When Arjen told about his new band and the fact that he had a fourteen year old female vocalist, everyone was quite curious as to who that would be and how she would sound. Now we all have heard her voice and are in awe...But who is she? How did she get involved in this new project? So on a cold and snowy Wednesday morning in the last week of 2000, my wife and I drove up to this place in the north of Holland where she lives. Here's what we talked about:

Profile

Name: Astrid van der Veen
Date of birth: February 25, 1986
Nationality: Dutch
Residence: Holland
Married: No
Children: No (of course not!!)
Hobbies: Making music: singing, playing piano, guitar, playing in a band (which at the moment is a bit less, but I still play with the bass player of a band). Also I like to draw and paint.
Favorite 3 albums:
The Cure - Show
Nirvana - From the muddy banks of...
After Forever - Prisoner of desire
Favorite 3 books: I don't like books
Favorite 3 movies: I never watch films...

Astrid, can you tell us a bit about your background in the music business. How did it all start?

My mother is a professional singer and piano player. When we were young she sang a lot with us. The piano was always there, so I started to play a bit. I guess that's how it got started. I never really had piano lessons. But I do play. I did have singing lessons for 4 years, but everything else I learned on my own. Figuring it all out by myself.

I guess that is the nicest way to learn things. Does your mother sing in a band?

No, she sings solo. Mainly for small audiences.

A frequently asked question is: in what way have other musicians influenced you? Maybe certain singers?

A lot of people tell me I sound like certain singers. Then I listen to these singers and sometimes I find that some things they do are indeed quite similar. But of course, listening to them gives you some ideas and inspiration. When I finally heard Kate Bush, I started to use things I heard her do. So all kinds of music and singers do give me ideas I can use. Sometimes they compare me to singers and I don't agree with them. Maybe some parts of the music give them that idea, I don't know.

Well, Kate Bush was on my list, as was Tori Amos. Now you are relatively young compared to them. Do you get any reactions regarding the fact that you're only 14?

Yes, a lot. Arjen sends me lots of fan mail from people who visit the Ayreon site. And almost all of them say they can't believe that I am that young! Obviously people are not used to that.

How did you get in touch with Arjen? The liner notes of Ayreonauts Only tell Arjen's side of the story, but we would like to hear your side too.

O.K. I heard that a youth center here called 'De Klos' is also a studio in the summertime. Not really professional, but still interesting enough. And I heard that bands could record a CD there or a demo. I asked them if I could do that all on my own and they answered yes, I could. So I recorded a CD (Beautiful Red) in that summer vacation. A friend of the person who recorded that CD knew Ayreon. His name is Aad. And he e-mailed my music to Arjen in MP3 format. I heard that Arjen at that time had been looking for a female singer, so this was a convenient coincidence.

Yes, I knew that Arjen wanted to record something with female singers. How was it to work with Arjen?

Great!! He tells me straight out when he doesn't like certain things. It doesn't happen that much, but if something is not good enough, he tells me so and I appreciate that. And he is quite excited about the ideas I come up with and that is nice. Because he likes what I do and spontaneously we add some harmony voices to the songs. So usually when I come to his studio, some pieces aren't even finished. I just go like: "I like this and I like that" and we try out different things. I enjoy that way of working.

So these recordings are very spontaneously?

Yes.

I know that you sing and that you write all the lyrics, but what else is your contribution to the Ambeon project?

Basically the lyrics and the vocals. But if there are things in the music that I don't like, I can tell him and most of the time he changes it. That's nice.

I am not too familiar with the creative process of composing music and writing lyrics. So how is the interaction between Arjen and you when it comes to combining the music that Arjen writes with the lyrics that you write?

Well, it works like this: He sends me the instrumental music that is basically finished but can still be changed if needed. I work with the impression the song gives me. When Arjen hears what I sing, he changes the music again to fit my vocals.

A true interaction! What about the titles of the songs? Do you name the songs? Or do you do that together with Arjen?

For the first two songs we had written I found it hard to come up with a title. Then Arjen thought up the titles and I liked them. They were good. The titles of the last songs I made up myself.

How did you feel when you sang your version of ‘Temple of the Cat’?

Funny, yes. I thought at first it was the intention for me to do it exactly like the first version, but I found that a bit boring. I thought: “It's nice, but there is so much potential to do more with it.” Then Arjen told me it was the intention for me to do it absolutely my way. So I sort of experimented with it...

As you said: you wrote the lyrics. What inspired you to write the lyrics?

His music. Of course. You hear the music and then you get a certain feeling, certain ideas and you think "Hey, yes!" You try to feel what his idea behind a song is and what your own feelings are. With that in mind you start writing. It's not like I think "Hmm, let's do a song about this or that". You start somewhere and you will end up with something unexpected.

I did catch a glimpse of the lyrics of ‘Cold Metal’. Pretty heavy lyrics. I also understood from Arjen that "Sweet little Brother" also has some heavy lyrics. Can you give us an idea what the song is about?

It's about a crazy little brother that waits for me to come home and chases me with a huge sharp knife.

You don't have such a brother, I hope?

No. Well, I thought the song was about that. When I heard the music with the words, it was nice.

On the previous projects of Ayreon, the stories were always quite clear. Now the story is a bit vague and gives room for various interpretations. Maybe this will start some discussions between fans on the mailing list about what your lyrics mean.

Earlier you already mentioned some albums; do you follow the present day music scene?

Well, at least not the charts. I wouldn't know who's in it. But I do keep up with the bands I like. Unfortunately a lot of bands I like don't exist anymore.

Like Nirvana?

Yes.

What kind of music do you like?

I think the rock side of music. But as you know, I also like Kate Bush and Loreena McKennit and that kind of music. My taste is quiet varied actually. I also like Alanis Morisette .

I don't know if this question is too early, but do you already have plans to do something after Ambeon?

No, not yet.

Or do you think, "we'll see"?

Yes, the latter. At least I want to go on with it, but what and how I don't know.

If Arjen would ask you to join on a new Ayreon project, would you like that?

Yes, I would like that.

[At this point father Klaas joins the discussion]

Klaas:
Recently Mental Theo called and wanted to work with Astrid. But I reacted dismissive. Astrid didn't want it, so that's it. I can imagine that if you are more the type that likes Ayreon, Nirvana and the Cure that you are not eager to work with someone like Mental Theo (A dance producer/performer).

But I only work with people I like and not with people who are in the money-business, that's not my line of thinking. It might be important, but I want to work with people I like.

Would you like to perform live, within one or two years or so?

Yes. Actually I am already performing at the moment.

When you write the lyrics, are you just sitting on the bed or on the couch writing? Or...?

Usually I just turn on the music and start singing. The words don't mean anything then. You start with some ideas, but in my opinion...I just search for the right vocal line with some words. Then I finish the lyrics and then fit them in with the music. It all happens at the same time. Not first this and then that, but simultaneously.

So while listening to the music, you start to think what could fit?

Yes. For example for a song I just finished, I had an idea and a feeling, but not something solid to work with. And one day I was at school and I got an idea for the words. So I wrote the song there and finished it at home. But that was an exception.

Do you have any equipment to record these songs?

Not the best in the world, but good enough.

To give Arjen an idea of what you have in mind?

Well actually I write the song, come to his studio and sing it. And he hears it for the first time. A bit scary.

Klaas:
There was one song she recorded and I instantly fell in love with it. I never have that, mostly I have to get used to a song. But not this one...which one was that?

High.

I don't have to guess what that one is about?

No, you don't. You'll find out yourself in time.

I am very curious...

O.K. Great.

The year 2000 was a unique year for Ayreon fans. Not one but three albums this year and already advanced plans for another one next year. When will Ambeon be released?

Around April 2001.

In the beginning of the interview you mentioned the fact that you had singing lessons for about 4 years.

Klaas:
She could already sing at a very young age and she was always busy with that. I've been a teacher for 25 years now, but in all that time I never heard anyone who could really sing. There were some who could sing a bit. But not like: 'he / she can really sing...'

Is singing something you can learn or something that you just can do?

I don't think you can learn it.

Klaas:
Everyone can learn to sing to some extent. I don't think a person who sings out of key can really learn to sing.

I'm sure that's not possible.

Well, I can't sing. Sometimes I wish I could. But all I can do is play my cd player!

Klaas:
But you can have enough feeling for music to enjoy it!

I personally think you can hear it yourself if you sing out of key. But if you don't hear that, I think you will never be able to do it right.

You sing and play at the same time, right?

Yes.

You have made a solo CD called ‘Beautiful Red’. Did you do that just for yourself or can we find it in all the record stores?

It is a nice album, but mainly meant for those I know. So people can get an impression of how I sing and what I can do. I wrote the songs, sang and played the piano as well.

We listen to some songs of Astrid's album "Beautiful Red", in my humble opinion a pleasant way to finish an interview. Of course we thank Astrid and her father for their hospitality and taking the time for the interview.