Chris Bay och Metalshrine´s Mikael Ekström.



Intervju - Chris Bay, Freedom Call


Tell us a bit about your new album?

Chris Bay: Alright that is a lot. On this album we didn't try to find new path's in music, we only tried to continue this way of music, that we did on the first and the second album. I think we found a music that every member of this band likes so there is no reason for us to change or develop a new style, we only try to make a continuation of the kind of music that we like. So on the new album we only tried to use a lot of other instruments like acoustic guitars and just a little bit of experimental things. We have two ballads on the album, or kind of ballads time Bleeding Heart and Turn Back Time. I would say the album is a mixture of the first and the second album, I think this is exactly what the fans would expect from Freedom Call, this kind of music gives the people a party on stage. So we found the right direction for Freedom Call. We have the typical direction that has fast beats and nice melodies and on the other side we have an open mind to make experimental stuff like ballads or little bit progressive things and so I think the right way to have a very colourful music.



When we saw you in Lund together with Hammerfall a lot of people in Sweden were very surprised, because there were three bands that evening, you, Virgin Steele and Hammerfall, and the opening act blew everybody away. And you looked happy on stage and seemed to enjoy what you where doing. Many bands look bored on stage. You had a very charismatic stage presence.

CB: I can never understand when bands seem like bored or something else on stage. I think that's the fruits of your work that, you can stay on stage and be playing for a huge audience. That is the best that can happen. That's the reason why I make music, so playing on stage and look on the fans faces, that makes me happy.



And after the show you guys came out and stood by the exit and said hi to the fans. Not a lot of bands do that anymore. It tends to draw more fans to the band if you do that.

CB: Yeah, there has to be that connection to the fans, its very tight, because it´s only working because this whole business, this game, there is a band and there is the fans, its just one thing. It's same backstage, there are technicians and there is the band. That's wrong, there's one crew and everybody has his job, musicians have to play as good as possible and the technicians have to work for the band as good as possible and only on this kind we can make a very successful tour. And the same is the connection with the fans, you can only have success when you have the right connection. So when we have the possibility to go the fans, to talk with them we will do that. But on the other hand, we saw that on this last tour with Blind Guardian, they played huge halls and a lot of people were in there. And after the show we had interviews and there is other things to do so we hadn't the possibility to go to the fans. But when it's possible we do it.



How was the show today?

CB: For us, fantastic, we didn't expect the reaction we got because it was early in the morning and usually the breakfast time you are waking up for some coffee. I think its not the right time for heavy metal.



There were some lucky winners from a contest by a Swedish magazine. Where you aware that a few winners were gonna join you on stage for an encore?

CB: Yeah, we knew this was gonna happen, that a few people were gonna join us in the Manowar song Carry On.



Did you meet the persons before the show, and did you find out if any of them could sing or thought they could sing?

CB: Usually I'm not a fan of things like this, but this time it was cool. The winners of this competition were very nice. We met them before the show, and I will always be reminded of this show. It was fun.



And the girl, who started to headline she was pretty cool.

CB: Yeah, she took the microphone stand and went to the center of the stage, it was funny.



Are there any bands that you are gonna see on the festival?

CB: Yeah, there is a couple of them so, I want to see my friends of Virgin Steele. We had the bus together on the Hammerfall tour so it's really like a friendship.



We saw you in the audience prior to the Gamma Ray concert.

CB: I also want to see Rob Halford and Status Quo, they are the idols from my youth.



Are you leaving tonight?

CB: No, tomorrow. Early tomorrow we are going directly to Germany for a show.



A lot of work now?

CB: At this time I am a little bit busy so we came directly from Spain, Madrid, to Sweden because we played these Spain shows with Blind Guardian and yesterday we left Madrid and came to Sweden, but I like that.



Can we expect Freedom Call on an autumn tour in Sweden?

CB: We are working on it, we want to go on a headliner tour in September, October. There are a lot of shows in France, Germany, but we hope we can come to Sweden.



What is your worst tour memory?

CB: It's not far away, it's just five or six days ago. We went from Germany to Spain, to Barcelona and so we had one technician with us with his whole recording equipment, because we´re recording a live album on this tour. Then some bad guys broke into the bus and they stole the equipment worth over 30 000 Euro. So we were a bit depressed for some shows, so we hope that the insurance is gonna cover it, but it was very hard for him because Blind Guardian and we couldn't record the shows.



Did you record today?

CB: No, on a festival you need a lot of preparations, we were happy that we could do a line check. We were delayed 15 minutes; usually we should do the soundcheck one-hour before the show. That was very late today.



Did you have any problem with the wind today?

CB: Yes, I was eating my hair all the time. But we had no problem with the sound onstage.



The German heavy metal scene is quite impressive right now. There are lot of great bands coming from Germany, why?

CB: I don't know exactly, but in my opinion I think that the elements of heavy metal are very structured. You have to play very exact rhythms and maybe it could be that the Germans have the right mentality for doing things like this, because you have to work correct all the time and all this things you need for doing heavy metal.



Is there a band in Germany now that you think is going to be big, but hasn't gotten the recognition yet?

CB: I have to say that I don't know so many bands from Germany, because I'm so into our own stuff. And when I get new CD:s it's only from our record company so I get it for free, but I don't get many new German bands.



You have a new guitar player?

CB: Yes, it's Cédric from Switzerland and the old guitar player Sascha he came during the end of this Hammerfall tour to us and said he wanted to leave the band it was a personal decision and it was only his decision. He said he wanted to do other things, we accepted this so we made some auditions and when X came we knew from the beginning that he was the right guy. Because he understood from the beginning the character and the charm of Freedom Call's music. It's not only a thing that he is an excellent guitar player it's more important that he can understand the character of Freedom Call. He brings the positive style into it. I don't think you can have a guitar player like Steve Vai or Yngwie Malmsteen in our band. It would not be the right connection. We make more easy guitar melodies and not these very structured guitar licks. So it was a very easy decision to take X. And by the way he is a very nice guy and we have much fun with him.



The rumor says that you were offered the slot to sing in Gamma Ray. Is it true?

CB: Me? No! Freedom call is my baby, because I build it up with Dan and Freedom Call is growing step by step and Gamma Ray has an excellent singer in Kai.



You played with them some time ago?

CB: I did, in Austria, one show because Kai got a cold. And just before they played in Nürnberg, my hometown, and they had a day off so I said if you want to play the show in Austria I can sing some songs with you and then I sang seven or eight songs.



A lot of people are saying that Kai's voice is getting worse and worse.

CB: Really? I listened to the beginning of the show today and it was cool.



But if you got the question to join Gamma Ray, it still would be no?

CB: Definitely no. It wouldn't be my thing. I like the music of Gamma Ray but for me it's not the style that I would like to do. There's too much riffing to it and I like more the soft and melodic style. A lot of people try to compare Freedom call and Gamma Ray and in my opinion it's two totally different bands. In Gamma Ray the basis are guitar riffs and in Freedom Call the basis are melodies.



Speaking of your voice, we were very impressed when you were singing live, you have a very powerful voice it sounds exactly as it does on the record.

CB: Well, thank you.



Not many singers can accomplish that live. How do you keep your voice in such good shape?

CB: I'm singing a lot. During the German shows I got some problems because I have a lot of allergy at this time of the year, but I'm singing a lot. Besides Freedom Call I have a cover band and I'm playing every weekend. I play 100-120 shows a year, so I'm in training every time.



If you get a cold, what do you do? The show must go on or?

CB: Yes, it's possible to sing with a cold, but you have to be a lot more careful and sleep a lot.



Tea and honey?

CB: Yeah, for example and drink a lot. Not alcohol, water. The most important thing is enough sleep.



What are your five all-time favorite albums?

CB: So, I must go back to the history, definitely Deep Purple, Machine Head and Deep Purple Perfect Strangers. Saxon The Eagle Has Landed, I must have heard that album a thousand times. Then Rush, a live album as well, Exit...Stage Left, and then...



One more.

CB: Yeah, I have to think about it, let's make it Mandrake with Edguy for my friends. Toby is a good friend of mine.



You are not on his Avantasia album?

CB: No, when we had the first tour with Freedom Call we went to France with Angra, Edguy and Freedom Call and Toby asked me, but at that time I hadn't enough time.



What part did he have in mind for you?

CB: No idea. When he will go further with this story I will be in it.



It's a great story he got there.

CB: Yeah, and if he doesn´t ask me I'm gonna be very upset.



Freedom Call - Official website


< Tillbaka