2)
I read the interview where you talked about the second Adagio
album, saying that it would be a concept album about the "Doppelganger." That
sounds fascinating. Can you elaborate on the concept a little more?
Yes, in the beggining I was really interested in that idea.But as the
composition is moving forwrd in a different way, it won't be a concept
album.The doppelganger is the confrontation between the two personnalities
we can have, something very mannichean.and sometimes one of this side can
take the place of the original one.
Most of the lyrics will talk about it, but it won't be a concept album.
3) Will you tour in Europe and especially in Spain (where
you have a lot of fans !) for Adagio´s shows or clinics ?
Hello to all the fans in Spain :-) For the moment the tour will only happen
in France, but I really hope we'll play outside very soon.
4) Your first demo 'Vision' is no more available, why ? and will it be
re-release ?
"Visions" was my first instrumental demo CD.I did it five years ago.I've
decided to stop it, because now, it's pretty old, and my playing was not
really clean.
Also, I'm still playing these songs since 4 years when I'm doing clinics,
and I'm a bit bored of these songs now.Maybe we will release it someday, but
for the moment I don't know.
If there's a lot of demand, I'll probably sell it on the website.
5) I was wondering about the images on the cover of Sanctus Ignis.
Are these based on real works of art? The one in the center looks a little like
David Readman (at least to me); is this a coincidence, or was it
intentional?
Wow, you find that Davids looking a bit like Maria!!!! that's funny :-) The
artwork of the album has been done by Isabel de Amorim, she did an
exceptional job really representative of what I wanted.
It's not real paintings, it's a combination of different paintings and
sculptures from baroque period. I'm not involved in any religion in
particular, but I really love mystical and religious imagery for his majesty
and pureness.
6) Ok, let's talk about technic. Is that hard to move from a 6 strings
guitar to a 7 strings ? How big is the 7th string ? Isn't it too large ?
Well, I had my first seven strings 2 years ago, it was a LAG custom.In the
beginning it was pretty difficult to move from 6 to seven strings, but now,
i'm only playing on 7th strings, because everything you can do 6 you can do
on 7, so.....
For the low B string i'm using d'Addario 056 gauge. My gauge is 09-046 with
056 for the low string.
7) Can you detail the material you use ?
Guitars:
LAG "Stephan Forte signature" model which features 7 strings 27 th frets
with a saber body really thin.It's THE shred guitar
LAG Custom 7 strings -blue
LAG Beast supreme deluxe 6 strings tuned in D-I used it on "the stringless
violin" and "the inner road"
LAG electro acoustic guitar
LANEY VH100R head
LANEY 4X12" cabinets
ROCKTRON Prophesy preamp
ROCKTRON All access Foot controller
ROCKTRON Intellipitch harmonizer
FURMAN power station
E-MAGIC logic audio gold program
E-MAGIC Audiowerk 8
I use DUNLOP jazz 3 picks (the black ones)
8) Concerning Adagio, some people find that Adagio's first album is
too much influenced by Symphony X, what do you answer to that ?
You know, a lot of people always need to compare a new to band to something
they already knows.
In my case, my biggest mistake has been to mention Malmsteen and Symphony X
a bit too much in the interviews and the biography.
So, it's normal for the people who have read that before to listen to
Adagio, to be influenced by what they read.
I prefered to be honest about my influences, because a lot of guitar player
very influenced by Malmsteen, prefer not to mention him because they're
afraid to endure this comparison, and I think that it's not really fair.
Yngwie was my main influence when I was 14 years old, now, I think it's easy
when you listen to my playing ,to see that's it's not very Malmsteen anymore
!
About Symphony X, that's right I had mentioned this name a lot of times,
simply because it's for me, the band which sounds the more in the vein of
what I like in Metal.
I think it's normal, as Michel and I, have a lot of common influences
Shawn Lane, Cacophony, John Williams, Gustav Holst, Malmsteen...) that our
bands sounds similar sometimes.It's also true that Symphony X influenced me
a lot, but I think, most of the people who thinks that Adagio is a copy of
SX or Malmsteen or whatever, should listen to it a bit more....or not
listening it at all !!:-)
But you can be sure that, if I said that my biggest influence was AC/DC,
still a lot of people could find some similar points with ADAGIO :-))))))
9) Your guitar playing sounds oriental sometimes, have you ever been
in oriental countries ?
No, not yet, i wish I'll go in Egypt soon, to be a bit more familiar with
traditional music and also in Asia, I really love both traditional japanese
and chinese music.
10) A lot of guitar players pretend they listen a lot to classical
music, in your case it is true ?
Yes, I've never said I was a crack in classical music, but I really think
that in my humble opinion, classical music is the most accomplished music
ever, and the only kind of music where you can find REAL virtuosos.In metal,
a lot of people use that "Virtuoso" term really often, but my definition
(maybe I'm wrong)of a Virtuoso, is not only an awesome technical player, but
also, someone which includes emotion in his playing as well.
Most of the classical concertists, doesn't work their technique anymore,
it's more like a practicing of something they already have since a long time
ago, just as a warm up, the main thing is interpretation.
The training in classical music, is very intense, and I don't think we can
compare such discipline as 4-5 hours a day practicing the guitar or anything
else.
I had the chance to met real classical concertist, and when I saw them at
work,...Wow...I understood I was really far from the truth.
These guys (or girls),just spent their youth to practice, practice,
practice.In general, it was not their own choice in the beggining, and I
think it's pretty difficult for a 5 years old kid to stay in a room for up
than 5 hours practicing something he didn't asked for.
But, when they are 20 years old, I think you can imagine how far they are
from us.In China, lot of children are not going in school ,and are obligated
to work their violin all day long, non stop, and everyday.
So, yes, I really listen Classical music, that's where I find most of my
inspiration for Adagio.I'm always trying to discover new things, new
composers, new artists, and it gives me motivation to work.
Maybe you could check the classical page on the Adagio website.
11) How a guy from the south (where the grass is green and the girls
are pretty) can happen to become a shredder ?
I always found enough time to enjoy the good things in life ( let just work
your imagination :-)but as I was really determinated to become a "shredder",
I've worked a lot my instrument never forgeting which was my real goal in
life.
12) There is a lot of shredders in the south of France (Achard,
Lanceau, Carriere, ...), how do you explain that ?
Maybe because people from the south (including me) are a bit exhuberent in
everything they do, so when they practice, they practice a lot !:-)))))))
13) ok, I'll pass on the 13th question, are you superstitious ?
13 bis) I saw on the mailing list that you like killing chickens ? why
?
Oh no!!!!!That's a long and strange story.Let me explain for all the readers
:
Once upon a time, in the pages of guitar-heroes.com, I discovered a strange
young guy called Fabien.This guy(which at first look, seemed totally normal)
sent me an e-mail.
Then I realized in front of what kind of degeneratd perverse I was.
He sent me in invitation for a hunting party in chicken land, where we was
supposed to make a pic-nic, eating all different kinds of mushrooms from
different colors, before riding our flying hedgehogs to fly over
chickenland.
Fabien(who was getting really stoned)was really insistant,and he told me
that if I wanted to become a member of the Pirouli-Patafuite sect, I had to
come with him and his friends, to hunt in chickenland, and the one who'
would manage to kill more chickens than the others, would became the chief
of the brotherhood.
Even if I was sure to be able to kill many chickens, I would never did that,
THE SUSPECT IS NOT THE ONE YOU BELIEVE !!!(go on guitar-heroes.com and send
your comments about these awful celebrations to fabienm@club-internet.fr)
14) It's time to talk a little bit about you.
Someone told me that you have an anecdote about Malmsteen, what's that
?
In 1998(june 3rd)I've opened for Yngwie in Lyon(France).It was a real
honour for me.
As it was the first time i met him, I bought a really good bottle of
Bordeaux wine (~50$ ).When he finished the show, he had to go through my
backstages to leave the concert place, and I went to him to give him the
bottle, he just looked at me and said: NO !!!!I was bit disoriented, and I
gave the bottle to his sister who saw the scene.
I was a bit deceived, as I would have keep this bottle for me. But, even if
I was a bit disapointed this day, now, I think it's a fun story !
15) Is the person you live with (who might find my english very poor
;-)) jealous of your guitar ? and more seriously how many time do you
practise per day ?
Lol, well I would say that they are both jealous of each others !When I
spend too much time with my my girlfriend, my guitar doesn't want to let me
sweep or shred 'til I've spend few hours only with her (it's a bit the same
in the other way too :-)
I'm striving to practice at least 4-5 hours everyday when I have time
to.When I was younger I was practicing up to 12 hours a day sometimes, but
now, as I have a lot of different things to do(composing, reply to the
e-mails, working on buisness things for Adagio and I, making clinics and
doing interviews for guitar-heroes.com...)I can't do it anymore.
16) Have you another passion in life (excluding guitar and chickens) ?
Yes, my family and my friends.
I really enjoy to party with my friends,to eat good food and to drink
whiskey-coke !
But overall, I love laughing !!I couldn't live without.
I'm also a big fan of the Simpsons (I really really love Homer !!)
17) Is is true that you were candidate for 'Loft Story' (french
version of big brother) ?
No, I were candidate to "Plof Story".It's abit the same, but instead of boys
with girls together, you have to stay during 3 months with otaries, it's
very difficult, because it's not really the same way of life.
18) You're already half a god in Japan, would you live there ?
You know why I am a god there ? because i can eat 380 sushis in 1 minute
!(to the japanese readers, I'm kidding of course !)
19) Let's go bakc to music. I know that you listen to a lot of
shredders
20) You're already half a god in Japan, would you live there ?
21) What is your vision of the old debate around technical skill and
emotion in instrumental music ?
22) What means Ereshkigal ?
23) Adagio is composed of people from all around the world, is it a
N.T.S. request ?
24) Why didn't you work with Vitalij Kuprij ?
25) As your musical knowledge is legendary, I propose you a little
game.
Just put the author's name in front of each composition, and tell us
in one word what comes to your mind when thinking to that composition.
26) What is for you the worst band in the universe ?
27) If you had to advise us a CD from the 80's ? and from the 90's ?
28) Ok, let's speculate on three situations that could happen to you,
how would you react ?
29) According to you, how many people will read this interview ?
30) You know that you owe me 3 bottles of whisky ?
31) Last question. It's the 'make your own' question. Just say
anything
you want on what you want.
Yes, I really enjoy listening good shredders,you can always find new licks
or new kind of chops to work!
It's great for the motivation.
on the web, can you give us some names of real aliens of the guitar ?
Rusty cooley, Derek taylor, and scott Mishoe are my favorites new guitarists
as far as technique is concerned.They makes shred moving forward.
You know why I am a god there ? because i can drink 2 liters of saké in 1
minute!
(to the japanese readers, I'm kidding again of course !)
I am a really big fan of virtuosity, I love awesome technique.But to me,
technique
have to serve the music, that's why I'm listening a lot of Classical
music(cf.question 10) .
My goal, as a guitar player is to manage to combine great chops with emotion
and interpretation, and I 'm always keeping this in mind when I'm working on
composition.
Try to guess why I love Shawn Lane and Jason Becker so much !!!
Ereshkigal is the name of the godess of hell in the mesopotamian
mythology.She's the wife of Nergal.
No, I just chosen these musicians because of their personality and their
great playing.
Vitalij and I are still friends, but we had some little disagrements about
buisness stuff,
so we decided to stop this collaboration.Then I did Adagio and he did Ring
of Fire.
The funny thing is we are on the same label in Japan(Avalon/Marquee)so maybe
we'll do a tour together, who knows :-)
- Flight of the bumble bee :
Rimsky Korsakov and then
Rachmaninov-Awesome ! I love the way Korsakov used the cromaticisms.
- Malignant carbuncle :
I don't know this one, should I
(NDF : it was Ron Thal)
- Forbidden city :
MARTY FRIEDMAN!!!!!this song is really good, I love
dragon's kiss
- Of sins and shadow :
Symphony X-Great tune very heavy and very
powerful, the soli are really cool
- Tambourin chinois :
I don't know this one, what is it ?Is it
traditional chinese music ?
(NDF : it was Fritz Kreisler)
- 17th century chicken picking :
Is it a song ?
(NDF : it was Chris Impellitteri)
- Funeral march :
which one ?? The Chopin one is the most famous, nice.
- 24th caprice :
Paganini-I love the version of japanese violin player
Midori, her interpretation of caprice n°5 is incredible
- Rain in the tunnel :
I don't know this one
(NDF : it was Michael Lee Firkins)
- For the love of god :
Steve Vai-A lot of emotion, he's really taking
care of the way he gonna make every note sounding, the chord progression is
really simple but what he plays on it is beautiful.
- Rain in the tunnel :
Is there still some water in this tunnel since 2
questions before ?
(NDF : it was again Michael Lee Firkins, sorry for this one !)
- Temple of Lust :
It's old and not very rerpresentative of my actual
playing and composition, but this song helped me a lot.It's sounds typically
80's neoclassical without originality but I don't have any regret, and I
still have some fun when I play it during clinics.I like the chromaticisms
in the solo :-)))
no comment
80's -Cacophony-speed metal symphony
90's- Dream theater-Images and words
1st => Mike Varney phones you and want to make an instrumental CD based on
'Vision'. ?
Based on "Visions"-NO !!(lol)I would prefer to do something new instead of
rearranging these songs
2nd => you're president for one day, what would you change in this world ?
(this one is more than hypothetic)
I just have one day !!!!!!!!!!wow, There is so many things i would do that I
should wake up very early in the morning.
No seriously, I can't answer to this question, because it's absolutely
impossible.
Ok ok !!!One thing: Destroy all the weapons on earth ( giga utopic isn't it
?:-)
3rd => you're on a desert isle, and you are permitted to take one cd and
one thing (but not a guitar and not a woman) with you.
Tons of sheet music paper and the Requiem of Mozart (+ a cd player of
course !!!)
2 : You and I
No, why 3 ??????????? Just two !!
(NDF : 'was just trying ...)
Ok, Stephan,could you tell us what' your favorite food and if we want to
make you happy if we invite you for a dinner what we should do ?
-Yes sure
Ok I really love pastas aldente.Spaghettis, but not little ones(and not
too big)N°5 Barilla or Panzani are ok, just let cook 7 mins but don't forget
to let the water boil before !!With salt and Isio 4 oil.
Then for the sauce, you can use fresh tomatoes with fried onions and beef I
also like
Carbonara, but not too liquid.
A good bottle of red wine (Bordeaux, Corbieres, St Chinian)
Some bread ( I like sesam seeds or cereals in it !)
If you want, you can also do some nems and chinese pastas or rice with
curry, I love it.
I really like Highly spiced food
I really like Indian Food
I really like Chinese Food
I really like Pizzas.
I really like chocolate (white or milk)and chocolate cake with lot of
chocolate
I really love Jack Daniels and Pepsi
What I hate: Roquefort and goat cheese (all strong cheese),chards, celery,
oyster plant, cuncumber, aubergines and courgettes.
Citrus fruits(orange, lemon etc...)
That's all folks !!!!