By Jorge Albuquerque " International magazine & Laboratorio pop"


Question: The music on your album has a certain jazzfeeling in all
tracks and go beyond the"progressive lines".What do you think about
that ?

-Well thank you ! That´s a copliment to me because i´ve always liked
the jazzier approach among musicians,especially the phrasing and rhytmic
playing.But i should not really take credit for that.The
drummer,bassplayer and saxophone player are well familiar with all
kinds of jazz and jazzrock. I just use them for my own "evil" purposes
(laughs). As long as people appreciate the music we are putting out it
does not really matter if it´s within the progressive lines or not. Many of
my favorite bands blend all kinds of styles in their music. Somteimes i can
get bored with some bands because they stick to their formula. But that
is not the case with crossovermusic.

Question: I can hear some similarity between your music and the
classic jazzrock music from the 70:s. Am i right ? Finally what means
"progressive rock" to you nowadays ? What´s your main influences ? I
know i´m hearing some touches of Latimer, Gilmour and Beck !


-You are right on the money ! Many of the musicians on the album grew
up listening to Jaco Pastorius,Weather Report,Return to forever and so
forth.So i guess it sometimes sound like the seventies jazzrock.I
myself are not that into the genre.But i like to include some jazz elements in
my compostions if it fits with the song.But i like some jazzrock albums
though.Billy Cobbhams "Spectrum" is a classic ! Superb playing by the
late Tommy Bolin.Progressive rock is just a label and has nowadays nothing
to do with the true origin of the word.My main influences ? That´s a tough
one..Well my foundation musicwise is the big acts from the 70:s Deep
purple,Led zeppelin.It all begins from that.I´m very fond of some Frank
Zappa stuff,like the instrumentals on the albums: Waka-jawaka and grand
wazoo.And of course Focus and Ekseption,maybe because you can hear some
nordic folktouches in the melodies and the harmonies.In the current
progscene i´m into Spock´s beard and Umphrey´s Mcgee.Umphrey´s have two
great guitar players.Otherwise i´m actually more fond of pianoplayers
than guitarists.The late swedish pianoplayer Jan johansson was heaven
sent. I also like Ben Folds and Jamie Cullum very much. One band that i
appreciate very much and that i think has not got the credit they deserved was
Max Webster. Well the list could go on forever so i think i´d better stop
now. Well if you are hearing touches of Latimer, Gimour and Beck i would
not certainly argue with you ! They are all super and unique players in
their own way.

Question: What was the inspiration for the music concept behind the
album? What request more work for the band:the music or the arrangements?
The burning of my ashes is a tour de force.What´s your favorite track and
why?

-The inspiration for the album was the challenge to make an
interesting instrumental album,because i think that most instrumental albums are
very tedious,boring and predictable and lack good melodies and
harmonies.Well mostly the outlines of the tune is ready when we are going to reherse
so the arrangement takes more time.You can do a tune in so many
ways,starting with the tempo and so on.In hindsight my favorite tracks are Just
before clevage hill and the burning of my ashes.I´m very proud of them
compositionwise.

Question: Sorry,but did you play real instruments like hammonds,mellotrons
and moogs on the album ? What do you think about the contribution of
the new music technology for your kind of music, too organic ?

-On the album it´s a Korg (hammond organ).No mellotrons and moogs on
this album.But there will sureley be some moog on the next one,maybe even
some mellotron.We played a song on the releaseparty called "Beneath her
blue surburban skies".A mellotron in the bridge would suit nicely.Well
regarding new music technology it only benefits the music.If it´s used
in the right way.It´s all down to the muscians to use them properly.You
can´t blame the technology,behind the machines there some responsible human
beings !

Question: The music have humour (maybe i´m a muslim, why the title ?)
and much energy (foxhunt, funeral procession..) but some titles are sad or
engimatic. Why ?

-Maybe i´m a muslim is statement that makes you think twice ! I am
not tofond of some people who are predjudice whatever it will be
rase, profession, gender and so forth. When you add a "maybe" you instead get
interested in the man or woman behind the label. And you will find out
things you never would have otherwise. And also the songtitle is a kind
of reference to Ritchie Blackmore. He uses the orientalscales (like we do
on the track) and of course played on the classic Purple track "Maybe i´m
a leo". Regarding the titles, some sad, some engimatic. I guess it just
reflects the way i am. And i myself prefer lyrics when you must read between
the lines. Everything must not be so obvious all the time.

Question: What is the importance of being in an band with a torrent of
ideas ? Tell me how the band was born.Do you have plans to put your
music on the road ?

-I´m very proud of working with these talented musicians who put with
my crazy ideas (laughs).I can bounce an idea to them and they come up
with some excellent stuff that suits the song.And being in a band is also a
very social thing.And they are all great friends of mine !
The Watertouch thing started out many years ago.
The album was supposed to be released on
a independent label some years back. But then they went bankrupt and
it was a hastle to get tapes.But now it´s finally released on my own
label. It would be nice to play some more livegigs, but the other musicians have
families, jobs and other bands. So it´s hard to get everything
together. We will see what happens in the future.

Question: Do you have any ideas or plans for a new album ?

-Well i have a lot of ideas and finished songs that i would love to
record ! But it´s all down to money i´m afraid.My financial situation
has been better so no plans to record a follow up at the moment.
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