The Universal Migrator - part 1
Aardschok Magazine
01-06-2000
Did the fantasy/science-fiction specialist Arjen Anthony Lucassen succeed in surpassing his masterpiece, the double cd "Into The Electric Castle"? Aardschok takes with both hands the opportunity to be the first to listen to this special dual science fiction story "The Universal Migrator". When I look up Arjen in his countryside home, he barely eight hours ago finished the mastering process. The man sparkles with enthusiasm. No wonder, because Lucassen releases on one bang two separate cd's: the atmospheric 'Universal Migrator Part 1: The dream Sequencer (seventy minutes) and the rock-hard heavy metal album 'Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight Of The Migrator. And when on top of that you were able to tie in names like Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Gary Wehrkamp (Shadow Gallery) and Neil Morse (Spock's Beard), then the word proud is but a modest expression. Of course I can't wait, but Arjen finds it important to sketch the outline of the story first. After that comes the music. Convinced of the idea, I take place inside his 'Electric Castle' studio, a cramped housing filled with recording equipment and old, analogue synthesizers. With a full color print of the all saying album cover designs, the attractive cd booklets and the lyrics in front of me, I live through the exciting adventure.
The story
"Remember that the blind minstrel on the first Ayreon cd, 'The Final Experiment', predicted that the earth would go down in 2084? 'Universal Migrator part 1: The Dream Sequencer' is set in the twenty second century. Mankind indeed is extinct and the earth is completely devastated. In the meantime there is a colony on Mars still alive that was once founded by humanity. They have lived through the disaster. At a certain point their food supplies runs out and the oxygen is nearly gone and the colony dies anyway, with one man left. He is the main character of my story and has never been to earth.. The colonist finds he has nothing to lose and steps into the Dream Sequencer, an invention with which one can travel back to one's youth and the lives before that, under hypnosis. A month after I had thought up this story, Dream Theatre came with the same principle on 'Metropolis pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory' ", sighs the musician, "It made me completely crazy and I pictured the comments already in front of me." Arjen looks thoughtful, cuddles his snow-white cat Wolkje and picks up the story again. "On the first CD the colonist travels back to a former life per track. Thus in 1969 he relives the first moon landing, , reincarnates as an ensign bearer in the painting "The Nachtwacht" by Rembrandt, lived in the Maya age, turns out to have been Ayreon in the sixth century, until he finally reincarnates as the first standing man on earth. Yes, how do you get to these kind of historical moments? Mostly from a children's encyclopedia.
When the colonist on the second CD wakes up from his hypnosis, he decides to go back even further, back to the time before the Big Bang. Something no one has ever done. During that Big bang one great soul came to be, that I call The Universal Migrator. The Universal Migrator divides into millions of souls that will seek out planets to give life to. The colonist follows one of the souls on it's way to the earth. Along the way they encounter astronomical phenomena like wormholes, white holes, black holes and quasars. For this I had to get into the research of the scientist Stephen Hawking."
A First Impression
With the story in the back of my mind, the music flies by like an exciting science fiction movie, that grips you 'till the end. It is a huge piece and because of the many musical details not comprehendible in one take. The two cd's are as different as day is from night. 'The Dream Sequencer' is a real 'head phone' piece and according to Arjen the song is central. A true trip that guide the listener along easy musical paths. The beginning is sleepy and depressive, but along the way optimistic sounds come through. The dreamy acoustic guitars, the folk-like passages, the many floating Pink Floyd like guitar solos and the ambient soft sounds are pleasantly intoxicating. The analogue keyboard themes expose the longing for the seventies. Sometimes with only limited means a grand atmosphere is created and the atmospheric intro's of each song builds a certain tension. On the wall four portraits of the Beatles are hanging.
This love is found in the vocals. The supernatural performances of the guest vocalists, Johan Edlund (Tiamat), Floor Jansen (After Forever), Lana Lane, Edward Reekers (Kayak, Ayreon), Mouse (Tuesday Child), the storming new talent Jacqueline Govaert (Krezip), Arjen Lucassen, Damian Wilson (Landmarq, Treshold Ayreon) and Neil Morse (Spock's Beard) are impressive. The real metal-head will have most fun with the 'Flight Of The Migrator' or 'The Heavy Bastard' as Arjen calls it. 'Chaos' blows out with violence. From the beginning to the end the heavy guitar riffs rage through space, the double bass blows like crazy and fast guitar solo's and screaming singers are flying around. The sound is heavy, rocking, modern, grand, dramatic and bombastic, but yet with the recognizable Ayreon touch. Even here it seems our master composer has practiced magic, because power vocalists Russel Allen (Symphony X), Ralf Scheepers (Gamma Ray, Primal Fear), Andi Deris (Helloween), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Fabio Lione (Rhapsody), Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarious), Robert Soeterbroek (Ayreon) and Ian Parry (Elegy, Vengeance), not only sound superb, but sometimes also unrecognizable. This truth stands: Arjen has surpassed himself with this fantastic production and as far as I am concerned the one albums cannot do without the other.
The Making of...
The spring time sun burns bright and in the meantime we have moved to the terrace. A proud peacock named Piek, parades during the interview across the yard. Many times his loud call interrupts the interview, but it illustrates the country side atmosphere in which Arjen feels himself so very well. About a year and a half ago, during the promotion of 'Into The Electric Castle' evil plans already began to surface about a successor. "Just to make sure I wouldn't fall in a black hole", confesses the musician smiling. "That in the end it became two separate albums can be called at least remarkable. In the first instance I wanted to make a quietly album. Something Floyd-like. I do hate to repeat myself. But yes, along the way I got the feeling that something had to be rocked. That's how the idea came up to make a atmospheric and a heavy cd, that I do consider to be my fourth and fifth release. You know, it is something new again without the Ayreon style having been changed radically. I do not perform anymore for years. Who really is my audience? That's what I hope to find out."
"Working with multiple guest vocalists per song on 'Into The Electric Castle' was a hell of a job and limited the choice of songs," Arjen points out, "reason enough to do the job different this time. The plan was to have every song sung by another singer. But how then do you present a continuing story? How do you fit that into one concept? It at the same time had to be realistically but not patronizing. It kept me busy for months. During my weekly round of jogging it came to me to let someone under hypnosis returning to former lives. That way I could give each reincarnation it's own character. With working out the details I have been busy for about half a year. Personally I think that 'The dream Sequencer' is more a typical Ayreon album that the 'Flight Of The Migrator'. One thing is sure, I will never regret this!!"
The premature plan of letting the heavy album be sang by male vocalists and the atmospherically cd by female vocalists fell in the water a little bit. "The problem was that I could not get enough female singers. Anneke van Giersbergen wanted to, but her band members weren't enthusiastic about it. Sarah Bettens of K's Choice thought it was great, but to far from her world en in the end did not dare it. Liv Kristine from Theatre Of Tragedy did not respond to my letter and Mathilde Santing also didn't work out. I still regret that it ended with this. There have been quite a lot of ideas that ended up in the wastebasket and there were moments that I became really desperate, but looking back everything went very quick in the end. For the first time I was very sure of myself and I succeeded in getting top vocalists. That definitely gives self-confidence. No, there wasn't a moment when I didn't dare to ask someone. Ayreon has build up a good reputation and that helps. Musically I wanted to go as extreme as possible. "Into The Electric Castle" was an honest album, without samples, with as less resonance possible and as natural as possible. Now it had to be over the top, with a clear statement. Being cautious is not convincing. That attitude is sacred for me from the beginning onward. No, over exaggerate gruesomely, but do it perfectly, for otherwise you will be finished off."
Full of passion the talkative Arjen tells what moves him time and again to undertake such a great project. "It always starts small. True! But because I work on it constantly it becomes big by itself. It is wonderful to create, to mess and to fiddle around. I like to do everything myself. I don't consider myself a huge talent that sits down for five minutes and there, another cd ready. I have to work really hard for it. How it starts? Most of the times I sit in front of the TV, with the sound off, fiddling with my guitar. The usable musical sketches I write down. Only later I work it out to complete songs with a drum computer. The arrangements come later. Guitar solo's I make up on the spot these days and that is working out better all the time. After that it's just a matter of point, cut and paste. I am just to much a perfectionist. Do I hear one squeak, then we have to do it over. Then I start to look which vocalists I can get. That is a real hell. It took for instance a year before I finally had Bruce Dickinson in my studio. For the second cd I have looked more specific in the progressive metal scene. Out of a pile of new cd's I made a selection of singers that appealed to me. The it is a matter of making the contacts. The internet is for that purpose a gigantic medium.
From many artists you never hear a thing, or it just doesn't work out. I wanted to have Tony Martin. He was interested, but it ended with the financial compensation. The singer of Gotthard (Steve Lee - Red.) wanted to do it, but had no time. In the end there is a list of people who are in and people who maybe are in. A guy like Dickinson stays a 'maybe' until the end. Also Andy Deris (Helloween) was recorded only two days before the final mix. For every song about ten different melody lines float through my head. When I finally have decided which song fits best by which singer, I am working out the melody line with the vocals. The lyrics come last, because for me the melody line, the atmosphere and the sound have more value than the lyrics. On top of that it has to be clear who in joining.
Look, with an Italian, for example, you have to watch out for words that are too complex. This time I very consciously put the singers in different kinds of environment, in order for them to sing different than with their own band. The reactions were different. I think Timo Kotipelto at first didn't like his song. Great of course that he became enthusiastic about it. Also Damian Wilson didn't like his song at all at first and did it because he wanted to be on the project very much. I realize that I take chances, but I sense very well what fits someone. That is one of my talents. My power is that I keep the whole picture in view and rarely go wrong. It is the spontaneous chemistry between me and the artists and that results into something very good." Arjen rises up energetically and starts to smile proudly when I ask him how the hell he managed to get a Bruce Dickinson in his studio?
"Through my manager who met Bruce once in England. In the first instance I did not got any reaction on my proposition. During that time Bruce returned to Iron Maiden and I thought I could forget the whole thing. At a certain moment my manager got Bruce on the phone and asked if he still by any chance had some interest in Ayreon. And that he had! Party of course. After that came the tormenting way of constant calling and bargaining. Every time I thought of Dickinson I became nauseous with tension. At the last moment it all worked out. In the beginning Bruce himself was a bit nervous. You don't expect that from such a great artist. This was of course a boys dream coming true. And what do you know? Stands there in the morning changing his bed sheets. Funny huh?"
Heavy Metal
It shows how many young, popular metal singers are involved. "The sound of their vocals appealed to me and that's why I have approached them. It is not a way of just going with the current trend, for then I would have made Rhapsody like songs. and let the singers act accordingly. Of course the fact that the bombastic heavy metal is popular now, does influence things, but I just like that kind of music. Of course the reputation of a singer is a motivation, I won't lie about that, but I would not just use a vocalist just because of his fame. A familiar name means better sales arguments, which makes me enough money to make a next album. That is the most important for me. With 'Flight Of The Migrator' I clearly refer back to the Rainbow era and not to the younger metal days of Iron Maiden and Helloween. Listen to the keys and the sequencers that play an important part in this. They're pure analogue keyboards. The big guys form the old days like Minimoog, OB8, Prophet 5, Solina, Juno 60 and Hammond A100. Those are the ones that stay standing in the final mix. The sound is warmer and yet sharper. Many keyboard players nowadays sound like guitar players and that is a pity.
Most of the accompanying keyboard parts I played myself. But I still can't play solos. So I like to leave that to the guest musicians." Because of the different characters of the albums Arjen worked with two different drummers. "Ed Warby (Gorefest, Ayreon, Elegy) has shown me the added value of a good drummer. He is incredible fast and virtuous. And yes, if I can have him, why look further? A soft style is not Ed's strongest side, so for 'The Dream Sequence' I had to look for someone else. After having seen a Celestial Season show, I knew Rob Snijders was thé man. I also had contacted the drummer from Porcupine Tree, but he reacted too late. Looking back I have made the right choice. Rob plays so relaxed and swinging. Just what the material needed."
For some time Arjen works intensively with American keyboard specialist Erik Norlander (Rocket Scientist, Lana Lane). Arjen can be heard on the new Rocket Scientist album, the new Lana Lane album and the solo album of Erik Norlander. It is no surprise that Norlander plays a major part on the new Ayreon releases. "I have never met someone that is exactly on the same wave length I am. That man bursts of musical knowledge. His lyrics are very good and he knows a lot of everything. Erik did read through all the lyrics and co-wrote lyrics and contributes lots of ideas. Erik has been deeply involved in the entire process and plays on all songs. Ours working together was very educational and will definitely be continued."
Evolution
In over five years time Ayreon is five CDs further. How does Arjen experience the musical growth of his brainchild? "On the new albums there are no weak parts in my opinion. Though looking back I have that feeling with the previous albums. Especially on the production area and the choice of vocalists and sounds Ayreon has progressed immensely. As a person? I now have my own studio and I am all by myself. I like that. The moment Vengeance ended I found my rest. I am grateful that I have experienced the whole circus. Since a couple of days I have passed the magical border of forty years These contrary albums might symbolize the schizophrenic phase in my life, haha" Whether Arjen is afraid to get too tied up in the Ayreon format, is something he doesn't want to think about. "I do get frightened a bit. What to do next? Al my favorite instruments are being used. So all those synthesizers, the heavy guitars, the flutes, Hammond organ and certain vocalists will always stay. Music is timeless and that is an advantage. A gothic album or a ghost story, a bit soundtrack like with a real orchestra goes through my mind. What I definitely don't want is quantity. It always has to be quality.
It seems an obsession these days to release as much albums as possible per year, hoping for fast cash. That is ridiculous. Ayreon has to remain exclusive. Once per two years a release is fine. And then everybody may wait for that. As long as I enjoy creating and listening to music, you can count on good music. Sometime ago I interviewed David Gilmour for the Dutch magazine Oor. He explained that music doesn't interest him much anymore. Yes, that's when it goes wrong of course. Every week I check out the cd's for new bands. Magazines with a cd included I always buy. Not that I always like everything, but I do want to hear everything, because I like to keep up. Bruce Dickinson, Russel Allen and Damian Wilson have asked me by the way to start up a project. What kind of music that is going to be I don't know, for I can put anything in Ayreon. A guest part on someone else's album is something I like to do, provided I like the music. Time? Come on, it's only a couple of hours of your life. It's just like shopping."
When I finally ask about the rumors around the making of a film of 'Into The Electric Castle', Arjen enthusiastically pops up a real script with accompanying drawings. "Through e-mail I was approached by some Czech guy from America. He tracked me down through Fish. Oh, I had received more of these vague messages, so it was fine with me. Only his e-mails became more specific and at a certain point he came down to Holland. Then I took it seriously. I checked the proposition and adapted it. This guy is clearly on the same wavelength. It is going to be a 3D animation film and Boris Vallejo, a top designer in the fantasy animation business, designs the drawings of the characters. The film will be made in Czech. That is cheaper and there are the best animators. Warner Brothers is also in it and it is the intention that the film will be in the cinemas. There is nothing further I dare to say about this. How does it feel? A dream coming true! So scary, I don't want to think about it."