Eden's
Curse
Eden's Curse is a new sensation
in the melodic heavy/power metal scene and contrary to what most bands
want and strive for, which is fortune and fame, this British band is here
to deliver quality music and make friends all over the world! I think this
is the only attitude towards music that can guarantee success and fan-approval!
So, here we present you the band's mastermind and main composer, Paul Logue,
who has offered us a really interesting and in-depth interview!
1. Congratulations on “Eden’s Curse”! It’s
an impressive debut work! Are you happy with how it turned to be now that
some time has passed?
Thank you very much! Yes, extremely happy
with it. In fact it is STILL in my car many months since I received the
master CD and I have never done that with my previous band. Basically as
a fan of Melodic Metal I tried to write an album that I would love to listen
to. I think I succeeded and I am thrilled that many many people love it
to.
2. Give us in brief an Eden’s Curse bio by
pointing out the most important moments and achievements of the band. Please
also present the current line up.
Well, the band was started in January 2006
when I came across a post from Michael Eden (Vocals) on a Musicians message
board saying “Singer who can really sing looking for band”. I contacted
Mike and introduced myself saying I played bass and wrote songs. We hit
off a friendship straight away and within the space of two weeks we had
hooked up Pete Newdeck (Steve Grimmett/The Shock / Paul Dianno) and Thorsten
Koehne (Code Of Perfection/Demon Drive). Ferdy Doernberg (Axel Rudi Pell/Rough
Silk) joined later in June 2006. We then managed to secure the services
of top producer Dennis Ward, also bassist with Pink Cream 69. Also Carsten
Schulz (Evidence One), David Readman (Pink Cream 69) and Doogie White (Cornerstone/Malmsteen/Rainbow)
all signed up to help out on backing vocals and Carsten co-wrote some songs.
Those were pivotal moments. The biggest achievement was I guess signing
to AFM Records (Europe), Spiritual Beast (Japan), Dynamo Records (Brazil)
and also Metal Mayhem Music (USA) for a worldwide release. Not to forget
renowned artist Thomas Ewerhard doing our artwork!
3. What do you expect to achieve with your
debut and which are your goals as a band in general?
I’ve always said success for me personally
would be to be asked to record a second album. Anything else is a bonus!
Sales and reviews have been excellent so far, so it looks like we are beyond
our expectations. We know what to get on the road and soon!
4. What’s the highlight of “Eden’s Curse” and
what part or element do you think needs further improvement?
I think we have four talented musicians rocking
from the heart the way that they used to in the old days, and in Michael
Eden and Thorsten Koehne we have two relatively undiscovered gems who deserve
lots of success in their respective fields. A band can always improve in
all areas and we will continue to strive towards good quality melodic songs
that carry a message.
5. If you were asked to write a review for
“Eden’s Curse”, what would you say trying to be as objective as possible?
Well, it’s very hard for me to answer this,
because it’s like reviewing my own kids. I love it all otherwise I wouldn’t
give it my stamp of approval and let other people hear the music. However,
to indulge you, I guess I would say something along the lines of … As strong
as a debut record in the Melodic Rock / Metal field you will hear for many
a year encompassing all the best elements of European Metal and American
hard rock the way it used to be played. Great vocalist, killer guitarist
and songs that will stay in your head for many months on end – wrapped
in a crystal clear production by Dennis Ward and the most sensational presentation
by Thomas Ewerhard. Buy or die!!!
6. Give us reasons why the metal heads should
check you out. What do you think you have to offer to the scene?
Well, for one we kick ass and secondly because
we give a shit! I stand back and watch so many bands churn out mediocre
records with shitful artwork and a sound that resembles something gone
wrong at the pressing plant, and they don’t make themselves available to
the fans. Listen up kids, here’s a free lesson … ignore what the jack ass
sitting in a desk in a garage says and flip the bird to the non-believers
who spout crap like “Album covers don’t sell records” or “He’s a good producer
but too expensive. This guy is JUST as good”. We are a band who will never
sacrifice quality just to save a suit a quick buck. We will do it The Curse
way and that means hard rocking songs written from the heart, top sound,
top presentation, top website with regular updates and we will always be
there to answer emails and enquiries. We care that you care about our product,
now let’s rock!
7. What kind of procedure do you follow whilst
composing the songs? Is it a one man job or do you all have a say on the
end result?
If I don’t get my way I throw things and hope
I cause damage. No seriously, I put together the sketch pencil drawing
and the master craftsmen that are Leonardo Da Newdeck, Vincent Van Eden
and Michaelangelo Doernberg put the finishing touches to the work of art
that is the songs.
8. You are a melodic hard rock band and yet
there are quite many heavy and intense moments “colliding” with the melodic
lines. It’s amazing the ability and easiness with which you shift from
one sound to the other. How do you manage to balance those controversial
elements and yet create a homogeneous and catchy result?
Good question! My honest anwer is I don’t
know ha ha! I just do what I do when it comes to the writing and I try
to make each bit have a hook. All of the songs were written instrumentally
first then all the melodies and lyrics secondly, so for me as the writer
I have to hear a hook first in the music and that inspires the melodies
that are eventually married to each section. I guess it really comes from
the fact that I have many influences, all in the Rock / Metal field as
a song writer and sometimes you hear bits of these come to the fore. For
example, "Fly Away" to me is far and away the heaviest song on the record,
yet it has a very AOR chorus. That was very intentional! I was listening
to a lot of Edguy and loved how they can have these heavy songs with such
catchy choruses. I tried to do this and loved the end results. I was even
told by a previous singer of mine that it didn’t work. My reply was “Isn’t
it time to get the Santa suit out of your cupboard?”.
9. You have the keyboard master Ferdy Doenberg
(Rough Silk) in your ranks. How has his experience helped you whilst writing
the songs?
As I mentioned above, Ferdy joined very late
in proceedings in June 2006 when we ran into some issues with a session
guy we were using on keyboards. So the songs were already written and the
album recordings were almost complete, minus his parts, so in truth he
played virtually no part. I don’t mean that to sound as if I am belittling
Ferdy as his talents can be heard all over this record and I loved what
he wrote for the two intro pieces. You will definitely hear more of him
on the second record and we have already begun co-writing a few songs.
His experience during things like photo shots was excellent and I am sure
he’ll be a wealth of knowledge on the road too.
10. Who are those musicians and which are those
bands that made you realize this is the kind of music you are destined
to play?
Queensryche, Pink Cream 69 and George Lynch
(Dokken / Lynch Mob).
11. Which are your sources of inspiration?
Which are those topics or situations that “force” you into putting them
down on paper? Tell us a few things about the lyrics.
My sources are usually always personal experiences.
Things that really move me cause me to put pen to paper, kind of like excercising
a ghost. “Judgement Day” for example was a very bad experience for me and
one that caused me a lot of upset, but I took what happened on the chin
and boy I am the one laughing now! Briefly, some other topics covered are
a little history with the story of King Robert The Bruce of Scotland on
“The Bruce / Fallen King” and paying homage to the memory of Michael’s
parents, who both sadly passed away, in “The Voice Inside”.
12. Who created the cover artwork? It’s really
beautiful and I think sets you in the right mood for what’s in store…
The wonderful Thomas Ewerhard. I love his
work with Edguy, Masterplan, Asia and many other great bands and we approach
him very early on. Mike and I developed the concept with an artist from
Brazil, Marcos Aurelio, who is also a great friend of ours. We wanted to
capture the visual descriptive of the band name and cover the whole idea
behind the origins of sin and how it started in the Garden of Eden and
put a curse upon the whole of mankind. Thomas captured it in a slighter
dark vibe and I think it’s perfect. Eve is beautiful too and “NO” we haven’t
met her and “NO” we don’t even know who she is. We have been asked that
MANY times ha ha!
13. Have you got any plans for live shows or
for a possible tour? How do you plan to promote your new album?
We have been promoting the album for about
8 weeks non-stop now. We have done so much press that it is scary. Interviews,
emails, live radio chats – you name it we have done it. We are talking
to AFM right now about a tour for early next year. Hopefully we will get
a European tour with some other label mates and some festivals.
14. If you had a huge budget to shoot a video
clip, which song of yours would you choose and how do you imagine it to
be?
I think "Fly Away" and do something with Aeroplans
and stewardesses ;-) Emmm no idea, but nothing too cheesy!
15. What kind of emotions do you think your
music creates to your listeners?
Hopefully there are many moments foot tapping
and head nodding moments with the odd bout of happiness and even sadness
and dare I say it a lump in the throat moment!
16. What thoughts or ideas pass through your
mind whilst playing or listening to your songs?
Right now it’s “what harmony parts should
I sing”?
17. What’s the ideal title to sum up the whole
Eden’s Curse essence?
Results without discussion!
18. How did you come up with this band name?
What did you have in mind when naming the band after this particular expression?
Is there something in particular you want to suggest?
Emm, our singers surname is Eden! We want
to be the new Dokken ;-)
19. Thank you! Leave a message to your fans…
A big thank you to all the cool rockers and
rock girls in Greece who keep Metal alive in the year 2007. We hope to
get a chance to one day thank you guys in person on a stage near you. Until
then, stay cursed …. And when all else fails, just fucking shred!
Christine Parastatidou
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