Arena are back after 4 years with a brand new album entitled “The Unquiet Sky”. As always they have come up with some amazing tracks and a very interesting lyrical concept. The band’s mastermind, composer and keyboardist Clive Nolan talked to Grande Rock and made clear some very delicate matters about the band and not only…
Hi Clive… so good to be talking to you again about your brand new album “The Unquiet Sky”…
C: A pleasure…
What happened on the band’s camp those 4 years between the new album and your previous “The Seventh Degree of Separation”?
C: Is it really four years? Wow!.... Well, as always we have been busy with our own projects… John and It Bites, Mick and Script… myself and Alchemy and Pendragon of course.
There’s also a new member on the band, the bassist Kylan Amos. Why did John Jowitt leave Arena again?
C: Life just takes us in different directions sometimes.
When did you start working on the new album and which way did you have in mind to follow musically?
C: Actually we put together a bunch of musical bits and pieces, but the album did not start to properly exist until I sat down on the 3rd of January. Mick was due in to record drums on the 8th, so it was an intense few days…
Which are the differences and the similarities between “The Unquiet Sky” and “The Seventh Degree of Separation”?
C: “The Unquiet Sky” dealt with bigger song structures. There are more instrumental sections in this album… the songs are not as ‘concise as we aimed for on “The Seventh Degree”. I think this album is more ‘Epic’.
Does the album title “The Unquiet Sky” refer to our sky? Why is it “unquiet”? What’s the message behind the album title?
C: The album is based on a story called ‘casting the Rune’ by M R James… it was also a film made in 1957. The threat of a demon curse is the subject, and believe me, you’d be watching the sky for that… we am referring to a potentially dangerous sky!
You say that this is a concept album which is inspired by the short story “Casting the Runes” by M.R. James with a hearty nod towards the 1957 film “Night of the Demon”. How did you decide to deal with the specific story/film and why?
C: It’s a story I have always loved… dark and brooding with a simple and strong theme. It seemed irresistible to try and set this to a musical landscape.
You worked with Simon Hanhart (Saxon, McFly, Yngwie Malmsteen, Marillion, etc.) for the production, mixing and the mastering of the new album. He did an amazing job overall. What did you want to achieve sound-wise in comparison to your previous works?
C: We worked with Simon before… he produced “The Visitor” album. We wanted to get his energy involved again. He always has great ideas and a good understanding of how we work as a band. It also took some of the pressure off my shoulders.
Will there be a vinyl release of the new album or not and why?
C: I don’t as yet know.
Can you say that “The Unquiet Sky” is a musical mix between the “old” and the ”new” Arena?
C: Well spotted… you can indeed say that exactly!
Some fans of the band are complaining that the new album is not so much “progressive” as they would like it to be and it has many straightforward Hard rock/rock parts… what’s your say?
C: Well… I would say this album is a whole of more ‘progressive’ than our last one… but in truth it is not our ‘mission’ to be progressive according to any set of rules… we make the music we want.
The “20th anniversary Tour” ended at the end of April. Do you plan to tour again during 2015? Will there be any separated live shows in the UK or anywhere else too? When do you plan to come to Greece finally?!
C: There are no plans to tour again…
Are all your dreams fulfilled with Arena? What is the thing you have yet to achieve with Arena?
C: I would always like to have played to bigger audiences… bigger venues…
It’s time for our “weird questions”!!! Which are the best 3 prog rock albums according to you?
C: I’m not sure I can state which are the best three. Perhaps I can suggest my top three:
Genesis – “Lamb Lies Down”
Rick Wakeman – “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”
Mike Oldfield – “Tubular Bells”
Top 3 sci-fi movies of any era?
C: So many to choose from… and I guess my answer may change depending on my mood… “Alien”, “The Terminator” & “Blade Runner”.
Top 3 Horror movies of all time?
C: There are so many different eras of horror film, but I will lean towards the ‘classics… “Psycho”, “28 Days Later”, Any Zombie Film… love zombie films!
Beloved TV series that you watch this season?
C: My all-time favourite TV series is “24”… actually I’m binge watching it all again now… A favourite current TV series would be “The Walking Dead” or “Black Sails”.
Machine vs Humans… is humanity doomed to fall by their own hand eventually?
C: Of course… humanity is too arrogant.
Which is the record you wish you had written and why?
C: “Phantom of the Opera” because it has the perfect balance of musical atmospheres and intensities, as well as strong melodies and excellent structures and symmetry.
What do you think about this “Views, tweets & Likes” mania of our time?
C: I try not to…
What’s the worst thing you can say right after sex?
C: “Sorry, I’ve got to go”…
Which of the Seven Deadly Sins do you reckon is the one, that’s more likely to send you straight to Hell, in the afterlife?
C: I don’t believe in that kind of hell. Any of them would probably do it…
Thx for talking to Grande Rock, Clive. It’s always a pleasure to have you around. We’ll talk again in the future. Thx for the music too… take care!
C: Many thanks for the questions…. Best wishes to all!
C: A pleasure…
What happened on the band’s camp those 4 years between the new album and your previous “The Seventh Degree of Separation”?
C: Is it really four years? Wow!.... Well, as always we have been busy with our own projects… John and It Bites, Mick and Script… myself and Alchemy and Pendragon of course.
There’s also a new member on the band, the bassist Kylan Amos. Why did John Jowitt leave Arena again?
C: Life just takes us in different directions sometimes.
When did you start working on the new album and which way did you have in mind to follow musically?
C: Actually we put together a bunch of musical bits and pieces, but the album did not start to properly exist until I sat down on the 3rd of January. Mick was due in to record drums on the 8th, so it was an intense few days…
Which are the differences and the similarities between “The Unquiet Sky” and “The Seventh Degree of Separation”?
C: “The Unquiet Sky” dealt with bigger song structures. There are more instrumental sections in this album… the songs are not as ‘concise as we aimed for on “The Seventh Degree”. I think this album is more ‘Epic’.
Does the album title “The Unquiet Sky” refer to our sky? Why is it “unquiet”? What’s the message behind the album title?
C: The album is based on a story called ‘casting the Rune’ by M R James… it was also a film made in 1957. The threat of a demon curse is the subject, and believe me, you’d be watching the sky for that… we am referring to a potentially dangerous sky!
You say that this is a concept album which is inspired by the short story “Casting the Runes” by M.R. James with a hearty nod towards the 1957 film “Night of the Demon”. How did you decide to deal with the specific story/film and why?
C: It’s a story I have always loved… dark and brooding with a simple and strong theme. It seemed irresistible to try and set this to a musical landscape.
You worked with Simon Hanhart (Saxon, McFly, Yngwie Malmsteen, Marillion, etc.) for the production, mixing and the mastering of the new album. He did an amazing job overall. What did you want to achieve sound-wise in comparison to your previous works?
C: We worked with Simon before… he produced “The Visitor” album. We wanted to get his energy involved again. He always has great ideas and a good understanding of how we work as a band. It also took some of the pressure off my shoulders.
Will there be a vinyl release of the new album or not and why?
C: I don’t as yet know.
Can you say that “The Unquiet Sky” is a musical mix between the “old” and the ”new” Arena?
C: Well spotted… you can indeed say that exactly!
Some fans of the band are complaining that the new album is not so much “progressive” as they would like it to be and it has many straightforward Hard rock/rock parts… what’s your say?
C: Well… I would say this album is a whole of more ‘progressive’ than our last one… but in truth it is not our ‘mission’ to be progressive according to any set of rules… we make the music we want.
The “20th anniversary Tour” ended at the end of April. Do you plan to tour again during 2015? Will there be any separated live shows in the UK or anywhere else too? When do you plan to come to Greece finally?!
C: There are no plans to tour again…
Are all your dreams fulfilled with Arena? What is the thing you have yet to achieve with Arena?
C: I would always like to have played to bigger audiences… bigger venues…
It’s time for our “weird questions”!!! Which are the best 3 prog rock albums according to you?
C: I’m not sure I can state which are the best three. Perhaps I can suggest my top three:
Genesis – “Lamb Lies Down”
Rick Wakeman – “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”
Mike Oldfield – “Tubular Bells”
Top 3 sci-fi movies of any era?
C: So many to choose from… and I guess my answer may change depending on my mood… “Alien”, “The Terminator” & “Blade Runner”.
Top 3 Horror movies of all time?
C: There are so many different eras of horror film, but I will lean towards the ‘classics… “Psycho”, “28 Days Later”, Any Zombie Film… love zombie films!
Beloved TV series that you watch this season?
C: My all-time favourite TV series is “24”… actually I’m binge watching it all again now… A favourite current TV series would be “The Walking Dead” or “Black Sails”.
Machine vs Humans… is humanity doomed to fall by their own hand eventually?
C: Of course… humanity is too arrogant.
Which is the record you wish you had written and why?
C: “Phantom of the Opera” because it has the perfect balance of musical atmospheres and intensities, as well as strong melodies and excellent structures and symmetry.
What do you think about this “Views, tweets & Likes” mania of our time?
C: I try not to…
What’s the worst thing you can say right after sex?
C: “Sorry, I’ve got to go”…
Which of the Seven Deadly Sins do you reckon is the one, that’s more likely to send you straight to Hell, in the afterlife?
C: I don’t believe in that kind of hell. Any of them would probably do it…
Thx for talking to Grande Rock, Clive. It’s always a pleasure to have you around. We’ll talk again in the future. Thx for the music too… take care!
C: Many thanks for the questions…. Best wishes to all!