MHR Feature Interview with MARTYR

[Deuce Entertainment]

Rick Bouwman:
Hi Deuce, first of all thanx for the opportunity to do this interview for MHR:

Deuce Metalheadradio:
It's great having you guys here at the MHR Metal Network Rick, lets start off
with introducing the band members of MARTYR, we have:

Rick Bouwman - Guitars
Rop van haren - Vocals
Marcel Heesakkers - Guitars
Toine cvan der Linden - Bass
Wilfried Broekman - Drums

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Whats the origin of your band name, Its a unique name?

Rick Bouwman:
Back in the 80's I came up with the name MARTYR because it had a heavy touch
to it. Nothing else really. Although I must say Dutch people find it a hard word to pronounce the
right way. After we split in '87 many other bands also adapted the name MARTYR.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
You said the 80's? how long have you all known each other prior to forming MARTYR?

Rick Bouwman:
We've know each other a real long time now. The band MARTYR was formed in the
early 80's but before that, we already hung out with each other. Wilfried and
I formed our very first metal band together before MARTYR when we were 15 or
so. I knew Rop from a friend of mine who was also the 1st MARTYR drummer in
82, and Marcel and Toine also already played in a band called Target before
MARTYR, which also were friends of ours...

Deuce Metalheadradio:
So MARTYR was formed around 82?

Rick Bouwman:
Yeah, the band was really formed in 1982 by me. It was about time to put a new Dutch metal act on the world map that sounded different then the bands which already were known in Holland like Picture, Bodine, Highway Chile. We wanted to deliver a different sound, more NWOBHM and especially US metal orientated.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
What inspired you to make music together?

Rick Bouwman:
When we were young we were of course inspired by watching our heroes live on stage like KISS, Ted Nugent, Saxon etc for instance. That's what we wanted to do as well, play music we'll love ourselves and also entertain an audience as well. Music is a creative art, MARTYR was and still is the way to express ourselves.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
What is your music background?

Rick Bouwman:
I started playing guitar when i was 15 years old. My brother borrowed a Gibson Les Paul form a friend, but no way he got to play it because I did, haha ,. He didn't get it back. I was totally hooked and bought immediately a very cheap guitar , amp and a distortion pedal (ofcourse) for myself. From then on I took lessons and started writing own material immediately. In my family only my father has a musical background by playing clarinet , which he used to do in a jazz band. So ...of course i hated jazz at that time haha

Deuce Metalheadradio:
LOL yeah, my parents loved country music, needless to say i went the total opposite
dirrection. I hear alot of heavy old school influence in your music, what bands influenced you the most?

Rick Bouwman:
Most of the people i speak consider MARTYR to be influenced by Iron Maiden. Although we used to love the 1st maiden album : Killers, they are not our influences at all. We were influenced mainly by bands like: Warlord (US), Satan Jokers (FR), X-Ray (Jap) , Loudness (Jap), the very early Queensryche (US).These bands mainly inspired us beacuse their music was, besides really powerfull , also filled with excitement and surprises in measures , notes etc without being boring.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
What are your immediate music career goals? (Next year or so)

Rick Bouwman:
Our next goals afer the release of our latest album "Fear The Universe" 2 weeks ago (the album came out 20 Feb) is to do a benelux tour and a european tour this summer besides some festivals. This week we already started writng new material for hopefully a full length album next year!

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Who handles your daily business activities? (Bookings, promotions etc.)

Rick Bouwman:
We have a booking agency called Bajvan (http://www.bajvan-agency.nl/) and ofcourse i do alot of PR and promotional activities as well (www.martyronline.nl for more info). Also our record company Rusty Cage (www.rustycagerecords.com) and it's 2 founders are responsible for a great deal of promotion for MARTYR!!

Deuce Metalheadradio:
What type of metal music does Rusty Cage Records specialize in?

Rick Bouwman:
They specialized in releasing Dutch Metal Cult Classic records! Which is great.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite
venues?

Rick Bouwman:
We have performed all over Europe back in the 80's and recently as well. Last December we have done an European tour supporting US shock rockers Lizzy Borden!! That was a great experience. But mainly we play the Benlux and a lot in Germany. You know German fans are really great and really true to the old school HM style!! Our favorites show or venues have to be our reunion appearance at Keep It True back in 2004 . But also Headbangers Open Air was great. Our tour with Lizzy Borden also brought us a great show in Mayday in Glogow, Poland. A great venue too!. Furthermore i love the "Sticky Fingers" in Goteborg (Sweden). Excellent venue, the nicest people, a great stage and lightning. In Holland it is very easy : our Dutch Rock Palace is Paradiso - Amsterdam of course !!

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Lizzy Borden must have been a blast to tour with! Does MARTYR have any upcoming shows?

Rick Bouwman:
Yes, last week we did our CD presentation in Holland. 3 April we will play de Peppel, Zeist, Holland. We have some more shows in Holland and Belgium planned . Probably we'll do a tour in May in Holland as a support for a UK act (no details yet) and a European tour in August. 29 August we will play the Elsrock Festival in Rijssen , Holland.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Where would the "ultimate" venue for you to play be?

Rick Bouwman:
The ultimate venue? My ultimate dream is to take MARTYR to Japan. And then play Budokan. That would be GREAT !!

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Which songs do you perform most frequently?

Rick Bouwman:
We play all the songs from the new album Fear The Universe and our fave classics like Speed Of Samurai, Snow & Fire, Darkness At Time's Edge, Unknown Forces mostly besides others of course.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Who writes your songs?

Rick Bouwman:
For the old records I did most of the instrumental parts and Rop did the Lyrics. Although on the old albums it was Gerard Vergouw , our old singer, that recorded them. On Fear The Universe almost everything was written together, mostly in the rehearsal room.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?

Rick Bouwman:
There are no main themes. all songs and lyrics are different. But I guess Rop writes the lyrics mostly in a sort of mystical way, know what i mean. I guess , who can tell , the song: Most Evil One is about a gnat? haha

Deuce Metalheadradio:
LOL I can see how that concept came into play, gants are evil! Who comes up with the most song ideas?

Rick Bouwman:
Mostly I and Rop do. But as i said, we have an idea, jam , jam and jam some more and after a while and a lot of rearrangements together, a song comes out !!

Deuce Metalheadradio:
What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week
in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?

Rick Bouwman:
No we practice each week. Before shows we do some rehearsals where we play the set list completely. Otherwise we jam ,and jam, play a song, and jam some more and write new material.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
How has your music evolved since first began playing together or has it evolved at all lol?

Rick Bouwman:
Hopefully it did haha....of course each member has become a better musician . But our intentions are still the same...write music that distinguish itself from other music and bands we know. But , to be honoust , that is of course very difficult.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?

Rick Bouwman:
Just have fun, that's what it's all about really. Find the right people to play with and that you understand. Play on the same level. It is not fun if you're too good, and it's not fun if you are too band for the band. You'll have to understand each other to write and play music but you don't have to be the best player in the world. But be creative and original. That's what matters. And have patience of course........

Deuce Metalheadradio:
And the name of your most current CD is?

Rick Bouwman:
It is called Fear The Universe. It is out on Rusty Cage Records (RCR0017) and is a double digipack with 2 albums: "Fear" and "For The Universe".

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Where can it be purchased?

Rick Bouwman:
You can buy it at www.martyronline.nl or at www.rustycagerecords.com of course. But also in lots of shops and everywhere on the internet like Amazon, CDBaby etc . etc.

Deuce Metalheadradio:
Do you maintain a webpage or myspace page?

Rick Bouwman:
Yes we do: www.martyronline.nl and www.myscape.com/martyronline Please check it out for all further info on the Dutch Steel Legends MARTYR. Because........after 20 years ....the clan is back !!!

Deuce Metalheadradio
Well thank you very much Rick for taking the time to interview with us here at metalheadradio.com, and to those viewing this right now! Make sure to check out MARTYR right here at the MHR Metal Network! http://metalheadradio.ning.com/profile/RickBouwmanMARTYR Cheers Deuce..

[Buz]

Nice job Deuce! Thanks for taking the time to tell us more about yourselves Martyr....You guys Rock !!

Buz

[Deuce Entertainment]

That snow and Fire video kicks ass!

[D-1]

Great interview!!!! MarTyr Is Metal \m/

[Rick Bouwman / MARTYR]

Thanx a lot for your comments guys. It was a pleasure !! Grtz Rick

[Whiplash]

My buddy was just telling me about you guys today at school and then I remembered to check the interview out. Nice job Deuce and MARTYR with the great interview.

[Rick Bouwman / MARTYR]

Thx a lot Ernie!!