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In 2006 two musical entities from two different countries came together
to form a brand new force. Greek female singer Iris Mavraki and
Turkish Prog/Power Metal act Dreamtone joined to become one, the result of
which was Neverland. With the recent release of the bands debut
album 'Reversing Time' we catch up with vocalists Iris and Oganalp to find
out more ...
MM - Firstly
congratulations on new album 'Reversing Time'.
Oganalp
- Thanks a lot!
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MM - Tell us how did the
collaboration between Dreamtone and Iris first come about?
Oganalp -
Well, we were promoting our demo
album with Dreamtone back in 2004, 'Unforeseen Reflections', and we sent a
copy to an e-zine in Greece, Metal Temple. Chief editor of the e-zine at
the time, Orpheus Spiliotopoulos, very much liked the ideas on that CD and
introduced us to his mother, Iris, who was working on live symphonic
projects in Greece and in Turkey. In time, slowly and slowly, we
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started to discuss about our ideas
and visions and decided to form a band. At the time, it was a live
project idea but later on, we decided to convert it into a full time
band, which is Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki’s Neverland now,
as you know. |
Iris - I was in Athens visiting my
son Orpheus. As I was touring Turkey and Greece with Symphony Orchestras
from Turkey in an immense effort to create a cultural bridge between our
two countries, knowing that Orpheus gave me a demo album of a group not
telling me who they are, just asking me to listen to it. I was very
impressed and asked him who they are and where do they come from. So
that’s how it all started. I wrote to them and then when to
Ankara to meet them.
MM - Why did you find it necessary to
use a different name instead of calling this a new Dreamtone album?
Oganalp
-
Well, simple, Dreamtone and
Neverland are two different bands with a different musical approach, even
though they share certain elements. It gives us the chance to experiment
on different things that we cannot do with Dreamtone or as Iris Mavraki
with her own solo works.
Iris - Well exactly, we are two
different things, and besides, Neverland has a different magical name.
MM - Even though the band and Iris are
from different musical backgrounds this seems to enhance the album instead
of hindering it. Why do you think it works so well?
Oganalp
-
To be sincere, I don’t know.
Perhaps it is about our musical visions. We don’t limit ourselves by just
pursuing the music from a single or a narrow point of view. We perform
metal music in general but none of us are completely metal oriented or
people who are just listening to metal music. Most of the time, we are far
more interested in other types and cultures. This extended vision of ours
perhaps helped us to understand each other and perform well in the end. It
also affected our vision of producing an album. None of us planned to
compose the songs in a pre-formulated way. We didn’t even talk about the
songs and decide whether if they fit into the genre or not. We just
recorded them in a way that we would love to hear them. And they are named
as Reversing Time as an album.
Iris -
I guess most people are wondering the same
thing, of course we do come from different musical backgrounds, although
I always was very close to rock. I think all our influences were somehow
embroidered in a very spontaneous way when we wrote our music and that is
what came out of it in the end. An amazing result.
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MM - Will we be hearing more of Neverland or was this a one off project?
Oganalp
- Of course, Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki’s Neverland isn’t just a one shot
project. We are already working on the second album’s compositions and
hopefully, we will be in the studio next Spring. As long as we have the
chance to work on, we will continue to produce albums and go on stage and
so with the band.
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Iris. This wasn’t just a project
that is done and over, but we have formed a new group with the vision of
staying together and composing and going on stage together. |
MM - Will this be just a studio project
or might we see Neverland on tour?
Oganalp
- Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki’s
Neverland is definitely not a studio band and we are already discussing the
terms of touring with different agencies and promoters. However, you know
that 'Reversing Time' is our first effort and so, it takes some time to
reach people and create the demand we need to book a tour. Therefore, we
haven’t announced any confirmed dates yet but hopefully, we will be on
stage in Europe before the end of the year. So, yes, we are not a studio
band and we will tour. But you know how it is, this is life and anything
can happen and turn the tides.
Iris -
Yes the tides can turn and we might
reverse them, hi hi hi. We do hope that we will soon be able to perform
live.
M M
-
How did AFM records first get to hear about the band?
Oganalp
-
Our manager took care of the label
dialogues when we were sending demos and tapes to labels back in 2007,
Summer time. To be sincere, from the very first day, we were hoping to
collaborate with AFM as both Orphy, our manager, and I knew some of the
guys working at AFM and how good they are with promotions and band
dialogue. So, when we heard that AFM was interested in signing a deal, we
were very happy and relieved. I believe it was 19th of October
when we first heard of AFM’s interest in signing the deal and me and
Emrecan were so excited about the news that we had to go to a stupid
bloodbath adrenaline movie, just to empty our heads haha.
Iris -
I knew also that AFM is very capable in
promotion and a serious company and when I heard that they are interested
I was so thrilled I just sat at the piano and didn’t stop singing!
MM - Were you given a time frame to come
up with material for the new album and band, or were you just given time
to complete the project to your own standards?
Oganalp
- No set time frames were there
while we were writing as we were not part of a label or something at the
time. The only frame that we had to fit in was the schedule for guests and
studios, as well as the financial part of things. Those were hard times, I
had to admit. I felt 10 years older while we were trying to figure out the
solutions for endless problems we were facing. Now, we have a slight
framing regarding the second CD and stuff but we are already set to send
our demos to the label as we are halfway done with writing the new songs.
Iris - The only time frame was how
to send my songs to Turkey to be recorded and how to get to Istanbul or
Ankara from Rhodes, Greece, in order to start
recording the vocal parts there.
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MM - As for Dreamtone will we have a new
album from you guys soon?
Oganalp
-
We don’t know yet. We were
planning to record a new CD this year but later on, we decided to shift
our resources towards the second Neverland instalment. Perhaps, we will
record some new stuff after we are done with the next album of Neverland.
We are now constructing a new studio and it basically consumes most
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of our energy and resources, so, to be sincere, it would be a
financial suicide to enter the studio for two album recordings and
plus, constructing a studio as well. Hopefully, we will record our
next CD with Dreamtone in
2009, at our own studio. Who knows, time will tell… |
MM - And Iris, will you be looking for
more similar projects in the future or will you continue on your own
musical path?
Iris -
Well new similar projects in the near future will be with Neverland of
course, but besides that I will carry on with my concerts also with
Symphony Orchestras both in Greece and Turkey. We are preparing as Oganalp
already mentioned a new album soon
MM - How do you feel this album compares
to the Dreamtone albums?
Oganalp
- This album is more power and
symphonic metal, when compared to Dreamtone’s progressive and heavier
musical vision. Basically, we use symphonic elements in Dreamtone’s music as
well but those are, in nature, parts that support the main idea behind the
songs. In Neverland, however, the songs were basically carried by the
orchestral arrangements, sometimes openly and sometimes behind the
curtains. This changes a lot of things. It gives you the similar feeling
of hearing a song of Dreamtone, but things are completely different in a
way. Also, Iris’ voice and compositions are also a distinctive difference
in between what you can hear on a Dreamtone disc. This album was
refreshing, as it had a wider frequency to work.
MM -
There are some quite special tracks on the
album like ‘Everlasting Tranquillity’ and ‘Reversing Time’, do the band
have any personal favourites and why these particular songs?
Oganalp
- Well, I cannot tell what
others like or not because everyone has his/her own pick. I cannot tell
one exact song because I have two favourites on the disc for different
reasons. One is “To Lose the Sun”. It is performed by Hansi Kürsch of
Blind Guardian and I had the chance to add some backing vocals to the
track. As he is my deity, both as an artist and as a voice, it was a
miracle for me to be on the same song with him. “Reversing Time” is the
other song that I would state as my favourite. From the very first day that
I started writing it, it was my favourite and when I heard the final
version with Mike Baker’s outstanding performance, as well as Onur and
Philarmonia Istanbul’s musical touch on it, I was stunned. I never get
bored of listening to that one.
Iris -
Oganalp is right, everybody has his
preference and you cannot explain why some like a song more than another.
All the songs for me are lovely, each one for a different reason, Tom
Englunds interpretation in ‘’world beyond these walls’’, Hansi Kursch in
‘’to lose the sun’’ Mike Baker in ‘’reversing time’’ Oganalp in ‘’mountain
of joy’’ ‘’trancending miracle’’ the lyrics in some songs and the music in
others, the Philarmonia Istanbul Orchestra … it's difficult for me to
choose. Orpheus lyrics. Onur and Buraks way of composing and playing,
Garry Wehrkamp s solo or Emrecan s way of playing. Each song is different.
MM - Finally do you have any words of
introduction to those of our readers who haven’t yet discovered Neverland?
Oganalp - Thank you for reading this
interview up to now. I hope you like what you hear on Reversing Time and
please don’t forget that you can check us at
www.in-neverland.com and at
www.myspace.com/neverlandofficial . Thank you for your interest, see
you somewhere on tour!!!
Iris - I am very thrilled to have
entered this magnificent world of metal music and travelling to the
magical place of Neverland. I do believe we all can ‘’reverse time’’ in
our life, if there is a will there is a way. Thank you for your interest
and bon voyage to all, who will listen to our musical journey too.
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