Interview
(Progressive Newsletter Nr.23 12/98)
excerpts from an interview with Chris Rodler (Guitar, Keyboards)
Well, RH Factor was officially active as a complete band, doing live concerts and writing material, in the early 90's. Myself and Brett decided that we'd like to expand the musical scope of our projects so we formed Leger de Main to explore a more complex form of music. However, RH Factor had already written and recorded some music and people seemed to really enjoy it so it has always been my intention to release it but I had never had enough time until now. When I did decide to finish working on the CD, I wanted to re-record a lot of the parts to bring the quality up to the best standards that I was capable of. We also remixed and remastered it completely and I am pretty happy with the results.
Most of the songs were also available on the tape „Strange Expression“. Did you re-arrange the songs or were they just recorded the way they were originally composed?
"Strange Expression" was released in 1992 and only in a pressing of 200 cassettes. Not very many people had a chance to hear RH Factor. When I decided to put it out on CD, I went back and used most of the basic tracks that we had recorded earlier and just added to what was already there. We did re-record the keyboards and vocals and some guitar stuff for this release. The arrangements are the same as they were on the cassette though.
Even though you abandoned playing live in ’94, is RH Factor intended to stay just a studio project or are there plans to play live, maybe on one of the progressive festivals throughout the U.S., where you should find the right audience for your music?
To be honest, I would love to become involved in playing concerts but the other members of RH Factor are not interested in such an arrangement. I am working with a few bands that will definitely be performing soon. One is called Andromeda and is a prog metal band similar to Fates Warning. I am the keyboard player in that band. We will be doing live shows whenever possible.
Comparing Leger De Main and RH Factor musically and from its personal importance for you, which are the differences between these two bands, because on both bands you and your brother are writing the music?
I really like a lot of progressive rock styles. I try to collaborate on any project that I find to be interesting. Both RH factor and Leger de Main fulfill certain facets of my musical appetite. However, neither of those bands completely encompasses all of my compositional interests. Another way to look at it is that when you're in a band you have to compromise certain aspects of the music so that all of the members are happy with the end result. For me to use all of my ideas I have found it necessary to be involved with a lot of projects. I very much enjoy going from project to project. It keeps things fresh.
Besides RH Factor and Leger De Main you are also promoting local progressive bands and running your own label. Are you satisfied with what you have achieved so far?
I started doing Progressive Music Management about five years ago and in that time I have worked with about five bands on promotion and distribution. This all started out because I just love prog rock but it gets very little mainsteam notice these days. Anyways I would say I am very happy with what I have accomplished so far. The first Leger de Main CD has sold about 1,500 copies, the second Leger de Main CD has sold about 1,000 so far and the RH Factor has sold well since its release and was just released in Japan on Marquee Inc. with bonus tracks,...so yes, I think I'm doing alright for a one person operation. I will just keep pushing and releasing CDs.
Are there also other projects planned for the futre, maybe musically in even other directions?
Well, currently I am working on five progressive related projects. The music is a bit different depending on the band but everything I try to get myself involved with is usually progressive rock of some sort. Here's a description of some of them: Right now Leger de Main and RH Factor are taking a break. I am concentrating my efforts on four new projects. The first is Klang which is instrumental prog fusion that is just complex beyond belief. It is the most complex, most technically demanding music I have composed thus far. It will not be for everyone though,...probably if you like King Crimson, Fire Merchants, Fates Warning, Dream Theater, Zappa, Mike Keneally etc, you will probably enjoy this stuff. The second project is called Andromeda and is prog metal in nature. These guys have been playing locally for several years and I started recording their CD earlier this year and after working so closely with them and being genuinely impressed by their material, I offered to play keyboards for them. So that is my main job right now,...to write and record keyboards for their music. The good news about this is that we'll be playing live. This is exciting for me as I havent played proggy music live in 5 years or so. They are very tight and sound like a mix of early Queensryche, Fates Warning and Dream Theater mixed with Rush and some other assorted metal influences. The third Project is Anakin Tumnus and will feature a lot of compositions with grand piano as the centerpiece. Picture Rick Wakeman and Tori Amos jamming with King Crimson, Yes, Rush and Fates Warning for a musical description. The album is over halfway finished but one more 20+ minute song is in the works to complete the composition part of the CD so it will take a while to flesh this track out. Perhaps the most diverse sounding CD I have been involved with yet and certainly very progressive sounding from start to finish. The last project I am involving myself with is the production of the Cleveland based band Quest. Their sound is similar to that of 80's Rush and Yes and is very melodic and pleasant. The lyrics are usually uplifting and the musicianship is top notch for the genre. Their debut CD "Opposite Sides of the Picket Fence" was well recieved by most but some critics felt they were a bit too commercial sounding. Well,... I agree so I am trying to release the more progressive sounding songs that didn't make it on the first CD. Live, this band was a powerhouse and often dwarfed their studio sound many times over. So what I am proposing is that I remix a live recording of the band and add studio treatments to round out the sound. I'd like to re-record the lead vocal tracks and keyboard tracks and add some sweetening. Songs like "Man with a Mission" and "Wavelength" deserve to be heard as they are great songs that are far superior to the songs on their first CD I feel. All of these projects are very much underway and most are more than halfway done so 1999 looks like a great year for Progressive Music Management and its bands. Look for the Quest and Andromeda CDs to surface first and the others later. You can always look to our web pages for new info and updates.
Kristian Selm © Progressive Newsletter 1998