Welcome the feature where we ask musicians or bands five really tough questions about music! Today I speak to Elmar from the band Eloaħ who have released the album Proud To Love You this year. Today we give them some difficult questions to answer!

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

Hello, this is Elmar from Eloaħ, and I find this question quite intriguing to kick things off. It’s also very timely because, as of now, the most challenging lyrics I’ve ever had to write are the ones I’m currently working on. Let me elaborate:

During my teenage years, I composed a song titled “Typhoon Maeggy.” This track was a synthesizer instrumental with a reggae-inspired bassline, featuring an unconventional rhythm where 5/4 beats would unexpectedly emerge. Sometime later, one of my former bandmates asked me to craft a song that opposed Santa Claus, simply because he wasn’t fond of seeing so many people dressed up as Santa.

I used the “Typhoon Maeggy” track, added some peculiar lyrics, and enlisted my then-guitarist to contribute, which he did. The song was released on an old demo and was subsequently forgotten. However, decades later, I stumbled upon it again and realized that it contained intriguing musical structures that weren’t well-executed, sung, or produced. I decided to revisit the song, drawing upon my accumulated experience, and I’ve grown to genuinely appreciate it.

Nevertheless, it won’t remain a song against or even related to Santa Claus since I have no personal connection to that theme, making it challenging for me to convey any genuine emotion when performing it. Now, I’m faced with the task of creating lyrics for an existing song structure that must both harmonize with the musical atmosphere and resonate with me emotionally. Every time I hear the melody, I still conjure up images of Santa Claus in my mind. This situation presents a unique challenge for me because, typically, lyrics flow naturally when I’m composing songs, effortlessly expressing the emotions I feel. However, in this particular case, it’s a different story.

Nonetheless, I remain optimistic and, in fact, quite curious about how this situation will ultimately unfold. Regardless, this song will find its place on one of our upcoming albums. And since it’s the only track with a reggae-esque bassline, you’ll easily recognize it when the time comes.

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

That depends on what you consider to be weird. In my view, the most valuable offering from fans is their devotion, their enthusiasm, and their ability to connect emotionally with the music. When a musician performs with genuine emotion, there’s nothing more significant than having someone listen and share in the emotional journey the music conveys. I can’t remember ever receiving a gift from a fan that I would describe as peculiar or out of the ordinary.

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

We haven’t had the opportunity to perform live with our current lineup, so I’m unable to provide an answer to that question. Nevertheless, I do know that our guitarist, Orion Roos, has recently opened for Ross the Boss with one of his other bands, and he has likely had similar opportunities to perform alongside even more renowned musicians in the past.

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

Especially the songs that were created in improvisation sessions – so all songs from the Mondstein Chronicles trilogy – are intrinsically difficult to rehearse. First, because they mostly lack the traditional song structures because they were improvised, and secondly, because I produced many of them using the Hans Zimmer (digital) orchestra. Since we cannot do that live, for any performance the songs have to be rearranged without losing their intrinsic character – and that is difficult.

Dream Collaboration and why ?

I have my dream collaboration at this moment: Orion Roos on guitars, Johan van der Meer on drums and percussion, Peter Douwenga on bass guitars, Lila Herderberg singing, and Dominik Mittergradnegger playing saxophone and violin. I hope that I can continue to work with these fantastic musicians for a long time.