DATE OF INTERVIEW:

ARCH/MATHEOS

5th August 2011

JOHN ARCH; JIM MATHEOS

METAL DISCOVERY: [To John] Considering you were away from the scene for a number of years pre-‘A Twist of Fate’ and then another eight years before this one, your voice still sounds remarkable, I have to say. Have you kept it well trained over the years?

JOHN: No.

(Jim Matheos on 'Sympathetic Resonance')

"It’s Fates Warning without Ray. I mean, there’s no getting around that but it’s not supposed to be marketed that way; it’s not any intent of John being the new singer and replacing Ray."

Jim Matheos and John Arch in London, UK, 5th August 2011

Interview & Photography by Mark Holmes

Photograph copyright © 2011 Mark Holmes - www.metal-discovery.com

RELATED LINKS

Arch/Matheos Official Website:

ARCH/MATHEOS DISCOGRAPHY

Sympathetic Resonance (2011)

Albums

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Andy Turner and Will Palmer for arranging the interview

Arch/Matheos Official Facebook:

MD: Really?!

JOHN: No, not at all! That’s one of the things – I’m not involved fulltime in music so I have other interests, work ten hour days and like any other bloke on the planet where I’ve got bills and responsibilities or whatever… not that musicians don’t but I chose a different path. So I fell out of rehearsing and keeping my voice up after ‘A Twist of Fate’ and went back to my daily routines. So, of course, when Jim approached me on this, that was part of the apprehension because my instrument was not finely honed. That was a whole other process. As we were getting together and I was listening to what Jim had written and tried to wrap my mind around that, I was also, in conjunction with that, was getting my voice back in shape as we were doing the demos. And then we were listening to the demos to see how the music was coming out and what it was gonna sound like because you just never know. So, as far as my voice is concerned… still have a lot of work ahead of me. I appreciate the compliment but I was able to buy some time in the studio and able to sing nine/ten hour days and get some good stuff out of that.

MD: It sounds amazing… [To Jim] What do you think of John’s performance?

JIM: I think it sounds amazing to me. I think he downplays it. I don’t think he does it purposefully… but, to me, it sounds amazing. He sounds as good as he ever did.

MD: So was Ray [Alder] totally cool with the heavy involvement of present Fates Warning members in this project?

JIM: Yeah and, honestly, it’s a little weird for him; it’s a little weird for all of us but he understands. Ray’s probably my best friend in the world. We just had a blast together, all of us in Europe doing those dates, and we’re gonna do a record next year. It’s all good.

MD: A lot of people have been touting this online as like a Fates Warning reunion of sorts what with Frank [Aresti] back in there as well...

JIM: It’s Fates Warning without Ray. I mean, there’s no getting around that but it’s not supposed to be marketed that way; it’s not any intent of John being the new singer and replacing Ray. It’s just the way it worked out that I love working with those guys that are in the band and they’re great players.

JOHN: And all the drama’s on the internet, it’s not between us. Ray and I are great friends and we have a mutual respect for each other - I’m a fan of Ray’s and Ray’s a fan of mine. I just think this opportunity presented itself to make some music and that’s the bottom line.

MD: Absolutely, that’s always the way it should be read.

JOHN: It should, I think.

MD: So have you been reading much stuff online about what people have been saying about this project, like on Blabbermouth for example?

JIM: No, I hate Blabbermouth!

MD: I actually took a look on Blabbermouth at news articles about this project and considering how much trolling and badmouthing goes on whenever any news item’s published on there, there were ninety nine per cent positive comments about you. It was like, wow!

JOHN: Yeah, I never thought I’d be on Facebook but Brian [Slagel] thought it might be a good idea… I signed up for Facebook and was pleasantly surprised. Everything’s been positive and it was a good way to connect with the fans. To make it a little bit more personal, I’ve answered everybody that has posted on my John Arch site. I’ve answered everybody’s question that has been asked.

JIM: And now you’re gonna get more!

[laughs]

MD: Are we talking hundreds or thousands?

JOHN: Hundreds; it’s been manageable. But everybody’s been great. I won’t be on Facebook forever but I think that now is a good time to sit and get in contact, and it’s been positive feedback. There’s some good talent out there in the Facebook world. There are some good people out there… good fans.

MD: There’s one comment I read on Blabbermouth, to quote one guy: “John Arch is hands down the greatest singer in prog-metal”. How do you react to that?

JOHN: Do you know what? I almost have to be numb to that because I don’t feel that way and I have a hard time with adulation. I can handle a compliment every now and then but those are strong words. It’s a compliment to me but I can never live up to those expectations and I don’t want to live up to those expectations. Some days I sound great, some days I don’t sound so great. So whatever that means, “the greatest vocalist”, if that person feels that way, well, I’m honoured but I’m a little bit more self-critical…

MD: You have no ego.

JOHN: I can’t find myself in that place because when you take things for granted and start to absorb too much of that stuff, you get lazy or other bad things happen. But that’s just an inherent part of my personality. I don’t think like that at all. I’m grateful that I had an opportunity to do something like this and I’m grateful that my voice came back to a respectable level.

MD: Just respectable?! That’s very humble.

JOHN: Any time I’m asked to step in front of a microphone, trust me, it’s not easy for me.

MD: So is this intended to be a one-off project or is there gonna be any further collaborations between the two of you?

JIM: I think, originally, we thought about doing just this one thing but we had such a good time doing it and it seems to be getting a great response… we haven’t discussed it yet because we’re still dealing with this one but I think there’ll definitely be another one.

JOHN: Yeah, I’d definitely be open to the idea.

MD: Can we expect any live shows in support of the album as you have a tour dates section on the website but it’s empty?

JIM: [laughs] Yeah, it’s empty!

MD: But there is a tour dates section, so…

JIM: It’s a start!

MD: Exactly!

JIM: [laughs]

MD: You just need to book some shows and fill it up!

JOHN: Yeah, it’s funny as everyone’s number one question is about tour dates and I can completely understand from a fan’s viewpoint that they’d wanna see some live dates. Jim has just finished some tour dates and we haven’t really had a chance to sit down and really talk at length about it but tomorrow we’re actually gonna be talking about the logistics of it… nothing extensive because I’m not able to do that with my current situation. Things would have to change drastically for me and there’s other people to consider, not just myself. But, having said that, we’re talking about that and we’re talking about some select dates.

MD: Maybe just some festival dates or something like that.

JIM: Yeah, yeah.

MD: So there’s a new Fates Warning album due next year, as you said earlier – are you still at the writing stage with that at the moment?

JIM: I haven’t even started actually. When I get home I’ve got a few more things to do in August, then I’ll start in September probably.

MD: So, we’re all seeing Iron Maiden tonight, obviously one of the influences of Fates Warning back in the day…

JIM: Yeah, of course.

MD: So was it a cool thing when they ended up with a song called ‘Fates Warning’ back in 1990 on the ‘No Prayer for the Dying’ album?

JIM: [laughs] Yeah, I mean, I don’t think it was influenced by us in any way but it was cool, yeah.

MD: Okay, the final thing I wanted to ask – if you had to choose five words to describe ‘Sympathetic Resonance’ to encourage people who will be reading this to go out and buy the album, what would they be?

JOHN: A couple of old guys!

JIM: It is really good!

MD: That’s four words. How about – it is really fucking good?! That’s five!

JIM: [laughs] That’s too emphatic though!

JOHN: I’d say “honest”, lyrically.

JIM: I’m going with four.

MD: That’s cool – “it is really good” – good closing words.

JOHN: I think it’s melodic and I think it’s heavy.

MD: Okay, thank you so much for your time.

JIM: Thank you, man. Awesome.

JOHN: Really cool, thank you.