April 01, 2005

Interview with Vox Tempus

This interview has been awhile in coming but the energy and message of the band does not tarnish with time. I had the chance to interview Eric Ragno and Ray Mantor of Vox Tempus who are two cool characters, and their band is a Prog Rock group with a heavy edge and plenty of style. I would suggest that anyone who is into Prog Rock check these guys out! Stop by www.vox-tempus.com to find out more and see what these two are up to!

1. Those familiar with the Prog Rock movement are no doubt familiar with the names Eric Ragno and Ray Mantor, you have played from coast to coast and with some of the major names of today, but traditionally my way of starting these interviews is to ask you, the artists, to introduce yourselves; Eric and Ray, the men behind the music…

(Eric) I'm Eric, and I've been with the band since 1998, when it was still known as Equinox. Ray Mantor (guitars) and Jim Turba (bass) were with the band much longer, right up through the promotion of the last Equinox album. We began a nationwide singer search a few years later, and came upon the amazing Dan Reed.
(Ray) Jim and I joined Equinox during the tour phase of Color of the Time. It was ironic that they were looking for a guitarist and bassist because Jim and I have been playing together in bands since our early high school years.


2. Now moving onto Vox Tempus, would you take a quick moment in the beginning to tell us in your own words where the band has come from, where you are now and where you are heading in the future?

(Eric) It's an interesting story really. As recording progressed for the next Equinox album, we found that the songs had a much heavier edge, which reflected the current state of the band at that time. It's easy to be tempted to follow a certain format to please a certain group of people - but in the end, we are who we are, and we play what is true to us. With the changes we had all been through both professionally and personally, it was time for a clean slate - and the birth of Vox Tempus. Starting over has been a breath of fresh air - and we are all much tighter for it.


3. Eric, the updates on your site along with those on the Vox Tempus site look promising for a summer release of the new album. Is there a title picked out yet and how would you describe the feel of this album over all?

(Eric) This is the first time we have announced it formally, but the title of the album is In the Eye of Time. This album has something for everybody, and reflects all the best aspects of the band, as well as the individual players. For Every Life is a straight ahead rock song. Broken is a killer ballad that is sure to break your heart! Voice of Time is a kick-ass instrumental full of amazing solos, and Love Lies & Treason is an 18 minute epic! There are great songs with lots of amazing performances by everybody, while staying true to our prog roots.


4. Ray, you can be quoted as saying "The Equinox album had a lot of straight-ahead grooves, with progressive twists. This album has progressive twists with some straight ahead grooves." Could you tell us more about this and what brought about this change?

(Ray) I think the biggest difference is in the song structures. Where the Equinox release was more straight ahead rock with some prog flavored bridges or interludes, the new material is different in the way that it has more of a prog feel throughout the song rather than any specific section. Don't get me wrong, we have songs that could probably even fall into the AOR classification. It was important to us create songs that encompassed the best of both worlds. We tried to create a record that in a lot of cases may not seem prog to the listener but the more you listen you can hear the complexity in the arrangements. To me it's more about writing parts in odd time when you can't feel it rather than just for the sake of playing odd time.


5. Now that the songs are nearly out to the public could you tell us about one song in particular that is special to you, where it came from, what it was like recording it and why it is special to you?

(Eric) We've been getting a special buzz on our latest track, For Every Life. We started writing it soon after we cast aside the Equinox legacy and became Vox Tempus. It was the turning of a new page, and a glimmer of hope during that dark time - and other dark times to follow.

I was recording demo's of this song in the next room when I heard that my friend Ty Longley had died in Rhode Island while playing onstage with Great White. I was devastated - but soon after I started having dreams about him, and heard pieces of this song playing. There were several nights where I woke up, recorded some new pieces of the song, and went back to sleep.

Ray Mantor & I soon reconvened in Minneapolis to finalize arrangements for the new album, only to learn that Ty's funeral was abruptly scheduled that same weekend. This was a rough time for me, and I credit the band for sticking by me and offering the kind of support only brothers could give. This came in the form of kind words, patience, and most of all this song. I give credit to Ray, we had planned these sessions months in advance, but he was totally prepared to scrap the sessions until after the funeral, when I was ready to pick up again. But if we had stopped, I honestly don't know if I could have gotten back on that horse. And if our places were reversed, I think that Ty would have kept on in my spirit. So I kept on in his, as we recorded this song during the weekend of the funeral. When I heard Dan's lyrics, it was the first time that I knew that I was gonna get through this. The Rhode Island tragedy heavily influenced the creation of this song, and ultimately the song itself.

The song opened a new chapter for the band - and now it's being played around the world. Listening to it reminds me of how much I miss my friend, how my other friends rallied to support me, and how we must cherish the wonderful people that come into our lives.


6. When you are writing/creating a song as a group or individually how does the process usually work out for you. Do you start with a melody, a lyric or is there no real consistently in the process from one song to the next?

(Eric) We typically come up with a melody, and build on it together until we have the makings of a song. Then we present it to Dan, who writes lyrics and a vocal melody and basically ties a bow on it.


7. Looking at your histories we can see that you are no strangers to the studio, or to the stage for that matter. Given the choice between a recording session and the stage what is your first pick?

(Eric) Being on the stage gives you instant gratification - you can immediately see the people who you've touched, and it's a real rush! Writing in the studio is gratifying too, in a more personal way. It's such a great feeling to get with your friends and create one of those musical moments that makes the hair stand on your arms! There have been moments, like when recording the vocals for Broken, where we were all smiling at one another, and knew we stumbled onto something huge. Uhm, I don't believe I answered the question...


8. When you stop to think about the "studio sessions" you do as a band things become a bit unclear, Eric you and Gregg live in L.A., Ray you live Minnesota, Jim and Dan live in Colorado . Could you explain the process you guys have worked out to create and cut tracks even with all those miles between you?

(Eric) We've pretty much got it all down to a science now. The Internet and the home studio are amazing tools, and we push the limits of technology to make it all work. Prog music in particular is often composed from a collection of great musical pieces. We'll each write different sections in our home studios, and send them to one another for feedback, a riff, a rhythm line, etc. until it gels into a song. Once we have a handful of these, the rest of us fly to one guy's studio, (and that has changed almost every single time!), and we work out the final musical arrangements. We then forward on any lyrics or vocal melodies to Dan, but typically Dan will write something and create a demo that blows us all away. When the songs are ready to record, we send a disc out to Gregg to chart them out. Then we record the instruments one by one. Some parts we record alone, and there are others where we fly in to support one another. In any musical experience there is a time when you need your space, and a time where you need your friends. We all respect one another enough to really make it work.


9. From that we can see that the internet can be a great tool when it comes to bridging the distance band members but we all know that it doesn't stop there; not only is there a official Vox Tempus site but also countless other ways for people to discover your music online, like www.proggedrock.com for example. How valuable a resource would you say the internet is to today's musicians?

(Eric) As you can imagine, the Internet is essential for a group like us. It allows us to collaborate with one another, and it helps us reach our fans directly, rather than have to go through a label or a fan club or the like. Music always changes, and if they aren't playing rock music at your local club, where will you find all the rock fans? Fortunately they are all online, and looking to immerse themselves in new music. And they are the best fans out there!


10. With every good there comes an evil and in this case that would be file sharing, CD pirating and other forms of theft. We know that for a tour to be possible there have to be enough CD sales to show the support. What message would you like to send out to those involved in piracy and file sharing?

(Eric) The technology is still so new, that there are no established guidelines to make it all work. The record companies are losing millions, and because of this there are thousands of great artists out there who will never get signed. Then the music fans complain because there is no good music out there.
Everybody likes to get music for free. Let's face it, record companies have been gouging us for years with the price of CD's, and this is the backlash. And they have fed us so much bad music - how many times have you laid out $18 for a disc that had a great single but was otherwise complete crap! So much money goes into the image, the marketing, etc. but what about the music?
It's the responsibility of the label and the artist to provide quality product at a reasonable price. It's the responsibility of the consumer to pay for what they are getting. Granted, the music scene is all screwed up right now, but Vox Tempus has held up their end, so...
(Ray) I look at it from the point of if someone is out there sharing the Vox Tempus cd, then that means that there is a demand for it. It's almost like free advertising in a way. You get to check it out for free and determine if it is right for you or not. Fortunately we are in a genre of music that is different from the mainstream. Typical prog fans buy the cd cause they collect them. They want the original artwork, and any special features that are included, whether it is the lyrics or alternate artwork. The whole point is that if you find something you like...buy it. Support the bands that you really enjoy. Too often people don't do that, and that is where the problem is. If you want a band to come to your town to play, the promoters have to see a demand for it. Without the sales, it is hard for the promoter to justify the expense of bringing the band to you. It leaves the bands in a tough spot because for a band like Vox Tempus, all we care about is getting the music to the fans, but without the support of the labels and promoters it is really difficult to get the music out there to everyone. So...remember....if you like it....Buy it!


11. What activities outside of the music do you guys enjoy that helps to keep you motivated and balanced?

(Eric) I am a huge music fan, and don't do much else outside of music. I really need to work on that. I practice yoga and meditation, and like spending time with my family.
(Ray) I'm also a huge music fan, so that consumes most of my time. Outside of music, everyone knows I am a computer geek.


12. Some swear by the fact that its not what you know in this industry - its who you know. I think hard work and determination is really the key factor, but just in case are there any bands or people out there you would like to thank or mention?

(Eric) We have worked hard at what we do, and over time we have made friends with some of the folks we consider heroes. We have gotten some great support from folks like Gregg, Erik Norlander, Tony Franklin, the guys in Enchant...everyone has been so supportive in helping us move forward and join the winners circle as it were. Thanks guys!


13. A lot of our visitors are aspiring musicians looking to these interviews for inspiration and advice from you as successful artists, do you have a message for them?

(Eric) Yeah - play what you love, and love what you play. Keep writing songs, write pieces of songs, just keep on writing. Read everything before you sign it! And don't lose touch with what is important in your life - that will be the inspiration for your greatest art.
(Ray) Well said....Music is another language of expression...express yourself the way you want to be heard. Be passionate and don't let everyone tell you that there are a million ways to fail....and don't look for success....put your heart and soul in it and success will find you.


14. And a closing message to the rest of the fans out there?

(Ray) Thanks for all of the support so far. The response has been amazing, and we are really excited to get In the Eye of Time released to you all.
(Eric) Be sure to visit us at www.vox-tempus.com and check out our stuff!

Posted by Kathy at April 1, 2005 08:19 PM