INNER WISH (with guitarist Thimios van Inner Wish)
First of all congratulations with your amazing
record.
Thanks a lot my friend. We worked very hard on this album and the final result
finds us all satisfied.
Your band is often labeled as US Power Metal, but I
think your style is more in the vein of 80s American Melodic Hard rock with some
US Metal influences like for example DOKKEN. Do you agree with that?
We have grown up listening to all these great bands
of the 80’s and of course all of them in a way have influenced our way of song
writing. In our music you will find elements from US metal band and European
metal bands. Dokken has been one of them of course. On the other hand when we
compose our songs we are not trying to be similar to anyone. Especially in our
new album you will find various styles, midtempo songs, fast double base songs,
ballads, and power metal songs.
How was the cooperation with Liapakis from MYSTIC
PROPHECY who produced the album?
Liapakis has done the mix and mastering in
our previous album ‘Silent faces” and he did a great job. So there was no reason
not to work with him again. Before we enter the studios I’ve send him rehearsals
of the new songs and talked in telephone many times in order to arrange
everything. Finally when we entered the studio in Kempten he knew exactly what
he have to do and everything worked out very easy. Except of a great producer,
he is a great guy and very good friend of mine. During the recordings we had
much fun and I have to admit that it was the easiest album I’ve ever done. Can
you tell me something about the lyrics behind the album? The all have to do with
things we are all facing every day. Themes like, Loneliness, friendship, battle
between the good and the evil, appear in this album. Except “Gates of fire” that
have to do with a great battle in ancient Greece.
The artwork is done by AXEL HERMANN. How did you get
in contact with him?
Axel has really done a great job in the artwork. This guy has already
worked with bands like Mystic Prophecy, Iced Earth and many more. As far as I
remember it was Liapakis who first got in contact with him. After a short time
he sent us his artwork and we all liked it very much. Were you involved in the
making of the artwork? Not much. He sent us the artwork 90% finished. Only few
changes where made, under the guidance of Limb.
On the album there is a cover of “Lonely lady” by Q5. This is an unusual choice, why did you choose for this song?
As I’ve told you before we’ve grown up listening to all these band of the 80’s and Q5 is one of them. Their album ‘Steel the light’ is one of my favourite and when Manolis (the other guitar player) got the idea we all agreed at once. We just got in contact with Floyd Rose and this guy had no problem at all. From our side we paid respect to the original song (we only did a few changes in the tempo and the finale), and I think that the final result fits to what InnerWish stand for.
How is it going with the popularity of your band outside Greece? Because it is a hard time for Melodic rock/metal bands.
With ‘Silent faces’ we made it be well known out side of Greece. It gave the opportunity for many new fans to know the band which gave us strength to carry on. Now with the new album we expect to move a few steps further and make InnerWish more known. Of course it’s hard times for all the bands nowadays but from our side we’ll do the best we can.
Finally I have some short questions:
First bought LP: Stay Hungry – Twisted Sister
First gig: If I remember well it was in 1990 in a small club in Athens called “La Scala”
First guitar: It was a Alambra classic guitar that my parents bought me when I was 7 years old. (a long time ago).
Favorite singer: Ronnie James Dio (the one and only)
Favorite guitar player :( Gary Moore, Wolf Hoffmann)
Favorite food: Sea food
Favorite drink: Ouzo, beer
Favorite country: Greece
Favorite sport: Football
Best place to play a gig: Open areas
Music full time job: No, I’m working as an accountant.
Anything to add for our readers: I hope you all enjoy our new album and hope to see you in a gig out there.
Thanks for the interview
