My interview with Anneke van Giersbergen

[RodrigoAltaf]

 One of the coolest musicians I've ever spoken to! We talked about her new album, how she looks back on her 25 year career, and about her wish to collaborate with a certain prog metal mastermind. Check it out: https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/im-happy-with-the-music-i-made-in-the-past-and-looking-forward-to-the-next-25-years-of-my-career-anneke-van-giersbergen-releases-symphonized-an-orchestral-summary-of-her-musical-output

[jammindude]

I'm afraid that if I listen to it....my heart would melt.   

[RodrigoAltaf]

It's a transcript of our interview. But you're right...when I hung up I was all giggety. Her voice is hypnotic!

[MirrorMask]

Will read it ASAP. She has a voice of gold and honey, she makes anything she sing look so effortless 

[Stadler]

Interestingly, I've only heard her on others' projects (DTP, Wetton/Downes, Ayreon) but I'm all in.  I think she's amazing.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I could share the audio of our talk with you guys if you want.

[Stadler]

Just bleep out the part where she talks about her husband.  I don't want to hear about that.

(I'm kidding on all levels, of course.)

[MinistroRaven]

Just bleep out the part where she talks about her husband.  I don't want to hear about that.

(I'm kidding on all levels, of course.)

You must fight Rodrigo 

[RodrigoAltaf]

Just bleep out the part where she talks about her husband.  I don't want to hear about that.

(I'm kidding on all levels, of course.)

You must fight Rodrigo 

I'm not her husband. We have an open relationship. Just don't tell her I said that, she doesn't know yet!

[MirrorMask]

Nice interview! How cool it must have been to bond over your mutual knowledge of Rio?

The clip of the orchestral album is cool, of course with everything she's done, a double album filled to the brink of songs would still come short of being a proper representation of her discography....

[RodrigoAltaf]

Nice interview! How cool it must have been to bond over your mutual knowledge of Rio?

The clip of the orchestral album is cool, of course with everything she's done, a double album filled to the brink of songs would still come short of being a proper representation of her discography....

Thanks! A video of the only new song on the album was released today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIwzEfWT85Q

[Sebastián Pratesi]

Nice interview, Rodrigo.

I particularly found cool the bit where you talk about Rio - I've recently realised that some artists enjoy it when an interview is not simply a quiz, but a conversation. And, the question about her new Dutch song. (Like I've already told you, it seems like you do your homework, and she probably appreciated it!)

How do you do these interviews? Is it by phone? Chat?

[MirrorMask]

I've recently realised that some artists enjoy it when an interview is not simply a quiz, but a conversation.

Oh, for sure. Imagine doing interview after interview album cycle after album cycle, how long can you go on before being so bored with "Tell us about the new album" and "What was the [most FAQ question about the band which is public knowledge] about?".... I'm sure they can tell a mile away if someone is doing a job or is actually interested in the band and knows their stuff.

That's also why I'd love to sit down with my favorite musicians to have a proper talk about their art and why I like it. I'm sure everyone appreciates some compliments but after a while that you've seen some fans telling you quickly "YOU ROCK THE SHOW WAS AWESOME OMG" as they hug you for a selfie, well, it must feel all the same.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Most of the interviews are done via Skype, and I use a software to record the audio and then transcribe it. And you guys are right - the more you research and know about the artist, the better the interview. I did one with John Bush, one of my favourite singers of all time, which was face to face, and he could tell I was starstruck but knew what I was talking about. Same thing with Steve Hackett, which was absolutely surreal: my wife was with me and chatted with Steve's wife while we did the interview! I've been doing this for just over a year, and there's been good and bad interviews, but it's always exciting. My next goal is Labrie. Let's see if it happens.

[Sebastián Pratesi]

Most of the interviews are done via Skype, and I use a software to record the audio and then transcribe it. And you guys are right - the more you research and know about the artist, the better the interview. I did one with John Bush, one of my favourite singers of all time, which was face to face, and he could tell I was starstruck but knew what I was talking about. Same thing with Steve Hackett, which was absolutely surreal: my wife was with me and chatted with Steve's wife while we did the interview! I've been doing this for just over a year, and there's been good and bad interviews, but it's always exciting. My next goal is Labrie. Let's see if it happens.

Cool story!

How do you get in touch with all those musicians? Do you ask for an interview through e-mail? Does your website/company contact them, and you are told to be in charge of the interview?

[RodrigoAltaf]

Most of the interviews are done via Skype, and I use a software to record the audio and then transcribe it. And you guys are right - the more you research and know about the artist, the better the interview. I did one with John Bush, one of my favourite singers of all time, which was face to face, and he could tell I was starstruck but knew what I was talking about. Same thing with Steve Hackett, which was absolutely surreal: my wife was with me and chatted with Steve's wife while we did the interview! I've been doing this for just over a year, and there's been good and bad interviews, but it's always exciting. My next goal is Labrie. Let's see if it happens.

Cool story!

How do you get in touch with all those musicians? Do you ask for an interview through e-mail? Does your website/company contact them, and you are told to be in charge of the interview?

Both. After I've done a few I started to approach artists, but the majority of interviews come through PR agencies.

[Sebastián Pratesi]

Both. After I've done a few I started to approach artists, but the majority of interviews come through PR agencies.

Wow, that's so cool!  I don't know if you are able to make a buck, and it must be very time consuming, but I imagine that at the end of the day I'd feel very satisfied knowing that I got to interview some iconic/favourite musicians. (What's more: that you approached them, and they were OK!)

I hope you get to do this for a long time.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I get paid ZERO, but we get free albums and some concert tickets. Actually, I got tickets to see Sons of Apollo in Toronto from Derek Sherinian himself. I interviewed him twice, for two different sites, and the second one we had to redo because he listened to it and thought he was too grumpy. In his words: "I had just woke up, and wasn't tuned in...can we record another interview?".

Other ones I thought were cool: Voivod, Michael Romeo and John Macaluso, who became my friend on Facebook, and whom I'll interview again soon. It would be nice to monetize our website, but we all have day jobs and not enough expertise to do it.

[MirrorMask]

Well, for all the bad reputation he built for himself with his social media attitude, Derek was super cool with you!

[Sebastián Pratesi]

I get paid ZERO, but we get free albums and some concert tickets. Actually, I got tickets to see Sons of Apollo in Toronto from Derek Sherinian himself. I interviewed him twice, for two different sites, and the second one we had to redo because he listened to it and thought he was too grumpy. In his words: "I had just woke up, and wasn't tuned in...can we record another interview?".

Other ones I thought were cool: Voivod, Michael Romeo and John Macaluso, who became my friend on Facebook, and whom I'll interview again soon. It would be nice to monetize our website, but we all have day jobs and not enough expertise to do it.

That sound like a dream way of spending your free time, if you ask me! Congratulations.