Le quartet belge d’electro-rock a su marquer les esprits avec leur premier album Bring It On sorti en 2007 et notamment avec le single British Mode, génialement groovy ! Goose revient avec un nouvel opus intitulé Synrise en featuring avec Peaches aux influences new wave qui démontre un réel changement par rapport au précédent. On retrouve des titres électro-pop avec la présence de synthés, guitares, et montées envoûtantes. Le groupe s’est confié pendant un court instant pour répondre à mes questions…
Where does the name Goose come from ?
GOOSE is one of the characters from Top Gun.
When did music begin for you ?
Around the age of 16 we all started our first band. Bert and I (Mickael) started a band together, and then Dave joined us with his amazing guitar skills. Bass players came and went for a couple of years. In 2000 Tom joined the band and we changed our name to GOOSE.
How would you describe it ?
It’s hard to define the genre that we play. We can say it’s electronic, we write songs with pop structures, sometimes we write soundscapes/soundtrack like tracks. One thing is for sure, everything we write breathes the same vibe, atmosphere.
Why did you call your next album Synrise? Which will be released at the beginning of 2011 for the ones who didn’t know.
It was the first track that we wrote for the new album that made complete sense. The groove, the build up, the vibe. When Synrise was recorded we knew perfectly what direction we wanted to take for the rest of the album.
How long did it take you to put it all together?
It took us 15 months to write, record and mix the album. We have to say these 15 month were pretty intense. We learned a lot about ourselves, the band and the dynamics within the band. It was a great experience.
I heard that the new album cover was made by Storm Thogerson, who also made Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon, where did that collaboration come from?
It started out as a wild guess. When he said he was going to suggest a few ideas, we were really excited. Having Storm designing the cover means a lot to us and it feels like a present, you know. After months of hard work that cover was a great present.
How do you think the public’s going to react to the album?
We think we will gain a lot of new fans. Because Synrise is one of the few electronic sounding albums that you can listen to in one track. It’s divers, it tells a story, and we think it sounds different.
How do you make music? What’s your inspiration?
Sometimes songs are written out of a jam. Sometimes it’s one of us who works on a track and passes it on to somebody else,… when you think you have a found the perfect way to write songs, the next time you try it, it just won’t work. Making music is like any other art form. You never know when a song will hit you! But it does you’re in ecstasy.
What are your favourite subjects to write on?
It’s the vibe of the song that dictates the direction of the lyrics. Most of the times we write scenes or mood boards that sketch a situation, but the listeners are free to read the song in there own way.
What are you listening to these days?
We enjoy ‘Ivory Tower’ (Chilly Gonzales) a lot.
What is the best memory of your tour?
Playing for 45.000 people at Les Vielles Charrues. We had to replace Klaxons that night. It was a crazy experience! Then touring in Japan in always fun and surreal.
Is there a musician or a group that you use as a reference, in terms of style?
We think we are close to early Depeche mode, YMO because they are/were electronic bands that played their instruments live on stage. Today most of the artists are happy to perform with a laptop.
What do you see when you project yourself in the future?
We see more album, exploring new directions, making a soundtrack, making great music videos, collaborating with other artists.
Goose en concert @ Elysée Montmartre pour le Festival Nuit Vive le 20 Novembre 2010.
