DARK RHAPSODY

Mattias “IA” Eklundh: Part Two

2008-04-27T11:49:56Z

Glenn Harveston: “I Think I Have Reached An Elite Level With This Festival”

2007-12-22T21:50:28Z

ProgPower USA organizer Glenn Harveston needs no introduction. Prog and power metal aficionados around the world (bands as well as fans) know his name – not to mention his reputation for putting on the smoothest-run, most enjoyable metal festival on the planet. So I’ll just jump right in with our 90-minute interview, conducted mid-December, 2007.

By the way, Glenn told me he’s picked one of the two headliners for ProgPower USA IX. Who? Read on…

GH: Hello?

BM: Is this Glenn?

GH: It is.

BM: Hey, how are you doing?

GH: Good, man. Boy, you are punctual!

BM: [laughs]

GH: [laughs]

BM: That’s what all those ProgPower guys would tell me. They’d say, “You’re right on time.” I’d say, “Well, yeah.”

GH: Did they really? [laughs]

BM: Yeah. It’s gonna be fun, a real pleasure, to chat with you this evening.

GH: Thanks.

BM: It’s about time.

GH: It’ll be interesting. I’ve had some interviews, but they’ve only been skimming the top.

BM: Yep.

GH: Nothing really in-depth.

BM: Well, this ought to be in-depth. [laughs]

Raintime Vocalist Claudio Coassin: “I’m Not A Sad Guy. So I Tried To Tell Some Stories…Sometimes There’s Happy Endings, Sometimes Not”

2007-09-14T14:23:53Z

The Italian 6-piece progressive-metal band Raintime almost seemed to come out of nowhere, arriving on the scene fully formed – and remarkably mature. Their debut album – Tales from Sadness (2005) – dropped jaws and raised eyebrows everywhere. Their 2007 follow-up release (Flies & Lies) was no less aggressive or highly regarded. I spoke with lead singer and vocalist Claudio Coassin earlier this year.

CC: Hello?

BM: Is this Claudio?

CC: Yes, is this Bill?

BM: Yes, Bill Murphy.

CC: What’s up?

BM: How are you?

CC: Oh, doing fine. Fine, fine. You?

Communic Guitarist Oddleif Stensland: “If People Want To Compare Me, Vocally, With Nevermore, I Take It More As A Compliment”

2007-09-14T14:16:22Z

Like most progressive metal fans, I was blown away by Communic from the very first album (Conspiracy in Mind, 2005). And it only got better from there. Their second album (Waves of Visual Decay, 2006) made it clear to one and all that Communic is a dynamic and creative force to be reckoned with.

I spoke with Communic front man Oddleif Stensland in the Spring of 2007.

OS: Hello.

BM: Hi, this is Bill Murphy calling from the States.

OS: Yeah, cool. How are you doing?

BM: Good. How are you?

OS: [laughs] I am fine.

BM: [laughs] Good.

OS: Yeah, it’s good.

BM: What’s the weather like there in Norway?

OS: Well actually, they said today on the, on the weathercast that this was the hottest day so far. We had like 10 degrees today and the sun was shining, so it was pretty good.

BM: Wow, that’s good.

OS: [laughs] Yeah.

BM: Actually, it’s pretty warm here today too, actually. It’s probably around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

OS: Ah, and that would be like 25, or …?

BM: A little less than that for you guys, around 18 I think.

OS: Yeah. That’s warmer than we have here. [laughs]

Sonata Arctica Front Man Tony Kakko: “We Are A Gateway To Metal”

2007-09-14T14:07:27Z

Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica boasts something no other band from that region of the world can: the incomparable vocalist/songwriter/keyboardist Tony Kakko.

Tony, a nice guy in addition to being one of power metal’s most charismatic front men, called me at 8 a.m. the day after the listening party for Unia, SA’s latest album. Tony was in New York. I was in Michigan. All things considered, I’d rather have been in New York, too. But what are you gonna do?

BM: Hello?

TK: Hi, this is Tony from Sonata Arctica. Bill?

BM: Tony, yes. Hi, this is Bill.

TK: Hi, how are you doing?

BM: Good. How are you doing?

TK: [laughs] Just fine. Totally hung over, but otherwise cool.

BM: [laughs]

TK: We had a listening party last night, so…

BM: Yeah, how did that go? And isn’t this kind of early for a rock star?

Showcase Honcho Shane Dubose: “It’s Just An Incredible Thing That I Was Able To Get These Bands. I’m Just Blessed To Have Everybody Involved”

2007-09-14T14:03:39Z

This year Shane Dubose, often called “the nicest man in metal” (with Zero Hero’s Jasun Tipton and the incomparable Lance King running a very close second), wears more than one hat at ProgPower USA. Usually, he’s the driving force behind the Showcase line-up (which, by all accounts, is spectacular this year). But, at PPUSA VIII, he’ll be wearing the hat of bassist in the sure-to-kick-butt metal band Krucible, now fronted by the aforementioned Mr. King.

It’s always a pleasure to chat with Shane. This interview was conducted earlier this year.

SD: Hello?

BM: Is this Shane?

SD: This is he.

BM: The nicest man in metal?

SD: Hey buddy.

BM: [laughs] How you doin?

SD: Fantastic. How you doin, Bill?

BM: Good. Wow, congratulations. A little girl, huh?

SD: Yes sir. As a matter of fact, I’m just on the computer right now. I’m sending out some pictures of Anna Jo on there, so you should get some pictures here shortly.

Cellador Guitarist Bill Hudson: “When I Was 14, I Learned Yngwie Note By Note. But I Still Can’t Play A Guns ‘N’ Roses Solo That Sounds Like It”

2007-09-14T13:57:18Z

Brazil’s Bill Hudson, at just 24 years of age, has already amassed a devoted following of guitarists and wanna-be guitarists who love his fleet-fingered style. Currently in up-and-coming metal band Cellador, Bill has his sights set on making it big in the music industry. Given his fierce determination and loyal following, my bet is on him to succeed.

I spoke with Bill Hudson earlier this year.

BH: Hello?

BM: Hello, is this Bill?

BH: Yeah.

BM: Hi, this is Bill Murphy calling.

BH: Oh, from ProgPower?

BM: Yeah. How are you doing today?

BH: Good, how are you man?

BM: Doing well, doing well. Let’s cover some ground here. Let’s talk about your career in Cellador, and music in general, and ProgPower.

BH: Cool.

BM: First thing we could do–go ahead.

BH: So you’re not going to record and quote me right?

BM: Oh, yeah. All my interviews are recorded and transcribed just as is, basically, so everybody gets a chance to see who the people are that I’m talking to.

BH: Oh, ok. I see.

Vanden Plas Vocalist Andy Kuntz: “To Come Over To The States, That’s Something Special. I Like The Mentality Of The People Very Much.”

2007-09-14T13:49:39Z

After a few frustrating failed attempts to obtain a good connection with Vanden Plas multi-talented (and patient!) vocalist Andy Kuntz, we finally got a decent signal between our cell phones and away we went.

I spoke with Andy earlier this year.

AK: Hello?

BM: Hello, is this Andy?

AK: Hello? Yeah.

BM: Wow, how is this one? Is this one better?

AK: It sounds better. And nevertheless, we should try. [laughs]

BM: [laughs]

AK: I don’t want to waste your time, ok? [laughs]

BM: [laughs] Thank you very much for your time this morning, I appreciate it.

AK: No problem, really. We waited so long, so.

BM: [laughs] Well, I’m looking forward to chatting with you, because you are such a multi-talented artist, that it’s going to be fun to ask you about all your pursuits. Tell me, before I ask you anything about your latest Vanden Plas album, how is it going with [the musical stage production] Abydos? Is that going well?

Krucible Vocalist Lance King: “Right Now I’m Enjoying Making Music With Lots Of Different Folks”

2007-08-23T17:41:23Z

Lance King needs no introduction. So I’m tempted not to write one.

Suffice to say he possesses one of the best voices in metal and has, over the years, fronted many highly regarded bands, including Shining Star, Avian, Pyramaze, and Balance of Power. Now we can add Texas-based Krucible to the list. What’s the world coming to when two of the nicest men in metal find themselves in the same band (the other nice man being Krucible bassist Shane Dubose)?

Last year, Lance played ProgPower with Pyramaze. This year, he’ll be there with Krucible.

Lance owns the excellent Nightmare Records label based in Minneapolis.

I spoke with Lance earlier this year.

LK: Nightmare.

BM: Hey, is this Lance?

LK: Hey, is this Bill?

BM: Yeah, how you doin’?

LK: What’s goin’ on, Bill?

BM: Oh man. Lots and lots. Always things going on.

LK: Yeah.

BM: Sounds like there’s a lot goin’ on in your life all the time. [laughs]

LK: Yeah. Well, you know. [laughs]

Redemption Guitarist Nick van Dyk: “It Is Heavy Metal, So There’s A Limit To How Much Stuff You Can Write That’s Happy”

2007-08-23T17:35:44Z

To my ears, the latest Redemption album (The Origins of Ruin) is nothing short of a masterpiece. It’s got it all: compelling melodies, meaty riffs, intelligent, even sublime lyrics, superb drumming, and vocals that truly deserve the term “second to none.”

Originally conceived by guitarist Nicolas van Dyk as a sort of one-off project, Redemption has since become known for crafting some of the world’s best progressive metal.

Currently touring with Into Eternity and Dream Theater, the juggernaut known as Redemption storms the stage at ProgPower USA VIII on Friday, October 6, in Atlanta.

This interview with Nick was conducted Spring, 2007.

NV: Hey Bill, how are you?

BM: Hey Nick, great. How are you doing?

NV: Good. Let me close my door here. [pause] Ok, my boss is on vacation, I’m all yours.

BM: [laughs] We’ll sneak this one in under the radar.