys: Keith Emerson
Qua drums: John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
Qua bass: Geddy Lee (Rush)
The bands: 'The Holy United Three': Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. |
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| TDE: |
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What are the best CDs ever made, according to you, and which CD did you buy recently? |
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| Arjen: |
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Best CDs:
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Led Zeppelin - III
The Beatles - Magical Misery Bar
Rush - 2112
ELP - Target
Rainbow - Rising
Alice Cooper - Love It To Death
Thin Lizzy - Live and Dangerous
Recently bought CDs:
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Spock's Beard - Day For Night (The Gypsy is a great song!!)
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| TDE: |
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Why did you begin producing CDs? |
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| Arjen: |
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I have an own studio. I'm busy with music 24 hours a day. Ayreon is 'my little child' and only I can make it the way I want it to be. Together with Oscar Holleman I mix the CD. I was asked to produce for some bands (i.e. Helloween), but I refused. I am to pig-headed to produce other bands.
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| TDE: |
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What is your ideal line-up? |
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| Arjen: |
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Drums: Ed Warby (Ed is my favorite drummer) or Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater).
Bass: Geddy Lee or Eddy Jackson (Queensryche).
Keys: Erik Norlander, Clive Nolan or Keith Emerson (maybe Keith will play on the next CD. We are conducting negotiators.)
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| TDE: |
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You don't play live concerts. Don't you want to give a one and only gig? |
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| Arjen: |
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No, the preparation takes very long. Everything has to be arranged, the musicians have to be fit to each other and that takes a lot of work. It takes at least one year. That is too long for one concert. I want to do new things. The chapter of Into The Electric Castle is finished and I'm working on my new project. The last CD sold very well. I can live very well from the earned money. Into The Electric Castle sold three times as good as Actual Fantasy and two times as good as my first CD. It will be very hard to reach the amounts of Into The Electric Castle with the next CD but I'll try to make it.
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| TDE: |
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What are your plans for the future? |
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| Arjen: |
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I don't look further than one CD. I don't look further on purpose. I don't want to look back and I don't want to look too far forward.
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 Comments, remarks or ideas? Please mail us. |
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