Dutch guitarist Joop Wolters recently released his third solo instrumental album on the Lion Music label. This newest composition is varied in that it can be categorized as a “multi-genre instrumental release.” Joop isn’t new to the music scene and its ever-changing landscape as nowadays it’s harder than ever to get a record deal much less a decent budget. Joop sat down with Metal Express Radio to discuss these hardships and also talks about how he puts the “solo” into a “solo release.”
Metal Express Radio: Hello Joop! Thanks for taking the time to speak with Metal Express Radio and your fans.
Joop Wolters: Thank you for all your interest and time, much appreciated
MER: How about introducing yourself to the fans that might not be familiar with your works at this point? How did you get into music and who were some of your influences?
Joop: Ok! Hmmm … I was 15 years old in 1986 when I bought my first guitar and shortly after that a bass, drum machine and a 4-track recorder, and I especially loved the noodling around factor of it, just messing around, trying to come up with ideas just by trial and error … I still love to do it like that. Also, the record player/cassette player made some overtime with me learning all kinds of recordings from my favorite artists at that time. I was never a theory guy, just wanted to try with my ears and I still mainly do. When I was 18 years old, I started out with the group Arabesque — it was 1989 … we tried out all kind of covers in the beginning from learning to play stuff from Gary Moore, Rush, Satriani, Vai, Al DiMeola, Mike Stern, Brand X, Steve Morse etc. Luckily all of us loved that style of music, so we wanted to work real hard on that. Very soon we started writing our original stuff — that was even a bigger urge. With all the people that I got in contact with and played in a band with, all of them where interested in making their own music (luckily). I guess that’s why it’s self-evident why I still love to write instrumental or any music.
A year later (1990), I was just hanging out with some buddies and by chance found a drummer and a bass player who made an ad on the message board at a local place. They were searching for a group too and this resulted in a band named Elysion. We started out as a cover band with vocals and two guitars. We played Yes, Kansas, Rush, Asia, Marillion — that kind of Progressive vibe. At a certain point, the singer and other guitarist quit, as they wanted to do commercial music. The rest, including myself, continued and we started to play more Fusion … covers/originals. This setting with bass, drum, guitar, and keys lasted until 1998 and was really my favorite band/guys to play with. We made one self-released album called The Wonder Years, also recorded as a goodbye for the band. We just didn’t want to use other musicians. Sometimes the memory is more important.
Back to Arabesque — in the beginning we were an instrumental trio for 8 years and released an instrumental album called Beyond The Veil in 1995, and it was released via the German label Shark/Noise records. With the setup of bass and drums we ended up for two weeks sleeping/working in a studio in Germany. I really loved that everything was recorded analog. We could also do many live shows in those days, really cool gigs where we played as opening act for artists like Michael Lee Firkins, Kingdom Come, Jennifer Batten here in Holland … but, in 1997 there came the decision to try to add vocals to the band (of course to get more commercial). First with a male singer, and it ended up with two female vocalists and keyboards, so the setup totally changed from a three-piece instrumental band to a six-piece Progressive Metal group, which was totally different, but also provided some exciting times. In the six piece formation we recorded an album called the Union, released via Lion Music in Finland.
Some 5 years ago I chose to stop my participation in Arabesque. It was just not what I wanted to do anymore. I went through a rough personal period for 3 years, but I guess my hunger to play instrumentally diverse and challenging music, just like in the past, invited me to enjoy music again and it really saved me on the personal account!! And, now we are here and I have recorded 3 solo records in that time and have some new fresh encounters in music with all kinds of projects/fellow musicians that invited me as a player/composer!
MER: In your Web site’s autobiography, you state that you are “an autodidact composer/musician.” How do you think being self-taught has helped you or do you think it was a roadblock?
Joop: I think it works both ways, but I never felt like I missed out on anything … everything that I wanted to know for myself was there through records/tapes, books, and the bands I wrote music with/for. For the practicing, I never had/have a problem with discipline, making practicing hours or coming up with routines/schedules to do even when I stopped school from 1993 until this date. I just work a regular working week and during the nights I work on my music … always 3 or 4 hours working on music every day, that time consists of practicing bass/guitar, working on arrangements, working on mixes/production or programming drums … I always combine everything. I believe imagination/good spirit will get you a long way and just try to be yourself in that. It has forced me much more to work and get my own sense of style.
Often I get the question “Oh yes, Joop you must listen to a lot of instrumental guitar-music?”, but actually that’s not the case. I wish I had more time to do that because I love listening to those kinds of albums. The music that I can hear, most of the time, is regular radio at my work that they play there, and when I get home in the evening, I start working most of the time on my own stuff. In the limited time that is left before I have to go to sleep, 5 or 6 hours, and get up 7:30 for the next workday. Best chance that I have to listen to any CD’s is when I am in the car. I love listening to Classical stuff and some Jazz, and, of course, the weekends and holidays are always the best time to sit down and relax to discover new artists and material.
MER: Out Of Order is your third solo instrumental release. How do you think it distinguishes itself from the first two releases?
Joop: With every album I try to start fresh with all aspects … instruments, sounds, and songs! Every album I try to come up with a different way of working because it will influence the final result and more importantly it keeps it fresh and challenging for myself to work on.
I always just improvise; to me it seems to be the best way to come up with ideas and the only thing that remains the same. I make a list with pointers, just writing down what you want to do and try making that happen. To me simple guidelines are the best; they give me a lesser chance to deviate from my original plan.
Workshop was originally recorded in 1998 (re-released via Lion Music in 2003). When I started recording songs for this one I used a vs-880 from Roland (8-track-recorder) a drum machine, guitars, bass, and some occasional keys. I made it more for my own fun. But when I sent it to Lion Music in 2003 they seemed to like it and wanted to release it. It contains 9 tracks ranging from Metal, Funk Rock, and Fusion.
For the second one Speed, Traffic & Guitar Accidents I started out in the same way. Made 17 tracks, once again finishing everything with programmed drums, sent it to Lion Music and got a contract for it. After I got the deal I got a budget and with that I invested in recording real drummers (studio costs and musicians fee). Stylistically it contains Metal, Funk Progressive Rock, Fusion, and Acoustic.
For the third one, Out Of Order, the method was again the same as with the other albums but again due to budget factors I was not able to record with real drummers, just for two tracks I had real drums. So I took three times as long to perfect the drums and fit in everything. Fortunately, they now make great sounding drum samples. Stylistically it contains Metal, Funk Progressive Rock, Fusion, Acoustic, and Pop, etc.
MER: Were there any “lessons learned” from creating the first two instrumental releases that went into the creative process on Out Of Order?
Joop: I see everyday new lessons in everything that is related in making an album. Everything we do is just a momentary time frame, that’s the beauty of improvising. I never listen to an album when it’s done anyway, only when I am playing the tunes in a show. I just want to record some new stuff again and start all over; I love the process of creating.
MER: Do you find it overwhelming sometimes to handle all the tasks on a release including instruments, production, arrangement, etc.?
Joop: No, why would it? I love doing this; I guess throughout the years I got used to working like this. I love the independence that it provides.
MER: What’s the most challenging or difficult role for Joop Wolters on a solo project like this where you’re taking on so many of the responsibilities?
Joop: Again to me, making music was never only playing a guitar or a bass or any other instrument for that matter, I always felt even when I played/composed for bands to understand the total picture. So to me it feels more like a blessing that I took the time from the start to learn everything that is necessary to make an album from scratch, it’s just something personal. And every aspect will launch its own challenges and problems, and to me that is just the good part because it allows you to grow.
MER: What drove the decision to use live drummers on the tracks “Heartline” and “Tied Knots”?
Joop: Good fortune, because the drums of those two tracks where already recorded in earlier stages. For the rest, it’s simple… there just was no budget to hire studio time or musicians, that’s why I finished it in the way I also recorded the first album… on my own with programmed drums. The only big difference is that they have killer drum samples nowadays and that makes a world of difference for much better sound quality and ideas again nine years difference in-between! I am pleased with the final result.
MER: Out Of Order seems to be multi-genre. Have you considered devoting entire solo releases strictly to these genres, for example, “Jazz/Fusion”?
Joop: Next project I am going to do is a heavy vocal one. I’ve already completed the writing/recordings for ten songs. It’s going to contain, again, different styles and singers both male and female… it’s just the way I do things. To me music is universal and certain styles express a certain type of emotion or state of mind to me.
MER: Tell us about the trio JWT and the new live album you guys are releasing?
Joop: The live album is going to be recorded at the 25th of November at the Bosuil in my hometown Weert (NL). I formed this group around some trio style music with a more Jazz/Blues feel to it. I wrote and recorded these tunes before I started looking for some players to go out on the road with. I asked Barend Tromp (bass) and Patrick Eijdems (drums) if they would like to join me. I gave those guys a CD with the tunes I recorded, we rehearsed and a month later we did our first show!! We could do a few more but the venues are not really willing to pay a decent fee so it’s hard to arrange something here. The musicians of the JW trio are hired professionals and they have to make a living out of music and both of them have their busy schedules so it is not a real group that rehearses every week. I met with them only before live-shows.
MER: It also sounds like you’re working once again with Vivien Lalu on a new Shadrane release?
Joop:Absolutely, yes! A lot of my time is also invested in that project now for the last four years recording numerous guitar tracks and also writing compositions for this upcoming release. I also will handle a lot of the production for this one. Too many factors delayed this project so Vivien asked me to help him out with that one to finish it, production wise.
MER: Are either the JWT or Shadrane projects music that involves vocals? If not, is there any chance in the future that you’ll show up on a full-fledged release with vocals versus an instrumental project?
Joop: Yes my fourth solo release, that I am already working on, and the Shadrane project will both be with vocals
MER: Is another solo instrumental release in your future?
Joop: Of course! Why stop doing what I love to do most? Anyway, as long as I remember I never could make a decent living out of the music biz with or without vocals, and when you have some it has to be invested back in the music again so… hahaha so nothing changes there and as long as people can dig it, why not release it!!?
MER: Is there anyone you’d like to play along side with on a release or live that you haven’t so far? Looking at your Friend’s Space on your MySpace site would guitarist Allan Holdsworth and drummer Dennis Chambers perhaps be included in that list?
Joop: Man, that would really be something!!
MER: You’re a representative for Engl Amps and BO-EL guitars and you hold clinics for them. What’s involved in one of these clinics?
Joop: Playing my music from my solo albums and explanation on the gear.
MER: One of your BO-EL guitars is called “KIM”. Is that an acronym or a “pet” name?
Joop:Haha …no it is the name of the daughter of the guy who builds the guitars Huub Boel, he makes some really great guitars and it was such good luck getting in contact with him. 🙂 He offered to build me a signature Joop Wolters model that’s going to be a production model too. This was a real honor for me!!
MER: In closing, any last words for your fans?
Joop: Thank you all so very much for your time, dedication and interest, especially those who followed me now for years… that makes all of the difference to me… And feel free to drop in anytime, and write some lines at MySpace.
Your Rush music is simply amazing. The female vocalist is very good too. What is her name?