Interview from November 2006

Hi Rolf…great to get together again and do another interview !!

Yes, it is, and it is a milestone, too. Means some time has passed and some stuff has transpired, doesn’t it?   Yeah…..7 months from the last interview !!

Firstly I hope all is well in the Nyland house-hold and you are all keeping well.

Apart from the cough and the occasional dog-hairs(!) we are good! Great to hear that…apart from the dog-hairs that is !

So….The Polar Rock festival. Now the dust has settled what was your favourite memory of the concert/weekend/party/company ?

That would be the concert itself. I mean, there was a lot happening that was fantastic and that makes for a great evening of thinking back and reminiscing, but that gig was just the best WinterStrain gig ever. And my best performance on stage. I’ve looked through the video footage from the concert, from different angles and cameras, and although there were things I’d do differently if I was to do the perfect performance, I make no actual mistakes throughout the entire concert. As far as I can tell after watching it three times, there is not a single beat that is off the mark. I must admit I’ve never been that rock solid before. A fantastic feeling of achievement.

Of course, the BBQ party with the Moose Burgers after the concert was great. Backing Tony Mills was great, and especially being part of SIAM on stage. –The band I loved, that got me into, and years later in touch with Tony. And much of the personal stuff. Talks, getting to know people better… The fishing trip with Hellsing’s uncle and his marvellous boat… And much more. A memory for life.  Siam truly was special. A gig with them which may never happen again !! I hope I am wrong because it sounded so good.

Are there any definite plans for Polar Rock 2007 ??

There are. And we expect to be on the bill. It would make a lot of sense, with our new album, Shifting Sands, just released a few weeks earlier.

So lets get talking about Shifting Sands. How is it coming along ?

It is amazing how even the best laid plans can go wrong. I actually believed we would be able to follow the schedule this time, but so much has gone wrong on so many levels, both with regards to stuff directly related to the album process, and with regards to stuff that has nothing to do with it at all, apart from the fact that it steals studio time… I’m just shaking my head. It’s pretty much all I can do. A pity it doesn’t help!!!

A little later than first planned, exactly a month so far, but it’ll be a race to keep that schedule, too. I’m just into the process of recording the drums for the album. Pre production is thereby a passed stage. It is good for us to pre-produce, ‘cause we meet so rarely as a band. It’s very practical and rewarding to have recordings of the songs that we can listen to and get ideas from. When we enter the studio to do the final job, we know the material very well, as if we’d been having weekly rehearsals for months.

Can you tell us any song titles yet ?

I can do more than that! I will give you the temporary tracklist. If no changes are made, this is the order in which the songs will appear on the album:

1. Gone

2. Inner voice

3. Company

4. In the arms of the night

5. Memory beneath the sea

6. Confidence

7. Negotiation

8. Gathering day

9. Mageyrian’s epitaph

This is subject to change, but I believe it’s a good list, making the album evolve with a fine natural flow. Without revealing too much at this stage, I can tell you the opening track has been given since the moment I first heard it, played back to me by Karl. The keyboard sound that with this will start off the album is spectacular! I will get back to you with a presentation of each song in just a couple of months. Fantastic…can’t wait.

Is Arnulf’s brother doing the art work for Shifting Sands as he did the artwork for Return To The Mirror ?

To our great delight, yes! I know he’s been toying with some ideas. This time, we haven’t really discussed the cover art like we did last time, apart from the deep meaning of it. With RttM, I had a specific photo, and some specific wishes and thoughts… call it an assignment that he fulfilled in a surprising but satisfactory way. I love what he did, and I love the way he was more creative than I believed possible. For Shifting Sands, he’s just got the title, a clue, and some points to avoid. Else, he’s free to do what ever he wants. I guess he’ll present some approaches and ideas if we meet around Christmas. I’m really looking forward to that. I’m one of those musicians who think the cover art is dreadfully important for an album.

Will Shifting Sands be heading in the same direction as RTTM musically ?

Haha… I don’t know if RttM was actually heading in any direction!! Let’s just call it a starting point, and from there you might say that Shifting Sands is heading in some direction. I was never very impressed with bands that changed a lot between albums. Usually, they either sucked before or they started to suck after the changes. There are foundation stones in WinterStrain that will never ever change or disintegrate:

Melody, lyrics, keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, fairly clean yet intense and passionate vocals, and “Power, not Noise!”. WinterStrain will always be about those factors. Furthermore, I can’t imagine there will be an album without the odd epic or without the odd rocker. I believe it will be some incarnation of “Arctic Prog” ‘til the end of time.

Still, there are many factors that can evolve and change. Shifting Sands seems to be an overall harder album. On RttM we had “Broken defence” – a very sweet song with no drums on it. The definite ballad on SS, “Confidence”, has got drums, heavy guitars and a lot of power towards the end. Else, the longest song is longer, and so is the shortest song! RttM was 10 songs / 56 minutes. Shifting Sands is only 9 songs, but will pass the hour mark. I guess that says something for a more epic approach. And of course, we’re talking 9 new songs, as different from each other as they are from any song on Return… -It’s bound to be different. It’s a new album!  Arctic Prog sounds good to me !!

Your lyrics are fantastic Rolf. What has given you the inspiration for the lyrics to Shifting Sands ?

Thanks a lot! I know I said once that Return to the Mirror wasn’t a concept album in the regular sense, but had some kind of link between the songs on a deeper level. Different facets of nature played a role in most of the songs. –Not that it was planned. We just chose the songs among those we already had, that would make up a great album. I actually didn’t consider the lyrics’ meaning or quality much. You can say I have thought a bit more about that this time, ‘cause I asked myself “Why didn’t I, after caring so much for lyrics all my life, make sure my first album consisted of some of my best lyrics?!” ‘Cause it didn’t! I love “Mountain inside the stone”, “Another time” and “The family secret”… and “Leon” is special to me (me too, you know it’s my favourite) . I mean, they’re all good, and if I don’t think they are, someone else is quick to point out “Hey, that’s my favourite!” –So it’s not a regret. Not a single one. Just a reminder that I should consider the lyrical factor next time. Mind you, there was some re-writing up until the last minute, with RttM!! I would not be this happy if all the original lines made it onto the album, ha ha!

Shifting Sands… Lyrics and inspiration… Well, they are like last time in that the album is a mix between new and old material. We’re a bunch of old men now ( you aint even near 40….that’s not old ….well I am 38 so I need  say that  ;o) ) , with a lot of unreleased material that must be released, so we pick and choose songs from the last fifteen years to make the best album possible. –Which, as stated in the RttM booklet, doesn’t mean compiling a “Best of…”!!! Therefore, I can’t say the lyrics this time are all written after the release of our debut, and that means they’re products of many different inspirations. Let me look through a list of the songs, here… Ok, these are factors that have inspired the lyrics this time:

People living their lives under the watchful gaze of the public.

The responsibility that a person can feel for another person.

The state of the earth.

The choices we make, the bridges we burn.

Different states of mind.

A tv programme about the diseases of a corporation!

Again, I will return with more info, on a song by song basis, when we’re closer to the release. That would be great. Thanks Rolf.

When can we expect to see Shifting Sands for sale ?

I hope and believe that it will be on sale in April or May 2007.

Tony Mills is again on board which is fantastic news. Has Tony started doing the new backing vocals yet ?

Yes he has, and he’s on fire. The work he’s done for the song “Company” is the best I’ve ever heard from the guy!!  Well you know my thought’s on Tony. One of the finest vocalists on the planet. Sadly now the ex singer of my favourite band Shy, but a voice to die for.

Tony is the new singer with TNT. With TNT touring Norway so much lately what are the chances of WinterStrain doing some support slots ?

I have no idea. I think that will have to be discussed after our second album is out. These first few months, I don’t think we’ll do any live gigs at all. But I’ve been wrong before…

And let’s hope you are wrong again !!

To date, what has been the highlight for yourself regarding WinterStrain ?

The 30^th of November 2005, I got a package in the mail. It was from Loud1 in England. I opened it, and inside I found a copy of “Return to the Mirror”. –Looking just like all the albums I’ve bought over the years, only it was an album I had laboured over for years…

Have you ever thought about working with any other musicians regarding new songs for either WinterStrain or any other project ? Tony Clarkin perhaps !!

What a thought… For WinterStrain, I don’t think a lot of guest musicians will make much sense. But I have a few other projects up my sleeve that is supposed to include other musicians, some obscure, some quite well known. For an example, Joe Basketts of Shy has agreed to play keyboards on my Darktime project!! Yeah. And I believe Joe will only be wanting paid in Beer and Wine, so should be a fun project !!  LOL

Do things ever get tense between the band members in the studio ?

Oh, there are those moments where every second seems to linger… Nah, not much. I can’t complain. Usually, if the mood is dropping, it’s because we should stop the session. When the magic is gone, or the inspiration is depleted… We are artists after all, not handymen, when we’re in the studio performing our music.

Who gets the job done quick in the studio and who is a pain in the arse to get things right ?   LOL

I really shouldn’t answer this!! But let’s say Arnulf is not among those who needs hours on end to lay down a riff…   Controversial !! LOL

You have spent a lot of time and money upgrading all the equipment in the studio. You have also bought a new acoustic drum kit to replace the electronic drum kit. So we can expect to hear a different sounding album with Shifting Sands to the sound on RTTM ?

Yup. The drums will be sounding much more natural and “loose”. The drawback is that it is much harder to make it all sound tight and noiseless. To make the end result as good as possible, we’ve called in the Maudlin Hounds singer, Alf. He used to engineer our demos way back when, and he’s been in WinterStudios with me recently, to help me get the best drum sound possible. He’s a unique talent, and he’s got a lot of experience. And a good set of ears!!

You have a very understanding family who let you spend so much time in the studio when you are recording. Is there anything you would like to say to them here that you have not already said to them yourself ?

If not for you, the music would be all I got. Music is something I need, but it’s not all I need. I am eternally thankful for the way you make it possible for me to have both. And a special thank you to my wife, who endured the recording of “Return to the Mirror” happening in her home, starting when our son was just born.

Is there anything we should all know that you have not answered already ?

We’re halfway to starting the pre-production on our third album! We’ve started picking songs, and we’re writing new material. WinterStrain has a lot to show you before we pull in the oars.  WOW…now that’s new news !   Cool. Thanks.

And finally my good friend. Is there any message you would like to give to the fans out there who are awaiting the new album??

If you liked Return to the Mirror, you have a lot to look forward to. If there were things you disliked about it, we might have sorted those things out since last time. We have some truly great songs up our sleeve, and this time we’ve done it before. We look forward to your feedback on what you hear!! I am sure we will not be disappointed Rolf.

Rolf…a pleasure as always. And hope to see you next year in Scotland….in a house where I stay !!  ;o) remember to bring your wife and son !!   LOL

They’re not easily forgotten!! See you, brother!!

Thanks Rolf Erik. A pleasure.

Interview from April 2006

What a weekend  Rolf !!!  Z Rock was a blast.

Tell me about it. Our first international concert, and the other guys finally got to meet you and Tony. –And we all met up with the wacko-bro’s from the forum. A wonderful experience!!!!!

How do you feel personally Z Rock went for you ?

I feel like it was close to perfect. We were honoured to be put fourth on the bill. I believe we did pretty well at that spot, but I must add that I’m glad we didn’t have to go on after Demon. They were rock solid, and it was pretty darn obvious they were not doing this for the first time!!

Else, I was exhilarated by the double bass pedal and the new cymbals, none of which I had ever seen until the night before. Thanks for arranging that for me, man! It really put me on track with the new drum set I’ve been pondering for a while.

Do you believe it was worth the effort for the band to travel such a long way for the gig ?

Oh, yes, definitely. And we got a shit load of cd’s from Z for free, that we sold to raise money for the trip. With the money we got at the venue, we just can’t complain. Z records covered every penny of expense we had. And that is not all bad in today’s record industry, for an unknown act like us.

What was your favourite memory of the WinterStrain gig ?

The response from the audience. It was truly warm and enthusiastic. I was sort of surprised at how pleased people seemed. A couple of times, after our more weird songs, like A battle, there was a tiny moment of bewildered silence, before the applause took off! It was like a collective “Huh? Wow!!”

What was it like sharing the stage with Tony Mills ?

Very special. Just imagine. I’ve been a fan of him as a singer and song writer since the first Siam album back in 1994. Of course, I’ve exchanged more than 1000 emails with the guy, gotten drunk with him, eaten his rice, slept in his house, drunk his beer, offended his wife, lost to him in a belching contest, cuddled his baby daughter… been pretty close, wouldn’t you say? Still, it was magic. Pure, heart-twitching magic. When he said it was an honour for him to be allowed to sing on “Sail”, I almost had a little breakdown behind the drums. “Shut the fuck up, man, I’m trying to be the heavy metal Viking drummer here…”

Tony Mills sang backing vocals at Z  Rock for WinterStrain, how does it make you feel that WinterStrain will back Tony Mills at The Polar Rock Festival ??

It’ll be an honour for me, and yet another useful experience for the band. Not entirely sure if the whole band will participate, but I think so. I’d better start looking at the songs soon, by the way…

What were your thoughts when Tony Mills said before you played Sail to the audience that Sail was one of the best progressive songs he had ever heard ?

I was proud, and happy to see that he told the audience this. As for the rest of his little speech, see above!

You took the mike off Geir Helge during the gig and had a little chat with the crowd !! Is this something you usually do ??  LOL  

Well… yeah… I think so! It’s just a manifestation of my drive for the band. I’m at the front a lot in a lot of other aspects, so I feel it’s natural that I have a chat with the audience even if my musical performance is on the drums. But I don’t mean for it to be a regular thing. This time around, it was because I felt like I was bringing the boys with me to a place I’d been a few times, a feeling that was enhanced by my trip to England last year where I met you, Tony, Magnum and Mark Stuart, Shy… It was like returning to those same people, only this time with the whole band, not just the disc. And Hellsing had asked me if I could “say something” during the concert. A misunderstanding led to my having to come to the front twice. That was not planned. But hey, it’s only rock and roll, isn’t it?! –And Hellsing did VERY well anyway!

If I had to pick a songs I thought the band played  the best I would say Mountain Inside The Stone. What was your favourite song on the night ?

Every time we play A Battle without making asses of ourselves, it’ll be the biggest “YESS!” moment of the show, but I think “Another Day” is among the funniest for me to play. It’s so drastically much more energetic live than on the album, it’s invigorating! But I have many roles when I’m on stage, and our own material is played. “In your world” is fun to play, and I feel like the band is tight as a Scotsman. “Mountain inside the stone” is the song where I’m at a better place, and I just listen to how great “my” song is performed and received. This is the one where I’m most demanding, sort of. Hellsing has to get all the words right, and all the details must be just right. This is more than just rock’n’roll, you know!!?! But when everything is just right, nothing can beat it, and I think we did it pretty well in Crewe.

So how much are you looking forward to playing the Polar Rock Festival as this will be the biggest gig any of the band have ever played in front of ?

That will be very fun. I don’t think I’ll be nervous in front of that gig, though, ‘cause it’s as much on home turf as you can get. I can probably see my house from behind the stage! I suspect the sound will be magnificent, and that is always a good thing. We had very bad monitoring in Crewe, but we just soldiered on. With great sound on stage, the gig is even more enjoyable.

You guys were really tight as a band . Considering you have only had 4 gigs and 3 rehearsals were you surprised by how well you actually played ?

Yeah. Again. I’m usually surprised when we get together and play. It may be a year between two rehearsals, or it was a lot of that and more before we started thinking seriously of doing live gigs, and every time we just clicked! It was right, immediately. I’ll play you some of the jams we’ve recorded without having even seen each other for months. You’ll be surprised, too, I think. There is absolutely something holding this unit together through every ordeal.

Any other gigs planned for WinterStrain other than the Polar Rock Festival

No.

Is there anything of the weekend in Crewe you would change ?

Musically, I’d tighten up the bass drum skin a little, ‘cause there was no freakin’ response at all. When ever I did something that was dependent on the skin sending back the beater and otherwise stay in place, I had trouble with the balance. This is the one drawback with having one bass drum that no double pedal can ever fully compensate for. When the left beater is about to hit the skin, the right one has just been there, creating havoc, and when the skin isn’t tight enough… The faster you plan to play, the tighter you want the skin to be. I guess you could get used to just about anything, but the unpredictable nature of this skin movement is beyond my capacity. I’d just as soon get used to living with a Parkinson-plagued suicide bomber…

Do you have any message to the fans who came along and  supported you at the Z Rock gig ?

THANK YOU ALL! I just can’t believe it. This sweet girl who travelled for 10 hours to see US!? –She had no interest in any of the other bands! It’s amazing!!! And she was not the only one, either. This is a good time to pull out of the old chest the word “flabbergasted”…

I can’t thank you guys enough for taking me out for my dinner on the Saturday night. So again, for the record I thank you all so much. It was worth it to see your face when the Italian owner said your gold card was refused !!!   What a picture !! ha ha

Well I told him, didn’t I? No one scares me when I have my £5000 gold card at the ready. Especially when I have the blue one as backup. –That’s the one with £8.000.000 on it, you know… He was fantastic, man! Never thought I’d have my leg pulled by a restaurant owner!!

You met Mark from Z Records when you were at the gig. Any information you wish to tell us of this meeting ??

He agreed a lot.

We had great fun at the hotel over the weekend. What was your favourite memory of the stay at the hotel ?

You, with a several days long history of little sleep behind you topped off by the night of combustion, gone to sleep ahead of me, but with ZB and GH… I enter the room, I hear the carnage, and I see your head, eyes only slits, being lifted from the pillow to squint at me, and you say “I’m in hell”… I’ve been having my eyes watered at the memory several times. I think that one situation there was the ultimate moment of mirth (for me!) on the trip!!

Yes……a great weekend, but a nightmare on the sleeping front for me !!! Still….that’s what made some great memories !!

Rolf…my wee brother. Thanks for a wonderful weekend and in June I hope we can do it all over again at The Polar Rock Festival !!

With a few exceptions, we will. Most prominently, we are NOT sharing a bed!

Don’t worry Rolf…you wont get the chance either !!! ;o)