Edenbridge Interview

Edenbridge

The music business is very much a dog eat dog world. You have to fight with clenched fists if you want to make your band known and every conceivable trick is fair game. It's up to you as a consumer to see through much of the bullshit but every once in a far while you come upon something so fresh that it doesn't have to sell itself with any dirty tricks, like f x Finnish Nightwish. Austrian Edenbridge are being compared to this marvellous Finnish band, something I don't subscribe to in full. I'd rather describe them as a lighter version of Italian Rhapsody. They have that same symphonic approach that makes Rhapsody so fantastic. I got in touch with main songwriter and guitar player Lanvall to find out more about Edenbridge...

-Anders Ekdahl

When you decided to form Edenbridge what were your intentions?
- Edenbridge developed itself out of another band project called Cascade. Beneath my solo project I always wanted to do something heavier. The real start of Edenbridge was in 1998 as a studio project, when the line-up for the first CD was complete. We recorded “Sunrise in Eden” on self-finance basis and sent it to about 30 record labels around the world. Within 2 weeks we had the deal with Massacre Records (in Europe - AE).

Did you find it harder to realise the vision you had for the first Edenbridge album than you had imagined?
- No, because I had the songs together and I faced them all as very good ones. I was completely sure that we could get a deal with the album.

When you decided to put together Edenbridge, did you already from the start know whom you wanted to work with?
- Yes for sure. I've been playing together with Kurt since 1994 and Sabine came to the project in 1996. When Roland entered everything was complete. At that time I didn't make up my mind playing live, cause we were totally focused on making that album. When Massacre signed us they wanted us to play live, so we hired a second guitar player and went on European tour with our label mates Pink Cream 69 and Axxis.

Were the other members total unknowns or had they a history of having been in bands prior to Edenbridge?
- They all played in bands before, but they all were total unknowns.

Is there a deeper meaning to the album title “Sunrise in Eden"?
- I wrote that song shortly after coming home from a trip to the Maldive Islands in the Indian ocean, cause that trip to me seemed like being in paradise. Then I watched upon all the titles and recognised that “Sunrise in Eden” would also be a good title for the album, cause nearly all songs deal with positive energy and feelings and it was a good relation to our band name as well.

How much involvement has there been from your side when it comes to choice of cover artist, booklet layout etc.?
- Really a lot. When you write all the music and lyrics you have certain kind of imagination how the optical view should be. So I told Markus Mayer, the cover painter my ideas, he brought in his ideas and it was perfect. He also painted our new brilliant cover and went the same way.

You have released albums under your own name. How different is it now to have to write music with three more members in mind?
- Actually to write music for 5 more members, cause we have a second guitar player called Andreas Eibler and we are constantly searching for a keyboard player. For me it is no big difference in the writing process, cause I am doing a whole pre-production of all songs. Then everyone gets a tape and the score and line-sheets and works out his parts at home. When it comes to rehearse the songs it immediately works and so we are saving a lot of time. I couldn't imagine anything different to that process like working out song parts in the rehearsal room, that only kills time.

Do you get a greater satisfaction out of sharing your ideas with three more musicians than you get from being alone?
- In both processes I am responsible for everything, but I never performed live with my solo project. So it's a different thing. The other members don't write songs, so they are happy with that fact as long as I don't write some bullshit (ha,ha).

From what I understand you're in the process of finishing a new album. What can you tell us about that one?
- The new album is called “Arcana” and is finished. We recorded and mixed it in the House of Audio studios in Germany. It's always difficult to say what's different but in my point of view the sound is a lot better, very bombastic. My aim is to write songs on the highest level I am able to. I also like to write very different songs and I think that's also happening on the new album. The album will be out in November here in Europe and should also be released in America this year.

“Sunrise in Eden” has been out for some time in Europe. Now that you're preparing to release a second album is there something you've learnt from the first album that you've used this time?
- Not really except of the point that we had a much more higher budget so we could also record it in a top studio and that you will hear.

Is it your impression that it's harder to be taken seriously, both nationally as well as internationally, if you come from a smaller country with less of a musical tradition than had you come from a more traditionally country like England or USA?
- Less musical tradition? Most of the world famous classical composers came from Austria! But you're right, according to heavy metal no one really famous came from here, but that's a point we have to change. Anyway, Austria is a small market and I always looked to Germany, we have a German label, a German promo agency, and a German publisher.


	..........

		Edenbridge The music business is very much a dog eat dog world. You have to fight with clenched fists if you want to make your band known and every conceivable trick is fair game. It's up to you as a consumer to see through much of the bullshit but every once in a far while you come upon something so fresh that it doesn't have to sell itself with any dirty tricks, like f x Finnish Nightwish. Austrian Edenbridge are being compared to this marvellous Finnish band, something I don't subscribe to in full. I'd rather describe them as a lighter version of Italian Rhapsody. They have that same symphonic approach that makes Rhapsody so fantastic. I got in touch with main songwriter and guitar player Lanvall to find out more about Edenbridge... -Anders Ekdahl When you decided to form Edenbridge what were your intentions? - Edenbridge developed itself out of another band project called Cascade. Beneath my solo project I always wanted to do something heavier. The real start of Edenbridge was in 1998 as a studio project, when the line-up for the first CD was complete. We recorded “Sunrise in Eden” on self-finance basis and sent it to about 30 record labels around the world. Within 2 weeks we had the deal with Massacre Records (in Europe - AE). Did you find it harder to realise the vision you had for the first Edenbridge album than you had imagined? - No, because I had the songs together and I faced them all as very good ones. I was completely sure that we could get a deal with the album. When you decided to put together Edenbridge, did you already from the start know whom you wanted to work with? - Yes for sure. I've been playing together with Kurt since 1994 and Sabine came to the project in 1996. When Roland entered everything was complete. At that time I didn't make up my mind playing live, cause we were totally focused on making that album. When Massacre signed us they wanted us to play live, so we hired a second guitar player and went on European tour with our label mates Pink Cream 69 and Axxis. Were the other members total unknowns or had they a history of having been in bands prior to Edenbridge? - They all played in bands before, but they all were total unknowns. Is there a deeper meaning to the album title “Sunrise in Eden"? - I wrote that song shortly after coming home from a trip to the Maldive Islands in the Indian ocean, cause that trip to me seemed like being in paradise. Then I watched upon all the titles and recognised that “Sunrise in Eden” would also be a good title for the album, cause nearly all songs deal with positive energy and feelings and it was a good relation to our band name as well. How much involvement has there been from your side when it comes to choice of cover artist, booklet layout etc.? - Really a lot. When you write all the music and lyrics you have certain kind of imagination how the optical view should be. So I told Markus Mayer, the cover painter my ideas, he brought in his ideas and it was perfect. He also painted our new brilliant cover and went the same way. You have released albums under your own name. How different is it now to have to write music with three more members in mind? - Actually to write music for 5 more members, cause we have a second guitar player called Andreas Eibler and we are constantly searching for a keyboard player. For me it is no big difference in the writing process, cause I am doing a whole pre-production of all songs. Then everyone gets a tape and the score and line-sheets and works out his parts at home. When it comes to rehearse the songs it immediately works and so we are saving a lot of time. I couldn't imagine anything different to that process like working out song parts in the rehearsal room, that only kills time. Do you get a greater satisfaction out of sharing your ideas with three more musicians than you get from being alone? - In both processes I am responsible for everything, but I never performed live with my solo project. So it's a different thing. The other members don't write songs, so they are happy with that fact as long as I don't write some bullshit (ha,ha). From what I understand you're in the process of finishing a new album. What can you tell us about that one? - The new album is called “Arcana” and is finished. We recorded and mixed it in the House of Audio studios in Germany. It's always difficult to say what's different but in my point of view the sound is a lot better, very bombastic. My aim is to write songs on the highest level I am able to. I also like to write very different songs and I think that's also happening on the new album. The album will be out in November here in Europe and should also be released in America this year. “Sunrise in Eden” has been out for some time in Europe. Now that you're preparing to release a second album is there something you've learnt from the first album that you've used this time? - Not really except of the point that we had a much more higher budget so we could also record it in a top studio and that you will hear. Is it your impression that it's harder to be taken seriously, both nationally as well as internationally, if you come from a smaller country with less of a musical tradition than had you come from a more traditionally country like England or USA? - Less musical tradition? Most of the world famous classical composers came from Austria! But you're right, according to heavy metal no one really famous came from here, but that's a point we have to change. Anyway, Austria is a small market and I always looked to Germany, we have a German label, a German promo agency, and a German publisher.