A musician who dislikes touring, who has stage fright and actually thinks touring is a complete waste of time. A social recluse that happens to be a brilliant composer and musician, although not a good stage performer (in his own opin- ion), with several highly acclaimed releases in his discography – it is of course Arjen Lu- cassen and Hallowed has been speaking with him. Hallowed PDF-article Hallowed PDF-article Design by Daniel Källmalm Design by Daniel Källmalm WRITTEN BY DANIEL KÄLLMALM out with Arjen and Anneke doing big coincident that you approach is built around a concept album PHOTOS BY BULLET-RAY this project. me now because you are in the set in 17th century Holland, the PUBLISHED ON 2015-03-26 - Right at that time (when he back of my mind for the project reason for it being in Holland is was thinking about who was I am working on right now” and because both Arjen and Anneke It is a somewhat tired Arjen Lu- the best female vocalist) she sent I sent he a couple of demos and are from there. cassen that calls me having just me an email and asked, “hey do explained the idea. - It is a love story between a sai- arrived from the small acoustic you want to write some songs to- She liked the demos and the lor and his lover back home. tour that he and Anneke Van Gi- gether?” And I was like “hey it is a idea and wanted to brainstorm The story comes on two CDs ersbergen had just performed at about it and that is how The but it is not any two CDs, the con- ten locations. They have a full on Gentle Storm started out as a pro- cept is a tad different. band doing the rest of the tour, a ject between Arjen and Anneke it - It is one CD that is an acous- band where Arjen is not a part. tic atmospheric CD and the other But we’ll get to that later as there CD is like a big bombastic metal is some background that needs to CD so there are two different si- be addressed first. des. Arjen had the idea to build a And this project then turned something around two contras- into a band, a band that Anneke ting style and he wanted just one is going to play live with. vocalist to sing both these styles - We got together the best mu- and for that you need someone sicians in Holland for this band, really good according to Arjen it is really an exciting thing and and Anneke is his favourite fema- everything really came together le singer which she was there in on this band. the back of his mind for being Anneke is so easy to work with this vocalist. But it was still a bit according to Arjen, both techni- of a coincident that it all turned cally brilliant and an easy-going person and always optimistic, not a diva at all. - She has the brilliant combina- tion of technique and emotion; it is a complete balance there. She is also a very charismatic person, so it is an honour to work with her. The Gentle Style After the last Ayreon album, Ar- jen didn’t know what to do as he was in his usual black hole period without any inspiration. So he took to the interweb and asked the fans what they wanted to hear next and he gave them a multiple-choice question. - One option was something heavy, and most fans wanted so- mething heavy. Another option was something folky and about 30% wanted something folky so I had this two styles and won- dered: should I combine them? Like into folk metal but so many bands are doing that nowadays so I thought that maybe it would be cool to do the same songs in two completely contrasting sty- Hallowed PDF-article 3 4 Hallowed PDF-article Design by Daniel Källmalm Design by Daniel Källmalm les with two completely different there but the ingredients are very touring was a big challenge to and play the same songs over and sets of instruments and different different from anything I have him as it was a while since he was over again. The Star One tour vocals. Basically I am looking for done before. playing live. was just perfect as the spontan- a challenge with everything I do The interviewer points out that - It was a big challenge for me eity was still there in all shows. and that was a great challenge. the guitar sound is always re- because I hadn’t played live in In that regard you are a bit dif- So what about this challenge? cognisable and Arjen agrees with eight years, it was very scary sit- ferent from many other musici- Which was the biggest one, Arjen that. ting on stage two people with ans… says he thought that the acoustic The favourite song is someti- acoustic guitar and every mistake - I know, the tour manager part would be the most challen- mes something that seems quite you make is heard but I must say told me that, he used to come in ging because it is much easier to difficult for musicians to pick out that it was fun to see the people and say that there were like 600 impress someone with a heavy, and Arjen also has one or two enjoying the music, singing along people out there and I just: “no, bombastic, orchestral album but suggestions. with songs they know and when don’t tell me that!” I got sick much more difficult to impress - I think Shores of India has a you meet the people after the with nerves and Anneke was like with a gentle acoustic setting. great chorus, it is big and the last show and they tell you how much “yeah, cool” and I was like “oh, - I thought that would be the Ayreon album didn’t have any you mean to them. That was gre- no” and he told me that I was challenge but as it turned out I choruses at all so I was a bit af- at but the whole touring thing is different from other musicians. I had so much fun doing it. I think raid that I had lost the ability to not for me with all the traveling, think I am not only different from it has about 30 different instru- write a good chorus. To me that waiting, the stage fright and all other musicians but from other ments on it so I think the acous- is a great chorus and I love the that shit – it is really not my life. people too, I think that’s why I tic version has many layers to it power of the song Storm which is That is why they assembled live a very reclusive life – to not and it was really fun to do a lot basically the only guitar riff song a band of the best musicians in bother any other people with my of things that I have never done on the album. I love the opener Holland and they are going on weird stuff. before. Endless Sea because it is a very tour with Anneke, but they do This made the reporter think And it wasn’t just fun, he learnt good average of the album; it is a also play on the album so it is a a little bit, does he also dislike a lot during the process as well – good build up. new band Arjen points out. speaking with the media? Am I like new instruments and doing The best part of the two on - And that is great for me be- annoying the great musical mind arrangements for orchestras and this album depends on the song cause finally one of my albums is with my silly questions about one many things, even in the song in Arjen’s opinion and explains being promoted live which is not of his projects? That would be bad writing process he had to learn that some songs works best in the case with Ayreon. since he is in many regards quite new things. the acoustic setting while others But a musician not into touring, similar to myself, but it turns out - Instead of writing songs on need that power to excel. Some- that is a bit of a strange thing con- that interviews is a whole diffe- the guitar I had to write songs times it is even down to certain sidering that many bands I speak rent thing to this Dutch master- with a whole orchestra in mind parts in songs. And according to with tends to see touring as the mind. but I think I learn a little bit with Arjen the album turned out just best thing about being a musici- - I love doing promotion, that’s every album I do. the way he wanted. an. Arjen is different and explains really cool as I am here at home If we compare this to Arjens - 100% , you know I am my that he lives a very reclusive life previous work he thinks that the own boss and have my own stu- and wants to be in his studio to biggest difference is that there dio and only send something to create new things. aren’t any keyboards on this al- the record company when I am a - For me the touring is just a bum. 100% happy with it.