Pictorial Wand

http://www.myspace.com/picwand

This interview comes from the first issue of Lonely Road so it's a little out of date. Still it's pretty interesting as an introduction to the music of Pictorial Wand.

Sometimes you run across music that is certainly not made for mass consumption. I don’t have anything against commercial music, after all a great part of the world’s highest musical achievements was commercial. Still there comes a time when you seek something unique, when you want to ‘’dive’’ into the music and get lost. Matti Sorum will take you on a promising journey with his last album ‘’Face of our fathers’’.

First of all congratulations for the great new album! For starters tell us a few things about how this band/project was created.
Thank you. I started Pictorial Wand with the last album, ”A Sleeper’s album”. I wanted to create a concept/rock opera album like ”Journey to the centre of the earth”. That album really triggered my fascination and kick started this project. I work with the albums alone until I finish everything, before taking in the specific musicians I need for the recordings. My music is compared to Ayreon all the time because of this way of working, not so much the style of the music. It is nice to see that people now are beginning to see my music as Pictorial Wand, not ”Norway’s Ayreon” as some has put it.
Pictorial wand is a pretty strange name. What’s does it mean and why did you chose it?
In the process of finding a name for the project I didn’t think so much about a commercial sounding name. The meaning and describing of what I want with my music was the important thing. I have always loved fantasy/epic/science fiction movies and books. I don’t exactly use so many elements from it in my stories, but the whole idea with a fantasy-world, something beyond our real world gives me something, some inspiration and motivation to work with the stories. I tell stories in my albums, therefore ‘’Pictorial’’. ”Wand” has two meanings. It reflects a fantasy-world and it is the tool of creation. I know I am getting very deep here now, hehe. But that is how I found my name. An illustrative wand.
If I’m not mistaken both albums you have released until now are concept albums. Is this something you intend to do on every Pictorial Wand release? Can you describe the concept of ‘’Face of our fathers’’?
Yes, it is the only way I can make an album I think. I don’t know what to write lyrics about if it’s not around a story. I’m not political involved or very romantic, so I would probably go empty halfway through the album. Also, there is something very inspiring to work on large things. Trying to tie it all together, from the story and the musical themes to the artwork.
How and where was the album recorded? Did you gather all musicians at the same time or was everyone’s part recorded in different places and sessions?
For the recording of this album I went back to my hometown, Dombaas, and rented a studio there. I was in studio for about 5 months where I invited the musicians for the recordings. I only take in one musician at a time. That way we can focus 100% and we have no stress.
I was impressed among other things by the quality of the voices heard on the new album. Who are the singers, how did you find them and have they sung in any other bands before?
The singers are Julie Christensen, Tore Christer Storlid, Petter Selliseth and Gry Tronslien. The two latter sung on the first album as well. None of these four are known names, though some of them could be, if they played their cards right I think… For what music projects they are doing now, I really don’t know. Julie sings in a soul band. Petter is doing this pub-duo in the weekends... (what a waste of talent...hehe)
Your music sounds like a mixture of 70’s space/prog/folk rock and recent prog metal operas. Can you name bands that are the most influential for your music?
Musical inspiration I don’t know anymore. When I was younger it was so much easier. You just dug Metallica and you played it! Now it’s more about finding your own original thing. I can’t motivate me in other ways than thinking that what I do now is something original. Not completely of course, but at least something not completely like any other artist today. And I hope I succeed in doing this. At least the struggle for this is what motivates me to continue making albums. I don’t like to repeat myself, I wouldn’t be able to make one album, then start on the next with the thought: ‘’Wow, that last album really kicked ass, I wanna use the same recipe again!”.
Having heard both albums I think the second has much more focused songwriting, without cutting down on the length of the songs. What do you think?
Yes, I focused more on kinda verse and refrain structure this time than with the Sleeper-album. I also focused more on the vocals. After the first album I realized how much potential I had left in the vocal parts, so I decided to work more on that this time. So I therefore ended up with a little less instrumental and more vocal. I also wanted to create stronger main themes on Face of our Fathers.
What’s the best compliment you heard about your music?
Hm… maybe it must be what a reviewer said about the new album a while ago on Progarchives: ‘’This work approaches what prog rock can be as a serious art form”. I like that. Sounded good! ;)
What’s your craziest music dream?
Well, I have dreams and visions. But none of them are really crazy, hehe. My true dream in life is to buy a house (preferably a small farm) and build a nice studio where I can work in peace with my projects together with my family.
If you ever had an unlimited budget for a new album which famous musicians would you hire?
I don’t like the idea of bringing famous musicians to my projects. No matter how much money I had in hand, I would still be looking for unknown and original artists I think. It’s just another side of the urge of being original I guess. But of course, if singers such as Jorn Lande or David Coverdale were at hand…what could you do?
What’s your driving force and motivation for writing music?
With Pictorial Wand it is the concepts, the experimentation with different instruments, and most important: to make each album better than the last. It is very important to always feel that I can do something better, that the things I make is not the best I could do. This is the only reason that can motivate me for a new album I believe. If one day I sit down with a finished album and think it is so perfect in every way that I cannot exceed it… Why the hell should I make another one? Where is the fun in that?
The kind of music you create is not very likely to generate great success, but it will definitely attract true music lovers. Does this bother you that less talented musicians/songwriters can get more successful than you and most people prefer music of doubtful quality?
I think most real artists making music or visual art, not for the fame and glory, are annoyed by this thing. But what can you do? It is the nature of thing in this business.
Are you satisfied with the promotion of the new album? It’s not really easy to find over here and there’s not much exposure on the net… Do you have a contract for more albums with Unicorn Digital?
My contract with Unicorn is written for each album, but sales are going well. About the promotion, there have been fewer reviews this time than the last. If this is due to less promos sent, or less response on the promos been sent out I don’t know. Anyway, the response in Europe is real good and the reviews have been from good to excellent all the way. The album is nominated for best foreign album at ProgAwards 2009 in Italy.
I’m really curious whether you tried to get a contract with any European label and what the answers were…
I sent a lot. In fact, the only positive responses came from US. The debut album was a double. Not many labels dared to put money in it. It would be a lot easier with a label in some neighbor country for sure, but Unicorn is doing a nice job.
Nowadays illegal downloading is partly responsible for dropping record sales. On the other hand it gives people the opportunity to check out more releases than ever and finally buy the ones they prefer most. Do you think that a relatively unknown band with good music but little label promotion can benefit from the internet?
Absolutely. Artists in my position can only benefit from this trend. It is the big commercial artists and labels who pays deeply, and I don’t give a shit.
What do you do for a living? Do you see a future where you could live from music?
I have a pretty high education in music, but ended up as a journalist. I have ambitions of making a living out of Pictorial Wand one day, maybe with some added income of guitar students and jobs from my studio.
Is it possible for Pictorial Wand to play any live shows on the future?
Sorry. For that I would have to put together a regular band, which I can’t do. I’m too ego on this particular project. I could share the money of course, but not the creative part. I have a very clear understanding of the music I wanna produce, and just the thought about someone coming in and writing a song makes me sweating.
Close this interview any way you want to.
Thanks for the chat! Be sure to check the news in the official webpage, or sign up for the newsletter to follow the progress of the new album