One day, during an interview, an artist told me that the journalists were always asking the same questions again and again... and thus he had to give the same answers and interviews were getting boring. After a while, I thought it could be interesting to actually follow this idea to its \"extreme\" and ask the same questions to the artists I would meet. I had to find out basic and general questions that could give to them the chance to present themselves and the music they make. It became then more and more interesting for the readers of this website as they were able to analyse and compare the hundreds of answers artists gave to the same questions... Happy reading and regards from a French guy living in Finland !
Vincent Lefrançois
When and how did you decide to become a musician / singer?
The story is stupid. When I was a kid I saw slash and thought he was bass player. I knew nothing about guitars or basses. I got in to playing bass and felt it was my instrument. Later guitar came along and now days I sing a lot too.
Was this choice difficult to make?
I think it chose me. Really, it’s everything to me and nowdays it takes all of my time and money. Now days it’s more composing and using instruments as tools.
What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
What got me started was Black Sabbath, Gnr, Metallica… Later I got into Death- and Black metal, Gorefest etc. But for me the most important releases have been about 97 anathema, katatonia, my dying bride & Type o negative.
What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Well I think other things in Finland are still well. So that it helps. Finnish metal is highly praised in other countries. What I don´t like is the competition and envy of bands. Many bands aim for perfect radio hit or something. You can really notice that the arrangements of songs sound the same. And the comparison to other bands or musicans.
How could you qualify your style of music?
My personal? I tend to use the riffs I can get feelings from. You know? The riffs I think other would feel same as me when I hear ‘em. Longing, anxious, restless, impatient… Right now I am a little stuck with one melodie that I use in lots of song so you can really recognize my songs or playing.
Have you ever considered the possibilty to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of music would you choose?
Not totally. I hope it never happens. Ofcourse my music is constantly progressing/changing and I have lots of bands so I get to play lot of different styles. But only to take one of ‘em, it would have to be something completely new. As people say everything has been done, they are wrong in a way. The world is full of rythyms and sounds. Many players have just been slaved by the music theory. It doesent matter if some style has been used before, music belongs to everybody.
What are stories/topics you tell/treat in your songs?
My personal words are of longing and regret. Lots of em are about cheating and betrayal. Raptures songs can be described by the cd titles “Futile” & “Songs for the withering”.
What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
From Rapture? I guess it has to be some of the new cd, “The Vast” I guess. The reason is quite obvious 
Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Well we have to see after these first gigs are over. We have new line up but all of us have experience of studios & live performances. The last work in studio were painless of the same reason.
What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
My current playlists and favourites are not metal at all. Sigur Ros, Björk, Radiohead, The Gathering, P4P, Queens Of The Stone Age, Nick Drake, Smack…
What are your actual and future projects?
*Sighs* I have made 3 lps this year with 3 different bands so it’s pretty much just stress, mixing & mastering. Calendar still looks merciful for rest of the year, but it’ll look much different in next month, I’m sure.
A stupid question but… what is among all the songs you’ve been listening in your life the BEST song? Why?
Im sure we all sometimes comment that “this is the best song ever”. It’s impossible to answer, but this year I’ve listened The Cure’s “Disintegration” a 1000 times for sure!
Internet is something interesting for musicians because it gives them the opportunity to touch a larger audience but it is also a threat for them (regarding the copyrights). What is your opinion regarding this medium?
It’s great. Mp3.com and everything. Napsters and everything… In my case it has just increased cd buying. I have heard bands I would never have found without internet. I am not sure about piratism. I really don’t care much about labels loosing their money becouse they don’t care much about bands but the money. I feel music belongs to everyone as I said. Ofcourse it’s right in my oppinion to buy cds. And I buy the cds I like. I just feel the band should get the most of the money.
Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
Yes. I usually make the songs using some wave studio. When they are ready we start recording again to know the difficulties and about how much time it will take in the real studio. In studio I prefer to use real/analog recording equipment and the mixing with computer. I hate pitch sifters and autotune plugins etc. tricks.
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