CONSORTIUM PROJECT INTERVIEW
The British vocalist Ian Parry has been an important part of the European metal and hard rock scene for quite some years now, as he has been involved in different bands such as Vengeance, Elegy, Ayreon as well as doing solo-albums. His latest offspring is the Consortium Project, where he is joined by people from well known metal acts, such as Elegy, Kamelot, Patrick Rondat, Vengeance etc. Since the second Consortium Project album has just been released, we thought it was about time to do an interview with one of Europe's best vocalist, mr. Ian Parry …

Interview by Benjamin A. Genach
How did you get the idea of a project band?

"At first in '98 it was because Elegy had decided to take a break, I started making demo's for a 4th solo album, but before I knew I had 11 musicians. Someone said it was more like a project and then I got the idea to call it Consortium Project."

Tell me about the album's concept?

"I came up with this concept idea while on holiday in Malta Sept' 2000. I am very inspired by words and while browsing through the pages of the Oxford English dictionary, it struck me that apart from the word Feminine to describe the Female gender , the main word or term used is Female, so I thought why not create new words to describe our gender like Neofems and Monomales (Neologism) I used topics like Global warming and Human cloning, which had been in the media recently and added these to a Fictional story making the concept a little more believable. I have left the ending open, which I intend to finish in the Trilogy Consortium III album around 2003."

How would you describe the new album (musically)?

"It's musically heavier than the first C.p. album. This time my colleagues Thom Youngblood , Stephan Lill , Patrick Rondat and Jan Bijlsma wrote most of the music for me, which helped me create a better concept because of the varied style they wrote."

How is it to work together with all those musicians, and especially "The older man" Jan Bijlsma?

"The OLD Man you referred to is actually 5 years younger than me, Jan is my old colleague from Vengeance. I was lead vocalist with Vengeance between 90' until the end of 92'. It's always been a pleasure and loads of fun to work with Stphan, Patrick, Gunter, Thom and Jan. They are all professionals who know their job, so it's a piece of cake and this gives you more opportunities to try production and arrangement ideas out."

Does the CP mean the end of Elegy?

"I've been working on preparing the songs for Elegy's next album while doing interviews for Consortium II. Jan/feb' 2002 I'll be Producing the new Elegy c.d. "Principles of Pain" which we will record and mix at the Kirios studios in Madrid, then filming a video clip in Aruba with Elegy around March 2002, then doing promotion in May 2002. Elegy will start appearing at Live festivals throughout the summer of 2002, with a European Tour to follow around September. We also hope to go back to Japan again and do a South American tour for the first time."

When you finish the 3rd of the CPII, would this be the end of this project? Or would you continue writing new material?

"C.P. III will be the final of a Trilogy, with a tour and possibly live album to follow."

What are your expectations to the new album?

"I was very surprised and happy with the reactions from both the Press and Fans alike worldwide. The sales are far better than expected (considering worldwide sales have been reduced by more than 60%, due to illegal copying via Internet/M.P. 3 & burning c.d.r's at home)."

Where do you place yourself and the metal scene in a couple of years?

"The same as I have been for the past 6 or 7 years. The vocalist of Elegy."

Are you planning to tour with CP or is it only a studio band?

"Due to the busy working schedules of Stephan & Gunter from Vanden Plas & Elegy who are preparing songs for our new c.d. which Locomotive Music will release in May 2002, I had to postpone plans for touring with Consortium II. I do intend to tour in the future with the Consortium III album. However Elegy will be touring as from next summer July until October 2002."

What's the difference between writing a CP album and doing an Elegy release?

"I always tried to do things differently where & when possible, and this makes an album more interesting for our fans. Elegy have always made more progressive songs although both Elegy and Consortium are very melodic power metal orientated. I actually started writing songs myself for C.P. II, before going on a Consortium European tour in dec '99. Thom Youngblood from Kamelot sent me a midi file (for Cubase midi music program) by e-mail, and after working on the arrangement, I went again to Tampa Florida were we recorded guitars for "Poetic Justice", the rest of the album was written and recorded over a period of about 15 months until we finished in March 2002. My collegues have helped me create a more interesting varied and powerful album than CAP. , which makes it that little bit different again to Elegy."

Any final comments?

"In December 2001 I will be recording with Consortium Project in Tampa Florida at Casey Grill's studio (Kamelot drummer) called "Above the C". I have invited Mike Chlasciak from Rob Halford's band to perform guitars with Consortium on the Led Zeppelin track "immigrant song" which will appear on a Led Zeppelin tribute c.d. organized by Locomotive Music Spain (our licensee for Consortium worldwide excluding Japan & Korea). The release is planned for early 2002. So to you and all our fans I would like to wish you all Merry Christmas and lots of Luck in 2002 & beyond."