interview with Phobous

Have any of you played in other bands? No. Phobous is my first musical project, though an old friend has recruited me as a keyboardist and backing vocalist for his new project. We'll see where that leads.
How is it that you started playing music? I started listening to a lot of melodic, keyboard-filled metal when I was 17 and decided that was the kind of music I wanted to compose. Even before I took an interest in composing metal, I had a thing for video soundtracks (and still do).
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you? I am Donald Schieck (pronounced SHEEK), the sole performer and composer for the band. I was born November 15 of 1982.
Have you had other previous members? No. Phobous has always been functional as a one-person act of only myself. I'd be open to guest musicians, like female vocalists however, and a session lineup just for live shows is also a possibility.
Did you make music even when you were young? I did play clarinet in the school band when I was 11-14 years of age, but not too seriously, and not as a songwriter. I was 17 when I took an interest in composing, and 19 when I finally found my style.
Where are you from? I'm from Campbell, a suburb of San Jose, California, in the South San Francisco Bay Area.
What year did the band form? Phobous was originally conceived in the Spring of 2000 as a nameless project. It was given that name the following September, and realized its unique sound in early 2002, as stated above.
What's your style of genre? Melodic death, orchestrated black, symphonic metal, and you could add elements of prog and even folk into the mix.
What inspires you? Well-done pieces of music, great films and books, video games, documentaries and magazine article on real happenings.
How often and where do you rehearse? I rehearse in my bedroom, where I also record. Whoever I have time, as need arises.
How have you developed since you started with the music? I am proud of my compositions, first and foremost. I don't focus so much on random key changes (one of my early faults in songwriting) to develop the song, and only change keys in ways that help without hindering the flow of the piece. I've also learned how to use odd timing signature, and create freeform arrangements that don't follow standard verse-chorus patterns. My next goal is to create moods and feeling, and even make stuff that could qualify as a soundtrack, even if it doesn't get used as such. My playing abilities have increased as well. 
Do you have other interests of work outside the band? Yes, a few. A do have a full-time job outside of the band, and have interest in art and writing. I earned a BS in video game art/design, so I quite familiar with Photoshop (how I do my album artwork) and CGI programs like Maya. I also hope to write an original novella series when time allows.
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? Not at the moment. I would look for a session lineup first, so an agency would actually have something to book in the first place. My feelings are that agencies can do a fine job of getting bands on a live roster, and should be considered.
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? I would gladly welcome a label's interest, but as a one-man act who is not a full-time musician, touring would not be my strong point. As such, I don't know if I could meet the demands of a large label. But if  it's a small label that deals a lot with solo projects, I would certainly welcome that.
What made you decide to make this music? My artistic impulses, and the sheer fact I just enjoy the sound of it.
What are your songs about? That varies. Topics run the gamut amid variety of subjects. Philosophy, psychology, sociopolitical ideas, and even pagan religions are all mixed in, and even then, these are still generalized, vague subjects with much variety. You'd have to get more specific with a song or two in mind for me to delve deeper.
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? As the sole member, all the songs and lyrics are written by me.
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? Music, always. I may have a theme and possible title in mind when I start composing, but the actual words are written after the music, and lyrics are paced around the music.
Do you compose in a certain environment? I conjure up ideas wherever I happen to be. I could be out walking, at work, taking a nap, or even sitting at my computer arranging a music sequence. I don't always need an technology in my hands to compose.
Have you done any covers live? No, not yet.
What language do you sing in? So far, just English. I'd try a foreign language, if I could find a translator for a selected tongue.
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs? As a one-man project, I have yet to play any gigs. That should change with a session line-up. At the moment however, I don't quite yet have a functional practice area for a full band. 
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? I would try to vary it up as much as possible. Every song will have its share of fans, and I wouldn't want to exclude anyone by omitting their favorite tune.
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? Downloads can't be autographed, so even if digital music is more compact than a physical record, physical copies still hold their own.
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? Not sure.
What do you think of my work? Good from what I've seen so far. A lot of it's in Swedish though, which I do not read or speak, so I can't comment on all of it.
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? It will give me some exposure to your readership, and more exposure is always a plus. It's also good practice for me, in answering interview questions.
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? Both.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Bad decisions brought on by tunnel vision (look to the future goals at the expense of the moment). That's been my biggest one. Also being scatterbrained with a lot of ambition in my head, but no idea where to begin fulfilling it.
What advice would you give other bands or artists? Make no compromises, but when you're unsure if where you're going, or if you're even going anywhere, stop and take a deep breath. Maybe the current solution is no solution at all. Maybe you already have the answer and you're just not considering what you know already.
Do you have any new material? I just released a second album.
What are your web sites?
Official page: http://phobous408.wix.com/phobous
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Phobous-429578623782507/?fref=ts
Bancamp page: http://www.phobous-norcal.bandcamp.com/
CDBaby page: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Phobous
How can people reach you? [email protected]  or they could send me a facebook message 
What are your plans for the future? Keep making music, get that aforementioned novel series going, get a session lineup for shows and bring the music alive to those who seek it.
Do you have something to add? Thank you so much for the interview Robex. These are great questions, and I enjoyed them. Take a listen to the music and spread the word.

Kommentera här: