Dear Joop thanks for your kindness to answer our questions on behalf of Knight Area.

You're very welcome!

"Under A New Sign" is out in the stores. Can you tell us a few things about your new album?

Oh, you mean besides that you should ALL BUY IT?? No, seriously, it has been a real team effort. The music represents what we love in music. Some of us are into the 'old' sympho bands like Yes, Genesis, Arena, etc. Others, like myself, have a thing going for progressive rock and hard rock like Dream Theater, Metallica, Iron Maiden. We try to combine those influences into our songs. So, for instance you can have a song like "Mastermind" which has a harder type of sound, and, on the other hand, you have "Under A New Sign", which is very melodic and has a great jazzy solo section.

What are the differences in the sound of Knight Area between "Under A New Sign" and your previous album "The Sun Also Rises"?

A big difference is that the first album is composed and arranged by one person (Gerben, our main composer), and then several guest musicians have contributed. So, it was a project. The new album is a band album. Gerben still writes the songs, but then we work it out as a band. That changes the sound a lot. Another difference is that there are other musicians involved on the new album. Finally, Gerben has really evolved in his recording and mixing abilities.

Are you satisfied with the feedback that you gather from the press and the audience?

Oh, yeah! We've had some great reviews. OK, you can't please them all, but most of the feedback we got from the press was really, really good. For instance, we've been nominated for Italian Prog Awards – Best Foreign Record. Also at our live shows, the feedback is very good.

In general when do you think that it's safe enough to assess a record? Because sometimes you need years to understand it, while other it just gets you instantly.

I don't think there's a magic formula. We like to do it our way. That is, Gerben composes a song, we let it evolve during rehearsals and we all participate in the arrangement. Preferably, we like to try some of songs live and see how the audience responds. Most of the songs on "Under a New Sign" are conceived that way. In the end, if we are happy about the songs, we put it on the record.

Do you think that "Under A New Sign" is an easy to get album?

That depends. Some of my colleagues at work like it a lot (who are into prog), others don't see it as their "cup of tea". I think the songs are good and catchy, but then again, I'm used to listening to this stuff...

Is it true that the band has another mentality nowadays? In particular do you feel and act as a regular band instead of being Gerben Klazinga's project?

Yeah. I didn't work on the first album so I can't relate to that, but I feel we're a real band. Especially when we're on stage. These guys have been around and know their stuff. I mean, we're no pros, but we all have a professional attitude about performing and taking part in a band.

What about your lyrics? What issues and themes do you employ in "Under A New Sign"?

The lyrics have been written by Mark Smit, our vocalist, Joop Klazinga (brother of Gerben and flautist), and Jankees Braam (our sound engineer). Some of the songs are inspired by certain events in their lives that have had a great impact. Other songs are about what we see around us.

Do lyrics they play an important role in your music?

Yeah, sure. Although we start off with the music, we pay close attention to the lyrics.

You have played numerous lives, so I would like to ask you which one do you remember and why?

I remember them all, but most I remember our experience at Nearfest 2005. At the time, we just started as a band and only did a couple of gigs. So it was a huge honor for us to be invited at this renowned festival. The organization and the crew were really professionals, and made sure we only had to worry about performing. The experience itself was great. There were about 1200 people, and, although we opened at 11.00 am, we really got them awake!!! The response we got was great. I can't explain why it was so memorable, but if you would like to get an impression, you can order a DVD of that edition of the festival at www.nearfest.com (and no, I don't get paid for this promotion ;) ).

What's your opinion for the progressive rock/metal festivals that take place all around the globe? Do you believe that this is a good way to promote your music, though the audience is pretty much aware?

It's great to see that there a lot of interest in this music, although it's not mainstream. If you're only tuned in to MTV etcetera, you might come to think that there's only R&B. Think again!! It's a good way to promote this kind of music and give all these artists a chance to perform.

Do you believe that playing in such festivals is a test, since the audience is prog-rock literate and may assess you strictly?

No, I don't think so. There will always be people who are better guitar players, or drummers, or singers. But then again, why aren't they performing on stage? It's easy to criticize, but I think most of the audience will value the music you bring as a band.

Although it's quite early, how do you envision your new album? More specific where do you think that you have to improve?

Considering our busy schedules at work and at home, I think we have done a good job. We're all perfectionists, so sure, it can always be improved. But for now, I like to enjoy what we have created. We WILL improve ourselves on the next album, though, but I don't know what we will improve...

Mattias Noren is again behind the artistic aspect of your releases? Did you gave him any specific instructions for the cover or you just let him design according to his view of the record?

The man is such a great artist, and can translate our music to a drawing like no other can. Actually, we gave him a hard time, 'cause we turned down some of his drawings (which were great, but to us didn't fully capture the music).

Before we close our interview can you tell us the story of naming the band Knight Area?

Well, that quite simple. Gerben Klazinga lives in a small town in The Netherlands and the street name is called "Ridderbuurt", which translates into Knight Area...

Dear Joop, thank you for talking to our webzine. I wish you all the best.

Giannis, thanks for our talk and the opportunity to reach some of our fans. We hope to see some of you (actually all of you) at one of our gigs!!