Welcome to the feature where we ask musicians or bands five really tough questions about music! Today we speak to ELOAĦ. The band are from The Netherlands and specialise in rock with jazz and pop influences. We ask them the tough music questions.

What is the hardest lyric you have ever had to write and why?

This is a very interesting question. The lyrics normally just come to me, and if they don’t come all at once, they do it over a period of a few days when I practice a newly written track. So, essentially, until now it has never been hard to write lyrics for me, since I only write a new track when there is a feeling to express, and that feeling is always crystal clear in its presence, and the lyrics are, in combination with the music, describing this feeling. If there is no feeling to express, I cannot write a song – neither chords nor lyrics…

What is the weirdest gift or compliment a fan has given you?

Interesting question again. I have to ask myself which gift or compliment I would consider “weird” – and whether I would consider it a compliment or gift at all if it were weird… Now, in lieu of a weird gift (really can’t recall anything here), the weirdest compliment I ever got was about our “Mondstein 3 – wood and bone” album – saying that repetitive listening would cause something like weed to grow in one’s ears, since the music would either be beautifully deranged or ingenious…

“…I love to work with multiple vocal tracks for several voices in the studio (and there are only two singers in the band), and also because I sometimes I like to include orchestral parts which are very expensive to do live..”

Who is the best band or musician you have had the pleasure to share the stage with?

Whereas most ELOAĦ  musicians regularly play live in other bands, in our current set-up we have not played live at all yet. However, we are planning on doing so in the foreseeable future – and in that case, I would really love to share the stage with one of the bands that my colleagues play with – MAESTRO, LiLa y Geckos or Metalbats…

What one of your songs has been the most difficult to rehearse for a live audience?

There are many songs in our repertoire that need to be rearranged for a live audience, especially because I love to work with multiple vocal tracks for several voices in the studio (and there are only two singers in the band), and also because I sometimes I like to include orchestral parts which are very expensive to do live (unless you use samples, of course).

As an extreme example, I would say that our whole “Mondstein 1 – Awaken the Gods” album is probably (almost) impossible to play live – most of all because the singer, whose distinct voice is an important trademark for this album, unfortunately does not live anymore…

Dream Collaboration and why ?

I am blessed with extremely talented musicians who play in e ELOAĦ at the moment, so in all modesty the current band IS my dream collaboration. I have had ideas about working with a cello player at some point (not a particular one, though), for future projects – but for the album we are currently working on – a darker, rock-type album, heavier than all the CDs we have produced so far – I am indeed working in my personal dream collaboration.