Bad times, good times… it’s all part of the game. What’s more important is to stand tall and have the power & the will to go on. Vanishing Point are back almost after a 7-year absent and several “weird situations” along the way. They are here stronger and more determine to go all the way than before. Guitarist & songwriter Chris Porcianko had a sincere & thoroughly chat with Grande Rock about everything that concerns his band and not only…
Hi Chris. It may have taken you 7 years to release a new album but you hit right on the spot! “Distant is the Sun” is truly magnificent! Kudos.
C: Thank you Thanos, thanks for the kind words man, it means a lot to us…
So, why were you away for 7 years? What happened these years?
C: Well in 2008 we supported many bands in Australia including Iron Maiden, Helloween, Joe Satriani to name a few as well as did our own headline shows all over the place. In late 2008 we supported Sonata Arctica in Europe alongside Pagans Mind and then came home to having 2009 to play more shows as well as attempt to write a follow up to “The Fourth Season”. Some members were heading in different ways musically and it made writing the album quite difficult. In 2010 some of the members left the band and in the end it was Silvio, Christian and myself who after a while decided to carry on. I must admit for the good 3 or so months in 2010 when the other guys left the band we felt like we should call it a day as well but we just started writing again and here we are… again heheh...
How hard was it to come back after this long hiatus? Which were the first and most difficult circumstances that you faced?
C: In a sense it was difficult because we had to focus a lot of energy into keeping the band afloat mentally but with the songs all written and newer band members we felt that we had something OK to move forward with. Having three members leave the band was a really big blow to the band and it was a dark period for us in a sense because all of a sudden half an album worth of material which was written was scrapped and we were back to square one.
I was learning how to record demos in my own little recording studio setup at home and thankfully I had a good chance to write the album without arguments or distractions, it was the first time that I wrote an album fully with the assistance of Christian as well, that was tough for the first time, we were definitely diving straight into the deep end of the water. For me it was also hard when in the middle of the recording my Father passed away, so I really needed time out for a while to get myself together. There was some of us who moved jobs, lost jobs, went broke and beyond and truth be known there were some relationship break-ups as well, so it was hard. As they say, sometimes you just need to time out to breathe a little and that’s exactly what we did. (i.n.: When the going gets tough, the tough get going…)
There’s also a new guitarist, James “Bushy” Maier (Drop Forged) & a new bassist Simon Best (ex-Envenomed) on board. How did these changes occur?
C: Relatively easy to be honest, with Simon all we did was post an ad on a Melbourne music forum and he contacted us after a while which was cool , he’s easy going and took to the album quite easily because it was already written by the time he joined , same was for James , he replied to an ad we put up on that same forum and it was surreal that these two really talented players came along so quickly hehe. There are many great musicians out there who can play great on their instruments but to have the control and discipline to write a good song without overplaying is another positive in my eyes. Unfortunately some musicians out there can play great but not have their life in order , let alone know how to communicate , so it was great to have these two guys come along who have very good musical abilities yet they understand where VP is going as well and understand that we like our sound how it is…
What did you have in mind when you started working on the new album? What exactly did you want to achieve? Now, can you say that you actually did it the way you had it in your mind?
C: To be honest I had a relatively clear picture on what I thought I wanted to do with VP’s music and in a way I was quietly confident that the songs were really good and I enjoyed working on them… but I honestly never thought we would have received the response like it has been so far which is nice but a little overwhelming in the most positive sense of course… hehehe
I can honestly say that 99.9% of the time when I sit down and start writing a song, I just generally go with the flow and see where the songs takes me , there is no plan of attack so to speak when I write, I just do it and thankfully and luckily it sounds like Vanishing Point.
At what point did you sign with AFM records? Was it after you had finished the album or not? Are things different in such a label than they used to be in the past as far as the band is concerned?
C: That’s an interesting question because we knew of AFM for many years and of course there’s no denying that they have a good work ethic and have been around for many years as a result of this. We signed to AFM close to the album’s completion and we are very happy to be with the team at AFM. We don’t want to take over the world or any of that shit, we just want to write albums that hopefully people enjoy, hopefully we can do some touring as a result and just move forward. AFM in comparison to our previous labels have their house in order which is great, we are happy with our new home…
Back to the new album again. Why “Distant is the Sun”? How did you come up with that title and what does it declare?
C: It was more or less a play on words to a degree as there were times where we felt that it was a relatively bleak period in our lives, hence the song title which ended up becoming the album title. It just felt right and honest with what had been written and what we had gone through in our personal lives so the album became what it is today.
Please give us a hint about each track… just a line or two.
C: “King of Empty Promises”: It is about two faced people and a two faced world we live in and moving forward from the negative energy that seems to surround it.
“Distant is the Sun”: It’s a song about the darker days yet finding hope and basically waking up the inner self to actually do something in life.
“When Truth Lies”: It’s basically about how we perceive things in life, differences of opinion, people, ourselves, our environment and how at times we can be judgmental without knowing the full details and always taking things at face value instead of taking the time to look a little deeper.
“Circle of Fire”: It’s about standing together as one and holding up a brother if need be.
“Let the River Run”: This song is about my Father…
“Denied Deliverance”: It’s about how we felt lost and abandoned for a length of time when we basically didn’t exist as a band for a while and we felt like some of the hard work we put into it had been taken away so easily because of differences and being vulnerable.
“Story of Misery”: A relationship breakdown, nothing happy of it, nothing could be saved.
“Era Zero”: It’s about personally resetting the clock within and taking it basically back to zero and restarting in a sense.
“Pillars of Sand”: It’s about the children who were abused by church clergy in Australia many years ago, the victims were left alone in silence by society for decades while the bastards who committed these gross acts and took away innocence were still walking free. Many of the victims were silenced , some even took their own lives because society as a whole had failed them, we as a society failed them and didn’t listen, we as a society didn’t believe that this could happen, but it did, hence the reason why I called the song “Pillars of Sand” because in those exact institutions based on faith, virtue and trust, the bastards protected their wolves and only now are we as a society starting to openly question these institutions, not based on faith, but on truth on what actually happened.
“As December Fades”: It is about starting anew and moving forward…
“Handful of Hope”: It is about honestly hoping for a better world for our children…
“Walls of Silence”: It’s about the period in which we felt that we were abandoned yet again heheh.
“April”: For me a reflective instrumental in which I can visualize periods in my past and this short piece is kinda the theme for it, I can’t explain it to be honest.
How did the cooperation with Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica) on “When Truth lies” come about? Was that the reason why you released this song as a video as well?
C: Actually we invited Tony on for “Circle of Fire” and it was a relatively easy process, I’ve been good friends with Tony since 2001 so all it took was a quick email, he liked the song, I sent through a very close to complete version with the lyrics and melodies and he recorded it in his home studio and he did a great job. It was seriously awesome to have Tony sing on a track, he’s an absolute gentleman and someone who I have a high level of respect for.
The album was mixed by Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann (Orden Ogan) & mastered by Dennis Koehne (Lacuna Coil, Sodom). Have you cooperated with either of them in the past? How did you choose to work with these specific guys and are you totally satisfied with the final outcome?
C: Actually we did some research as some engineers were going to do it but in all honesty and with respect to them we didn’t really like the sounds they were pulling, we wanted someone to give the album that equal punch and we found that with Seeb. I heard Orden Ogan through our A&R rep who is none either than Timo Hoffmann and he said that Seeb would be keen to do a test mix if we liked. We said sure , let’s do it, when the first test mix came back we knew he was the guy to do the mix of the album.
In regards to Dennis, it was on recommendation that we try out Dennis as he pulls a great mastering sound , so we gave it a shot and we are very pleased with the results.
Both Seeb and Dennis really work hard for their profession and it is great to align the band with people like them who are passionate and patient with bands, it’s important for us as we are a band that is very thorough with what we do, sometimes too thorough when it comes to the last stages of any album… hehehe...
What are those things that you want to avoid this time and you are careful of? What do you want to achieve with Vanishing Point this time?
C: I think with the new album all I wanted was an album written without stress and differences and that’s something that we are mindful of based on the past. In regards to achievements for the future/ goal planning etc. we will see how the album goes and what is expected of us, if people want us to tour then we’d love to do it more often for sure as it’s something we love doing providing it doesn’t send us broke. In regards to what we really foresee ourselves doing in the future is just focusing on creating music, all the other stuff is a bonus…
Do you believe that the fact that you come from Down Under is somehow an obstacle to the band’s further progression or with the great technology there’s no such thing nowadays?
C: Yes and no to a degree and all of the above heheh… Definitely financially it can be expensive to tour a lot when you are the ones who have to work like everyone else and pay for tickets , freight , time away from home and leave money for bills and food for the family, it can be tough in that respect but at the same time that’s what we do to a degree, we write music for people to enjoy as much as we enjoy playing it and with that comes playing live, so wherever we have an opportunity to do something or tour then we are really serious about doing it, it’s just finances that sometimes stop us so to speak.
In regards to technology it can definitely be of assistance whereas you can record a song or a demo and send it off to the other guys to play on it or see what their reaction to the songs are like instead of having countless meetings which are boring heheh… Skype is awesome, we have meetings on that and we discuss what we need to do and we delegate out things to be done, so it’s a cool thing, plus doing things like this, interviews without having an expensive phone bill is always a positive heheh…
What are those things that you wanted to do during the 00s with your band but never got the chance? Are you about to cover the lost ground now?
C: We honestly really wanted to take Vanishing Point as far as possible back in the day as we were young and relatively carefree with not many responsibilities like family etc., nowadays we are family guys and we have kids so they are always our first priorities. We made some mistakes in the past and believed some influential people, we got screwed, we lost money, we were broke, it’s nothing new, we got through it and came out the other side, it is the typical band situation for any artist/musician. We just enjoy playing the music and if people like it that’s great, if they don’t then I suppose we will still do it anyways heheh.
In regards to covering lost ground to some things, I think that with the response that we are receiving at the moment then that’s happening to a degree and we are just happy to be with a label who actually are professional and care about what we do. Additionally we have a manageress who cares about what we do and she’s from Germany, so we have to be on the ball otherwise she has no fear about kicking our arses heheh…
Are there any tour plans on the way? Any summer festivals?
C: Not as yet, hopefully something will happen soon, it’s a little early to tell but hopefully either this year or next, I remain confident but realistic at the same time, we are relatively unknown to a degree so we would like to get out there and rectify that situation, if you know anyone who would be interested in us coming over then please let them know we are keen to talk…
How would you describe your sound to someone that hasn’t heard of the band before?
C: I would say that we are a melodic metal band with some hard rock influences, progressive touches here and there, symphonic without the cheese and just here to write good songs which a catchy.
C: Thank you Thanos, thanks for the kind words man, it means a lot to us…
So, why were you away for 7 years? What happened these years?
C: Well in 2008 we supported many bands in Australia including Iron Maiden, Helloween, Joe Satriani to name a few as well as did our own headline shows all over the place. In late 2008 we supported Sonata Arctica in Europe alongside Pagans Mind and then came home to having 2009 to play more shows as well as attempt to write a follow up to “The Fourth Season”. Some members were heading in different ways musically and it made writing the album quite difficult. In 2010 some of the members left the band and in the end it was Silvio, Christian and myself who after a while decided to carry on. I must admit for the good 3 or so months in 2010 when the other guys left the band we felt like we should call it a day as well but we just started writing again and here we are… again heheh...
How hard was it to come back after this long hiatus? Which were the first and most difficult circumstances that you faced?
C: In a sense it was difficult because we had to focus a lot of energy into keeping the band afloat mentally but with the songs all written and newer band members we felt that we had something OK to move forward with. Having three members leave the band was a really big blow to the band and it was a dark period for us in a sense because all of a sudden half an album worth of material which was written was scrapped and we were back to square one.
I was learning how to record demos in my own little recording studio setup at home and thankfully I had a good chance to write the album without arguments or distractions, it was the first time that I wrote an album fully with the assistance of Christian as well, that was tough for the first time, we were definitely diving straight into the deep end of the water. For me it was also hard when in the middle of the recording my Father passed away, so I really needed time out for a while to get myself together. There was some of us who moved jobs, lost jobs, went broke and beyond and truth be known there were some relationship break-ups as well, so it was hard. As they say, sometimes you just need to time out to breathe a little and that’s exactly what we did. (i.n.: When the going gets tough, the tough get going…)
There’s also a new guitarist, James “Bushy” Maier (Drop Forged) & a new bassist Simon Best (ex-Envenomed) on board. How did these changes occur?
C: Relatively easy to be honest, with Simon all we did was post an ad on a Melbourne music forum and he contacted us after a while which was cool , he’s easy going and took to the album quite easily because it was already written by the time he joined , same was for James , he replied to an ad we put up on that same forum and it was surreal that these two really talented players came along so quickly hehe. There are many great musicians out there who can play great on their instruments but to have the control and discipline to write a good song without overplaying is another positive in my eyes. Unfortunately some musicians out there can play great but not have their life in order , let alone know how to communicate , so it was great to have these two guys come along who have very good musical abilities yet they understand where VP is going as well and understand that we like our sound how it is…
What did you have in mind when you started working on the new album? What exactly did you want to achieve? Now, can you say that you actually did it the way you had it in your mind?
C: To be honest I had a relatively clear picture on what I thought I wanted to do with VP’s music and in a way I was quietly confident that the songs were really good and I enjoyed working on them… but I honestly never thought we would have received the response like it has been so far which is nice but a little overwhelming in the most positive sense of course… hehehe
I can honestly say that 99.9% of the time when I sit down and start writing a song, I just generally go with the flow and see where the songs takes me , there is no plan of attack so to speak when I write, I just do it and thankfully and luckily it sounds like Vanishing Point.
At what point did you sign with AFM records? Was it after you had finished the album or not? Are things different in such a label than they used to be in the past as far as the band is concerned?
C: That’s an interesting question because we knew of AFM for many years and of course there’s no denying that they have a good work ethic and have been around for many years as a result of this. We signed to AFM close to the album’s completion and we are very happy to be with the team at AFM. We don’t want to take over the world or any of that shit, we just want to write albums that hopefully people enjoy, hopefully we can do some touring as a result and just move forward. AFM in comparison to our previous labels have their house in order which is great, we are happy with our new home…
Back to the new album again. Why “Distant is the Sun”? How did you come up with that title and what does it declare?
C: It was more or less a play on words to a degree as there were times where we felt that it was a relatively bleak period in our lives, hence the song title which ended up becoming the album title. It just felt right and honest with what had been written and what we had gone through in our personal lives so the album became what it is today.
Please give us a hint about each track… just a line or two.
C: “King of Empty Promises”: It is about two faced people and a two faced world we live in and moving forward from the negative energy that seems to surround it.
“Distant is the Sun”: It’s a song about the darker days yet finding hope and basically waking up the inner self to actually do something in life.
“When Truth Lies”: It’s basically about how we perceive things in life, differences of opinion, people, ourselves, our environment and how at times we can be judgmental without knowing the full details and always taking things at face value instead of taking the time to look a little deeper.
“Circle of Fire”: It’s about standing together as one and holding up a brother if need be.
“Let the River Run”: This song is about my Father…
“Denied Deliverance”: It’s about how we felt lost and abandoned for a length of time when we basically didn’t exist as a band for a while and we felt like some of the hard work we put into it had been taken away so easily because of differences and being vulnerable.
“Story of Misery”: A relationship breakdown, nothing happy of it, nothing could be saved.
“Era Zero”: It’s about personally resetting the clock within and taking it basically back to zero and restarting in a sense.
“Pillars of Sand”: It’s about the children who were abused by church clergy in Australia many years ago, the victims were left alone in silence by society for decades while the bastards who committed these gross acts and took away innocence were still walking free. Many of the victims were silenced , some even took their own lives because society as a whole had failed them, we as a society failed them and didn’t listen, we as a society didn’t believe that this could happen, but it did, hence the reason why I called the song “Pillars of Sand” because in those exact institutions based on faith, virtue and trust, the bastards protected their wolves and only now are we as a society starting to openly question these institutions, not based on faith, but on truth on what actually happened.
“As December Fades”: It is about starting anew and moving forward…
“Handful of Hope”: It is about honestly hoping for a better world for our children…
“Walls of Silence”: It’s about the period in which we felt that we were abandoned yet again heheh.
“April”: For me a reflective instrumental in which I can visualize periods in my past and this short piece is kinda the theme for it, I can’t explain it to be honest.
How did the cooperation with Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica) on “When Truth lies” come about? Was that the reason why you released this song as a video as well?
C: Actually we invited Tony on for “Circle of Fire” and it was a relatively easy process, I’ve been good friends with Tony since 2001 so all it took was a quick email, he liked the song, I sent through a very close to complete version with the lyrics and melodies and he recorded it in his home studio and he did a great job. It was seriously awesome to have Tony sing on a track, he’s an absolute gentleman and someone who I have a high level of respect for.
The album was mixed by Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann (Orden Ogan) & mastered by Dennis Koehne (Lacuna Coil, Sodom). Have you cooperated with either of them in the past? How did you choose to work with these specific guys and are you totally satisfied with the final outcome?
C: Actually we did some research as some engineers were going to do it but in all honesty and with respect to them we didn’t really like the sounds they were pulling, we wanted someone to give the album that equal punch and we found that with Seeb. I heard Orden Ogan through our A&R rep who is none either than Timo Hoffmann and he said that Seeb would be keen to do a test mix if we liked. We said sure , let’s do it, when the first test mix came back we knew he was the guy to do the mix of the album.
In regards to Dennis, it was on recommendation that we try out Dennis as he pulls a great mastering sound , so we gave it a shot and we are very pleased with the results.
Both Seeb and Dennis really work hard for their profession and it is great to align the band with people like them who are passionate and patient with bands, it’s important for us as we are a band that is very thorough with what we do, sometimes too thorough when it comes to the last stages of any album… hehehe...
What are those things that you want to avoid this time and you are careful of? What do you want to achieve with Vanishing Point this time?
C: I think with the new album all I wanted was an album written without stress and differences and that’s something that we are mindful of based on the past. In regards to achievements for the future/ goal planning etc. we will see how the album goes and what is expected of us, if people want us to tour then we’d love to do it more often for sure as it’s something we love doing providing it doesn’t send us broke. In regards to what we really foresee ourselves doing in the future is just focusing on creating music, all the other stuff is a bonus…
Do you believe that the fact that you come from Down Under is somehow an obstacle to the band’s further progression or with the great technology there’s no such thing nowadays?
C: Yes and no to a degree and all of the above heheh… Definitely financially it can be expensive to tour a lot when you are the ones who have to work like everyone else and pay for tickets , freight , time away from home and leave money for bills and food for the family, it can be tough in that respect but at the same time that’s what we do to a degree, we write music for people to enjoy as much as we enjoy playing it and with that comes playing live, so wherever we have an opportunity to do something or tour then we are really serious about doing it, it’s just finances that sometimes stop us so to speak.
In regards to technology it can definitely be of assistance whereas you can record a song or a demo and send it off to the other guys to play on it or see what their reaction to the songs are like instead of having countless meetings which are boring heheh… Skype is awesome, we have meetings on that and we discuss what we need to do and we delegate out things to be done, so it’s a cool thing, plus doing things like this, interviews without having an expensive phone bill is always a positive heheh…
What are those things that you wanted to do during the 00s with your band but never got the chance? Are you about to cover the lost ground now?
C: We honestly really wanted to take Vanishing Point as far as possible back in the day as we were young and relatively carefree with not many responsibilities like family etc., nowadays we are family guys and we have kids so they are always our first priorities. We made some mistakes in the past and believed some influential people, we got screwed, we lost money, we were broke, it’s nothing new, we got through it and came out the other side, it is the typical band situation for any artist/musician. We just enjoy playing the music and if people like it that’s great, if they don’t then I suppose we will still do it anyways heheh.
In regards to covering lost ground to some things, I think that with the response that we are receiving at the moment then that’s happening to a degree and we are just happy to be with a label who actually are professional and care about what we do. Additionally we have a manageress who cares about what we do and she’s from Germany, so we have to be on the ball otherwise she has no fear about kicking our arses heheh…
Are there any tour plans on the way? Any summer festivals?
C: Not as yet, hopefully something will happen soon, it’s a little early to tell but hopefully either this year or next, I remain confident but realistic at the same time, we are relatively unknown to a degree so we would like to get out there and rectify that situation, if you know anyone who would be interested in us coming over then please let them know we are keen to talk…
How would you describe your sound to someone that hasn’t heard of the band before?
C: I would say that we are a melodic metal band with some hard rock influences, progressive touches here and there, symphonic without the cheese and just here to write good songs which a catchy.
It’s time for the Weird Questions!!! How did you come up with the name Vanishing Point?
C: Actually that was Silvio who found the name from a picture in a photographers studio many years ago, the photographer had this massive photo all framed and it was called “The Vanishing Point”, so Silvio just took a page from that book so to speak heheh…
What is missing from today’s music industry? What are albums missing? Is it that quality they used to have back in the 70s and 80s?
C: I don’t know because I only really worry for myself but I have noticed that a lot of the heavier music these days is based on how awesome the musicians are at the instruments, while that it great in itself, I’d really like to hear more songs that are catchy on some of these awesome riffs you know. There is still a lot of ‘copy and paste’ in terms of song structure which I think is a little concerning because some magic can be created in a live sense as well as a band or just jamming with another musician.
In terms of quality, I think that the quality is there today, I think that just some of the bands get lost because there is so much music coming out consistently now, if the band has songs on YouTube and has social media accounts then the list of possibilities is endless yet the band could end up lost in a massive whirlpool because there is always something coming out.
How do you see the “free downloading issue” of our time? In a world where people easily download music for free and hardly pay for it what can we do in order to change things? Is it different now that you can see things on the inside?
C: I see it as a double edged sword to be honest, I think that for the bands that want to get out there its brilliant to tell you the truth, then again I think it’s awesome that a band that knows what they are doing can release an EP and charge a couple dollars direct for it and people like to support it which is great.
Where I see it being a negative is in the generational change, some kids never bought an album from a store, they buy merch which is cool but never bought an album, so to them the music in some ways is a catalyst for some form of fashion or anti-fashion statement. While music especially metal has always been like that, back in the day we waited at the shop till the record arrived on the day or release and took that vinyl double gatefold and read it and listened to the music intensely, nowadays maybe there is just too much going on. This was apparent to me only last year when a former work colleague who is younger than me by 15 years said, I heard one of your songs, I love it, Im gonna check it out and download your albums hehe… you can’t win, so you just go with the flow.
If you could take any album of the past, delete the band’s name and put on your band’s logo to make it your own – which album would it be and by whom?
C: “Operation Mindcrime” #1 by Queensryche of course, it was just ahead of its time and lyrically very thought provoking, I still love that album…
Which is the most overrated band of all time?
C: I don’t know, perhaps half the pop or rap stuff out there, they seem to think they are musicians right?! Hehehe
(i.n.: Damn, you’re sooo right dude!)
Which is that band that has influenced most of the bands & musicians since rock music began…?
C: I would definitely say Sabbath, Led Zep, Deep Purple etc., without those bands who knows how heavy metal music would be. Those bands influenced bands like Iron Maiden etc. which in turn influenced me. I’m still a big fan of the “Blackout” album by The Scorpions from so many years ago, to me that’s a metal classic…
Best 3 ballads that can help you seduce any lady?
C: “Da da da”- by Trio…
“Ich Will” by Ramstein…
The Pink Panther theme…
If she can’t get hot to any of those shitty songs then she is gonna be pretty boring heheheh…
You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie-celebrity/porn-star of your choice. Who would it be?
C: None of them to be honest, I would be still looking for my car keys…
If Vanishing Point’s career was a movie… which movie would it be and why?
C: Hahahah it would be a cross between Spinal Tap, Hair and Star Wars… don’t ask me why but I thought I’d throw Start Wars in there because the 3 original movies were awesome…
Why is rock/metal (any kind) music better than sex… if it is…
C: Geez I don’t know about that hehehe, I suppose from past experience the music hasn’t given me too many headaches… back then the cigarettes were better though and I could go longer than 10 seconds hahahahah (i.n.: Hehehehe…)
Best pick-up line that has worked for you several times in the past?
C: Hahahah that’s bloody funny! Honestly I’ve never used a pick up line heheh, I’m boring as hell, I think I normally used to start up conversation based on what metal shirt the lady was wearing and then I would talk for ages about the band on the T-shirts back catalogue or some shit heheh. I used to work/manage a heavy metal shop in Melbourne years ago so that was a start heheh. If she was a Maiden fan that was awesome, if she was a Megadeth fan then I would keep away. I liked “So Far , So Good, So What” more than “Rust in Peace”, so it would always lead to arguments hehehehe…
Imagine that your wife/girlfriend is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
C: I would hit the fucking roof heheh, there’s one thing that’s sacrosanct and Simone my wife knows it! It’s my musical equipment and my CD/album collection, both I treasure very deeply, it’s almost disturbing… heheh
I think we’re done Chris. Thx for the music! Make any statement you wish to end this interview… Take care!
C: I’d like to say a big thank you to all the readers out there who have showed Vanishing Point support, showed patience and kept their faith in us, it means a lot to us guys in the band and we are sincerely appreciative. To the people who are just discovering us through “Distant is the Sun”, we hope you guys like it and stick around because we plan on staying and doing this for a long time to come. And to you Thanos and all the team at Grande Rock, thank you for your interest in Vanishing Point and for the awesome questions, all the best mate, hopefully it won’t be too long before we see you on the road… cheers – Chris VP
C: Actually that was Silvio who found the name from a picture in a photographers studio many years ago, the photographer had this massive photo all framed and it was called “The Vanishing Point”, so Silvio just took a page from that book so to speak heheh…
What is missing from today’s music industry? What are albums missing? Is it that quality they used to have back in the 70s and 80s?
C: I don’t know because I only really worry for myself but I have noticed that a lot of the heavier music these days is based on how awesome the musicians are at the instruments, while that it great in itself, I’d really like to hear more songs that are catchy on some of these awesome riffs you know. There is still a lot of ‘copy and paste’ in terms of song structure which I think is a little concerning because some magic can be created in a live sense as well as a band or just jamming with another musician.
In terms of quality, I think that the quality is there today, I think that just some of the bands get lost because there is so much music coming out consistently now, if the band has songs on YouTube and has social media accounts then the list of possibilities is endless yet the band could end up lost in a massive whirlpool because there is always something coming out.
How do you see the “free downloading issue” of our time? In a world where people easily download music for free and hardly pay for it what can we do in order to change things? Is it different now that you can see things on the inside?
C: I see it as a double edged sword to be honest, I think that for the bands that want to get out there its brilliant to tell you the truth, then again I think it’s awesome that a band that knows what they are doing can release an EP and charge a couple dollars direct for it and people like to support it which is great.
Where I see it being a negative is in the generational change, some kids never bought an album from a store, they buy merch which is cool but never bought an album, so to them the music in some ways is a catalyst for some form of fashion or anti-fashion statement. While music especially metal has always been like that, back in the day we waited at the shop till the record arrived on the day or release and took that vinyl double gatefold and read it and listened to the music intensely, nowadays maybe there is just too much going on. This was apparent to me only last year when a former work colleague who is younger than me by 15 years said, I heard one of your songs, I love it, Im gonna check it out and download your albums hehe… you can’t win, so you just go with the flow.
If you could take any album of the past, delete the band’s name and put on your band’s logo to make it your own – which album would it be and by whom?
C: “Operation Mindcrime” #1 by Queensryche of course, it was just ahead of its time and lyrically very thought provoking, I still love that album…
Which is the most overrated band of all time?
C: I don’t know, perhaps half the pop or rap stuff out there, they seem to think they are musicians right?! Hehehe
(i.n.: Damn, you’re sooo right dude!)Which is that band that has influenced most of the bands & musicians since rock music began…?
C: I would definitely say Sabbath, Led Zep, Deep Purple etc., without those bands who knows how heavy metal music would be. Those bands influenced bands like Iron Maiden etc. which in turn influenced me. I’m still a big fan of the “Blackout” album by The Scorpions from so many years ago, to me that’s a metal classic…
Best 3 ballads that can help you seduce any lady?
C: “Da da da”- by Trio…
“Ich Will” by Ramstein…
The Pink Panther theme…
If she can’t get hot to any of those shitty songs then she is gonna be pretty boring heheheh…
You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie-celebrity/porn-star of your choice. Who would it be?
C: None of them to be honest, I would be still looking for my car keys…
If Vanishing Point’s career was a movie… which movie would it be and why?
C: Hahahah it would be a cross between Spinal Tap, Hair and Star Wars… don’t ask me why but I thought I’d throw Start Wars in there because the 3 original movies were awesome…
Why is rock/metal (any kind) music better than sex… if it is…
C: Geez I don’t know about that hehehe, I suppose from past experience the music hasn’t given me too many headaches… back then the cigarettes were better though and I could go longer than 10 seconds hahahahah (i.n.: Hehehehe…)
Best pick-up line that has worked for you several times in the past?
C: Hahahah that’s bloody funny! Honestly I’ve never used a pick up line heheh, I’m boring as hell, I think I normally used to start up conversation based on what metal shirt the lady was wearing and then I would talk for ages about the band on the T-shirts back catalogue or some shit heheh. I used to work/manage a heavy metal shop in Melbourne years ago so that was a start heheh. If she was a Maiden fan that was awesome, if she was a Megadeth fan then I would keep away. I liked “So Far , So Good, So What” more than “Rust in Peace”, so it would always lead to arguments hehehehe…
Imagine that your wife/girlfriend is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
C: I would hit the fucking roof heheh, there’s one thing that’s sacrosanct and Simone my wife knows it! It’s my musical equipment and my CD/album collection, both I treasure very deeply, it’s almost disturbing… heheh
I think we’re done Chris. Thx for the music! Make any statement you wish to end this interview… Take care!
C: I’d like to say a big thank you to all the readers out there who have showed Vanishing Point support, showed patience and kept their faith in us, it means a lot to us guys in the band and we are sincerely appreciative. To the people who are just discovering us through “Distant is the Sun”, we hope you guys like it and stick around because we plan on staying and doing this for a long time to come. And to you Thanos and all the team at Grande Rock, thank you for your interest in Vanishing Point and for the awesome questions, all the best mate, hopefully it won’t be too long before we see you on the road… cheers – Chris VP