Interviews: The Raging Project

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Progressive Metal band The Raging Project from France. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you plan it or come out just like that?

Most of the songs are talking about the way we are treating our planet and this will lead to the end of mankind. So I was sad, angry, and a bit desperate while writing music and words, the name was first Project Rage, and turned to The Raging Project.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

It’s a mix of styles, modern and vintage metal, electro, progressive, a little symphonic, and rock, these are my favorite styles of music.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

We can’t tell this is a band, it’s a studio project with lots of great guest musicians and singers. I‘ve been friends for so long with some guys and others have crossed my life during all these recent years.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

My favorite band today is Kansas I guess, while I have plenty of great bands who transcended me: Dream Theater, Marillion, Magma, Vanden Plas, Ayreon, Pain of Salvation, Lacuna Coil, Nightwish… But I can’t answer for each of the other musicians of the project, there are 15 people involved, you will have to ask them one by one.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

It’s a mystery, I don’t really know. I have to be in a bad mood to compose and write, being happy is not a good vibe for creating music. Life or fantasy inspire me, it depends… Except for my Rock Opera Foreign which is the story of the wandering jew myth.

6. Where was your last gig?

My last gig was with my band Amonya, last November in the East of France. My last gig with my prog rock band Psychanoia was in 2020 in a bar, East of France too, where I’m living.

7. Where would you like to act?

In big festivals such as Hellfest, Grasspop, and Wacken, it would be so great to perform on these stages among so many talented bands…

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

I would love to play with so many people, the most untouchable are Steve Vai, Bruce Dickinson, Floor Jansen, Sharon Den Adel, Sting, John Petrucci…

9. Whom not?

All rap and hip-hop scene 

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

I always suffer from stage fright, it’s decreasing year after year with age and experience, but it’s still there, and it’s a good thing, it allows you to make you feel “not perfect”, so it makes you learn more and more and you can improve your performance for next times. The only thing I know to calm it down is abdominal breath and a bit of meditation, I actually do this kind of thing.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

I would say Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Helloween, and King Diamond for the oldest influences. Kansas, Marillion, Magma, Dream Theater, Vanden Plas, Rhapsody, Symphony X for the ’90s and 2000s, and Ayreon, Pain of Salvation, Within Temptation, Nightwish, Evergrey, Lacuna Coil, for the more recent ones. 

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Many people ask French bands to play some songs by Johnny Hallyday. Do you know him? He was a great French rock singer from the ’60s to 2017 until he died. When I began to play with my first band called Lifeseeker in 1992, many people always asked me to sing some songs of him, and I think I did it sometimes…

13. What do you think of your fans?

They have some really good taste in music!

14. What do you think of our site?

It is great, very complete, and a great window for band promotion. I really like it!

15. Something add?

Thanks for your interest in The Raging Project. I hope the album and the music will be appreciated by most people around the world!