Interviews: Ereley

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Progressive Rock/Metal band Ereley from the Czech Republic. Check out this band and follow them on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, did you plan it or come out just like that?

Lukáš: The name ERELEY was originally created for a project by York and his then-girlfriend. Eventually, we recycled it for the band and came up with R = Réda (our last name), L = Lukáš, and Y = York. So our family connection is encoded in the name.

Jiří: As Lukáš says, it's a family brand. When I was persuaded to return to music in 2014, I wanted to continue with the name of my former band Ebola Joy, but the former members didn't agree, so the name Ereley was the obvious choice, no question.

Jan: I joined the band as an existing unit and the band name hasn't changed.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Luke: It wasn't so much a decision. I would say it came from which bands we "sucked in". I can speak for York on this one too, citing Opeth, Anathema, Moonspell, The Gathering, Tiamat, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, etc. I guess that's where the foundation for our work was formed. However, I should point out that when we do new stuff, we never think about whether we are making death metal or thrash metal. We just put it out there from the heart and let you music critics wonder what genre it is.

Jiří: In my youth, I played thrash metal, then dark electronic metal with elements of gothic, and doom. But I've always played metal music and I never care if it's black, death, thrash, core, doom... Nowadays we use the label "prog metal", but that's not important to me. For me the feeling, the mood is the first thing.

Jan: It's something new, something different. Something that is very rarely seen on the Czech scene and it's a genre that I enjoy and push further.

Willi: I try to play any style of music. As long as the music is interesting.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Luke: Since York is my father, you could say we knew each other before the band was formed.

Jiří: Lukáš is my son, so we know each other a bit. All the other people who went through the band were strangers and that's why we lost a lot of time because of personnel changes. We two have a clear priority and we subordinate everything to that.

Jan: I didn't know the gentlemen before the formation of the band. We started talking at one of their concerts. I joined the band two years later. Subscribe to DeepL Pro to edit this document. Visit www.DeepL.com/pro for more information.

Willi: I didn't know the guys before starting the band, but Lukas tried to get me to join the band back in 2015. At that time I was listening mostly to death metal and grindcore so we disagreed.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Luke: Tool

Jiri: Gojira

Jan: Agalloch

Willi: Dream Theater

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Luke: Women and life with them.

Jiří: All the lyrics are written by Lukáš. I do most of the music ideas. The feeling and emotion comes first.

Jan: In the band, we contribute to the creation of new songs mainly by contributing ideas to York's or Lukáš's "bluescripts".

6. Where was your last gig?

Luke: Karlovy Vary - MC Máčko.

7. Where would you like to act?

Luke: I would start modestly - Redrocks in the USA. I would continue in a modest way - Hellfest in France, but also for example in the Czech Republic - Brutal Assault.

Jiří: I've already done all the big Czech festivals, so I'd like to play with Gojira, Opeth, Devin Townsend...on a world tour. Oh yeah, we could start at Red Rocks in the US

Jan: DOWNLOAD Festival \m/

Willi: When in the Czech Republic, Brutal Assault, or Metal Fest. As for Europe, Hellfest and Wacken.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Luke: If I could choose and not have to think about anything, then I would definitely choose Mikael Ackerfeldt from Opeth or Steven Wilson from Porcupine Tree. On the female side, I would be incredibly grateful to work with Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering) and Chelsea Wolfe (Chelsea Wolfe). In the Czech Republic, I would love to do a collaboration with people from the bands ESAZLESA or LVMEN.

Jiří: With anyone who gives us the opportunity to present ourselves live, in front of the fans.

Jan: I think it would be more than great to collaborate with anyone who would bring something new again and take us a step further. But if I had to pick one name, it would be Devin Townsend.

Willi: If I had to pick one band, it would be Dream Theater.

9. Who not?

Luke: Hehe, interesting question. I don't have one name in my head, but conceptually I would probably be against working with people who support extremist factions, or various homophobes.

Jiří: I don't have a specific name either, but I don't like artists who bring politics into it. And there's no place in my life for arrogant idiots. Because if you argue with an idiot for more than 15 seconds, there are already two idiots.

Jan: Probably the other way around. Anyone who would be involved in the demise of the creation/band or damage its name.

Willi: I don't know.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Luke: I experience this at every concert. But probably for different reasons than you might expect. Since I'm in charge of technical support in the band, until I'm on stage and I know that everything is working as it should, I get nervous. Once I make sure we have everything and everything is working, I'm relaxed. I don't get nervous about the actual performance, I look forward to that. But I used to. And the way out was through quality home preparation ahead of time. Not one day before the concert. But really a daily practice of the material over some extended period of time.

Jiří: I don't have stage fright. But a slight nervousness is very good because it is the engine to maximum performance.

Jan: Every time. It takes exactly until we play the first note of the first song. Then I knew I was with the guys and no longer noticed the difference between stage and experience.

Willi: I always have it before the concert. I'll have 1 beer before the show and then I'm cool.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Luke: So the absolutely crucial band for me was my dad's band "Ebola Joy". Dark electro-metal, that's what enchanted me and brought me to music. Then there was the aforementioned period of 90s Gothic metal. Then I moved away from metal towards Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and Simon & Garfunkel. And then I was drawn back to Tool.

Jiří: That's a very long list. Testament, Slayer, Kreator, Gojira, Opeth, Pink Floyd, Devin Townsend, Rammstein, Behemoth...

Willi: So for me, the first one was definitely Rammstein in 2004 when I was 13, and also Fear Factory. Later on, I was inspired by Chimaira, Slipknot, and also Dream Theater.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Luke: To receive charity

Jiří: I signed my breast, but I guess that's normal.

Jan: Signature on body parts where the signature couldn't fit ;)

Willi: Drumming after the gig, when I was composing drums.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Luke: Since our genre is very marginal, personally am incredibly grateful for every listener who enjoys our music. I think the classic Ereley fan will be a bit out of the metal fan's league, as our music is not a one-shot you slap on the background, but demands attention as it is multilayered. Is it good for the mainstream? Definitely not. But is it fine for the few of you who still really listen to music? I think so 

Jiří: We are going our own way, we have our own face, so I am happy for every fan who likes our way.

Jan: I am incredibly grateful for everyone who listens to our music and supports us in our future work. We play things that aren't meant to be heard the first time, which makes me all the happier when we blow people away at a show, or when people come back to our shows.

Willi: I definitely don't listen to technical brutal death metal

14. What do you think of our site?

Luke: I'm glad that there are still people who live music.

Jiří: I didn't know your website, but I already have it in my "favorites" folder. Your work brings people together and I appreciate that very much.

Jan: You do great work for the bands and we appreciate it!

15. Something to add? 

Jiří: On behalf of the whole band, thank you very much for the space for our band and I wish you much success and joy in your work. In general, I wish people would turn off their cell phones, and computers...go out and find what connects them and live with a smile.