Songwriter, musician and designer Helena Arlock is soon to be out on the European roads again together with Gustav Haggren (whom I wrote about here). Last year they made over 100 shows in Europe and US. As I also wrote, I met Helena and Gustav at a show in Uppsala, Sweden and since then we've talked about doing stuff together. Helena also made the music video for my song The Border.
MAR 28 - Eisen, Bremen (DE)
MAR 31 - Ä, Berlin (DE)
APR 01 - Desmet Live, Amsterdam (NL)
APR 02 - t'Elfde Genot, Sint Niklaas (BE)
APR 03 - Café Carnot, Kruibeke (BE)
APR 05 - Tonenburg, Höxter/Albaxen (DE)
more info over at http://www.gatss.com/tour.html
Interview with Helena Arlock
* You have your music featured in different Canadian tv shows. I'm very jealous. How have you managed to do that?
It's my wonderful publisher in Vancouver! He met the guys from Marilyn Records (SWE) at Popkomm in Berlin and since he didn't really work with the genres they had on the label,
Marilyn gave him my demo. Last year he came to one of my shows in Vancouver, BC, Canada and after that we signed a deal.
Publishers can be great, since they won't tell you what to do - as a label could - and they could almost be like a manager. Especially if you sign a non-exclusive deal, where you can have
several publishers that work at the same time in the same regions...
* You created my music video, saved my rather average performance in Uppsala with the delicate adds of cello, and you have agreed to play cello on my upcoming album. Are you that kind to everyone?
I love projects, I couldn't live without them! To be inspired by different songwriters and try to add something to the music is amazing. Both as a musician and as a designer. And especially when the music is very good.
There's so much competition in music these days, especially in Sweden. We should cooperate instead of fighting for the spotlight. You grow very much as a person and musician when you work with other people - and in different genres than you usually play..
* I've understood that you've made your first show with the solo project only about a year ago. Now, you have made over 100 shows. Exactly how much have you improved between show 1 and 100?
Well. it's been an intense year! And to compare my last show with the first one in Feb. 2007 - I guess a huge difference.
My solo project started out as a duo, making electronic lounge-pop. As I was going to tour USA and Canada bringing only my cello and Gustav (Gustav and The Seasick SAilors) and his guitar, I had to come up with something. I got myself a loop-pedal and nagged at Gustav until he brought his delay and waoa pedals.
The songs that I came to write last year became a bit more acoustic. Naturally - because on tour, you write on that out-of-tune piano in the backroom of that dirty venue somewhere in Virginia - compared to writing on a piano versus the computer before. That way I would also be able to play the songs live without having the audience surprised when they came home and listened to the CD. And the duo transformed into just me about half a year before we left
for the first tour. I guess my acoustic inner-me stepped out in the light then.
Since I've been playing in bands for many years, I was used to the stage - but not to the talking.
It feels like that has improved a lot during last year, at least I'm not as scared of the audience between the songs anymore.
* Last, how would you describe your own music? Which instruments do you play?
I guess it's a jazzy, indie pop something something. Always a hard question to answer yourself - as you know! I'll leave it there.
As for instruments...
I've been playing the piano since I was tall enough to reach the keys, my mother was trying to teach me how, but I was too stubborn - resulting in bad technique but a good ear for learning on my own.
When I was 8 years old I went to the school of music to see what instruments the had there, hoping to find a harp. Since there was no harp-teachers (my back is grateful for that today,
imagine touring with that as well...) I walked into the tiny room at the end of the corridor at the top floor. The smell of wood and a stream of sunlight hit the black knob - I was in love. I've been playing the cello since then.
When I was 18, I went on a trip to Gambia, Africa, with four other students from my school, a trip the school organizes every year. Except from learning the djembe, the songs and the dancing, we could choose one instrument to focus on a bit more. And there it was - the african "harp", the Kora.
I also play guitar, violin, a dinosaur flute, and a bit of other instruments I can get my hands on and find time to learn. Challenging and exciting!
It's my wonderful publisher in Vancouver! He met the guys from Marilyn Records (SWE) at Popkomm in Berlin and since he didn't really work with the genres they had on the label,
Marilyn gave him my demo. Last year he came to one of my shows in Vancouver, BC, Canada and after that we signed a deal.
Publishers can be great, since they won't tell you what to do - as a label could - and they could almost be like a manager. Especially if you sign a non-exclusive deal, where you can have
several publishers that work at the same time in the same regions...
* You created my music video, saved my rather average performance in Uppsala with the delicate adds of cello, and you have agreed to play cello on my upcoming album. Are you that kind to everyone?
I love projects, I couldn't live without them! To be inspired by different songwriters and try to add something to the music is amazing. Both as a musician and as a designer. And especially when the music is very good.
There's so much competition in music these days, especially in Sweden. We should cooperate instead of fighting for the spotlight. You grow very much as a person and musician when you work with other people - and in different genres than you usually play..
* I've understood that you've made your first show with the solo project only about a year ago. Now, you have made over 100 shows. Exactly how much have you improved between show 1 and 100?
Well. it's been an intense year! And to compare my last show with the first one in Feb. 2007 - I guess a huge difference.
My solo project started out as a duo, making electronic lounge-pop. As I was going to tour USA and Canada bringing only my cello and Gustav (Gustav and The Seasick SAilors) and his guitar, I had to come up with something. I got myself a loop-pedal and nagged at Gustav until he brought his delay and waoa pedals.
The songs that I came to write last year became a bit more acoustic. Naturally - because on tour, you write on that out-of-tune piano in the backroom of that dirty venue somewhere in Virginia - compared to writing on a piano versus the computer before. That way I would also be able to play the songs live without having the audience surprised when they came home and listened to the CD. And the duo transformed into just me about half a year before we left
for the first tour. I guess my acoustic inner-me stepped out in the light then.
Since I've been playing in bands for many years, I was used to the stage - but not to the talking.
It feels like that has improved a lot during last year, at least I'm not as scared of the audience between the songs anymore.
* Last, how would you describe your own music? Which instruments do you play?
I guess it's a jazzy, indie pop something something. Always a hard question to answer yourself - as you know! I'll leave it there.
As for instruments...
I've been playing the piano since I was tall enough to reach the keys, my mother was trying to teach me how, but I was too stubborn - resulting in bad technique but a good ear for learning on my own.
When I was 8 years old I went to the school of music to see what instruments the had there, hoping to find a harp. Since there was no harp-teachers (my back is grateful for that today,
imagine touring with that as well...) I walked into the tiny room at the end of the corridor at the top floor. The smell of wood and a stream of sunlight hit the black knob - I was in love. I've been playing the cello since then.
When I was 18, I went on a trip to Gambia, Africa, with four other students from my school, a trip the school organizes every year. Except from learning the djembe, the songs and the dancing, we could choose one instrument to focus on a bit more. And there it was - the african "harp", the Kora.
I also play guitar, violin, a dinosaur flute, and a bit of other instruments I can get my hands on and find time to learn. Challenging and exciting!
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