Introducing the band: Robin Janssens

1. When and why did you start playing?
I started taking music lessons when I was around 15 years, because i thought it was fun


2. Which instruments do you play?
I play guitar, bass guitar, drums and a bit piano

3. What was the first tune(s) you learned?
Brother john, one of the easiest tunes :)

4. Is your family musical?
My mother  sings in a choir.

5.  Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?
I’m not really into famous people, it’s more the bands they play in.

6.  Which famous musicians have you learned from?
I never really met one...


7. Describe your first instrument. Other instruments.
The first instrument I owned was an electrical piano, next came my electric drum kit, bass guitar and electric guitar

8. What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?
There are many, but the most impressive one is playing our surprise act  in front of the whole school during lunch break: about 500-1000 people were suddenly blown away by our folk-metal

9.  Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?
Not really no

10.  Who are your favourite musicians? Groups? CD's?
Mostly Machine Head, Metallica, System of a Down and Avenged sevenfold.


11.  Have you been in competitions? Fleadh's? Any prizes?
Loads, but not any big ones yet.( so no big prizes yet)

12. Do you perform in public? Describe those occasions? Concerts, radio, TV?
I play gigs all the time: Bars, festivals, homes, basically anywhere where they want us

13. How do you handle mistakes during a performance?
There are no mistakes, only improvisations :P

14. Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?
Not really no, but i always check the bathroom before i go on stage.

15. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?
Just start playing, and have fun!

16. Do you attend sessions? What makes a good session?
Not often, but when i do I’d like to be the drummer, that’s the easiest :)

17. How often and for how long do you practice?
About 5 times a week for 2 to 3 hours

18.  What do you practice - exercises, new tunes, hard tunes, etc.?
Mostly songs.

19. Do you teach music?
Nope.

20. How do you balance your music with other obligations - mate, children, job?
It’s hard, but till now it has always been possible

Introducing the band: Dave Schrijvers

1. When and why did you start playing?

I started playing when I was around 16 years old. My first intention was to play bass, but I started on an acoustic spanish guitar.

2. Which instruments do you play?

I mainly play bass, but I can also play a bit of guitar ( chords and stuff )

3. What was the first tune(s) you learned?

The first song I really learned on bass was season in the abyss-slayer. The band I started with played this song, so it was the first thing I picked up.

4. Is your family musical?

My mother really likes to sing, but that's about it.

5. Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

I don't admire special musicians, but I admire part of music or songs some musicians play, but this is a wide variety.

6. Which famous musicians have you learned from?

Not one in particular, I learned all the techniques I play from my bass-teacher, Alex v. Elswijk.

7. Describe your first instrument. Other instruments.

The first instrument I owned was a cheap-ass spanish guitar.

The first bass I owned was a 60's Avora Jazz bass. ( also cheap-ass by the way ).

My gear at the moment:

main bass:

Vig cobra-pro ( 5 string )

backup bass: 

Dean Edge ( 4 string )

amp:

Ashdown Engineering 300W amp.

8. What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?

I don't have a fondest memory, I have many fond memories, but the one I remember best was our gig in "de Meester-Almere" on st.Patricks day. Everybody went mental when we played!

9. Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?

Not in particular..

10. Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? CD's?

I like all sorts of music: Korpiklaani, Finntroll, Eluveitie, Blind Guardian, Kontrust, Gogol Bordello, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphey, Doe Maar, Spinvis, Boudewijn de Groot, Wardruna, Metallica, System of a Down... This list is far from complete, it really depends on the mood i'm in.

11. Have you been in competitions? Fleadh's? Any prizes?

At the moment we're competing in de Popprijs westland. On 16th november we will play in the finals! 

12. Do you perform in public? Describe those occasions? Concerts, radio, TV?

We are very active with the Royal Spuds, performing in public as much as possible

13. How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

Just keep smiling and concentrating.

14. Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?

It depends on the gig, but sometimes I do. I am always hungry when we have to play, so most of the times I have extra food with me..

15. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

Get used to it!

16. Do you attend sessions? What makes a good session?

A good session is when everyone has fun, it makes practising a lot easier.

17. How often and for how long do you practice?

I try to play at least an hour a day. When we have an important gig I practise a bit more.

18. What do you practice - exercises, new tunes, hard tunes, etc.?

All the above.

19. Do you teach music?

Nope.

20. How do you balance your music with other obligations - mate, children, job?

When you have a hobby it takes time, so a lot of free time goes to playing, but that's what I like. 

Photo's by: Nouzie van den Bos and Cornflower Photography

Introducing the band: Maarten van Vliet

1. When and why did you start playing?

I think that was about 11 years ago. I heard 'Be Like That' by 3 Doors Down and wanted to learn how to play it. It's also about the same time I started singing, in a school band.

2. Which instruments do you play?

I started out just singing, later I added the guitar. Now it's all banjo, and the odd bouzouki and tin-whistle (still practicing that one), for me. In between I tried bass, ukulele, violin, and I think I tried some percussion.

3. What was the first tune(s) you learned?

On guitar, "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes, on banjo "Drunken Lullabies" by Flogging Molly.

4. Is your family musical?

Not as far as I know. My sister plays the guitar, but that's about it.

5.  Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

Jeff DaRosa, Winston Marshall, Brain Setzer, Matt Freeman, etc. etc. Why? Because they're all awesome at what they do!

6.  Which famous musicians have you learned from?

I have a songbook by Gerry O'Connor, so I guess I learned from him.

7. Describe your first instrument. Other instruments.

My first guitar was a cheap acoustic one, I think a Spanish guitar, no idea about the brand though. Later I bought a third-hand beat up electric guitar. Still no idea about the brand.

Over the years I've owned (don't judge me if I don't know any types!):

Ibanez Artcore

A Hudson semi-acoustic guitar

Ibanez 12 string

An electric bass guitar (it says Muse on the headstock)

Cheap Ukulele

Walton's D Whistle

Stagg electric violin

Another violin

MAIN Mandolin semi-acoustic

A brandless guitarbanjo

A brandless 3/4 acoustic guitar

And my Aria Banjo

8. What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?

One of my fondest is the first live concert I ever saw. It was at a local venue I never even knew excisted. A friend of mine dragged me there. There was a metal band playing, and it was loads of fun. My first experience with live music. 

9.  Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?

Not really

10.  Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? CD's?

At the moment my favorite band is The Dreadnoughts, but that might change when I find something new. Other great bands are of course the Real McKenzies, Dropkick Murphys, Rumjacks, NoFX, Stray Cats, Katzenjammer, The Clash, The Creepshow, Sublime, and many many many many many many more!

11.  Have you been in competitions? Fleadh's? Any prizes?

Yup, like the other guys explained in their introductions.

12. Do you perform in public? Describe those occasions? Concerts, radio, TV?

Yup. Everywhere, as much as possible. Exposure!!

13. How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

I don't, I just keep playing.

14. Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?

Not anymore, I've been playing in bands and on stage for so many years now. The last time I've been really nervous was the first gig we played with The Royal Spuds.

15. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

I always like to drink a few beers before a show, a few. Too many? You're playing horrible. Too little? You might get nervous. 

Also, remember that it always gets better after the first song.

16. Do you attend sessions? What makes a good session?

Every now and then in a local bar. 

A good session is one where everyone gets to play.

17. How often and for how long do you practice?

Not going to lie here, pretty much never. I practice new songs or songs I find difficult to play, but that's about it.

18.  What do you practice - exercises, new tunes, hard tunes, etc.?

New songs ;)

19. Do you teach music?

I think I've tried to in the past, but I'm not a great musician, so teaching isn't my job. I don't know any theory and can't really explain what I'm doing. I'm learning though!

20. How do you balance your music with other obligations - mate, children, job?

At the moment school's priority number 1, since I've been going there for far too long now. Music and mate are a tied second though. 

 Photo's by: Nouzie van den Bos and Martin Evers

Introducing the band: Mark de Jong

1. When and why did you start playing?

I started playing the drums when I was about 8 years old. Before that I already beat on a drum kit, and of course my parents’ pots and pans. I also made my own drum kit out of closets and plastic containers.

All of this started because I went to a YES concert, and saw Allan White playing a huge drum kit.

2. Which instruments do you play?

I play drums and electric guitar.

3. What was the first tune(s) you learned

Hmm.. not really a tune. The first song I played though was Another Brick in the Wall.

4. Is your family musical

Yeah, a guitarist, accordionist and a couple of singers.  

5. Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

Allan White, his drums are a big part of the melody. Without all the other instruments it still sounds as a complete song to me.  

6. Which famous musicians have you learned from?

Smelly

Travis Barker

Simon phillips

7. Describe your first instrument. Other instruments.

My first kit was a cheap standard 5 piece drum kit from Basix with some Basix cymbals. Later I added cymbals from Paiste and Zildjian.

The drum kit I currently own:

Tama 6-delig BMW- SL62HZBNS-BMW Superstar Custom Hyperdrive.

Istanbull alchemy rock hi-hat 14’’

Sabian crash cymbal 16’’

Paiste crash cymbal 18’’

Sabian thincrash cymbal 18’’

Anatolian ride 20’’

Dw 4000 twinpedal

I also have two electric guitars:
Epiphone SG

Hudson HTCX Hot Cherry

8. What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?

Every musical memory is a great memory in its own right. But the best one is the first show I played with the Black Roses, the band I played in when I was in elementary school.

9. Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?

 Everything influences me to be honest.

10. Who are you’re favourite groups?

Lots of punk like: NoFX, Bad Religion, Pennywise, The Bouncing Souls, The Ramones and De Heideroosjes. I listen to every type of music though.

11. Have you been in competitions? Fleadh's? Any prizes?

With The Royal Spuds we won the Live & Lazarus audience award. Right now we’re in three other competitions.

In the past I competed with other bands as well.

12. Do you perform in public? Describe those occasions? Concerts, radio, TV?

We’re playing quite a lot with The Royal Spuds.

13. How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

That’s different every time. Mostly I act as if nothing went wrong. Sometimes, when a fill is too short or too long I play a kick instead of a snare, if the rest keeps playing everything gets back in place again. Every mistake is different though, so you’ll react different every time as well.

14. Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?

I actually don’t. Sometimes I have to poop a lot before a show though.

15. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

Some people just drink beer before a show, this will influence your playing quality. I’d say: look at the other bands or sit backstage with your own band and play some songs to get ready.

16. Do you attend sessions? What makes a good session?

Very little, I used to attend more than I do now. A good session happens when there’s enough beer and everyone’s listening to each other, so don’t just do your own thing.

 17. How often and for how long do you practice?

I try to practice as much as possible. But there’s always neighbors complaining when you’re beating the drums.

18.  What do you practice - exercises, new tunes, hard tunes, etc.?

Badass fills, weird measures and speed!

19. Do you teach music?

No.

20. How do you balance your music with other obligations - mate, children, job?

Shows during the week are often tricky, I work ‘til 5 and we have to be at the venue at 7 to set up. Dinner’s somewhere in between. Working the day after a show is never good, sleepy in the workplace. In October we have 2 shows almost every weekend, so there’s not a lot of time for other people.

 Photo's by: Nouzie van den Bos and Cornflower Photography