A NIGHT WITH: CHRIS BAY [ENG]

This is my interview with Chris Bay, leader of the famed German power metal band Freedom Call, that presents us his first solo album Chasing the Sun, released this Spring via SPV.

Hi Chris and welcome this little talk on the pages of The Bible of Metal! What a pleasure have a star like you with us!
I thank you very much for your time and efforts.

Let's get straight to the tasty news: you published your first solo album “Chasing The Sun” a few months ago. How do you feel about having embarked on this adventure?
That feels very exciting to me to walk on my own steps. In the beginning I felt a bit lonely on stage as an artist who always played as a band member, but I really enjoyed my time on stage so far. It's a challenge having no support behind.
All songs were written in a period of more than 10 years, so it's like a chronical memory of my musical life.
But I never want to go in competition to Freedom Call with my solo music. My heart is beating for the band and I'll never wanna miss my band buddies.

You're used to be in a band, how was being a singer-man? “Chasing the Sun” is all of yours: you are author of the songs and also vocals, you played the guitars, keyboards and bass. You are a one man show! Congratulations!
Thanks a lot. Probably it's a kind of mentality of “frontmen” to jump in the lime light...finally it has to be ;) I ever saw myself more than an vagabond musician as just a metal singer. I early learned to play the guitar and piano in school, it was a very important part of my childhood.
It was a topic of my “bucket list” of life to release a solo album, which is making be very proud and I'm very thankful to my record label, my friends and collegues for their support.
And hopefully it was not the only one...

How were born lyrics and music of the songs?
The lyrical content of the solo album is my everyday life, my experiences I did in relationships, friendships or emotional moments. I didn't have to write about warriors, dragons or battles, so I felt absolutley free in lyrical topics and musical interpretation.
My musical inspiration is extremely spreaded and it was a kind of journey through all my stages of life to write –“Chasing the Sun”-.
It's a 5-course diner without a cookery book...but anyways, it tastes ;)

When did you develop the idea of a solo record?
The first song ideas were born more than ten years ago. I didn't trace the process and all songs were stored at my archive. In 2013, after the production of the Freedom Call album “Beyond” I restarted the songwriting of my solo songs and got the idea to record a solo album.
It was a very busy time to coordinate the well-filled tour schedule of Freedom Call and the song writing of my solo stuff, but it gave my a lot of inspiration and energy.
I could finish the songwriting in 2016 and then I started to produce the album.

What are the issues that you face in this work?
Exactly that was the most comfortable part of my solo album...no predefined topical issues ;)
I felt free as a bird, gliding through the landcape of music.
There were no categories, no musical limits or borders to keep.In a word...a dream of every musician :)

Are you on tour? Do you forsee live dates in Italy?
When I released the album in February, I firstly planned just a handful of shows around my hometown area.
In my band(s) I'm used to have brilliant musicians around me, which I didn't want to bother with my solo stuff ;) So, I decided to play these shows as solo artist, just with an acoustic guitar and vocals in a “singer/songwriter” style in a very personal atmosphere.
But, It went a totally different way and I already played several shows not only around Germany, I alos got invitations to play a small tour in Colombia, Poland...in September I'm joining Eric Martin (Mr. Big) and in October I'm on tour with Axel Rudi Pell in East Europe.
My tour schedule will bring me to Spain and England, Wales in November...and more.
That is much more, than I expected and I'm still blasted about the amazing reaction around my solo stuff.
So, I'm still waiting for an invitation to come to Italy ;)


Thanks for your time! Do you want to leave a message to our readers?
I have to thank you for the interesting questions and great interview, it was pleasure to answer.
I really would love it to introduce my songs of –“Chasing the Sun”- and, of course, several Freedom Call songs in my unplugged style and hopefully I'll find an opportunity to come to play in Italy soon.
We always had a great time to tour with Freedom Call in Italy, of course we will come back with a new album in 2019.

Thank you soo much Monica.

Thank you Chris.

Interview by Monica "Mommy" Atzei