HIT CHANNEL INTERVIEW: June 2013. We had the great pleasure to talk one more time with the legendary Frank Bornemann, the leader of Eloy. Frank is currently working on a concept album about Joan of Arc and a double live album for Eloy. Our November 2010 interview is available here . Read below the very interesting things he told us:
First of all, how is your health after the accident you had in March 2012?
I feel much better now and I ‘m working on my rock opera about Joan of Arc meanwhile. The other members of the band are also a part of this project and they are supporting me.
Did you enjoy the shows you did with Eloy in 2011-12?
Yes, I did enjoy the shows and I was very happy about the great feedback from the audience and the overwhelming atmosphere in the venues.
Was really the Mannheim show on 25/01/2013, the last ever Eloy show? Please say “no”!
To be honest with you…I don’t know. We are not the young guys from Hannover anymore and two of us have problems with their health. Let´s see what happens…but I can imagine playing further shows after the realisation of the Joan of Arc-Project.
How close it the release of the ambitious concept album, “The Vision, The Sword And The Pyre” album about Joan of Arc? Can you tell us a few things about its composition and production?
I started recently with the work on this great challenge and it’s too early to tell details. You can expect an extraordinary project.
Have you worked so far on the top-quality live double CD/DVD from the January 2013 shows of Eloy?
We ‘re working on the mix of the recordings at the moment and we ‘re collecting the best moments of the shows for a Live Double Album. The double album will contain the best tracks of the tour with all the songs which we did play on stage.
Do you think the re-release of the amazing, but very rare, “Tides Return Forever” album, will be helpful for the younger fans of the band who never listened to this album?
I hope so… but we have made this re- release mainly as this album was not available anymore.
When you started Eloy in 1969 did you expect that the band will be so successful? For example, in 1977 Eloy were higher on the German charts than giants like Pink Floyd and Genesis.
It is indeed more than I´ve ever expected.
On “Dawn” album you were the producer and you worked with an orchestra for the first time. How much challenging were those sessions for you as a musician and as producer?
It was an incredible experience and all this could enlarge my musically range as a producer and writer.
I think many fans have the same problem: Whenever I listen to “Dawn”, I think “Dawn” is the best Eloy album. Then, I listen to “Ocean” and I think “Ocean” is the best Eloy album, and so on. Do you think the variety and the “depth” of your music, made Eloy music so special for the fans and responsible for the “problem” that I mentioned?
Not easy to answer…as all albums have their own character and they are different…. although they all have the same spirit finally.
Some people say that downloading “destroys” the album as format. Do you agree with this or a good album will always be superior?
I personally don´t like downloading. I prefer to have an album in my hands which is sounding good and can provide 100% quality.
Engineer on the debut album of Eloy (1971) was the legendary producer Conny Plank (NEU!, Guru Guru, Kraan, Cluster). How was working with him and how much important was his contribution to Eloy and the other German bands of the ’70s?
The cooperation with Conny Plank was a very important experience but did not lead to the music which we have created after the first album…but nevertheless…he was a well respected person during the ‘70s in Germany who helped many bands to find their own identity.
Why the German music press in the ’70s was so hostile to the band? Were they jealous of your success?
Yes, they were not really kind. It was horrible and hard to stand… but luckily there was the press international.
Do you have an explanation why the Greek fans love so much Eloy’ s music, even the teenage fans?
The Greeks are very sensitive and emotional people (apart from their age) and feel the spirit and the intensity of our music stronger than most of the people in other countries. Our music is indeed full of emotions and every line up of the band did invest a lot from themselves to make every album outstanding. I think, the Greeks can feel it.
A huge “THANK YOU” to Mr Frank Bornemann.
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