Movement - Is this your first U.S. tour?

Alex - Second.

Liv - We did one last year about this time, but it was not even worth mentioning. It was actually a festival tour with six or seven bands and the tour was so badly organized and there were car crashes, cancelled shows and nothing was really prepared well.

Alex - At the shows we played they were excellent with fantasic audiences.

Liv- Thats right, but most of the other bands had left the festival tour because of the conditions and so we had to face all the negative things in the end, so it's really not worth mentioning. This time it's much better.

Movement - So you have had a good experience with this tour so far. How have the fans been?

Liv - Fantastic, fantastic. Everywhere we have been so far we realize we have a fanbase, and it's so good to see that there is somebody out there in America who knows about us. For us it's very important to meet and greet the people to show we are grateful to the audience because without you, we wouldn't be here.

Movement - Going back a little ways, you (Liv) were with Theatre of Tragedy then all of a sudden you left. What happened?

Liv - I was kicked out.

Movement - Really? Do you mind sharing what happened?

Liv - No. There's not much to say about it actually. I wasn't warned about it, there was no discussion, no fight within the band. I got a phone call from my husband (Alex) saying I had to check the Theatre of Tragedy website that there was a message on it. And that was the message, that I had been fired. And that's all.

Alex - You were living in Germany and the band was in Norway.

Movement - And they didn't give you any explanation?

Liv - No, nothing. And the only thing I did that was not that good for the band was I cancelled two shows, but I was pregnant in my seventh month and no flight companies would take me. So travelling to Greece by car or boat, and being on stage with a big belly you feel like your huge, so I cancelled the two shows and soon after I was kicked out. That could be the only reason.

Movement - When did you (Liv) start singing professionally?

Liv - Well I have been singing all my life actually. I never had a singing lesson or any musical education or anything.

Alex - You sang in the Halleujah choir.

Liv - Yes. Just choir but without knowing anything about notes, because I never needed to read because I have good hearing. But one day when I have more time, I would like to learn some more about musical theory. But so far the experience singing in my childhood, in my youth and now as a grown -up... experience is so important I think and how you can adapt to a life situation. Not everybody can do that. You can sing perfectly well in the studio then you enter a stage and just can't reach out to the audience. So I have had all this experience and so far I've never come to point where I've reached my limits.

Movement - Well you sound great. I don't think you have to worry about anything.

Liv - Thank you very much.

Movement - When you (Liv) left Theatre of Tragedy were you guys together at that time?

Alex - Yeah sure.

Liv - We've been together for 10 years

Movement - That's right. I was just trying to remember when Theatre broke up.

Alex - We formed Leaves Eyes about ...

Liv - Three and half years ago.

Movement - So between you (Liv) leaving, how long did it take to do the first album?

Alex - Not so long.

Liv - Not so long. Because it was even before I was kicked out of Theatre I finished my masters at the University of Stuttgart. It was Alex asking me, what do you want to do with everything you've learned? I really liked writing and so I sat down and started to write a concept and I showed it to the guys and they said that's great, we can compose some music for it. Then it took about six months and the album was finished.

Alex - That's quick.

Movement - You recorded at your (Alex's) studio?

Alex - Yeah.

Movement - You record a lot of bands at your studio. A lot of bands want to come and record there.

Alex - Unfortunately I cannot do all the stuff because we are on tour and you have decide time period there, touring etc...

Movement - Who does the primary songwriting?

Liv - It's not really... it depends on whose got an idea and whoever has the idea, goes into the studio to record and everyone joins in. That's how it works, so there is no special person in the band that writes all the music.

Movement - Do you (Liv) write a lot of the lyrics?

Liv - I write all the lyrics. But I like to write the lyrics after I have heard the music. I let the music inspire me.

Alex - Actually on the first album there was a concept about mermaid tales, so we know ok, we have to do something fitting with this concept, but I think it was very clear that Leave's Eyes contains mythology, nature, big stories and a cinematic view to the music. Like classical opera we have a story to tell.

Movement - Going back to the songwriting. The new album is all about Leif Erikson. How did that come about turning a historical adventure into a concept? Is that something you wanted to do for a while? It makes for a perfect tale to write about. Did you find that challenging to turn this into music?

Liv - I started with a couple of facts, because in Norway you learn about the Vikings before you enter first grade. Kids know about their heritage. So, I started with a couple facts then I wrapped it all up in words, in poetry. That's how the lyrics came about.

Movement - That's one thing I noticed about the lyrics they are very poetic. Not many people can do that. It's very impressive.

Liv - Thank you.

Alex - There was this girl from the states, whose husband was going to Iraq and the emotions that were coming through on the song "Farewell Proud Men" about the Vikings going to sea again, she said she totally grabbed all the emotions when her husband left for Iraq. I found that really was impressive that somebody was listening to that music and really getting the song by reality.

Movement - So are you guys working on new material?

Liv - There are a couple of ideas yeah, Thorsten, one of our guitarists has recorded a couple of things. We have been on the road most of this year. What we have done is collected film material from every place we have been so far. Also from our South American tour, Austrialian tour, European tour etc...So we will release a DVD next year.

Movement - Oh good! A live concert?

Liv - A live concert and some private stuff to. How's life on the road and where we have been.

Movement - Will you be on the road during Christmas?

Liv - No. We have another five days.

Movement - Good, so you won't miss Christmas.

Liv - And it's Leon's (their son) birthday on the 18th of December so we will be home for that.

(At this point Liv has to leave to get changed for the show, so we continued with Alex for a few more minutes.)

Movement - Back in 1997 when I first heard Theatre of Tragedy there was this combination of her (Liv) vocals and these dark male vocals and now I see a whole group of bands doing this sound. Do you think they kind of pioneered this kind of sound?

Alex - I really think so yes. I think Liv and her band at that time was clearly the pioneer of that sound. Actually there is no doubt about it, everyone is telling us that.

Movement - You play guitar right?

Alex - No, only sing.

Movement - I was just wondering, you guys tune down quite a bit right?

Alex - Yes, oh yeah!

Movement - How low?

Alex - I think it's about 7 1/2 steps down transposed. I don't know how you say this in English.

Movement - When you guys are not on the road do you listen to a lot of metal?

Alex - Yeah. It depends on our mood. Some of the guys they put on the headphones and listen to soundtracks or whatever. There was one of our drivers who was very much into hip-hop and he looks like Xzibit or whatever and we love him! I don't listen to hip-hop, but in that situation I found it really funny. Really the guys here are listening to a lot of stuff. We are listening to a lot of Slayer.

Movement - She (Liv) said earlier you were listening to a lot of classical music.

Alex - Yeah, yeah...

Movement - There is oblviously a lot of classical influnence in Leaves Eyes.

Alex - Yes. I think that the soundtrack to Pirates of The Caribbean is great. Actually Liv and I have been on a classical soundtrack tour. It was the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. It was really cool. They played everything from Star Wars to Gone with the Wind.

Movement - Well, I know you have to get ready so I think that about covers it.

Alex - Ok then, thanks.

www.LeavesEyes.de


by MOVEMENT corespondent and staff writer
Craig Harvey