BLUE DRIFT

DATE: 2005 SEPTEMBER 5TH
PLACE: E-MAIL
WEBSITE: Blue Drift official
The Morrigan has been (or currently is ?) an important band for drummer Arch and Dave, but the music style is quite different from the Blue Drift one. How about the spark that lighted Blue Drift ?
The three of us have played together in covers bands for 15 to 20 years and Blue Drift came from jamming together.
The Morrigan is folk rock , Arch still plays with them, you might like to check link on our web site.

I found several noble influences in your music. Sometimes you are really symphonic and melodic in Camel vein , sometimes more spacey in Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree vein, and finally I found a healthy touch of jazz and fusion. Do you identify Blue Drift's attitude with this description ?
This is a good description. We took inspiration from Rush, Genesis, Yes, Flower Kings, Brand x, Hawkwind, Gong, Ozrics, classical and jazz plus many more.

Why the name Blue Drift ?
It started as Blue Shift, then we liked the sound of Blue Drift.

Is the instrumental and evocative space-rock vein influenced by the Stonehenge ruins near Salisbury ?
Yes, we have lived near Stonehenge all our lives and Arch visits that place every year on summer solstice.

Besides, I think the lack of a singer is not absolutely a limit for your music. Is it a definite choice or you think you can add vocal lines in the future?
We are happy with the way we work together instrumentally but anything may happen.

I personally love both the works for different reasons but inside "Cobalt Coast" I found shorter songs as well as a heavier approach of Dave's guitar playing: I'm thinking of the first part of "Freak Weather" and "Cape Canaveral", for example. Maybe have you written them many years before this release ?
Yes, some material for "Cobalt Coast" was written by Dave previously, while "Mariner" more as three-piece.

You wrote "Deep Space" by yourself : maybe it is the only "Mariner" song where you show only one progressive attitude. Are you the space-rock soul inside the band?
We,ve all seen Hawkwind in the 80,s and are big fans. "Levitation" is my favorite.
Your favourite bass players ?
Geddy Lee from Rush got me playing bass, along with Chris Squire, Jaco Pastorious, Percy Jones, Jonas Reingold and Mick Karn.

What do you think about the current progressive rock scene ? Do you think it's growing in the right way ?
There are some excellent new bands, still very much alive.
Is it a problem to be a three-piece on stage ? I mean, are you able to create the same wonderful and quite complex atmospheres on stage ?
We have quite a powerful live sound and we use midi a fair bit, drum triggers and bass pedals with keyboards.

When I listened to your music for the first time, I thought: "Wow, I can't believe they are self-producing their releases !!". "I can't believe nobody asked them to sign a deal !!". Or do you prefer to go on this way ?
Unfortunately, Prog is a bit under ground in the UK, the internet has helped us get some exposure, we are good friends and love how Blue Drift has evolved making music.

Luca Alberici