THE CONJURER'S TRICK

I am now chatting with Mr. Rhys Fulber of Conjure One-

Hello Rhys, thanks for granting me an interview. (the smell of bacon & eggs permeates the air.)

How did you approach your second Conjure One effort? Did you set out to capture a distinctly different feeling with Extraordinary Ways?

RF: "I didn't want to repeat the first album, so yes. It was also made entirely in LA instead of Europe, the UK and Canada, so that gave it a different vibe as well. It's more of an urban themed record I guess you could say."

MF: How did you and Poe (aka Jane) begin working together?

RF: "I met her working on the first record. I had a instrumental track a friend suggested I get a vocal on. Her A&R man at Atlantic Records had contacted me about doing a remix of the Poe song "Wild" so I had her CD on the coffee table at the studio, and thought, "what about her?". The A&R man set it up, and the song became Center Of The Sun."

MF: Are they any other artists you wish to collaborate with?

RF: "I don't really think about it too much, especially now that Conjure One has developed its own identity. I just sort of let things happen."

MF: How do you store your compact discs? Do you keep them in their proper jewel casings?

RF: "In big storage bins, and I do more so now that everything lives in my powerbook."

MF: Do you ever have nightmares about a "Fahrenheit 451" scenario, in which all musical recordings are destroyed and outlawed?

RF: "Hmmm, Never really thought about that! I left high school pretty early to play with synthesizers so I missed that book."

MF: If asked would you be a judge on "American Idol?"

RF: "No. I've only seen that program a couple times and I found the experience a bit sad."

MF: What was the last CD you purchased?

RF: "Killing Joke's "Hosannas from the Basement Of Hell."

MF: Your music is very good at evoking great flowing imagery in the listener's mind. Have you ever been approached about scoring a film?

RF: "Yes. A demo of the first album had me picked up by a composer management group in LA a while back. I did a bit of work in the field, nothing major, but I wasn't ready to commit myself to what would be needed to get somewhere in that area. I had a lot going on as a record producer and that was more the direction I chose. It's something I would like to come back to later."

MF: Who do you think has one of the best voices in the world of music today?

RF: "Today? Imogen Heap is quite good and I like James Walsh of Starsailor.

MF: Are Canadians rather fearful of Texans? I ask because upon a visit to Toronto, people's response to me upon hearing I was from Texas was always followed by some sort of statement regarding guns or President Bush.

RF: "Well ignorant people are pretty much anywhere you go. I guess they don't know about all the Canadians playing minor pro hockey in Texas. I think Texas has more minor pro teams than any other state."

MF: Do you think the U.S. should eradicate the giant 'immigration wall' that is being tossed around at the moment?

RF: "It seems pretty totalitarian to me, but if it really makes people feel better then go for it. Though it's been proven before that walls don't solve problems. If anything I think people in America should be encouraged to travel more. My wife is American and her immigration to Canada has been a huge hassle, so I wouldn't say Canada has soft immigration policies, like they make out on CNN. I've in lived both countries and always had a harder time going north."

MF: On the track Endless Dream, Jane is heard whispering softly "so quiet now we are the...same" is that what she is actually saying?

RF: "Yes it is."

MF: Will Kirsty Hawkshaw be featured on the next Delerium release?

RF: Yes, again."


Thank you so much. Do you have any last words?

We are putting together some more live shows on the east coast for this Summer and I'm going to start a new album soon.

bye-bye.

copyright 2006 Michael Floyd
go and purchase a stellar Conjure One recording