Could you tell us about your band ?Koen:
Well, Ex Libris in it’s current form came to be around 2004. So we’ve been going at it for at least eight years now! We’re a progressive metal band with classical influences, we like both bombast and technicality. Heavy guitars, lots of leads and solo’s combined with moody and atmospheric pieces. Over the years we’ve changed a bit of course, but the core is still big, technical heavy metal with classical overtones. Dramatic stuff, but never cheap. It helps that we have a classically trained singer in Dianne, of course ;)
So we can hope for your new release next year ?
Koen:
Yes! That’s very much the plan. Most of the material has been written and we’re very busy finetuning and rehearsing the new songs. Plans for recording have been put in motion for the first half of 2013. The album will be based on the Greek tragedy Medea. It’s about a mother who kills her sons to get revenge on her former husband. A great story, and a big challenge to pull off!
Do you have any plans to go on tour with your second album?
Eelco:
We have no plans for a tour at the moment, but we try to plan as much shows as possible when the new album is out. There is a lot of contact with bookers and venues.
Do you wish to be an headliner for your next tour, or play with another band from your country? As you have a lot of good bands, which way should be better for you ?
Eelco:
I think it’s too early to think about a headline tour. Exactly because we have a lot of good and well-known metal and female fronted bands in The Netherlands, it could be really good for us to tour with one of those bands.
So Dianne, do you have two careers, classical and metal?
Dianne:
No. I understand your question and it is indeed true that I sing classical recitals/opera/art songs/etc as well as metal concerts and have studied both genres. But I do not think of my work as being two different carriers. I always portray myself as one singer active in three different musical art forms: Classical music – Metal – Teaching. When visiting my website people can chose in which art form they would like to get to know me: Soprano – Front Woman – Vocal Coach. But it is me, my personality, my ideas and taste in every form I perform.
Do you have a label for your next album?
Paul:
Not yet! Right now we are busy writing and recording the album. We’d like to join a label instead of releasing the next album ourselves, like we did with “Amygdala” in 2008. In the last years we played many gigs and we’ve grown as a band. Lets hope some labels conclude the same. We do have a nice surprise on the next album which could attract the attention of some labels ;) So stay tuned!
There are many famous female-fronted bands in your country, is that a good thing for you or not ?
Dianne:
Of course it’s both. Famous bands in the same genre have already generated an audience who might also be interested in our music. There are opportunities to perform with them, being a support act and there is great knowledge that can be shared.
Having so many famous bands in the female genre already, may make it difficult to find our own spot on the music market. But I think that when your distinctive enough, focusing on your own unique product and show, is does not matter how many other bands already fill the genre.
With Ex Libris we realize this by composing our songs not only influenced by symphonic metal but also by progressive styles. It’s a unique combination that is well received by the audience. The songs contain power and energy with
a twist as well as beautiful vocal lines that are enhanced by the symphonic orchestrations. Next to that we set ourselves apart by the way we chose to perform: an Ex Libris show is 100% real live music! We do not use backing vocals or any other backing tracks, what you hear as an audience is what is really being created on stage. We all believe that this is the most pure way to present our music to our fans, a way to keep live music alive.
When someone is listening to your album "Amygdala", one can't say "it sounds like this or that band". So how do you write your songs?
Paul:
First of all, that’s a big complement! We try to write songs which are both challenging for us as musicians as well as for the audience. We don’t choose the easy way and there’s lots of stuff going on during the songs. I think the main reason for this is we all have very different backgrounds and we like to blend in different styles as well.
The writing usually starts with some small ideas or little riffs, which are then being completed and arranged as a group. As time passes by the songs can change every week. This can take quite some time before we agree on a song being finished.
The melodies and lyrics normally come last but on “Medea” we wrote a song the other way around. In both cases we write it down completely for all instruments. This also makes a perfect checklist for the recordings etc.
You play very technical music, which is not very commercial. How do you find your audience ?
Eelco:
Well, I think we are always looking for a good balance between showing our technical abilities and writing really good songs that can also be catchy. Maybe our music is a bit less easy to listen to than the music of other female fronted bands, but we also really feel that the audience has matured. There are many fans of the female fronted genre who also listen to louder and more technical bands. We are combining those elements because we like both of them, but we really feel that there is a good audience for this combination!
Do you believe that you can also reach a classical audience ?
Dianne:
I do yes, of course not all of them but I believe that within the classical music audience there will be a group of people that can also relate to the music Ex Libris composes. Maybe not those who are fond of renessaince, barok or music from the classic age, but those who listen to music from the romantic age, impressionism or modern classical music can find that there is a great overlap.
You played at the HOS V in Lyon this year, how were you feeling on that stage ?
Paul:
Honored! It was an absolute privilege to be out there, playing for such a great crowd. The people were really into it, and the other bands were amazing and very cool to hang around with. We expected as much from a bunch of metalheads, but still, it was a very warm welcome. We hope to come back to France soon!
Do you hope to sing at the MFVM 2013 in Belgium ?
Dianne:
Well who doesn’t? As a singer in a female fronted band it is very clear that the MFVM festival is the Mecca of every fan and follower interested in the genre and a great place to gather more audience. As a member of Eve’s Apple ( a worldwide community of professional female singers, designed to be a platform that informs about women's work in the world of music, supports new female fronted bands, and offers advice for navigating the music business world – www.facebook.com/Evesapple -) you can expect me to be there and performing on the MFVF stage with my dear sisters on Eve’s Apple Friday!
Now, you just have a new drummer, can he introduce himself ?
Eelco
: Sure! My name is Eelco van der Meer, I’m 29 years old. I have been playing with many different Dutch bands for the last 12 years, in a lot of styles ranging from pop to extreme metal. Some of you may know me from touring with Cirrha Niva in 2011 and Stream Of Passion in 2012, or perhaps from my other band Ethereal, which is releasing their debut album in 2013.
How did you know Ex Libris, and do you believe it shall be a good opportunity for your musical career to play with them for a long time ?
Eelco:
I knew the band for a couple of years, but never really dug into their music. When Dianne asked me if I would be interested in joining Ex Libris, I started listening more closely and was really surprised by the depth of the music. I became really enthusiastic when I started studying a few songs for my audition – the drums parts are a real challenge and really fun to play. Then when we had a few really good talks about how Ex Libris wants to develop itself, I found that their ambitions really match mine. So yeah, I believe joining the band is a great opportunity! I am really looking forward to start realising our plans and grow as a group.
What are you expecting of Ex Libris?
Eelco:
First of all, I expect to have a great time with these guys and girl and to make some really awesome music. This is always the most important thing. If you look at the shows we have planned before we start recording our second album, these are all international shows at great festivals, together with some really good acts. So therefore, my expectation is that Ex Libris can become a quality act in the European female fronted scene, a band that really offers a unique combination of musical and stylistic elements!
Could you tell us your favorite albums (top 5) ?
Dianne:
This is a very difficult question for me, my taste of music completely depends on the mood I’m in. But I will tell you that artists that really inspire me are
Devin Townsend,
Skin (from Skunk Anansie),
Floor Jansen,
Anthony and the Johnsons
Nightwish (early cd’s)
Eelco:
1. Porcupine Tree – Fear Of A Blank Planet
2. Dream Theater – Scenes From A Memory
3. Opeth – Watershed
4. Lamb Of God – Ashes Of The Awake
5. Autumn – Altitude.
Paul:
1. Symphony X - The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
2. Seventh Wonder - Mercy Falls
3. Gamma Ray - Somewhere Out In Space
4. Pathfinder - Beyond The Space, Beyond The Time
5. Dream Theater - Images & Words
Koen:
1. Iron Maiden – Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
2. Opeth – Blackwater Park
3. Emperor – Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk
And the rest shifts perpetually…
Paul:
1. Symphony X – V: The mythollogy suite
2. Nevermore – Dead heart in a dead world
3. Pain of salvation – Remedy lane
4. Vanden Plas – The god thing
5. Ark – Burn the sun
17/ If I could be a magician (haha) and realise your wish, (for the band) what could it be?
Dianne: Oeh.. then I would like to have a low alto voice for one day!
Eelco: Please invent an unbreakable drumstick for me!
Peter: A bass with 99999999 strings!
Koen: Please give me boobies for one day!
Paul: Please create a portal to teleport directly to any stage (or backstage area ;)!
Thanks a lot to
Dianne van Giersbergen, Vocals
Paul van den Broek, Guitars
Koen Stam, Keys
Peter den Bakker, Bass
Eelco van der Meer, Drums
www.ExLibrisMusic.com www.facebook.com/ExLibrisMusic
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Interview done by xavier74
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