Robex Lundgren virkblogg.

Have any of you played in other bands?

(Stéphanie) Yves and Jérôme played in several rock and metal bands, and Gary played with a melodic heavy metal band called Anangke.

Virginie (Lull Angel) sang in three gothic and rock metal bands, and played the keyboards with Invading Chapel, a gothic metal band.

(Lull Angel) I’m also working on two side projects and on some classical stuff (a duet and some lyrical, operatic songs in the subway of Paris).

How is that you started playing music?

(Gary) Felt like it around my 20 ; started with friends and kept on until this day. Good personal relationship is important for me in a band.

(YDR) I started playing with friends at 14 years old, and started the piano at 5.

(Stéphanie) I made the decision to play music, for real, with real people, about 4 years ago. Before that I was a solitary player.

(Jérôme) Like Stéphanie, I first played alone, then with friends.

(Lull Angel) I’ve always sung, but it’s a friend that guided me at first. Even young, I never thought of singing or playing in a band. I started around my 23.

Did you make music, even when you were young?

(Gary) 20 is still young! But I did not make any music before. I think that if you don't have unrealistic goals, there is no age to start music. Just having pleasure/fun playing with others is good enough!

(Jérôme) I’ve always played music. Virginie has always sung, and Yves created his first tracks when he was 12. Stéphanie had some classic guitar and piano lessons when she was a kid.

What are your names? Who plays what? How old are you?

(Gary) Gary des bois, nickname, 36 years old, the bass player.

(Jérôme) 39 years old. I’m the drummer.

(YDR) Yarol, the keyboard player. I’m 44 years old.

Lull Angel is our singer (41 years old), and Stéphanie, 36 years old, our guitarist.

Where are you from? (YDR) We’re all from Paris, France.

What year did the band form? (YDR) The band started in 2006 with Jérôme.

What’s your style of genre?

(Jérôme) Metal, gothic, doom, black, death

(Lull Angel) And also classical, melodic and progressive

What inspires you?

(YDR) Within Temptation, Theater of Tragedy, The sins of thy beloved, Lodestar, Dream Theater, Nightwish, Eldritch, Led Zeppelin, Kansas, Deep Purple and so many more!

(Lull Angel) Night, crows, dark thoughts, creepiest things, ghosts, moon, mental illness, dreams, beauty of the night, strange creatures, human nature, nature, science fiction, fantasy, tales and legends, books and movies etc… for the lyrics.

(Stéphanie) Dark stuff, personal feelings, old memories, nostalgia of sadness and happiness, hope, despair, Nature, the moon and stars, the best and worse inside each of us. This frontier between Light and Shadows, angels.

(Jérôme) The sins of thy beloved, Tristania, Theatre of Tragedy.

(Gary) Nature, Moonspell, cheese, Devin Townsend, absinth, Sceptic Flesh, laughing, Ultra Vomit, life!

How often and where do you rehearse? (Gary) We try to rehearse weekly next to Paris at Hybreed Studios (rehearsal studio, but also where the album was recorded except drums). It is important for us to be regular on this, to be sure we stay at our best and go forward.

How have you developed since you started with the music? (Jérôme) The band and songs have matured a long time since the start of the project. Nowadays, we feel like we put a special effort to lighten the songs in terms of not too much instruments having different rhythm and harmony at the same time. Music is less complex but more pleasant to the ears.

Do you have other interests of work outside the band?

(Jérôme) I love board games, watching movies and series, and playing video games.

(YDR) Yes, composing music for Onirik, and other styles, writing novels... and the most important... my 2 boys !

(Gary) I personally train my skill in … pole dancing! Quite a rare skill for a man.

Perhaps one day I could make a show with our music, or even a pole dance show at our music show!!!

(Lull Angel) Other interests, yes a lot! Composing and playing music, singing...I’m trying to learn several instruments (Medieval Citole, Bass, Guitar, keyboard, recorder (Sopranino and Tenor) and I hope soon : learn Cello! I regularly learn new songs of classical and opera. I also love books, movies, series, listening to friends, drawing, painting and custom things...

(Stéphanie) Yes, I juggle with balls and devil stick, and I'm also learning how to sing. I also like to play the recorder sometimes like Lull (Alto). Also, I just got an electric cello. I just can't wait to be able to play! And I like playing video games, but Jérôme never invites me haha!

Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? (Jérôme) Yes, but we don’t have the financial means for the moment, we all work for the band.

Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? (Jérôme) Yes, but labels are most interested when the album isn’t out yet. Maybe for the second album.

What are your songs about? (Lull Angel) Our songs lift the veil on some aspects of our lives. They reveil facets of ourselves that we refuse to see in the daylight , that we keep within us like a secret. Strange feelings that keep us company in the darkness of the night. Our songs are also imaginary stories, dreams and legends… A mix of strange, dark and comfortable thoughts.

Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? (Gary) Lyrics are in the hands of our singer Lull Angel. For the music, it depends! Usually someone comes with an idea (more or less developed), and during rehearsal we slowly build the song together.

Do you start with the music or the lyrics? (Lull Angel) Songs are started with the music. Lyrics and voice are frozen in the last stage of composing in order to be sure that all harmony and rhythm fit all together.

What was your latest gig?

(Gary) Last show with full band was at "Napalm Festival" 30/09/2017, with 8 other bands.

Last performance was acoustic (guitar/bass/voice) at "Salon du Fantastique" from 03/11 to 05/11. Not a regular music show, it is a fair for artists, crafter (jewelry, clothes,...), etc. that

share inspiration from fantastic elements. Our music fits in perfectly! It was the second time we participate at this event and we will do it again in the future.

Where do you plan to gig this coming year? (Stéphanie) We’ll propose an acoustic gig in March for the Cars and Bike’s local festival in Meaux near Paris, and we’ll play all electric in May in Lille, north of France. We’re also proud we’ll play for the Metal Animals Fest in November in Reims, the first french vegan-metal festival.

When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale?

(Jérôme) We started in 2009 with a t-shirt with our old logo.

(Lull Angel) And more recently we added some handmade jewelry.

(YDR) Lull Angel made!

(Stéphanie) And some of them are unique!

Where can people can buy your merchandise? (Lull Angel) Only at our gigs or events for the moment. But you can order our album ‘The 13th Hour…’ on BandCamp.

What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?

(Gary) We have to live with our era! If you mean downloading "legally" that's ok, even if we think that our auditor miss the good artwork and efforts done for the CD.

For "illegal" download, we know that everybody has done it one day. Let's be positive: it gives us the opportunity to have more visibility, those people could speak about us, and why not buy the records after a try?

How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? (Gary) We are not the best person to talk about that. But as the band is quite old we have felt the change in music industry from our point of view. Seems more difficult for bands to have a return on investment on their work.

What do you think of my work? (YDR) When we read all of your interviews on FB, we can notice your serious work ! Deeply and sincerely hardworking with your experiences ! Congrats !

How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business?

(Gary) Obviously, nowadays everybody needs more visibility. So it may allow us to be known by people following you! It is the same the other way. Networking.

Also sharing and discussing with you our point of view can help us have a better vision in the music business/industry/world. And who knows more has an advantage against its opponent (Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”).

Do you have any role models or idols?

(YDR) Kevin Moore first one for the music... and lots of my friends for life ! My decisions are often based on friend's and family's reactions. And I think I have chosen them only on this axe.

(Stéphanie) Hmm… Hard to say. Many persons impress me, but I try not to focus on them.

What advice would you give other bands or artists?

(Lull Angel) Never give up, stay focused, always have fun and great pleasure to create, play and share. Take care of all the members of your band. Bands are a kind of family.

(Stéphanie) Trust your music and be truly yourself with the rest of the band.

How do you get psyched for a gig?

(Lull Angel) We do stupid things with Stéphanie!

(Stéphanie) Yeah, like our sumo walk haha!

(Yves) I try to relax Jérôme who tries to stress us!

(Gary) Mainly I try to display less stress as possible. For the audience, I strongly wish to offer them a good show with our music because this is what I expect when I go see another band.

What are your plans for the future?

(Jérôme) Dominate the world…

No, seriously: more gigs, and a second album.

(Lull Angel) More gigs too, an acoustic version of our album, and a second album.

(Stéphanie) Keep on playing, laughing and creating with the band!

(YDR) Yes, more shows, and happiness too!

(Gary) More shows, and add new stuff in the band. Of course news songs, but what about a new instrument ? Like … Double Bass? Also if it fits in, add other artistic elements for our shows for a better live experience.

Do you have something to add?

(Jérôme) Hail cats!

(Lull Angel) Hail kitties and bats and Onirik Illusion!

(YDR) Ode to Onirik Illusion and to my family!

(Stéphanie) Night, crows and goth’n roll haha!