This Goes To 11 is a new column hosted by Mark Dalbeth.
Mark was born in New Zealand and now lives in Los Angeles, and would be better known in Australia as having been part of the band Bellusira.
Following his dreams, Mark moved to LA and has been working on Rav Medic plus an exciting new project he has in the works.
As a performer, Mark has been the subject of many interviews and as a result of often being asked the same generic questions himself, has come on board with HEAVY and plans to conduct interviews with an edge.
No bullshit questions, no boring anecdotes and definitely no soft edges, This Goes To 11 is a column where the musician finally gets to turn the tables with hard-hitting questions you won’t hear anywhere else.
This week Mark nails down Jelena from Serbian metal band Void Inn.
MD: Your biggest fear right now with the music industry?
Jelena: My biggest fear is that I won’t be able to see bands that I love play live anytime soon. Also, I miss performing myself so hopefully this Covid crisis won’t last very long…
Why do you think Rock Music is always the genre fighting for commercial acceptance?
Rock n’ roll music in my opinion is music for people with sophisticated taste, open mind and free spirit. For individuals who don’t care if they are different. Usually those traits don’t go hand in hand with today’s commercial music and I think that’s the biggest reason why we don’t see more rock n roll in commercial media.
Was there a moment in your career that you thought about throwing it all in?
Well, of course. I think any artist is fighting inner demons. The good thing is that those feelings don’t last long and that they are making me fight even harder. The thrill of making music and performing it live is still way stronger than urge to throw it all and give up.
What is your typical writing process?
9/10 times Sinisa (lead guitar) will come up with a song structure and main riff and then the rest of the band will jam around it. Lyrics come last. I let music inspire me and guide me in what directions lyrics will go.
Is there still value in printing CD’s or do you believe the Digital world has taken over completely now?
There is definitely value in printing CD’s because there is still lot of people who like to collect them. I like good artwork and I connect more when I hold a CD in my hand and read the lyrics from the booklet.
Are you prepared to sacrifice money and comfort in order to progress your career?
I already sacrificed everything; I dedicated my life to music.
Can you see modern Rock music returning to (commercial) radio in the near future?
Yes, I can, there is still lot of rock and metal radio stations around in most countries in the world. Rock will always be popular because it is the most exciting kind of music.
Was Lars Ulrich right?
Lars is great businessman and he is one of the reasons why Metallica is so successful today. When he sued Napster, he wanted to defend and protect the whole music industry. It was a very brave move but not achievable. Times changed and today we have totally different picture in music industry.
Has Rock Music become too safe?
Marketing channels have changed, but rock music is better than ever. Many upcoming great acts, different genres, talented musicians. Safe it’s definitely not a word I would connect with rock music but I must agree that some bands have changed their style to be more acceptable which I’m not a fan of.
Do you think it’s important to play in multiple projects or solely focus your attention into one?
I only stick to my band. We are DIY band and I have a lot of tasks to complete myself so honestly, I don’t have time for side projects. I had many offers but unfortunately had to turn them all down. I think this way it’s the only real way to commit.
What have you got going on or coming up that we should know about?
We have upcoming album “End this game” coming out on October 30. One more video for the song “Dead of Night” will be released in November. Hopefully we will play some shows in Winter. For 2021 we have some booked tours and for more precise info fans will find on our website and also on social media.
Watch “Stay Young” from Void Inn below:
