I'm very pleased to introduce KB Project to you all. For those of you who know KB I'm sure you will enjoy this interview and finding more about this rather mysterious one man band. For those who don't have a clue who KB is, all I have to say is this, I recently got hooked to KB Project but as soon as we heard them we decided to do a complete review of their album "twelve ways to warm up your days". I have to say KB is absolutely one of the freshest sounds I've heard in quite some time. Now without further adieu, lets proceed to the interview. But like most of our interviews, we understand that reading interviews can get boring sometimes. So we've put up a nice song from KB which you can listen to while you skim through the interview.
Interview
1. Hey Karl! First off all thanks for being a sport and agreeing for the interview. Now lets start off with the questions. To begin tell us what is the full form of KB? and how did the band come along?For now, KB, it's just one member: me. It's my project. I compose, I record, I mix and I produced everything. I try to make the most of things by myself. I also do my covers and my clips. For now this should not change. Things work well like that.
2. There are different reasons why each one of us picked up the guitar in the first place, What was yours? and what, or rather who were your early influences who inspired you to reach where you are today?
I started the guitar completely by accident. A friend one day showed me some chords, and that's how I started. I've always liked music. But I never had the idea of learning to play before. This may be because I'm not from a family of musicians. Then I took some lessons before working alone. Younger I was fan of AC / DC, Sex Pistols and Van Halen. But that's when I heard Ygwie Malmsteen, Vinnie Moore and Tony Mac Alpine for the first time I really wanted to work the guitar. I also listened to, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Blues Saraceno and all the guitarists from the Shrapnel Records Label (Ron Thal, Greg Howe, Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, Michael Lee Firkins, Joey Tafolla, Ritchie Kotzen ...). Later, I discovered Django Reinhardt, Stochelo Rosenberg, Uli Jon Roth, Allan Holdsworth, John Scofield, Fredrik Thordendal, Tom Morello ... There are too many guitar players I love to list them all.
3. I absolutely love "Twelve ways to warm up your days", your first CD, tell us how did the album happen?
From the time I started to compose songs and the moment when the album was released, it spent 10 years I think. It's very long, but it's the time I need to realize this first project. I recorded all the guitars and bass in two or three weeks, finalized drums arrangements, and then called some friends to play on. I then started the mix, and the mastering. I also created the cover and made a clip. Meanwhile I found a distributor "Brennus Music".
4. Tell us a bit about your first band?
Lol, I played in a band called Filth for a few years, with whom I recorded several demos and did a lot of concerts. In retrospect, although I think it was a group without a future, it taught me a lot. Without this experience I would not be here today, and I'll never recorded my first album. So I look back on those years with pleasure.
5. I have to ask you this, you created the video of Sunny Day, right? how was it like, and how much time did it take?
Yes, I've made the video "Sunny Day". You know, next to the music, I also do post-production video. This is actually my real job. I specialize in character animation and the special effects, and I love my job. It took me a year (not at full-time) to complete the clip. It is very long, but the animation is a very long work. Finally, It was a good way for me to promote my music, and a good way to differentiate myself from the others guitarists.
6. You recently worked on Guitar Addiction "A Tribute to modern guitar", what was it like and what can we expect from the album?
Yes, I participated in the album "Guitar Addiction". And I'm very proud to have my name associated with great musicians like Ron Thal, Mattias Eklundh, Guthrie Govan, Brett Garsed or Stuat Hamm, to name a few. But there are many others. This is an album dedicated to the modern guitar. All the musicians who were invited on the album are amazing and the songs are really good. This CD is for all guitar fans of course, but also to all music fans who want to have a good time. I hope this album, distributed by guitareuroshop all over the world, will make myself known.
7. How was it like working with DJ Shalom in your album?
I worked a few years ago with Ardag, a salsa singer. That's how I met Dj Shalom. I offered him to work with me because I had the idea to put some scratches on a title. But his work was so good that I finally decided to put on the entire piece. It's always very interesting to work with musicians who do not have the same musical universe as you. I really hope to repeat this experience.
8. What were you upto before KB Guitar project.
Before creating the KB Guitar Project, I played in "Filth", a Parisian band, with whom I did a lot of gigs. I was demonstrator in the 90's for ESP. I recorded guitars on the debut album Ardag, and participated in the tour that followed, and I recorded some guitar solos on the first album of Symbyosis.
9. You were recently featured in The Bradshaw Chronicles. How was it like?
It is always gratifying to be the special guest of a show. It is a contact, like many others, I've got on Facebook. I wasdelighted to be invited. And I hope that his listeners were happy to hear me, lol.
10. What's your favourite music related website?
I loved Myspace before. But it became cumbersome and unmanageable. I prefer ReverbNation today. Youtube and Daylimotion are very good too. But the most effective is currently Facebook. On the other hand, I do not like Twitter.
11. Tell us a bit about your last show. How do you find playing live?
Unfortunately I do not play often, so when a show is announced I suggest you not to miss it, lol. My equipment is very simple, because I'm alone on stage with a backing track. But it's not easy to find gigs because instrumental guitar is not very popular. In addition it is difficult for me to do everything: work in post production, composing music, playing guitar, doing my promotion, and find gigs. I need a manager, it would be much easier for me, lol.
12. Besides music, you are also interested in designing Videos. You have a great video for your song sunny days, how have you managed to mix both the passions?
Music and video are two things that fascinate me. Thus It was natural for me, I mix the two. In addition, I immediately knew it was a great way for me to promote my music and make myself known. The downside of that is that it's hard for me to find time to do everything, but I try and I'll get there, lol.
13. Enchant us a little more about your gear! Guitars, effects, picks, amps , what would we find if we were to walk in to your studio?
I am not endorsed for now (If people are interested, lol.), but I play exclusively on 7-string Ibanez Prestige. In the studio, I plug my guitars on a POD XT Pro. I use a Whammy XP 100 , and a Whammy reissue. I record on my computer, via a Motu MKII and two Genelec 8030A. On stage, my POD and my two Whammy, are connected to a Mesa Boogie Fifty/Fifty and a Marshall cabinet. I use also DiMarzio Evolution pick-ups, and my fingers, my brain and my ears !!!
14. Do you also play in studio sessions? If so how has it treated you?I've never done studio sessions for the moment, but maybe on day. I'm open to every commercial propositions.
15. Without thinking for a second if you had to name your favourite guitar player, who would it be?
Without hesitation: Steve Vai. He is the only one for me today, who is not boring. He is able yet to renew itself, and be inventive. This is not the most technical. But for me, the performance does not interest me, only the result is important. And lots of guitarists today don't understand that, unfortunately for them. That's why a lot of guitar albums are boring.
16. How does a normal day in your life go?
When I work in post-production, in general, I do not play guitar because I'm too tired. But when I spend my day to play, there is no rules. Sometimes I work on new ideas, I practice, I compose, or simply I have fun. I can yet play 8 to 10 hours in a day.
17. Your 5 most favourite movies?
Difficult question. I love the cinema, it is impossible for me to choose just 5 movies! I love French comedies of the year 60/70 that's why I made a cover of "La Folie des Grandeurs" on my album. But I also love horror films of G.Romero, J.Carpenter, Sam Raimi ... the Star Wars trilogy, the Alien quadrilogy, Terminator, directors such as Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Paul Verhoeven ... The corean cinema of these last years is really very good too, with films such as The Chaser, Memories of Murder, Old Boy, The Host ... I love Peter Sellers and the Pink Panter ... I believe I will not be able to choose only 5 movies, lol.
18. Which is the one place where you've always wanted to perform?
I'd love to play in the biggest city in the world. In the USA, Japan, Brazil, ... All over the world.
19. You are pretty active on facebook and myspace! how do you find surfing these social networking sites and meeting fellow guitar players?
ernet today is a great communication tool. Without MySpace and Facebook, I could never do know my music. The effects of the Internet are largely positive for me. And it's true that it is a great way to listen, to know and find new musicians. We can contact and collaborate with musicians worldwide. It's great!
20. Any plans for the future?
For now, I continue to promote my work, and I begin to compose new songs for a second album!
Thanks to you and your blog ShredThisWay for this interview and for your support.
That puts this interview to an end. Special thanks to Karl for being a sport and giving us an interview.And all the best with the new album
Hope you guys liked this one. Do let us know what you thought about this interview! Leave a comment below
If you are famous and would like to get interviewed or reviewed by us then, Let us know
Hope you guys liked this one. Do let us know what you thought about this interview! Leave a comment below
If you are famous and would like to get interviewed or reviewed by us then, Let us know
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