Exclusive Magazine interview May 2006.
Candice Night
'One Dark Night,
Magic Came Alive'
Renaissance
revelers rejoice-the extraordinary "now age" musical entity
known as Blackmore's Night have just released their latest
album, 'The Village Lanterne' (which has charted
in Russia at #3, the Czech Republic at #3, in Japan at
#6, and in Germany at #13), and newest DVD, 'Castles
& Dreams' (SPV Records) this past April, 2006.
Led by the
stunning velvet-and-brocade-garbed singer/songwriter Candice
Night, and anchored by instrumental virtuoso, Ritchie
Blackmore - formerly chief songwriter and guitar wizard
for Deep Purple and Rainbow - Blackmore's Night creates
a remarkable musical adventure by blending a contemporary
rock sensibility with melodies and lyrics that hark back
to the enchantment and mystery of the Renaissance and
the Middle Ages.
Mixing guitars
and drums with now-exotic instruments from centuries past,
such as shawms, chanters and the rauchpfiefe, performed
by Night, along with Blackmore playing masterfully on
the hurdy-gurdy, the group turns each song on Lanterne
into a timeless, dream-like opus, whether it's a captivating
original Night/Blackmore composition like "25 Years" or
"Village Lanterne" or the miraculously revamped version
of the Rainbow hit "Street of Dreams."
Blackmore's
Night was founded in the mid-nineties by Night and Blackmore,
musical and life partners who found one of their most
profound connections through their mutual love of Renaissance
music. The pair has effortlessly transformed their deep
and abiding passion for the magic, romance and chivalry
of medieval times into a fantastical journey that music
fans around the world have been voraciously eager to share.
Chatting
recently with Candice Night, I first asked her to tell
us more about their new DVD 'Castles & Dreams' and
in which German castle it had been filmed? "The DVD was
filmed in the courtyard of a beautiful 12th century German
castle near Pegnitz called Schloss Veldenstein. We have
played there before and the owner has always made us feel
right at home. But this time he really outdid himself.
He arranged a full medieval market on the ground of the
castle and made it into a whole day event. Everyone was
dressed up in renaissance or fantasy garb and they were
selling handmade wares, meade and even engaging in swordplay
to entertain the audience before we came onstage. We had
filmed some other footage over the years of our shows
at various castles, but the band members and the choice
of songs that we had at the point of the filming of the
Veldenstein show was so strong, the great energy was there
and it was all in all a magic night. To be able to capture
that on film is rare. We actually had to cut the footage
down from there over 3 hours of songs that we performed
that night because when we are feeling good and the audience
is completely connected with us we've been known to play
all night. As it is the DVD set is a double DVD with the
concert footage on one disc, and the second disc has interview
footage with each band member, acoustic performances in
caves along the Rhein River, home camcorder footage collected
from years of our travels, tv performances we've done,
videos- it seems to have everything! We're really proud
of the way it has come out."
How do you reach out to all these thousands of people to get them
there on such a wondrous night? "Most of the ways
that our news spreads is the old fashioned way- word of
mouth. Which we actually prefer in a way because those
people who find you through word of mouth wind up being
a lot more loyal than the normal way of seemingly brainwashing
people to buy an album which is just to have the record
company pay lots of money to radio stations for lots of
repetition. when you hear something so much its not that
you actually like it as much as it is you know it because
of the repetition. So, for us, the people that find us
love what we are doing not for any preconceived idea,
but simply because they love the music and the escape
that it provides them from a world of never ending stress,
pressure and over bombarding of your senses. The people
that come to our shows have such a vast array of backgrounds.
The ages span from 5 to 85. Woman as well as men love
it because women are more drawn to the romantic visions
that we give and the men are usually drawn to the Blackmore
name and the fact that that name is synonymous with great
skill and talent whether its on hurdy gurdy, acoustic
guitar or electric- all of which are featured in what
we do. Its sort of like we are braving a path for a new
type of music, through the woods, and orginally we did
it simply for our own escape and for ourselves, but now
we are looking behind us and all of these people from
all over the world are following us down this path, curiously,
and really enjoying themselves. What they are seeing,
what they are feeling from the music and just the general
vibe of the whole escape. We are really enjoying not being
kept in a box, creatively, and just being able to play
a song for the sake of the song. We can play folk based
music, rock or pop, beautiful ballad or instrumentals
or covers or originals. No categories, no titles stamped
on us and most importantly no limitations. The shows are
more of an event. There is no seperation between us and
the audience, we change the set list every night and just
play whatever we feel at the time. So the audience never
knows what to expect, and that's one of the reasons that
they come to our shows repeatedly. Its one of the rare
shows that you can experience that you can enjoy with
your whole family, but also that everyone feels really
good at. There is such a positive energy as opposed to
a lot of music that is created today from aggression or
from choreographed moves. Our music is just honest and
real and what we love to do. So I think the feeling of
love really comes across to the fans and they feel it
too."
Does
anything ever go wrong in these castle settings? "Oh
of course, it can. But something can go wrong no matter
where you play. Our main concern when performing in castles
is that the only place in a castle that is large enough
to hold the thousands of people that come to the shows
is the outdoor courtyard. Indoors is just too small in
a castle to hold that many people. So, on an evening where
your playing and you look out over from the castle setting
and the courtyard is filled with people in garb surrounded
by the castle ramparts, the full moon is rising over head
and the clock tower is chiming in the distance and everyone
is singing and dancing along nothing could be more perfect.
But when the skies threaten rain and you have electrical
equipment that needs to be protected from the puddles
of water that are drenching everyone- it can get a bit
difficult. Luckily that's only happened to us a couple
of times in the almost 10 years that we've been doing
this. We still go out and play for as long as we can and
it always amazes me that the fans who are getting soaked
in the rain stay for the duration! As a matter of fact
the 1st show we filmed for the DVD was in Burg Solingen
and that's exactly what happened there. That and the fact
that we used up all the electricity with the lights, equipment
and cameras so we lost power for a while till the generator
kicked in."
"All the
other difficulties of playing at these specialized venues
we leave to our production manager who, luckily, loves
a challenge. But at the end of the day, all the obstacles
and challenges are so worth it because its like nothing
you've ever seen before."
Your
combination of soft rock music and European folk melodies,
often fused with instruments of the Renaissance era with
those of the modern day, have brought a lot of smiles
to a world sometimes lacking. But is it a style that is
still under-appreciated within the industry? "I find
that in today's industry the whole business seems to be
motivated by money first and fashion second. Its never
about if anyone can really write their won songs, play
their own instruments. Today everything can be manufactured
and "fixed" in a studio and its usually the producers
creating the real magic, not the so called artists. The
people creating their own styles or really mastering their
own instruments always seem to be on a back porch or in
a forest or around a bonfire creating for themselves -
but you never hear of them and certainly almost never
hear them on the radio. That's saddening to me because
there are such a vast array of good musicians out there
that never get heard. So, I believe that this industry
is based on the wrong ideals. Music is supposed to make
you feel heights and depths of emotion. It used to be
based on creative people that were easily identifiable
through their individuality, but now everyone sounds like
everyone else because every major label has to do copy
cat signings. I dont mind because I dont fit into that
world of following fashion- I'd rather brave my own path,
make my own fashion based on my own individuality and
not be told who to listen to , what to wear or what to
think. I think a lot of people are getting tired of being
dictated to also and are looking for something different.
They're getting restless with the lack of choice presented
to them on radio, on television shows and on MTV which
for a music station only seems to show cheap reality shows.
I'm just glad that people are thinking outside the box.
Our music is for those people that are looking for something
different and the industry doesn't usually like it when
artists play by the rules not created by the industry
because they cant manipulate them. So is it under appreciated
by the industry- yes, though it is a movement that is
huge in Europe- the us has yet to catch on in a major
way. Underground it is a big movement in America, but
not that you'd know if your world only consists of commercial
radio. I kind of like it though, because it isn't fashionable,
so if you're never "in" you can't be "out" when the next
5 minute fashion hits. So I prefer it this way."
To your
mind, at what point in time will wearing long velvet skirts,
dancing through castle courtyards, peasants and knights
abounding everywhere, jesters and kings side by side,
and lanes upon lanes of cobblestone streets ever become
boring and not entertaining anymore?! "When people
stop dreaming. When we stop reading romance novels and
believing in a more romantic way of life that. When we
stop believing and hoping for a more magical, more simple
place to come upon. When we are ready to be completely
satisfied with the mundane. When we stop believing in
soul mates and stop being mystified by the beauty of nature.
When you can look at a brilliant sunset or a field of
fireflies at dusk or have a deer eat from your hand and
not feel amazed. When you cease to see through the eyes
of a child and cease to wonder and see the magic of the
oceans with awe. Then ..."
Considering
all of the Blackmore's Night CD releases, which one has
been the most accomplished to your mind thus far - and
for what reason? "I think each one of them is an important
reflection as to where were were in our lives, as musicians,
as people, as storytellers. The maiden CD, 'Shadow of
the Moon,' was our first attempt at this type of music.
The songs are strong, but I had yet to be the "front person",
to learn the medieval woodwind instruments, but there
is still a great innocence and tranquility to it. It still
has some of our strongest songs on there. The 2nd album,
'Under A Violet Moon,' was written while we were touring
and realized that we needed more upbeat songs to implement
into the stage set. So we wrote more gypsy based and faster
tempo numbers for that album. 'Fires At Midnight' was
when we started incorporating more electric guitars and
some hurdy gurdy and a few authentic woodwinds like the
shawms. 'Ghost of a Rose' had fuller productions, some
more orchestral songs, and at that point I could utilize
the 5 woodwind instruments I had then learned to play.
All the while, we were writing while on tour mostly so
the songs have very varied backgrounds. We were playing
exotic places, absorbing the folk melodies of the regions,
staying in the castles, playing in UNESCO sites and amazing
historical venues world wide. We took the spirits of those
places and weaved them into songs. You can hear the influences
some of those regions and specific places had on us through
out the songs. I think on this latest album, 'The Village
Lanterne,' we are at a new place in our musical journey.
Still telling the tales of myths and legends, but paralleling
the stories so that we can feel them just as strongly
today and recognize ourselves in the tales. This CD isn't
a destination, its a continuation of the journey. Its
where we are now. I am very proud of the songs on here.
There is such variety, from haunting nature spirit songs
like "Faerie Queen," to full out rock tracks to olde world
tavern songs all the way over to ballads and instrumentals.
Its a journey of what we've seen, experienced and where
we are and where we're going."
When can we expect to see the new CD, 'The Village Lanterene' -
and what will be its musical theme? "'The Village
Lanterne' was just released this month in the USA. Its
theme is varied and yet distinctly Blackmore's Night style.
It even has a few of Ritchie's past tracks on there just
for fun. It was great to breathe some new life into some
old classics."
Has Richie
ever discussed remastering or re-recording any of the
classic Deep Purple and/or Rainbow albums - to allow a
new generation to discover who he was in his previous
rock existence? "We actually find out that that is
being done all the time as far as the remastering. We
usually find out through fans since the record companies
own the rights and never tell us when those things are
coming out. He actually wishes it was done less than what
they are doing because he feels its taking advantage of
the fans and he would never want that to happen. He gets
a little tired of hearing there's a new very very very
very best of 25th, 26th, 27th anniversary edition of the
same songs that they have been putting out since the 70's.
He loves those songs and appreciates the fact that fans
are into them, but he doesn't understand why they keep
trying to sell the same songs again and again in different
packaging. As for the re recording of any of the songs,
we have redone "Street Of Dreams" and "Child In Time"
on 'The Village Lanterne.' They were great songs to do,
but he also is loving what he is doing now. It's nice
for him to have the freedom to do the old stuff if he
chooses, but to be able to play whatever he wants to as
well. We may do a few more, just for fun, and we do a
few on stage, but in our own style. He doesn't feel there's
any need to rehash the past when there's so much that
he hasn't done yet that he's looking forward to doing
and he's enjoying the challenge of the new music as well
as the new instruments he's discovering."
What
'80s (and possibly cheesy!) song would you love to cover
today - in a Renaissance style - if asked ... and why?!
"I am a huge fan of cheesy 80's music, that's my generation
you know! So it would be hard to get me to choose just
one and to stop me from singing any of the ones even thought
about or mentioned! But for the sake of time I guess I'll
go for 80's hair band rock ballad classic like "I Remember
You" by Skid Row. But I know now I will spend the rest
of the day thinking of and singing along in my head to
about 100 other cheesy 80's songs ... Thx for the flashback!!"
Lastly,
I like Penguins ... do you?! "Doesn't everyone?!"
Interviewed
by Russell A. Trunk
If you would
like to win an AUTOGRAPHED copy of the new Blackmore's
Night CD 'The Village Lanterene', and you feel
you know all there is to know about the band, just answer
this easy Blackmore's Night question: Aside from 'Beyond
The Sunset: The Romantic Collection,' which other Blackmore's
Night album was voted '#1 Vocal Album of the Year' in
the United States by the New Age Reporter and the National
Public Radio Stations?
Send me
your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running
to win one of these great new AUTOGRAPHED CDs!
Just send us an e:mail here before June 15th with your
answer and the subject title 'BLACKMORE'S NIGHT SIGNED
CDs' to: exclusivemagazine@flash.net
www.candicenight.com
www.BlackmoresNight.com
