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Tonight, just a walk to the big Transbordeur stage, and as predicted, the 800 announced persons were there....
Zyva: So it’s been a long time you didnt come to visit us.
H : Yes, Anneke had her son in 2005 et we had a break, we stopped playing, just 2 or 3 gigs, and the recording of the dvd but that’s it.Also getting relax, some rest. We worked much on the DVD and the new songs recording but not touring during these last years.
Zyva: During our last talk through the internet, you also told us The Gathering was also a family story.
H: Yes that’s right,, my girlfriend is also waiting for our child...
Zyva :Cool, congratulations !
H : So yes, we’re getting old, this happens, we’re founding families, but actually we’re going to tour a lot, we’ll have a big tour april 2007 and then, i think we’ll have a break , because we shares time for that but also for our families. That’s really important. We’re not as young as before. Sometime ago, we were playing 200 gigs per year, but now, it’s impossible. So we try to do the best for this tour, a huge show, and then we dont plan for another album.
Zyva : No, really ?
H : Oh yes (laughing), just a tour and we’ll see
Zyva : yeah a great tour, especially with appearances in some french cities, a passage at Milano, some gigs in Germany... and about Turkey?
H : Yeah, that’s cool, but we already did a festival in Istanbul, well, we sometimes heard about some bombs with some countries located next to Kurdistan. Some were a little frightened, but well, nothing was dramatic, everything was all right.
Zyva : So, are many metal bands playing gigs in oriental countries ?
H: oh yes, this develops more, it’s a bit far but there are some. We must play in a festival in Dubai, and we also have some destination dreams, like China or maybe Corea and Japan.
We did South America, US, Europe, we know a part of the world, we try to go away, more in the other side of the planet, we begin with Turkey.
Zyva : And what about some recordings during these gigs ?
H : No, not in 2006/2007, we really prefer to focus on the tour, of course, we still play some accoustics but we work more for the show
Zyva: Recently, Anneke worked with Napalm Death about the elaboration and the singing for a song on the last band album. Do some other members have side or collective project?
H : yes, we all have different ideas, hmmm, Anneke is more into pop songs, maybe she’ll make an album. I dont think we ‘ll make a new “The Gathering” album, we ‘ll just stop here, to work on our own projects, to do something else and maybe here, to come back.
Our last album “Home and “Souvenirs occupied us very much. We spent so much energy on making these two albums, so we must make some choices.
They offers us a beer. We proposed him for a drink but he refuses...
H : No, no that ‘s nice but i can’t drink before a gig. Only one beer after the show because it’s really good for my legs (laughing). We sleep in the bus, it’s tiring. When we were younger, it was different, we drank, we smoked... but not anymore.
Zyva: oh but you dont look that old...
H : well, i’m 37, and you see, when i drink a bottle of wine, i really feel it, as for the others (laughing). Yes we know we have to care , the show is exhausting and we must play well for the our audience. That’ not like 15 years ago...
Zyva : Isn’t it that frustating ?
H: No, well, that’s true that this is hard, but things change, that’s a fact (laughing). Sometimes, we laugh so hard, then remembering i’m 37. From this moment, you’re just wondering “did i forget to do anything”, and at the same time, I’m halflife, well i hope, as we live and learn in 10 years.
Zyva: the others are from the same generation.
H : yes, we’re all 35-37, excepted bour bass guitar player, Marjolein Koojiman who is 26, the youngest of us.
Zyva : and she’s the same as for your last gig in Villeurbanne at the Transclub.
H : yes, she was just entering the band, but this time, we play in the biggest place, a 800 persons capacity for tonight. They reduce the room size, but it seems to be good, as we have more space to play music.
Zyva : You launched a videoclip contest on your official website, could you say more about this ?
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H : Yes, sure, many people are very creative, we didnt want to spend 20.000 euros to make a “lemon”, to broadcast it on MTV, no, some people really do great stuffs with their Apple and PC, and so, we wanted to make a test, but this the first contest we are managing.
Zyva: you were talking about MTV and choices…
H : yes, we play music like a music band and nothing else matters. And just simply, we dont have any copters or other cr-ps , that’s just music for the music; and now as we win our life through our passion, we could have signed for a big label, but as they mentionned it in an article i read about, that blocks you, but it’s more difficult, that’s even longer to pass through the non commercial way.
Zyva : yeah, but you are acknowledged for your works ?
H : yes, but it’s true that it is a choice considering the fact if you like commercials and adds, some appearances, people’s attention or to be in the medias. But Music is art.
To me; this is not a good alliance, we all do agree about this point with the other members. That’s a choice.
And that’s true that people dont see music as master piece. This is also the reason why some bands composed songs for money... you know there are so much crappy bands.
Zyva: Can you give us a song title of an artist or a band which better represents your music.
H: Can i give you two?
No only one!
Well, so i’d mention Cocteau Twins, it’s postitive and melancholic. We also have some Trip hop influences, dreamier, Pink Floyd, we like english bands, we’re an english band, coming from the Netherlands.
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although “Home” is great enough for a couple of years 
