Interview with Daniel Flores, drummer of Mind’s Eye:You just released Walking on H20 last year—what made you guys decide that you needed to put out a follow-up so quickly?
Daniel: We just re-discovered how much fun it was to work together. Stuff like that tends to hurry things. For a long time we thought of music as just going to our day jobs. You know we all make a living as pro-musicians and it’s hard to find the kicks after a while. When in the making of h20 we found a new energy in the band and with the combination of mine and Johan’s song writing we instantly knew that we had much more to give than just these 13 songs. I came up with a new concept on my honey moon and from that nothing could stop us.
Where were you drawing your inspiration from when you created A Gentleman’s Hurricane?
Daniel. Oh well, I just love a good entertaining story. I love movies and I wanted to bring that whole cinematic feeling that only a film score captivates into a CD. At that time I took an interest in American and European history and read quite allot on the net and trough books. The violent history of murdered presidents and secret societies gave me the idea of writing a new concept. Or in this case a script.
Hey, what if I take all these unsolved assassinations and pinned them on one guy? All the murders I chose could actually have been made by one guy, at least historically. My wife loved that angle and I started to write down ideas.
It dint took me too long to finish it up. I wrote the concept in 3 months or something. It was hard work I tell you, everything had to be perfect historically and story wise. I just hope everyone gets it HAHAHA
Would you say that the single you put out, “Feed My Revolver,” would give fans a good indication of what the album as a whole will sound like?
Daniel: Yes and no. I actually chose that song because of the lyrical context. The assassination of John f. Kennedy is arguably the biggest assassination in history and the most debated one, always a hot topic. Seeing the chords and arrangements in front of me I could also see people taping their hands to the beat and jamming out with us on the chorus. It’s a rock n roll song with some weird key changes...
The video which Fredrik Englund did for us fitted the song perfectly so we all though why not! The song showcases the new sound, which is more raw and metal like and we all loved the melodic chorus of the song. This is actually one of the softer songs on the album IMO. Let me tell you. The reactions have been… well let’s say I have never experienced anything like it.
It feels like you guys have been incorporating more and more keyboard into your albums—should we expect more of the same from Gentlemans?
Daniel. It’s hard for me to answer that but I guess I’m quite objective when it comes to arrange music.
In this new album the story is kind of dark and evil so to speak. So I thought we bring in the guitars more up front and keep the key sounds very subtle. Don’t get me wrong here, there are plenty of keys but these keys play darker arrangements, they are just more distorted and deformed. As I said before, I wanted to bring in that cinematic feel and keys do that: People have told me that they completely feel drawn into the music on the first listen and I think it’s because of the keys and arrangements. I really tried hard to make it sound like a horror Hollywood flick.
Speaking of the album, where did you get the title, A Gentleman’s Hurricane?
Daniel: I’m glad you liked it. Well, I just wanted something timeless and to have the feel of the title of a book. The story is about an abused child, a transformed man with the ability of playing multiple characters. I wanted him to dress really well like a gentleman (bingo!). Still he fights his demons in his head and past and what a better way to describe that than with a hurricane (Bingo!). The hurricane is inside his head while he trying to keep up his appearance. A gentleman’s hurricane.
You know he has to keep up the appearance of a gentleman his is after all a high society assassin.
How did you end up getting the song “The Art of an Angel” on a ballads collection?
Daniel. I wrote that song for my late uncle last year. I had a hard time coping with things back then and writing this song made things allot easier for me. My uncle was a great man and a big inspiration in my life, he really believed in me. I wrote the song to honour him.
I usually talk with the MTM guys and I got the idea of asking them if they wanted to do the song for their ballads collection. Luckily they loved it and last time we spoke they told me it was coming out in August, let’s see about that.
The song will also be included in a special Japanese release for all the kids who buy the new album trough DISC UNION JAPAN.
When should we expect to see an American release date for this disc?
Daniel: I really don’t know. The album is said to be released worldwide in September the 14th but if you are wondering on which label it’s going to be released on, then you’ll have to check in with Lion Music. They will fill in the blanks for you.
It seems like all of your albums from …Waiting for the Tide up to Gentlemans have been concept albums. Why all the concept albums?
Daniel: Well, “Waiting for the tide” was really not a concept album and not “A work of art” either. Walking on H20 was really our first “real” concept album, at least done on purpose hahaha
I can see why you think the second album and third feel like concept albums but believe me they are truly not. Yes, they have conceptual ideas in them, like short stories if you will and linked songs but far from what we have done on these two last albums.
To make a real concept album takes time and re-search, you get better at it every time you go at it. For me it was just a natural lyrical step after working with Fredrik g. on the first three albums.
This will be the second album you’ve made as a three piece, how comfortable would you guys say you are this point
Daniel: I feel like this is a whole new band. It’s weird I know but if the truth has to come out then I have never really been comfortable doing music until the last 4 - 5 years. My knowledge in the art has increased since “A work of art” and I know both Johan and Andreas have matured allot since that point. We really get along and all of us are happy guys no negative thoughts or bitterness against the music business. That is something that we dint have in the past. We’ll continue in this form for as long as we can and while we all can find time to do it.
I have to mention that in my opinion the new found musical conversations between me and Johan far outdo what Fredrik and I could come up with. Those where good stepping stones but I really feel like “A Gentleman’s hurricane” is a second album as a new band.
Some of us have been hoping to see Mind’s Eye make an appearance at one of the American Progpower festivals or even a brief American tour on your own—what type of chance do we have of that ever happening?
Daniel. I’m glad we have many friends in the states. Man you know… I don’t know why we have so much bad luck in the states. Something is really working against us there and no matter what we do, we always end up hitting the curve. I guess my answer is as good as any…
All I know is that if new the album starts to well there, not even the high powers can stop us from playing there. If the people demands it what can they do? Right!?
Make sure to buy the album and tell everyone about us. That being said we would LOVE to come over there and make a show you guys will surreally never forget.
I’ve read past interviews where you’ve been asked about the musical progression you have gone through as a band, how would you best describe where you’re at as opposed to where you where when you put out Aferglow in ’94?
Daniel: Experience is what comes to mind. Musical variation and development are a couple of other words I couldn’t do without in this case. Endless imagination is provably the best combination of words and a good answer.
I feel no limits what so ever to what I can create today as a musician. The tools are there, the ideas are there and most important the visualisation of the goal is no longer just a vague fraction of my imagination. I can actually grasp the future and create it as my own. I feel free as a composer and drummer and today the art of creating music is just like a pulling up a glass of water or a good meal if you will.
Luckily for me I still have the hunger I had back in ’94.and I still want to conquer new musical grounds.
Have you guys given any consideration to reworking Into the Unknown with Andreas on vocals?
Daniel: Oh many times but it always comes down to what Sensory (the label who released that album) would say about that… and I’m not holding my breath for a good answer. That album seems not to be relevant at this point and why redo something that has no emotional value to the band.
If we ever redo something it will be re-mastering the Afterglow album with the 5 missing songs never heard before by the public. We are actually putting that all together right now…
Where do you feel your music falls amongst the current trend of prog-metal being released nowadays? Not to feed you an answer but, I’ve always felt that Mind’s Eye were always ahead of the game when it came to focusing on melody of pure technical performance.
Daniel: I don’t want to claim a crown or something but I truly believe we are going trough some exiting time as a band right now. What that means in terms of success I don’t know really. All I know is that people are more and more getting on the Mind’s Eye train and we are collecting new fans, young and old around the glove each day that goes by. I feel honoured that you believe we are ahead our pears but the truth is that we are completely blind to the world outside ours. In Sweden there is no other band doing what we do and probably no one ever will.
Nr 1: Because of the background we have. Latin and Swedish melted into one.
Nr 2: The experience and not to mention our (over 100 albums if counted together) work as session musicians.
Nr 3: The love for what we do. This is really what makes us different. It’s really an effortless mastery for us, no masks, just pure good ol’ hard work.
The DVD included in the new album will showcase how we work as a band. We mostly jam out our song sin the studio. Believe it or not we don’t rehearse them. We don’t make demos and that’s why we still keep that freshness in the albums we do.
At this point in your musical career, what do you find to be the most satisfying part of making music?
Daniel. The fact that I can do it for a living. Yeah, music has opened so many doors for me. I have a good life because of it and I have an amazing wife to come home to. Music has giving me the freedom to chose my days as I want them to be. If I feel like not going to work tomorrow that’s not a problem. I’ll just catch up later, no biggie.
I also enjoy my new built studio, something I could never had afforded if I dint have taken all those chances. That little place has already given me so much joy and I can only imagine what endeavours we are going to face in my studio in the future, good or bad they are all welcome. I’m blessed and I know that many drummers would kill for a career like mine. I just hope it never ends.
How has the partnership with Lion been for you guys?
Daniel: Just Perfect. I have said this before. I have never been so close to any label director as I am with Lasse (head of lion music). I can really call him a friend and he also has a great sense of humour which I truly value at times. He believes in the band and we all get along. The PR guy Andy is nothing but amazing and a true asset to the company. I just hope the wind of change blows in the right direction for LM. They really deserve a true hit album. Let’s all hope it’s ours ;-)
Anything you want to leave us with? Any projects on the horizon for you? Daniel. HAHAHA there is always something cooking in my pot. I have signed and scheduled to record 5 albums this year (already recorded 3 + the new Mind’s Eye). Most of them are in the end of the year but who knows? Half of the year has gone by and I’m waiting to receive more work coming in soon. Check out my personal website to get the dirt of that. www.danielflores.net
I also want to take this opportunity to thank you Ray and for giving me the chance to talk to you and fans about our music.
Please visit our website: www.roundrec.com and check out our My space site www.myspace.com/eyeofthemind
Until our paths cross again, it’s been a pleasure
Daniel
Discography
Afterglow (1994)
Into the Unknown (1998)
…Waiting for the Tide (2000)
A Work of Art (2002)
Walking on H2O (2006)
A Gentleman’s Hurricane (2007)
