ELOAĦ interview 05/03/23
MM: Can you tell us about your Band and who are your biggest influences?
ELOAĦ is a singer/songwriter rock band with new age, jazz and pop influences. It was founded in 1995 by Elmar C. Fuchs. Since then, a number of musicians has contributed. Over the past couple of years a stable line-up crystalized: Orion Roos on electric guitars, Peter Douwenga on bass guitars, Johan van der Meer on drums and percussion, Dominik Mittergradnegger on saxophone, Lila Herderberg on vocals, and Elmar C. Fuchs on vocals, acoustic guitars, and keyboards - and many guest musicians that differ from project to project. Since I grew up learning classical piano, and taking classical singing lessons, classical music is certainly an influence. As a teenager I found out that I like rock and heavy music (for example Savatage), new age music and singer/songwriter music and chansons (for example Herman van Veen). But that is just me. Every other musician of ELOAĦ has a different story, different tastes – all that goes into our music.
MM: Where do you draw your inspirations and ideas from#ß
I don’t draw them, they come to me. For example, when I pick up my guitar and play, I either play or practice our songs, sometimes, I get a special feeling and just play “something”. This feeling cannot be forced, I cannot do that on purpose, and it can happen during times when I actually don’t have time to practice a new song. However, whenever it happens, I take pen and paper, and write down new lyrics (which in this case also kind of “appear”), at this moment not yet knowing what the song will be about. Then I start practicing and repeating this new song, always applying small adjustments to both music and lyrics until it does not change anymore – and then there is a new song.
MM: What would you say is your Bands favourite song ?
We do not hat a joined favourite song since we are all individuals with different taste.
MM: Plans tour and festival wise for 2023
We just released a new album and are at the same time busy with the recording of the next one which we would like to release in 2024, so for 2023 we have not planned any live playing activity.
MM: What can we expect from ELOAĦ live?
A great, almost intimate atmosphere, a variety of songs and styles, and focus rather on the music and the sound than on the show or special effects.
MM: What do you like best and worst abt touring?
ELOAĦ does not do touring, we all have different jobs we like and play also in other projects and bands.
MM: Which three Bands would be your ultimate touring buddies?
It would be great to tour with MAESTRO, the band of our guitar player Orion Roos, and Lila Y Geckos, the band of our singer, so that they (and our bass player Peter Douwenga who also plays for MAESTRO) could do double features – and we could offer an even broader variety of styles.
MM: What's the most memorable concert you've been to (other than your own) and why?
This is difficult, but I would probably pick one of the shows of Herman van Veen – why? The man is a genius always surrounded by fantastic musicians.
MM: What do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment so far?
That is most certainly our latest album Proud to Love You.
MM: Which are your Two favourite Albums of all time?
If I am allowed to quote our own albums here: Our latest album Proud to Love You. is – for me – the album I love most at this moment. If our own albums are excluded, I would say Herman van Veen – Nederlanders, and Savatage – Streets, A Rock Opera
MM: Can you remember the first time you ever played live and how it felt to have people watching you?
Oh yes, I was 17 years old and played alone singer/songwriter style in a pub. I was very nervous, but it the audience liked it, and although I made many mistakes, it was a big success for me.
MM: Growing up which Bands posters did you have on your bedroom wall?
I honestly don’t remember all of them – but certainly Savatage, Saviour Machine, Iron Maiden, Manowar, Herman van Veen, and Reinhard Mey
MM - Who do you think influenced the world of Metal / Rock more than any other person?
Difficult to say. I think the Beatles laid down the foundation for the whole scene to evolve, and there would probably be no Metal without Black Sabbath.
MM - What's the most important thing to the band right now?
The recording and practicing sessions for our next album, which will be a metal / hard rock kind of album.
MM:If you could do a cover of any song which one would it be and why?
In my opinion, a cover should be more than just trying to imitate somebody else, otherwise I would rather listen to the original. Amongst all the songs that I really like there isn’t one which I would like to do differently (let alone better); and I don’t want to cover any song I don’t like – which is why we have not covered any songs until now, and why it is likely that we won’t do that in the future.
MM: Tell us why we should buy and listen to your Band:
Because you are going to like it – you can enjoy the music many times. If there is a track you like it is likely to give you pleasure by listening to it again and again because we pay enormous attention to detail so be ready to discover something new, some nuances every time you listen…
MM: Four words to describe ELOAĦ:
Idiosyncratic singer/songwriter poprock
Final Words for your fans and our readers:
Thank you very much for your interest in our music – please visit http://eloah.at for links to all our tracks and albums on all the major digital platforms.
