Jag hade möjligheten att träffa sångerskan Nicol Hofman och gitarristen Gregory Trubchanin från bandet Stellvris. Här är intervjun – min allra första någonsin! De var otroligt trevliga och det var verkligen roligt att de tog sig tid att göra den tillsammans med mig för Rockbloggen.
Marie: Hallo and welcome to Sätila. How does it feel do be here. I understand this is the first time you will play here in Sweden?
Nicol: Yeah, this is the first time for us to be in Sweden and it’s amazing. For us Metalheads, to be here in Scandinavia there you have so many great bands. When we got an offer to play here it was absolutely crazy. We are super happy about it and it’s amazing so far. We love it here.
Marie: What are your expectations from the swedish Metal crowd?
Nicol: The expectations from the crowd, well actually I have no idea. But we will see after the show. According to the line-up I think that there will be like the real, real Metalheads. I like this community so I think it will be fine.
Marie: NoExcuse festival has the focus on Female Fronted bands/All girl bands. What do you think about that?
Nicol: Yeah, so it was a bonus when I realised that this festival, it’s like full female fronted. And it’s so refreshing, because sometimes we are playing festivals where I am sometimes the only girl or maybe just only me among another band. This feels really nice and really cool. I feel that this is something that can encourage girls and women just to, you know be in a band and do what we love.
Marie: How did you get in to this. I mean to be a singer in a Metal band?
Nicol: When I was little I always wanted to be a singer. I wanted to be a vocalist, but I didn’t know that I’m going to be in a Metal band. My dad is a Metalhead and my mum is into Pop music. She tried to influence me to go for the Pop, but it didn’t work out, so my dad actually won this thing. Yes so basically, I wanted to be a singer, but when I was at primary school everybody was like: Yeah, you’re clever you should go to, you know like a normal college and you shouldn’t be like doing this you know for a living. It’s so difficult. So I went just along with it and studying law and I graduated from law school, but then I went back to do what I love. Still I’m working as a lawyer. But I’m doing this now. I really hope that we will make it and that I’m going to do this for a living.
Marie: What do you think is the difference between the Metal scene here in sweden comparing to the Metal scene in your home country, Czech Republic?
Nicol: Well I think, this is the question I can answer after the show, because I have no idea like how it is right now. Because, I just like went through here you know and just this festival and saw a couple of people. I have no idea how it feels to be on stage in front of a Swedish crowd. This is the first time here, but what I know is that you have better approach to supporting your bands and supporting artists. It’s something that we don’t have in Czech Republic. It’s way more difficult to make it here, especially in Metal music. I’m not talking about the people. It’s more difficult if you are talking about the government and all this. They’re not supporting the bands. I know that in Sweden, it’s way, way, different and better.
Marie: How did you learn to do this singing with growling technic. And is it very difficult to change from your clean voice and to the growling voice?
Nicol: Yeah, when I started I did it because of Arch Enemy and Alissa White-Gluz. I was listening to her and I was so in to it and thought, my God this is something I was missing. I thought like, yeah well I have to learn it so I found a teacher and he told me how to growl and scream. It was super difficult just to learn how to to do that. And then how to know how to both use the clean and harsh vocals, and how to manage to go slightly and smoothly from growling and screaming and back into clean singing. Yes, it was difficult and it was very hard. But I’m a very patient, you know, human being. I was screaming and singing every single day until I was, okay, this is it. It took me some time to be able to do that. I’m also, you know, I try to take care of my vocals. I don’t smoke and I don’t drink when we are on tour. I try to have enough sleep as I can. Yesterday I was in Sauna and today I have my inhalator with all those herbs and stuff. I try to take them for the throat. I’m not talking that much like before the show and when we are on tour or even after the live show. I’m trying to be just cool and take care of my voice. It’s not so easy, but I love it.
Marie: What is your biggest influence or inspiration when it comes to music and artists.
Nicol: Yeah, Arch Enemy, it all started with them and then I discovered Jinjer. We were lucky enough to play with them in Austria. And when it comes to another female front singers it’s Amy Lee, I really love her soft and nice, clean vocals. And when it comes to male vocalists I would say, I really liked I Prevail when they were having two vocalists. You know, Brian Burkheiser who were singing the clean voice, but now he’s like doing his solo career. But I like him. And for an example, I saw at Resurrection Fest, when we were playing there, Marilyn Manson for the first time. It was so cool. I also like the classic Slipknots singer Corey Taylor, and you know all kind of that stuff. I’m also listening to pop music, because we are trying to make the chorus as catchy as possible. I like when people can sing along with me, so that’s why I’m listening to pop music. I really like Pink and what I like the most about here is that, she’s rebellious and super cool. I do like her attitude and the way she is singing and what she is writing about. You know, I like her lyrics very much.
Marie: What happens next. What are you doing after this show and can we expect some new releases from you soon.?
Nicol: Yeah, so tomorrow we are going back home and we are playing some small festivals in czech republic. And yes, we released ” Contra El Silencio”, which is partly in spanish and partly in english. We did it because we were playing at Resurrection Fest in Spain and I think if things are going well next week we should release an official music video for this track that was shot at Resurrection Fest. And so we will continue releasing new songs and we already recorded all three songs. Now there are four songs in progress and we booked a studio. So yeah, you can can look forward to a lot of new music.
Marie: Thank so much that you took the time to talk with me.
Därefter fortsätter intervjun med gitarristen Gregory Trubchanin.
Marie: I just heard you end up with Stellvris like one year ago. How did you get in the band?
Gregory: Yeah, you know I known these guys for a quite long time. To be honest, they wanted me in the band for three years ago. But then I was a stupid man, yes I was an idiot not to accept this invitation. In that time I had some of my own side project and stuff. Then after those three years I pick up the phone and like: Hey guys, do you still need a guitarist and they said yes. And yeah, so we known each other for a long time now and I was like: Hmm, things happen and better late then ever. And I think during the time that I talked with the band, I’ve gained so much experience that I needed. I just think now it was the right time to be in the band.
Marie: It’s your first time in sweden. What is your expectations when it comes to the swedish fans and crowd?
Gregory: Well, my expectations. Yes I have heard so much about Sweden and it was my dream to visit and it come true finally. I know Sweden is known for being a Metal country, so I think the crowd is going to be extraordinary. Everyone is super nice to us, like super warm and very welcoming. We are really happy to be here. I have only the best expectations from today’s festival and from sweden. Like, this is only the second day here and I’m already in love in sweden. It’s an awesome country with beautiful people, very nice people too. And it’s also a nice and beautiful country. I love it so much and it’s very tasty and attractive as well.
Marie: What do you think is the difference between the Metal scene here in Sweden comparing to the Metal scene in your home country, czech republic?
Gregory: So I have heard the Metal communities in sweden is very friendly, like you are more helping each other. In Czech Republic in some times, it’s otherwise. Here people are more competitive. Everyone thinks he is the best. Of course there is many people who are helping each other. But mostly, It’s a very, I would say aggressive space. Everyone tries to be the best, competing between each other and trying to pull some other guys down. It has also happen to us and we also have som haters in Czech Republic. So yes, comparing to Sweden I think, it’s more aggressive. Here everyone is super friendly. So far, what I have seen, you are more like a family here then in Czech Republic.
Marie: NoExcuse festival has the focus on Female Fronted bands/All girl bands. What do you think about that?
Gregory: I’m so happy to be part of this festival, because I think we need more feminism in the world. Because it’s so screwed up male world and with we need more women power and also more beauty stuff. I think it’s a very important festival and we should support all this kind of festivals all over the world. I think it’s a great idea.
Marie: What is your biggest influence and inspiration when it comes to music and artists.
Gregory: Well, I’ve started with the classic heavy bands, like Ac/Dc and Metallica and stuff like that. Then I went on to another metal bands. I can say one of my biggest inspiration is Jinjer. Maybe you heard about them. Yeah, thing is that the guys are almost from the same city as I come from. They are from Eastern Ukraine and I’m from like 20 km from there. My guitar teacher was like drinking and having fun parties with them, because they know each other so well. I was small at the time so I could not go to their concerts. But Tatiana and Jinjer are great inspiration for me and for the whole band. And that is a funny thing that like we’re almost from the same almost city. We have followed them a lot over the years. Other inspirations are: Well, I love a lot of classic Metal Core bands. I would say bands like Born Of Osiris, Interval and After the Burial. All this kind of like between Metal Core and Progressive Metal Core: Myself, I’m kind of more Progressive Metal Core, but I love to listen to this other bands, but it’s hard to play it. I’d try to stick to more simpler music.
Marie: What comes first for you in the music writing process? Is it the music or is it the lyrics?
Gregory: The process usually goes like this. Nicol says that she needs the music to have some kind of atmosphere: This one should be aggressive or it should be nasty or something else for me I didn’t And then, you know I need some inspirations maybe and I need some songs I can listen to so I get into some mood. But for me music comes first and for Nicol is it the lyrics. I’m more of a musician then a lyricist. I need to be in a kind of mood to compose something. I need to listen to a lot of different music while composing. The most important things for you guys if you want to compose Metal you should have to listen to anything but metal. Try to get inspiration from anywhere.I think what I’m saying that I sometimes I try to look it in from the pop music side. There is a lot of good melody lines and pop music and also in the classic music. Much Metal is built on classic music. I also think you should listen to whatever you want to if you like good music. I think the problem is that people are judging the genres for some reason. But why not be free and if you love music why not listen to whatever you like and support good music artists. That is what I love about music.
Marie: What happens next. What are you doing after this show and can we expect some new releases from you soon?
Gregory: Yeah, when we go home we have been touring a lot right now so now we need to concentrate on writing the new EP. I’m so looking forward to getting back to composing at my home studio. We’re going to be composing a lot and we have to do a lot of content for the social media because today unfortunately it’s very important. We have to work on the staff that no one sees. You know, you have to do a lot of work but nobody sees the work that is all behind it. Now we have to concentrate on getting bigger. We have to do a lot of preparations. I’m looking forward for new shows, but I think it’s going to be more during the next year. This year we’ve been touring a really, really lot and we need to get some sleep at home. We know the hard work continues of course. Yeah, hard work always continues as a musician. You have no time to rest, because you are musician 24/7.
Marie: Thanks for taking the time with me. Good luck now with the show later on this evening.