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Interview

Deutsche VersionInterview mit Fool's Game (28.10.2009)

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HH: Congratulations for this stunning debut album. When did you come up with the idea of a new band and what is the difference between Division and Fool's Game in your words?

Matt: I initially thought of doing something outside of Division as far back as 2003. I talked to some people about it at that time, but nothing ever came of it. That idea was to do something on the side, and continue with Division. Fool's Game didn't come about until a few months after I left Division though.
I had not been happy in Division for a while, so after 13 years since founding the band, I finally left. I just started writing new songs without any thought about how I would use them. With Division there was a clearly established "sound", and while we would push that some, we really had to fit our songs into our definition of "Division". With Fool's Game, I just write what I like without any regard to it sounding enough like this or that. Another difference is that in Division I had to compromise with four other people, with Fool's Game I only had to make myself happy with the songs.
Stylistically, the difference is that my work with Division was much more in the genre of American Power Metal. Fool's Game is a little heavier, a little more progressive, and the vocals have a European Power Metal feel to them.

HH: Are the songs very new or old material written from time to time? Did you have the sound of the wanted voice in your mind during writing the songs?

Matt: Most of the songs were written after I left Division. The only song that I wrote while still in Division is "As The Field Of Dreams Was Abandoned". I originally wrote that in 2003 to use with the side project I mentioned. When I decided not to do that side project, I presented the song to Division, but the rest of the band decided it did not sound enough like Division, and I did not want to change it, so it was not used.
I wrote a total of twelve songs (if you count "Prelude To The Fair" and "She Moved Through The Fair" as one) for the album. I think half of them were written before Lars joined, so for those I had no idea who would be singing over them. Generally I didn't really write with his voice in mind even after Lars joined, so he got what got... and had to make the best of it! Haha!

HH: How did you come up with the line-up? Is it a real band or a project that is going to release songs whenever you want regarding the time factor of the involved members Lars (Manticora), Nick (Redemption), Matt (Pharaoh) and John (this and that)?

Matt: The line up started with Matt Johnsen. I run a recording studio, and Pharaoh was working on their album there when I started writing for Fool's Game. So he joined in pretty close to the beginning of the songwriting. He introduced me to John. Nick is a good friend of mine, so it was natural that he would play on the album. When we went looking for a singer, I sent out a few emails, and one of those put me in touch with Lars. After sending him three demo tracks he joined on too.
Fool's Game started as a project, but has turned into a band. For the next record we will have the same lineup with the exception that we might add a proper bassist. I am also writing songs with everyone this time around. I spent a weekend with Nick and then a weekend with Matt writing songs. I've made plans to get together with John and work on songs in the coming months too. Since Lars lives overseas, it's going to be harder to write songs with him, but we've got some ideas on that, so we're going to try to write together as well.

HH: Metal-archives says that you are a former member of the Power Metal band Division. Is that true? Why and when did the split arise?

Matt: Yes, I left Division a few years ago. I left because I wanted to spend more time writing new songs, and recording new songs, and I felt like the rest of the band wanted to focus on playing live shows. I enjoy playing live, but I felt that we should be putting an album every two years. The last Division album came out in 2004, but was recorded in 2001. So when I left the songs were all at least four years old. I think I made a good decision, I am happier, and they are happier because they are all on the same page now. They are working on a new album, and about half of those songs are songs I wrote with them, though they sound nothing like Fool's Game at all. I am still friends with all of them, and I see them pretty regularly, I am just not in a band with them anymore.

HH: Coming to the music of the Fool's Game album let me say the guitar sound is loud, heavy and creates a blistering atmosphere. What kind of equipment and techniques do you use? Any advices for all soon-to-be-shredders?

Matt: Thank you! I have to thank Jackson guitars and Mesa Boogie amplifiers for their support for several years. That said... guitar wise all of the rhythms were recorded with a custom shop Jackson seven string guitar with EMG pickups. The main amp was a Mesa Boogie Road King Mk. I. I blended some Budda Superdrive 45 in with the Road King. The leads and harmonies were recorded with about ten different guitars, and various amps, though the main amp was a Soldano Hot rod 100. In terms of the microphones, I used the standard SM57 and a Royer 122, through a Neve and API preamp, respectively. When I was mixing the album I corresponded with Jacob Hansen, and he had a few pointers for me. The main one was to make an EQ cut around 200hz, so that's the only EQ on the guitars.
For beginning guitarists, or even accomplished guitarists, I really recommend guitar lessons. After I finished Reality Divine, I realized that I needed to get a lot better to keep up with Matt J, who is just an amazing player. I started studying guitar for the first time in 25 years, and it's really made a huge difference. When I was in grade school, I took lessons where the teacher showed me how to play songs, or whatever, but now I am actually studying the guitar. It's pretty intense, but it has paid off greatly so far.

HH: From the very first beginning of the idea of Fool's Game to the end of mixing and mastering, how much time takes it to realize "Reality Divine"?

Matt: This album took way too long to realize, that's for sure! John recorded his drums in November on 2006, and Lars recorded vocals in April of 2007. Matt, Nick and I recorded our parts off and on for all of 2007. It was finally mixed the last part of 2008. It was done for a while before it was released due to our label switching distribution companies.
The main reason that the album took so long to come out is that I mixed and/or recorded four other albums in that time period, and I had to put my own project on the back burner when I had paying clients in the studio.

HH: Are the melody lines for the great voice of Lars Larsen (Manticora) a collective work of you and the singer? To me Lars never got such an ambitious bandwidth of his voice. What is the secret of success?

Matt: I wish I could take credit for the melodies, but Lars wrote all the lyrics and melodies himself. I agree that these are some of his best vocal performances and melody lines though. He recorded his vocals with Tommy Hansen in Denmark, and Tommy really got great performances out of him. I am sure we'll use the same formula for the next album, since we are so happy with this first album.

HH: Coming to the lyrics and title of the record. What is meant by the "Reality Divine"? Sounds like a mixture of the real situation on earth and some divinity who might lead us through our life on earth?

Matt: The title is all Lars. It is basically a statement that reality is divine. What you make of your life is what should guide you, not some belief in a religion.

HH: "Sowing Dead Seeds" seems to be very sad and frustrated. Are you a meditative person or is it just a fiction without any meaning?

Matt: Lars wrote all the lyrics, so I can not speak to his intended meaning of the song. I can say that in the time we spent together he was not very meditative, in fact he was the life of the party!

HH: Not knowing the lyrics in detail what is the meaning of "The Wild Swans At Coole"? A transliteration of a great experience or just a fiction?

Matt: "The Wild Swans At Coole" was written by William Buttler Yates. It was written shortly after he returned to England after the Great War. It talks to how everything has changed since he was a child. He recalls happier times as a child, before the war, and how those are gone. Even one of the swans, who pair for life, has lost his partner. It's a very beautiful and very sad poem.

HH: Next topic leads us to touring. Will the German fans get in touch with Fool's Game? Any concrete plans for the future? Is there any chance to tour with the studio line-up, because all of them are involved in their own bands? Maybe a special Cruz Del Sur-package with Pharaoh, Crown The Lost and Ignitor? That would be making me nervous.

Matt: There are no plans for us to tour. However, our management is in negotiations with at least one festival, so we do hope to bring these songs to the stage. I think it would be the entire studio lineup, plus a bassist. The only one who might not be able to commit to it right now is Nick, who is still recovering from cancer. Shows with Pharaoh would be quite possible, since I play the second guitar with them for their live shows.

HH: Keyword Cruz Del Sur. It's a fantastic Italian based label. Did Enrico hear from you or how did you get in touch with him and his label? How many albums does the contract include?

Matt: I have worked with Enrico on the last two Pharaoh albums, so I have known him in a business fashion for several years. I finally met Enrico in person at Keep It True last year when I played with Pharaoh. I told him about the band at that time, and he seemed interested. Our management company, Intromental Management, handles all of the business side of things, so I don't know the exact details of how it all came to be. The current contract is for one album. We are working on the second one now, and I think it would be great if it came out on Cruz del Sur, but we'll see what the future holds.

HH: Is there any chance for this second album in the near future? What are the plans for Fool's Game and will you do rehearsals with a continuous line-up?

Matt: I have almost completed the writing of four songs for the next album. We have not made any concrete plans except that we want it to come out early in 2011. So that would mean we are recording it the fall of 2010, which really is not that far away. The line up will be the same, though I might have someone else play bass instead of doing it myself.

HH: Thank you very much for answering my questions. The last words may be with you.

Matt: Thanks for the great review, interview and for spreading the word of Fool's Game. When this whole thing started I never imagined it would come out so well. I am overwhelmed by all the positive reviews we've received for this album. Hopefully we'll talk again in the future, maybe even at a Fool's Game show!

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