PIERRE VERVLOESEM

The newsletter says that you recorded "Grosso Modo" in less than 2 days....why did you choose to do it so fast?

The idea was to work with Charles Hayward, and because he lives in England I kwew I had only one week to work with him here in Belgium(because of money). So I "compose" not too difficult music to learn and perform. We rehearsed 4 days and record 1 small day and 1 morning and then Charles go back to his home or somewhere.

Which are the main differences between "Grosso Modo" and for example "Zala ZAla" or "Fiasco"?

If you don't hear the difference then choose another job ! Or maybe you haven't hear Grosso Modo yet and so let's say that Grosso Modo is ultra-live !

How did you include Peter Vermeersch as a guest musican on clarinet on "Grosso Modo"?

By sending him a data cd of the track and then he send me a data cd with the clarinets !

All the Grosso modo tracks are spontaneous compositions arranged later for 4 people, so I suppose i must say that improvisation and spontaneity is everything in the Grosso modo case.

How did you develope your style as a composer and as a guitarist

I never planned to developpe my style. I play that's all !

Are you accustomed to playing with the other musicians that play in "Grosso Modo" or was it an ensemble made just for this recording?

I play with Peter Vandenberghe in X-Legged Sally, Guy Segers did some replacement in X-Legged Sally and Charles Hayward is in my head since I have 15.

How were the songs in "Grosso Modo" composed?

See question 4

How important is for you having a good guitar technique, such as knowing all scales and arpeggios, etc?

I don 't know the name of the notes I play, I know two chords, zero scales and I can' t play arpeggios. But having some technique is important if you want to make more than one cd in your life, so I work, i work but with no method !

Which are your main influences?

You need to have a lot of technique to be influenced by someone.

So let's say I listen a lot to Zappa, Fripp and Snakefinger in my youth and it's useful !

Something more to add?

I would like to visit your messy country,buddy !

PIERRE VERVLOESEM WEBSITE: http://listen.to/vervloesem