| You are a rahter busy woman. You're still pushing the last Leaves Eye's release, and now you have a new solo album. Where di you find the time to record this release? Was it easy to compose and record this CD with your other obligations? |
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Liv:
After having signed a deal with Napalm Records last year, I immediately began recording new songs for my 3rd solo album. Ideas had already been recorded for demos long before that, though. We needed less than 8 months for the final recording of the songs, the mix and the master. Because my husband and producer, Alexander Krull, and I have built our own studio (Mastersound), composing and recording is an everyday occupation. However, my family always comes first, and I have a rule that is quite simple: when my son is at home (not at school etc.), I do not work. I only work when he doesn't need me. To spend time with my family and my best friends gives me the power I need to work really hard in stressful periods. The balance there is essential in my life. |
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Do your other obligations play a role in the release window between albumns? Your second took eight years to come out, and now Skintight took about four years before seeing the light of day. |
Liv:
True. It's been four years since my second release "Enter My Religion" (Roadrunner), and all this time I've been aching to release another album. It feels like a relief, now, really. My creative mind does not "like" having breaks. |
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| Are these solo albums just a way for you to kill time? I mean, you have Leaves Eyes going on right now, you got your husband's band Atrocity going on at the same time and I'm sure you support him behind that band too, and with all the guest stuff you've done, do you just look at this solo stuff as a way to blow off steam of everyone ariund you, including yourself, doing metal, or even just a way to kill time between projects and shows? |
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Liv:
Honestly, I never ever had time to kill since I was 18 and got into music business. I even finished my master at the University of Stuttgart/Germany, worked in a school for kids with "special needs", I gave lessons in German, English and Norwegian at a language school, went on tour with all my bands and projects and recorded albums.and I have a family. My solo albums are just as important as any other production or band. I need it. It's more personal, and it's "just" mine. |
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| Leaves Eyes recently had a live DVD come out. Do you see maybe putting out a DVD of a Liv Kristine solo performance, or even a live CD in general?? |
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Liv:
I haven't thought that far yet. Good idea, though! I'm thinking of touring with my solo project next year. I have a handful of requests for gigs already, but none of them are on the American territory. We have to change that! |
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| When you went into this, was everything almsot second nature for you now? I mean, you were only born in 1976, you're actually only 8 years older then I am, and my achievement so far is this website. You, however, have put out countless albums, you're heralded as one of the greatest voices in metal, you've put out countless releases, it just seems like you've already accomplished so much that these solo albums almost come across as something you can record quick and walk away from in a studio happy. Is that the case here? Was it hard to do this album? Were you happy with the final product? |
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Liv:
I actually had only one goal for this album: just compose, write, record and feel free. I just did exactly what my mind, heart and soul told me. No limits, no interruption. This album is me, straight from the heart, just very down-to-earth, natural and personal. It really "deserves" the title "Skintight". My solo work is where I put all my childhood memories, my experience being a young woman, ideas about love, marriage, memories from travelling, worries, questions to different "chapters" in life, and becoming a mum. |
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| Did you guys do anything in the process of writing and recording Skintight? |
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Liv:
Of course! I did everything myself, together with my husband, Alexander, and my best friend and favourite string player Thorsten Bauer, in our own studio. We've been a composing and producing teams since 1999. Drums (S. Antonopolous), piano (O. Palotai) and cello (C. Kutzer) were played by hired musicians. I write all lyrics and vocallines myself, like I do for Leaves' Eyes. The songs came into existence by coming together in the studio - Thorsten with his guitar, me myself and my voice. We just let the songs evolve naturally. I try avoiding any external interruption in my composing and recording process. |
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| Max and Igor Cavalera (Sepultura) recently joined together for the band Cavalera Conspiracy. I mention this because the vocalist of Midnattsol, Carmen Elise Espenęs, is also your younger sister. Have you two ever thought of putting out an album together? Personally, I think it would be fantastic, I love both of your voices, and I'm sure there's many other metal fans out there who wouldn't mind seeing that as well. Could this be somethinv we could see from you two at some point, or is there some kind of sister rivalry since the two of you are doing very similar things in music at this point? |
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Liv:
We actually recorded "Irish Rain" together for the special edition of "Njord" (Leaves' Eyes) when she came to visit me in Germany some recently. Another track on Leaves' Eyes fourth full-length album will be sung with Carmen as guestvocalist. |
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| Are there any plans to promote Skintight any time soon, such as concerts or anything, or are you working on something else and just hoping the album will sell itself?. |
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Liv:
No album sells by itself nowadays. I am typing interviews every day.phoners waiting in line. There is a lot of hard work behind a release. I have already started planning solo tours for 2011, however I need to finish my tours in the US and India/Asia with Leaves' Eyes this autumn first. |
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| With your solo material, why exactly did you decide to do what you did musically with the album? Yes, Leaves Eye'a seems to have plenty of Norse inspired folk in the music, but this album is basically just a Folk Rock album, and there's even other atmospheric elements in it like some country music in the guitars. What inspired you to compose your solo album in such a manner? |
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Liv:
Skintight is an album that has many facets to it, musically wise and emotionally wise. Thinking of the concept, you may sense it being a mirror to your own feelings in many ways. It has no other concept than my own feelings, memories, experience and dreams. Anyway, I wouldn't call it a folk rock album; there are no folk influences or instruments in the production. Tori Amos has always been a great inspiration for me. Also in the way she sings, plays and records technically seen. She has a fantastic voice, she is a great song writer and plays the piano excellently! There is probably also some Coldplay in there. And perhaps some J. Cash? I realized that as my album was finished.. Both music and voice were recorded in a "one-take" procedure, as often as possible, because we wanted to intensify the emotional flow in a natural way. I hate recording little bits and pieces and making pauses between verses and choruses. |
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| Why were there so many slower songs in Skintight in comparison to the faster, upbeat tracks? Also, why was the album set up that it went upbeat song, slower song, repeat until the last three songs of the album? Was this a choice of yours or did it just kind of come out that way. |
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Liv:
I never plan an album, the songs or the percentage of slow and fast songs. I just compose it and record it, and then, when it's being released, the audience decides what to think of it. I hate trends and forced ideas. I am glad my record label trust me and let me do my own thing, i.e. follow my own insinct. |
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| Are you satisfied with the way the tracks were place on the album, or even the entire album itself when you got your hands on the final product? |
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Liv:
Yes, I am. My husband and Thorsten helped me with deciding the order of the tracks. |
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| Will there be a long wait for another solo Liv Kristine album, or do you think the media reaction (and fan reaction I guess for those who got it before it came out) is enough to make you do it, or kind of step back and put another album on the back burner for an extended amount of years? |
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Liv:
I already have songs for another solo album, but right now I have to tour with Leaves' Eyes , moreover, we are in the middle of recording my vocals for our 4th full-length album. |
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| Thank you for taking the time to answer some of these questions, and I hope all goes well with Skintight, and your many other musical ventures. |
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Liv:
Thank you! All the best for you and your online projects! |
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