EDEN'S CURSE

GRTR!'s featured artist in March 2011 is Eden's Curse, the melodic metallers we've followed since their early days. 

The band release their third album 'Trinity' via AFM Records.  Bassist/songwriter Paul Logue gives us the latest lowdown...

What are you currently up to Paul?

Well Jason, currently we're putting the finishing touches to the promo video for No Holy Man (the track from the new album Trinity released March 21st, that features the most work by Dream Theater singer James LaBrie) that will launch this weekend ... and the singles out as I speak.

And then, amidst the madness that is always the press run for the new album (those guys at AFM keep us very busy), we are tentatively looking into some touring opportunities with various promoters and bands. We have nothing concrete to report at this stage, but we are looking!

How has Ale Del Vecchio settled into the band and what does he bring to the Eden's Curse sound?

Ale has settled in as though he's always been here, and to be truthful, we wished he had been! He is such a lovely, affable guy who makes being around him and working with him, an absolute joy.

Musically speaking, he has dragged our keyboard kicking and screaming into the now. He has a much more modern approach to keys and sounds than Ferdy did - just listen to the Kamelot-esque strings in our songs, yet he's managed to retain the Curse sound as well!

How did the band hook-up with Dream Theater's James La Brie and Helloween's Andi Deris? Is the 'Curse Choir' also on this album again?

Very much so! The Curse Choir is still there? They're on every album - we have James, Mike, Carsten Schulz (Evidence One), Pete Newdeck, Alessandro Del Vecchio and myself. Sadly, we couldn't align the schedules to have Doogie White again this time, but that happens; he'll be back for the next one I'm sure!

With James and Andi? Basically, as we've done before, we sat down, threw a bunch of names at each other and started from there. We began to try and make contact with them, with an open mind?. We really only targeted three guys this time around - and two out of three ain't bad (cue Meatloaf riff in the background, eh? ha ! ha!).

Tracking James down was the hardest; or so we thought; but within three hours of first discussing the idea, I received an email from him on my Blackberry. That was freaky!! James was and is an absolute 'Gentleman'.

We hit it off from the word go, and he absolutely adores the music. It was simply a case of aligning our schedules and working out a deal with him. He was brilliant to work with - the consummate professional - and continues to keep in touch with us on a fortnightly basis; as I said, we're launching our Promo Video for "No Holy Man" this week, which is an awesome animation all about an evil TV Evangelist.

Go check it out on www.youtube.com/edenscurse

Andi couldn't have been more different. I had done some work for Kosta Zafiriou, drummer of Pink Cream 69, and Helloween's Tour Manager; and he'd said "If you ever need any help ... etc.." So I asked, could he hook it up? He did, but I never spoke to Andi once. I just got his vocals in one day, through the net, and was like, "WOW"!

That was a really special moment for me because that was our music with such a wonderful vocal. Anyone who knows me knows I adore Pink Cream 69's music and I've been listening to it since the late 80's. I love Andi's voice! It's cool now; we've had both PC69 singers on our albums!!

There is a sterling version of Dio's 'Rock 'N' Roll Children' on the album as a tribute to the late, great Ronnie Dio; but how did the band decide on covering the Dokken song 'Unchain The Night' that also features on one of the versions? Are you planning on recording any more covers in the future?

Contractually, we have to give bonus tracks to the individual territories, so we decided on a cover for Japan. Japan loves its guitar heroes and we think we have our very own; Dokken is a huge influence on Eden's Curse, so it all made perfect sense and it's great fun.

We do have plans to record more next time around, and I pretty much know, at this stage, what song that will be, but there is a lot of water to pass under the bridge first, before confirming that. Maybe, one day, we'll convince AFM to collect them all together, add a couple more and we'll have a covers album?

How easy/hard is it to get a decent run of live dates? Ideally which bands would you like to tour with and why?

Getting the dates is fine; it's simply the financial aspect of touring that is extremely expensive. It costs around £5000 to put a band like this out on the road for one week. We simply cannot afford to lose money with touring like that; it's that simple. If the numbers add up, then we will do it, but not on a loss?

I'd love to tour with Edguy - simply because I love their music; and they are playing to a large fan base in Europe that I think would like our style? But, I'll settle for Dream Theater if we get the chance, Ha! Ha!

How does the band cope with being spread across the world? Do you think the recording process can loose some of its magic when the band is not all together when recording an album?

You know what? We don't even think about it now. There is no point in crying over something that cannot be changed. We just get on with it.

Obviously, it makes touring a little more expensive than other bands, but I tend to believe that the multi-national facet of this band, might actually contribute to the authentic sound that is Eden's Curse. You know it's distinctively Eden's Curse the minute you start playing it, and people are used to it now!

Talking to Dennis Ward recently, he tells me that most bands are now recording the way we do. By recording, for example, just the guitars or drums at our own studios, we save around £2500.

Everyone in the band is an excellent engineer in their own right. So we have the luxury of taking our time, using our own equipment and getting great results. There is a LOT of ideas bouncing around at the demo stage, so creativity is flying all over the place.

Do you think there's been an upswing in interest in melodic/hard rock of late given the success of Journey via 'Glee'; rock songs being used on games and specialist magazines like 'Fireworks' and 'Classic Rock Presents AOR' being published?

It certainly seems to be the case. Long may it continue! I just hope the newer breed of bands continue to get the exposure they so badly need!

What have been the live highlights for you so far and why?

Our first tour with Stratovarius and Firewind here. They were our first shows ever and such a killer bill. Playing at The Cathouse in Glasgow, which is my local venue, was a really special moment for all of us. I was telling the boys how good it was going to be and even I was blown away!

The last tour with Alestorm too produced some of the finest Eden's Curse performances we have seen yet. The band with Alessandro is just kicking serious arse now!

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from music?

Playing and watching football, and spending time with my family; especially my wife and 4 year old daughter Emma!

Anything else to add and a message for your fans?

Thanks to all who continue to support all things Curse! We hope you enjoy the album! Please support the band by buying the CD or the official digital downloads. We hope to see you live, sometime, someplace, soon! Stay Cursed!

Peace, Love and Bass Guitar! Paul!

Interview by Jason Ritchie, February 2011
All rights reserved.

Album review (with Paul's track-by-track breakdown)

Special feature

Band website