Interview with Andre Vuurboom of Sun Caged ( www.lionmusic.com www.suncaged.com ) by Johnny C of www.loudmetal.com 

Please talk a little bit about your excellent new album "Sun Caged"

The album consists of 9 tracks. Some of these tracks are older sun caged songs that where rewritten and changed to better fit the new material. All of the old lyrics where replaced by new ones, so where the melodies. 2 of the other songs where on the earlier "promo 2002" which we recorded for record companies.
Marco Jeurissen of 101images conceived the art, he just listened to the music and got inspired.
We recorded the guitars and drums at "Studio Moscow" and the rest (bass, keys and vocals) at Joost's place.
All preproduction and production was done by Joost. Arjen was so kind to mix the album. :)

Which guys would you consider to be your main influences?
That's a tough one! We all have very different backgrounds, mainly due to some age differences. :)
I know Marcel is into a lot of the same music as I am, for a great part Rob shares our influences, Joost comes from a slightly different planet, so.. :)

Some of our main influences are: Fates Warning, Psychotic Waltz, Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd, Devin Townsend, Queensryche, Dream Theater, etc, etc... a very long list. :)

How would you describe your music to someone who is not familiar with it?

People always try to label things, so I always try to use comparisons with bands that are very known. I would say a bit metallica meets Pantera meets Psychotic Waltz, then just add a tad of Dream theater and Fates warning and for desert a somewhat symphonic touch by... let's say Pink Floyd. :)

How did you develop your style of playing, did you take any lessons?

I will ask Marcel Coenen to answer this question since I assume it is directed to him: Marcel says: I started playing when I was 11 years old, I got a guitar from my mother, and since then never left it. I took some theory lessons and learned a lot about chords, scales and things like that. I used to rehearse hours a day on my guitar to get better and better.

What is the most important, feeling or technique? can you survive with only one of them?

I think they are both very important, Technique is nothing without feeling and feeling is wasted without technique. One supports the other and amplifies it. You can survive with just one, but it would only be survival and no real emotion. If someone would say to me you don't need to play well, just go by your feelings, then that person would be in denial.

What kind of equipment are you using live or in the studio?

Hmmm, sounds like a question for Marcel, but I will try to answer it... :)

Marcel uses 7 and 6 string Ibanez guitars, such as the Jem777 BSB, UV7 Universe and RG 7680 LTD, for amplification he uses a Mesa boogie amp, Marshall JMP-1 Pre-amp and a Marshall JCM 900 speaker unit.
For effects he uses Rocktron Repiflex effects processor, digitech XP-100 Whammy wah and a Digitech XP-300 Space station.

All are used in studio and live environment.

Which musicians would you like to play with some day?

For me I would say Fates Warning, Normally I would say something like Queensryche, but we already played with them... :) Wouldn't mind doing it again though.

What kind of music do you like the least?

Music that is not played from the heart, but just for a quick buck.

Do you ever listen to music that is very different from what you do in Sun Caged, if so what?

Of course. I listen to Tim Hutton, Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield, Radiohead, etc...

Do you do any live concerts?
We used to do a lot of concerts before recording the album, at this moment we are just starting to do a few live concerts again.
Because of the new CD coming out. I think we will do quite a lot of live shows in the near future.

What other plans do you have for the near future?

Do a lot of live concerts and writing new stuff for the new CD, I hope this time we will get the chance to do a few live shows in other countries. It all depends on how the CD will be doing.

I have a feeling that Holland is a good place to be in for a musician compared to certain other countries, am I wrong? how is the musical climate for hard rock and progressive rock in Holland?

I don't have the feeling that Holland is the place to be when you are playing progressive rock, Fact is that a lot of people in Holland can't be bothered to go to a show when a dutch band is playing there. They always seem to think that music played by a foreign band is much better. A lot of dutch people tend to belittle dutch bands just for being dutch. It's a strange thing. I think Holland has a lot of excellent bands in the progressive genre.

What are your feelings about the world we live in and how do you look upon yourself in 15 years from now?

The world is a strange place, sometimes beautiful, sometimes cruel and sometimes downright ugly. I just try to see the world as that little space I occupy and try to make the most of it. Sound like a cliché, but just try to better yourself instead, if everyone would do this then the world would be a better place...In 15 years I would still like to see myself still writing lyrics, music and singing. Hoping to have eradicated a lot of little problems I have now, healthy and living in a better world.