A compelling composer from Liege Belgium. With a hard rock based electronic sound, he has set out to spin your mind. Some sounds will draw you in and make you think, while other sounds will explode from his soul, and everyone around you will fade into a trance that they may not be able to escape. Check out what Michel Dubois had to say during our interview.
Where are you originally from?
From Liege (Belgium)
When did you start performing music?
I started playing guitar at 15 years old, I learned in my first band “Sunshade“, a group of post grunge rock style, where finally I became a singer. I had stopped playing the guitar for some years, until 2007. Then I took up the guitar again with The Keystone band.
What instruments do you play?
Guitar, bass, keyboard. and vocals, but I compose all the music instruments.
Describe your musical interests and abilities.
I listen to all kinds of music, from pop, to hard rock, to electro.
Usually I play rock, but I love playing heavy riffs, as well as the Groups “Helmet” or “Coal Chamber“.
I’m a composer, lyricist, guitarist, vocalist, bass player, keyboard player, and self-taught. I’m also a producer, and responsible for the whole orchestration and mixing process in my songs.
What famous musicians inspire you?
Bands like Depeche Mode, Guns N Roses, Pearl Jam, really gave me my passion for music. Rock wave of the 90s made amplify my passion for music but undoubtedly, “Nine Inch Nails” is the group that inspired me the most. Their project evolved like their albums, they are the master of their music. I feel great respect, and admiration for them.
What are some of your best musical memories?
I think I will always remember our concert in a little town of Belgium, near Deutschland, and when we arrived, people seemed to already know us. The audience was great and receptive when we played “Kids in America” by Kim Wild. The crowd became wild too, as Kim began to dance, shaking, and jumping up and down as if on a pogo, I turned around, I looked at my group and they asked, “What’s happened?” We had a blast… before leaving, two girls enclosed with the drummer in the toilet, they don’t let us go. (We lived a rock stars life at least for a few hours)… (Laughs)… It was really crazy!
Do you have anything new to be released?
“The Edge” single by CANCEL, was recently on a local radio show, programmed as an artist of the day. I try to keep promoting our first EP “Riversand” while continuing to advance on the album, and without cancel my other musical projects are with, “StoneheadZ,” and “Battle of Wood,” so, surely if everything works as expected, two Eps, and an album should see the light in 2015.
In less than two years I worked on several musical projects so, I guess that will be the same in the future. On my latest project called “The Fakers“, I have proposed at who wanted my musical files on the web, for they could offer their versions of the song “FAKE.” The more musicians we found, the more interesting the ideas became. It should be available in January of 2015 for free download.
What would you say to beginners in the industry, who are nervous?
I would say that if they are nervous it’s because maybe they are not ready; 🙂 I think they should take some distance with the music for a time, until they feel that it’s time to return. I did several times. It’s better to focus on your musical project without hesitation.
“Music isn’t like a run, it’s more like a marathon.”
How do you balance your music with your personal life?
I play every day when I have a few minutes, or at night, so it doesn’t really affect my family or friends.
Where can we follow your career?
http://twitter.com/4cancel
http://www.reverbnation.com/cnl9
Do you get nervous before a show?
YES! I’m always stressed and when I’m on stage, my pelvis is moving alone, like Elvis all the time, and sometimes I need to be alone before playing. I never look at the crowd, I try to look at them, but since they are very far away, and I can’t see in the dark, I can’t see them … 🙂
Now I’m focused on the music in the studio. I need to find musicians that will be receptive to the project, and right now I don’t want to lose too much time on my other projects to do this search. So, yes, I hope to return very soon to the stages.
Do you attend jam sessions?
I like going to concerts, and very rarely do I go to jam sessions. I love the improvisations, because I work in this way, and as for my recordings, I don’t want to make music necessarily for the audience to listen to my mistakes 🙂
Do you come from a musical family?
I like all kinds of music styles like: rock, pop, alternative, electronic, and industrial. I listen to bands like: Family Force 5, Trust Company, Coal Chamber, Nine Inch Nails, Helmet, and Guns N’ Roses. I like the grunge’s wave in the 90’s… There were a lot of good bands, and there still is, but unfortunately we don’t hear much from most of them anymore.
How do you handle mistakes during a performance?
Most people are in front of the stage, but they aren’t really aware of the mistakes. Here in Belgium, the beer country, people are too drunk to realize about what is happening on stage, so, they laugh, or don’t make a big deal about it. We are able to remain focused on the stage. This already happened to me one time, and I had to pretend to play my guitar because it was completely out of tune with the heat.
What are your thoughts on Another Destiny Project?
My thoughts are necessarily positives; this is a new project, a new challenge, maybe a new style or new sounds. I still don’t know very well how I’m going to approach it, but I will try to give the best of myself. I hope that all artists, enjoy my work for the richest collaborations.
What do you think about working with artists from around the world?
I love the idea of working with artists of all styles and to travel through to the music, right now I’m working with Jo Battle, of new Caledonia and Susana C. Marquez, from Spain and I also have some collaborations with french musicians, so yes! I love the external collaborations, if we can put the different cultures in a song everyone always win!!!!
About Johnny Naylor:
Johnny Naylor is the founder and owner of 1st Shot Music and a feature writer for Jammerzine. His work can also be found on 1st Shot Music and Naylor’s Notes. You can also get his latest updates on his facebook page.
