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Hi,
first off I just want to congratulate you on your new album. To
new fans could your please fill us in on the history behind it
all?
Espen
- Thank
you very much.
CM started many years ago with Mats, Truls and Michael. They have
been playing together for years. There have been some other people
involved also, but we became a full band in 2000 or 2001, if I'm
right.
How
has your new album been received by the media?
Espen
- We're
totally blown away. The response from the media has exceeded our
wildest expectations.
I
know artists are not happy to categorize their music, but how
would you describe your music to an outsider?
Espen
- In
my opinion we are a heavy melodic prog metal band. I think that's
the best category for our music. It is a mix of all our musical
influences.
Where
does your inspiration come from, both musically and lyrically?
Espen
- From
all the music we listen to, all the musicians we play with, movies,
TV, games, ourselves, anything. Sometimes inspiration can come
from the strangest things. I think emotions are very important too,
you can get lots of inspiration from that.
What
topics do you deal with in your lyrics and why?
Espen
- The
lyrics are different from each other. They all tell different
stories about different things. Some are very emotional, some tell
a story from beginning to end. I'm not too happy about revealing
the true meaning in lyrics that should be up to the listener to
decide.
Who
has produced and mixed the album, and are you pleased with the end
result?
Espen
- All
music is produced by us. I think this works well for us, plus the
fact that there is a money-factor. A producer does not work
for free. Tommy Hansen mixed the album. He did a great job for us,
although the sound is different from what we imagined before the
mix, it is great, and he added a whole different dimension to our
music.
Who
has done the artwork? And how important do you feel it is to have
a great cover?
Espen
- It
was done by Mattias Noren. He made the artwork all by himself, and
when we got the first preview we just said "Yes! That's it!"
He is a great artist, we are proud to have him do this for us.
A good cover is important, I think. It should catch the eye when
you are in a record shop. If you see an interesting cover you
might pick it up to take a closer look, then you check out the
music and maybe buy it.
Do
you have any touring plans?
Espen
- We
have some concerts scheduled, but no tour yet. There are no plans
about that right now, but I'm sure we will go on tour at a later
time.
How
do you feel about the co-operation with your label, and are you
satisfied?
Espen
- So
far we are satisfied, I can't think of anything specific I'm not
satisfied with at this point.
The
Internet is a very important source for many music fans? How do
you use the Internet and how important is it for you and other
bands?
Espen
- The
Internet is the ultimate source for information and communication.
What isn't on the Internet doesn’t exist. You can find a
LOT
of music out there, not only by file sharing, but also on band
websites. There are so many bands that put their songs out, and it
works. The first thing we did when we recorded our demos was to
spread it all over the web. And then people started listening, and
we got lots of feedback.
We wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the possibilities of
the Internet. I think the record companies should take advantage
of those possibilities, not fight them. Face it; file sharing will
never go away, so why not use it for distribution of music?
How do you see the progressive
rock/progressive metal scene at the moment?
Espen
- It
is definitely bigger and better than ever. There are so many new
great bands coming all the time. In the early 90's there were just
a few, now we have Kaipa, Flower Kings, Pagans Mind, Transatlantic,
Pain Of Salvation, Symphony X, Spock's Beard, LTE, White Willow,
Spiral Architect, Ayreon and many many other amazing bands. The
scene is just growing and expanding.
To
finish things off - could you pls. make an all-time Top 5 or sort
of the 5 most important albums in your opinion?
Espen
- That
is a very hard question, because it depends on so many things. The
most important albums for me personally today would be:
- Metallica
- Master Of Puppets
- Dream
Theater - Scenes From A Memory
- Genesis
- Selling
England
By The Pound
- ELP
- Brain Salad Surgery
- Ayreon
- The Dream Sequencer
Thanks
for your time.
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