Interview with Autumn about «Cold Comfort» promo and much more… Check it out at this location
– Hi Mats first of all, happy new year! Now, let me thank you for taking your time answering our questions. Tell me, how are you? 🙂
Happy new year to you, too! I am fine, thank you. We’ve been playing some shows in support of our new album, which was great.
– Let’s start talking about “Cold Comfort”. Let me tell you that, for me, it’s been one of the highlights of 2011, and that I find it one of your best works up to date. What does this work mean for the band? Would you agree that it is possibly your most personal one?
Thank you so much. We are also very happy with it ourselves. During and after the making of ‘Altitude’, we went through some rough times in our private lives. All kinds of intense stuff happened. When we started on ‘Cold Comfort’, we were still picking ourselves up from this. Maybe we didn’t even feel up to the task, but we started anyway. It proved to be hard work, but it also was a good way to let off steam. We naturally translated our emotions to music and lyrics. We did this more than ever, actually. It’s no wonder that ‘Cold Comfort’ turned out a bit darker then the previous albums.
– In each of your five released albums, a new member of the present-day line-up has joined this project. Finally, the current line-up has created 2 albums. How do you guys feel together? Do you consider you have found a stable formation that will go on for some time more?
We certainly think so. The atmosphere in the band is better than it even was. It has been this way since Marjan completed the line up that has been the same group off musicians since ‘My New Time’. We couldn’t have made this album if we were not good friends. We pulled each other through. We want to continue making music together to the best of our abilities and we hope to do so for many more years.
– Which songs off “Cold Comfort” would you consider worth mentioning and why?
That’s a tough question, because Cold Comfort is in every way the sum of its songs. All songs tell a part of the story. The Songs Cold Comfort is worth mentioning, because it really breathes the atmosphere of the album. The cold vs warm vibe. My brother Jens (guitars) wrote it, and it gives me the chills.
– Can you explain where the inspiration came for songs like “Alloy”, “Retrospect” or “The Scarecrow”? I’m sure many people are really curious about those, among others
I have no idea. This is simply what happens when we start writing songs. Our lyrics are always a bit poetic and abstract. There is still space for the imagination and interpretation of the reader. I wouldn’t want to give too much away. ‘The Scarecrow’ is pretty much about death, negligence and regret. The song revolves around a theme that restarts after every 19 beats. ‘Alloy’ is sort of a metaphor for two people and the quality of their union. This is our longest song and it really breaks open in the end. ‘Retrospect’ has a melancholic en retrospective theme. It’s another song with the cold vs warm contrast.
– Talking about peculiarities… why do you always name your albums after a song off it? And how do you pick that specific song out of the whole to represent each project?
When we start working on a new album, new songs start rolling in rapidly. Some of them already have a name, and there’s always one that draws extra attention. A name that seems to say it all and that inspires us to write more in a certain direction, both lyric- and music wise. It soon becomes the ‘working title’ for the album, and we start imagining and designing an artwork that compliments it. Voila!
– You have stated that for this “Cold Comfort” the writing process was peculiar because you all composed on your own and then you gathered together to mix it all, and found out that you had lots of things in common. Is this your usual way of creating new music? Or did it just feel natural for this album? How was the experience? And who had the upper hand in the process?
We’ve actually been writing like this since ‘My New Time’. Here’s how it goes: My brothers Jens and I write most of the basic songs. After that, we send our ideas to the other guys over the internet. They give it their own twist and special touch, sometimes changing things completely. The original idea gets enhanced with every member that goes to work on it. We never know how it will turn out. This is a very inspiring way to work, but it can only be done if you know that you music is in the right hands with you fellow band members. We all add our coin the creative purse, but our drummer Jan keeps us all organized. We would drown if it weren’t for his organizational skills.
– Just being curious… Do you ever consider playing really old songs from the first two albums? Or do you think those are too gothic and way out of thematic from what you play and create in the present? Because it could be really interesting seeing Marjan singing songs like “The Witch in Me”…
We’ve been thinking about that a lot. The thing is… we prefer the post- Summer’s End songs, because they were made by this line up. There is a chance that we will work on some older songs to surprise the older fans. We played ‘Gallery Of Reality’ recently. It was fun and the fans enjoyed it. Personally, I’d like to play ‘This Night’, ‘Summer’s End’, ‘The Coven’ or ‘Silent Madness’ again, though the songs would be hard to blend into the current set.
– In relation to those old albums… have you ever thought about recording again an album with songs about Wicca or based on a poem? Or maybe a concept album?
We haven’t seriously considered it, but we won’t rule it out either. We just might. We never know what a new album is going to be like, and we try not to restrict ourselves.
– And what about releasing a DVD? After 5 albums, and tons of concerts, maybe it’s time to give the fans some video material… And not only that, but if I’m not mistaken, you were planning to release your last show with Nienke a few years ago… will that material see the light at some point?
Many people ask us if we are going to release a live DVD. It never really crossed our minds. It would have to be a recording of a show we have yet to play, because we have no suitable material available right now. Besides, we are a real live band. We go ape shit, so we f*ck up every once in a while. Not pretty on a live DVD. But live, indeed! We’d have to practice really hard en learn how to control ourselves on stage. That’s our weak point, haha. I think it would be better to just see us live on stage.
– Marjan sang in the special show by Stream of Passion last 28th December… why not having a collaboration in Autumn? Maybe not only in live shows, but on cd… And being it so, who would you collaborate with?
That is a really nice idea, but I think it’s also good to keep things separated. We have such different styles. We might do guest appearances, but only if it really contributes to a song. If I would have a choice to co-write, record an album and collaborate with one band, than it would be The Wounded from Holland. They don’t care about what anyone says. These guys really dive into their music, and the emotions would mix really nice with Autumn’s. Check them out. ‘Atlantic’ is a great album.
– You’ll be on stage again soon, mainly in The Netherlands… any plans for coming to Spain? And what do you recall from your experience with Spanish fans?
We are looking for a cool band to tour with right now. If we find a nice package, we will come back to Spain. The Spanish fans have always treated us very well. We hope to return the favor.
– And to finish with a funny question… what can you recall as the sweetest fan moment you’ve had? And the craziest?
Wow… I’ve had so many. There are lots of very nice people out there.
I do remember the craziest. There was this guy dressed as a knight who used to stalk Nienke. I’m talking chainmail and everything. He came to shows and just sat on his knees before her. He said she was his princess en he was coming to get her. He said stuff like that they would be together in life and death. He was dead serious and scary as hell. We really kept a close eye on that guy all the time.
– Well, that’s all for this interview. Thanks again for answering our questions, and if you want to add anything or tell anything to our readers, this is the moment. All the best for this 2012 🙂
A great 2012 to all of you! Hope to see you when we play Spain again!
