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FeedForward Interview - Metalfan (Netherlands) |
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An interview with Biejanka of FeedForward
FeedForward is without a doubt one of the better unsigned Dutch bands around. Some time ago their debut Barefoot & Naked was released, an album filled with lively progressive rock and metal. On account of this release we had a chat with singer Biejanka.
How did the band come about..?
Years ago, our drummer Pi and guitarist Mario were in a pretty okay band together, but after a while they decided it was time for a change, something different. The band split and the two of them got together with a bassist (not the current one, by the way}. Mario and I go back a lot of years, and at some point he asked me to join as a singer. That pretty much was the start of FeedForward.
How about gigs..?
Over the years, you mean..?.. We had plenty already, a couple of hundred, I think… naah, wait, that’s pushing it a little. But a LOT if you count all the promotional stuff too, an acoustic performance here, a few songs there….
Isn’t it hard to get gigs..?
Yeah, it’s pretty difficult. We, of course, all have our jobs. And a lot of calls, faxes and e-mails go into getting gigs… and then there’s five of us, so to all be able to make the dates doesn’t make it easier.
Do you see FeedForward as a hobby or do you have bigger plans..?
First and far most, it’s a hobby. We enjoy making music together. But we’re still very serious when it comes to making albums and how we handle things. Personally, I think it would be great to “make it” and to be able to make a living of the band. I don’t strive for it, but it would be nice. I give it my best and am in it 100%, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. And that’s fine, too.
You don’t have a record deal, any interest of labels..?
Yes, there are a few that have shown some interest. We released Barefoot by ourselves, and that has raised interest. Those labels are now waiting to hear if we progressed as a band. That’s why we’ve decided to record 3 tracks, as a promo, so those record companies can decide from that.
I think Fade Away’s the best song on Barefoot & Naked. Sounds like there’s been a lot of work put into that..?
Actually, no. The key parts came about spontaneously and hardly any changes were later made. Everybody joined in as they saw fit, and things went from there. I think our best songs are those that kind off happen like that.
You write your own lyrics. What do you like to write about..?
Everyday things. Life. Things I come across. When I walk out the door in the mornings, I see the same people, all going to their jobs, and back home at night. Run the Race talks about that. The drive in the beginning of the song gave me the idea. I write lyrics according to the music.
Am I right in saying that Barefoot & naked was supposed to be a mini-CD..?
That was the intent. We had 4 ready songs, but because there was such a big gap in between recording sessions, we had written new songs that we also played live. People asked us if we were planning on recording those too. Things were going so smoothly in the studio, so we decided to go with it. Would’ve been a whole different thing if we would’ve been “walking on our gums” after recording the 4, but we were up for it, so why not..?
There’s also an “older” song on there, right..?
Yes, we put Stop to Think on the album, cuz the original single was sold out. We polished up a few older songs, too.
Where does the album title come from..?
I came up with that, since I write the lyrics. It’s an album where we all got “naked”. This is who we are and what we have to give. Lyrics are very personal and deal with everyday things. Barefoot & Naked, speaks for itself.
You’re on the album cover.
That’s more of a convenience. The concept is my idea, but it wasn’t a must that I’d be on the cover. A friend of mine’s a photographer and she took the picture. She’s also very good with photo shop, which came in handy, cuz I didn’t want my tattoos on there, didn’t want it to be too obvious that it was me.
Well, that’s it for me. Anything you wanna add..?
Just that I’m very pleased that we finally get some exposure. It’s a great that people like yourself take the time for an interview or a piece on the album. We’ve gotten some great reviews, and that’s an awesome feeling…….
www.metalfan.nl
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