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Up
to now, Demon's Eye
have established their reputation as a "Deep
Purple Tribute Band" in such a convincing
way that as a result Jon
Lord with a symphony orchestra and
Ian Paice of Deep Purple as well as Doogie
White, of course, already had several concerts
together with the band and are quite taken with
their skills and musicality.
Direct quote
Jon Lord, who recently gave a moving concert
together with Demon's Eye and the Film Orchestra
Babelsberg in the philharmonic concert hall "Philharmonie
München" in Munich in November, 2010:
"With Demon's Eye I feel like I’m playing
in a real band."
Direct quote
Ian Paice: "When I get the chance
to play with other musicians and I don't know
them, I take a chance. If they're good, it makes
my job very easy. If they're not so good, it makes
my job very difficult. With Demon's Eye, it's
incredibly easy. These guys are really fantastic!
They know exactly what they do!" |
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After 13 years of being a very successful Deep
Purple Tribute Band, how come they make an album
with songs of their own?
Demon's Eye drummer Andree
Schneider, who also produced this album:
"After all these years of Deep Purple Tribute
it was about time to turn over a new leaf and
look for a new challenge. You might say it was
the icing on the cake that Doogie White listened
to our songs and at once promised enthusiastically
to participate."
By the way, why does Doogie
White sing on the album - up to now he
has "only" been Demon’s
Eye’s guest vocalist at some concerts?
Andree: "This
is because he was definitely our dream vocalist.
We knew which musical course our songs would take.
Therefore, it was obvious that we couldn’t
have found a better vocalist for our album. Whenever
I listen to the songs now I can only say that
this was the best decision we could have made.
Doogie is a fantastic vocalist and an incredible
creative songwriter who gave our songs just what
they needed. I think his vocal performance on
'The Stranger Within' is just phenomenal! In my
opinion, he has never sung so varied and with
so much power and devotion as on this album." |
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Doogie White
adds: "When Andree told me in the studio
that for the first time in many years I’m
sounding really like myself I was totally surprised
at first because no matter with which band I am
in a studio: I am always giving it everything!
But I thought about his words – I think
maybe the reason that my voice sounds sharper
and more powerful on this album than on other
albums I've done is due to the fact that this
band do not play with down-tuned instruments but
they play in regular concert tuning. For me, that
has not been the case since the Rainbow album
of 1995. That is why I had to give more power
to my voice than usual. It was exciting to finde
those notes again that I thought I had maybe lost
for a while." (laughs)
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Has Doogie White
not taken a risk to record an album with a band
that have “only“ been paying tribute
to Deep Purple so far?
Doogie: "No,
because I wouldn’t have done it if I had
not liked the song material or had thought that
I cannot develop good ideas to it. Not for all
the money in the world! True, Demon's Eye are
the best Deep Purple Tribute Band I have seen
so far. But now stop thinking about this band
as a Deep Purple Tribute Band and just listen
to this album. The songs are fantastic and were
recorded by excellent musicians. Turn up the volume,
take out your air guitar and start to rock - because
that is what I did when I listened to the finished
album at home!"
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Did you receive any instructions from the band?
Doogie: "No,
I was given carte blanche concerning both the
melodies and lyrics. The band sent me the completely
arranged instrumental versions of the songs and
I developed my ideas to them and sent them back.
Andree then told me whether or not he and the
other guys liked my ideas. If there was a passage
that did not find their approval I came up with
something new – but this was only rarely
necessary. That was a very constructive and professional
working method."
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With regard to sound and style Demon's
Eye model themselves closely on Deep
Purple and Rainbow.
Especially guitar player
Mark Zyk commits himself to Blackmore while
he does emphasize, though, that he is not only
a copy of the "Man in Black".
Mark Zyk: "I
like Ritchie’s powerful, expressive playing
and his love of improvisation. These are the aspects
that influenced my playing. However, my playing
is to retain its personal touch as I don’t
aim at being a Blackmore-clone."
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The songs have many passages that will move fans
of classic hard rock emotionally. The following
aspect is important to
Andree: "I think music should move
you emotionally, no matter what kind of music
it is. Then it is good music. There are many passages
on 'The Stranger Within' that will send shivers
down your spine - especially Rainbow fans will
be thrilled by 'The Unknown Stranger', and also
songs like 'Evil Comes This Way' or 'The Best
Of Times' create a very special atmosphere."
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The band cannot and do not want to deny the influences
of their role models. Nevertheless, "The
Stranger Within" is convincing because
of its individuality. True, from a stylistic point
of view the album reminds us of Deep
Purple and Rainbow,
but it contains new, individual compositions. There’s
nothing that sounds cribbed.
With "The Stranger Within" Demon's Eye
hope to give the fans of Deep
Purple and Rainbow
just what they would like to hear from
Ritchie Blackmore & Co. these days, but
do not get in such a way. |
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Fotos: Gerry
W. Freudenberger, Moni Kircher |
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