Candice Night interview:

Folgendes Interview verdanken wir Brent von http://deeppurplehub.proboards31.com/
Er hat mir schriftlich gestattet es für unsere website zu benutzen.

Thanks to Brent of http://deeppurplehub.proboards31.com/
who gave me written permission to use his wonderful interview with Candice:

Below is my interview with Candice Night, done exclusively for the Deep Purple Hub. Those of you who haven't met her on tour will find her to be a charming and wonderful woman. Enjoy

Brent:
How did the idea to do a seasonal album like "Winter Carols" come about?

Candice:  Ritchie and I have been playing these songs for years. Every year we either go through a local town that has a Charles Dickens festival and play these songs incognito or we have a big Holiday party with loads of friends and family and we play these songs for them. We also play a very small invitation only holiday show every year for street team members and amazingly loyal fans and friends. We do it for free but ask that people make a small donation to a local animal charity. We did it again this year for Save A Pet on Long Island. So these songs are songs that we enjoy performing every year in varied circumstances. Last year, we decided to "test the market" and slipped in 3 Holiday songs as a special gift into the Beyond the Sunset -Romantic Cd. The reaction was amazing! Even though it wasn't officially on an album Christmas Eve, one of the songs we included as a gift, debuted at #38 on the A/C Billboard charts. A position we hadn't reached before. Then people started asking when they could get the rest of the Holiday songs and when a full album was coming out. We thought, with this reaction, maybe we should put the rest of the songs out there for other people to enjoy.

Brent:
How would you yourself describe the cd in comparison to other Blackmore's Night cd's?

Candice:
I think the best thing about this band is the fact that we don't fit neatly into any box. It's also why we appeal to such a varied demographic. From children to grandparents. Both male and female. Not a lot of bands can do that. We have the creative freedom to be able to play rock, pop, folk, renaissance, instrumental, ballads and tavern music. So in that we never have a set direction. In our music we can incorporate anything from electric guitar to hurdy gurdy depending on what the song needs. Its all for the sake of the song, not for the sake of the ego, or soloing. It's nice to have the song be the most important thing. We feel its as it should be. So, I feel that this cd is mapped the same way as the other Blackmore's Night cds. You'll hear Ritchie playing electric guitar on "Hark the Herald Angels", but then hear him playing harp on "We Three Kings". The melodies are the most important thing.

Brent:
When did y'all record the cd and was it difficult to get into the holiday spirit at such an early date?

Candice:
No, we're in that spirit year round! We have a great bar in our home that is done up medieval style with stone walls, but we always have Christmas lights up there. The rest of the house is done in dark Christmas colors: dark greens and burgundies, so we're always in the Holiday mindset. Besides, tracing it back, before the church added the words to a lot of these songs they were about the seasons, about harvests and trees and nature. We tried to return those songs to their original roots so no one felt as if they couldnt sing along or were left out. Music shouldn't be separatist.

Brent:
Can you tell me a bit about the recording sessions for "Winter Carols" and what your fondest memories of those sessions are?

Candice:
When we wrote Christmas Eve it was in summertime. It wasn't hard to lose yourself in the concept of the holidays because its something we try to retain all through the year. I wanted the lyrical content to involve everyone so I wrote about the festive candles, the yule log, handfuls of holly as well as the nature aspect of the winter winds through the shivering pines and the most obvious relations to Christmas Eve. But I really felt very strongly about the fact that I thought we should have children singing on it with us because they embody such an innocence, and when its Christmas time we all revert back to that childhood innocence and magic and wonder whether it's at the first snow fall or sharing presents under the tree. So, I went around the neighborhood and collected the children - like the pied piper!- the parents were happy to have the house to themselves for a bit so they were like: "You want my child? Sure! Return them when finished! Have fun." The kids gathered around the mic to record for the first time and we captured such a great vocal from them that I really think that makes the whole song so very special.

Brent:
With only a few weeks before Christmas and the Winter Solstice, will there be any touring to support this release? If so, when and where?

Candice:
Not this time around, because we are doing some reshuffling of the band at this point. Auditioning bass and keyboard players. And when we find the right ones, they have a lot to learn! We have so many songs... So, we are planning on doing a tour on these songs next year in December 2007. Thats the good thing about a holiday album. You can tour on it every year!

Brent:
Blackmore's Night is quite a bit removed from Rainbow's "The Stranger in Us All". How did the concept of a Renaissance band become a reality with Blackmore's Night and was it an easy thing for you, as a singer, to get into?

Candice:
Actually, while Ritchie was recording "Stranger...", he and the producer used to call me on the phone, unhappy with the lyrics the singer was coming up with. They used to play the backing tracks to me over the phone and I would write the words on the 1 1/2 hour ride up on the ferry. On "Wolf To The Moon" I had 14 verses for them to choose from by the time I got to the other side. They chose what they wanted and then would come to me when they needed more. Thats how I got to co-write 4 songs on the album. Then Doogie would sing them and do his ad libs and that's what you would up hearing as a final cut. But while the rest of the band were doing their tracks, Ritchie and I would be by the fireplace with an acoustic guitar writing songs for ourselves. At that point he had been doing rock for over 40 years and he felt that the genre was getting a bit stale. The record company at the time was trying to change things and he just wasn't happy. But he had been listening to Renaissance music since the early 1970's. Actually thats why "Smoke on the Water" has the riff in 4ths and 5ths modal scales. It is a medieval mode that makes the sound more dark and ominous. And of course you can also hear the influence in Rainbow songs like "Temple of the King" or "16th Century Greensleeves". So anyone who really knows Ritchie through his music knows that this isn't that much of a departure. Just a different singer! I had never heard Renaissance music before I met Ritchie and once I did I fell in love with it. Unlike Ritchie, it's not all I listen to, he's a bit obsessed with it and won't listen to anything else! But if you put on Renaissance music and look out the window or sit watching the fire, its a whole different soundtrack leading to a completely different mindset then you get with any other type of music. Its an amazing form of escapism. It's like, we dont go to see "Lord of The Rings" or "Harry Potter", we don't read Renaissance-based romance novels, we just enjoy the audio and incorporating the lifestyle of those days into our lives now. Everyone seems to have their own path leading there...this is ours.

Brent:
Speaking of Renaissance music, have you heard an album called "Sabbatum" by a group called Rondellus? They took a bunch of Black Sabbath songs and reworked them to how they would have sounded during the time of the Renaissance. All of the lyrics are sung in Latin and all of the instruments are period instruments. It's an absolutely beautiful record.

Candice:
No, I haven't heard it, though I will check into that! As a matter of fact, we have medieval bands opening for us worldwide and in Sweden a band broke into "Iron Man" in medieval 4ths on shawms and I recognized it immediately. Ritchie didn't. But every once in a while I start playing some of his old songs on my shawm to test him! Maybe we'll do some of the older songs in renaissance woodwind style like that at some point.

Brent:
I love Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull. Ian's flute solo in "Play Minstrel, Play" is fantastic! Did he record his bit in the studio with y'all and did you get to meet him? He's rather famous, or infamous, for his sarcasm and rapier wit.

Candice:
Ah, he is a true genius, that man! We actually sent him the tape of what he was to play over and he did his rock n roll minstrel bit over it and took our breath away! "Play Minstrel Play" was a Renaissance tune called "Tourdion", originally, before we got our hands on it. After Ian did his part we sent him a collectors item gun since that was what he was into at the time. Unfortunatley, while it was in transit, some crazy man in the UK brought his own firearm into one of the schools there and opened fire on the children. It was horrible. When our gun arrived for Ian they gave him a hell of a time and made him come pick it up himself with all sorts of forms of id and permits. Not what we were trying to accomplish with that present. I have met Ian a number of times now, first time being when Rainbow played a festival with Tull in Sweden. Ian said I turned Ritchie into a bit of a pussycat. I can pretty much guarantee that's not true. Actually the last concert we went to see was Ian and his orchestral Jethro Tull here on Long Island. He's always brilliant. We sent him a copy of Winter Carols which he said he very much enjoyed. Even covered Rainbow Blues!

Brent:
Have you and Ritchie heard the Jethro Tull Christmas album and did that influence the decision to do "Winter Carols"?

Candice: Yes, we have heard it, it's one of our favorite albums to play around the house during the season. Mannheim Steamroller is another. But, they didn't influence our decisions to do the album. It was just something that was a natural progression after playing these songs for so many years to friends and family.

Brent:
Among many other talents you are a gifted writer. What sort of books do you enjoy and who are your favorite authors?

Candice:
Thank you, that's very kind... It's really strange, I don't read books that someone reading my lyrics would think I would read. I love Patterson and Saul, psychological thrillers. Occasionally I read a historical fiction novel, like The Other Boleyn Sister by Gregory, which I just finished. Gifts From Eykis by Dwyer is another favorite. But I don't like very heavy reading books. I only have time to read them right before I go to sleep so I like easy reading, not something I need to sit with a dictionary and decipher or be lost by too many characters.

Brent:
We used to own a bookstore that specialized in fantasy and science fiction, genres which we both love. Are you a fan of the fantasy genre? If so, how long have you been attracted to those particular ideas?

Candice:

Brent:
With Anton Fig's involvement on the David Letterman Show, is there any possibility in perhaps Blackmore's Night appearing on the David Letterman show to play something from Winter Carols?

Candice:
That would be interesting but doubtful. Mainly because I dont think that we fit into the sort of music he has on there. Poor Anton can't even get his own band on that show! But then again, I dont think the people that watch Letterman for bands are the type of people who would be attracted to our music. We attract the independent thinker. The people listening to NPR or watching PBS or the History or Learning Channel. I think people like that have kind of had it with the garbage that talk shows have on their shows and they don't watch them anymore, so we don't feel as if were missing out if we're not on there.

Brent:
I am amazed at how productive Blackmore's Night has been since its inception. A lot of new music has been made in a relatively short period of time. Thank you so much for that! Our pleasure! Your creative involvement with Ritchie really seems to have inspired him. Can you discuss the creative relationship you have with one another? How are creative disagreements resolved?

Candice:
I think Ritchie is a wealth of ideas bubbling over all the time. I don't know if I can take credit for his inspirations. From where I sit, its more the fact that he feels as if he's not in a box, that he can go in any direction and its incredibly creatively free-ing. He's getting so much inspiration these days from not only Renaissance and medieval music, but traditional folk music of regions that we tour. For example, fans will come up with cd compilations of folk music from their region and some of it is music like you have never heard before. That's how we got the idea for "25 Years" off of Village Lanterne. A fan from the Ukraine gave us a cd of balkan folk music. It was a sheperdic song played on bagpipe. You probably wouldn't even recognize our song in it if you heard it, but it sparked something off in him and - there you have it! A new song. Also he loves pushing the boundaries on these new olden instruments he's discovering. He just got a nickelharpa- and he plays it like no one else has played it before. Distinctively Blackmore style. Same with hurdy gurdy, or medieval tunings on acoustic instruments. He's like a kid in a candy store discovering all these new things. For me its just a pleasure to sit back and watch him go.

Usually he'll come up with a musical idea and then ask me to sing a melody line over it. I'm pretty lucky in the fact that his songs are so melodic and visual that if you close youre eyes, even if it's an instrumental, the song will paint a picture in your mind. So then I just try to channel that picture and make it into a story others can see too. Allow them to relate to it. And make it rhyme.

We don't really have disagreements, because with such a musical background, I go along with all his musical ideas. If he wants my suggestions, he'll ask me. And he leaves the lyrics up to me so we don't really step on eachothers toes. We're just a really good balance for each other.

Brent:
What sort of music do you enjoy listening to currently? What sort of music did you enjoy when you were growing up? Who are your biggest influences?

Candice:
As a little girl, my parents loved big band songs, oldies and show tunes. As a teen I rebelled and only listened to classic rock. But I'm a child of the 80's also, so every once in a while I would really get into the hair bands of that time period. Loved Stevie Nicks- her songs, lyrics and style. Still listen to her. But Ritchie also introduced me to some of my favorite bands that I enjoy now. They are more European bands that we dont really get to hear over here - like Michael Oldfield in the Maggie Reilly days: "Moonlight Shadow", "Back To France", songs like that. He also introduced me to Kate Bush and I love her song "Moving" - that's always one of my favorites. Sarah Brightman is another favorite of mine. But I still love rock music, and you can often find a Skid Row cd in my cd player in my car!

Brent:
What is your favorite album?

Candice:
I loved the Rainbow Rising album. If I had to choose 1 cd to take with me, though, right now it would be Sarah Brightman's live Harem cd.

Brent:
Describe your favorite country to play, and reasons for it.

Candice:
That's too hard. Each country has its own charm. The passion of the Italian people, the Russians who come with walls of flowers and are so intense in their love for what we do, the fun loving Germans and their castles- and beer! The English charm and extravagent costumes, the Japanese who listen so intently to everything, the Americans who love to party during every song!! And so many others.... I can't choose - I love them all and many more for different reasons.

Brent:
Will Blackmore's Night ever undertake a more extensive tour of the U.S.? We would love to see y'all in New Orleans!

Candice:
Funny you should mention that... we are booking our 2007 tours right now and are hoping to get around your area in October!

Brent:
What was it like working with Joe Lynn Turner, and had you ever thought of doing that before your work on "Street of Dreams"? Is there any chance of doing something similar again?

Candice:
I've met Joe before, while Ritchie was recording Slaves and Masters I was in the house in Vermont and upstate NY with him and his girlfriend. Then she and I did some modeling jobs together. Joe has a great bluesy voice, some of his track that he did on The Battle Rages On cd were great even though they never saw the light of day. He's always been one of those guys who kept in touch, there was no petty bitterness, so we always got along. He always said if we wanted himn to sing on anything just to let him know. I don't think he thought it would be one of his own songs! We loved what he did. There's always a chance of doing something in the future again. We sent him the tape to do his tracks on the day that I did the Helloween song "Light The Universe" so we fit a lot into that day!

Brent:
Would there be any possibility of Blackmore's Night perhaps collaborating with Ronnie James Dio as well?

Candice:
Sometimes we cross paths on the road and I know that everyone always sends their regards when we do. I'm not sure if our voices would meld as he has such a power rock voice. But, if Ritchie's into it and thinks it should be done, I'm willing to try anything.

Brent:
Describe Glenn Hughes, and what it was like being involved in the same project together.

Candice:
I have never met Glenn or spoken to him. But we get messages from him too every once in a while. I loved doing that Aina project. Didnt know Glenn and I would be on the same track together till I got the final cd in the mail! I just really liked the song they sent me so that was all I knew of it.

Brent:
What has been the most memorable Blackmore's Night album for you thus far and why?

Candice:
I think they all have their own charm. The first, Shadow of the Moon was so innocent and naive. I had never sung on an album before so you can hear that naiveté which also gives it a certian charm. We were feeling our way at that point. Violet... has more upbeat tracks because we realized that the first album was so relaxing that we needed to write some upbeat songs for tour. Fires... had more electric guitar in it. Ghost... more dramatic arrangements and we incorporated more Renaissance woodwinds because I was beginning to learn to play them. Now I play about 7 different ones so they made their appearenece on Village Lanterne- which I think is our best and most cohesive album to date - ever though it has the most amount of variety. I think my voice is stronger and it shows on this album. Winter Carols is one were really proud of too. I could listen to that one all day and not tire of it.

Brent:
What do you and Ritchie have planned, musically, in the immediate future?

Candice:
Decorate the house for holidays, have our big party and the rest. Next year touring beginning in April, start to record next album in Feb., DVD release from the Paris show, more fantasy appearences... no rest for the minstrels!

Brent:
So far, in your travels touring the globe with BN, what has been the absolute strangest thing that you have seen or experienced? This can be funny, spooky, or just plain scratch-your-head weird.

Candice:
Well, we try to only play and stay in haunted places so there are many. Heres one: we were performing in Schloss Waldeck in Germany. We stay there often. But this night, we were looking out into the courtyard when we heard a strange moaning and chains rattling. It was not windy, it was about midnight and these noises were loud! So loud I got them on video tape. It lasted for about 15 minutes, there was no one in the courtyard, then it died down. Our keyboard player at the time was with us. None of us could figure out what it was. But I do have that video... Then again...we have so many stories about ghost experiences, its become the very natural, not so much the supernatural anymore!

Brent:
Thanks again, Candice! Cheers and Merry Christmas to you both!

Candice:
And to you as well, Brent!

© Interview copyright 2006 Deep Purple Hub and Purplehound Productions. All rights reserved. This interview, nor any portion thereof, may be reproduced without the written consent of the owner.

Hope you all liked it. Merry Christmas!
Brent