CHANGE OF HEART is a new band
from the U.K. Their debut CD that has just been released on Escape
Music is filled with classy AOR/FM-rock that captures influences of bands
like WHITE SISTER, early FM, SURVIVOR, HEARTLAND…To put it in other words:
CHANGE OF HEART is a real new AOR-sensation! Somewhere else in this issue
you can read the review of their debut, on this page you can read an interview
I had with the band…
First of all, can you please tell us about the history of your band CHANGE OF HEART?
The name Change of Heart has been around for a while. After trying various line-ups, for one reason or another, members let us down. After a suggestion from Ian Thompson (drums) in January 1998, I contacted Barrie (Escape) to see if they would be interested in hearing some demos. Barrie contacted Khalil, and we were offered the album. Putting the line-up together then became a priority. I was given the number of a guitarist (John Footit) who brought along bassist Mick Wade, and they both came on board. The keyboards took a little longer. But it was worth it. Dave Chapman brings the extra dimension to the sound we needed.
Do you have any musical influences to create such a great AOR/FM-rock sound?
I don’t feel any specific bands or artists influenced me, as my musical tastes are quite varied; from Jon Secada to Jon Bon Jovi.
Do you think British AOR is coming back?
It’s difficult to judge at the moment, due to lack of publicity. However, it would be great to see it make a come back and become more popular.
HEARTLAND members Chris Ousey and Steve Morris produced your CD. How did you get in contact with them?
It was Barrie and Khalil (Escape) who provided the contact with Chris and Steve. It was a great experience working with them, and, with their input and experience the transition to album was a much easier step.
Aren’t you afraid that people will think your band is a cheap copy of HEARTLAND/THE DISTANCE (which isn’t true of course)?
No, not at all. Although the Heartland influence cannot be ignored, we feel our music is very independent and original.
My favourites on the CD are “The fire is gone”, “A place in your heart” and “When it’s love”, could you tell us about these songs?
“The fire is gone” was written virtually in the studios we use to demo our new material. I wanted a song that expressed an idea I had written some time ago. “A place in your heart” used to be called “Through the Fire”, Chris sent me some words he’d written for the backing track called “A place in your heart”, and they sounded great and gave the song an extra dimension. “When its love” originally used to be ballad. I was recording some demo’s and looking for a song with some edge I decided to try the track with some power chords and it was just what I was looking for.
How did you get in contact with Escape Music?
Christmas 97 Ian Thompson (drums) played me some CD’s released by a label called Escape . I phoned Barrie at Escape, realised he lived quite close and took some tapes to play him, and the rest is history.
Are you popular in your area and have played some concerts yet?
Its early days but we are just starting to get interest from the live stuff we are doing at the present. We played some small venues and are playing the Gods this year. We would like to tour the album, if the response from Europe is good and people want to see Change of Heart, then we will play.
What are the plans for the next coming months?
At the moment we have started
writing new material and have recorded it. It is still AOR and has Change
of Heart stamped all over it. We are a new band and we need to get established
on the rock scene. We want to continue playing live because that’s what
people need from bands, we need to keep writing new songs and establish
Change of Heart in their own right.
DISCOGRAPHY:
Change Of Heart (Escape Music/1998)
LINE UP:
Alan Clark
-Lead vocals, Guitar
John Footit
-Guitar
Mick Wade
-Bass
Ian Thompson
-Drums
Dave Chapman
-Keyboards
(a special thanks goes out to
Barrie of Escape Music)
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