Interviews: THE FLYING CARAVAN
On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Progressive Rock band, THE FLYING CARAVAN from Spain. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.
1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or
came out just like that?
Antonio: Well, I'm a great fan of The Band and their concert The Last
Waltz, and one of the most energetic songs they played was Caravan with
Van Morrison. On the other hand, I'm also an admirer of Monty Python and
their show Flying Circus, so it seemed like a good idea to bring those two
influences together and create The Flying Caravan. It's also a name with a
very interesting 70's flavour.
2. Why did you want to play this genre?
Antonio: The truth is that I started playing progressive rock when I was 20
years old and I had already recorded two albums in this style with another
band before our "I Just Wanna Break Even", so in this project, which is
more personal, continuing with the style was the most logical thing to do.
It's also the music I enjoy the most because of the freedom of composition
it permits you.
3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?
Antonio: Curiously, we didn't know one another, except for Julia, the
current singer, and myself, who had worked in the same place. It was
different circumstances that brought us together to get the project off the
ground.
Lluís: In my case, Antonio and Pedro Pablo contacted me a few years ago,
I think around 2017, to produce and arrange the drums section for an album
(I Just Wanna Break Even) that they had in mind and Antonio had been
composing and preparing for almost 10 years. Personally, we didn't know
each other, but the meeting was so fruitful and pleasant that years later we
are here together.
4. Each band member's favourite band?
Julia: Within the progressive genre, my favourites are Pink Floyd, Kansas,
Supertramp, Transatlantic and Neal Morse. In classic rock, I love Queen,
Toto, Billy Joel, Carol King, Etta James, ...
Lluís: Personally, I listen to many different styles, but within progressive
rock I've been following the classics like Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Porcupine
Tree and Deep Purple since I was a child. As a teenager, I got into the world
of space rock and psychedelia being influenced by Hawkwind, and Cream, and
discovering many less-known bands like Pan. Nowadays I find bands like
Vola, Caligula's Horse and certainly Leprous very interesting, but
sometimes that's more progressive metal.
Pedro Pablo: I love Yes, Chris Squire is one of my favourite bass players,
but I also like Jaco Pastorius or Pino Palladino, Police, Beatles or Neil
Young.
José
Antonio: I've been very influenced by bands like ELP, Dream Theater,
Gentle Giant, Yes, Neal Morse, Karmakanic, Flower Kings or Spock's
Beard. Within progressive rock, I´d mention classic bands like Camel,
Pink Floyd, Kansas, Jethro Tull, Be Bop Deluxe, Genesis... and current
bands like Flower Kings, Karmakanic, Transatlantic or Spock's Beard. And
outside the genre, The Band, The Who, Steely Dan, Toto, Jackson Browne,
Styx, Eagles, Dire Straits... Impossible to name just one.
5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?
Lluís: To compose drums I've been very inspired by drummers like John
Theodore in his early days with The Mars Volta, John Bonham, of course,
is a total reference point, and on many occasions, Nick Mason, certainly, to
quote some of the best known. Nowadays the Scandinavian school of
Adam Jazni and Baar Kolstad and even the drummer Blake Fleming seem
to me to suggest a very different approach.
Antonio: Musically it could be something new or old that I've discovered
and didn't know before, and concerning the lyrics, it could be a book I've
read or a series I've seen that has impressed me with its message.
6. Where was your last gig?
Antonio: It's funny but as a band, we haven't played live yet. The band was
created to make the double album a reality and the production of the album
took longer than expected. Then the pandemic came and the album ended
up being released in 2021. For work reasons, our singer and keyboard
player had to abandon the project, and we now have a full line-up with
Julia and José. Currently, we are very happy and excited to have signed
with Wormholedeath and we can consider taking our music to the stage in
the future.
7. Where would you like to act?
Antonio: We would love to enter the circuit of progressive bands that play
in Europe, to play in festivals and in fact wherever our music may be
wished to be listened.
Lluís: Apart from what my colleague comments, I would like to be touring
in Japan, even a solo concert would be nice. It would be very exotic for me
to get to know that country and play there.
Julia: Totally agree, I'm looking forward to playing in Europe, at festivals
and, in short, not stopping to play and take our music to as many places as
possible.
8. Whom would you like to feature with?
Lluís: To share the stage with King Crimson would be amazing!
Antonio: For me playing with bands like Camel, Flower Kings or
Karmakanic would be like a genuine dream.
9. Whom not?
Antonio: I think the only incompatibility would be to play in a context
where our music doesn't fit because of the style.
10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for
beginners on how to beat that?
Lluís: I don't know if it's stage fright, but I've spent years dealing with a lot
of insecurities and difficulties to start a concert. At the beginning of the
concert, I experienced a very, very bad time (but nobody realizes it because
it's very important to give confidence to your colleagues), I played like a
robot but wasn´t enjoying it, and as the live performance went on I felt
better and better, until the last two songs where I was already feeling great.
I guess that was stage fright. In my recent last live performances in other
projects, such feeling has disappeared, which helps me to have more
concentration and enjoy the live performance, and I think this has had a lot
to do with my personal state of mind and the things that surround you on a
daily basis. I've come to the conclusion that personal insecurities multiply
on stage, and that all the fears and worries you may have come out on
stage. My only help and the attitude that has partly helped me to
overcome them is to remove the pressure, to understand that we are human
beings who commit errors, and that in such things lies the beauty, the truly
human essence. The audience doesn't come to see you suffer, they come to
enjoy themselves and because of one faux pas, they're not going to stop
seeing you or having fun.
Antonio: Well, I experienced some fear and insecurity at my first concert
when I was 21, especially at the beginning, but when we finished playing I
would have liked to start again from the beginning. To learn to swim you
have to dive into the water and there is no other way. If you love music it is
well worth overcoming your fears because the reward is wonderful.
11. What bands have inspired you the most?
Antonio: Mark Knopfler and his sound are responsible for my finger-style
guitar playing. Musically, my biggest influences are probably Camel and
Jethro Tull, but every record I listen to represents a new influence.
Lluís: I can quote many bands that have inspired me and of very varied
styles, but for the style we have, I should mention all the classics of
progressive music, and also Spanish bands such as Triana and Iceberg. In
any case, I think other styles can give you ideas that you can then apply to progressive rock, that's the good thing about the style, that you can
merge a lot with other things.
12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?
Antonio: I guess we're not so well known yet, so we haven't received any
strange requests, but we are open to any ideas, ha ha ha.
13. What do you think of your fans?
Antonio: They are fantastic. We are very happy about the comments we have
received about the album. They have shown their affection and admiration
for our music.
Lluís: In the progressive world they are very grateful people because they
are faithful to the evolution and growth of a band and they usually support
a lot by going to concerts, buying records, t-shirts and listening to podcasts
of the genre. Of course, as long as they like the band! We hope to be one of
those chosen ones, ha ha ha.
14. What do you think of our site?
Lluís: I think it's great! I consider websites of this kind to be
encyclopaedias for finding out about very interesting projects.
Antonio: It's great the work you are doing to support music and new bands,
who like us are trying to make their way in the music circuit.
Congratulations.
15. Something to add?
Antonio: I would just like to thank you for the opportunity to chat with you
and make The Flying Caravan project known. It's a pleasure to be part of
Breathing The Core with this interview.
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