interview with Robby Valentine
My very first band was called :T Vistix, a ska/reggae group. I joined them on my 14th. Then 2 line ups of the rock band Spoiled Brats. After that, when I was 17, a band called Line. Then I formed melodic Hardrock band 1st Avenue. Also I was a member of Happy metal band Zinatra. In all these band I was just the keyboard player
My drummer Andre, and Luuk, my bass player have also played in After Forever.
Paul; who is our lead guitarist has also played with Bert Heerink (Vandenberg) and Aniday.
Our keys player and backing vocalist Johan Jay Jay Willems was lead guitarist/lead vocalist of power trio Stage Fright. Back in the eighties. He was also a member of the first Dutch boy band Bam To Bam Bam
How is it that you started playing music? My mother played piano and I loved it. Started taking piano lessons when I was 6 years old. A couple of years later I got my first guitar. Later my first bass guitar and drum kit.
Have you had other previous members?
Previous VALENTINE member are: (First Line up) Arthur Polini-Bass , Rob Winter: guitar, Hans Eijkenaar:Drums, John Ewbank: Keyboards (1991-1995)
2nd Line up: Juan van Emmerloot : Drums , Vinnie Kay: Guitar, Bert Dijkema:Bass, Giovanni Pileri: Keyboards (1996)
2008-2011 Liselotte(Lilo) Hegt: Bass, Cyril Whistler: guitar
Did you make music even when you were young? Yes
Where are you from? The Netherlands
What year did the band form? The current line up is together since 2014
What's your style of genre? A mix of pop and rock
What inspires you? True, personal emotions. Anger, frustrations, Love, heartache, Loss
How often and where do you rehearse? We only rehearse once or two times every year in the studio my father built for me when I was young. Everybody prepares themselves to the max at home. So when we play together it's BOOM, almost perfect straight away
How have you developed since you started with the music? I might hope so
Do you have other interests of work outside the band? My daughter, Eleanor Robyn
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?
Booking agency's can be great if they actually put effort in getting you gigs.
Most of them only wait for the phone to ring to get you booked and charge you as if they've spent months to get you that one show.
Would be great to get a booking agent that has a heart for the band and the music and does stick their neck out to get you booked regularly.
We mostly arrange bookings ourselves (promotion and such) a booking agent we know then takes care of the contracts for us.
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?
I recently got signed by KING Records in Japan, they will release my latest two albums as a double album (Bizarro World & The Queen Album) within Japanese territory. It will be released March 2 2016
I released my last two albums myself, but had assistance form a great team. It's a mission impossible to do it entirely by yourself, and I would have never done it if the team wouldn't have been there to help.
What made you decide to make this music? I heard Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time and just knew that that was what I wanted to do in life
What are your songs about? Love in every aspect, my views upon the world, life
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? I do
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? That varies with every song I write. Usually the melody comes first .
Do you compose in a certain environment? No
Have you done any covers live?
We actually perform with a Queen Tribute too. So yes, we cover loads of Queen songs.
We used to do S.O.S. from Abba with our own shows. Life on Mars? David bowie. Imagine John Lennon
What language do you sing in? English
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs? 60.000 people was the most. Just one when I sing for my daughter.
What ages are most of your concert attendants? From 10 to 75
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? We always try to be original with every show
Do you have a regular place you play live often? No, it always varies.
What was your first gig like? Early 1992, my very first gig as a lead vocalist with my own band. That was awesome.
What was your latest gig? A Queen tribute show around Christmas.
Have you had to cancel a gig? Never
Where have you played live this year? The 1st show of the year will be a radio show February 5. The first band show will be in The Netherlands, February the 20th
Where do you plan to gig the coming year? We have options and shows for every month of the year, in the Netherlands and abroad, so we're quite lucky.
https://www.facebook.com/robbyvalentine/
When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale?
Started as soon as I started professionally. Comes with the territory.
Now we have cd's, t-shirts, agenda's, mugs, hoodies.
Where can people buy your merchandise? www.robbvalentine.nl
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? What can I say, it's the new way. Personally I still prefer to hold a CD in my hands, with booklet, or even better, vinyl.
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? Internet, computers killed the music industry the way it used to be. But it also brought affordable recording equipment, making it possible for musicians/artist to record at home. But I hate the fact that there aren't any Record stores/ CD shops anymore.
What do you think of my work? Every artist needs to get their word out there. Thanks to people like you it happens. Without promotion you never get people to know your music.
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? Every interview will help an artist to promote their music and their message across.
Do you have any role models or idols? Freddie Mercury, John waite
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? Certainly both.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Bad management, bad health
What advice would you give other bands or artists? Stay true to yourself and the music you love. Don't become a sell out for commercial reasons. The world needs genuine artists. Trust your gut feeling.
How do you get psyched for a gig? Vocal warmups, make-up, dress up, try to relax with the band as much as possible. Mostly it's very stressful beforehand. But then we all come home on stage. The best feeling ever.
Do you have any new material? I do have new ideas, but since Bizarro World is getting picked up more than a year after its release, I'm busier performing than recording now.
What are your web sites?
https://www.facebook.com/robbyvalentine/
How can people reach you? I think Facebook is alway the quickest option. I have a team to assist me answering all messages, and if an email really requires me answering, they forward it to me.
What are your plans for the future? To do lots of gigs, hopefully more shows outside of Holland too, and work on a new album
Do you have something to add? Nothing really :)
