RENDEZVOUS POINT is a Norwegian prog metal band with high ambitions, even if their back catalogue consists of only two albums. Their new album “Universal Chaos” provides diverting, cross-genre, passionate compositions with catchy melodies and remarkable lyrics. They have been touring with LEPROUS in the past (sharing drummer Baard Kolstad with them, actually) and are about to tour with prog shooting stars VOLA soon. Sounds like it’s time for chat with vocalist Geirmund Hansen (GH) and bass player Gunn-Hilde Erstad (GE).
Congrats on your impressive new album “Universal Chaos”! The lyrics reflect your view on the digital world we live in and the problems that come along with it. Is the internet more blessing or more curse?
GH: I think that the world has been blessed with the opportunity to get closer to any part of the world, but as I see it today the urge of always having to be on top of the latest news and the constant impulses are a downside of it all. I bet that almost everyone reading this, has an urge to check his phone every 5th minute, and that has to be bad in the long run.
I believe your album is available in all digital forms as well. What’s your personal view on digital albums? Do you at home prefer physical copies when you listen to your favourite bands?
GH: I agree that the magic of buying and holding a physical record with the artwork and all is something special and something that might belong to the past. I do believe that metal and prog fans are still keeping this tradition alive! We feel blessed with fans that contribute with buying records rather than streaming, and they send a lot of pictures of our album in their collection. We love it! However, streaming is the modern form of music listening. We truly appreciate and respect that as well.
You are young enough to be raised as a part of the typical “smartphone generation”. How did it happen that you actually deal with the subject lyrically?
GH: I see the challenges and problems of the matter every day, both on a personal note and in contact with other people. There is no time for silence and time without impressions. Who goes to the bathroom without their phones? We scroll for happiness and entertainment without ever finding something that truly effects us in a rebuilding and positive way.
Your singing skills have improved since the latest album. Furthermore, you are thanking your singing teachers in the album booklet. Please tell us about your efforts.
GH: Well, thank you. I’ve always appreciated my vocal teachers and in many ways they have guided me to where I am today. To be honest, I really never practice that much, but I do a lot of gigs and I work as a vocal coach myself, so I always know where I can evolve and get better. Also, I am 3 years older so that very often is a positive thing for a vocalist.
When/ how was your love for singing awoken?
GH: Singing has always been a part of my life. I have studied drumming in High School, but always seemed to get more singing challenges than drumming. My musical background is very diverse, from gospel and classical to pop and soul music. I hadn’t been into metal music before I’ve heard RENDEZVOUS POINT for the first time, being in the audience. That turned me over to the harder stuff.
The cover artwork of “Universal Chaos” shows a picture that reminds of an eye iris, but as well of the Helix Nebula in space. Who is the artist?
GH: Hicham Hamzi has been a friend and a close partner of the band for a long time. He is very talented and gets our music in an artistic way. What he creates really enhances the music. I think that it is up to the viewer to decide what the artwork represents. Art is subjective.
You seem to be a quite good actor as well, when looking at your new video “Apollo”. How much must a good artist feel the emotions in his creations to be convincing?
GH: Every artist lets his own emotion come alive through music and art. I have chosen to be honest where the lyrics and music can come alive through my emotions on stage and in the music videos. I cannot tell how it gets convincing or real, but the audience feels it when it is real and when the performer is genuine. Whether it is a singer or a musician. I think every member of RENDEZVOUS POINT has that raw and genuine feel to what we’re performing. Our music comes alive through our soul and passion.
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What is it that you’re trying to achieve live on stage? Just a good show? Or maybe even something that has a remarkable effect for the fans?
GH: We aim big and if our music and stage performances can make people’s lives better, that would be amazing. We want to make people go home smiling after a concert with RENDEZVOUS POINT, reflecting on the lyrics and hopefully pushing people to be better to each other and to the world we live in every day.
When I heard your record for the first time, I had a feeling that it’s universally nice music, gathering elements of more genres than just prog. Do you want to leave the prog stamp behind?
GH: I think that is a nice experience by you as a listener, but we really don’t care to much of what we are labelled. We want to make good music, but since there are a lot of elements that goes with prog and metal music, that’s where you’ll find us on Spotify and so on. We are open to play on different scenes and festivals.
You’ve been touring with LEPROUS somewhere in the past. What are your nicest memories looking back at that tour?
GH: Leprous is a great band with super awesome people. Every band that gets to travel with them is a lucky bunch. No specific memories in such, only good times with great people!
Gunn-Hilde Erstad, how has it happened that you ended up being the only woman in this band? Is it very uncommon in Norway to have women in prog bands? If so, what do you think is the reason for it?
GE: Well, the band started with Petter Hallaråker and me finding out that we like the same kind of music. We decided to gather some likeminded and play some covers. Since most prog music we listened to at that time had male vocalists (Tool, Dream Theater, ect.), we decided to ask a male vocalist to join us. Nicolai Tangen Svennæs was Petter’s roommate and is his best friend, and since they had played together with Baard Kolstad earlier, both were natural choices.
As in every other place, there are only a few female instrumentalists in Norway in general. And the tendency in prog and metal bands (especially those with a large fanbase) is to have a male vocalist. If you look for example at the line-up for the Euroblast festival 2019, there is only one female among all the 150 musicians playing there and she is a vocalist – as I can spot.
The reason for this is complicated and so diverse. Like for instance, parents not encouraging their cute little daughter to play drums. So, studies show that most female musicians in popular music start playing at a later stage than boys. Then there is the whole band-dynamic. Most boys use playing in a band as a way to “hang out with the boys” – it’s not that easy to get invited to that gathering when you are a teenage girl. And if you are lucky to get into higher music education, studies indicate that females playing what is perceived as masculine instruments, get judged harder than men. They often need to impress more.
Right now, I’m working on a PhD-project wherein I also look into the problem that female musicians report higher occurrence of playing-related pain, and also struggle more with mental problems. I believe that we have to accept that our real instrument is our body and that we musicians should learn relevant anatomy and how to use our body the most efficient way to achieve peak performance and reduce pain. I’m therefore studying a method called Timani.
How was the fans’ reaction to that in the beginning days?
GE: The reactions differ, but people are often really nice. But of course, there are a lot of “I’m impressed, you are a girl and you play good”, and then there is also the comments that just focus on my appearance. Luckily, Baard takes much of the spotlight.
What’s your musical background?
GE: I started playing bass when I was 16 years old. Before that I played flute, but at that time I was really into Metallica, System Of A Down, etc., and since it is kind of hard to play that stuff on the flute, I jumped on the opportunity to play bass when my music teacher asked me.
Do you have any female idols in music?
GE: There are many female musicians that I admire, but maybe not any idols. This may be because the music I tend to listen to is dominated by male musicians.
Are you active in other genres or would like to be?
GE: No, not right now. I am open for it, but the possibility has not arisen.
Do you have a bass endorsement?
GE: Yes, I have a deal with Dingwall. I contacted them because I love the sound of their basses and their fanned frets. It’s a perfect match for our sound.
Do you think it’s more difficult for a woman to get such a contract?
GE: I do not think it’s more difficult for women to get endorsements – maybe even easier. It’s easier to stand out as a female instrumentalist.
Do you need to feel a special mood before you can be creative or in top form? Any rituals before a show?
GE: Not any special mood. I don’t have any special rituals before shows, but I do some Timani-exercises and also a power pose with the boys.
What do you tell people who think the bass guitar is the easiest instrument to play in a band?
GE: Well – it is easier to sound okay fast with the bass, but if you want to be more than okay, it is really hard work.
What are you aiming for in the future, musically?
GE: Right now, I am just going “all in” with RENDEZVOUS POINT and I am looking forward to getting on the road in September.
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