By John Moxey
Finn Arild is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer based in Norway. His music covers a broad range of genres from folk to classical music, pop to prog rock. With his first album, "Serendipity", under his belt we've asked Songstuff member Finn to discuss his current music projects and to try to gain an insight into his plans for 2008.
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John Moxey: Finn you started your own label and publishing company in 2005, that must have been quite a change for you?
Finn Arild: Well, I had been working with music for a long time - together with other people - and not really getting anywhere. So I thought "self-done is well-done" (a Norwegian term I guess) and decided to start it all up myself. Just before this I had finished the demo becoming "Serendipity" and gone the record company round without any success.
Around this time I also met Tor Øyvind Quille - a record studio owner and producer I had been in contact with before. He was interested in producing Serendipity, but not paying for the pressing, so I decided to do the release myself.
What I didn't count on was the huge amount of non-music related work that goes into a release :)
John Moxey: ah yes
Finn Arild: This all resulted in Serendipity not getting the marketing and PR work it probably deserved, but I learned extremely much from it.
John Moxey: You now have your first Album, Serendipity, under your belt. How would you rate the success of the album? Did it achieve what you had hoped?
Finn Arild: Not at all, really. I see now I had much to high visions for that album. Looking back, though - the albums I've sold and the reviews I've got has been a good experience. The album was also influenced of being radio-playabe - maybe too much. Mostly because selling albums was a big target for this release - and this went into the production.
In economical terms, though - I must caracterize Serendipity as a flop - even though I _am_ very happy with it, and it did get good reviews. It is really, really hard to sell CDs. Much harder than people think - or I thought - when I started this.
John Moxey: What would you have done differently?
Finn Arild: I prefer not to look back - it would probably be a lot of things, but it was a learning experience. In learning I came out on the plus-side. Instead of thinking what I would have done differently, I think about what to do differently the next time around. What's done is done.
John Moxey: I guess that was what I actually meant lol but s'ok :)
Finn Arild: Hehe - well - for me there's a difference, actually. :)
John Moxey: I believe you have been working on a new album? Can you tell us a bit about it?
Finn Arild: Yes, I am very exited about my next piece. I had been thinking of doing some sort of concept work for a long time. Progressive rock and concept albums go hand in hand. I had a lot of material going, and the lyrics I already had was all about existence and stars and how big the universe is and how small we are .. and things like that.
So - it seemed very ... how do you say it - megalomaniac or something - but I understood that my concept was going to be about the universe and our place in it. Now that's a pretty big subject!
John Moxey: lol how did you approach such a large subject and distill it into an album?
Finn Arild: I split the subject into two - first the creation - or the creation as scientists understand it today, then the human part of it. Which is really very, very small when you think about it.
So obviously I couldn't encompass it all, but rather had to pick out keypoints like the Big Bang - the creation of stars, planets, the cycle of water resulting in life ... While part 2 is about the human condition, really. Why we dress up, our feelings, religion, sex ... I am not quite finished with the lyrics, so there is of course room for change. Nothing's ever carved in stone with me :)
John Moxey: until it's released!
Finn Arild: Until release, of course. I dread that point - because I have to make sure I've done all I can with it.
John Moxey: what' your new album to be called? Do you have an intended release date?
Finn Arild: I have the title for the album: Epiphany - no release date is set yet; I plan to get the demo ready by February - there are some funds I can apply for money which have to have their application by then.
I expect to start with recordings around March/April, so we can hope for 2008 or early 2009. I am quite a slow, particular worker - and this one is important for me to get right.
After that I haven't planned very closely - it is important to be focused at what you are doing, instead of thinking too far ahead. But I expect to gather some more people around me this time around - real proper drums is a must this time.
Also I would like to gather some sort of band around this - not performing live was one of the problems with Serendipity.
John Moxey: Do you have musicians in mind?
Finn Arild: I have some musicians I'd like to call - also just for studio work. There's a particular Norwegian drummer (no names) I consider paying a lot of money to play on Epiphany :)
John Moxey: Ah, secrecy. Unusual to speak to someone in the business who doesn't drop names!
:)
Finn Arild: hehe - well, I don't like to skin the bear before it's shot, you know ... another norwegian analogy, I guess :)
John Moxey: lol Would you say live work is critical to album sales then?
Finn Arild: I do think I would have sold a lot more albums if I had performed. Performances also generate press - and one particular question that tends to come up when you talk to newspapers or radios, are "where do you perform?".
John Moxey: Where do you perform then? Sorry. I couldn't resist
Finn Arild: Hehe - there are a couple of arenas for progressive rock in Norway, that I am sure would take me on. At least for Ephiphany - probably Serendipity was too "mainstream" for them. Putting a band together is so much work, though. I did start with it for Serendipity, but after weeks of work we didn't even agree on a place to rehearse - or time.
John Moxey: So, you are looking for band members rather than session men?
Finn Arild: I am not quite sure on that yet.
I have some particulars I would like to do stuff on my album, but I would also like to perform live - and I could never afford them for doing gigs with me. It's gonna be hard enough to find cash to pay them for the studio work.
With a band, though - I would get more of the package onto the album, but then how to find people who want's to just play my stuff ... so I'm thinking I will be looking at a combination of hired session guys and friends willing to play.
This is all very much postponed till after the demo :) To get things done I have found it essensial to not plan the whole thing at once, but rather do one step at the time.
John Moxey: How do you put together your demo?
Finn Arild: The demo is put together in my home studio, by myself - I have gotten most of the stuff I need to get it roughly as I want it. My wife even bought me this neat drum thing last year, so now I can program a bit more realistically :)
Anyway ... in the beginning it is all a lot of half done songs and themes
So at one point - which was in August this year, I believe - I had to get down and write a list of what's in and what's not. At this point I also roughed out the particulars of the concept - very roughly, mind you. Then I have a list of stuff to work on - so I started out with the big instrumental parts furst - mostly because it's really fun. Then comes the bit more tedious work of lyrics afterwards. I usually arrange most of it while I go - then do final arrangements in the end.
At this point I have a couple of lyrics left - gonna have my wife help me a bit with those (she's good with words, as are most women in my experience) - after which I will need to do the final demo-recordings - fixing up all my bum notes, and such. Then a rough mix and master.
On Serendipity I did my demo on an old computer, some old stereo speakers and a soundblaster card. This time around I have gotten more equipment, which is good :)
John Moxey: yay!
Finn Arild: Actually - I continue to write music - it is hard to stop, just because you're working on finishing stuff - so the other week I wrote a song that I am contemplating to switch out with one that's in - so things are changing all the time.
John Moxey: You use the demo to attract funding?
Finn Arild: Yes - that's what the demo is for. Mind you - I will probably end up financing the whole thing this time around too - luckily I've got a well paid day job :)
It would be great if I could have a record company license the master, though - one thing I would like to "outsource" is the PR and marketing work.
John Moxey: What will be different about your handling of the release of Epiphany to your release of Serendipity?
Finn Arild: Well, firstly - I would like not to do absolutely everything myself. Secondly, this time around I am really pigeonholing me in the Progressive genre - which I think is good. Thirdly: I won't print as many copies :)
John Moxey: ah! A common story on no.3
Finn Arild: Yes, I think everyone has a cellar full of CD's :)
John Moxey: I also heard through the grapevine that you may be involved in a classical project?
Finn Arild: Yes - this is also for Epiphany, actually.
John Moxey: oooh
Finn Arild: It is a classical piece built around the guitar
John Moxey: prog-rock-classical?
Finn Arild: This is the "water" or "cycles" part of Epiphany, and I hope to use musicians around the world for recording it.
John Moxey: online collaboration?
Finn Arild: Yes, if at all possible I would like to do this as an online collaboration. I also have a local symphony orchestra I could hire, but doing this via the internet would be much more fun, generate much more press and also not put me back so much financially.
John Moxey: It sounds interesting and challenging
Finn Arild: Just conceptually it would be very interesting to pull off - we will see if I'll manage. I am prepared for mediating solutions doing some of it instrumental, some of it with hired guns and some with samplers if neccessary. But you just can't pull off flute with a sampler.
John Moxey: very true
Finn Arild: Also the brass section really only comes to life with real instruments. The easiest to do on a computer are probably the strings and woods.
John Moxey: How integral to your end sales would you say the internet is?
Finn Arild: Well, for Serendipity most of the sales was through internet. CDBaby has been great, I still sell songs and listenings through their digital service.
It is only going to be more and more important - both selling through the internet and doing gigs.
The CD will probably not die just yet, but it is only a matter of time before it is replaced completely with online sales. Then maybe bluray and surround mixes will take some of the market, but only for music with dedicated fans. And you only get those with touring.
That's what I feel right now, at least :)
John Moxey: Will we see any online performances?
Finn Arild: There have already been online gigs, but I think there will be some time before it can be replaced by seeing someone live - both in terms of audio quaility and the added value of presence?
John Moxey: I hope you will let Songstuff visitors know when you will be performing, on and off line, and of course when you have a date for the release of Epiphany?
Finn Arild: The minute I know, you will :)
John Moxey: Thanks Finn! Do you have anything else you would like to say to our readers?
Finn Arild: I would just like to take this opportunity to mention how much I enjoy Songstuff and the people on it. It is the nicest, most productive online community I have encountered - of any kind - ever.
John Moxey: lol, ok ok, don't over do it ;)
Finn Arild: That's from the heart.
John Moxey: awwww.
Finn Arild: You wouldn't believe some of the other discussion forums me or my wife has been on :)
John Moxey: I won't ask ;)
Well, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with me.
Finn Arild: Thanks for having me :)
For more information on Finn Arild please visit his web site www.finnarild.com.
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About John Moxey
John Moxey started Songstuff in 2000 and is an active songwriter and musician as well as a regular Songstuff author of music and music technology related articles and member of the site crew.
John started playing his first instrument (piano) in 1971, and has been writing songs since 1979. He began playing his now main instrument, the guitar, in 1982. In 1986 he finished training as a studio engineer and in 1997 obtained an Honours Degree in Electronics and Music from the University of Glasgow.
John now plays several other instruments including mandolin, violin, bagpipes, didgeridoo, bodhran, and vocals.
John has a broad range of performance experience from choirs and orchestras to pipe bands. He has sung for, played in and written for various bands, and produced songs across a number of genres.
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