interview with Ricky De Sire.
Have any of you played in other bands? Yes. The members of my band have also their own careers. They play with me in this band to help me. Actually it carries my artist name. But the other guys all have their own projects.
How is it that you started playing music? I started playing guitar and singing on the street in Utrecht, Holland, in 1982 at the age of 19 years. I wanted to become a rockstar with dutch lyrics. In 1986 I had my first band, Ricky De Sire and de Verboden Vruchten. Then I was 23. At that age I recorded 14 own compositions with my band. When that band broke up, a year later, I went on with writing my songs. Always rock n roll songs with dutch lyrics.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you? Actually, I work with 2 different bands. On my last single "De god van revolutie" (The god of revolution) plays Arie van Vliet bass, Dennis Vedder on drums, Patrick Bossink on keyboard, and Emil van Steenwijk on electric guitar. Very often Niek Hilkmann joins us too, on guitar. But I also make records with the band Ricky & the Koters. That's my other band. That's with Marcel Kruup (guitar) and Maarten Heijblok (bass), and the famous drummer Kees Schaper.
Have you had other previous members? Yes. When we need someone, we ask popmusicians in my city to help with recordings....or even live-gigs.
Did you make music even when you were young? I started when I was 19. Nowadays I'm 54.
Where are you from? I am born in Rotterdam, Holland. I live still there.
What year did the band form? Ricky De Sire started in the eighties.
What's your style of genre? Rock & roll. But - very important to know, only I sing in dutch lyrics.
What inspires you? Life itself inspires me. And love. I'm very romantic person.
How often and where do you reherse? I reherse almost every evening in my house, with vocal training and guitar. And when we have a gig, I just call on everybody and we get together and rehearse the basic setlist. The guys I m working with are busy people. But very professional. We only do rehearsings when there's a gig a coming, or any new songs to record.
How have you developed since you started with the music? When I started, more then 30 years back, I was a very lousy singer. But I was well known for my great dutch lyrics. Then I used my voice in crazy ways. That was good for then. But in 1996 I took singing lessons. So my singing style developped. Also my music changed in all those years. I had many ups and downs. Working with different musicians to play my songs and also for albums I'd chose every time different musicians. When you hear my records ever since my first cd "Psychofoon"(1994) until my latest single "De god van revolutie" (2017), you will agree of course that my music has become the best in my genre. But when I began with my first records I still was searching. Then back in those early years I often didn't create the right atmosphere on my recordings. Although the compositions were always very good, then when I was younger I had problems with recording them. For the last decade I got more smart, and learned how to make a good record. Of course with the right musicians and the right engineer. But still it's a big difference with my early way of working out my songs.
Do you have other interests of work outside the band? I am always busy with my music and songwriting. My songwriting is the base for all my activity with the bands that I work together with. I m not really interested in other kind of work. I never had a normal job. I was always a musician.
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?
"No, I don't. I have no trust in booking agencies. I have my own ways."
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?
"I already released 4 cd albums...and a vinyl single on YCRR Records Rotterdam in 2013."
What made you decide to make this music?
"Because I knew from the start that I had something all the others in my genre didn't have. ..that was the motivation from the first second. It was a feeling inside me, that told me: "you are the chosen one, in the dutch languaged rock & roll". Then I decided to follow my heart and live my dream. And so I became rocksinger and songwriter."
What are your songs about?"
"My songs are all about myself and the world around me. But also about my decadent lifestyle and sometimes dark thoughts. It's all very personal, but with humor and feeling. And drama."
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics?
"I do that. I always do that by myself."
Do you start with the music or the lyrics?
"Usually I have a piece of melody that come bubbling up from deep inside of me. And at that time I think mostly: what words I wanna sing, what s important to tell in this melody"
Do you compose in a certain inviroment?
"I compose at home.."
Have you done any covers live?
"No, I don''t do covers."
What language do you sing in?
"I sing in dutch language."
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?
"I think everyone should think for themselves to go and see my show. A Ricky De Sire concert is always seen by different people. I don't know.."
What ages are most of your concert attendants?
"Young people, grown ups, different ages.."
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary?
"Good question. We play our classics, like "Dubbele Penetratie" and "Markies de Sade", and a dozen other ones, but like last time, few months back, we played of course the new single "De god van revolutie" instead of another one. So we vary, yes.."
Do you have a regular place you play live often?
"No. I dont like regular places to play often. I like an unknown stage. "
What was your first gig like?
"My first gig on stage? That was in early 1986. It was crazy. I did not hear myself then. Bu nevertheless is was legendary."
What was your latest gig?
"Last gig was on 18 february. It was great audience. Dancing all..""
Have you had to cancel a gig?
"I don't do cancel gigs..."
Where have you played live this year?
"In Rotterdam. And Amsterdam too.""
Where do you plan to gig the comming year?
"I m working on that right now. I wanna play in Utrecht. A club called DB's."
When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale?
"I have my albums to sell.""
Where can people buy your merchandise?
"They can buy my albums at concerts. Or order it via my website."
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?
"I don't care about that.""
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this?
"I think that's okay."
What do you think of my work?
"I like your work."
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business?
"I think that it 's very good, because it helps always. When people get triggered and start listening to my new single"De god van revolutie"",and they like it although they actually don't understand the lyrics, then that's very nice."
Do you have any role models or idols?
"Yes of course."
Why do you think that they exist?
"No, all my idols are dead ones. So they don't exist anymore."
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today?
"Wait a second..I don't get inspiration from others. Even not by my own heroes. I find inspiration out of my own life."
What have been your biggest obstacles?
"My biggest obstacle was myself. I guess. And next the society."
What advice would you give other bands or artists?
"That they all must do whatever they want."
How do you get psyched for a gig?
"By going to the gym."
Do you have any new material?
"Good question. Yes sure. A new single will be released very soon on the internet."
What are your web sites?
How can people reach you?
"They can find me on facebook. Or send me an email."
What are your plans for the future?
"To make sure that my music will live on forever. My song "De god van revolutie" is the mother of all dutch rocksongs. All that really matters in rock & roll music happens in that song, "De god van revolutie" (The god of revolution)
Do you have something to add?
"Yes! My latest single...that's very important...I am the best songwriter of rocksongs with dutch lyrics.
