Interview with Ed Bernard and Peter Murray of Druckfarben

 

Druckfarben is one of the most exciting bands in the North American progressive rock scene. Their album Second Sound was one of the finest releases in 2014. Band members Ed Bernard (guitars, vocals, violins, violas, mandolins, banjo, dobro) and Peter Murray (bass, vocals ) discuss the band’s history with Progressive Rock Central’s Angel Romero.

Why did you decide to form Druckfarben?

Ed Bernard (EB) – We decided to form Druckfarben after the majority of us played a show performing two albums by Yes. The show went very well and I sent an email around suggesting we form a band playing original music. Although Peter didn’t perform in the actual show he was in the audience and, when Troy asked him if he was interested, he came on board.

Peter Murray (PM) – We all share a love of classic progressive rock music, and I think all of us have always wanted to be in a prog band! When I was getting rolling with my music career in the early ’90s, the thing to do was to make music that would sell records and get on the radio—and that definitely ruled out prog rock. But now the landscape has changed, and ironically it’s just as viable an option now to be in a prog band as to be in some kind of pop band. In fact, when Troy called me for this I was licking my wounds from trying to promote a solo album—and joining a prog band was just the therapy I needed. It’s still working!

How did the members of the band connect? What’s their background?

EB- Troy and I have known each other since we were 16 years old and we’ve tried in the past to form a band, including a band where we came up with the name Druckfarben. I had played with Peter very briefly in a country band and we had met on a couple other occasions. I was aware of his abilities and reputation. I also met Will hare in a short-lived project and when I mentioned Yes his ears perked up. When Troy started looking for musicians to perform the two Yes albums Will was an obvious choice. I played in a band in the mid ’90s with Phil and we played a bunch of Yes tunes. He was already on board with the aforementioned project and was also the first to express interest in playing original music.

PM – I played with Troy for a while in a corporate rock-type hair band (I think in the late ’90s) that was supposed to move to LA and rock out in stadiums. Whenever we got to rehearsals early we’d jam on fusion and prog stuff we both loved, and whenever the singer showed up we’d stop suddenly—we knew it pissed him off that we really wanted to play more challenging music. I think he knew our hearts weren’t into it. Needless to say, that fell apart. Anyways, I’ve done all kinds of stuff, was signed to an international deal with a band called Surrender Dorothy, toured the world with original artists including singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith, played a gazillion weddings and bar gigs, and played on a bunch of mostly indie albums. We’ve all had very diverse backgrounds musically and otherwise, which means there’s a lot of variety in the mix.

What’s the concept behind the album Second Sound?

EB- There’s isn’t really a contiguous theme behind Second Sound except the suite, which is also called Second Sound. The first seven songs stand on their own and deal with different subjects in a loose way letting the listener attach their own meanings. Second Sound the suite is loosely based on some of the ideas present in Gnosticism but without endorsing anything in particular or being too overt. We’re all really happy with the vibe of this record.

Did you get any funding from The Canada Council for the Arts?

EB- No.

How many musical instruments does Ed Bernard play?

EB- Guitar is my first instrument and I’ve been playing since I was 12. I also play violin, viola, mandolin, mandola and mandocello, lap steel, dobro, banjo. There are a few other stringed things i dabble with. I do my best to be a singer as well. Haha.

What guitar and violin models do you use? How many do you have?

EB- My main guitar right now is a Fender Strat. My violin is made by Alois Sandner. At the moment I have 11 various instruments kicking around. I don’t really fetish over instruments and if there’s something I don’t really use I’ll sell it and look for something that interests me. I’m really interested in the harp lately. I mean a full sized stringed harp, not harmonica.

 

 

What bass do you use?

PM – My main bass is a Music Man Bongo 5H, and I now have two of them. I also have a Moollon Jazz bass and a ’71 Fender Precision, but the Music Mans get almost all the action.

What type of effects do you use?

EB – I use a BOSS GT 10 pedalboard and a BOSS GR 55 guitar synth. There are things I like and dislike about both but I like to have everything self contained and do as little tap dancing an patching as possible.

PM – I use a variety of Pigtronix pedals, also some by Markbass, Moollon and Earthquaker. I’m very interested in exploring effects more and more, but I try to be careful to never use them just for the sake of getting use from them. The sounds have to work with the music.

How’s the progressive rock music scene in Canada?

EB- There are a few bands here that are starting to get noticed. The David Barrett Trio and Half Past Four come to mind. They’re all friends of ours and we wish them great success. Bolus is another band from this area. I’d really like to see a Prog Festival of some sort happen here on a regular basis. Of course Rush and Saga are from Canada as well as FM. I think there has been a resurgence of prog music worldwide in the last couple of years which is a great thing.

PM – It seems like ever since the internet became the place to promote, there’s a bit less “real-life” community building. As Ed says, it would be nice to do some things to help build more of a “scene.” I’m proud to say that we hosted a “prog jam” in a couple of different venues over a period of two or three years (up until a couple of years ago), and that did a lot to bring like-minded musicians and prog fans together in our area. There’s lots to build on, and we also haven’t really gotten started expanding into other provinces. Quebec is huge for prog, and we are in the early stages of making plans to take our show out there.

If you could gather any musicians or musical groups to collaborate with whom would that be?

EB- I’d love to work with Geddy Lee and Chris Cornell. And then there’s that Stevie Wonder guy too…

PM – I’d love to play with Adrian Belew, Marco Minneman, Mike Keneally… and that’s just in the prog world. This could be a long list!

 

 

What music are you currently listening to?

EB- I’ve been listening to Devin Townsend a lot lately. I love the variety of styles and sounds in his music. Other than that I tend to listen to the classic prog stuff, a lot of Chris Cornell and Stevie Wonder and I’m a huge Iron Maiden fan.

PM – Honestly, I’m on a bit of a classic country kick lately, listening a lot to George Jones. Ha! Otherwise, a big variety. Everything from Meshuggah to Shuggie Otis to Snarky Puppy.

What new projects are you working on?

EB- I’m working on a solo record called Polydactyl. I have all the songs written and I’m almost finished recording all the overdubs. It’s very prog and has definite fusion leanings in some places. It has more of a guitar emphasis perhaps than the Druckfarben music and I’m doing most of the singing. There has also been some discussion amongst the Druckfarbeners about another live DVD and the direction of our third studio album. Thanks for the questions and the interest in our band.

PM – I’m starting to get some faint rumblings that might lead me toward a second solo album. But my process is excruciatingly slow, so check back with me in a couple of years! I have recording work coming up for a producer/writer in LA, that’s pretty vague at the moment. I plan on becoming more involved in the writing for the next Druckfarben album, and that could get rolling fairly soon!