Throughout
the European continent, progressive rock has been enjoying a resurgence
these past few years. A fleet of talented and quite adept bands are
taking cues from the best genres of decades past and reinvigorating
rock with a new spirit. Featuring a cast of musicians from France
and Switzerland, Time Grid features the music and guitars of
Steve Huber. Steve has a solid band at his fingertips including
Mathias Reusser (vocals and keyboards), Laetitia Fontannaz
(vocals), Rémi Poussier (drums), Pierre Sottas
(bass) and Raphaël Sudan (keyboards). Time Grids
first album, released in 2013, Life is filled with a
compelling wide screen merger of progressive rock and hard rock stylings.
One of the rising guitarists on the European continent today, Steve
Hubers guitar work is razor sharp throughout the CD, incorporating
wide ranging elements of both progressive fusion and heavy metal sounds.
Even with the volume of slashing power chords, Time Grid manages to
keep things melodic while the mix of male / female vocals, featuring
Mathias and Laetitia, echoes 1970s era Eurock bands such as
Kayak. Time Grid started out back in 2001 and although took them a
while to have their first album released, the sound of Life
is excellent and the English lyrics printed in the eye catching CD
artwork will further heighten the international appeal of this auspicious
progressive rock band. www.TimeGrid.bandcamp.com
mwe3.com
presents an interview with
Steve Huber and Mathias Reusser
of TIME GRID
mwe3:
Where are you from originally and where do you live now and what do
you like best about it? What other cities do you enjoy visiting?
STEVE HUBER: I'm from Switzerland and I live in Montreux on
the shores of Genevas lake. It is a beautiful area surrounded
by mountains. All my family lives here and most of my friends.
I love to travel and if I could, I would go to every city in the world
because I think everywhere there are things to see and learn.
mwe3: It took a long time for the first Time Grid album to
be released. How does the Time Grid Life album represent the
sound and vision that you wanted to achieve for the band and how has
the album been received in Europe?
Mathias Reusser: I think it took that much time because we
wanted to take the time to make that music as close as possible to
the images we wanted to communicate. We wished to make a music that
is not a demonstration of speed or instrumental virtuosity. Our aim
is to build an emotion, a climax, a story and to be able to communicate
that emotion to the people who are listening. According to the reviews
we could read about Life in Europe, it seems we made it. Only
the French reviewers think our music is too complicated... That will
remain a mystery to us!
mwe3: Time Grid was formed by you and singer Mathias Reusser.
How would you describe the chemistry between you and Mathias and the
rest of the band and what approach do you take when you write the
music for the band and the lyrics for the vocalists as well?
STEVE HUBER: Mathias is my best friend since I was 17 years
old. I have the impression of having always made music with him. We
are complementary. In general I write guitar parts, bass and drums
and Mathias arranges everything with keyboards and vocals.
For some songs the other musicians modified parts or complete. Rémi,
the drummer adds many rhythmic elements. Words are more complicated...
we do not speak very good English!
It is laying on a couch with sheets of paper and listening to the
songs. According how they inspire us, we decide on a theme and writing.
When we fail, we ask Raphael. He is always willing to get started.
mwe3: What elements do you blend into your guitar style? Your
sound is very progressive and while you cite Steve Vai and Dream Theatre
you also mention classical influences like Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky
too. How do all these rock, prog, instrumental rock and classical
music influences sort of come together in your guitar work and compositions
on the Time Grid CD?
STEVE
HUBER: I try not to limit myself to one style, and always I listen
to all kinds of music and I think there is good in all styles of music.
Making music, I'm trying to tell stories with different moods and
textures. I take everything I can from other artists and composers
trying to do it my way and I especially am inspired by life. The guitar
is just an instrument by which I speak, but I do not feel I'm a guitarist
inside, just a musician.
mwe3: Can you tell us what guitars and other gear including
amps, pedals and strings youre using on the Time Grid CD and
do you have other guitars, electric and acoustic that you play or
endorse?
STEVE HUBER: I play with an Ibanez RG seven string and especially
an Fender Strat HM. I have also a Guild acoustic guitar and a nylon
string Godin Multiac.
I play with a Mesa Boogie TriAxis preamp and a power amp Mesa Boogie
2:90, awha wha cry baby and a Digitech whammy. I have no preference
for strings. I just recorded without effects and they were added during
the mixing of the CD.
mwe3: What guitarists, artists and bands in any genre today
do you feel are breaking new ground for both progressive rock and
hard rock, and music in general, in 2014?
STEVE HUBER: There are a lot of bands: Disperse, Lord Of Mushrooms,
Caligula's Horse, Circus Maximus, Haken. For guitar players in this
style there's no one who has brought something really new since Steve
Vai, John Petrucci etc. but the current level is very high and musicians
all play really well. The year has just begun...
mwe3: When were you first exposed to music and the guitar and
writing music and what were your early musical studies like? Do you
still practice guitar every day or do you spend most of the time writing
and rehearsing? Whats the perfect balance?
STEVE
HUBER: I started playing guitar by accident. I was with friends
and we watched video clips when one of us had the idea of forming
a metal band. We therefore chose an instrument. I have chosen the
guitar. I have then taken classes with a teacher in private. Later
I have studied at the school of music technology in Geneva where I
currently teach.
I have a 18 month old son. I do not have much time to practice the
instrument. (lol) I try to play my instrument as often as possible.
Living in Switzerland is very expensive. You have to work a lot. Music
is not considered a profession. I write when I'm on vacation or late
evening. We rehearse before concerts or recordings. Music is our passion
but this is unfortunately not with Time Grid that we make our living.
Must find its own balance, there's no magic formula, we are all different.
mwe3: Whats the music scene like in Europe today in your
estimation? It seems like every country, from the north, down south
to Italy and Greece are producing some great bands. Do you think progressive
rock and even instrumental progressive rock fusion is growing as a
worldwide phenomenon?
Mathias Reusser: I do not listen too much to the other prog
bands because I want to avoid any influence. I think progressive rock
and metal music feeds from everything that is not progressive! So
I listen to whatever is not prog rock/metal. Now of course I can't
deny I've been influenced by Dream Theater, because if I didn't discover
their music, maybe I wouldn't even compose progressive music...
Now speaking of other bands, I'm very glad to see that despite the
difficulty to record an album, find gigs and touring, there are many
people around the world wanting to create interesting music, and they
will not stop! I think progressive music is a worldwide phenomenon
definitely. It comes from a natural need to spread our minds beyond
the common limits of pop music. I love pop music by the way and it
inspires me many times, I'm just saying that progressive music allows
you to tell a longer and evolving story, and this is why it is so
interesting to me.
mwe3:
What other projects would you like to further explore with Time Grid
in the new year and what about new writing, recording and plans for
live shows with Time Grid moving into the future?
Mathias Reusser: Steve wrote many songs since the release of
Life. I made some too, and I'm looking forward to arranging
those! There are many styles I'd like to explore, such as electronic
music and contemporary classical music. I'd like the next songs to
get rid of every unnecessary thing. I want them to be clear and true.
About the shows, we don't plan anything at the moment, cos we all
have children and jobs, so we can't fill our Time Grid as we would
like to.
Thanks to Steve Huber and Mathias Reusser @ www.TimeGrid.bandcamp.com