{"id":2262,"date":"2014-06-20T14:49:21","date_gmt":"2014-06-20T14:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/?page_id=2262"},"modified":"2014-06-22T15:24:41","modified_gmt":"2014-06-22T15:24:41","slug":"2014-introducing-felix-van-dijk","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/?page_id=2262","title":{"rendered":"2014 &#8211; Introducing &#8230; Felix van Dijk!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5 style=\"text-align: justify;\">(Text + Fotos: \u00a9 Ansgar Bellersen \u2013 Verwendung nur mit ausdr\u00fccklicher Genehmigung)<\/h5>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/introducing_the_beatles_and_felix.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2265\" src=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/introducing_the_beatles_and_felix.jpg\" alt=\"introducing_the_beatles_and_felix\" width=\"400\" height=\"411\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/introducing_the_beatles_and_felix.jpg 400w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/introducing_the_beatles_and_felix-291x300.jpg 291w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nicht nur Gottes Wege sind unergr\u00fcndlich, sondern auch die des Internets. Vor etwa vier, f\u00fcnf Jahren stattete ich dem Onlineshop <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">CDBaby<\/a> wieder mal einen Besuch ab. Auf dieser US-amerikanischen Homepage kann man CDs von unabh\u00e4ngigen K\u00fcnstlern ohne Plattenvertrag erwerben. Viele klagen dar\u00fcber, dass es heutzutage angeblich keine gute Musik mehr g\u00e4be. Doch die gibt es sehr wohl &#8211; sie ist nur manchmal nicht so einfach zu finden. Die Seite dieses Online-H\u00e4ndlers CDBaby stellt eine Ausnahme dar. Hier kann man nach musikalischen Vorlieben suchen und f\u00fcndig werden. So gab ich bei der Suche wie gewohnt &#8222;Klingt wie Beatles&#8220; (bzw. Lennon, McCartney &amp; Harrison)\u00a0 ein. In den Suchergebnissen fand sich u.a. das Album &#8222;Tumbling Years&#8220; von Felix van Dijk. Die H\u00f6rproben konnten mich \u00fcberzeugen, so dass ich das Album bestellte. Es m\u00f6gen danach zwei Jahre vergangen sein, als ich Felix van Dijk \u00fcber Facebook eine Freundschaftsanfrage stellte.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mit der Zeit wuchs die Erkenntnis, dass dieser Kontakt \u00fcber die oftmals oberfl\u00e4chlichen Facebook-Freundschaften hinausgehen w\u00fcrde. Neben den gemeinsamen musikalischen Interessen wuchs auch die Sympathie, so dass die Unterhaltungen im Facebook-Chat an H\u00e4ufigkeit und Intensit\u00e4t zunahmen. Meine Freude war gro\u00df, als Felix im letzten Jahr die Einladung an mich (und meine Frau) aussprach, ihn in Brooklyn\/New York City zu besuchen. Das G\u00e4stezimmer von ihm und seiner ebenso sympathischen Frau Jussara sei schlie\u00dflich gro\u00df genug.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ganz nebenbei erfuhr ich, dass nicht nur Felix, sondern auch sein Bruder und Vater van Dijk direkten Kontakt zu Paul McCartney hatten. Paul McCartney half Felix&#8216; Song &#8222;This Lullaby&#8220; entscheidend auf die Spr\u00fcnge, Felix Bruder Walter ist Schauspieler und Nachbar von McCartney in Peasmarsh\/East Sussex (und findet sogar Erw\u00e4hnung in Howard Sounes&#8216; Biografie &#8222;FAB: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney&#8220;, 2010). Felix&#8216; und Walters 2003 verstorbener Vater Rudi Martinus lebte ebenfalls in Peasmarsh und stand als klassischer Komponist insbesondere w\u00e4hrend Paul McCartneys Arbeit an Werken wie &#8222;Standing Stone&#8220; mit dem Ex-Beatle in Kontakt. Grund genug, Felix van Dijk nicht nur einen Beitrag in &#8222;Musik Tipps&#8220; zu widmen, sondern eine gro\u00dfe W\u00fcrdigung in den &#8222;Specials&#8220;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Im April 2014 verbrachten wir schlie\u00dflich eine knappe Woche mit Felix in New York, hatten viel Spa\u00df und Freude an der Gesellschaft von ihm und Jussara und sind froh, sie zu unseren Freunden z\u00e4hlen zu k\u00f6nnen.<\/p>\n<p>______________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/tumbling_years.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2278 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/tumbling_years-300x297.jpg\" alt=\"tumbling_years\" width=\"300\" height=\"297\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/tumbling_years-300x297.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/tumbling_years-150x150.jpg 150w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/tumbling_years.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><strong>Felix van Dijk: Tumbling Years<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Ver\u00f6ffentlicht: 29. April 2008<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>VanManMusic Records\u00a0<span id=\"cphContent_lblCopyrightLine\">826816131321<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em><strong>Titel:<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Barefoot In The Sand \/ Tumbling Years \/ Heart Of Our World \/ Forever In My Heart \/ Take Her To The Sky \/ This Lullaby \/ When I Dream Her Name \/ Grass Is Never Greener \/ Easy To Breathe \/ Now I&#8217;m Coming Back \/ Early Days<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Der in New York lebende Songscheiber Felix van Dijk entstammt einer K\u00fcnstlerfamilie. Sein Vater Rudi Martinus van Dijk (1932-2003) war ein bekannter niederl\u00e4ndischer klassischer Komponist von Orchester-, Kammer- und Vokalmusik und machte sich auch als Pianist einen Namen. Felix van Dijk wurde zwar 1954 in den Niederlanden geboren, wuchs jedoch wie auch sein j\u00fcngerer Bruder Walter in London und Kanada auf. Obwohl Felix van Dijk bereits mit zehn Jahren die erste Gitarre sein Eigen nennen konnte, war es zun\u00e4chst die Schauspielerei, die ihn faszinierte und den Anfang seiner Karriere als K\u00fcnstler darstellt.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In seinen Zwanzigern kehrte die Begeisterung f\u00fcr die Musik zur\u00fcck: Felix van Dijk vollzog die Metamorphose vom Schauspieler zum Singer-Songwriter und legte 2008 mit &#8222;Tumbling Years&#8220; sein im Eigenverlag erschienenes Deb\u00fctalbum vor. Die elf Songs zeigen Van Dijk als einen feinsinnigen und gef\u00fchlvollen Songschreiber mit einem unfehlbaren Gesp\u00fcr f\u00fcr eing\u00e4ngige Melodien. So verwundert es nicht weiter, dass sein Stil mit dem McCartneys verglichen wird. W\u00e4hrend der Ex-Beatle jedoch in vielen musikalischen Ausdrucksformen zuhause ist, hat sich Felix van Dijk auf zwei Markenzeichen Paul McCartneys spezialisiert: den optimistischen Popsong und die zarte Ballade.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8222;Barefoot In The Sand&#8220; er\u00f6ffnet das Album allerdings mit recht rockigen T\u00f6nen. Sobald Van Dijks Gesang einsetzt ist jedoch klar, dass er diesen Stil nicht nutzt, um die Sau rauszulassen und es &#8222;den Bossen so richtig zu zeigen&#8220; (Jack Blacks Definition von Rockmusik im Kinofilm &#8222;School Of Rock&#8220;, 2003). Er ist nur ein Vehikel f\u00fcr eine romantische Botschaft, verpackt in einer Melodie, die sich schon nach dem ersten H\u00f6ren festsetzt. Die forsche Gangart des ersten Songs bleibt die Ausnahme. Vier Songs (&#8222;Tumbling Years&#8220;, &#8222;Forever In My Heart&#8220;, &#8222;This Lullaby&#8220; und &#8222;Early Days&#8220;) entsprechen der klassischen Singer-Songwriter-Tradition: Akustikgitarre und Gesang.\u00a0 Hervorzuheben sind hier die sch\u00f6ne Ballade &#8222;Forever In My Heart&#8220;, deren Gitarrenbegleitung an McCartneys &#8222;Blackbird&#8220; erinnert und der r\u00fchrende Titelsong des Albums. &#8222;This Lullaby&#8220; hat seine eigene unglaubliche Geschichte: W\u00e4hrend eines Familienbesuchs in Peasmarsh sa\u00df Felix van Dijk im Freien und arbeitete an einem neuen Song. Paul McCartney befand sich auf einem Ausritt und begegnete schlie\u00dflich Felix, den er darum bat, den frisch entstandenen Song doch einmal vorzuspielen. McCartney riet zu einem Akkordwechsel an einem bestimmten Punkt und machte sich auf den Weg nach Hause. Doch nur wenige Minuten kehrte er um, lie\u00df sich die Gitarre geben und zeigte Felix, wie er die entsprechende Stelle ver\u00e4ndern w\u00fcrde. Der Rest ist Van Dijk-Geschichte.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Die \u00fcbrigen Songs sind etwas \u00fcppiger instrumentiert und pendeln zwischen ruhigen St\u00fccken wie &#8222;Grass Is Never Greener&#8220; oder &#8222;When I Dream Her Name&#8220;, Mid-Tempo-Nummern (&#8222;Heart Of Our World&#8220;, &#8222;Take Her To The Sky&#8220;), dem jazzig angehauchten &#8222;Easy To Breath&#8220; (das mit einem ausgezeichneten Gitarrensolo aufwartet) und dem fingerschnippenden &#8222;Now I&#8217;m Coming Back&#8220;. Insgesamt also ein abwechslungsreiches Spektrum.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Felix van Dijks Musik ist unverstellt und aufrichtig. Ihm geht es nicht um Ego, Coolness, oder Rockstar-Stereotypen. Auch Gesellschaftskritik ist nicht sein Thema. &#8222;Tumbling Years&#8220; r\u00fcckt das Zwischenmenschliche in den Mittelpunkt: nachdenklich, empathisch, gef\u00fchlvoll, wehm\u00fctig, zuversichtlich und nat\u00fcrlich auch fr\u00f6hlich. Das alles in einer ungek\u00fcnstelten Form. Ein perfektes Spiegelbild des Menschen und Musikers Felix van Dijk.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Produziert wurde &#8222;Tumbling Years&#8220; von dem 2012 verstorbenen Benjy King, der bereits mit Gr\u00f6\u00dfen wie Rick Derringer oder Tommy James zusammenarbeitete. &#8222;Tumbling Years&#8220; ist in Deutschland \u00fcber <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.de\/Tumbling-Years-Felix-Van-Dijk\/dp\/B0018YDLBM\/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1403300925&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=felix+van+dijk\" target=\"_blank\">Amazon<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jpc.de\/jpcng\/poprock\/detail\/-\/art\/Felix-Van-Dijk-Tumbling-Years\/hnum\/3273790\" target=\"_blank\">jpc<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/wom.de\/poprock\/detail\/-\/art\/Felix-Van-Dijk-Tumbling-Years\/hnum\/3273790?iampartner=wgapr&amp;awc=117&amp;awa=1044&amp;gclid=CjgKEAjwt4-dBRCDnaTUn-mC_0oSJAC4Q6kGY015SQ8ClTMyO3wLvEJkjR8YUWj5Pahp2ja_52ppB_D_BwE\" target=\"_blank\">WOM<\/a> und nat\u00fcrlich auch <a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/artist\/felix-van-dijk\/id279908123\" target=\"_blank\">iTunes<\/a> zu beziehen.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nach &#8222;Tumbling Years&#8220; ver\u00f6ffentlichte Felix van Dijk insgesamt 10 Songs, die ausschlie\u00dflich als Download (siehe iTunes-Link) verf\u00fcgbar sind. Darunter wunderbare St\u00fccke wie der Ohrwurm &#8222;Dancing&#8220;, die beatligen Kompositionen &#8222;It&#8217;s Been A Good Year&#8220; und &#8222;Penepole Grace&#8220;, die z\u00e4rtliche Ballade &#8222;Inside Of You&#8220; oder zuletzt den fr\u00f6hlich-sommerlichen Shuffle &#8222;Life It&#8217;s A Gas&#8220;. Aktuell hat Felix van Dijk zusammen mit der S\u00e4ngerin Ryan ein gemeinsames Projekt gestartet und Anfang Juni den gemeinsamen Song &#8222;You Silly Girl&#8220; ver\u00f6ffentlicht.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MvT9aDmRZJk\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">______________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Interview mit Felix van Dijk<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Unsere Zeit in New York mit Felix und seiner Frau verbrachten wir mit gemeinsamen Kochen, guten und immer lustigen Gespr\u00e4chen, Sightseeing, Restaurantbesuchen, Musik h\u00f6ren und Fachsimpeln, Konzertmitschnitte schauen und einiges mehr. Auch ein paar Beatles-Songs wurden gemeinsam gespielt. Oft sah und h\u00f6rte ich Felix an seiner Gitarre spielen und singen und dachte, dass eigentlich viel mehr Menschen seine Musik kennen sollten. Aus diesem Grund schlug ich ihm vor, ihn \u00fcber ex-beatles.de vorzustellen und daf\u00fcr auch ein Interview zu nutzen. W\u00e4hrend unseres Aufenthaltes in New York gelang dies aus Zeitgr\u00fcnden nicht mehr, so dass ich Felix nach unserer Reise eine Reihe von Fragen schickte, die er ausf\u00fchrlich und hochinteressant beantwortete.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_02.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2308\" src=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_02.jpg\" alt=\"felix_02\" width=\"650\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_02.jpg 650w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_02-300x196.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_02-600x393.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Felix, you are part of a family that at least combines two creative generations. Your father was a well-known classical composer and pianist, your brother is an actor (who has a good singing voice as well, by the way), you have been an actor too. Knowing the fates of the musically Beatles\u2019 sons, Dweezil Zappa, Jakob Dylan, Ziggy Marley and many more: Was it or is it still hard for you to follow your father\u2019s footsteps? How did you get started with playing \u2013 and creating &#8211; music?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: Because my father was a prolific classical composer and we had a wonderful father son relationship I never felt intimidated by his artistic prowess. He was always very encouraging and supportive of my talents. My interest in creating classical music was pretty much nil. I really enjoyed rock music though I do very much listen to classical as well. My father tried to teach me to play the piano when I was very young, however, I wasn\u2019t very disciplined at that age. It\u2019s a regret I do have that I didn\u2019t apply myself on the piano. I naturally gravitated to the guitar when one of my uncles handed me down one of his guitars when I was about ten years old. This was at the height of The Beatles taking the world by storm. I was living in England at the time spending my time watching Top of The Pops so the pop influence was being ingrained at an early age. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Cilla Black, Sandy Shaw, The Kinks, The Hollies, Dave Clark Five, Dusty Springfield and the list goes on. I never took any guitar lessons and the guitar sat gathering dust after a year of experimentation and it wasn\u2019t until I was 17 that I picked up the guitar once again and started seriously learning how to play. I think I started writing songs around 19 or 20 and they weren\u2019t very good. There is one good song I wrote when I was around 23 called \u201cThe Call of The Wild\u201d but I\u2019ve not gotten round to recording it beyond a demo, but I will get to it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: What are your main influences as a musician?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: I\u2019ve enjoyed many different artists such as Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Strawbs, The Beatles, Yes, Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, Lester Bowie, Oscar Peterson. I suppose the biggest influence would be The Beatles.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When I was a kid living in London it was the swinging sixties. Carnaby street, Twiggy, and London was a trend setting city. It was an exciting time. I remember walking hand in hand with my little brother up to a cinema in Whetstone to watch \u201cHelp\u201d which had been released the week before. I just sat there transfixed, overwhelmed by the music and cinemaphotography and witnessing the humor and charm from the fab four exude from the screen. It was a very profound experience. Music associations can solidfy memories that last a lifetime. On a humorus note, I remember quite vividly one evening watching The Rolling Stones premiere \u201cSatisfaction\u201d on Top of The Pops. I sat crosslegged in front of the telly (television) and my mother walked into the room carrying laundry. She stood a few moments watching a young Mick Jagger twitch and bounce around in front of the microphone singing. She turned away leaving the words \u201cThey won\u2019t last\u201d. She still laughs about that one when I bring it up. But getting back to The Beatles, my grandmother had made me a Beatles jacket, the one without the collar. I think there is a picture on my Facebook page of me wearing it. I wore it to school much to the envy of my classmates. I recall telling my classmates that I had tea with the Beatles. What cheek. But who would have thought that I would have met Paul all those years later. Strange how life works. When my father passed away Paul sent the most beautiful flower arrangement for the grave. It was very touching.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_01.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2307\" src=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_01.jpg\" alt=\"felix_01\" width=\"650\" height=\"464\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_01.jpg 650w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_01-300x214.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_01-600x428.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: How did your musical style develop through the years?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: Interesting question. In the early years I didn\u2019t have much of a musical voice. I think over time that develops with life experience and having the willingness to experiment with different musical styles. I think my early years in England as a boy had a profound influence on my sense of humor and outlook on life. I was fortunate to absorb the best of British culture and also be exposed to my parents worldly knowledge and experience. My life because of my father, was steeped in music. During the day I could hear him working in his studio at the piano. The sounds were very comforting because I knew he was there. Of course, I had no idea those tinklings were the basis for some incredible orchestral pieces. My mother was an educator and both my brother and I received so much love. I\u2019m basically a very happy person who is also an optimist. This had an affect on my musical development. I tend to write very positve songs, some with a tinge of sadness and regret, however, never with any deep angst.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The closest song to angst I\u2019ve written would be \u201cTake Her To The Sky\u201d. There are so many songwriters out there who have come from dysfunctional homes and it is reflected in their music and it\u2019s a music that appeals to many people because of their own childhood experiences.\u00a0\u00a0 As I mentioned before, I have a few songs tinged with sadness and regret, however these feelings were realistically expressed based on a previous divorce.\u00a0\u00a0 There are times I write from a fictional perspective by imagining what it would be like to be in a particular situation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Do you identify yourself with folk, rock or pop? How would you describe your music?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: I think my album \u201cTumbling Years&#8220; had a mix of all three and \u201cEasy To Breathe&#8220; even hinted at jazz. I don\u2019t particularly have a definitive style. Some of my songs sound Beatles influenced, however, it is not a conscious decision to sit down and try to sound like them stylistically. I think if the Beatles had never existed I would have written the same way. I\u2019ll sit and write a song and later think that sounds Beatles like. However, there are songs I\u2019ve written that in no ways sound like the Fab Four. I think over the years having been exposed to classical music and jazz it helped develop my sense of melody and that melodic sense sometimes has a Beatles flavor. You must remember that George Martin who was classically trained had I\u2019m sure a profound influence on how the Beatles composed. When you think of their early music which in some ways musically and lyrically were unsophisticated but very catchy, you can see the sudden leaps they made with \u201cRevolver\u201d, \u201cSgt Pepper&#8217;s\u201dand \u201cAbbey Road\u201d. Their approach to melody was more sophisticated and I think that had to do with working and observing George Martin in the studio. They were on a very quick learning curve and because of their success they were able to experiment without having to bend to the will of the record company.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: What inspires you most to write a song? Can you describe your songwriting process?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: I can sometimes go months without writing a song and suddenly I\u2019ll sit down with the guitar or piano and create a melody and then write the lyrics. I never write the lyrics first. The melody I\u2019ve created clues me in to what the song should be about. Sometimes melodies come very quickly. I\u2019ve written a new song \u201cYou Silly Girl\u201d and I think I had the chord progression in 15 minutes for verse and chorus. In this instance a great young singer Ryan Berkowitz has written wonderful lyrics and is the singer in the recording which we hope to release soon. Sometimes I\u2019ll suddenly feel a spark of creativity that drives me to sit down and compose a song. It is never a question of \u201cOh, I think I\u2019ll write a song now\u201d. That doesn\u2019t work for me. If I attempt to do it this way I\u2019ll just sit with the guitar coming up with nothing. There is a feeling I experience. It\u2019s almost like a creative pregnancy coming to term. Something impels me to grab the guitar and start writing. It\u2019s very hard to describe, but I think that it\u2019s a kind of energy where you feel open and excited something is about to come to life musically. It is at these times I write my best songs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Writing is just one part of the game. Do you enjoy recording?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: Recording can be very exciting and yet also quite daunting because when it comes to recording there is so much to learn. You have to know microphone placement, how to sing into a mic, be familiar with different microphones how best they perform under certain conditions. A complete understanding of sonic ranges. There is a true art to mixing and mastering and that knowledge can be the difference between creating a great recording or a merely so so one. I think with the advent of recording software there is an increase in do it yourself at home production. But there has also been a negative impact on the music industry because many professional studios have had to close their doors because of lack of business. There is a deluge of songs on the internet that are badly produced because of lack of recording know how on the part of young artists. There are reasons why recent recordings produced by Al Schmitt or Tony Visconti sound so brilliant. Experience!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Writing, recording &#8230; now over to part three: Do you perform in concert?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: I enjoy performing live and I\u2019ve played in some fairly well known venues in NYC.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Have you been working for other artists too?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: Not really. I\u2019ve collaborated with other writers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: You and your family have various interesting relations to Paul McCartney. Tell me more about that.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: Both my mother and brother have homes on either side of Paul\u2019s place in East Sussex. Paul and my father became friends and I got to see Paul on a number of occasions. When my brother and his partner had purchased their home and had settled in, Linda McCartney appeared at their door welcoming them to the very rural neighborhood. She gave them a copy of her vegetarian cookbook which still sits in their kitchen to this very day. I also have a number of letters that were written by Paul to my father where he described his works in progress and my father no doubt shared his own with Paul.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Not many musicians can say that Paul McCartney helped creating a song. But McCartney did on your track \u201eThis Lullaby\u201c. How did that happen?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: One afternoon I was sitting in a field with a guitar I had borrowed from my friend Dave Fritchley who is also a friend of Paul\u2019s. I had been sitting there in the grass writing a new song and had completed the melody. Paul rode up on his horse and said \u201cYou must be Felix, Rudi\u2019s son. Your Dad mentioned you were a songwriter\u201d. Paul and I chatted a while about music and the industry. I then told Paul that I had just finished a new melody that I had to write lyrics for. Paul asked me to play it for him. So I went ahead without thinking\u201d Christ, I\u2019m singing to Paul McCartney\u201d It was a bit of a time warp. Anyway, at the completion of my outdoor peformance before Paul he said \u201cI really like that. It\u2019s real heartfelt. You know, on the repeat in the chorus where you go to the G chord again, maybe find another chord just to give it a bit of a twist.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I thanked Paul for the suggestion and would give it some thought. We chatted a little more and then Paul rode off on his horse. About ten minutes later Paul returned on his horse. Riding back home the melody must have stuck in his head and being the melodysmith he is couldn\u2019t resist a little creative music sharing. Paul said \u201cI think I may have an idea for a chord\u201d He had me hold up the guitar so he could show me the chord because he wasn\u2019t quite sure of the name of the chord he had in mind. Showed it to me and it never left the song.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_03.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2309\" src=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_03.jpg\" alt=\"felix_03\" width=\"650\" height=\"437\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_03.jpg 650w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_03-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_03-600x403.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em><strong>AB: Some of your songs remind me of certain well-known melodies. \u201eBlackbird\u201c comes to my mind when I listen to \u201eForever In My Heart\u201c, for instance. Is there a clear intention behind that or do you \u201eact naturally\u201c?<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: \u201cI act naturally\u201d First of all the finger picking and the chords are entirely different in \u201cForever In My Heart\u201d than those of \u201cBlackbird\u201d. I think the song has a definite hint of Paul in it, however, maybe what sways you to compare the two songs is that the melody though very different has a similar sentiment.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: What do you think of Paul McCartney\u2019s career after the Beatles? What do you rate as his best, what as his weakest work?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: I think Paul was very brave to strike out on his own after the Beatles split. I think his first album has some nice songs on it, but in terms of his best records, to me they would be \u201cRam\u201d, \u201cFlaming Pie, and Band On The Run with The Wings.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em><strong>AB: Someone like Paul McCartney can do whatever he wants. But lots of talented people have to struggle hard for their music career. How is your perception of today\u2019s music business\/industry?<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: I think it is even harder for young musicians to make a go of it in today\u2019s world of music. The industry has drastically changed. Because of the internet, iTunes,Mp3\u2019s the record labels can no longer afford to take risks on new artists. If you are an independent artist and you haven\u2019t sold 20,000 CDs on your own the record companies won\u2019t pay attention. It is also very difficult for music artists to make a living. Just as an example, if you have a song on Pandora and it has been played 30 times, the most you can expect in residuals is about 18 cents. Also the internet is flooded with music, which in many ways is wonderful, but it becomes harder to find the gems out there. Also, I think the mp3 is destroying how we listen to music. There is only so much sonic information that an mp3 can convey. The new generation of kids growing up for the most part have never experienced the pleasure of analog sound and even if they heard it they may not hear the difference because their ears are untrained.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_04.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2310\" src=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_04.jpg\" alt=\"felix_04\" width=\"650\" height=\"436\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_04.jpg 650w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_04-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_04-600x402.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Do you use social media to promote your music?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: Yes, I use Facebook to steer people toward my music. My music is available all over the internet anywhere from itunes, amazon, CdBaby just to mention a few. And of course www.felixvandijk.com<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Who are your favourite current songwriters or musicians?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: Bruce Cockburn, Peter Gabriel, The Blue Nile, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, Peter Frampton, Adele, Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris to name a few.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: What are your projects and plans with regard to your music? When can we expect a successor of \u201eTumbling Years\u201c?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: Because the CD is beginning to fade away, and though vinyl is making a comeback, there is less inducement to create albums when the public is more interested in purchasing the songs they like. They don\u2019t have to spend more than they have to in order to listen to what they enjoy. I\u2019ve been songwriting with no plans for an album, however, maybe I\u2019ll put out a compilation of new material.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: How can people buy your records\/songs?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: On Amazon, iTunes, CDbaby.com, and a number of other music websites. People can also hear my songs in full and order on my website <a href=\"http:\/\/www.felixvandijk.com\">www.felixvandijk.com<\/a>. I offer this because most of the other song selling services only provide you with a snippet of a song when listening.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Please name five albums you would choose for a desert island.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">FvD: &#8222;Abbey Road&#8220;, &#8222;Dark Side of The Moon&#8220;, Framptons first solo album \u201cFrampton\u2019s Camel\u201d, &#8222;Brandenburg Concertos&#8220; Karl Richter and the Munich Bach Orchestra, Collection of my father\u2019s music.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>AB: Thank you so much, Felix!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_05.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2311\" src=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_05.jpg\" alt=\"felix_05\" width=\"650\" height=\"402\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_05.jpg 650w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_05-300x185.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/felix_05-600x371.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(Text + Fotos: \u00a9 Ansgar Bellersen \u2013 Verwendung nur mit ausdr\u00fccklicher Genehmigung) Nicht nur Gottes Wege sind unergr\u00fcndlich, sondern auch die des Internets. Vor etwa vier, f\u00fcnf Jahren stattete ich dem Onlineshop CDBaby wieder mal einen Besuch ab. Auf dieser &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/?page_id=2262\">Weiterlesen <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2262","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2262"}],"version-history":[{"count":40,"href":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2330,"href":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2262\/revisions\/2330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lmw-28if.de\/exbeatles\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}