PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Thank you to Morgan Rider from Bolero for taking the time to fill in this email interview for Planetmosh.
Q. What does Bolero stand for?
We took the name Bolero from Maurice Ravel’s ‘Bolero’. For us, the name represents direction, change, flow and most importantly diversity in our music.
Q. How would you describe the band?
Bolero is an epic metal band at heart with a longing to play every other genre of metal whilst ferociously drinking beer.
Q. You guys formed back in 2005 how did it all come about?
I (Morgan) began the band solely as a black metal side project; as a sort of outlet for myself at the time. Over time I managed to gather a lineup of musicians (who have since changed into what is now our permanent lineup) and the project quickly took on as a main priority for myself and my band mates
Q. What has changed since you first started out?
Everything! The sound has been constantly shifting and adapting to our ever changing influences and experiences on our instruments and tastes. Our line up has also significantly changed several times over the years to adapt to the current recording and touring needs. Most of all, the music has been constantly maturing and becoming more and more something we can be proud of as musicians.
Q. What are your musical influences?
Everything from Planxty to Arcturus to flamenco music to Gorguts and everything in between. We are all all-around music fans.
Q. What equipment do you use? – Any endorsements?
Tim, Casey and myself are all currently rocking Ibanez guitars and basses and loving the fuck out of them. As for amps, they are a horrific jumble of equipment hoisted together in a fashion that seems to satisfy our ears. Alex uses Korg synths and Rob is currently smashing Pearl drums and Sabian cymbals.
Q. How do you feel now looking back at how far you have come since you first started out?
Hungry for more.
Q. If you could go back and change anything about it, what would it be?
I would not change a thing. I am so glad for what we have accomplished in this short amount of time and I have no regrets for any mistakes we may have made.
Q. Where do you see yourself/band in 5 years time?
I see ourselves hopefully composing more music and working on the next album and even potentially playing another show!
Q. Apart for the November Canadian dates, is there anymore tour dates planned?
Yes, they are being booked as we speak and will be announced in near future.
Q. Do you have a particular favourite gig that you have done?
Every new gig we play is a new favourite, but one that sticks out from the rest would definitely be our CD release party for VOYAGE FROM VINLAND. That was one killer party.
Q. What kind of responses do you usually get from the crowd at your gigs?
Drunken, belligerent and wild is what we’ve grown accustomed to. Our fans are the fucking best.
Q. Any particular gig story or memorable experience you would like to share?
One time, our keyboard player took a shower. True story.
Q. Can you give us a quick track by track overview of the album ‘Voyage from Vinland’
01 Voyage From Vinland
The intro bit I composed for live use when I was in college. It quickly became apparent that we should use it as the intro for the album also!
02 Send Of The War Summons
This is one of our many ‘opening’ tunes we use live because it is as heavy hitting as it is bombastic and quick. All around fun tune to play and perform.
03 When The Legends Die
We have been playing this one for years and we still love the hell out of it. We’ve just recently released this one as a free download also!
04 Risen Victorious
This particular song is one of the first 3 we ever got down with our original line up. It’s been changed and hacked and hewn so much into what it is. All around a fun song to sing live.
05 Our Land, Our Seas, Our Skies
I wrote this one sitting out on my deck with an acoustic guitar one summer. As it quickly became apparent that our debut album was going to be a musical and lyrical storybook, the need for a couple interludes felt necessary at the time, thus you have the first one ‘our land, our seas, our skies.’
06 Pints Held High
This song sort of represents this chapter of the band as our ‘staple’ song. We just recently released a music video for this song and I’m sure none of us remember a second of it.
07 O’Hail To The Northlander
I first wrote this song while humming to myself while taking the bus one day a few years back. I remember writing the rest of the song and putting it together on my laptop while we were all crammed in a Sunfire on a several hour trip through the freezing rain with the windows wide open because our drummer at the time’s defrost vents didn’t fucking work. Good times.
08 Throne Of Storms
The first original song we ever wrote for this band I believe. Again, it has been hacked to pieces many a time and is still holding its weight in a live setting and in our rehearsal space.
09 A Silence Prolonging
Another ‘summer deck’ song I wrote. I played every instrument on this song except for the cymbal washes (thanks Rob!!).
10 Way To Forgotten Lands
Just another instrumental I put together while playing on Alex’s keyboard a while ago.
11 Sworn Under The Winter’s Majesty
The outro song and outro for VFV. We love shredding through this song while practicing as well as live. We usually save this one for last for obvious reasons.
Q. Do you have a particular writing process for songs or is it different for each song that you come up with?
I myself have a particular writing process that usually begins with a melody or a riff or a lyrical concept. I slowly build on each idea until it either crumbles and burn or blossoms into a song I am happy with. As a band, we will start out with several riffs and everyone will take them home after jamming on them to mull over and it will basically build from there.
Q. What/who were the main influences for it?
What influenced this album was the general interest in the Vikings first arrival and ultimate departure from this part of the earth and the stories that may have shaped their coming and going.
Q. What is your favourite song from the album and why?
In a live setting, definitely Pints Held High. As I said, this song has sort of become one to define us in a live setting and as a band.
Q. What plans do you have for 2012?
More shows, more merch, more music! Maybe another album!
Q. Are there any messages that you would like to pass on to the readers?
BUY VOYAGE FROM VINLAND! http://bolerometal.bandcamp.com
Band links
https://www.facebook.com/BoleroMetal
http://www.myspace.com/bolerometal
Link to the free single “When The Legends Die” download & album streamimg.
http://www.planetmosh.com/bolero-stream-new-album-and-free-single-download/
Video Links
Pints Held High music video –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlaCcVvVfVY
