Interview with Kris Vlad (vocals) from Vlad In Tears
Kris Vlad / VLAD IN TEARS: “People shouldn't be afraid of smiling just because they're dressed black”. VLAD IN TEARS, Italian/ German Gothic Rock band from Berlin, are going to play DMF 2015. Right before the festival we got to talk to Kris Vlad, band leader and founder, the voice and “heart” of VLAD IN TEARS. It was about making a new video and love their loyal fans deserve, about priceless moments on tours and enjoying beautiful Berlin parks, about the way you can get Vlad addict and something you haven’t do not to see Kris as Evil on earth – there’re just some topics to make you curious… So, here we go…
Reflections of Darkness {RoD]: Kris, as our interview is actually dedicated to DMF let’s start from it… Is it the first DMF you’re gonna play? What do you expect of it, of Munich audience?
Kris: Yes it is, I think it's gonna be fun, we already have been in Munich for some live shows, I think we will all have lots of fun!
RoD: How do you get ready to play at the festival? Should it be a special setlist or something?
Kris: We will choose the best and the most powerful songs we have of course, so people will enjoy the best of VLAD IN TEARS.
RoD: How do you usually get ready for the show - you personally and you all as a band? Do you have any special traditions, “rituals” right before going on stage?
Kris: I don't have any special traditions, we warm up, we talk and we get ready to rock, right before to get on stage we hug each other screaming.
RoD: You’re sharing the stage with some amazing bands at the DMF… Are you gonna see some other bands performing? Or it’s usually no time for that?
Kris: We don't know yet, it will depend on our timing schedule.
RoD: Your fourth studio record, self-titled album ‘Vlad In Tears’, was released last year in August and it’s definitely much heavier and darker than all the stuff you’ve made before… Why did it happen that VIT sound changed that way?
Kris: We wanted to get more heavy and get closer to the metal scene, so we've pushed a bit more our sound, and my voice as well.
RoD: What did you want to tell to your fans by the new album? Try to put it in a pretty short sentence or a message..
Kris: Be careful, you can get Vlad addict...!
RoD: The first video from the new album is ‘Feed On Me’, followed by ‘Run Or Fight’; now the third one, ‘My Way’... How did you choose the songs to feature them as a singles, to make a video for?
Kris: We wanted to pick the most representative songs we had and promote Vlad’s making also video clips, people like them. In the specific case of ‘My Way’ we wanted to involve directly most of our fans to be part of the video, and they really loved the idea.
RoD: Did you like the experience of recording Feed On Me video with your fans being a part of it?
Kris: Yes of course we did, it's been really awesome and we will never forget it, I think our fans either, we worked so hard all together and we were really happy at the end of the day.
RoD: Who came up with idea to put those sweet and funny backstage moments into ‘Run Or Fight’ video?
Kris: I did, I made most of Vlad’s videos so far, I really like to do it, and it's really satisfying for me. I wanted to show a different side of my band, more funny and "human", because I think people shouldn't be afraid of smiling just because they're dressed black.
RoD: ‘And to My Way’ now… You made amazing cover of this legendary song by Frank Sinatra. How do you feel working on such a classic stuff? Is it a big responsibility or can you feel free with it?
Kris: We do what we like the most, that's the beauty of being an artist, we liked the idea of covering Frank Sinatra in our own way, and the result was quite good. People still sing along every time we play it live, and it feels really good.
RoD: How do you think what songs from the new album do people like most?... How do you feel it playing live?
Kris: Everybody has a different taste, so I can't really tell, we love to play them live and people always enjoy our performances. The main thing to us is to keep everything dynamic, so we never get boring or too "flat".
RoD: What funny or weird presents have you got from your fans?
Kris: The weirdest? Well... 5 stuffed penises.
RoD: Do you remember your very first live performance? How did you feel then?
Kris: I don't actually remember ‘cause I had so many that today it feels like one big journey... But anyway I think our first live show must have been really bad! Hahaha!
RoD: What was the hardest moment in history of the band?
Kris: It was when my brother Alessio left the band. I felt lost and I thought I couldn't make it, but we kept it tight.
RoD: Since you’re in Berlin you got to play really a lot live – touring with other great bands, then release shows, UK tour, some local festivals and acoustic sets... What bands did you like most to share the stage with? What show of the last year do you remember as a special one?
Kris: We liked all we did so far and all the bands we have shared the stage with, even if sometimes it wasn't easy. Probably one of the most exciting moments we had was when I shared the stage singing with Daniel Schulz from UNZUCHT, that was really a nice time for me, good memories, even if it feels like it's been always a rush... But of course we did enjoy it all.
RoD: What do you like and what don’t like being on tour?
Kris: I like to play around the world and feel always like it's the first time, spend time with my band and having nice and deep talks sometimes is more intense than anything else... What you hate of being on tour? It's always a rush and working with five or six different people, who have different habits etc… sometimes makes us all crazy!
RoD: You’re a professional pianist playing since the age of eight, right? Did you study vocals also? What is your vocal range?
Kris: Yes indeed, I also have studied singing, I'm actually a teacher and my vocal range is four octaves.
RoD: There were some rumours about your acoustic album… Is this idea still in your head?
Kris: Yeah maybe... We are still considering when to do it and how to do it exactly.
RoD: Would you like to write a soundtrack for a movie one day? What a movie could it be?
Kris: Of course I would like to, I actually have studied movies music composition, it's a specific study you need to do if you want to be capable of making soundtrack... And I'd love to make it for a Tim Burton movie, in my dreams, or for a horror movie, but then it should be a VLAD IN TEARS song then...
RoD: What places do you like in Berlin (except the clubs and other party venues)? Are there the ones where you feel really good, where you can come to think of something important?
Kris: I personally love the parks here in Berlin, mostly the one close to my flat... I go there really often to enjoy the nature and think...
RoD: What is your best habit? Worst trait?
Kris: My best habit? To think positive and make people feel better or understood. My worst trait? Early in the morning I'm the Evil on earth!
RoD: What a main rule, principle you follow in your life you’d never break whatever happens?
Kris: Believe in yourself, and don't lie, unless you have to save somebody's ass.
RoD: Are you a dreamer?
Kris: Of course I am, I'm an artist and I love art.
RoD: And, finally… Please finish it: You’re ready for a crazy (in a good way), desperate act for...
Kris: Desperate act for Love.
RoD: What would you like to wish to your loyal fans?
Kris: I wish to all our fans the best every day, ‘cause people who are following us every day and anyway deserve to be loved back and to be happy, and, when you have something to live for never stop believing life is always worthy...
Dark Munich Festival (30th April to 3rd May 2015): http://d-m-f.me
Written by Olga Burlaka (Ukrainian Gothic Portal). The Russian version of the article is available HERE!
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