With:	Didier Delsaux (vocals)
Conducted by:	Jeff
Published:	02.02.2004
Band profile:	Manigance

- First, can you introduce the band in a few words. Who does what in Manigance in terms of composition, writing and so forth.

The band is composed by François Merle and Bruno Ramos on guitars, Marc Duffau on bass, Daniel Pouylau on drums, Florent Taillandier on keys and myself, Didier Delsaux, on vocals. About the composition, François and I are writing pretty much all instrumental lines. It's also him who record and produce our albums in our studios. I concentrate on composing both melodies and lyrics while the other members join us to participate to the rehearsals. That way, every musician has something to bring to the band.

- Your new album, "D'un Autre Sang", is scheduled for the end of January, how much do you expect the album to please the fans? Did you already have any kind of feedback?

We can't wait for the album to be released. Every one of us gave 100% in this new project and we're looking forward to knowing the reaction from listeners. One has to know that "D'un Autre Sang" is going to be released at the same time in numerous European countries, but also in Canada and in Japan; and it's an important step for the band. Nevertheless, we stay in a serene state of mind since the feedback from the press is so far very positive.

- What are the immediate plans for Manigance? Do you already have a tour in preparation?

Since our deal with NTS, we haven't wasted much time and we have several projects. Thus, after the release date of the album, we start a tour in France, including a short passage in Belgium, from the 11th to the 21st of February, with Adagio and Malédiction. We will play at "l'Elisée Montmartre" [Paris] on the 17th. We also have other concert plans and festivals both in France and abroad in the following months, with especially two gigs with Stratovarius in Mai.

- How do you judge your new album compared to your previous one, "Ange ou Démon", in terms of composition?

The new album is in the same vein as "Ange ou Démon", but it is certainly more spontaneous, more mature and darker. This seeing that we played a lot on stage thence we affirmed our personality as a band. We were also limited in terms of time allowed to the composition process due to our contract with NTS, thus, we happened to experiment with heavier or faster tempos, and also to put vocals in a different way than usual, one tone lower.

- All your albums have an excellent production and you're recording in your own studios. Why such a choice and do you project to use your studios to produce other bands?

We built our own studios at the home of one of the musicians, a few years ago, in order to be independent and to be able to work according to our will. One has to know that, for right now, we are not professionals and we all have another regular job. This way, we can manage our time at its best and we learn both experience and technical skills that allow us to be independent and to contest with other productions in the same musical style. Unfortunately, due to the lack of time, we don't project to record other bands in our studios right now.

- Which was your favorite gig, all tours considered?

I think everybody will agree to say our concert with Freedom Call in Tours, France during our last tour. That was an intense moment because it was or last gig of the tour and we had a huge party with these guys who became friends of us since, that's why Cedric Dupont [guitar player from Freedom Call] played a solo on one of our new songs.

- Having seen the band on stage (in Pau, France in 2002), I can affirm that Manigance is a real stage band. To reach such a result, what is more important, experience or spontaneity?

We still have a lot to learn on stage, but one sure thing is, when we are on stage we give everything we have. I think spontaneity play an important part for any band during a concert, experience comes with time. More important and more enjoyable than both is, I think, to share the closeness built during the studio sessions with the audience when you are on stage.

- The lyrics written in French have become one of the characteristics of Manigance. Do you consider that as an advantage or a drawback in the perspective to make the band popular?

To us, these lyrics are very important. We write them in a way that they could melt with the music and in the same time that they can keep their cutting and rebel aspect. We spend a lot of time on the words and rhymes so that can actually sound better to one's hear. So considering that, I would say it's an advantage for the band. On the other hand, it's certain that it's an obstacle in countries where people are used to English lyrics and are hence more distant to lyrics in French. But Moliere's language stands as a priority for Manigance.

- Talking about that, do you think that after France, Japan and Germany Manigance could conquer more countries, especially in Northern Europe and even in America?

It is certainly very hard to impose ourselves in these countries with lyrics in French, but our experience with Japan, where we sold more than half of our total number of albums, shows that such a thing is possible. "D'un Autre Sang" is going to be release in Northern Europe as well as in Canada and we will do our maximum in order to make it work at its best there.

- Which were the bands that influence you the most? What are the bands you enjoy nowadays?

We were all influenced by 80s' bands such as Def Leppard or Pretty Maids, both are a part of the bases of our influences. More recently, Dream Theater totally stunned us. Nowadays, we support bands like Edguy, Vanden Plas or Stratovarius, which we like a lot.

- What is your opinion on nowadays French Metal scene? How do you explain that it's difficult for a French band to become popular?

I think the French Metal scene is currently exploding. Today, we can be happy about touring almost only in France, that is a thing that hasn't happened for a long time. On top of that, numerous bands are quality bands in France, I think about the new albums from Malédiction or Heavenly, which are both excellent. If the audience is there, we will do something good our of this scene.

- Once again thank you for participating to this interview. And your last word is?

We hope that "D'un Autre Sang" will have the same success that "Ange Ou Démon" and we expect you in big numbers on our tour starting in February!

Huge thanks to Didier Delsaux for his precious time and to Roger and NTS to make this interview possible.