Goimusic Josean / Goimusic / A Sangre Y Fuego |
.Asrai are not new-comers to the Gothic scene, we have had not too many news from you lately, though. Can you tell us something about your history, founding and current members of the band? When we started the band Twins No Twins we were hanging around the punk rock scene. Many friends played in bands in those days , but there were very few women rocking on stage And it was about time to change that! So without the usual knowledge of our instruments we took our first musical footsteps. After five weeks we had our first gig and that tasted like more. But three years and three drummer girls and a bass-player later we decided that it was time for another name. We became Asrai. The Asrai are small, fragile, female beings who turn to a puddle of water when they are captured or exposed to sunlight. That makes them unreachable and that gives the connection to our music. In the meantime Karin decided to play the drums and our first male guitarist entered the band. Many gigs followed with the same line-up for eight years with Margriet-vocals, Elfriede - Bass guitar, Bert - guitar and Karin on drums. We recorded several demo tapes: "The blue tape", "So clear that you couldn't tell where the water ended and the air began", "Love is a Lie" and the live tape: "Live in a Package". We wanted to record a cd, but Elfriede and Bert decided to leave the band, so for the last time we went to the studio and recorded the tape for As voices speak. Luckily we soon thereafter found good replacements in Serge on guitar and Leah on bass. We finally had our first cd: "As Voices Speak". This one was noticed by Michael from Poison Ivy and a German release was issued. After the label went bankrupt Serge had a chance to make another carrier, so he left, and this time it wasn't easy to find the right replacement. In the end Jos (Grendel) was our man for playing the guitar. We wanted to explore and deepen our music so we where looking for a keyboard player or a second guitarist, and then Rik came to our lives. Jos became so successful with his other band that it was difficult for him to combine the two bands, so with the four of us, we made plans for our next cd. We decided that we wanted to record at the beautiful lake studio with Roman Schoensee. Unfortunately a short time before we went to the studio Leah became ill and we asked Martin, a good friend and brilliant bass player, to fill in for her until she had recovered. And thus we recorded our demo-cd. Transmission records was interested and gives us the opportunity the record the album with a larger budget and one of the better mixers of this time; Sascha Peath. We wanted Roman to be our producer and we made new recordings in his studio, and also at the Excess Studio with Hans Pieters. Before we went to the studio for the second time it became clear that Leah wouldn't recover enough to play the bass a lot, and decided to leave the band. A friend of us heard our demo and before she (Manon) even realized what was happening there were five of us rocking on stage. So it stayed, and with the five of us(Margriet - Vocals, Rik - Guitar, Manon - Keyboard/Violin, Martin Bass guitar, Karin- Drums) we went to the studio, and recorded our second cd "Touch in the Dark". The origins of Asrai lie in a band called Twins No Twins, what sort of music did you play then? The music was sober, emotional and melancholic underground music. It was difficult to find the right name for that kind of music, it wasn't metal, to slow for punk and to hard for wave. The name was because the leaders of the band where the twin sisters Margriet y Karin, isn't it so? Yes you're right. In that band Karin used to play guitar... how is it she now plays drums in Asrai? When we started Karin decided to play the guitar, but in the spare time at the rehearsal studio she couldn't resist to get behind the drumkit. So when the third drummer girl left, it had to be a sign. And she passed the guitar to our first male guitarist. And she developed her own way of drumming using a lot of toms and she had a passion for the ride/crash cymbal. She focused her drumming on the way Margriet uses the emotions in her way of singing. She likes to drum with full intension and energy. So it's a decision she never regretted. What conceptual and musical differences can we find between Twins No Twins and Asrai? Twins no Twins was an all-girl band, every time we changed a band member we had to start all over again because they first had to learn how to play. In the beginning it was fun and we learnt a lot. But after some time it was getting frustrating. We realised that the chemistry between the band members was more important than the fact of being a girlsband. But the concept and intension for making music is still the same. Also a new line up gives a refreshing view on our music. The music that we made with Twins no Twins was very basic, but through the years we wanted to experiment more. With a lot of gigs a of friend of us experimented by using triggers on everything he could find at the venue which gave us a more industrial sound. Also we were trying to find someone for keyboards or second guitar. Asrai's line up is not quite what you might expect in a Gothic band. Since their beginnings there have been three women, one of them behind the drums. How does people react when seeing you for the first time? People don't expect that many women playing in a band, so it's not uncommon for people who don't already know us, to think that our roadies are the band and we're their girlfriends.. But when they finally have seen us on stage, they will never make that mistake again. Most of the time there's a big cymbal in front of the drummers face, so sometimes I wonder if they can see the drummer at all..... And after a gig most people came to the drummer and give her the compliment for her singing.. instead to compliment kick ass on drums. Well, I guess it's confusing specially because we're twins. You started in 1988, but have not released your sophomore record till 2004. What has happened all this time? A lot has happened, also a lot of ideas that couldn't be realised for different reasons. Our budget was to small or, someone double-crossed us. Things that happen to a lot of musicians. But despite of all this we still released a lot of our music on tape: "The blue tape", "so clear that you couldn't where the water ended and the air began", "Love is a Lie", and "Live in a Package". We released the CD "As voices Speak" ourselves, mainly from a DIY-mentality which was typical of the scene at that time. Although we supported this concept we also found that it restricted our possibilities specially with a small budget, and decided to send out promos in search of a label. Michael Zöllers of the German Poison Ivy label soon responded, and the CD got remastered and released in Germany. After that featured on several compilation cd's. To us it was a stimulance to deepen our music and try to find possibilities to grow in our music. What differences can we expect between your first album and this new "Touch in the Dark"? The biggest differences with our older work and what we're doing now is working with a new line-up. Different faces and a new, refreshing and also recognisable point of view in making music. Working with samples and keyboard is a new dimension. By the way, your album has a very similar title to a compilation edited in 1998 in which you had some tracks, "Touch by the hand of Goth"... Was it something you did on purpose? Isn't "Touch in the dark" something too common and often used Gothing and Dark music? Never looked at it that way, so no, it's not on purpose. Touch in the Dark is also a song title. And yes.. like the title of the first album "As voices Speak" The title gives an undefined feeling. That's more the reason for choosing the title. You've left the unknown German label Poison Ivy to sign for the puissant Transmission Records. What differences have you found between the two labels? The first big difference is that Transmission still exists and Poison Ivy went bankrupt, short time after we singed the contract. So it's difficult to tell about the differences. Michael from Poison Ivy was very enthusiastic as is Hans from Transmission Records. Transmission records is the label that have signed bands that are really huge in Spain, such as After Forever and Epica. Do you think you will be able to follow their steps and be able to get big in the Spanish Gothic scene? The history of Spain is filled with mysteries, witchcraft, passion and pride. We hope that we can touch the soul of the Spanish Gothic rock lovers with our music. Touch In The Dark was produced by Sascha Paeth, who has also produced albums for Epica and Aina... How did you meet him? The producer for Touch in the Dark was Roman Schoensee, Sascha Peath was our mastermixer. Margriet met him at the studio when he was working on recordings for Aina. It was nice working with him. He helped us with some issues and what he did was really provide the finishing touch on our album. One of the stars guests in this record is Amanda Somerville, how has she helped you? Our record company is content about working with Sascha and his team. Amanda works a lot with Sascha Peath. But Amanda Somerville wasn't one of the star guests. Amanda is a star who was also our Lyric editor. She looked at our lyrics for languish mistakes. We have only received your copies of your promo CD, so we have not been able to have a look at your lyrics... What are they about? Is there any theme you are specially fond of? All lyrics are based on personal experiences. And for that reason not necessary to explain. It's more important that we give our listeners the chance to explore their own emotions in it. Do you approach themes from a feminist or a female point of view? There are not only three women, but also two men playing in the band and it's very interesting to combine the different points of view between men and women. So in the end we try to approach themes as musicians and the people that we are. To help the promotion of this new album, you have filmed a new video-clip, whose idea it was? Was there any problems that made difficult to translate that idea into the current video-clip? When our record-company offered us the chance to record a video clip, we were very keen on Marcel de Jong doing our video clip. He had some very good ideas for the clip.. Fully animated, very dark. But the budget unfortunately didn't allow this clip to be made. For an impression you can visit his website: www.marceldejong.com So we had to start all over again with making new plans for the video. Marcel came up with a very good idea. So we shot the clip at our rehearsal studio with Marel de Jong and Jelle Swetter. In the end it became a video clip with a very high contrast and kaleidoscopic kinds of circles who lead you to another scene. Holland has one of the biggest Gothic Metal scenes with groups such as The Gathering, Within Temptation, After Forever, Epica... can you visualize yourselves as being listed together with these great bands in the near future? Before The Gathering and Within Temptation, or any other band for that matter, reached this higher level they also had a different sound and started playing on small festivals an venues. Our band has also developed through the years, and we continue developing. We've worked hard for this and we think were ready. So yeah, why not? How is it Holland produce bands so great? Maybe the weather? That's a good reason for getting a depression and making music will always be the remedy. We don't know, Holland has a spoiled audience. Dutch public is more critical towards bands from their homeland, you have to be better and already well known before they will give you some appreciation for the things that you do. Have you played live with any of them? No we didn't. We've always played in another scene. How is the Dutch Gothic Scene going? Holland has always had a solid metal and (punk)rock-scene, but not a very well known Gothic Metal-scene as we know it now. Dutch gothic was mainly dominated by electronics. Industrial - cyber gothic is still a very big hit. Thanks to the 80's revival more people got interested in the more conventional Gothic Rock with guitar, bass, drums and keyboard. At the moment there are a few Dj's who want to create a new organisation for promoting Gothic and Batcave rock. So we're very curious what that initiative will bring to today's Dutch gothic scene. What about your touring plans? Any gigs soon? Well, the festival season has already started and the season of gigging venues has just sort of ended. The release of our album, comes in between this two seasons. So we guess you will hear more from us next season. I'd love to see you play live in Spain... as Epica and After Forever have already done. Any chances of you doing that? Of course..it's a deal Josean |
