Apple Pie, April 2007

I ain't sure it will enlight ANYTHING towards band's subgenre , but maybe it'll help in some way to add them here (finally! )


How did you get into Prog? What did you listen when you were a child? What about your friends, parents?

VARTAN (vox, guitar) -
Everyone of us was raised in its own way, but there were similar features. For example, my father listened to The Beatles, Queen, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Genesis, Yes, ELP, Paul McCartney, Steve Wonder, Rod Stewart etc, while my friends listened to crappy pop.


How did the band emerged?

ALEXEY (bass,woodwinds) -
In Autumn 2000 Vartan came to Kursk to enter the Medical University. Few months later he founded a band entitled APPLE PIE. They had few line-up changes during 2 years. When Vartan stopped his band activity because of lack of serious attitude from other band members, he chanced to record a promo-CD at home, which had 10 songs in Russian. In that time he already had few English songs in his archives. He also took part in a nameless project where he met Andrey, our drummer. He had already known me (we've just began to work on a new material which later partly became "Crossroad" album), and the only thing we needed was keyboardist. I knew Oleg Sergeev for a long time, we use to play together in some projects. We gathered in this line-up to work on a new material, but later decided to return to the prevoius works for a while. We've recorded a "New Day" demo (10 songs in Russian and 5 in English; later "Flying around the World" has became a leitmotif for "Crossroad" album). It was never released officially, though few songs were featured on different compilations.


Do you earn your living with your musical activity, and if not - I've already guessed - who are you by occupation?

ANDREY (drums) -
Definetely we don't. For example, I'm educated engineer and working in a bank. Vartan works in a department of otorynolaringology of a State Kursk Hospital. Alexey and Oleg are working in a military brass band.


How do you compose music? What inspires you?Are there any hidden ideas behind the lyrics?

VARTAN (vox, guitar) -
It's a Magic. I can be in a bus wholly distancing myself from the surrounding world at the same time. At this very moment In my head I have not only the sole tune, but the fully arranged composition! I even forsee how it can be performed on a live show! Sometimes it goes in other way: I'm sitting with an instrument and the theme just flows. My main source of inspiration is my wife. Other ones are different situations we are faced with in our lives and all shifts in a bad or a good side.
I have no pre-intention to write English lyrics. I ain't trying to prove anything, I just like it! There's no background ideas behind the lyrics. It's pretty clear - a story of a young man who faced the struggle of God and Devil in himself and he must make a choice. He makes a right one, and God is forgiving him.


Few words about recording sessions. Are you satisfied with MALS as a label?

OLEG (keyboards) -
We moved from a rehearsal room to a studio. It was terrible! So many instruments, so many gadgets! I didn't even know that we have it all! We've recorded winds and percussions. When it came to vocals, Vartan had fell ill and lost his voice. We've managed to recorded only in the end of sessions. Then we had mixing and mastering - btw, thanks to Oleg Moroz, he did a great job, we appreciate it!
We'll try to let more and more people hear our work. We have plans to make a mini-tour in Russia, but it would be better to make it somewhere abroad, because the music itself is rooted in Western musical culture, which now is much higher than our one.
We are pleased with the fact that people like Mikhail Lanin are still exist. He plays - and will play - a prominent role in promotion of this album.


What about live shows?

ALEXEY (bass, woodwinds) -
It's hard to say anything about shows for now (only plans...). We played on some festivals, but they weren't Prog-related. We're already officially invited on Moscow "InProg 2007" fest - hope it'll finally be this year!

(PJ's REMARK - PROBABLY THIS AUTUMN)


And finally - few words about Prog "movement" in post-USSR area!

VARTAN (vox, guitar) -
I can say that now this "movement" is getting more noticable. But I'd like ti to be more obvious! Faster and better! Look on Europe or USA - that's what we'd like to have in Russia. Imagine a Russian PROG band touring stadiums! That's what our music for - for developming the movement and raising it on the peak of ProgWorld! Hope you like it! Listen and enjoy!

Thanks! Stay tuned!


Thanks APPLE PIE for interview and wonderful music! Hope to see them here soon!


Edited by Prog-jester - April 10 2007 at 09:06

Thanks for feedback! Glad you liked it!Feel free to submit a review - APPLE PIE already added!

Try MUSEA records, they definetely have it