Getting to Know… Eloaħ | Interview 🎤

In the 382^nd Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from Austrian collective, Eloaħ.

“What makes our band unique is the variety of styles we incorporate into our music, whilst maintaining a certain idiosyncrasy.” Cool 😎 beans 🫘, 🎙 Eloaħ! Elmar C. Fuchs (vocals 🎤, guitar 🎸, and piano 🎹), expounds, “You’ll always recognize our signature sound, whether we’re rocking out with pop, delving into jazz, or diving deep into the world of metal.” Rock on 🤘! From the Austrian collective, we get the inside scoop on their genesis, goals, musical influences, and of course, current, and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into 🎤 Getting to Know…Eloaħ: Interview No. 382!

For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Eloaħ distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

Hello everyone, I am Elmar from the band Eloaħ. In my opinion, what makes our band unique is the variety of styles we incorporate into our music, whilst maintaining a certain idiosyncrasy. In other words, you’ll always recognize our signature sound, whether we’re rocking out with pop, delving into jazz, or diving deep into the world of metal.

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Eloaħ form and what were some of the goals or visions you had early on?

In the early nineties, I initiated the band as a singer/songwriter project with a primary aim of producing an audio CD. At the time, this was a significant undertaking since computers were still relatively sluggish, home studios were often subpar, and securing a professional studio for a novice was nearly unattainable. Fortunately, I crossed paths with one of my initial musical mentors, the late Bernd Felsberger, who owned a home studio and possessed considerable experience. In 1994, he graciously agreed to record our first demo. Moreover, he was instrumental in organizing our initial performances, becoming an invaluable source of knowledge on the dynamics of being in a band. Since then, my steadfast vision has always revolved around self-improvement as a musician while we continued to progress, and this dedication has remained unwavering over the years.

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

When I initially embarked on my musical journey with the band, I was just a teenager, utterly unaware of what a career in music truly entailed. I had grand dreams of gracing colossal stages, performing in front of thousands of fans. Yet, my music compositions at the time leaned towards the gentle strains of soft rock, which didn’t necessarily align with my aspirations. Back then, I also lacked the interest and, to be honest, the ability to craft and perform a compelling rock song. Surprisingly, I discovered that the intimacy of smaller audiences, such as those found in clubs, was much more fulfilling. In 2008, I relocated to the Netherlands, assuming that my days with the band were behind me due to the logistical challenges of maintaining a long-distance relationship with my fellow musicians. However, fortune smiled upon me once again, as it was in the Netherlands that I stumbled upon my ideal lineup – the most harmonious collaboration to date. This ensemble also includes Lila, our talented female singer who lives in Austria but joined the band after my move to the Netherlands, and Dominik, my dedicated sax and violin player, who is the sole remaining founding member. Presently, our primary focus revolves around the studio, primarily because, except for me, the other members actively perform in other bands. However, we’ve recently begun exploring the possibility of a live performance set as well.

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Whom would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?

I can address this question from my own perspective, as the musical backgrounds of the other band members are markedly different. My journey began with classical piano training during my formative years. My first tape (cassette) was the soundtrack from Dirty Dancing. However, my inaugural CD purchase was Metallica’s iconic Black Album. Simultaneously, I had a deep appreciation for the early creations of Jean-Michel Jarre, including “Oxygen” and “Equinoxé,” as well as a penchant for popular soft rock and heartfelt love ballads. Additionally, I was engrossed in Japanese video games played on my MSX₂ computer, the music of which I simply adored. As time went on, I developed a profound affection for the compositions of Dimitri Shostakovich, particularly his symphonies and string quartets. My musical journey also led me to the enchanting melodies of Dutch chansonnier Herman van Veen and the renowned jazz pianist Keith Jarrett. When you amalgamate all these diverse influences, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the musical inspirations that shape our music, at least from my perspective.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

We haven’t been on tour with our current lineup, so I can’t provide a specific response to this question. However, I can share an experience from the last time I performed live. It was approximately a year ago when I was invited to improvise music in sync with a video of a total solar eclipse at the planetarium in The Hague. For this unique performance, a real piano was essential. Personally, I find that the quality of my improvisations takes a significant dip when I’m asked to perform on an electronic instrument. Whether this is a psychological effect or a tangible difference, it’s a reality I’ve observed. Given the limited budget for my show, I was largely responsible for procuring my own instrument. Fortunately, the organizers were incredibly supportive, and we managed to arrange for an old piano to be delivered from a thrift store. It was promptly tuned at the planetarium just before my performance and then returned to the store, all at a very reasonable cost. Following the performance, a few members of the audience approached me and inquired about my experience. Some of them asked me if I had noticed the “wonderful synergy of the music with the solar eclipse, particularly the climax during the totality.” It’s worth noting that my performance was just one segment of a more extensive program, where all other music had been play from a recording, and my piano was sort-of “hidden” in the audience. Consequently, it appeared that some individuals in the audience hadn’t even realized that I had been playing live. While not a particularly crazy story, this was a rather unusual form of compliment.

Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

The answer to that question changes every time I start working on a new song, because any new song immediately becomes my favorite song. With the current formation, we have not played live yet. With my old line-up, the song 🎵 “sweet little witch” from the album, 💿 just blood was our favorite track to perform live, just because everybody in the band had the most fun playing it.

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

I would not know about any secret talents or surprising tidbits, but you may check out our video clips on YouTube.

Closing out, what is Eloaħ currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

At the moment we are working on two projects, first of all our next album entitled 💿 the book of pain, which will be a collection of darker, faster and heavier songs than usual. Next to that – and that is indeed a bit of a secret – we are also working on another album which will contain a number of songs you might consider a bit awkward – for example, there will be one about our friend the beaver, one about mowing lawn, and one about string theory…

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward.   

Thank you very much for your interest in our music, it is highly appreciated!

Getting to Know… Eloaħ: Interview No. 382 [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Eloaħ; Tumisu via Pixabay]