The13th AÑO: 4 | NÚMERO 43
UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA
CARLO VAN PUTTEN DISCOVERING THE MAGIC
I THINK WE WERE A SENSATIONAL BAND
Disccovering the Magic
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Today: DEAD GUITARS - FEELS ALRIGHT (2008) Interview with Carlo Van Putten by Diego Centuriรณn
There is always a real reason for a toast, something like that was advertised in an ad in Argentina, and when we passed that phrase to Dead Guitars we always found a reason to communicate with the band.On this occasion the reason is the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the EP "Feels Alright" but also to know about the current news of Dead Guitars. So again we communicate with Carlos Van Putten, the voice of the band.
group. Somehow, we all decided to bring out an EP with those tracks on.Guess the record company told us that they would love to bring it out.
What do you remember particularly about the recording of the songs that are in this EP? Yes, I do remember exactly. It was in a lovely “Blubox” studio with our friend Guido Lucas who produced it. Sadly, Guido passed away last year. It was a great vibe and the Hi Carlo! it's a pleasure to communicate band was close as a band can be. Only good could come out of that symbioses. with you again. To start this interview, I ask you about We talked about the first years of the the sensations generated by knowing that since the launch of "Feels Alright" ten band, year in which they were supports of The Mission, you can still see many viyears have passed. Heya Diego, thanks for asking man. Yes, it’s deos on YouTube, like Cologne or Barcebeen a long time already since that release. lona. 2008 was a great year for the band? It was actually! We did a great tour as a suA lot happened in those 10 years! We look back on 4 studio albums we created, Airpla- pport band. The Mission loved us, the crowd nes, Flags, Stranger and Shelter. A big tour loved us and we loved each other. I think we in 2008 with our friend Wayne Hussey and could not get any closer and more successthe Mission, we did some gigs with our friend ful. The whole crew of the Mission took care of Mark Burgess and the Chameleons and pla- us as if they have had two bands to care for. yed hell of a lot shows on our own as well as The Mission band members were generous some festivals around Europe. To mention all and always friendly. No typical crap sound for the sensations would take to many time and the support band. We sold many cd’s and we space right now. I think we were a sensatio- are still close to The Mission. We brought out nal band. We never left the stage without an “Flags” straight after the tour and some memencore. Guess people will notice that when bers of the Mission joined in during the recordings. I also did a duet with Wayne on “Isowe are gone. lation”. We still have a close contact together. After "Airplanes", they extract the song "Feels Alright" and publish these songs. When I listen to Airplanes I feel the obliIs it material that was left out of the debut album or is it about songs written for this gation to continue with Feels Alright. The feeling is that both merge to give way to release? Yes, those songs didn’t make it on the al- a new sonority that comes with Flags. Do bum. “I see” we played several times live and you think that Airplanes and Feels Alright was a real live song. Ithas always been great is the basis of the sound of Dead Guitars, to play it live, because it really rocked. “De- from which they begin to build the sound licate” and “Secrets” were demo’s that Pete of the band?That is, both are the basis of Kurt and I started with, before Ralf joined the all the sound of Dead Guitars?
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I think that you are right, when I think about it now. Those songs created the sonority and build up the base of what made the Dead Guitars sound like we did sound. A fundamental base of sound we carried on recreating new material on ever since.
Can you tell us something about each track? Feels Alright
Everything felt alright, after years of struggling, relationship crises, a divorce, the dead of a close friend, everything seemed to start again….light at the end of a tunnel.
I See (Long)
I started to see again, finally, after being blind for a couple of years. Blind for the love I received. Blind for success.
Delicate
Ddedicated to the people who passed away in my life…my father, my mother, my brother Adrian, all those who stand next to me. But also a “thank you” to my ex wife (oh sweet delicate sister). Who were always there for me…even when I let them down in so many ways.
Secrets
We all do have them, don’t we? We just should not be ashamed about it.
7 We are taking the first steps of 2018, what is the band doing today and what plans does Dead Guitars have for this 2018? Atthe moment we don’t play at all, because we have a creative break. After the last album “Shelter” I decided that I didn’t want to make another album immediately. The band wanted to, but I was scared to repeat myself. I think I need to be and feel free and come up with great lyrics and song melodies. I thought “Shelter” was such a great album, you can’t top straight away. I am not a melody & lyrics factory. The band decided to start a new project with Pete Brough as a singer. I think it’s good they do that. Pete somehow always wanted to sing, and I think he has got a brilliant voice! He wrote “Should I” and sang it before he asked me to sing on the track. I am working on new demos with my old band The Convent and just recorded 4 tracks for a new White Rose Transmission album with “Florian Bratmann” who also played on the first WRT
album with Adrian Borland. In April this year I play with the Convent and Mike Dudley (original The Sound drummer) in Bremen/Germany. We play 9 songs by The Sound. It will be after the documentary of Adrian will be shown in a cinema there. As you see we have all a lot in common. I Don’t know if the Dead Guitars will ever play again to be honest with you. We are all very busy at right now. We’ll see, I also thought The Convent would never play again. Suddenly we do after nearly 15 years of silence. This last space is for you to tell the readers what you want. Live your lives, embrace yourself, take care of the helpless, send love out, stay awake, stay close & shine down forever! Thank Carlo! Thank you Diego!
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The13th U NA R EVISTA IMA GINA RIA