10 Quick Ones with KOEN from HEIDEVOLK – December 2017

According to a recent press release: “HEIDEVOLK are the true definition of Pagan Metal Brotherhood. These Dutchmen hold up the flag for intelligent and perfectly balanced Pagan Folk Metal like no other. It’s time to unveil the info on their brand new release and upcoming masterpiece from HEIDEVOLK. Please welcome Vuur van Verzet – set to be released on January 12th 2018. Marvelous riff power, bombastic ensembles and folkloric tunes make up the amazing album that is Vuur van Verzet.” We get Koen to answer our 10 Quick Ones about new music, his influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release. What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Vuur van Verzet is the first Heidevolk album after quite a few changes in personnel, changes that reflect in the songs, being about change and recovery themselves. On this new album, the listener might find some new and rediscover some old. For listeners of Heidevolk from the earlier days, there will be a lot of what they know and love about the band’s music, honest, brutal and in-your-face, whilst some new sounds have been added to the mix, coming from the fresh minds that joined in. Hidden nuggets? Well, there are some here and there, send in your answer to iknowwhatyoudidthere@heidevolk.com! Just kidding of course 😉

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

For me personally, I grew up in a musicians family, so for me becoming one didn’t exactly come as a surprise. What got me into Metal music on the other hand, were some really early influences (I am talking very early teens) from a couple of childhood friends, with whom I am still in touch to this day! From the moment they let me hear Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate and Kiss, I started making cardboard guitars and performed in the limelight of the living room reading lamps in front of our babysitter and/or parents. From then on, I knew this was what I wanted to do…

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

As stated above, and to no surprise I suppose, I’d say Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Mercyful Fate, and Dio would be amongst them, as well as Esma Redzepova, Boris Karlov, Ivo Papasov, Claudio Monteverdi, J.S. Bach, and as of late I listen to a lot of Skálmöld. Oh sorry, did you say five…? Can’t.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

Not sure if I would be able to sing in the presence of Mr. B.D., so I’ll choose Dennis Duijnhouwer here. Old friend of mine and a marvelous musician! Check him out.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

You know the history books from school? The tales of your great-grandparents? That, but then more fun. Add loud, proud and heavy music to that, add in a little love for nature, folklore and heritage, and hey presto; Heidevolk!

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

Going places, getting to know a lot of nice people, experience the highs and the lows, all while conveying your emotions by means of whatever instrument you play.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

I’d say our drummer Joost is the one who likes cooking the most. And I think he’s quite good at it too. And then there’s Rowan, our wine connoisseur and blue-stinky-but-awesome-cheese aficionado! And if there’s any six-strings laying around, I’m pretty sure Storm would be the one to first lay his hands on it. Singalongs, though, usually happen to the accompaniment of very loud, sometimes really bad music rattling the windows of whatever tour bus we are on. Usually we’ve got Roel, our merchandiser/driver to thank for that!

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Pipe organ builder. Which I am also, in my scarce free time.

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

Not really. I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason. Even things you sometimes wish you did differently, or not at all. Everything you do adds to your experience and makes you who you are. Sometimes I wish time didn’t fly by so fast, though.

10. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I would really have loved to join in with Thomas Edison when he recited his rendition of “Mary had a little lamb” onto his first wax cylinder. Just so i could tell him to either start dropping a beat for his rapping, or actually start singing for crying out loud! Nah, just kidding. Being heard on the very first record would be most awesome of course.

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Category: Interviews