I think every person that didn’t choose Metronomy concert over Amenra on 2022 OFF Festival later praised the latter as one of the best performances of this year’s festival. Their fans are one of the most loyal and serious we know (and of course thousands of them came to Katowice), but something told us that the band itself has a sense of humour. That (and of course a little misshap that prevented Agata from doing this interview) led us to confront their vocalist – Colin H. van Eeckhout with our silly, not-so-smart „Bad Questions” questionnaire. How did he deal with that? Expect everything – from pissing to the bucket to bad chili.
[MOŻESZ TO TAKŻE PRZECZYTAĆ PO POLSKU]
Biggest musical hero
I don’t have one person that I really idolize more than others. I have several. I think a musician who made a big impression on me is definitely Maynard James Keenan from Tool. First time I saw the urgency of a musician in his eyes while playing a live show that I really was mesmerized by. And then you have David Eugene Edwards. He is the singer of a band called Wovenhand and used to be in 16 Horsepower. Same thing with him. I’ve always kind of liked the necessity of playing music. It’s like they’re bewitched in telling their story. I think those guys spoke to me more on a live occasion. When I saw them live, I felt they’re very sincere and very full of integrity and it’s necessary for them to be musicians and tell their story. And that’s what kind of attracts me. And I love the most of the things that they did throughout their careers. I was really intrigued by those guys. Oh, and Nick Cave.
I guess you bring that necessity to your music, right?
Yeah, that’s where I drew the conclusion. If we do something, we have to make sure to tell a story that it’s worth being told. You don’t have to make music for the sake of making music. In our case – everyone can do what they want. But if you do something, you have to do it in a sincere way and you have to respect the thing that you create. And that’s kind of what we try to do.
First album you've bought with your own money?
I don’t really remember. I think it might have been Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction. At least of what’s linkable to our music. Yeah, there was probably other crap before that. Little 7″ and singles that I had, like Final Countdown by Europe, but I think I might go for Guns N’ Roses.
If not music, then what? What would you do?
Arts.
Visual?
Yes or performance arts or something that I would be able to express myself in. Maybe monumental art or whatever. Something.
Your song that you like the most
I always have a love for the song .Am Kreuz. It’s from our third album, so it was out around 2006, I think. And I really think that was the first time that we hit a special feeling in the music, something that was ungrasped.
Best thing about being a musician
I think that it’s the camaraderie and being on the road together. Collective artistic creative process is interesting because you’re not alone to decide. There are five people who have to decide on a creation, and you have to be willing to compromise and still express yourself in there. And it’s really nice and rewarding if it works out.
Is it easier or harder after so many years playing together?
I think it’s harder to reinvent yourself without losing yourself. You have a certain identity as a band, and we chose to uphold that identity, to carve that identity. So it’s harder to do new things without being too different. I would say it gets harder. Some things get harder, some things get easier. We get along extremely well. The older we get, the more we appreciate each other and each other’s flaws. But the creative process gets hard.
The best thing to do to not get mad while touring
You have to let go. We know that nothing is ever perfect and there’s always troubleshooting, and you have to learn to accept that. Like I said, when you’re younger, everything has to be like you wanted and the older you get, you realize that that is impossible, because you have to work with what you get, and you have to try to do the best you can with what you have.
The weirdest thing that happened during your concert
In our early days someone climbed onstage and he started to piss in a bucket next to me.
Where was that?
Somewhere in Belgium on some squat.
Your non-musical hobby
Skateboarding!
You’re good at it?
Good enough to have fun.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Still with the band. I’m looking forward to it. It’s a good thing.
Your biggest dream
Being able to do this as long as we can. I’ve been feeling that we still matter to some people. It doesn’t have to be much more. I mean, what we have is golden. It’s magic and we realize it and we really want to cherish that and we really want to keep it going as long as we can.
You have a very nice fanbase, right?
Yes! They are very loyal, very respectful. That’s crazy. We don’t let those people down and continue along the road for a long time.
The worst food on tour
The worst thing to get on tour is chili, because then you’re in a bus with 15 guys where you cannot take a dump. And most of the time, you get chili.
Check out our other interviews – HERE!