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Interview Andy Winter (Winds)

Interview Andy Winter (Winds)
BANDS : Winds

 

Hello and welcome into the pages of metalfan.ro. Since this is your first time here, I would like you to provide us with a brief history of Winds and a short presentation of your studio products.

Hi. We started in 1998 as a studio project, continued as a band after the first EP. We have released 3 records now, an EP called "Of Entity And Mind" and two full length albums, "Reflections Of The I" and "The Imaginary Direction of Time." Our band consists of Lars Eric Si on vocals, Carl August Tidemann on guitar, Jan Axel von Blomberg (Hellhammer) on drums, and myself, Andy Winter on keys.

Your music is very avantgardistic, with a lot of progressive and classical influences. Isn't it a little bit risky, considering that a big amount of the public or audience isn't willing or ready to open themselves to this kind of compositions? Who are Winds playing for?

It might be risky but on the other hand we never set out to try to make a product that people will like the most, we play the music we prefer to play and then people can either like it or not. It would be no problem for us musically to write an album that a hundred thousand people would like, but we are not interested in just writing music so that the most number of people will buy it. We play to challenge ourselves and because we like to, so to answer your question, cliché as it may be, we are primarily playing for ourselves and nobody else. If people like it that's great but we are not interested in compromising artistic integrity for the purpose of gaining record sales.

I know that Carl August Tidemann worked with Tritonus and Arcturus, Lars Eric Si has a Grammy and played bass for Khold, Jan Axel needs no presentation since everybody knows Hellhammer, and there's no secret that you have classical studies and your performances are astonishing. Could you tell me a few words about you and your band mates? Who are you, what do you like, what do you hate, what are your backgrounds and influences, what do you read, etc.?

I think it's safe to say we are four quite different people on the outside that share similar views and philosophies on the inside. What ties us together in Winds is a desire to break musical boundaries, we all have an interest in classical music, and we all like to play metal. I think that I might perhaps be the one that has the most in common with each other member, but that's also because I was the one who started Winds and involved the people that I thought would fit into the band both personally and musically.

What instruments do Winds use?

Acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass, piano, two violins, viola, cello, and of course drums.

Do you like to play live? Which was your best gig ever?

Winds has not performed live as a unit and at the moment we are strictly a studio band. We might do shows in the future but this probably won't be until many years down the road.

Who writes the music? Could you describe the making of a Winds' track?

In the beginning I wrote all of the music and each member contributed with arrangements. Nowadays any member can write the music and we work together on the arrangements of the different parts. Each member is primarily responsible for his own instrument but each member can write ideas for songs on any instrument, which is then ultimately played based on that idea by the member who owns that respective instrument in the band.

Your lyrics are very complex, sometimes symbolic and philosophical and they are a wonderfully crafted completion to your musical work. What do those lyrics deal with and who is the mastermind responsible with their conception?

The lyrics and conceptual idea of Winds is entirely mine. The lyrics are continual observations of matters related to existence and philosophy.

I would like to know which metal and non-metal albums (actual) drew your attention lately?

I very rarely listen to music and this is because I don't have time for it and because all my time goes into writing music. It's sort of like a full time job, and if I let myself listen to other music I get sidetracked from my own ideas, which is never a good thing. I have to stay focused. The only two metal bands I listen to sometimes are Opeth and Arcturus, which are all great guys and good friends. As far as non metal I like classical works from different composers, and from modern music I like Cirque Du Soleil and Blue Man Group.

The cover of your latest studio effort is a Travis Smith work of art. Did you give some hints or did you let him listen to your music and imagine the cover and the rest of the artwork?

It was a combination of the two really. For the first album he did for us it was a lot of going back and forth until we got what we wanted, but the second time he came up with it right away and needed no direction from us, as he knew what we were looking for. We had talked about it briefly and it came, pretty much just like it is now on the cover of our latest album.

What was your first metal record and which was the first metal concert you went to?

Metallica, don't remember which album. Concert, don't remember, I don't go to concerts very often and this was an awfully long time ago.

What do you think of the permanent development of the technique? Does it kill the soul? What do you think about the Internet and the mp3 free sharing?

I am all for technology but at the same time I like to go back to basics. I want to live in a non urban place, close to nature, chop firewood with my own hands, use firewood heating, cook at home, make everything from scratch, but at the same time have broadband Internet access, home recording studio, TV and DVD player, and all the latest technological advances in music and recording.

Do you think art in special and music in particular can save this world?

Nothing can save this world, it's simply not meant to be. For everything good there needs to be something bad. For everything black there needs to be white, and the other way around. The balance is what makes up the key to the universe.

Please provide us with some of Winds' future plans, short and long term.

Short term plans, are to finish writing and arranging our fourth album which we have already recorded drums for this past summer. Our long term plans are to keep on writing music and develop musically to achieve new heights and goals.

Thanks for your kindness in making this interview, I wish you the best of luck and inspiration, and in the end I would like you to say a few words for the romanian metalheads.

Thanks for taking the time to interview me also. Romania is a country that has a very interesting history and I'd like to visit there some day. Hopefully I will get a chance to do so. And hopefully you will all be listening to Winds in the land beyond the forests.

Autor: Sake
Vezi galeriile trupelor: Winds

   December 10, 2004  | 1 Comments  | 8147 Views « BACK

Comment on: Interview Andy Winter (Winds)

  • trupa grozava. E o muzica dulce,melancolica si un pic pretentioasa. Solouri grozave,si parti neo-clasice.

    1. Posted by george | 28 Decembrie 2006 14:01
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