When did you first realise that COVID-19 was going to have an effect on your band?
Well, both Jasper and myself work in education so we were in lockdown from the first moment on
in March, Robert works as a manager-engineer in highly sophisticated medical devices so his information on what’s going on is superinduced. We all knew it wasn’t going to be over in a few weeks from that moment in time forward, we knew it called for a drastic change in plans.
Initially, what was that whole situation like, and how did your band overcome/react to it?
As said, we knew it wasn’t going to be like a few weeks and everyone could start doing what they were used to, we knew it was going to take a lot more than that. We decided it would be wise to focus on song writing and recording new material for as long as it would last (the lockdown) and thereby have an opportunity to plan future releases ahead. Of course with us being real picky and choosey on the song material, it also gave us the opportunity to be extra critical on our own songs and mixes…..because we could, hahaha. Like it is with all situations you face in life, there’s an advantage to every disadvantage so we looked for the advantages that the situation offered.
How has your creative process changed as a band over the last couple of months?
Well, to be honest it hasn’t changed all that much. We are always looking for the opportunity to raise the bar a bit further, make better songs, better recordings, better mixes and we discuss a lot how we can get our music heard and seen by a bigger audience. We are doing our best in many ways to get things better for The Last Element and that remained our main focus.
What’s been the hardest part about writing/doing music this way?
We all have our own home studio and we all work on the same DAW, which is Pro Tools. We therefor are able to exchange song files and work on songs individually without the need to travel or come together for recordings. Whenever any of us has an idea for a song, and it may be a strong riff, a strong vocal line or just a strong theme to go from, we exchange these files with everyone adding their ideas and parts and then the actual composing begins. Maybe there’s a case of ‘kiling your darlings’ and maybe someone comes up with a nice twist to take the song to the level we can be satisfied about it, it differs from idea to idea. When we start recording an idea, whoever has the idea, we’ll try to sketch the general feeling as close to how it should be sounding when it’s finished product so everyone has a very clear idea of what the potential of a song is about.
What bands/artists have you been listening to over the last couple of months?
Geez, what a terrible question this is because the list is endless and the risk of not mentioning a few names of bands we really appreciate is high! There are some old albums and songs that we really love listening to and there have been a lot of new releases that we also really dig. It seems so unfair to mention them without mentioning all the great bands and musicians that are out there because it would turn into a list of two pages…at least!
So, what do you think you’ve learnt the most from being a band through COVID-19?
What we’ve learned is that we are a good match, even in troubled times. We really feel connected through our music and we know that there are quite a few people around the globe who picked up on that connective feeling. When we receive their messages and mails, we simply know reading what they tell us and how they experience our music, they have a feeling of recognition and resonance with what we have to say in a musical way. That is after all what it’s all about, being in a band, that interaction, the feeling a song could comfort someone going through a stage in life and getting strength to carry on from that specific song. That’s a beautiful thing.
What kind of effect do you think that it’s had on the music industry all together, and how excited are you to see it return to normal?
From all the industries, we think the music industry and especially the live music industry has suffered the most severe blows from the whole situation with COVID-19. So much that a lot of very dedicated and talented people had to throw the towel to survive to the next day. To be able to make a living, they had to give up what they knew best and find a job elsewhere to be able to pay the rent and to have a meal each night. Dreadful. A lot of artists and bands that aren’t the million sellers/streamers also had to take a side job to survive. That’s the biggest number, there aren’t too many acts around these days that make a living from streaming revenues. Even if it would go back to normal in a few months, the devastating effects for the music industry will carry forward for some time, that’s reality. If there was ever a time to support artists as a fan of music, it is now.
What tips/advice would you like to give to other bands who are also going through this?
If you really believe in what you do, there will be a door somewhere that opens up for you and gives you the chance and opportunity to make the next step in your career. Everything in life, nothing excluded, carries both positive and negative aspects in it. Focus on the positive sides without neglecting the downsides of course, make the best of it. How dark the clouds may seem that block the sun from shining, there’s that silver lining that you see and it proves that it’s only a matter of time and perspective before you will be able to catch the sunrays again.
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