Interviews: Past And Secrets

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Djent project Past And Secrets from France. Check out the interview and follow the project on his FACEBOOK PAGE!

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

First of all, thank you for granting me this interview. Past and Secret is a one-man band project. I decided to give it this title in order to relate my emotions through my past, present, and future events. I wanted to talk about my secrets over the years. That's why the name was so easy to come up with.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

I'm a big fan of Pink Floyd and all its ambiance, as well as DJent music, and I'm inspired by bands like Périphérie and even Meshuggah. I wanted to combine the djent universe with an ambient world so that listeners could create their own emotions by listening to the music. It was also important for me to create an instrumental project so that everyone could think about what they wanted about each song.

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

To answer your question, I'm alone on this project. After one of my old bands stopped, I needed to keep in touch with music and that's why I decided to create this solo project. I do feature international artists on my solos, but it was important for me to make music again and enjoy myself.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

I'm a big fan of Pink Floyd and all those 70s when we saw such varied and inspiring things appear. I'm also a big fan of Djent Music, being inspired by bands like Periphery and Meshuggah. I also had my share of youth listening to bands like Limp Bizkit and even Korn. I was also rocked by guitar heroes like Steve Vai, who was one of my great sources of inspiration. Sometimes I also listen to classical music and 90s pop-rock, or even jazz. The influences are very varied and I'm very happy about that.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

As a general rule, I draw my inspiration from past, present, and future events, which is why the project is called Past and Secrets. Every moment in my life allows me to write certain songs. My inspiration comes really naturally. Every time I write something, it's mostly inspired by sounds I can hear.

6. Where was your last gig?

My last concert was in Lille (France). The next ones will be at international shows like Guitar Summit and SHG in Milan. I also have the opportunity to play at NAMM in Los Angeles.

7. Where would you like to act?

As I'm alone in the project and work for international brands, I have the opportunity to play at various trade fairs to represent the products sold by the brand (Guitar Summit, NAMM). It's a great opportunity and above all a vote of confidence.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

My dream is to be able to collaborate with great international artists on solos. I don't have any specific names, but it would be great to be able to work with one of them one day. Come on, if I have to mention a name, why not Steve Vai or David Gilmour?

9. Whom not?

I don't really have a name in mind, but I don't see myself collaborating with modern music artists who are played over and over again on television or radio.

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

It's my daily lot. Going on stage alone or making an album alone is a daily worry. You want to give the best of yourself to satisfy people and allow them to travel. When you go out on stage, you don't know what can happen. You have to face problems alone and that's always stressful. And unfortunately, you don't have a magic remedy because you don't know what can happen. But music should remain a pleasure and not a constraint.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

I'm a big fan of Pink Floyd and throughout the 70s I listened to my family's vinyl records with bands like Genesis and Van Halen. When I was young, I listened to a lot of neo-metal, but I'm open to a lot of different styles, so I'm pretty inspired. 

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

I can't talk about anything strange that a fan might have asked me, but one reaction in particular. After one of my concerts, a little boy was standing in front of me with his hands behind his back. He was afraid to come and see me. When I got to him, he started crying and asked me to take some photos with him and sign him an autograph. He then followed me over to the little merchandising table I'd made and I signed a CD and a poster for him and took a few photos with him. It was one of the most magical moments in my life as a musician.

13. What do you think of your fans?

All the people who follow my project are very important to me because they give me the strength to carry on. As I've already explained, I write music for myself as well as to take people on a journey. The fact that I get more or less negative feedback gives me the strength to carry on and the desire to make music. They are a very important part of the project and I can't thank them enough.

14. What do you think of our site?

I'm not going to talk specifically about your site, but above all about what you do for artists like me who are not very well known. You take the time to give us a chance to discover our music. That's really important. You do this in your spare time and you do it above all out of passion. I know that many of us ask for reviews or interviews and it's not always easy to manage. So thank you once again.

15. Something add?

I'm about to repeat myself, but I'd like to thank you again for the time you've given me, and I'd also like to thank all the readers who will take the time to find out more about this interview. Past and Secrets project is available on all distribution platforms and also on Facebook and Instagram. You can also find the project's CDs on the Big Cartel page under the name Past and Secrets. Thank you so much