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Last week I found the great debut by Ghent, Belgium resident one-man post-rock project Wayward Bound in my mailbox (read the review here). I quickly entered the CD into my very old school stereo installation and started working on the review. For some reason, I approached David, the man behind this project, on facebook and the chat quickly turned into something that could resemble an interview. After a few days of ordering and translating, this is the result:
That's a great album you sent me. Did it take you a long time to record this?
David: Not too long no. Including writing the songs, it will probably have been a year or so. Well, not continuously of course. Unfortunately, I also have a real job which is a priority.
Am I right when I mention the drums being electronic?
David: Yes, they are. I also prefered a real drummer over the electronics but for budgettary and time reasons something like that was not an option at this time.
Is it for live performances?
David: Well, if the possibility presents itself and I can find decent musicians, sure.
Thisquietarmy does it on his own.
David: True, but he's mad for doing that. I wouldn't have the balls to do all of this one my own. Besides, you always need a drummer to blame when something goes wrong (smiles)
(at this point I had also finished, published and sent the review to David, and I love to share his thoughts)
David: I do indeed liked reading that. It comes up with several influences I didn't even think of yet.
Guns 'n Roses?
David: Evergrey. I love Evergrey. Recreation Day has been playing here a lot. I don't often listen to metal anymore but some of the classics still appear in my playlists, like Testament, Iron Maiden... Since I don't play in metal bands anymore, I kinda lost touch with that scene. But old love never dies...
What bands did you play in?
David: A long time ago I was a member of black/death metal band Walpurgis. After that there was a band named Eveline (I know, we should have done something about that name). At first we played some covers and started to write our own thrash metal inspired songs. But it didn't work out. Then I did nothing for about seven years.
David: Not too long no. Including writing the songs, it will probably have been a year or so. Well, not continuously of course. Unfortunately, I also have a real job which is a priority.
Am I right when I mention the drums being electronic?
David: Yes, they are. I also prefered a real drummer over the electronics but for budgettary and time reasons something like that was not an option at this time.
Is it for live performances?
David: Well, if the possibility presents itself and I can find decent musicians, sure.
Thisquietarmy does it on his own.
David: True, but he's mad for doing that. I wouldn't have the balls to do all of this one my own. Besides, you always need a drummer to blame when something goes wrong (smiles)
(at this point I had also finished, published and sent the review to David, and I love to share his thoughts)
David: I do indeed liked reading that. It comes up with several influences I didn't even think of yet.
Guns 'n Roses?
David: Evergrey. I love Evergrey. Recreation Day has been playing here a lot. I don't often listen to metal anymore but some of the classics still appear in my playlists, like Testament, Iron Maiden... Since I don't play in metal bands anymore, I kinda lost touch with that scene. But old love never dies...
What bands did you play in?
David: A long time ago I was a member of black/death metal band Walpurgis. After that there was a band named Eveline (I know, we should have done something about that name). At first we played some covers and started to write our own thrash metal inspired songs. But it didn't work out. Then I did nothing for about seven years.
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(this is where the conversation finally tuned into a decent interview)
So then Wayward Bound came into existence?
David: I'm actually not quite sure of that. I've been out of the scene for a few years. Last summer I visited the place where I stayed when I was on an Erasmus Exchange. That suddenly became an explosion of nostalgia, so to speak. From that feeling, the first new songs were born.
So you have a history in the metal scene, but Public Isolation Booth clearly is a post-rock album. How did you discover the new sound?
David: In 2002 a friend got me acquainted with Godspeed, Explosions in the Sky and (obscurity!) TimeOut Drawer. From that moment on, I knew this was the kind of music I was looking for, but didn't know it existed yet. I spent a lot of hours in my cosy chair, listening to this music.
So how does a one-man post-rock project work? How does a song start?
David: Usually I start by a melody or some chords, again in that comfy chair (House Of Cards is a bit too sappy to gain my complete attention - smiles). Then I rush to CuBase to do some test recordings and when I have a firm idea about the whole, I start jamming. The melodies in 'All Ball' for instance are mostly improvisation. From there on, the songs evolve.
So then Wayward Bound came into existence?
David: I'm actually not quite sure of that. I've been out of the scene for a few years. Last summer I visited the place where I stayed when I was on an Erasmus Exchange. That suddenly became an explosion of nostalgia, so to speak. From that feeling, the first new songs were born.
So you have a history in the metal scene, but Public Isolation Booth clearly is a post-rock album. How did you discover the new sound?
David: In 2002 a friend got me acquainted with Godspeed, Explosions in the Sky and (obscurity!) TimeOut Drawer. From that moment on, I knew this was the kind of music I was looking for, but didn't know it existed yet. I spent a lot of hours in my cosy chair, listening to this music.
So how does a one-man post-rock project work? How does a song start?
David: Usually I start by a melody or some chords, again in that comfy chair (House Of Cards is a bit too sappy to gain my complete attention - smiles). Then I rush to CuBase to do some test recordings and when I have a firm idea about the whole, I start jamming. The melodies in 'All Ball' for instance are mostly improvisation. From there on, the songs evolve.
Do many melodies get lost in such a session?
David: Not very much no. Sometimes I get stuck writing something and I have to thrown half a song away. Not only if I don't like it but also if I do like but I feel like it isn't going anywhere. That stings a bit but I get over it. Sometimes the demos also seem to have too many layers, so that has to get toned town as well.
So in a way, I was right by using the word 'meticulously'. Are you a perfectionist?
David: Hm, I don't really think so. Maybe to a certain point I am. For instance, I think you can damage a song by working on it too hard. The music needs to maintain a 'natural' feel and being too much of a perfectionist damages that feeling.
Something completely different. You hail from Zonhoven but moved to Ghent.
David: I lived in Hasselt too for six years but somehow it tired me. Ghent is the greatest city in Belgium so I thought 'why not go there'. Ghent also has a tremendous musical scene, which made it a lot more interesting.
Indeed, what are your favorite bands in Ghent?
David: That's a very hard decision to make. There's some very decent post-rock bands like Celestial Wolves, Soeyoez, If Anything Happens to the Cat. Amenra is represent bigtime in Ghent with lots of fans. It's always great to be among these people. And let's not forget about Raketkanon.
To conclude: What about the name Wayward Bound?
David: It's a wordplay on 'Homeward Bound', the exact opposity actually. It reflect a constant tendency for change and a feeling of not feeling at home anywhere. Maybe an urge to escapism. It's mostly a personal feeling, hard to articulate.
In that case it fits perfectly with the music
David: My thoughts exactly...
David: Not very much no. Sometimes I get stuck writing something and I have to thrown half a song away. Not only if I don't like it but also if I do like but I feel like it isn't going anywhere. That stings a bit but I get over it. Sometimes the demos also seem to have too many layers, so that has to get toned town as well.
So in a way, I was right by using the word 'meticulously'. Are you a perfectionist?
David: Hm, I don't really think so. Maybe to a certain point I am. For instance, I think you can damage a song by working on it too hard. The music needs to maintain a 'natural' feel and being too much of a perfectionist damages that feeling.
Something completely different. You hail from Zonhoven but moved to Ghent.
David: I lived in Hasselt too for six years but somehow it tired me. Ghent is the greatest city in Belgium so I thought 'why not go there'. Ghent also has a tremendous musical scene, which made it a lot more interesting.
Indeed, what are your favorite bands in Ghent?
David: That's a very hard decision to make. There's some very decent post-rock bands like Celestial Wolves, Soeyoez, If Anything Happens to the Cat. Amenra is represent bigtime in Ghent with lots of fans. It's always great to be among these people. And let's not forget about Raketkanon.
To conclude: What about the name Wayward Bound?
David: It's a wordplay on 'Homeward Bound', the exact opposity actually. It reflect a constant tendency for change and a feeling of not feeling at home anywhere. Maybe an urge to escapism. It's mostly a personal feeling, hard to articulate.
In that case it fits perfectly with the music
David: My thoughts exactly...
