Interview
(Progressive Newsletter Nr.22 09/98)
excerpts from an interview with Matthew Parmeter (Vocals, Keyboards, Saxophon)
I have always written songs. When I was younger, in high school, I wrote songs that sounded more like folk music. I met Job Bouda then, and asked if he would like to learn some of these songs. Since then, I have been writing songs for the band form. I rely on the band members to bring their own abilities and styles to the playing. Jon Bouda makes even a written melody his own. I am embarrassed when people ask this question, because I feel as if I sound boastful. Yes, I write these songs, for better or worse.
The recently published "Progday '95" sampler contains several songs, which can't be found on either of your studio albums. What happened to these songs and will they ever be released in the future on one of your records?
We continue to perform these songs when there is enough time in a show. Now it is nice to have these other, shorter songs because the new album has such long songs. I don't know whether they will be on future recordings.
Your current album "Unfolded like staircase" became very good reviews and top positions on several polls all over the world. Do you were surprised by this success or in which way were your expectations fulfilled?
We were very surprised. These positive reviews have made more listeners seek out our music. It is strange music, and we are happy that so many have been able to hear it now.
What's the meaning of the title of the album and can you tell me a little bit about the stories behind all the songs?
The title comes from the last song on the CD. It is a disjointed portion of music, and even the English becomes wrong. As a CD title, the image is complete, even though the grammar is not. I don't know why this title. We almost called the CD "Into the Dream." You are better off defining the songs for yourself. But I will try to help:
Canto IV (Limbo): This song takes the point of view of a man in Limbo, from the fourth Canto of Dante's Inferno. He is doomed to existence in hell because he was born before Jesus Christ died. He could not be saved because he was born at the wrong time.
Crutches: Modern existence stripped and faithless, with no meaning, when any thought which might ease the pain, eyed through a magnifying glass, reveals just another escape from the only thing we know for sure: terrifying, horrible, alone.
Into the Dream: I hope people know the song before they read this. If not, please skip this paragraph. The songs tells a story about a man who wakes night after night from a terrible dream in which a madman shoots people in a park. The dreamer wakes in terror, and knows that he is the creator of this evil story; he created the madman in the dream. The dreamer decides to wake himself inside the dream, and confront this monstrous part of himself. When he encounters the monster, as the madman is called, he finds that the monster is not a creation of his subconscious, but a god. The dreamer becomes not the creator, but the created. The god is indifferent to the dreamer's presence, as befits a god, until the dreamer becomes enraged. As the dreamer rediscovers his own rage, lust, rapacity, he becomes one again with the god. In this story, there is a divine nature in the emotions we seek to deny. We mortals cannot choose our natures; only our conduct. Denying our natures (good and bad), can destroy us.
Before the Storm: Sex has a power that lets us glimpse a through the curtain into heaven, and ease the pain we know. The act is a celebration of living, and the cause of each birth and death.
If I take a look at live pictures of the band, with make-up and all the costumes you seem to be the dominant person. How important is the theatric side of your music and where do you see the difference between your records and your live appearances?
Live appearances are always more important than recorded ones. We make plenty of mistakes during every show, and it makes everyone a little nervous. That in turn makes the whole show much more intense. Since I've started playing keyboards full time, I've cut out the costume changes.
Back in '94 you toured together with Anekdoten in the U.S. and Canada. Who arranged the tour, why did you especially choose Anekdoten and all in all how did the tour went?
The shows went well. We arranged the shows after hearing Anekdoten's music from Syn-Phonic in California. Syn-Phonic was putting together ProgFest, and a friend of ours organized the tour with Anekdoten and Discipline. We played two shows in Michigan, a show in Quebec, Canada, and Baltimore, Maryland. It was great to play with Anekdoten. They are one of the best bands around right now, and they really make the Mellotron work.
Kristian Selm © Progressive Newsletter 1998