FREEDOM CALL INTERVIEW
On a day of heavy rain, I'm awaiting a call from the front man of Freedom Call, Chris Bay, and it turns out to be a very delightful conversation, with a positive and energetic man, who loves what he's doing - music!

Interview by Lars F. Larsen
Hi Chris! I'd like to say congratulations with your newest release "Eternity", but I have only had the disc for a very short time, and haven't based a real opinion yet - so far it sounds cool though.

"Thanks. We have worked hard for it."

I first experienced Freedom Call on the Hammerfall tour last year. How did it go?

"We really had a great tour. It was our first possibility to go on a big tour, and get a lot of exposure. We played all over Europe, and especially in Scandinavia we opened up a lot of eyes. It was the perfect condition for us, since we feel that live shows are what it's all about. To be on stage, and do the job."

Yeah, I noticed that you were very positive on stage - whereas a lot of bands tend to have an attitude??

"We are always happy and positive on stage. We want to give the audience the best show possible, and there's no need to stand there and look depressed. If you show your positive side, they will take the band to their heart, and listen more careful to your music. They have enough problems in their daily routine, so here they can identify with the positive vibes that we can bring past the edge of the stage."

So how did the band come together?

"Well, I have known Dan Zimmermann for 15 years, and we have played together in some cover bands in the past, but we wanted to make some more serious stuff, and so I made some demo's and we listened to it together and it just started like that."

Did Dan go into the project because of the obvious Gamma Ray influences in Freedom Call?

"No, it's more like…in Gamma Ray, Kai Hansen is the guy deciding in what direction the music is going, and therefore Dan doesn't have that much of a saying. In Freedom Call he can bring all the ideas he want, and that gives him a freedom to get his visions out of the system. And since we played with each other before, it was a natural development. Dan is grown-up and has no problem in managing 2 different bands... just look at the likes of Mike Terrana - how many bands is he in???"

Yeah, and how many projects is Mike Portnoy involved in???

"Exactly…well, then we got a hold of Ilker on the bass and the rest is history."

On the Sweden Rock festival, Freedom Call did a cover song of Manowar (Carry On), with some fans on stage. It sounded horrible, but it seemed like a lot of fun??? What happened?

"Yeah, it was all my mistake…The Sweden Rock magazine had this competition, and some guys and girls had won the chance to do that song with us on stage. I was a little confused, and asked one of them, where they had won this, and she answered "Scream magazine", where after I announced to the audience, that Scream magazine had arranged it…..on the SWEDEN ROCK festival, hahahahaha. It was very embarrassing, and when we got off stage, there were some people who were really pissed off. But that's what happens. I think the audience knew what was going on, and that it was just a publicity stunt, so they didn't take it too serious."

What are your musical influences?

"I'd say some old heavy rock like Deep Purple, Rainbow, Rush and Led Zeppelin, but also some pop music like Simple Minds. I also like Saxon and that kind of music."

What are you listening to at the moment?

"Do you know Eddie Money?"

No!

"Well that's what I'm listening to at the moment, and also Aerosmith. But normally I just listen to the radio, when I'm driving my car on the highway."

How do you feel about all these bands emerging nowadays (almost all of them called something with the word "steel" in it)??? Is there too many of them? Don't they just rip off the older bands?

"No, actually! I believe it's a good thing that there are so many bands, because then there is a bigger chance to get the real good ones up there! It's very natural that they are influenced and want to sound like their old heroes, so the bands of today want to sound like Helloween, who tried to sound like Iron Maiden, who tried to sound like Deep Purple, who tried to sound like the Beatles, etc., etc. It's a natural selection, that the bands who work VERY hard, and continue to progress with both releases and tours will make it, and the bands that are lazy will go into oblivion. It's kind of a biological factor!"

So, when did you begin playing music?

"I began when I was 7. I had a Spanish guitar, and at the age of 10, my parents put me into a music school, where you learn other things as well, but the main focus is music. Therefore I had to learn to play the piano. So I have all the musical theory in me. It's impossible not to play all the old masters when you're beginning to learn notes, and that's possible to hear in the music of Freedom Call. I love the blend of classical notes with bass drums and speed. So I have played for many years."

Yeah, I can hear the classical influences, but also some trumpets and other brass instruments. It kind of reminded me of Angra!

"Angra? Well, I have only heard a couple of songs from "Holy Land", and I have not heard any brass there???"

It's more evident on "Angels Cry"….

"All right, that explains it. I'll just have to check out that album. It's funny coz we played some shows with Angra a couple of years ago, but I didn't really notice that stuff in the music."

Can you live off the music?

"Yeah, almost. I have this studio near my home, where I work a lot as a technician, and in the week ends, I play in a cover band, where we play songs of Metallica, Guns 'n Roses and stuff like that. So put together, I can live off the music."

Do you have some hobbies beside the music then?

"I like to run and do some mountain biking. Whenever I want to relax, I take my bike on the roof of the car and drive to the mountains, where I ride on my bike on these small tracks in the woods. It's very cool and relaxing."

So do you like the mountains best in the summer time or in the winter time?

"That would be the summer time. It's really beautiful in the summer. I really don't like the cold. I have been skiing a lot in the past, but in the latter years, I haven't done it. You know, getting old, and afraid of breaking bones and all that…"

How old are you Chris??

"I'm 33….so, hehehehe"

What's your favourite festival (and I know you have to be politically correct here)??

"It's hard for me to say, coz they all have their good things, but I really liked the Sweden Rock festival, because everything backstage was so relaxed and cool. There was no competition between the artists, and it was very well organized, so I think that would be my favourite."

Is there competition on the W:O:A:?

"No, but it's so hectic behind stage, with so many people. And also, there are too many bands in my opinion. It's sad far the audience, that several bands are playing at the same time, coz' they have to choose between bands that they have paid a lot to see. I think it's something like 50 Euro for a ticket…"

…which is very cheap, if you ask me (Lars)….

"…and so it could be better organized."

Are you going on tour, and if that's the case - are you visiting Denmark?

"I don't know how big the tour will be. As you know, we went on tour with Blind Guardian in April, and so the bookers don't think it would be a good idea for us to come so shortly after, to do a head liner tour. But as of now, 15 dates are confirmed, and I think we will be visiting Sweden and Finland. I don't know why Denmark is never on the map."

Well, we do here in Copenhagen. Because the audience is close to non-existent! So Chris, I just have to come to Sweden and watch you guys.

"Well, then please say hello, and we'll drink a beer."

Yupp - which leads me to my final question: What's your favourite beer?

"Hahahaha….you know… I live in a region with 700.000 people and there are more than 200 breweries here, so I have a lot to choose from, but I think it will be a beer called "Hohen Schwärzer Bier". It's kind of sweet and darker than normal beer. I'll bring one for you in Sweden."

Please do that Chris. Thanks for the interview and good luck with your career. Lars