MANDRAKE
ROOTS
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NOW HERE
IS A BAND THAT HAVE SOMETHING NEW AND FRESH TO PROPOSE IN THE HEAVY METAL
MUSIC OF OUR DAYS. MANDRAKE ROOTS SEEMS TO COME STRAIGHT FROM THE LATE
70'S EARLY 80'S (N.W.O.B.H.M. MOVEMENT), THEIR MUSIC IS A MIXTURE OF HARD
ROCK AND HEAVY METAL AND THEY DON'T FOLLOW ANY TRENDS. I THINK THAT THIS
INTERVIEW WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THEIR MUSIC AND ALSO YOU
WILL FIND A VERY ORIGINAL BAND. GREEK SCENE REALLY GETS STRONGER AND STRONGER
DAY BY DAY...
1.FIRST OF ALL GIVE US A SHORT BAND
BIO AND NAME THE CURRENT LINE UP.
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The band was formed in the summer of
2001. The current line up is:
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Tasos Papanastasiou-Vocals
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George Dagkakis-Guitar
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Thanasis Koutsoklenis-Bass
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Dionisis Granas-Keyboards
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Nikos Negoglou-Drums
We all are from Kavala and we
are students in Thessaloniki. Our ages vary from 18 to 20 years old. So
far we have played live several times in Kavala and in Thessaloniki and
we have recorded one demo CD which contains three songs and is titled:"A
Hollow Plain"
2.HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THIS NAME? DOES
IT WORK AS AN INDICATOR OF YOUR MUSIC?
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The name of the band was proposed by
our drummer Nikos.It is taken from an old Deep Purple song.The mandrake
is a plant which was believed to have magical powers in the medieval era.Its
root is known because it resembles greatly a human body.We just thought
it sounds OK.We don’t know if it is an indicator to our music
3.MOST OF THE GUYS AT YOUR AGE TRY
TO PLAY POWER, BLACK OR DEATH METAL.YOU ON THE CONTRARY COMBINE '70S HARD
ROCK WITH HEAVY METAL, WITHOUT BEING A "STONER" METAL BAND. HOW DID YOU
MANAGE TO CREATE SUCH A UNIQUE AND ORIGINAL SOUND? IS IT A NATURAL PROCESS
OR HAVE YOU WORKED REALLY HARD TO ACHIEVE IT?
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Well,it is kind of natural. I mean
we never said that we are gonna write this or that kind of music.Usually
we have a riff or a melody,our singer has some lyrics and we build a song
around these ideas.We love working this way and we thing that it allows
our influences to appear in a more subconscious way.We don’t know if our
sound is unique but it surely sounds kind of fresh.
4.TELL ME WHICH HARD ROCK AND HEAVY
METAL BANDS INFLUENCED YOU TO CREATE THIS SOUND. DO YOU AGREE THAT YOUR
SONG "BLIND" BRINGS TO OUR MINDS "SOLDIER OF FORTUNE" FROM DEEP PURPLE?
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We are five band members and we listen
to different kinds of music from garage sixties,to heavy metal or even
to electronic stuff.We try to combine our influences to make our own style.As
for “Blind” and “Soldier Of Fortune” well no one of us has noticed
a reseblance but it is an honour to say that one of our songs
brings to your mind such a great and historic song like “Soldier Of Fortune”.
5.I WILL WRITE YOUR TRACK TITLES AND
I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHAT EACH SONG IS TALKING ABOUT. "HOLLOW PLAIN",
"FLY AWAY" AND "BLIND".
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The lyrics of the demo are written
by our singer: “The lyrics are mostly based on dreams I had. ‘Hollow plain’
is about sleep and the forms and shapes he takes,sometimes as a he or a
she,deceiving the one who’s dreaming. ‘Fly away’ is about doing what you
want in your life,what you believe is good for you.Just feel free and try
new things. ‘Blind’ is about a soul talking to its body. A short
dialogue between them ending up that the body feels very tired and helpless
preferring to be left alone in the dark separated from its soul. Ofcourse
besides the dreams my muse is always taking a huge part in conceiving ideas.
I thank her and love her for that.”
6.I THINK THAT YOU GIVE YOUR DEMO FOR
FREE. WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED TO DO THAT? WHAT KIND OF REVIEWS HAVE YOU RECEIVED
THIS FAR? DID YOU SEND YOUR DEMO TO LABELS? IF YES, WHAT DID THEY REPLY
TO YOU?
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We do give our demo for free.That’s
because it has only three songs and we decided to make it for the experience
of a recording and to give it to people who would like to get in touch
with our music.We have sent it to the Metal Hammer magazine which gave
as a 7/10. We have also sent it to some webzines.The reviews were pretty
good and encouraging.As for the labels we have sent to a few,but they didn’t
seem to be very interested.We are gonna keep on trying though.
7.WHICH ARE YOUR GOALS AS A BAND? DO
YOU WANT TO CREATE MUSIC OR ARE YOU JUST INTERESTED IN MAKING A CAREER?
HOW DIFFICULT IS OT FOR A BAND FROM GREECE TO ACHIEVE ITS DREAMS?
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We just love to play music and write
songs.Of course we would love to earn a living doing what we love,but we
know that this very difficult here in Greece.We know many very good
Greek bands who haven’t made it.The last few years there has been some
effort from a few people to help the local scene and that is good.
8.WHEN WE HAD A TALK A WHILE AGO, YOU
TOLD ME THAT YOU HAD A PROPOSAL TO PLAY LIVE IN MESOGEIOS CLUB. WHAT HAPPENED
WITH THAT? DO YOU HAVE ANY LIVE EXPERIENCE OR ARE YOU STILL SEARCHING FOR
YOUR FIRST LIVE SHOW?
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For the last month we had examinations
in the university and we decided not to do any lives.We have played several
times in Kavala and in Thessaloniki in “Papagalos”. In the next month maybe
we will go for Mesogeios.We will let you know.
9.LET'S SUPPOSE THAT YOU MEET ON A
CROSSROAD THE DEVIL BEING IN A GOOD MOOD, WHO TELLS YOU THAT HE WILL ALLOW
YOU TO MAKE A WISH FOR FREE. WHAT WOULD YOU ASK HIM?
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As it is for “Free”,we would ask him
to bring “Free” with Paul Rodgers for a live show in Thessaloniki.
10.IF YOUR MUSIC WAS AN EMOTION, WHAT
WOULD IT BE?
11.IF YOU COULD BE A HISTORICAL PERSONALITY,
WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE?
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No one!Because every personality is
unique.You can never be someone else.You are who you are.
12.IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO LIVE AN
EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE?
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Well,we all would like to be in the
Woodstock.(in the original one of course)
13.WHICH ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
WHICH WILL YOUR NEXT MOVEMENT BE?
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As we already said we are already working
on new songs.We also want to go and play to some other cities,like Giannena
and Xanthi.
14.WHICH DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST AND
WHICH THE WORST PART IN YOUR MUSIC? WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU NEED FURTHER
IMPROVEMENT?
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We always try to improve both individually
and as a band.Playing live we earn more experiences.It is hard to say thet
we have a best or a worst part in our music.
15.WHAT TITLE WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INTERVIEW
TO HAVE?
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We don’t know.You own the fuckin’ webzine!!
16.THANK YOU! HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK
YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?
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No,just to mention that our e-mail
is: [email protected].
You can also write us to: Athanasios Koutsoklenis, Paflagonias 44, NEAPOLIS
65404, KAVALA, GREECE.
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Cheers!
NIKOS "William_Kidd"
PARASTATIDIS