Interview with Cristian van Schuerbeck, keyboardist on All Too Human
Wednesday, 29 March 2006
Interview with Cristian van Schuerbeck, keyboardist of All Too Human
Made by Lobo
March 28, 2006
Lobo PerfectProg.Com: Ok first of all, thanks for this interview Cristian in the name of all PerfectProg.com Team!
Cristian: It is my pleasure. thanks to you as well.
1. How you became an All Too Human member?
It is a very odd story but when you see the result of everything we have done so far, it turns to be a fastinating adventure. I met Clint Wilson in a live music room online (paltalk) we were jamming there and he told me that he had a progressive metal band and that Derek Sherinian ex Dream Theater, Planet X was taking over keyboards in Studio. So that's how I heard about the band in the first place.
I had moved to Scotland to play with a local band in Glasgow. but things didn't turn as I thought, so I moved to Edinburgh and got an e mail from Clint telling me that they were going to have a tour in The Netherlands in October the same year. I didn't recognize this e mail at first, but then something rang a bell. I checked it out and found out that they were going to perform at Prog Power Europe 2004
After Clint's e mail, I started getting e mails from Maurice (Bass) and Chris (drums) so I phoned Chris one night from edinburgh and had a long talk with him. He sounded excited about me calling from such a far away place. So he told me, I am gonna get our promoter in the states to upload the material for you and let's keep talking about it. I started listening to the material from day 1 I got them from the net, and started practicing the tracks. There wasn't gonna be time for rehearsal when we get to the netherlands. So it was really a serious thing to do. Things turn out well and I toured with them in The Netherlands, they were happy with my job, so they asked me to join the band and I of course accepted the challenge.
2. Are you working in the new material of all too human now?, how is it going?
Since we got back from The Netherlands the thought of creating the new album was a main issue. I've been ask at first to record simple parts, because they told me they wanted to lead their music into a "heavier" direction. But at the moment to be honest, we're still discussing how things are gonna turn out musically. As I am in Chile at the moment promoting the band for a South American tour this year, we are working through the internet, sending ideas back and fort. I think the new album, is gonna be in a completely different level, if you would compare it after with Forever an a Day or Entropy. Not saying that the music wasn't good enough before, but Juggernaut will be our key to complete success as we're expecting to bring our life to the musical scene as full time musicians.
3. Do you have side proyects besides All Too Human?
At the moment, I don't have any side projects that are something I would say, we're really working on it. I have different offers to join bands all the time but it is hard to get into something serious in the long term. I would say, I am working myself on some tracks for Anna Phoebe, the string director of the TSO. And in talks with a guitar player from NY, But once I have the music done for them I would say, yeah those are my side projects... besides Maurice and I are planning to record a Pure Progressive Rock conceptual album soon. It is gonna kick some major butts for sure!.
4. Are you guys planing touring later this year?
As I said, I am in Chile at the moment working for the promotion of a possible South American Tour. It is not an easy job, but we're getting there. I think it will all depend on how things keep going with the band. We're really willing to visist SA around August, September this year. In the meantime Juggernaut's music has to be completed around July. So we're really putting all our efforts to move ahead and get to tour different places worldwide. I would really like to tour Japan someday. That would be another dream come true.
5. In our website PerfectProg.Com we have several polls, can you tell us where your votes go on each one?
Okay this is not a difficult thing to answer. But let's see, I wouldn't like to specify. One of my favourite bands of all times is ELP, so I don't think any of the bands on the first poll are considered by best or not. I think bands have different quemistry from each other and I certainly enjoy listening to them all. I really admire musicians like Marcel Coenen, and Jordan Rudess, I wouldn't really vote for any of them, I would just give my respect as musicians who have kept going and believing their dreams as the accomplish new different things in their lifes.
6. When did you star playing the piano?, Where did you take lessons?. Do you have teachers in Chile?
This is really something that people can't understand sometimes, like for example Maurice didn't know I was a self taught musician even after we toured. I started playing around the age of 3. My dad collects music since he is 15, so he is into all these bands from the 70's in the UK. That's how I started playing listening to all of them, I would say my teacher was Keith Emerson, from everything...I've learned from him so far. I have hundred videos, from different musicians. That all encouraged me to start playing the piano. The thing is, I kept this as a serious thing, I always research for new techniques and I am also part of the JR online conservatory. for being only 23 years old, I am very happy with what I've approached so far, technically.
I think destiny just lead me to be a self taught, but I am not saying I haven't considered joining a recognized school of music in the US. I have plans on doing that in a few years and start composing music for films
7. In this new All too Human album, whats your influencies musically?
I would say, I will try to put all my influences together to blend my experiences and put my own style. It is a very hard thing to do, when you are still learning how to get that unique feature that is going to take you as being now Cristian van Schuerbeck as a member of an american band like All Too Human member.
8. Where would you like play live, at what city or metal festival besides japan?
If i could turn back into time. I would have loved to play at the Isle of Wight Festival in the South of England. Nowadays, I would really like to play Prog Power UK, PP USA, play again at PP Europe and Baja Prog and go to mexico to play if we talk about cities. I'd love to play at the Madison Square Garden in NY and The Royal Albert Hall in London.
9. What are the future plans for the band?
As far as I am concerned. I should be really moving to the US soon this year. We're putting things together and I am sure we're gonna make the best decisions to lead the band where we want. We're hoping that Juggernaut gets to the right hands and everything can be accomplished at the level that we want. Our future plans in a few words are to keep the name of the band alive and pushing harder into the music scene
10. Where are you from originally (city and country)?
I am orginally from Santiago, Chile (South America). I have a belgian background from my mother though. I still have alive relatives in brussels.
11. What label and studio are you into on this new recording?
We're working with Mythic Silence Records. Josh Hart is being a fantastic support for all of us since we've signed with him for a year. There is a studio in Dallas that is going to be probably one of the options for mastering, but I would really say that the band is geting their own equipment for recording so we get the exact sound we're looking for. Things are yet to be confirmed though about the studio we're gonna be using.
12. What are your music influences in general?
Progressive Rock, I really enjoy listening to Neoclassical...as well - Yngwie is someone I really admire. Progressive Metal and classical composers. I also listen to Mark Mancina really often for film composition ideas.
13. Who wrote the lirics on ATH, and whats the main theme?
The lyrics for the new album haven't been written yet. We have all the lyrics from the last albums uploaded on our website, you can check them out there and see who wrote each song. Every member is free to participate as far as I am Concerned
14. Who write the music in ATH?
Everybody writes and contributes in every song. At the moment Clint and Chris have worked the most for Juggernaut, but we all are going to contribute for the next album. Credits for Entropy and Forever and a day as listed on our website
15. The drums, bass, the vocals, and guitar on Entropy are great, how can you find the way to add great keys with this great musicians all together and make all musicially harmonious?
It is not an easy job. I listen to the material everyday and I record possible ideas and show it to the guys. They are very picky with everything and thats a great thing. I am very happy to be part of this band. I am sure I'll do a great job with the keyboard lines for the next album I am very confident, it is going to sound very harmonious.
16. Is ATH planing to record entropy againg with you adding keys? recording the album againg?
Where did you get this from? hehehe, you're well informed!. The first idea was to record the keyboards again, because Derek Solos are super improvised, and I don't want to improvise the solos every time we play either. So that's why that was something we were thinking about. We're still thinking about it. I am gonna be adding keyboards to the songs that Derek didn't play, like The Limits of Man, What do you call me Now, etc.
I talked to Derek (ex Dream theater Member) on Aol before I went on tour and he didn't have any sheet music from what he did so his advise was "you can do it man" I learned everything by ear.
17. As you tell us before the way that you joined ATH is amazing, what can you tell young musicians all over the world about your great experience?
I just wanna say to young musicians as myself, that I never thought I could jus take a plane from home to the world and be part of this now. Everything is possible in life. I had a nice talk I remember long ago with Emmpu from Nightwish, and he told me the same thing when I was 19. So my advise is, keep the music as part of your life, not only when you play, in every single situation of your life.
18. What gear do you use to play?
Korg Karma Workstation
Ok Cristian thanks for this great interview you give us, we really appreciated, anything you want to add to ATH fans and PerfectProg.Com visitors...
I wanna thank Perfectprog for this interview and your support to the band.
Some pics from Cristian on Prog Power Europe 2004:
You can check cristian´s all too human website at: 
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