Post by Virtual Scott on Nov 26, 2004 14:08:15 GMT -5
'FWX' is Fates Warning's tenth album in twenty years time. The outfit is widely appreciated around the metal community and has a loyal
fan base. In some twisted way however, Fates Warning never had the big breakthrough achieving commercial success. Buddy bands Dream
Theater and Queensryche were luckier in the early nineties. Still, Fates Warning never became this 'eternal promise' but followed their
hearts. As a result it brought us all some fabulous
albums of which some have a cult status by now. I am talking to the man who's voice is Fates Warning's for over fifteen years already; Ray
Adler.
'FWX' is your tenth effort in twenty years. That is worth a celebration right?
For us I guess, hahahaha. It is something that is right…<br>
Was it hard labour, doing this album?
No actually it wasn't really. It happened really fast. In our minds at least.
In what way does this album stand out?
I think, when compared to the earlier work we're getting back to more guitars, away form the keyboards. A bit more towards a straight
forward rock record… I think 'FWX' is more symphonic and less heavy really.
Less happy?
Bad connection dude! Less heavy.
Hahahahaha, ah ok. Yeah, it is more of a groove driven thing. The melodies carry the songs on this one.
It is not so much an oral experience. There are a few sound effects here and there but I think it is mainly guitar driven. I think it is
heavier than the last music we've done.
You guys did many different things; real heavy albums but also more laid back things. When you start writing new material do you think
about this, or does it just come out the way it does?
It is hard to say, because Jim writes the music. I think whatever which mood he's in at the time suits his writing. When we came of the
tour we were more in the mood of playing live, so I think that comes out on the new album. This exciting live feeling. More upbeat as the
last few records I think.
Does being around this long, doe that change the way you look at song writing or the approach towards new songs?
I think it is a progression of being a musician. When we were younger things were different. As you get older you experiment more with
sound and different melodies and so on. We were trying to do something this time that wasn't so keyboard driven, that is the whole point of
this record, back to the roots of being a rock band!
Did Fates Warning miss out on a big commercial success in the early nineties, and if so, where did things turn around?
Back in the early nineties when things were really happening, that was really our time. We were just 'a dollar short' as they say. We
never really had a huge success, which has probably has been good for us. We continued doing what we were doing, never strugglin to try
and keep 'big records' , we just keep moving on. We do this as long as we can make records and we have a label that is willing to put those
records out until people stop buying them, hahahahah.
How do you look back at that period especially back in the early nineties with album like 'Perfect Symmetry' and 'Parallels'?
I think it was a great time. For us it was very experimental, it was when we started to become more and more progressive. At the time,
there was not a whole lot of music out there like what we were doing. It is just nice to look back and realize we did something different for
ourselves. We were not trying to follow a trend or anything, just trying to set our own pace and do what we wanted. When we did the
album 'Inside Out' we were trying to follow the success of 'Parallels' and think that was a mistake, trying to capture that success again. I
think it kind of hurt the song writing a bit we had to go a different direction but everybody makes mistakes and you move on.
Nowadays you grew into this cult band, you've been pioneering the scene and everybody who calls himself a progressive rock fan knows
the name. How do you feel about that yourself?
I think it is great! It is honourable. Again, there were not a whole lot of people doing what we were doing and now there is this whole scene
of prog rock bands and they are all doing twenty minute long songs, that is cool. Even Dream Theater when they started out, they were fan
of our band! People ask me if there is any jealousy or something, if I think Dream Theater ripped us of even. No! I don't think they ripped
us of at all. I am a fan of any other band as well, and of course you take bits and pieces and try to put it in your own music, that is natural.
We have so many influences in our music form Zappa to Metallica. I've stolen so many things from singers, hahahaha.
You are all involved in numerous side projects, how does that affect Fates Warning?
It never really affected us until the last record. It kind of got away from us. Before we knew it so many years had past. We really had to
have a talk with ourselves and say; this is ridiculous that we are taking so much time of to do our side projects. On the other hand is a good
outlet as well.
So that is the positive side?
Absolutely, when you write music you have to get rid of things, creatively speaking. Then what you have done you can take back to your
main band as an experience.
What do you consider the absolute highlight in your Fates Warning career until now?
I probably think the tour we did with Dream Theater and Queensryche. It was a perfect tour for the fans and everybody got along great. The
fans got something that they have wanted for a long time, it should have happened ten years ago! I think everybody walked away with great
memories and a lot of friends.
Why didn't that tour come to Europe?
I don't know really. Queensryche was over there by themselves of course, but it would be amazing to do this in Europe too, that would
really be incredible.
The American scene is known as trend following when it comes to music in general and heavy music in particular. Is it getting better and
bigger, how is the scene developing at the moment?
It is getting much bigger, it is crazy you know. More the traditional stuff like Iced Earth, As I laying Dying and HammerFall are doing
really well. The power metal and the more hardcore kind of things are doing very, very well. The kids are getting rid of that rap shit and
get into Killswitch Engage and that sort of thing. Really popular out here.
Are there any European touring plans in the works already?
Right now, yes there are. I just got of the phone with Jim (Matheos, guitar) an hour ago. We are putting in some Eastern Europe as well.
It is probably not going to be a very long tour. Kind of getting over there and get our feet wet and come back to America and tour here for a
while. We definitely have to go on tour in Europe for another five weeks or so. Just a few dates in the first place, in Greece we are
recording a live DVD and I think we have some shows in Turkey as well.
What about Holland?
Euh…I think it is Holland, Greece, Turkey, Hungary and some more dates and countries…<br>
When is all this going to happen?
January or February next year.
Ok, finally some dilemma's. Just one answer possible here. Studio or live?
Live.
Guitars or keyboards?
Guitars.
Festival or club show?
Club show.
U.S.or Europe?
Europe?
Dream Theater or Queensryche?
Hahahahaha, my god! Queensryche.
Bush or Kerry?
Kerry man!
Ok, now you can pick one dilemma to explain a bit more.
Well, normally I am not a very political person but I just think that Bush has done enough damage around the world and we need someone
to clean up all these messes. America is one of the most hated countries right now and we are really disliked around the world. We are the
oil hungry nation and so on but dude, we invaded a fucking country! The politicians can say what they want, but regardless of that, we
invaded a country. Maybe it could have gone a little differently but Bush needs to go. Everybody here is really fired up about this election.
Bush is a little bit ahead. But that is why mostly the younger people can make a difference. If everybody gets out there and vote we can
make a difference.
Anything else you would like to share?
I just want to apologize for the fact that it took us so long to put a record out. Hopefully everybody likes the record!!!
Thanks a lot Ray.
Thank you for letting me share my political views which I really do not ever talk about, I am
pretty passionate about that.
www.lordsofmetal.nl/showinterview.php?id=801&lang=en
fan base. In some twisted way however, Fates Warning never had the big breakthrough achieving commercial success. Buddy bands Dream
Theater and Queensryche were luckier in the early nineties. Still, Fates Warning never became this 'eternal promise' but followed their
hearts. As a result it brought us all some fabulous
albums of which some have a cult status by now. I am talking to the man who's voice is Fates Warning's for over fifteen years already; Ray
Adler.
'FWX' is your tenth effort in twenty years. That is worth a celebration right?
For us I guess, hahahaha. It is something that is right…<br>
Was it hard labour, doing this album?
No actually it wasn't really. It happened really fast. In our minds at least.
In what way does this album stand out?
I think, when compared to the earlier work we're getting back to more guitars, away form the keyboards. A bit more towards a straight
forward rock record… I think 'FWX' is more symphonic and less heavy really.
Less happy?
Bad connection dude! Less heavy.
Hahahahaha, ah ok. Yeah, it is more of a groove driven thing. The melodies carry the songs on this one.
It is not so much an oral experience. There are a few sound effects here and there but I think it is mainly guitar driven. I think it is
heavier than the last music we've done.
You guys did many different things; real heavy albums but also more laid back things. When you start writing new material do you think
about this, or does it just come out the way it does?
It is hard to say, because Jim writes the music. I think whatever which mood he's in at the time suits his writing. When we came of the
tour we were more in the mood of playing live, so I think that comes out on the new album. This exciting live feeling. More upbeat as the
last few records I think.
Does being around this long, doe that change the way you look at song writing or the approach towards new songs?
I think it is a progression of being a musician. When we were younger things were different. As you get older you experiment more with
sound and different melodies and so on. We were trying to do something this time that wasn't so keyboard driven, that is the whole point of
this record, back to the roots of being a rock band!
Did Fates Warning miss out on a big commercial success in the early nineties, and if so, where did things turn around?
Back in the early nineties when things were really happening, that was really our time. We were just 'a dollar short' as they say. We
never really had a huge success, which has probably has been good for us. We continued doing what we were doing, never strugglin to try
and keep 'big records' , we just keep moving on. We do this as long as we can make records and we have a label that is willing to put those
records out until people stop buying them, hahahahah.
How do you look back at that period especially back in the early nineties with album like 'Perfect Symmetry' and 'Parallels'?
I think it was a great time. For us it was very experimental, it was when we started to become more and more progressive. At the time,
there was not a whole lot of music out there like what we were doing. It is just nice to look back and realize we did something different for
ourselves. We were not trying to follow a trend or anything, just trying to set our own pace and do what we wanted. When we did the
album 'Inside Out' we were trying to follow the success of 'Parallels' and think that was a mistake, trying to capture that success again. I
think it kind of hurt the song writing a bit we had to go a different direction but everybody makes mistakes and you move on.
Nowadays you grew into this cult band, you've been pioneering the scene and everybody who calls himself a progressive rock fan knows
the name. How do you feel about that yourself?
I think it is great! It is honourable. Again, there were not a whole lot of people doing what we were doing and now there is this whole scene
of prog rock bands and they are all doing twenty minute long songs, that is cool. Even Dream Theater when they started out, they were fan
of our band! People ask me if there is any jealousy or something, if I think Dream Theater ripped us of even. No! I don't think they ripped
us of at all. I am a fan of any other band as well, and of course you take bits and pieces and try to put it in your own music, that is natural.
We have so many influences in our music form Zappa to Metallica. I've stolen so many things from singers, hahahaha.
You are all involved in numerous side projects, how does that affect Fates Warning?
It never really affected us until the last record. It kind of got away from us. Before we knew it so many years had past. We really had to
have a talk with ourselves and say; this is ridiculous that we are taking so much time of to do our side projects. On the other hand is a good
outlet as well.
So that is the positive side?
Absolutely, when you write music you have to get rid of things, creatively speaking. Then what you have done you can take back to your
main band as an experience.
What do you consider the absolute highlight in your Fates Warning career until now?
I probably think the tour we did with Dream Theater and Queensryche. It was a perfect tour for the fans and everybody got along great. The
fans got something that they have wanted for a long time, it should have happened ten years ago! I think everybody walked away with great
memories and a lot of friends.
Why didn't that tour come to Europe?
I don't know really. Queensryche was over there by themselves of course, but it would be amazing to do this in Europe too, that would
really be incredible.
The American scene is known as trend following when it comes to music in general and heavy music in particular. Is it getting better and
bigger, how is the scene developing at the moment?
It is getting much bigger, it is crazy you know. More the traditional stuff like Iced Earth, As I laying Dying and HammerFall are doing
really well. The power metal and the more hardcore kind of things are doing very, very well. The kids are getting rid of that rap shit and
get into Killswitch Engage and that sort of thing. Really popular out here.
Are there any European touring plans in the works already?
Right now, yes there are. I just got of the phone with Jim (Matheos, guitar) an hour ago. We are putting in some Eastern Europe as well.
It is probably not going to be a very long tour. Kind of getting over there and get our feet wet and come back to America and tour here for a
while. We definitely have to go on tour in Europe for another five weeks or so. Just a few dates in the first place, in Greece we are
recording a live DVD and I think we have some shows in Turkey as well.
What about Holland?
Euh…I think it is Holland, Greece, Turkey, Hungary and some more dates and countries…<br>
When is all this going to happen?
January or February next year.
Ok, finally some dilemma's. Just one answer possible here. Studio or live?
Live.
Guitars or keyboards?
Guitars.
Festival or club show?
Club show.
U.S.or Europe?
Europe?
Dream Theater or Queensryche?
Hahahahaha, my god! Queensryche.
Bush or Kerry?
Kerry man!
Ok, now you can pick one dilemma to explain a bit more.
Well, normally I am not a very political person but I just think that Bush has done enough damage around the world and we need someone
to clean up all these messes. America is one of the most hated countries right now and we are really disliked around the world. We are the
oil hungry nation and so on but dude, we invaded a fucking country! The politicians can say what they want, but regardless of that, we
invaded a country. Maybe it could have gone a little differently but Bush needs to go. Everybody here is really fired up about this election.
Bush is a little bit ahead. But that is why mostly the younger people can make a difference. If everybody gets out there and vote we can
make a difference.
Anything else you would like to share?
I just want to apologize for the fact that it took us so long to put a record out. Hopefully everybody likes the record!!!
Thanks a lot Ray.
Thank you for letting me share my political views which I really do not ever talk about, I am
pretty passionate about that.
www.lordsofmetal.nl/showinterview.php?id=801&lang=en
