Knight Area If a band has a history since 1982 and their debut album was released in 2004 definitely it is a very interesting case. So based on the second album of this progressive rock band, Knight Area, we take the chance and have a short conversation with them… 1. First of all congratulations on your new album and welcome to our webzine! (Gijs Koopman) Thank you. 2. Since this is our first interview tell us a few things about the band's past... (Gijs Koopman) The band was formed due to a request from the record company. They wanted a band to perform live at the NEARfest festival. The originally idea was only a few gigs in Holland as well just to promote the album. Later on we developed into a real band. 3. You formed in 1982 and your debut album was released in 2004, why did you need so many year in order to release an album? (Gijs Koopman) Some of the original ideas came from the early eighties. Gerben has a lot of demo’s which a recorded together with his brother Joop. The recordings started many years later. I think it started around 2000. Gerben was playing in a band called Sangamo (in which he’s still playing) and Gerben had left a lot of songs which weren’t on the set list anymore. Joop came up with the idea to record these songs for a solo project. When I joined Sangamo in February 2002 I became involved with the Knight Area project and I did also some of the bass parts as well some suggestions to the production. 4. The title of your new album is: “Under A New Sign”, do you believe that this sing will be a good one and you will continue to release albums regularly? (Gijs Koopman) We hope to start recording the next album in December. It will be quite a challenge! 5. Tell us few things about the lyrics, which things “force” you to take a paper and write a few lines?  Mark Smit and Joop are our main lyric writers. Mark writes a lot about society problems, while Joop uses things from his youth in his lyrics. First off all Gerben composes the music and after that the guys try to write those lyrics that fit just in the moods of the music. 6. Lasers Edge is a dedicated label in the progressive sound, do you believe that this will help you more in order to promote your newest work?  (Gijs Koopman) Yes they do! They do a lot of promotion. It is a fact that they helped to perform a first Dutch band at NEARfest. 7. Tell us few things about the cover of your latest release.  (Gijs Koopman) Before the final version of the cover we had rejected some earlier ideas. Mattias Noren did a great job for the first album. We wanted him to do the next one as well. You should consider this new album as a debut album as the band Knight Area. The first album was a project. Our logo with sword comes out of the water. It’s like giving birth to the new band. 8. What do you listen to lately? (Gijs Koopman) I listen to various bands. Especially to bands from the ‘70’s. My personal top are Genenis, Yes and King Crimson.  9. Do you follow the modern sound or do you prefer the good old days? (Gijs Koopman) I prefer the old sound because they had no example to copy. The music which the above mentioned bands still make was never done before. 10. What are your plans in order to promote your newest album? (Gijs Koopman) In September we will play various gigs throughout Holland.   11. If someone hasn’t heard anything from you, how would you describe to him in a few words your musical direction? (Gijs Koopman) You can hear a lot of influences. I think that’s what make our music distinguishable from other bands. We have Dream Theater influences as well Genesis and Marillion. 12. Thank you very much for your time and close the interview as you want... (Gijs Koopman) You’re welcome.  Antonis  Maglaras