Interview with Anneke van Giersbergen and Liv Kristine from "The Sirens"

HM: So, let’s start with question about your new album, “Vervain”, that was released in the end of October on Napalm Records. My first question will be – where did that name come from? Are U a fan of vampire stories and tales?

LK: Yeah, but older ones, like those really black and white movies, “Nosferatu” and that stuff. That’s my favorite kind of thing, and we used that as inspiration for “Theater of Tragedy”, my former band. But actually – “Vervain” is the perfume of my husband and I just discovered one morning.

AvG: No way, that is so cool!

LK: Well, of course I know his perfumes, but I just realized – “That is such a  wonderful-sounding word”, and I just loved the sound of it, it’s good, it fits. And that is the story, that’s all. There is nothing big about it.

HM: On this album, there was a lot of collaboration, for example with Doro. Do U enjoy working with someone or are U more of a “solo” person?

LK: Well, so far I haven’t released an album with just me and a sort of triangle around me. I enjoy working with my band and do cooperation. That’s very important to me, actually, because I gather a lot of influence from cooperation and duets. And also “The Sirens” – it’s very inspiring to me. U discover new facets to yourself and when it comes to singing – U do it in different situations, like 3 female voices on stage, and also U have to include everything and everybody when U are recording on tape. It’s very inspiring, I do love cooperation. And it doesn’t really matter to me who it is, how big it is – the most important thing is the sound of the voice and if I like the song. It might be a garage band somewhere from Honolulu.

AvG: That’s sound cool, a garage band from Honolulu.

LK: Yeah, could be an inspiration.

HM: Back in 2004 U did vocals on Cradle of Filth’s “Nymphetamine”. In my opinion, and no offense meant to any other singer, no one did better than U with the concept of “beauty and the beast”, which U introduced years ago. How did U come to work with Dani?

LK: The management of Cradle tried to contact me and I kept putting their emails in spam because I thought it was a joke. There were such names as Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Cristina Scabbia and I thought: “Yeah, right…”. And then the phone rang and it was management: “We’ve got to deliver tomorrow. Can U do it?”. I was like: “Ok, send me the song”. I was in a moment of just becoming a mom and Dani had young kids himself. I called him up in his London studio and said: “Ok, I’m gonna do it, and this is my idea. I wanna do this Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave kind of thing”. Dani was absolutely happy, he was over the moon. And then something happened a month later. I was driving in my car to pick my song from grandma and they said on radio, that some singer from Swabia area in Germany have been nominated for Grammy in LA. And nobody had told me! So I heard it on the radio. Motorhead got the Grammy, but it was very nice thing. That’s also one big inspiration for me.

HM: Last historical question. On first Leaves’ Eyes, there was a song called “Norwegian Lovesong”. To my ear, it sounds lots like another Norwegian band called “Immortal”. By any chance, was there influence?

LK: “Leaves’ Eyes” is absolutely purely solely based on my Norwegian broods and heritage and my love for Viking mythology and history. “Leaves’ Eyes” is just something that appeared as idea during morning run. And I told my husband and it clicked – we went to studio and that was “Leaves’ Eyes”.

HM: Back to you, Anneke. U already had lots of collaboration throughout your career. Do U think it’s possible in future to set up something like “Women of metal” project/show (not like Metal Female Voices) with variety of female vocals? Would that be of interest to U?

AvG: I think so and actually I know some people, who are working on this. And as far as I know – they are thinking of making it more modern, so to say. Nowadays U have these kids, these girls, that do massive good singing, but they also like growling and screaming, so they do like everything. I think that is really cool to include these guys with such a show. Because emphasis always go on something like opera style, but it could be cool if U make a show with this ladies, because they have also massive singing voices, they are really great.

HM: U’re talking about someone like Alissa White-Gluz from “Arch Enemy”?

AvG: Yeaaaah, for instance, as she is massive. I know people are working on it, they are Dutch based, as I know. I think in one or two years, they are gonna make something cool, just like U proposed.

HM: Since we last met in Nov 2013, what has changed for U like a musician? Some amazing plans? Any new projects?

AvG: Well, actually, the project with Arjen (Lucassen, “The Gentle Storm”) is my next thing which I’m focusing on. It’s coming out in March so we are busy with preparations.

HM: You are hitting the tour after that?

AvG: Yeah, we are going to do some festivals, also clubs, all over the places, so 2015 will be mostly based on that. And, actually, we’re doing some festivals with “The Sirens”, like 4 of them.

HM: OK. Who’s your favorite singer of all times? Both male and female.

AvG: Well, I have few. Can I have few, haha? Well, I’d say Freddie Mercury, he is one of a kind. I love singer of “Faith No More” – Mike Patton. For female – I’d say Kate Bush.

HM: With both of your husbands being part of the band – does it help? Or sometimes, on the contrary, it’s like a distraction?

AvG: Well, I personally love having Rob (Snijders) around. He knows me, he knows what I can do best, he knows what I cannot do best and he is very honest with me. I’m not with my head in the clouds, I’m much more focused because of him. How about you, Liv?

LK: Absolutely! If somebody can see through U - that’s a good thing. U don’t have a manager, that goes “Oh yeah, she looks good”, but a person that is being honest and it’s not like U have a dollar sign on your forehead. That’s also what differs from what manager may do, whereas husband knows all sides of U. And also, in my case, he is the one who pushes me that last 1% when I do 99%.

HM: Liv, in one of your interviews, U mentioned “Anathema” and “Paradise Lost” being inspirational for U. Do U think there can be some project with them?

LK: Oh, yeah, absolutely, I’d love that.

HM: But who introduced U to those bands?

LK: Oh, we were young, we were kids partying up there in the darkness of Norway, eager to find things about new bands. So we hung out to the local record stores and every time there was something – we would spend all of our pocket money on it.  So we were really searching and digging for new bands.

HM:  Back in 2004, you took part in project called “Genius” – a rock opera. Have you ever been offered to participate in other super-groups and projects, like Avantasia or Aina?

LK: Well, that would be awesome, because it’s great to use your voice in different manner, to feel the atmosphere, to get on stage. Sometimes U need to change your vocal settings or singing manners and I think that’s what U learn from. Your experience when everything is set in a new frame and installation –it’s a challenge and it’s good. I think it makes us who we are with all experiences and still going on after all these years. Experience is everything – the studio, the stage, everything.

HM: Anneke, how did it happen with “The Sirens”? I remember, it was initially yours idea? U both have lots of collaborative projects, but how have U decided to work all together?

AvG: Oh, you know, we met at one festival and then we said: “We know each other for so-o-o long, but we never really worked together”. That day we decided we should do it. That was like ideas sprung from that moment. And we also took a picture together, put it on Facebook and things exploded like: “Oh, holy shit, Liv and Anneke, together?”. And then we decided – we definitely need to do something together, because people apparently like us together. Then we called Kari (Rueslatten) in a deal, because there are a lot of duets, but to have a trio – that is more unique, in a way. It’s like 3 tenors, but then it’s us.

HM: That leads me to question for Liv. U have a younger sister – Carmen – how is it so, that we haven’t heard a duet yet?

LK: Oh, U know, I’m on her latest album with her band “Savn”. And she was appearing every now and then on “Leaves’ Eyes”, but she just became mom for the second time, so she has been busy.

HM: The last question. You are both moms, of your respective works, you would choose as a lullaby for your children?

AvG: I did once a lullaby song with “The Gathering”, that is called “Lullaby” and I still love that song, because it’s sweet and with good message, like “Sleep, close your eyes, everything is gonna be fine in the morning”, a classical one.  Did U ever make a lullaby, Liv?

LK: Not really, but the same kind of thing you, Anneke, did with “Lullaby”. It’s with “Leaves’ Eyes” and it’s called “For Emily”. The thing is – first I thought my baby is going to be girl, and that was supposed to be Emily. But then I realized, after the song had been recorded, that it’s Leon, it’s a boy! But he knows the story and he’s OK with that. So, “For Emily” is actually “For Leon”.

HM: Thanks you so much, ladies, it has been a pleasure. See you on stage!

LK, AvG: Thank you too, see you, guys!