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Band page - Dreamtone
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Band Profile
What is your name and your current position in the band?
Oganalp Canatan is my name and I am the singer of the band.
Tell us about the history of the band. More specifically, when was the band formed, how did you meet, and have there been any particular highlights or low points in your career, any crucial events that have taken you where you are today?
We became Dreamtone in 2001 and we met up with our guitarist Onur Ozkoc at a birthday party of a mutual friend. In our 5.5 years of existence, we had quite a lot of highlights like producing the Neverland project with our beloved metal artists such as Hansi Kürsch or Mike Baker, we have toured in Turkey with Blind Guardian, we have opened for Dream Theater in Istanbul and so which all helped us to move on. Any down times? Of course, we had to change several members in this 5.5 years time and sometimes the price was high. Oh and also our distribution deal with EMI back in 2006 was a disaster as well hehe.
Was there ever a time when you wondered if your band would remain just a local outfit and never make it in the industry?
As a musician, you always think about this on each new product. While with something you produced, you start to get attention, another investment may suffer from being ignored due to the current level of music market.
What is your latest album and why should people buy it?
As Dreamtone, our latest products are "Snowfall" single of ours and the upcoming "Neverland" project's debut CD. They should buy "Snowfall" because it is a blend of quality and performance of progressive/power metal with good and innovative transitions, passages, melodies and it is a limited production. Good for collectors. They should buy Neverland as they will face with a heavy rock / metal album, featuring Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Tom Englund (Evergrey), Mike Baker and Gary Wehrkamp (Shadow Gallery) near to Philarmonia Istanbul Orchestra's performance. A very good and innovative piece of work. At least we managed to convince these idols of ours with the compositions lol.
How would you categorize the style of the band? And did you ever consider or try playing other styles of music than the one(s) you are playing now?
Power Progressive metal or Dark Metal is the genre mentioned with Dreamtone and I agree with both of these styles. Before forming Dreamtone, near to band's evolution within these genres, we played death, heavy metal, rock music and all that. At the moment, we don't have any additional genres to perform in our minds. At least, we don't have the time.
Can you share with us one or two of your favourite moments with the band?
Well, I am a huge fan of Blind Guardian and Hansi Kürsch is my idol for singing. Back in January 07, one morning I had my phone ringing but I couldn't pick it up because I couldn't remember where I've thrown it lol and I had this strange number as missed calls. Anyway, I sent an SMS asking, "who am I talking to" etc and the phone rang again, the same number was calling. When I picked up the phone, it was Hansi Kürsch saying something like, "Hello Oganalp is that you, I am calling for the Neverland project?" Well, I still remember how stunned I was haha. I have lots of other special moments with this band but it will take lots of space to write.
How is the writing process in the band?
Usually myself or Onur (Ozkoc - guitars) or Burak (Kahraman - guitars) compose several songs with all the instruments written in MIDI and then we gather up as the band, listen to them and evaluate them, electing the ones we are not that satisfied all together. Then we start to rehearse the ones we picked and everyone adds/changes small things here and there to finalize the song. Of course, usually, while we are recording, we make some last minute add-ons.
What brought you on the path to becoming a musician? Did you ever consider or take any other paths through life besides music?
Well, actually I don't know why I chose to be a musician. When I was in middle school, I was trying to compose songs with my broken acoustic guitar. When my grandfather died while I was in high school, I composed a MIDI for him instead of crying. When I lost my mom, I wanted to record a CD... I think, without a conscious decision, I preferred to express me to myself with music.
As being a musician is not that profitable unless you start to tour with 100 gigs per year, you have to have another professional career as well to feed yourself and your family. So I work as a graphical/web designer in a company me and my band mates have formed.
Do you have any idols? If yes, who?
As I told previously, Blind Guardian as a band and Hansi Kürsch as a singer are two names that I always mention. There are other names that I learnt a lot but I don't think I can mention them as idols.
Do you have any regrets looking back at your career? For example any songs or even full albums that you regret recording? If so, what made you regret it?
Nothing so "regretting" ever happened because each decision had its teachings as well. So far we have recorded 5 discs and you ALWAYS tell "I won't do it like this next time" etc but its hardly a regret.
Are there particular songs in your catalogue that the fans love but you're not particular fond of yourself?
Half of the songs we play live lol. As we are the creators of the songs, we get bored after 4723747 times of listening and composing sessions as well as evolving as a band but fans get involved to those songs with their feelings and they find a bond in between them. This results in a situation you stated in the question but even though I don't like some of the songs we play, I sincerely love the feeling of seeing a fan singing the song at a gig with passion, looking into your eyes with that flickering light within his/hers. This feeling is awesome, it is marvellous.
How important do you rate the lyrical side of your albums?
Quite important. We don't like to write songs with filler lyrics and put the weight on the music alone. Whatever the topic is, fantasy or political or personal, it should be sincere and to be sincere, I don't like cheesy lyrics.
What do you think about the state of the music industry today?
It is strange. No more CD sales mean we, musicians, cannot get record deals anymore. It is harder to get even a god damn local distro deal so the business side of things sucks big time. It will eventually change and get a new shape but still, we are in a transition state. Sometimes I try to guess the way of things for the next 5-10 years but each time, I come up with more questions that I cannot answer, guess about the industry. We shall wait and see.
What do you think is the best way to fight music piracy?
Hard question. People illegally download / copy music not because they are so broke to find money but because the value of an album has decreased. This is because of major labels' "press stupid albums and earn money quickly" policy since the beginning of 90's. This applies for metal music labels as well. I don't think reducing the price of a CD would change much. It is about the value of an album in people's minds and in this mad consuming capitalistic era, it is quite hard to increase the sentimental value of a music CD. I remember the times we exchanged cassettes because we were unable to find albums in here. At that time, we bought every album we saw at the shelves and protected them with obsessed care.
Do you have a life philosophy? If yes, what is it?
You reap what you sow. Be a useful person to this planet and it will surely pay off. If not as a personal income, it will help you to feel good, trying to make something better.
Can you describe a typical day in your life?
I wake up and check my schedule. If there is a work to do for clients, I work on that. If not, I play some computer games and work on some music stuff (not always composing music but music business stuff or vocal exercises as well) and usually I go out and hang out with my friends till late night, sometimes we party, sometimes we sit and talk or go to cinema etc. Sometimes I sit all day and read a book. Of course, when you are touring or recording, this schedule changes completely.
What do you like to spend your time with besides music?
I play computer games to get things out of my head and relax. I watch DVD movies and all that when I feel dull in my head. I go out and hang around with friends or my band mates as we live close. I sometimes work on my graphical design skills to learn new things and I surf the net, read news about world politics and history. Oh and I also read like a madman, whenever I find the time.
What's the craziest thing that has ever happened on a tour?
A security guy (well a BIG guy) tried to beat me after a gig of ours, as he didn't recognize me and thought I stole the pass card from a band member hehe. It was rather "educational".
You're heading off to live on a deserted island for a couple of years with your portable entertainment system... Which albums, movies or books would you bring? (Max. 3 of each)
Albums: Nightfall in Middle Earth (Blind Guardian), Baldur's Gate Saga Soundtrack (Michael Hoenig - Inon Zur), Might and Magic VII Soundtrack (cannot remember the composer).
Books: The Wheel of Time Saga is enough though it is already 11 books long, set aside the additional releases.
Movies: Blade Runner Director's Cut, The Girl Next Door, Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut
What is your favourite joke?
I don't think I have one particular joke that I insist on laughing at it though I am quite a cheerful and funny guy. I like to improvise and I like improvised jokes.
Can you tell us about any future plans for you and your band?
Touring new places, recording, getting a better record deal, touring new places, recording, getting a better record deal, touri... (infinite loop?). We will have our Neverland project released in wintertime hopefully and then, we will work on a new Dreamtone album for 2008's fall.
Thanks for answering these questions. Now you are free to write a few lines to our readers.
To dear readers / listeners: Wow, if you read this up to now, I sincerely thank you for showing interest. You can check Dreamtone at www.dreamtone.net or www.myspace.com/dreamtone. Thanks and be well!
Added by Steen - 8/1/2007
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