ProgRockMain

Interview: Antoine Fafard- the talented bass player, composer and leader of Spaced Out

Greetings Antoine, thank you for sharing your thoughts and views with us.

My pleasure Lee!

Spaced Out is quite a exceptional band with a very unique sound. What types of music and performers influenced your musicality? In this day of corporate singles/MTV mentality, is it difficult to find an audience or even fellow musicians that appreciates what you do?

On the composition aspect, I was and still am very influenced by Keith Emerson. I also really like bands like UK & King Crimson. I guess that I'm influenced by all the music I hear and even the music that I would not buy! As a bass player, I'm influenced by a lot of bassists. I enjoy listening both the sound and the playing in any musician or an orchestra.

I think that even if the music performed by Spaced Out is not heard in the mainstream radio stations and on the music video channels, there is a massive audience for music and art in general that avoids the main commercial market. The persons who, frustrated by the choice that is imposed on the popular medias, have to do their own research and find out some more interesting bands and musicians creating some more original musical works. It is very difficult for me to reach all those potential fans, but fortunately the internet is a tool that can accelerate the process of spreading the word. It is really a question of spending time on the promotion and being patient!

How did the idea and musical direction of Spaced Out originate? If you could explain the music of Spaced Out (to the uninitiated), in a few sentences, what would it be?

Spaced Out is my personal project. I would describe the music being somewhere between jazz rock & progressive. We are like a progressive band which improvises the solos and who have slightly more freedom in the music than a normal progressive band. I also think that the first album we did was more jazzy than the second. Spaced Out is a mixture of rock, jazz and experimental. I don't focus to fit to any style really. I create without restrictions. That is why when Spaced Out will have a bigger CD catalogue, there will probably be a noticable difference of styles from an album to an other. But I think you'll always notice a common link to all the music that makes the Spaced Out color. I listen to a wide range of music and when I compose, I try to integrate a little bit of everything that I find interesting into my own music. The challenge is to create something that is unique but with unity as well.

Spaced Out's style of playing blends precision attacks while leaving plenty of room for each musician to improvise and showcase his ability as well as interact. How do you go about the composing process? What instrument do you write on?

I do all the writing & arranging mainly on the bass, on the keyboard and with a sequencer. When the song is complete, I print out the music parts on separate charts. After that, I rehearse along with Martin (drums) as well as with the sequences. At this stage, and if necessary, he will re-arrange his drums parts for the best results. Once satisfied with these parts, I book the other rehearsals with the keyboard player & the guitarist to give birth to the tunes. But I always provide the musicians with the charts & tapes before the rehearsals because the music is generally difficult to execute!

But when I work with musicians, I like them to have some input in the music. For example, there's a lot of improvisation in the songs; in those solo sections, the musician is totally free to play it as he feels. The objective is to create team work, so in the end you are not just listening to Spaced Out's music for the bass player or the guitar player but for the music created by a group of individuals.

The classic question. If you were stranded on a desert island (With a CD player and batteries), and you could have any ten albums, what would you choose and why?

Difficult to answer I guess that if I was ending up on a desert island, I would concentrate more in surviving than anything else! But here are my ten albums. I choose them just because they feature some of my best bands and musicians and are some of my main influences.

1.UK - UK

2.King Crimson - Discipline

3.ELP - Tarkus

4.Yes - Talk

5.Emerson, Lake & Powell

6.Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop

7.Philip Glass - Glassworks

8.Allan Holdsworth - Hard Hat Area

9.Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare

10. Rush Counterparts

Though Louis Cote' played guitar on `Eponymus II,' Mark Tremblay's guitar sound at Nearfest created recollections of Allan Holdsworth and even a little of UK. Any thoughts on this? What was the process that brought him into the Spaced Out fold? Is Louis Cote' still with the band?

Louis Côté is no longer in the band. And that is only because he doesn't have the time to be involved with Spaced Out. Mark Tremblay has a very different style of playing. You will hear that in the new Slow Gin album. Mark is a big Steve Vai fan and you can see that in his playing. He doesn't try to sound like the other guitar players who were in the band before and that is better like that!

The audience really appreciated your set at Nearfest 2002. How was it playing to 1,850 progressive fans at the Trenton War Memorial? Any stories (off an on stage)?

Nearfest 2002 was a fantastic experience! In the first place, it was an unexpected invitation, and it resulted in being a big boost for the band. I met so many nice and interesting people. The highlight of my career so far!

How's the Prog music scene in Canada? Is there any new direction that you/Spaced Out would like explore? Do you have any inclination to test more commercial waters? Do you mind being `labeled' as a progressive band?

I guess that the prog scene in Canada is not more happening than in the USA or the rest of the world. I wouldn't even say that there is a prog scene. But you do find other bands similar to us who are trying to play and distribute their works But we're all swimming on our own in an ocean way too big!

I think that there should be some kind of international prog community to help out the promotion of the non-commercial music around the world. A organization that would create contacts between bands, labels, promoters, festivals, etc. It kind of exists through the internet, but I'm thinking about ONE database with all the information!

What is your favorite book? Movie? Hobbies/interests outside music? Do you have a job outside of the music business?

I don't have one favorite book. I like historical and philosophical works. I also enjoy the absurd of writers like Ionesco.

I guess that my favorite movie would be The Shining: great acting, great music, great mood!

Living now in London UK, I have to do some non-music part-time jobs. I was doing some background music for some TV shows in Quebec and I would like eventually to do some similar contracts in Europe as well.

Do you mind being `labeled' as a progressive band?

I don't really mind being associated with prog, jazz or anything else.

The new album- `Slow Gin.' Please talk about it. How was it conceived? What is different compared to prior Spaced Out albums? What is your favorite track on the album and why?

The Slow Gin album is more progressive - song construction wise (tempo changes, multiple parts, etc.). There is a lot more room for bass and drums solos. It was conceived in a similar way to the other albums apart from the fact that the guitar, bass and piano parts were recorded before the drums. The drums recording was done in two days at the Victor Studio in Montreal. The mix and mastering was done by myself in my own studio. I used the Roland V-Bass processor which gives some very interesting sounds. I also added some sounds from the new Spectrasonic's Atmosphere soft synth.

I'm very proud of the entire album. I think it is overall a much more complete and mature recording! There is also many different moods and styles, but that you will be able to find that out very soon!

You've stated that you'd like to create a 25-member Spaced Out Orchestra as well as adding a more creative visualization (and multi-media), to your live shows. What's the status on these projects?

The orchestra project is on hold for now. It's a question of budget! But that is something I'll definitely do one day! The idea is to rearrange for a big ensemble some of my best compositions. I'd like to make a fusion of elements of the classical orchestra with the jazz big band. I like the colors of those two distinct orchestras. And I think that my music would benefit a lot from this wall of sound and textures. So, the Spaced Out band would be there with some more power behind it! Before even thinking about making this project possible live, I rather start thinking about the studio recording of it. Which I think will be done in the first place.

Is there any rock or jazz performer that you'd love to play with or collaborate on a project?

There's so many! Keith Emerson, Trevor Rabin, Jan Hammer, Dennis Chambers, Terry Bozzio are some of the musicians I'd love to play with.

You have an open forum. Do you have any words to the Prog fans out there? Or to young inspiring musicians?

I'd like to thank everybody who have encouraged us so far and continues to support our efforts! I hope that we'll have the chance to meet and to play for everybody who likes our music! You are welcome to exchange comments and ideas on the Spaced Out Forum at : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpacedOutForum

Thank you so much for this interview. Best Wishes and thank you for sharing you answers and thoughts, Lee

I was my pleasure pleasure Lee! Thanks for supporting us! I hope that we can do some collaboration (your art and my music) in the future!

Peace, Antoine, December 2002