EPIC -Interview (2016)
 

 

 

 

 

Band's Website: www.epicband.net
Band's Facebook: www.facebook.com/epicmusicband

 

Interview taken from Tanya Rizkala

 

GEORGE: Welcome to BeRock Radio Tanya, the most melodic place! I am George, please make yourself comfortable!
We’re glad to have you here. Tell us about the current line-up and some words on how you came up with your
band name, "EPIC"?

TANYA: The name EPIC is a tribute to the Classic Rock genre & to the giants of Rock.
Their comeback with amazing albums paves the way for us, the younger generation, to keep
creating Rock music & to prove that Classic Rock is very much alive!

GEORGE: Will you tell us some information about your debut album "Like a Phoenix"?
Was it hard composing the tracks? How long did the recording sessions take?

TANYA: All songs are written & composed by Mario Agostine, the guitar player & myself. The recording was done in a few months.
Writing music should always be fun and a pleasure, a beautiful release of emotions that the artist is trying to convey through his/her
music. Having said that, there is no escape from the creative tension that comes along with it. A Musician needs to disconnect
from the pressure of daily life and responsibilities to pour his/her feelings and experiences into creating and composing
new material.

GEORGE: What were your inspirations while writing the tracks?

TANYA: We always get inspired from our own life experiences first and we also learn to observe what happens with people around us
and draw from it. Our album “Like a phoenix” can be seen through the lyrics as a message of hope and strength to those who really
need it and we wanted to make sure that the new generation receives those positive vibes, to always learn to fight on, to survive
daily life hardships and never give up no matter how many times life might bring you down and to never forget that Love is the
very heart of it all.

GEORGE: Did you encounter any problems during the recording of the album?
If so, how did you overcome them?

TANYA: The composing,writing,recording,mixing and mastering process might always seem long at first. Musicians definitely
go through a lot in order to deliver the best in them & make their album sound great! But it's all part of the creative process
and it's always a blast ! Creating music is hard work & a Musician's life is full of ups and downs & the struggles of daily life
but it surely is a lot of fun:)

GEORGE: Are you pleased with the feedback from media worldwide?
Such as from reviews and fan reactions.

TANYA: Absolutely! We are blessed to realise that our album " Like A Phoenix" has been positively embraced by media worldwide!
It is always rewarding when artists are appreciated by the music industry especially the Rock industry & its die hard Rock fans.
It makes it all worthwhile!

GEORGE: What are your plans for the promotion of the album, but also generally speaking?
Should we wait for a video clip? What plans do you have for live shows/tours,
will we see you in other European countries as well?

TANYA: The album is already being promoted through numerous reviews & interviews from all over the globe & is distributed
worldwide both digitally & physically by our label ESCAPE Music.
On the other hand, the fact that we released the album last April, we are somehow late to take part in Spring & Summer festivals
but we are playing in a Festival in Germany on July 2nd along with a few shows and interviews in both Germany & the Netherlands.
We are booked for Rock shows & Festivals in 2017. All upcoming shows & tours will be announced in due time.
Of course, a Video Clip is in the works. We will hopefully start shooting when we get back from Germany.

GEORGE: In the Melodic Hard Rock scene it’s very difficult to stand out and shine among the rest, due to the
high quality that is needed, do you believe that the band’s charismatic lead singer will help you stand out?

TANYA: Well, I don't think I am the right person to answer that question Lol.
I will leave it to you Georges, the Rock fans and the people in the Rock industry to form their own opinion about the band's
lead singer ;) But I will say this: As a lead singer in a Rock band, It's very important to rely on my vocal abilities first & foremost;
Rock singing is one of the hardest forms of singing! Being a charismatic artist on & off the stage is always an added & very
important value. That's what I look for in other artists when I watch them perform.
Charisma conveys both emotional & physical attraction which draws us closer to the Music!

GEORGE: For the past 4-5 years, we’ve been seeing a boom in Melodic Hard Rock.
Do you believe that rockers want more quality in the music and listen to more of this genre?
What is your opinion on this?

TANYA: I agree! The Melodic/ Heavy Classic Rock genre is definitely back!
The giants of Rock, the timeless Rock bands we grew up listening to, brought it back when they made a comeback themselves
with some really great albums which, like I said earlier, paved the way for us, the new Classic Rock generation.
Yes, I strongly believe that Rockers want more of this genre, the way they have always known it throughout the years,
with the same artistic, technical & glamorous feel to it.
Rock fans are embracing & cheering new bands who offer a new contemporary
Melodic/Classic Rock twist, and for that we are blessed!

GEORGE: In recent years, the music industry has changed.
We see that a lot of people prefer digital purchases, which are more convenient, faster and more accessible.
What are your thoughts on the future of physical copies, such as CDs?

TANYA: We all find it more simple to download our favourite music from the net, but personally I still like to hold the album in
my hands & look at the artists' faces and learn about them more or see how beautifully they have aged and still do their thing
better than ever! I get to see all of that when I hold the booklet in my hands, I still get excited when I place the CD in the
CD player & read through the lyrics as the Music plays and start humming to new songs, eager to discover them one by one,
tune after tune! You don't get that feeling when you listen to a new album on your PC.
Although it might be more practical for some, it's lifeless to me!
I need to cherich those albums and the artists' sweat & blood poured into each & every one of them,
and keep them safe in my personal dusty library.
They will still be here long after I am gone. This is how you truly value Music!

GEORGE: It’s not just the music industry that has changed over the years.
Nowadays, we see social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc...) have become hugely widespread.
How much support do these sites offer to a band and in what way?

TANYA: We wouldn't be able to reach people all over the world if it weren't for Social Media & that's a fact!
We have fans all over the world just by a click of a button!
The minute we share our news, pictures & videos from the comfort of our living room, we are able to export
our Music to the world! Back in the days, artists needed to tour extensively in order to make themselves & their
music known. We might not like how technology takes advantage of music Today...however,
we cannot deny that Social Media opened up new horizons for Musicians all over the world.

GEORGE: Name a few bands that you admire and the reason why?

TANYA: There are so many & I am mainly talking about the Giants of Classic Rock.
Here is a small selection of bands & front vocalists that inspired us while growing up, to say the least.
Whitesnake- Heart- Van Halen- Journey- Aerosmith- AC/DC- Rainbow- DIO- Bad Company- Foreigner- Mr.Big,
Gotthard- Led Zeppelin- Deep Purple ...to name a few really...

GEORGE: Thank you for your time, I wish you all the best for the future! The last words are yours for this interview.
Feel free to say whatever you want to all BeRock’s Radio minizine readers!

TANYA: Thank you my dear George for that lovely & very interesting chat :) & BeRock Radio for featuring my band EPIC !
We wish you continuous success & thank you for helping Rock artists like us carry the flame of Melodic/Classic Rock genre
& for keeping it alive & kicking!
Last but never least, A big shout out to your beautiful Rockers/Readers!
Keep the flame of Love, Passion and Rock 'n' Roll alive in you! \m/


George "Snaki" Karatzas
For BeRock Radio's MiniZine (2016)
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