Interview with Ödland

myFanbase had the opportunity to do an interview with Lorenzo Papace, composer and pianist behind the French band Ödland. He tells us about discovering classical piano music, what kind of songs are very important to him and what he wants to achieve with his band in the future.

Foto: Copyright: Ödland
© Ödland

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1. How would you describe your music in one sentence?

It's a magical world inspired by the 19th Century, Wonderland and Science, with a taste of wild childhood.

2. Was there something like a light bulb moment when you were young, maybe a concert, a certain song or a record that made you dream about a career as a musician?

Yes, I was listening classical music vinyls when I was five, playing the conductor with my grandmother. Tchaikovsky made me dream.

3. Are there any artists that might have influenced you or inspired you some time?

All romantic composers, I really appreciate them. Then Cocorosie and Boris Vian.

4. How do you develop your songs? What part comes first, music or lyrics?

The most of the time, lyrics come first. But I sometimes begins with music too. And I use to put harmonies before melodies.

5. What song is most important to you? Why and how did it develop?

I think it is "The Caterpillar" because it was the first I composed for Ödland, its structure is like no other and it changed with time. There is a kind of juxtaposition in this song which was experimental for me and wich is working. This is mixing sound ambiant, music, spoken words and sing. I don't know how transitions work yet in this song, but it always looks like magic to me.

6. In what aspects did your music change compared to when you started to make music?

We now know us each other and we know better our different instruments, but there is always something fragile, and we would like to keep it safe.

7. What has been the best experience so far, together as a band?

We love to play shows because it's each time like an adventure. Before, during and after the shows. The bet experience will certainly be our first tour in July, we never did it before. Record our debut album was so exciting too, moreover while working on the song "Un thé chez les fous" because it took several times and we were very close, as a band.

8. What can you tell us about your current projects?

Its an exciting time for us because we are releasing our debut album and people are discovering it. We are preparing our July tour too, new music videos, and of course I'm composing our second album.

9. And what are you aspiring to in the future, what do you want to achieve?

We would love to compose music for movies.
We wish to play in special places all around the world.
We wish to compose songs wich move hearts and change minds.
We wish to make laugh and cry people before everybody dies.
We wish to create something unique and unforgettable, and then disappear.

10. With whom would you like to go on tour?

With Moriarty, Dionysos or The Dø

11. What record would we find in your CD-player right now?

"Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" from Claude Debussy.

12. What do you think, as artists, about platforms like mySpace?

We are a young band and internet helps us a lot to spread our music all around the world. Of course shows are better to discover our music, but when you can't travel easily, this is a good way to meet new fans.

13. myFanbase is a website that is devoted to American television shows. Do you have a favorite show?

Maybe "Breaking Bad".

Catherine Bühnsack - myFanbase