interview with Catweazel
Have any of you played in other bands? I played in a coverband "Crystal Moon" & Black Sabbath tribute band "Sabbathizer". Now I'm playing with Z-Curse. Franky, the bass player, played in several jazz combos and in Sabbathizer. Drummer Dominic played in some coverbands and is currently playing with the English band Bad Penny.
How is it that you started playing music? At the age of 14 I discovered hard rock and I bought my first electric guitar. I went to see rehearsals by other local bands and imitated what I had seen and heard at home. Then I started playing with friends from school and I also composed my first songs in the early eighties.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you? Philip Devreese: guitar & vocals. Dominic Soen : drums. Franky Calcoen: bass
Have you had other previous members? Jurgen Lermytte: bass. Dirk Van Dooren: second guitar
Did you make music even when you were young? I was always "playing drums"with spoons & boxes when I was a kid, but I got an acoustic guitar arpound the age of 10.
Where are you from? Nieuwpoort, Belgium.
What year did the band form? 1985
What's your style of genre? classic hard rock from the seventies and early eighties
What inspires you? hard rock, blues, progressive rock, funk
How often and where do you reherse? We rehearsed once a week in a room behind a café
How have you developed since you started with the music? We still play pretty much the same stuff now, with a bit more technique & experience
Do you have other interests of work outside the band? Music only !
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? No, as I said before the band split up in 1996 ! There are no current plans for a reunion but everything is possible ...
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? Not at the moment
What made you decide to make this music? I had to express myself and the culture of my generation musically
What are your songs about? In my songs I criticise society, the music business, the blind leading the blind ...
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? I do
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? both are possible
Do you compose in a certain inviroment? alone in a quiet room
Have you done any covers live? lots ! Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Boston, AC/DC, Hendrix, Steppenwolf, Motorhead, Grand Funk, Kansas, Kim Mitchell, 1994, UFO, Free, Rainbow, Samson, Whitesnake, Gary Moore, Kiss, Trillion, ...
What language do you sing in? English
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs? 20 - 2000
What ages are most of your concert attendants? in the eighties it were students, later on midlife people
What was your first gig like? see the video Catweazel Live 1989 on youtube . Great memories.
What was your latest gig? with Catweazel it was a festival in 1996 .
Have you had to cancel a gig? Yes, I cancelled a gig when I was told that the audience was not allowed to drink & smoke. I thought this would have spoiled the fun , haha !
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? it's not their fault that the internet gives them the opportunity to do it. Sometimes it's quite handy if you need something quick. Downloading doesn't give you optimal quality, so you still need to buy music if you want the best sound available.
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? The music industry and the music shops are having a hard time because of the internet. Music is spread worldwide in an instance thanks to the internet, but you don't need to buy it anymore if you think youtube quality is ok.
What do you think of my work? I think you're doing a great job
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? Publicity is always welcome for anyone selling a product. Eventhough my band doesn't exist anymore, there's always a possibility of restarting when certain conditions change and make the effort worthwhile
Do you have any role models or idols? I like to think & play like Tony Iommi, Gary Moore and Ritchie Blackmore
Why do you think that they exist? They are/were men on a musical mission
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? Definitely older bands. I can't relate to the music and attitude of new bands.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Being born in Belgium !
What advice would you give other bands or artists? Rehearse a lot, play as much as you can, believe in yourselves and get a good promotor who does so equally. Promote your band wherever you can especially via the internet and get out there and play your arse off !
How do you get psyched for a gig? I have Two or three beers , I forget about everything and just concentrate on my music.
Do you have any new material? No
What are your web sites? It's all facebook now, because it works faster. Typ Catweazel or Sabbathizer or Z-Curse and off you go !
How can people reach you? via facebook
What are your plans for the future? not sure we'll see what happens
Do you have something to add? Thank you for your time and interest
How is it that you started playing music? At the age of 14 I discovered hard rock and I bought my first electric guitar. I went to see rehearsals by other local bands and imitated what I had seen and heard at home. Then I started playing with friends from school and I also composed my first songs in the early eighties.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you? Philip Devreese: guitar & vocals. Dominic Soen : drums. Franky Calcoen: bass
Have you had other previous members? Jurgen Lermytte: bass. Dirk Van Dooren: second guitar
Did you make music even when you were young? I was always "playing drums"with spoons & boxes when I was a kid, but I got an acoustic guitar arpound the age of 10.
Where are you from? Nieuwpoort, Belgium.
What year did the band form? 1985
What's your style of genre? classic hard rock from the seventies and early eighties
What inspires you? hard rock, blues, progressive rock, funk
How often and where do you reherse? We rehearsed once a week in a room behind a café
How have you developed since you started with the music? We still play pretty much the same stuff now, with a bit more technique & experience
Do you have other interests of work outside the band? Music only !
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? No, as I said before the band split up in 1996 ! There are no current plans for a reunion but everything is possible ...
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? Not at the moment
What made you decide to make this music? I had to express myself and the culture of my generation musically
What are your songs about? In my songs I criticise society, the music business, the blind leading the blind ...
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? I do
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? both are possible
Do you compose in a certain inviroment? alone in a quiet room
Have you done any covers live? lots ! Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Boston, AC/DC, Hendrix, Steppenwolf, Motorhead, Grand Funk, Kansas, Kim Mitchell, 1994, UFO, Free, Rainbow, Samson, Whitesnake, Gary Moore, Kiss, Trillion, ...
What language do you sing in? English
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs? 20 - 2000
What ages are most of your concert attendants? in the eighties it were students, later on midlife people
What was your first gig like? see the video Catweazel Live 1989 on youtube . Great memories.
What was your latest gig? with Catweazel it was a festival in 1996 .
Have you had to cancel a gig? Yes, I cancelled a gig when I was told that the audience was not allowed to drink & smoke. I thought this would have spoiled the fun , haha !
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? it's not their fault that the internet gives them the opportunity to do it. Sometimes it's quite handy if you need something quick. Downloading doesn't give you optimal quality, so you still need to buy music if you want the best sound available.
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? The music industry and the music shops are having a hard time because of the internet. Music is spread worldwide in an instance thanks to the internet, but you don't need to buy it anymore if you think youtube quality is ok.
What do you think of my work? I think you're doing a great job
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? Publicity is always welcome for anyone selling a product. Eventhough my band doesn't exist anymore, there's always a possibility of restarting when certain conditions change and make the effort worthwhile
Do you have any role models or idols? I like to think & play like Tony Iommi, Gary Moore and Ritchie Blackmore
Why do you think that they exist? They are/were men on a musical mission
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? Definitely older bands. I can't relate to the music and attitude of new bands.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Being born in Belgium !
What advice would you give other bands or artists? Rehearse a lot, play as much as you can, believe in yourselves and get a good promotor who does so equally. Promote your band wherever you can especially via the internet and get out there and play your arse off !
How do you get psyched for a gig? I have Two or three beers , I forget about everything and just concentrate on my music.
Do you have any new material? No
What are your web sites? It's all facebook now, because it works faster. Typ Catweazel or Sabbathizer or Z-Curse and off you go !
How can people reach you? via facebook
What are your plans for the future? not sure we'll see what happens
Do you have something to add? Thank you for your time and interest
