Rockezine.com interview with A Day`s Work on Jul 03, 2006

A Day`s Work

with band on Jul 03, 2006


		Could you define the band in five words? Ambitious, melancholic, melodic, live band
		The debut album was recorded more than a year ago. Isn’t it strange that you had to wait so long before it got officially released? Yes it is. We’ve released it by ourselves in December 2005, but not long after DAWA records (www.dawamusic.nl) told us they were very interested. And we weren’t saying no to them. It’s a great deal. DAWA will enable the album to be distributed though all the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. We still really love the songs, so it’s weird, but no big drama.
		What are you and the label undertaking to promote the band in the Benelux? Suburban will send the album to all sorts of music magazines. We will do the same with e-zines and radiostations We’re not just sticking to the Benelux. People from all over the world will be able to buy the album through the DAWA records website soon. We will all be focussing on shows. In September and October will play all over Holland with the DAWA showcase. A Day’s Work, SCAR and Clayborn, (all DAWA bands). We will be rocking everywhere. Maybe we can even do some Belgium shows again. We’d love to see our Belgium fans again too.
		In my review I wrote that the band sounds too much like U2. Any commands on that? We’ve been compared with U2 before. A great band to be compared to. We know there are resemblances. When you work with guitar effects the way we do, people will always hear bands like U2, Marillion and Simple Minds in it. But we don’t intend to copy them. You guessed the title ‘My Ambulant Caress’ used to be ‘Beautiful Day’, but we changed it because of the U2 song. You couldn’t be more wrong. The song has had it’s title from the beginning. The chorus was changed just a day before we went into the studio. The lyrics and vocal melodies were totally new. We understand people can get this idea, but, well, it’s just not true. We’re not changing a song or a lyric, because people can think anything. It’s just the way the song has evolved and we are really proud what it’s like today.
		If you had 100.000 euro to spare for A Day’s Work, where would you spend it on? It would be great to have our own van. Our sound engineer has a van, but that’s just for the gear. We always have to drive one or two extra cars to get everything and everyone to the venue.
		You’ve been support act for Marillion. Will you be performing at their special fanweekend in 2007? We’d love to. We’ve told Marillion so too. They’re very busy arranging the Marillion Weekend and they’re not yet focused on the supporting acts. If they ask us, we will let you know. Deal?
		Playing which venue or festival in the Netherlands would be a dream come true? Lowlands and Pinkpop. That’s the first reaction. But there are a lot of great festivals to play at. Paaspop or Bospop would be awesome too. We’ve played a sold out Melkweg, The Max once. That was really great and we’d love to do that again. We’ve also played Paradiso once, but you can’t play venues like that too much I think. Other venues we’d like to play, but haven’t before are Nighttown, Vera, Doornroosje and 013.
		What’s the best thing you’ve read about A Day’s Work and what’s the biggest bullocks? The best thing I’ve read was the first time I read in the paper we were playing with Marillion. I spoke to their management on the phone. We’ve had a lot of e-mail contact before we send press releases to the papers, magazines and e-zines. But when I read it in the papers like the rest of the world. I finally realised it. The biggest bullocks must have been that we’ve played in South Africa. I wish it was true, but it was obviously a misprint. We did a great show in Istres in the South of France. We’re very proud of that one. But South Africa would have been cool too.
		You’re probably already working on the next album. In which direction is the band evolving? In May and the first week of June we haven’t been able to work on new songs because Michiel (our main songwriter) and Jochem are on European Tour with Keith Caputo (Life Of Agony). But before that we didn’t do nothing. It looks like we’re slowly moving away from the ‘Open up my eyes’ and ‘From where I stand’ kinda songs. It’s just the way our song writing seems to go lately. Less metal, more alternative rock. We’ve been rehearsing with keyboard player Len. That’s very new to us too. So we don’t know for sure which direction the songs will go. Maybe it will be the heaviest thing we’ve ever done. Who knows?
		What is the most embarrassing album you own and why did you buy it? Paul: I’ve always been a critical buyer. I didn’t (and still don’t) want to buy a CD which I didn’t absolutely love or thought was cool. I know a lot of people who own records they’ve thrown away or sold on the internet. I don’t want to buy anything and then realize it’s a shitty album. I used to spend hours listening to CD’s at the store. Nowadays I download the songs. If I like the album, I go to the store and get it. If I had to pick one, it would be Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill. I haven’t heard it in a few years now and some songs are still kinda good. But it’s just not my style anymore. Her records after that one really sucked. But I don’t own them, haha.
		Finally: why should our readers check out ‘A Home In The Rain’? It’s an album for which we’ve worked our asses off. There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears. At the end we are very proud to finally present it to the world. It contains genuine rock songs like ‘A new line’, ‘Open up my eyes’ and ‘Days go by’. It also stars catchy new-wave oriented songs like ‘Welcome home’ and ‘Runaway’ and the last song is an acoustic ballad co-staring Arjen van Wijk from This Beautiful Mess. Marillion invited us to join them on their European tour after hearing this album. ‘Welcome home’ was the most requested song for three weeks on Radio Kink FM. You can download this song for free on our website. CHECK IT OUT! And tell us what you think on our guestbook.
Picture is by Geert van der Ploeg (Geert Oldenmenger)