Rockezine.com interview with City Beautiful on Mar 01, 2005

with Peter Hanff on Mar 01, 2005


		28 Hours is an independent release. How do you promote the album and the band? “We send the album to as many magazines, e-zines, and venues as possible. We tell everyone that our album is for sale in record stores in Rotterdam and Delft. During our live performances we talk to the audience to promote the selling of our CD, which is available for sale afterwards. And in a few months our new website (http://www.city-beautiful.nl/wdka/) is due to go online. We use it to create a certain ´City Beautiful feeling´, something recognizable. Our next aim is to get airtime with the Dutch regional and national radio stations.”
		Could you give some insight in the writing process? “Part of it is a lonely job. Usually one gets inspiration of some kind of musical vibe, usually late in the evening or early in the morning when the city is getting quiet or is already asleep. Next step is to introduce these first musical thoughts to the rest of City Beautiful and to see what materializes. Finally, we reduce it to its essence.”
		Which of the five tracks took most time writing and / or recording? “Love Should Be Easy, the final track on the album, was written just a few days before we went into the studio. The writing itself took very little time, but we had to work on the actual arrangement in the studio. One of the technicians was not amused with this creative process.”
		I think that the album cover is really strong. Who is responsible and what is the idea behind it? “Frans came with the idea of the Maastunnel in Rotterdam as an ideal location for the photo shoot, because of its beautiful pre-war architecture. We had some trouble convincing security personnel that we were a band, and not a group of terrorists looking for the perfect place to hide a bomb. We were lucky enough to finish our photo shoot. Together we developed the idea of five quite similar photographs in a row. Each picture had a rear view of an individual member of the band on the escalator. It was meant as a symbol of standing still among ever repeating movement.”
		What are your expectations of the album? “At first, our expectations were quit low. As we needed some gigs, we recorded only having rehearsed seven times. Hence the title ´28 Hours´, the amount of time we practiced as a band before we went into the studio. Now, after receiving more and more positive reactions, we have adjusted our expectations.”
		I was pleasantly surprised with the sound quality of the CD; you must be pleased with the result as well. The recording must have cost you a small fortune. How many copies does City Beautiful have to sell to break even? “We have not calculated that yet, but actually the recording of the album was not that expensive. Fabian Smit and Rick Flores built a studio in an office building at Rotterdam Noordereiland. Some way or another, it turned out to be a really good setting. And indeed we were all surprised by the sound quality we received. We guess Fabian and Rick are good at their job.”
		What is the biggest compliment you read concerning 28 Hours / City Beautiful and what is the biggest bullocks? “Speaker, a mag of the Popunie, an organization which promotes bands in Southern Holland, wrote that the song writing was really good. Biggest bollocks was someone’s remark that Frans sounded like Nico, who performed with The Velvet Underground. This could have been a compliment if it wasn’t for his so called ´German accent´”.
		Where can we see City Beautiful on stage? “Check www.city-beautiful.nl for our next gig! There you will also find the names of the record stores selling our CD and you can listen to some of our songs.”
		Is there anything else you would like to share? “See you soon!”

(Geert Oldenmenger)