What was the beginning pint for your music career? How did it all start?
ELOAĦ was founded in 1995 as a singer/songwriter project. It has had many different members over the years with a small, fixed core. Since I grew up learning classical piano, and taking classical singing lessons, classical music is certainly an influence. As a teenager I found out that I like rock and heavy music (for example Savatage), new age music and singer/songwriter music and chansons (for example Herman van Veen). But that is just me. Every other musician of ELOAĦ has a different story, different tastes – all that goes into our music. For the past couple of years, we have had a stable core line-up, though.
Was there any bumps on the road? What kind of challenges did you have to deal with?
Naturally. First of all, it is important to find out what you actually want with/from your music: Do you want to become a superstar, go on big international tours? Do you prefer a smaller but more homey atmosphere? Do you want to tour? How much time and effort are you willing to put into your music? Do the goals of each individual band member fit with your own goals? Is there a common goal for the band or the project? Sorting all that out – whatever the answers – has one of the biggest challenges, especially since the answers might change over time.
What was the most fulfilling and satisfying moment so far?
That is difficult to answer. I love the creative process of writing, I like recording, I like developing songs with the other musicians, and I like to be on stage. All has its merits, and honestly cannot define a most satisfying moment. The latest one for me was when I held our latest production – Proud to Love You – in my hands.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Well, we do different things – from singer/songwriter (which is probably the most “typical” starting point) to improvisation, jazz… and at the moment we are working on a hard rock / heavy metal album. The only thing that combines all that is the fact that we, the musicians, enjoy making it, and that it touches us on an emotional level.
What is your creative process like?
I have little control over that. Sometimes songs come, and I write them down and practice them so they don’t disappear again. Sometimes a number of songs reveal themselves within a few days, and then it can take months or even years before I write again. Sometimes my band colleagues send me ideas they recorded – riffs, licks – but also then there are only certain times when I can work with these and arrange them into songs.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Increase the price for music streaming and downloading so that the actual value of music is better
represented.
If you were asked to give a piece of advice to upcoming bands, what would that be?
Find out what you want, define a common goal, be honest with yourself – and once that is set, stick to it
and put all your effort into it. Leaving backdoors open or working towards different goals at the same
time can easily be the reason for failing or frustration.
What has been the best performance of your career so far?
Performances are always unique – but probably one of our first performances more than 20 years ago
left the biggest impression, it was when I first experienced an enthusiastic crowd and the energy flowing
from them towards the stage. That feeling is incomparable.
If you didn’t become a musician, what would you be doing now?
I am a physicist and scientific manager at a research center, and I train (and teach) martial arts – so if I
would not do music as well, I would probably do more research and training.
What is new with the band at the moment? What are you currently working on and would like to share
with the world?
We just released a soft rock / ballad album entitled Proud To Love You, with which we are very happy –
and we hope that the music on this album will make many others happy as well. While producing this
album, we have started composing a hard rock / heavy metal album which we are working on at the
moment to be released in 2024.
