There was a big Brainstorm concert on 30^th of August in Saint-Petersburg. Almost 2 hours of great show! Brainstorm played songs from their last album “Four shores”, few new songs and some old really great hits like Maybe, Colder. Audience sang with them all songs together. Renars Kaupers was very positive as always, he talked to audience, joked, congratulated students with finishing of summer holidays. He also told some stories, which had ever happened with band between the songs.

Every guy from band was very positive and it was a pleasure for everybody to listen to the life show. For sure, Brainstorm presented many happy minutes to their fan. Everybody was so happy during concert; atmosphere was great during the show.

I would like to thank people, who organized this show in Petersburg: www.vozduh.info

Here is my new interview with Ingars Vilums, Brainstorm’s bass guitar player:

V: At first, could you tell me about singer Malvine. I know you wrote lyrics and music for her.

I: Ok. Malvine is not her real name, it’s the name for scene and she will change it now. She came to me, because she knew that I write music. She came and asked if I could write song for Eurovision song contest. I showed her few versions and she chose one song, so we recorded the song, which calls “In our life”. The song should participate in 3 contests in Latvia, before it is sent to Eurovision. This song was successfully represented in 1 contest in Latvia, but it did not participate in others.

V: Did fans choose which songs would participate in next contests before Eurovision?

I: Yes, it was fans, who voted. But Malvine is not popular in Latvia yet. Not so many people know her. So we were not disappointed with such result.

V: What do you think about that band Bonaparti, which represented Latvia in Finland?

I: Well, they are very good professionally. I know these guys personally. I think that mainly older generation voted for them.

V: Did you watch Eurovision this year?

I: Yes, I watched it with Brainstorm. We were not in Latvia. It was Estonia or Russia. But to tell you the true, I don’t remember the details. So I even can’t say what country I liked…

V: Have you ever had a thought to stop to play the bass guitar and start to play another instrument?

I: I actually play other instruments as well. I have 3 types of guitar at home and I also have keyboards. But especially I like guitars, they are my favorite instruments. People used to see me, playing bass-guitar, and I do my best, when I play it.

V: Do you usually record music in Latvia?

I: Brainstorm and I recorded their last album in Copenhagen. But I have my own studio at home and usually I record music there.

V: Have you ever thought about producer’s career?

I: Yeah, I actually do it a little bit. Hope to do it more in the future. It’s one of my aims. I will explain you one detail now: some people, for example in Russia, think that producer is someone, who helps girl or guy, with whom she(he) works to be more popular, to sale as many albums as possible. But in my opinion producer is the person, who helps to make really good quality of songs and modern sound.  And by the way I started to play in one new band, called SPB. We recorded 2 songs and you can see our video clip, it is already broadcasted on Baltic MTV. This band exists only about 6 months, but we already have success.

V: What can you say about international song contest “New Wave”, which takes place in Yurmala (city in Latvia) every year?

I: Actually I have never been there. I know that favorite Latvian composer Raymond Pauls is one of people, who organized this contest. I recorded even one album with him, the name of this album is “Women’s names”. I played a concert together with him, he is very talented person.  But if to talk about this show “New wave”, I’m not so interested in it.

V: Are there any things, which for sure you will never do before the concert?

I: For sure, I know that it’s better not to eat much before the concert, otherwise you can feel not so good.(smiles). I try not to drink alcohol before the concert. I prefer to be a little bit nervous and do my work carefully.

V: I want to ask what do you think about famous thesis “Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll” ?

I: I want to be against this thesis. When I started to play in the band, I was 14 years old and I already had feeling that this thesis does not work for me.

V: You said, you write music. Do you write lyrics as well?

I: Yes, I write lyrics as well.I write sometimes in Latvian, sometimes in English. Hopefully my English is good, I learned it firstly in school, then in university and of course I read in internet something in English every day. So there is no problem for me to write lyrics in English.

V: My last question to you. You were born in Latvia and still live there. Do you have any other favorite places in the world?

I: I liked London very much. I have not been in other places in England, but I really liked atmosphere in London. Probably, I even would like to live there, but it depends on so many things. I liked Stockholm and Germany as well.