| 1. What are you currently up
to? |
Hi Jason! We are currently awaiting the European release of "Magic
Never Dies", which has now been scheduled for July 25th
and there will be no more delays. We have been quite frustrated that
the fans have had to wait this long for the album over here, after
the Japanese release in May. Our fans have been very understanding
in this matter and appreciate the fact that these delays are not
down to the band.
We are also working on a number of fronts to put some live shows
together for the second half of this year. I can confirm that PQ
will be appearing at Firefest 2 on November 26th at Nottingham Rock
City, along with House of Lords, Danger Danger and Balance of Power
amongst others.
|
| 2. Could you take us through the tracks on the new album 'Magic
Never Dies' and any stories behind the songs?.
|
Ascension
I had the melody and the basic arrangement for this piece quite
early on in the writing process. We wanted something
uplifting but a little bit different to a typical intro. While at
the studio, Clive Nolan heard the piece and asked if he could
orchestrate the whole thing for us.
Find My Heaven
The album opener proper and in many ways a typical Power Quest song,
although the lead melody is played by the guitar
rather than the keyboard. The solo section has a slightly classical
feel to it which adds something extra I think.
Galaxies Unknown
Without doubt, this is the fastest song on the album. This one is
about the idea of escaping a dying Earth in search of a new
planet to call home.
Hold on to Love
The first of a couple of hard rock influenced tracks on the album,
with a message that I think most of us can relate to in some way.
Alessio's vocal performance on this is laden with emotion and the
guitar solo has an almost Thin Lizzy type vibe to it.
Diamond Sky
Another fast song, this time composed by Andrea and Alessio which
adds a slightly different flavour to proceedings. It's great to see
some of the guys coming in with songs for PQ albums as well.
The Message
Beginning with an acoustic guitar solo and leading into a song about
relationships and how being away for long stretches of time rarely works. The guy still
loves the girl but he loves being on the road just as much.
Not necessarily about being a musician per se, but about anything
that involved being away from home for long periods.
Soulfire
Stadium rock with a power metal edge! Very anthemic keyboard
progression to open the song and lyrically the song is about
no matter how tough things can get the fire in the soul or the human
spirit just doesn't know when to give up.
Children of the Dream
This one is about how when we are children we have no cares in the
world. Everything seems possible to us and no dream is too far from
our grasp. The song goes on to tell how things change as we get
older and wiser. Our perspective is tinged with reality, although at
heart many of us are still children of the dream.
Strike Force
This song is asking what the hell can we do if we are trappedand
cornered with nowhere to turn and the wolves are closing in. Call on
the Strike Force to solve the problems. Another songwith prog metal
tinges in places.
Another World
An Eastern theme opens the song before heading into a very catchy
mid paced section. This song is about being trapped in another
world, or is it the same world in the future? This is also the
longest song on the album, clocking in at just under eight minutes.
Magic Never Dies
I just love the beginning to this track with the keyboard effect
and guitar and then the drums and bass come in before the keyboards
and guitars join in properly. This one is about how the art of
magic has been lost over the years and centuries but the last of the
mages "conjured a spell that would live forever" and sent himself
into the future to ensure that magic survives.
|
| 3. How did you hook-up with Majestic Rock? What happened with your
previous label Now & Then?
|
Things didn't exactly work out as we planned with Now and Then. To
be honest, I'd rather not air the dirty laundry in public but I was
extremely disappointed with how it all panned out. Moving swiftly
on...
Majestic Rock and approached us in mid 2004 and we talked for a few
months with them about various things and they seemed very
enthusiastic about Power Quest and they have remained so as well. It
actually makes a refreshing change to be able to contact people by
telephone instead of getting the answer phone all the time! haha!
I'm looking forward to seeing what they do once Magic Never Dies
hits the stores.
|
| 4. How do you think the band have developed, both in terms of
recording and playing live since the debut album?
|
Undoubtedly the band have come on in leaps and bounds in terms of
studio and live work. Especially so in the studio. Alessio, Andrea,
Steve and myself have been together for a few years now and we know
how to get the best out of each other and this makes the whole
studio process very fluid. The addition of new drummer Francesco
Tresca has already enhanced this process as "Checco" is ultra
professional when it comes to recording.
Of course, we would love to have played more live shows than we
already have. This has been an area where we have had no label
backing in the past at all and all shows that we have done have been
arranged either through ourselves or through bands and promoters we
know. Hopefully this side of things will take on greater
significance for PQ because people who have come to see us play have
always commented on how much fun they and the band have. Some
European shows would be the next step up for PQ, hopefully supporting.
|
| 5. Have you seen an upswing in sales/interest in the power metal
genre in the past couple of years? What other bands out there have impressed you and why?
|
In many ways there seems to be an opinion out there that there are
too many power metal bands out there these days all doing the same
thing, and while I take the point to a degree, I think you could
argue the same case about most genres of metal and beyond. There has
certainly been an upturn in interest in the UK that's for sure, but
it still seems to be mainly Europe, South America and Asia that
loves the genrethe most. Having said that there are some amazing
fans in the USA and I even had an email from an island off the coast
of Madagascar the other week!
In terms of bands who have impressed me within the power metal
arena, we would be talking about Sonata Arctica,Edguy and Angra of
the established acts, along with newer bands such as Axenstar,
Timeless Miracle and an up and coming US band called Cellador.
Although not power metal, Threshold and Dream Theater continue to
fill me with awe! hehe!
|
| 6. What have been the most memorable gigs so far and why?
|
Obviously playing the main stage at Bloodstock 2003 was a big thing
for Power Quest, as it gave us the opportunity to play to a big
crowd for the first time. Playing a couple of shows with our good
friends Threshold was one of the highlights of 2004. It was great to
share a bus with these guys and to see Karl, Richard and the guys
outside of Thin Ice studios. We also had a great time playing with
Dream Evil and Labyrinth last November in London.
We made a lot of new friends and fans at these shows, and the bands
we played with treated us very well too and we made firm friends in
that area as well.
|
| 7. When composing songs do you work better on your own and then take
the idea to the band or do the band bounce ideas of each other when it comes to songwriting?
|
Given the nature of the band ie 3 members living in Italy, Steve in
London and myself in Southampton, we don't get together for
rehearsals or writing sessions in the way that a band based in the
same city would do.
As a result I do the majority of my writing on my own and then take the material to Steve and run it by him to see
what his opinion is and from there we send the songs over to the guys so they can begin adding their ideas to the arrangements. It's
a system that seems to work quite well for us. When we are in the studio everyone is involved in the arranging of the material and
that is when we really bounce ideas off each other to the max.
|
| 8. How do you feel you have come on musically since Power Quest
started out?
|
I think everyone in the band has come on in leaps and bounds
musically over the past few years. Personally I feel that my
songwriting has developed considerably since the debut album and I
really feel that we have started to define our sound as something a
little bit different to the other melodic power metal. I think that
you never stop developing as a musician and I'm always looking for
new ideas and inspiration when it comes to writing.
Obviously technique and practice are a vitally important factor as well but I
do believe that the "song" is much more important than technique for
techniques sake. You have to have a great melody first and foremost.
Lyrically as well I believe we have incorporated a lot more "real
life" issues on the new album.
|
| 9. Read any good books lately?
|
I've actually been pretty poor on the reading front this year as I
just haven't had the time between PQ, the day job and everything
else in between. Phillip Pullman was the last author I read though
and a good read it was too. (Note to self: Must make more time to
read! hehe!)
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| 9. Message for your fans?
|
I'd like to thank all our fans around the world who have been so
supportive and encouraging over the past 4 years, especially our fan
club members and everyone who has taken time out to send emails and
post on our forum. I really hope you all enjoy "Magic Never Dies"
and I look forward to hearing what you all think of the record.
Hope to catch up with as many of you as possible on the road later this
year. Without you guys, I wouldn't be writing these words now.
Thanks again to you Jason for the opportunity to do this interview
for "Get Ready to Rock" and I hope to catch up with you later this
year as well. Cheers!
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