1.) WHICH RECORD HAS HAD THE MOST PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON YOU?
A difficult question as quite a few records have had a profound influence on me during various stages in my life – and records will, hopefully, continue to do so in the future. When pushed, I would say ‘Asylum’ by The Legendary Pink Dots. Not because it is my favourite album, but because it served as a catalyst for many things. It’s true importance lies in the fact that it provided not only direction and determination, it also inspired me to make my songs more personal.
2.) HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU SPEND A WEEK RECORDING/PLAYING/CREATING?
Creating is a continuous process that I find hard, if not impossible, to turn off. Ideas, fragments of lyrics, a possible title, a melody, an idea for artwork… it’s really an ongoing thing.
My main instrument is the guitar. When playing, it is just me and the sound of the guitar, melody lines and chords – losing myself for hours. I have several guitars as every guitar has a different character. My favourite guitars at the moment are my Gibson SG Junior from 1965 and a hand built Fano guitar.
3.) WHICH OF YOUR OWN CREATIONS IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
I am most proud of Around Midnight, the latest Beequeen album. Everything we have tried to accomplish in earlier albums comes together on this album. Around Midnight tells a story in words and music. The individual songs on the album are very personal, but it is when listened as a whole, Around Midnight really makes sense.
4.) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST REGRET?
Due to various circumstances the final mix of the Beequeen album Port Out Starboard Home is something that still bothers me. Due to time pressure and the difficulty in planning collective mixing sessions, I both made and went along with some decisions about the mix that I should not have. Port Out Starboard Home is an album of unfulfilled beauty and ambition.
5.) WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX?
I guess the same as many people: sit back with a good book, listen to music (or making it) or watch a fine movie in the right company.
6.) OTHER THAN FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHAT IS YOUR MOST CHERISHED POSSESSION?
I love THINGS: objects/artefacts that have little to no function beyond meaning something personal to me. This ranges from original art and signed things to silly little things that people give me and I appreciate highly. However, in the end things are merely things. Dead things. Even though our cat Sherlock would most likely, and rightfully so, object to be described as a ‘possession’, she is probably the most cherished possession in our household.
7.) TELL ME THREE OF YOUR HEROES/HEROINES?
Diana Rigg for being Mrs Peel in the Avengers, Errol Flynn for being such an intriguing human being and Kevin Rowland for his voice.
8.) WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD?
Home. Wherever that may be. As much as I love living in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, I have always felt I could pack up my things any minute and move my home somewhere else. The English Lake District or maybe somewhere in Japan?
9.) IF YOU DIDN’T HAVE YOUR ART WHAT OCCUPATION DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE DOING?
As a kid I believed the concept of art could change the world. In a way I still do, even though it is probably a process of the tiniest of steps. Everything is art, Joseph Beuys said, and he was right. As such music is certainly part of that process, but so is everything I (and you!) do. The art of creation is always present.
10.) IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT YOU WOULD WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT YOU HAVE NEVER CONVEYED IN AN INTERVIEW BEFORE WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
I enjoy life.
