Pavel Okunev: You know, I somewhere collided with opinion that "Returning of King" is similar on "Mirror, Mirror", but I similar do not see anything there in general (laughting). Neither harmoniously, nor melodiously. Probably, simply time theme general - such melodious Middle Ages. That's all. Well, or on spirit, in fact BLIND GUARDIAN actually sing about the same. And then - if it is similar, it is good!!! For us honour to be similar on BLIND GUARDIAN!!! I (laughting) joke, certainly...

F.: OK. Your album "About Wanderings Eternal and About the Earth" has left almost simultaneously with show of the third part of "The Lord of Rings ". Did not come fat man with thick purses and did not speak you: "Guys, give, use yours song in advertising campaign, and all will be great?.. "

P.O.: Not, did not come. Maybe, because we did not want it, in fact it seems to me, that if we wanted, the answer for certain would be positive. Actually, "About Wanderings..." should leave still one year ago - there were problems with mastering, sound producing, any financial overlays - therefore it is mere chance, that the album with a song "Returning of King" has appeared just before showing a film. Though if all has turned out how you have told, would be great. In fact, that bad in man with a thick purse which to me will tell: "Let's use your song..."? He has made nothing - he will not buy me thus. Simply my song will be heard with other people...

F.: It would be cool - you turn on a TV set, and there - song of "ARDA"...

P.O.: Yeah, we just work in this direction. We study to be friends of the TV, so to say. Now have already finished record of a hymn for a racing team. I do not remember precisely as it refers to, in my opinion "Art-Line Engineering" is the championship of the Formula Russia or Formula Lada... More shortly, we write for them a hymn and all music, and all this will be on the TV - when there will be races, music of "ARDA" will constantly sound, and in prompts the hymn will rattle.

F.: That is have decided to encroach on laurels of QUEEN?

P.O.: Yes. Actually, to us came thick the man with purses and speak: " we sponsor racers! We very much like a song of QUEEN "We Are The Champions" (by the way, they have told it directly) and we want, that at us the same hymn was!.. " (laughting) we have told: "All right!!!"

F.: I know, that you intended to penetrate on MTV with a song "There Is Nobody ". It has turned out?

P.O.: Well, you know, there were no expectations to penetrate on MTV. There were people which wanted to help, but now still in process. Moreover, I am not confident, that it will be the same "There Is Nobody" though, from the certain point of view, it would be and is correct. But while - I do not know. We thought of " Nashe Radio", however and there all till now is at a stage "yes - is not present", as it is impossible to bring simply the cartridge or a disk and tell him: "Listen to us!!! We such remarkable!!! " At once you will go to trash. All this is done at the top, and we wait, that there, "on top", will tell... Basically, has passed not so a lot of time. If from the moment of an release of an album has passed year - we would recognize, that at us it has turned out nothing. But while we, it is possible to tell, we work above it...

F.: Clearly. On album you have song "Fly Away" in English. I read in one interview, that you all over again write all texts in English, and then translate them on Russian. Whether the truth it?

P.O.: It is any mistake has occurred in record at the interviewer. In English "base" is sometimes composed - when on rehearsal someone something plays, in English any I get on to sing much easier, than in Russian. If we spoke, that all over again we write all texts in English, and then we translate them on Russian, it would sound, at least, strange - in fact we live all the same in Russia. So all final texts are thought over and written in Russian from the beginning and up to the end. And this process, you can believe me, borrows not two minutes...

F.: Instead of there were desires to write down the album in two variants: in Russian and in English?

P.O.: We thought of it right at the beginning. Simply it needs much money - approximately twice more, than simply when we write an album. On record of a vocal and vocal arrangements at us half of time which has been carried out to studios left. If all words it was necessary rewrited on other language, we would not go in in the budget. Though offers till now act to translate the same "There Is Nobody" on the English, but we not so would like, in fact it is much more interesting to write down new songs, than to translate on English what already are...

F.: So, if we had gone conversation on a new material, how affairs move ahead?

P.O.: Now we prepare promo with draft variants of new songs which we shall dispatch on labels. From what label will agree, we shall make a start further...

F.: That is from CD-Maximum you do not work any more?

P.O.: CD-Maximum has priority right on listening of ours promo. If they will offer us conditions with which we shall be disagree, we have the full right to leave. In the contract even the item such is: "the Priority right of a label"...

F.: СD-Maximum Now sign amount of new group. You never collided what "ARDA" deprive of attention?

P.O.: No. I periodically even start to be rather afraid of enhanced attention from their side though it and is pleasant...

F.: By the way, your album left only as digi-pack or the part of circulation nevertheless has left in plastic?

P.O.: Only as digi-pack. And all further circulations which were printed the rest, were as digi-pack because I think, that the difference in one dollar is not so essential to spoil design of an album. The concept of music and the concept of art are closely connected in our creativity, therefore we would not like to transform "About Wanderings..." in a usual plastic box. Probably, we also shall lose any people which cannot dare to buy our album, but it hardly...

F.: Clearly. You're named a principal cause of the quiting EPIDEMIA was impossibility to realize some ideas. Which?

P.O.: Well, in EPIDEMIA it there were ideas of one person, and here it is my ideas. It is absolutely not important, we play the same style. EPIDEMIA is a group of one person, Jura Melisov. I simply wasn't prevented to him, in fact in a similar situation of an affair are as follows: there is an album and if you in group the leader and has composed all songs, you would like, that all of them have released on a disk. And when other musicians bring something, there it is already possible to think. In the given situation I solve all. I so independent, so want to realize my ideas. I in itself...

F.: Nevertheless, at concerts you perfom some songs of EPIDEMIA...

P.O.: No, we haven't songs of EPIDEMIA in our set, however we in remarkable relations with this group, and if somebody from musicians of EPIDEMIA (as a rule, it Jura Melisov) come with us on a stage then we play his songs. But in any way differently.

F.: Some provincial musicians rather unflatteringly express to address of the Moscow stage. They approve, that the Moscow musicians earn thousand dollars at hos work, cannot pull out, be untwisted itself e.t.c.. You can say a true state of affairs?

P.O.: Oh, somehow it sounds suspiciously... Well all right. First, for example, what sense to behave for the own money in tour? For what we have gradually evolving show business? For what there are labels and promotions-agencies? Just for this purpose be they should do it. Other business, it is possible to use the money for any local advertising. That is to paste stickers with the name of itself over all Moscow. Whatever one may do, and it will work. Can, in it there is a share of the truth. Well and that do not want... I cannot speak for all.

F.: In three words describe the Moscow stage...

P.O.: Well, we have huge quantity of the groups necessary only to itself and some of friends which come on their concerts. Someone names their pioneers, or still somehow. The most interesting, among them really quite good groups with good musicians, however by virtue of any circumstances - as a rule come across, personal - they are necessary for nobody. There is a small quantity of groups of an average level which collect more or less full clubs and are well sold. Also there are one - two megastars. That's all. And as far as it is impossible to be beaten out from the bottom level in average, it is so impossible to be beaten out from average upward.

F.: Making a start from that moment when you started to be engaged in music, and today how have changed for you - and whether have changed - sources of inspiration?

P.O.: Basically, has changed nothing. I still scoop inspiration of that me surrounds: books, own experiences which in this or that form are transformed to music...

F.: By the way, there was hearing as if all in ARDA have keeped power and started to play stuff such as KORN, SLIPKNOT...

P.O.: Nonsense what! We in general listen to ALL!!! I at all do not understand, that such power-metal. Other business, that our music is a little on it is similar (is a little:) - F.), but at us in group really NOBODY listens power-metal!!! In itself this style is not interesting. Yes, I listen to the basic groups which "have made" power: HELLOWEEN, BLIND GUARDIAN, GAMMA RAY - on what I have grown! - but all today's affairs... I turn on CD-player, I shall listen two tracks, and to me it becomes not interesting, boring and would be desirable to sleep.

F.: On your album there is an electronic composition "In Emptiness". Whether it is possible to expect, what in the future of similar influences begins more?

P.O.: Yes. We shall not hypertrophy anything, but we very much like to potter with electronics. Without it, our music would be much more boring. It is possible to tell, that on the Russian stage except for us in general there are no groups which would play same fast, melodious metal with electronic additions.

F.: All of us are people: it happens, angry, happens, on the contrary. In what mood you would not sit to write a song for ARDA?

P.O.: I would not sit to write a song for ARDA in absence of mood. I know huge quantity of people which write music only to write, actually. They speak themselves: " I Sit and I shall write a song... " I cannot do that.

F.: On the following album too will be inspirations from Tolkien?

P.O.: While we do not have any text anyhow connected with Tolkien. Is any fantasy verses, but they concern creativity of other writers more. There will be even one text of "Black book of Arda"...

F.: In due time, did you very loved Tolkien?

P.O.: Yes, but it was about four years ago. But to tolkienist as to movement I always concerned negatively and never counted myself tolkienist. Reading books of Tolkien, I could not identify myself with the person in any way, running at "Neskuchniy Sad" and brandish a wooden sword.

F.: If you had a chance to be taken off in "The Lord of Rings", what role you would play more likely: Gandaelf or the ork?

P.O.: I would play Legolas - that girls like...




ARDA's "About Wanderings Eternal and About the Earth" review you can read here' .