Profil - COMEDY OF ERRORS a été formé en 1984 à Glagsgow (Écosse) pendant la renaissance du style. C’est aussi les débuts de Pallas et Abel Ganz avec qui COE se produira à quelques reprises. Dans les années qui suivent ils enregistrent quelques démos dont « 24 Hours » en 1987, qui est selon les chroniqueurs le plus marquant. Plusieurs changements se font à l’intérieur du groupe, ce qui n’aide pas la stabilité. Et en 1989, un autre single sort puis COE disparait. C’est une véritable renaissance qui nous arrive en 2011 avec l’album « Disobey » où COE se démarque et provoque d’excellentes réactions. Le line-up se compose de Joe CAIRNEY (chant), Jim JOHNSTON (claviers), Mark SPALDING (guitare) et Bruce LEVICK (batterie). Nous remarquons aussi la présence de Hew MONTGOMERY (Abel Ganz, Grand Tour) à la basse sur un titre. Deux ans plus tard COE nous présente « Fanfare & Fantasy » qui confirme que le groupe n’est pas seulement de passage. Puis en 2015, c’est avec l’album « Spirit » que le groupe nous surprend. Sur cet album le line-up c’est bonifié par la présence de John FITZGERALD (basse) et Sam McCULLOCH (guitare). Avec cette entrevue que j’ai réalisée avec Jim JOHNSTON, le principal compositeur, vous en saurez un peu plus sur le thème de « Spirit » et sur bien d’autres sujets. Bonne lecture !

 

PR - It is a great privilege to have you in an interview, thanks!

 

PR - Tell us about the theme on your new album "Spirit"?

 

Jim Johnston - The theme is one of grief, loss and ultimately hope. Death to life.

 

PR - How came the idea of this theme?

 

JJ - Personal tragedy

 

PR - All compositions written by you and he said that his references are related to several great authors including Shakespeare and Bach. What are the links to do with them?

 

JJ - Most of the classical references, both musical and literary, are related to the theme of the album

 

PR - In addition, I read that Jim says that it is the most personal album that he composed, you can tell us more?

 

JJ - The death of a young very much loved close family member. I hesitate though to tie the concept of the album to one thing. For me the theme of the album is very specific.  Death. However, for someone else it may be the loss of something else, e.g. love, friends, family, or even an important part of one’s life. 

 

PR - Do you consider that 'Spirit' is part of the normal evolution of the Group?

 

JJ - Yes and no. In Spirit the scale is vast, It was more important than ever to unify the piece thematically and use motivic developmental ideas and relate all the musical material to each other. This is more what classical composers did. It was a technique always present in the songs of the previous albums but this represents a step forward. I really can’t say I’ve heard anything else like it. It has obviously rock influences and is symphonic in scale as well as construction. I didn’t want to just stick 5 separate unrelated songs together and call it a ‘symphony’. I was quite emphatic that the 45min piece should be listened to start to finish. There are titles for the ten tracks into which the main piece on the album is divided. However these run seamlessly into each other. The titles are pretty much arbitrary and are only for ease of reference. This is really meant to be a single track and thankfully it plays as such giving the impression of being carried through on an emotional journey. There is probably more creative input in this album than the others put together. It also is probably the most emotional album of those we have released -grief, anger and joy. I doubt we’ll repeat the epic scale of this in whatever we follow it up with, but I think we’re finding a more unique sound and more original ways of putting songs together. Hopefully that will be consolidated in the next album.

 

PR - What is there was a turning point in the life of the Group?

 

JJ - I think we always realised we had something in us which should reach a wider public. Perhaps we needed to learn how to organise our material better as the years passed

 

PR - The composition of Comedy Of Errors appears to be relatively stable, how do you explain this stability?

 

JJ - If you mean with regard to line up changes, there actually have have been quite a few around a core of original members. We have since our second incarnation been quite stable. The members of COE have always got on well together. We are brutally frank with each other, and although deadly serious about the music, a sense of humour, however warped, is an essential pre-requisite.

 

PR - After the release of «Fanfare & Fantasy» Mark Spalding decided to leave COE. You welcomed a new guitarist to replace him in the person of Sam McCulloch and looking at the line-up on 'Spirit' is the name of Mark who seems to be back with "Spirit". That is correct?

 

JJ - Yes, Mark is back. He left due to an overload of commitments, both musically and personally, there being not enough time in the day to fit everything in, but that situation eased. We always hoped Mark would return, as I think he did, but being the chap he is didn’t want to promise anything he wasn’t sure he could keep. In between time we acquired the excellent guitar services of Sam McCulloch and with Mark back in time for the album we have for the first time TWO brilliant guitarists at our disposal.

 

PR - I wouldn't forget John Fitzgerald; he officially became a member of COE?

 

JJ - John joined in 2013 having previously played in another band with our drummer Bruce Levick. John replaced Hew Montgomery who helped us out on bass for a spell before he left to do his Grand Tour album.

 

PR - A short return in the past, after the 1988 release of a compilation album you disappear completely. And then in 2011 you return in force with the album "Disobey". What are the reasons for this return to the music scene after this long absence?

 

JJ - I think being from Scotland in the early incarnation of Comedy Of Errors, we suffered from being too far from London. Our music had a small but passionate following but changing fashions in music meant the demand for our type of music was not in the opinion of trendy record companies, fashionable. What then happened was a very creative learning process. I threw myself into self study of music and literature which greatly helped with the music. I hoped the time would come when technology would advance to the level where we could record music the way WE wanted. The long hiatus which preceded Disobey allowed us the luxury of time to improve, reflect and study. When magical things such as Pro Tools and the internet came about, this allowed us the opportunity to record our music and get it across to listeners without the interference and control of a record company. A few calls to Mark and Joe and we were re-born.

 

PR - Why did you choose this musical style (progressive) instead of another popular genre?

 

JJ - We never think of it as in any particular genre. Just as music. I would like to think of it as progressive in the true sense of the word. Genres are very subjective. Some may label our new album ‘Spirit’ as rock, some prog some classical. It is what it is. No apologies for that!

 

PR - Tell us about your participation to the Grand Tour of Hew Montgomery project?

 

JJ - I don’t contribute to Grand Tour - this is a good friend of mine’s studio project and is Hew Montgomery’s baby. He’s a good enough keyboard player not to require my services. Joe, Bruce and Mark have contributed though.

 

PR - What are your future plans?

 

JJ - Rehearsing for a few UK gigs early next year as warm up to playing Rosfest in Gettysburg USA in May 2016. Will be adding many more dates after that and then on to the next album.

 

PR - You have the final word...

 

JJ - Very many thanks for giving me the opportunity to discuss our music. All the best from Comedy Of Errors!

 

PR - Thank you!