Marcela Bovio of Stream of Passion Interview
Interview with Marcela Bovio of Stream of Passion
By John Thornburgh and Ton Dekkers, photos by Ton Dekkers
April 28, 2013 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Introduction: Marcela Bovio invited us to join her on stage for this interview before Stream of Passion’s headlining concert in Eindhoven. How cool! She also updated us on SOP’s upcoming new album, the new songs, a label change, the future of the music business, and the amazing collegiality of Eve’s Apple.
After the interview, we were treated to a great show. I reviewed Stream of Passion’s last gig in Paris, which was fantastic, and this one was even better, since SOP got to play longer and had their own sound equipment. Plus, they previewed new songs (“Earthquake” and “The Curse”), which I thought were very good. As Marcela notes in the interview, they are even more progressive than before, something which sets SOP apart from many other symphonic metal bands. I especially enjoyed the guitar solo and intense vocals in “Earthquake," though Californians don’t like to be reminded of earthquakes. (Marcela later told me that the song is not really about earthquakes, but about drug related problems in Mexico.) I also enjoyed seeing Sin7SinS for the first time as opening act. They have a classic metal sound, and you can tell their front woman Lotus is crazy in a good way.
Both bands also stayed for at least an hour to visit with fans after the concert, while the venue (De Effenaar) continued to play good music and serve drinks. This was very nice, and much better than Paris, where the venues often throw people out a few minutes after the show ends.
I should also say Ton Dekkers knows how to celebrate his birthday! He played the part of organizer to make sure this concert happened on his big day.
John: Thank you very much for agreeing to another interview with Sonic Cathedral. I think it’s been almost three years since we did it before. And I think a lot has happened for you since then.
Marcela: Yeah, three years ago, wow, yeah, we’ve done some stuff! (laughs)
John: So tonight I’ve read that you’re gonna play some new songs?
Marcela: Yeah.
John: Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Marcela: Well, you know, we’ve been working on new material for a while, and we are so anxious to show some of the stuff, so we decided to incorporate a couple of the songs into the set. I think they give a very good impression of where the new album is going. I think it’s a little bit more ambitious and a little bit more progressive, compared to Darker Days. So yeah, you’ll hear.
John: That sounds very intriguing. I saw that one of your New Year’s resolutions was to finish the album this year. Are you still on track for that?
Marcela: Yeah, yeah, we’re still on track for that. Still writing, we have a lot of ideas, and a lot of really cool stuff. We’re deciding what to use and what not. And we’re figuring out a way to release it. We parted ways from our previous record label, Napalm. So now we’re figuring out what the best option is for us.
John: So you haven’t decided who your next label will be?
Marcela: No, we’re still figuring that out, considering all kinds of possibilities, nowadays, you know, it’s also very common for bands to release stuff themselves, and this seems like a very viable option, we’ll see.
John: With the Internet, it does seem increasingly possible.
Marcela: Yeah, exactly.
John: You gotta wonder whether someday labels will no longer even be necessary.
Marcela: Yeah, because nowadays there are so many channels and ways to reach people directly. And you wonder is a middleman necessary?
Ton: Maybe you can do Melissa Ferlaak’s track, do crowd funding?
Marcela: Oh yeah, yeah.
Ton: Or what Marillion did a couple of years ago.
Marcela: Exactly, yeah.
Ton: They did the same thing, they pre-ordered by the Web. And with that money, they were paid up front. And with that you fund your own studio.
Marcela: Yeah, you know, back in the days when the only way you would find out about a band would be going to the record shop, I remember like going to the flea market, there was this little guy selling metal CDs, and he had all the catalogs from you know Century Media, Nuclear Blast, and that was the only way you could find out about new bands. The Internet is just an open encyclopedia of stuff that you can just reach, and that’s amazing, and I think the whole business is just changing and changing. And you know, why not try to get closer and closer to the fans because we have the means to do it.
John: I agree. All my favorite bands I found on the Internet.
Marcela: Exactly.
John: Either YouTube or Amazon “people who bought this also bought that,” you know.
Marcela: Exactly.
John: Anything you want to say about what happened with Napalm?
Marcela: Um, no. (laughs)
John: Fair enough. (laughs)
Marcela: That’s very politically correct, leave it at that. Maybe off the record.
John: I saw on your Facebook that you posted “Oh stage I long for you, as a flower longs for the morning dew.” I liked that quote.
Marcela: Thank you. I stole it. (laughs)
John: Can you elaborate?
Marcela: It’s a part of a lyric of a song from a band that I adore, called the 3rd and the Mortal. It’s an old, well not really that old, but they don’t exist anymore, band from Norway. It’s a very interesting female-fronted metal band. So if you don’t know it, you should check it out. 3rd and the Mortal. Really, really good. And I remembered that song, and it was just basically the way that I was feeling at the moment, like I told you, once you’ve been on stage and you feel that need, it’s an addiction. If you don’t have it, you start craving more and more for it. I’m happy, happy that we’re here tonight.
John: Well, having not ever done it, I can only imagine. I’m sitting on the stage with you, but having never performed, I can only imagine that would be true. I think you’ve said that when you’re in the audience you just wish you were up on the stage?
Marcela: Yeah, yeah, like I mentioned, I’ve been in bands since I was 18, and I’ve always been doing something with music. There was just one year, I think I was 20 or 21, there was this whole year that I didn’t do anything with music, and I could not go to a concert because I would get infuriated. Like, it’s great what you’re doing up there, but I want to be on stage. I felt this horrible envy kind of thing, and I couldn’t really enjoy myself if I went to a live show. So I started a new music project, and it was all good. (laughs)
John: Well I’m glad you’re getting back on stage tonight.
Marcela: Yeah, thank you. Thanks to Ton also.
John: Yes, thanks to Ton. It’s a great way to celebrate a birthday I would say.
Marcela: Yeah, yeah, fantastic.
Ton: Yeah. It’s also a strange way of organizing a concert, of getting a gig.
Marcela: Now you have some booking experience as well you can add to your resume. (laughs)
John: Ton and I met at MFVF [Metal Female Voices Fest], where I also met you. And you’re going to be back there again this year?
Marcela: Yeah.
John: And this time you’ll be with your band, Stream of Passion, right?
Marcela: Yep, yep, exactly.
John: Is there anything you can tell us about what to expect?
Marcela: Well I think probably more new stuff, and the same crazy amount of energy that we always like to show on stage.
John: I’ve heard rumors that there may also be another Eve’s Apple performance.
Marcela: There may also be another Eve’s Apple performance. (laughs)
John: That’s all you’re saying? (laughs)
Marcela: Another politically correct answer. (laughs)]
John: Alright, alright. I don’t want to get you in trouble.
Marcela: Well actually I don’t even know myself if it’s all going to happen, but I think it would be fantastic. It was really nice. I do know for a fact that whether there’s a performance or not that most of the gals are going to be there because we had such an amazing time last time. Yet almost none of us knew each other before the festival. And we were all there and just joining on stage and we had this feeling of collegiality as if we had known each other for years. And it’s great. I would never have imagined, you know, having such an amazing group of women. There’s no sense of rivalry or anything. It’s just incredible to meet so many people that understand how you feel and what you do. Really great.
John: That’s pretty amazing. I got the sense of that collegiality when I was, you know, there watching the performers hang out together. It seemed like in the old days rock singers were more prima donnas or had bigger egos, and I think it’s really cool how you all work together so well.
Marcela: Yeah.
Ton: It’s the same as what you see on the Facebook pages with how you support each other, it’s great.
Marcela: Exactly. I don’t even know how that even happened. We have also secret groups on Facebook, ahhh, secret Eve’s Apple groups where we just share stuff, you know like day by day stuff, and we talk about singing techniques and whatever. And everyone is so open and so keen on helping and sharing with the group. Just like if someone needs information about venues in some other country because their band wants to play there, or whatever, everyone is just so ready to help. It’s really incredible.
John: I think that is a great thing about that organization. Another question, I know your song on the previous album, “Darker Days,” was about your transition from warm and sunny Mexico to dark and cold Northern Europe. Since then have you become more adjusted?
Marcela: Oh, yeah, definitely. And thank goodness, because (laughs) it was necessary. Like one and a half years ago, my family, my parents and my sister, were here, and it was October, and it was beautiful weather for The Netherlands in October. It was like 25 degrees, it was sunny, it was dry, it was amazing. And they were like, oh it’s so cold, they were wearing winter jackets. And I was like, come on it’s great. Then I got the feeling like I’m a little bit more adjusted already. I’ve also improved my punctuality.
John: (laughs)
Marcela: No, seriously, this is very important for a Mexican because well, we’re not (laughs).
John: The Dutch are very punctual I guess?
Marcela: Yeah, yeah.
Ton: Depending on where you come from.
Marcela: No, if you compare it with Mexican people, let me tell you, in Mexico it’s completely normal if you have an appointment with friends to be half an hour late, you know, forty-five minutes, it doesn’t matter. But here if someone’s going to be five minutes late, they call you, I’m sorry I’m going to be five minutes late. Like, whatever. But I’ve adjusted myself to that as well (laughs), so yeah I feel good. I got lovely people, lovely friends, here in Holland.
Ton: She’s speaking very good Dutch.
Marcela: I have to say I feel very confident with my Dutch nowadays. That’s also very reassuring.
John: Well, congratulations.
Marcela: Thank you.
John: Is there any last thing you would like to say to our readers?
Marcela: Well, just sending a really big hello, and also to the staff and the people who support Sonic Cathedral, because it’s one of the greatest organizations that support this kind of music, and we really appreciate all that you do and the effort you put into finding us and following what we’re doing, because we really need it.
John: Well, thank you so much, and thank you so much for creating the beautiful music that we all love.
Marcela: Thank you.
