| Interview by Burt Wolf with Adrian, bassist & backing vocalist for DRAGONFORCE. Interview done June 6th, 2005. |
PLEASE GIVE A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BAND & HOW YOU GOT TOGETHER. ANY PREVIOUS
BANDS YOU WERE IN?
DRAGONFORCE are a multi-cultral Metal band based in London, U.K. The current line up has been together for
a couple of years now.
WHY WAS THE NAME DRAGONFORCE CHOSEN AS THE BANDS NAME?
The bands original name was DRAGONHEART, but there was a lot of confusion with video games & other
bands with similar names. We didn't want to make too drastic a departure from that name, so we chose
DRAGONFORCE.
WHO OR WHAT HAS HELPED INFLUENCE YOU IN MUSIC & LIFE?
Heavy Metal has influenced me musically & yoga helps me balance my life outside the band.
HOW WOULD YOU BEST DESCRIBE THE STYLE & SOUND OF DRAGONFORCE?
DRAGONFORCE break the boundaries of melodic Speed Metal & take the genre to a whole new level on a
regular basis.
YOUR ALBUM "SONIC FIRESTORM" (THE ONLY ONE OF YOUR ALBUMS I HAVE) HAS BEEN
OUT FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR NOW. HOW WELL HAS IT BEEN DOING? WHAT HAS THE
RESPONSE BEEN LIKE?
"SONIC FIRESTORM" has been met with critical acclaim world wide. The press & fans a like have hailed it as a
break through in contemporary Metal.
HOW DID YOU GET HOOKED UP WITH SANCTUARY/NOISE RECORDS FOR THE RELEASE?
HOW HAS IT BEEN WORKING WITH THEM?
NOISE/SANCTUARY were in touch with band since the DRAGONHEART days & the deal we currently have
with them was hammered out with them over a couple of years. We enjoy an excellent relationship with them.
They work very hard for us & right now I couldn't imagine working with any other label.
BANDS YOU WERE IN?
DRAGONFORCE are a multi-cultral Metal band based in London, U.K. The current line up has been together for
a couple of years now.
WHY WAS THE NAME DRAGONFORCE CHOSEN AS THE BANDS NAME?
The bands original name was DRAGONHEART, but there was a lot of confusion with video games & other
bands with similar names. We didn't want to make too drastic a departure from that name, so we chose
DRAGONFORCE.
WHO OR WHAT HAS HELPED INFLUENCE YOU IN MUSIC & LIFE?
Heavy Metal has influenced me musically & yoga helps me balance my life outside the band.
HOW WOULD YOU BEST DESCRIBE THE STYLE & SOUND OF DRAGONFORCE?
DRAGONFORCE break the boundaries of melodic Speed Metal & take the genre to a whole new level on a
regular basis.
YOUR ALBUM "SONIC FIRESTORM" (THE ONLY ONE OF YOUR ALBUMS I HAVE) HAS BEEN
OUT FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR NOW. HOW WELL HAS IT BEEN DOING? WHAT HAS THE
RESPONSE BEEN LIKE?
"SONIC FIRESTORM" has been met with critical acclaim world wide. The press & fans a like have hailed it as a
break through in contemporary Metal.
HOW DID YOU GET HOOKED UP WITH SANCTUARY/NOISE RECORDS FOR THE RELEASE?
HOW HAS IT BEEN WORKING WITH THEM?
NOISE/SANCTUARY were in touch with band since the DRAGONHEART days & the deal we currently have
with them was hammered out with them over a couple of years. We enjoy an excellent relationship with them.
They work very hard for us & right now I couldn't imagine working with any other label.
WHAT IS SOME OF THE
LYRICAL CONTENT OF
YOUR SONGS?
On the surface it seems a lot of
the lyrics are very fantasy
oriented, but closer inspection
reveals considerable depth to our
lyrics that can be interpreted on
a number of levels.
WHICH SONG OFF THIS
RELEASE IS YOUR
FAVORITE & WHY?
Speaking for myself, I'd have to
say "Fields Of Despair". I think
the chorus is one our catchiest
& I think the bass line was really
well constructed.
PLEASE DESCRIBE THE CD COVER ARTWORK A BIT & WHO DID IT?
Err, you want me to describe it? It's a meteor storm laying waste to Earth's surface. I don't know who designed
it.
IS YOUR PREVIOUS RELEASE "VALLEY OF THE DAMNED" YOUR ONLY OTHER RELEASE & IS
IT STILL AVAILABLE?
"VALLEY OF THE DAMNED" is available on NOISE/SANCTUARY RECORDS. It is currently our only other
full length album.
HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU GUYS HAVE IMPROVED FROM "VALLEY..." TO "SONIC..."?
The song writing is superb on both albums, but "SONIC..." is a bit more technical & the production is better.
"SONIC FIRESTORM" is faster & faster is generally better, definitely more original too. There isn't anything out
there like it.
IS THERE A NEW ALBUM IN THE WORKS?
Yes, we are working on it, but I can't talk about it right now.
YOU GUYS TOURED WITH W.A.S.P. FOR A LITTLE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ALBUM. HOW DID THAT
TOUR GO?
It was a good tour for us. It was our first really long tour so we gained a lot of experience of being on the road
& developed our live show.
WHO ARE SOME OF THE OTHER BANDS YOU HAVE TOURED WITH IN THE PAST? WHERE ARE
SOME OF THE PLACES YOU HAVE TOURED?
We've toured Japan opening for HELLOWEEN, which was great & played Thailand headlining. We've toured UK
& Europe extensively as supporting acts & headlining act.
ANY INTERESTING OR STRANGE ROAD/LIVE/TOUR/ STORIES YOU COULD SHARE?
Not really, but if the owner of the Kebab Shop near where we played in Hamburg is reading this, then I'd like to
remind him, "It ain't hot sauce if it ain't hot buddy..." He'll know what I mean ;)
IF YOU COULD TOUR WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE & WHY?
IRON MAIDEN & we are actually opening for them on their European tour this summer.
Err, you want me to describe it? It's a meteor storm laying waste to Earth's surface. I don't know who designed
it.
IS YOUR PREVIOUS RELEASE "VALLEY OF THE DAMNED" YOUR ONLY OTHER RELEASE & IS
IT STILL AVAILABLE?
"VALLEY OF THE DAMNED" is available on NOISE/SANCTUARY RECORDS. It is currently our only other
full length album.
HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU GUYS HAVE IMPROVED FROM "VALLEY..." TO "SONIC..."?
The song writing is superb on both albums, but "SONIC..." is a bit more technical & the production is better.
"SONIC FIRESTORM" is faster & faster is generally better, definitely more original too. There isn't anything out
there like it.
IS THERE A NEW ALBUM IN THE WORKS?
Yes, we are working on it, but I can't talk about it right now.
YOU GUYS TOURED WITH W.A.S.P. FOR A LITTLE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ALBUM. HOW DID THAT
TOUR GO?
It was a good tour for us. It was our first really long tour so we gained a lot of experience of being on the road
& developed our live show.
WHO ARE SOME OF THE OTHER BANDS YOU HAVE TOURED WITH IN THE PAST? WHERE ARE
SOME OF THE PLACES YOU HAVE TOURED?
We've toured Japan opening for HELLOWEEN, which was great & played Thailand headlining. We've toured UK
& Europe extensively as supporting acts & headlining act.
ANY INTERESTING OR STRANGE ROAD/LIVE/TOUR/ STORIES YOU COULD SHARE?
Not really, but if the owner of the Kebab Shop near where we played in Hamburg is reading this, then I'd like to
remind him, "It ain't hot sauce if it ain't hot buddy..." He'll know what I mean ;)
IF YOU COULD TOUR WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE & WHY?
IRON MAIDEN & we are actually opening for them on their European tour this summer.
DO YOU THINK HAVING MULTI CULTURAL
BAND MEMBERS, HELPS YOU STAND
OUT FROM OTHER BANDS PLAYING A
SIMILAR STYLE AS YOU?
What makes us stand out is our dedication to
playing the fastest & catchiest Metal around.
ARE YOU INTO ANY OTHER STYLES OF
MUSIC BESIDES WHAT YOU PLAY? WHO
ARE SOME OF THE BANDS YOUR
CURRENTLY INTO?
I listen to all sorts of music. At the moment I'm
listening to PRIMUS, HELLOWEEN, IRON
MAIDEN, QUEENSRYCHE & the best of
BRUCE DICKENSON. Also VANESSA
CARLTON & WITHIN TEMPTATION.
WHAT DO THE MEMBERS OF DRAGONFORCE DO WHEN NOT DOING ANY WORK FOR THE
BAND?
We live, eat, shit & breathe DRAGONFORCE.
WHAT IS ONE THING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOU?
I had a kidney transplant 2 years ago & the donor was a member of THE BEATLES, but due to legal reasons I
can't disclose which member of the fab four.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT NEXT FROM DRAGONFORCE?
A new, ground breaking album & a summer tour opening for IRON MAIDEN.
THE END IS HERE. THANX A LOT FOR DOING THE INTERVIEW. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD
ANYTHING ELSE TO CLOSE OUT?
Thanks for taking the time to make such interesting questions.
BAND?
We live, eat, shit & breathe DRAGONFORCE.
WHAT IS ONE THING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOU?
I had a kidney transplant 2 years ago & the donor was a member of THE BEATLES, but due to legal reasons I
can't disclose which member of the fab four.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT NEXT FROM DRAGONFORCE?
A new, ground breaking album & a summer tour opening for IRON MAIDEN.
THE END IS HERE. THANX A LOT FOR DOING THE INTERVIEW. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD
ANYTHING ELSE TO CLOSE OUT?
Thanks for taking the time to make such interesting questions.
