I think we should start with your return to Landmarq. It was quite a surprise.
Was it?
Yes, I think so.
Well, it was little bit of a surprise for me as well. Dave (Wagstaffe) called me up, because I did some work with a guy called Adam Wakeman. I did this track with him for a compilation (Tales from Yesterday, Jurriaan), that I got permission of the label to do. So basically they heard that I got permission to do that, and they had had some problems with their singers, and I'm not very sure about what happened, but they had some differences with their former singer Moon (who was present in Uden, see other interview, J). So they asked me to fill the space and I wanted that, because I though I had let them down, when I went to Lasalle. The reason that I went to Lasalle, was that it was a deal that I could not refuse. They wined and dined me, and they would let me do a solo album, alongside the Lasalle album, which seemed to be going somewhere.
The way to succes. I mean, I can understand it, everyone is ambitious I think.
It is not often that someone offers you everything you want and you believe it and think: this is going to happen. And at the time I think I was probably quite tired of Landmarq. Not of the guys, I mean they're great guys, the guys are probably the most beautiful people in the world. So it was not the people or the band itself, but the music was in a category in which I did not fall naturally.
You thought is was limiting.
No, I was desperately trying to do my own album, which I still desperately need to do.
I understand.
These are songs that I wrote when I was as young as fourteen years old and the songs have been with me for years. It's the same album that I was going to do then. And I was just about to record it with another band and someone comes along and offers me a budget. It looked even more promising to do than Iron Maiden, that's fantastic. You know I remember when I read that Bruce Dickinson left, I remember laughing about it because I knew that I would be auditioning. When I was put forward, I knew that I was basically in the top ten.
And that would have given you ample budget to record your solo album.
Well, I don't think that I could have recorded a solo album.
Oh yes, they are busy
I mean this is Iron Maiden. I couldn't just come in there and say, well hey I've got to do my stuff. Because I want to do things acoustic and with strings, they will decide that it is not productive for the band.
Well, Bruce Dickinson had time to do a solo album, but he was with the band for years.
Yeah.
He probably did it along the side and that's why it will take a long time.
That's right, you have to be touring an album for a year. I mean if Iron Maiden came up to me tomorrow to sing with them, and they would not interfere with what I am doing, and how I work, then I would jump for it. But being restricted and being told I couldn't work with Landmarq and couldn't do my solo album. With Lasalle, I mean I though the album would be finished in a couple of months, but it went on and on.
Did you have to resing all the vocals?
Yeah, well seventy percent of the album was actually finished, I've always wanted to be in a band. When Landmarq were doing their album it was very much the band was there and I was just the vocalist, doing basically what I was told, although they gave me free reign as well. But it wasn't my project. It wasn't like: "here guys, here's a song" and nor should it be and for that reason it wasn't a real band for me and the second album was the same. The third album was a bit nostalgic, after Lasalle, to..to do a Landmarq album was just great. A breath of fresh air, just beautiful. I mean I still remember when I was leaving Landmarq and Uwe's little girl came up saying me "Please, please don't leave Damian". And it was so sad, but I had to do it, and I didn't want to, but the company said I had to stop.
The thing about Landmarq is that they produce music that is true to themselves and I'm pleased to say that on the third album I feel to be a strong part of that. And we're proud to be prog. It's almost can always come to the stage where it becomes trendy, because it is untrendy.
But the Lasalle album, is it finished?
Yes, it's finished. It has been finished for over a year, but it hasn't been released.
Well, that should be pretty hard to have your music lying on the shelf somewhere.
Yeah.
That would lead me to think that you would have plenty of time to record your solo album?
I'm 26, I've been in bands since I was 13 or 14, I was writing songs from an early age. The first deal I went for then, was to record the same songs that I'm hoping to release next year. It's just ridiculous, it HAS to come out. And then maybe perhaps, I'll have time to do a heavy metal album, go to a completely other extreme. You see, I just have to get this material out, now.
This is very important I think, because what most people think is that you're just a singer, because you do not have much input with Landmarq, because you were more like a an addition to the band and now people hear that what you are really after is a means to have an outlet of your own.
So, you came back to Landmarq and did the Almelo gig (also to be heard on local radio, they played with 5:01 AM, November and Asgard, J). Was that the first one back?
Or was it Uden? Did you know what gigs we did? Oh yes, the Almelo gig was the first one.
I happened to be there with my girlfriend. Were you satisfied with the gig?
Oh God, I can't remember it.
Well, I remember something about body painting. Maybe that rings a bell?
Oh yeah, yeah, it comes back to me. Well we had a few problems there I think. The keyboards went down, it was fun (Later talk with Steve Leigh revealed that he was at the point of quitting right then and there. While they were playing not only did the keyboards go down, but there was no monitor as well). We went on to play a gig in England at the Classic Rock Society in Rotherham. Do you know Martin Hudson?
No
He's great. Into progressive rock, very supportive. And we played there, it was terrible. And it was me, I was to blame, but they seemed to love it. It's strange that all the bad things I do turn out to be the most popular. By the way, what did you think of it?
You mean the Almelo gig? Well, first of all it was a bit short. Everyone was hoping I think that you were going to play Ta' Jaing (actually someone did literally ask for River of golden sand).
Yeah?
I think that many people regard Ta' Jaing as the classic Landmarq track. And ehm, what was interesting about your performance was that there was an interaction with the public, more than the other bands. You came of the stage for instance. What also struck me was that you had quite a lot of female attention for a progressive rock band.
Great!
Have you ever noticed that?
Well, no, any progressive band I know is one that I have been involved with but it does seem to be a male dominated scene.
That's very true. When I looked afterwards at Asgard there were a lot of boys standing very much up front shouting and screaming and Asgard doing a macho gig with a lot of posing. Also, I heard from this dj doing some rockstation, probably a university radio station saying that he got quite a lot of reaction to playing Landmarq and I thnk he also mentioned that quite a lot of female listeners were involved.
Well, I'm a big fan of women, so if they are a big fan of us then so much the better.
Have you any idea why this might be so?
Well, it's not good looks that's for sure.
Well, I do believe mot people have never seen you in real life.
Well, it's about time that they saw us then.
I do remember Phil Collins saying that when they did Duke, getting less progressive as they said it, they saw a rise in female attention at their concerts. Still, I do not think that this is the case here, because you're not exactly mainstream.
No, we really are progressive, but I really haven't got an answer for that.
Well, I had this idea that it might have been a sort of sensuality about the music.
Well, that's a good one, I like that.
On your previous album, I wouldn't really call what you do rock. It's more flowing then all those bands with their riffs, hooks and breaks. So that might have been a reason why. My girlfriend wanted me to ask you what Landmarq album you like best?
The last one, it's always the last one.
I already told her that would probably be your answer.
The others are alright, a little bit of nostalgia there, but the last album was good.
Is that because you're more involved now or..?
Well I really wasn't, because..
Oh yes, I spoke with Steve Leigh on this in Uden in 1994 and he told me that a lot of new tracks had already been written.
You know, I was told actually that the album was just about finished and it was. The songs had been gigged and they were great, Infinity Parade, Cutting Room. But there was a lot of work to be done and I like that, the more the better. I just spent a week writing the material.
I did think you wrote quite a lot of vocal melodies. I did expect less, because you joined rather late.
Well, I started writing when they started to record the album. They gave me a rough guide, the instrumentation and they already started recording, so I was kind of restricted, I always am. They give me some play of my own /* made the last up, couldn't catch what is was */ But it's great, I love it. The beautiful thing about them is that they send you the tape with good faith and they say turn up in the studio and sing it. It's not like, let's all sit down and have a listen... And that's the whole of Landmarq influence. You know to let every individual do what they're best at doing. It's great having a producer, I mean Clive's a producer (Nolan of course, who else, J), but he doesn't dictate, he just gets the best out of people. It's different from working with a company; a company has a producer brought in.
With some bands it does work like that.
Yeah sure, but it doesn't work like this with Landmarq
No, maybe that's a consequence of being small scale. I mean progressive rock still is. So there's no money to buy a producer for a project. Also, I think that a lot of people in progressive bands chose this genre, because they wanted to decide for themselves.
Yeah, that's right. Well, you have to listen to the stuff in the future.
You mean the next Landmarq album?
Yes, but also my solo album. I don't know, you might hate it (as Willebrord Elsing stated later on, Damian's own music seems to be pretty good, but not progressive).
I might hate it? Your solo album?
Well, yes, cause it's so absolutely me. I mean these are true songs, quite traditional.
The situation reminds me a bit of John Frusciante.
Who?
A guy from Red Hot Chili Peppers. He released a solo album that was totally different from the band material.
Really?
Yeah, he sings very odd and the music can be very strange. Mostly it's acoustic stuff with him, whining a bit. So it can be done. Well, do you think there will be another Landmarq album?
Definitely
With you as a singer?
Yes, I'm not leaving. No, it's up to the other members to leave now. (laughter)
Well, then you'll have your solo album. (more laughter)
That's the way to go, yeah.
Someone asked me to ask you how you enjoyed your gig with Medicine Man (BTW I've never heard them, but they might be distributed by SI in the Netherlands so I should hear of them some time soon). This is something specific for the Internet. I just posted a message, saying: who has a question for Damian Wilson of Landmarq.
Really?
Yeah, and hardly anybody reacted, but... there were two reactions. One was from the U.S., Peter Renfro organizer of Progfest and he would like Landmarq there next year...
Oh great.
...and he said he would try to send me something of a contract or something, but he didn't yet, so that's for later. And I also got a question from someone asking how you liked the gig. What is Medicine Man?
Medicine Man is a band. Now Moon, the original singer of Landmarq, well maybe I am, but anyway he sung on their last album, but unfortunately he left the band. And basically I just felt that for all the times that I had let down other bands, although not always by intention, I thought I'd do it.
Is it also a progressive band?
Well, they try to steer away from that.
Ah yes.
I can't speak for them. But I just did a few rehearsals and it was great. Had a good time and I think people enjoyed it as well as I understand.
I'm not sure whether the person who asked the question was a member of the audience or maybe a member of the band or what.
/* John Bowen */ himself maybe, yeah
Might have been. I really don't know.
Now, let's go to the last album now, The Vision Pit. We already talked of the songs that were already underway in Uden. Are these also the songs that ended up on the album?
Yes, well, I'm not sure whether those tracks had other vocals on them before.
You mean they might have had Moons vocal melodies, but when you came back you had a chance to do it all over again.
I was really surprised to how complete the songs really were, compared to the other albums. They gigged them; they were strong songs and to me Infinity Parade is the best track on the album. What's your favourite?
Well, Narovlya I think (now I'm not so sure, what I say still holds, but overal, the songs a bit hasty in the beginning and it hurts the song J). Mostly because of the middle part like in 'They never told us the truth', which I find very moving. It's not as good as Ta' Jaing to me. But about Infinity Parade, I really do not like those 'anthemic' parts. Sometimes it's a little over the top for me. Landmarq does have the tendency to become a little cheesy at times. In Solitary Witness they do this as well, with the keyboardsolo.
Of course, I understand. The shame of it is that you listen to it and you think, well we should have real brass and real strings.
The first two tracks however did surprise me. They were rather rough.
Pinewood Avenue was a bit soft.
Oh?
Well, I thought it was going to be much harder. But Cutting Room is.
Yeah, it's quite heavy. It was not really a surprise for me on the album, because I had alredy heard them in Almelo, but it was a surprise for me then.
It was.
Yes, Landmarq was in my opinion more a band with sensuality and a flowing kind of music and now they came with this. I mean I like it.
Still, Landmarq is not a heavy band.
Yes, because afterwards you get the old Landmarq. I liked it a lot. They aren't the weakest songs by far. I think 10 Million and One is a bit uneventful and the chorus in Game Over is a bit...
Weak?
No a bit, like, obvious. Too melodic.
Steve, Steve wrote that.
Some parts are quite good I think, so it's a bit sad.
The song was presented to me as verse chorus verse chorus and it also had words. I scrapped the words, because I mean sometimes they are great, but they are not you. So, I rewrote the vocal melody, the verses and the lyrics. I got to the chorus and something about Game Over, I just couldn't get out of my head and I tried different things. But this was the best thing, without changing the instrumentation.
Well, it's not that you chose the wrong solution or anything. Sometimes I hear an album with some great epics and a few weaker up-tempo songs. You tend to think, why not replace those with another epic, but then the album becomes a morass, everything sounding the same.
How does the rest of the band write the music. Well, Steve (Leigh, J) always writes an epic on his own. (laughter, but why?)
Just before we go into the studio, he comes over and says here you go (slaps a large bundle of music unto the table), and we have to record it in two minutes, like a production line, which is great. I'll never forget what Clive (Nolan again, J) did with the lyrics to Borders (from their first album, J). I tend to live with my lyrics, you know and have to sit on it for a while. But Clive just did it like that. But I have to have passion, you knwo I can write these kind of lyrics, but they're never as good as the ones I live with. Clive cme over o help with Borders. We had a simple melody, for Landmarq that is, on guitar and Clive said, I have an idea and in two minutes. That's the way they work and they're excellent at it.
I think there's a difference. I mean one is more artistic and on the other workmanship. If you have to stand behind it fully it's artistry and with workmanship it's more a game of playing with words. If I would write lyrics for myself I wouldn't be able to write like that.
If I perform as well, I mean I'm terrified of doing the vocals on my solo stuff. You know you've had twelve years these dreams, the reason for starting in music doing this album and then it has to be like that, personal and lived with, and well Clive has done so many albums or like Rick Wakeman doing something like 150 albums, so I still have a long way to go. What the hell was I trying to say. Oh yes, well with Landmarq and with Lasalle, you know it's more like you know what to do and so you do it, but for your own stuff you take, well artistic time, you can take as long as you like. We'll just have to see what turns out better. I think it will pay off to take longer, but you can get lost up there.
What about some the subjects of your lyrics. You have Ta' Jaing, Narovlya and Hanblechia? Where do they come from?
Eh Narovlya, is basically Steve's (again Leigh), because he has these children over from Tchernobyl. So it's very close to him. Ta' Jaing, I don't know who did that.
Well Steve again. I asked him last time. He told me it was some story he had about Thailand, but he replaced it to China. What I mean is that it they might go into the library for the subjects or encounter things like that in real life.
Of course if you anything you have to know about your subject, but all the songs on the album are from real life. Pinewood Avenue is a song about real people.
In your own town?
Yes, Brookland college is a college in my neighbourhood and the neighbourhood watch and all the people involved are real people.
I was wondering about that.
That's very close to my life. By the way you've run out of tape.
Well, I still have the other side and another tape up stairs. Well, what about the lyrics to Cutting Room?
I was asked this earlier today. I thought it was about Steve's stay in the hospital (Gee this time, J). Bed of Nails is about Steve in the hospital, but I don't know why he wrote it.
So, Cutting Room is about surgeoning?
I thought so.
Well, I had this idea when I first heard it that it had something to do with the dark room, you know cutting films and all that.
Might be, but I really don't know why he wrote it. (As an afterthought, the first verse seems to be the Cutting Room as a dark room, the last verse definitely seems to be the place where they perform operations).
Isn't it important to know what the lyric is about?
No, it's important what I think it's about.
And you're meaning is what...?
My meaning is frustration. The whole album is about frustration. All Performers Stand Alone and Game Over. It's all about frustration. It's all about my situation. End of side 1
You don't hear a lot of musicans talking about their musicianship. I mean you hear them talk about it, but never sing about it.
Well, I'm not doing anything else. I mean talking and singing about myself. If you listen to the solo stuff you'll hear, and I don't think it will be particularly interesting to other people, at the end of the day. It comes from within. But hopefully the people will understand the frustration of the situation.
I think that a lot of people have this glamorous idea of musicians. But hearing that everything can go go wrong...
Wh.y does everybody in the street spit on me then (laughter).
...but it's good to hear the other side some time. And I don't mean that you're so famous that you can't walk the street anymore. I was going to ask you about Bed of Nails. Now I know it's about a hospital. That explains the wailing siren and all, people arriving at the hospital. My idea was totally different really: I had this idea of a schizophrenic confined in his room in the city. The wailing siren was the police's you know crime, and all that.
Well, that's also interesting. You know I never talked to Steve about it, but I do know that he wrote it when he was in the hospital and poor Steve's not very good at the moment (He's much better now, J) I do remember as a kid being six weeks in the hospital and not being able to go everywhere. That's completely irrelevant, but anyway...
Now I understand the line: I have lots of time, but not on my side. You have nothing to do.
And you feel you're at mercy of the situation.
When I was younger I was at the hospital for four weeks for pneumonia and having nothing to do.
Do you know that there's no love song on this album?
No, you're right.
I thought Infinity Parade had Embrace as a love song.
Somebody told me that I would stop writing lovesongs. Probably have. I don't know wy. Because especially at the moment there's no lack of love in my life you know. I don't know why.
Not many progressive band have love as subject.
Maybe they think it's trite, the easy way out. You know everyone can relate to it.
I don't think it's an eays way out to write a good lovesong.
You called Embrace a love song. But Embrace is really about a hill. In my childhood I used go up on a hill and think. For me it's written about being on top of that hill. You know when I was up that hill and you're mind goes completely free. That's when you start being creative and things start to come from nowhere, a creative force. That's what it is about, the peace on that hill.
More on the negative side I felt this in The more you seek the more you lose.
That is exactly it.
Because you're looking for something so that you can never find it.
That's right.
A song like Infinity Parade, like The more ..., is more observing and general. What I also found interesting was Ten Million and One. Landmarq did write tracks about the environment and all, but this is another kind of involvement altogether.
When I wrote this there was another verse. It was like Bernie Taupin writing Daniel. When Elton John recorded it, he missed that verse and changed the whole song. Now we took out a verse on Pinewood Avenue and also on this song. The track basically is about Euthenasia. It's about the faith a little old lady has in life and people around her. She goes to a doctor and the doctor tells her she losing her...they're taking away your money and your Social Security and that's why it says They're taking the Social away. But it's basically about people when they're worth more dead than alive.
I thought it was more the degeneration of the Social Security in England.
Oh yeah.
Because there's a lot of that
I think everyone's missing the National Health service, but that's because it's an impossible service to continue. But it's such an ideal thing to have. You can't let people die, because they can't afford the services.
The lines: There's a man amd he's on the phone, asking the wealth of my family home' made me think of what we have here: the Social trying to get money from people related to persons that are in need of money, like ex-wife's and husbands.
That's what it is then. That's what the song is, but it's not the message. The song is basically to say that well, a person is worth that much and well, the home is worth this much and it's not her home, I mean it is her home, but it's not hers anymore. It will go to the state, because she has no relatives anymore. So they say well, let's kill her off and keep her things. She's worth more dead than alive. It's not particularly clever, but I find it well...
I was wondering about the instrumental on the album. Steve Leigh told me that every Landmarq album has its instrumental. Which is it now?
Euh?
Well, To Do or Die is an instrumental, but it is not listed on the album.
It's not listed?
Well, not on the back with the tracklisting. It's listed in the booklet however, with lyrics, that are not sung. (laughter)
Hanblechia is also something like an instrumental although it has vocal sounds. (Misunderstanding over the pronunciation, which I always forget. You do have to listen carefully to Tracy Hitchings on the track and you'll hear what they think is the proper way to pronounce it)
You mentioned that name before and I was already wondering from which album that song came, but now I understand. Well that's okay, it's probably not pronounced that way at all. Well, there are lyrics on that (not found in the booklet btw, while those to To Do or Die are!?!, J). The album title The Vision Pit is reference to that title and what it means is explained on the album, right?
Yes, Hanblechia stands for The Vision Quest and in the story that comes along with it, an Indian is introduced and he has to go into The Vision Pit to have visions (that's why the quest; he does this to proof his worth as a shaman, J). Rather strange then that in the biography, it read that the next album will probably contain a track called The Vision Pit, but actually this Hanblechia is the title track to this album, but sort of in disguise. So, there are two title tracks on the album, but not of the same album.
Yeah, you're right. I do not know whether there will be another one on the other album or not. It's always Steve (Gee) that's coming up with it
Yes, it's turned into quite a gimmick. You know that you hear people say: 'Just heard the new album by Landmarq.' 'Oh is that that band that places the title track of an album on the next one.' 'Yeah, that's them. You know what they are like?' 'No'.
So, To Do or Die is actually the instrumental that Steve Leigh always wants on the album.
Well, yes I think so. Probably nobody wanted it on the album. I mean eh, I think there was talk of not including it on the album, but it did appear on the album.
So nobody knew it would except Steve? (laughter)
Yeah, that's Steve. Always trying to sneak something in.
That's why it probably didn't appear on the back. The other members would probably only look at the front and the back thinking: this is a great album. Nobody opens it up to read the lyrics or whatever, so nobody finds out To Do or Die is on it.
Yeah, it's just getting around us.
The last thing actually: what are your plans for the future. Start gigging?
Yeah.
I heard you were to play in Uden on the 16th of December.
Yes
Are there any other plans.
Well, for next year, but I don't know which countries.
Well, maybe the U.S. for Progfest. Rather striking that the wanted Collage too, but up to now they never had an SI band over there. Well, mostly US bands of course and also Scandanavian bands, that are very popular and some Musea bands. Might be good to have some SI bands as well for a time. It's also striking that a lot of fans over there, expecially the hard core fans, are more into seventies prog and not into neo. A term which Willebrord loathes, so use it whenever possible.
I'll remember that yeah.
Will there be a single by the way? SI has the tendency to release singles once in a while.
Do they?
They have.
Did they?
Yes.
They have?
November has even made a television appearance.
Really? Blimey. I didn't know that at all.
Still not many have been released. Wings of Steel, Gandalf, Shadowland (also for some leftovers) and November of course.
Well, of course Landmarq is still an album band.
Yes, well most SI bands are (all, J). It's mostly to get airplay and sell more records I think. The only band that succeeded in getting airplay is Timelock.
Why is that?
Well, there WAS this deejay Carola that was fond of the band and played them in her show on the national rockstation a few times. I think she has left now.
What is your favourite track by the way?
Well, that's Infinity Parade, we talked about that.
Yes on this album, but for any album. (silence)
What do you like to perform best, then?
Forever Young. I like that track. Forever Young. I think Borders is great. And eh Tailspin.
I think Tailspin really had to grow on me. It's quite long and also quite slow with little variation.
You see I love Steve Gee's stuff. Well, Steve Leigh as well, with the epics. I like a couple of tracks of each album. And if you ask me which tracks I don't like, there's something about Foxing the Fox that's always haunted me.
I did show my girlfriend an Iron Maiden cover and she was very relieved that you didn't make it.
Ah, really? That's good.
You see, I go to shops all the time and she was with me some time and I showed her a cover and she really doesn't like that kind of thing.
What album was that?
I don't know. Well, all those covers are alike really. If you take Piece of Mind or Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
I really like Piece of Mind
I like them as well. Although they never got better than Remember Tomorrow.
Remember Tomorrow?
Yes, it was with their first singer on the first or second album.
I really like Die with your boots on. I really like that track. I never got a chance to audition with that track, which is a shame, but...
Are you a sort of hardrock fan then.
Hard rock. I like music with a bit of adrenalin.
Def Leppard for instance.
If you like.
Talk about producer influenced bands.
Yeah.
I heard some stories about Mutt Lange. I don't know if they are true.
Hmm, I heard some stories about him too.
You too? I heard it from Jim Steinman (in an interview in SI magazine, J). There was a lot name calling between Def Leppard and Jim Steinman. You see, Mutt Lange was in the hospital and he took over. Then he told that the drummer came up to him saying: Can I play on this album. And it wasn't their first.
Really
Yes, and he thought it kind of said. On the other hand Def Leppard had their stories too, so. The truth will be somewhere in the middle. So, you like a bit of adrenalin
Yeah.
Was that the reason to join Threshold.
I was asked.
Is it more your style? I mean your solo album would contain more singer songwriter stuff right?
Yes.
So, do you listen to some of that stuff?
Yes, Joni Mitchell. Or English bands like Small Faces and all that. All those pop bands were great.
Like the Kinks
Oh yes, Ray Davies.
I like a bit of experiment. I mean I like Joni Mitchell, but more after she stopped doing folk. Like Hejira, Mingus and Don Juan's Reckless Daughter.
You don't like Blue? It's classic.
No not really. I rather have Hissing of Summer Lawns or Hejira. With bob Dylan it's the other way around. I rather have the older stuff. Maybe Desire but most is well... I don't like his singing.
No, he's not really a singer.
Well, if you write lyrics like that you will want to sing them and not care what people think of your singing.
He wrote so many classic songs.
Yes, like .....
Songs like eh...I can't remember.
Hurricane?
Yeah, Hurricane
That's on Desire. One of his best I think.