• Phase? As far as I know, you debuted with a cooperation with Microsoft. What was this cooperation about and what was the result?

Microsoft was running this campaign when we were starting off recording as a band and we thought we’d go for it so we secured our name that some acts seemed to covet at the time we were gathering material following our demo of 2005. They had given us some money in exchange for people to be able to download our song ‘Perdition‘ off their website.

• Phase was formed in Greece but moved to the UK. What made you move countries?

Oh, that would be the weather! Jokes aside, we think the audiences here are more educated, and even from the very first gigs we’ve done over here, people would really be immersed in the experience, whilst back in Greece people did talk over the songs even at gigs they’d pay 40 and 50 euros to see their ‘favourite artists’ on. I think that’s unreasonable if not disrespectful, but then again everyone is free to act as they wish and spend their money as they please, but for an artist, this is more of a healthy environment I suppose, as making art is not frowned upon, and on the contrary it is encouraged and respected.

• What was the most significant concert in your time and why?

I will have to answer the obvious. the Syrian gig is to this day the most significant experience we had as a band… We were caught around major significant historical and political changes. If the regime fell in Iran and played there or North Korea or something it would be the same for us. We still follow the news about the war and we contribute as much as we can, and when that is possible. We were offered to play Cuba once you know, and that was before the Rolling Stones did it, but there were some implications around the endeavour and it never happened in the end.

• What motivated you to play a gig in Syria? How was it?

We were offered the gig and went straight for it really, we didn’t put much thinking into it and ignored the political situation there, of the fact that ‘extreme music’ is very underground because Shareef Didn’t like it much. I mean, rock music used to be banned in the Soviet Union and other totalitarian regimes back in the day, as well as now. It was such an amazing experience, the whole thing was. We’ve met all these beautiful people there and got to discover their take on life. It’s a shame we didn’t get to visit Palmyra before it got destroyed just because of a hangover.

• What makes Phase to be the most proud of?

The fact that we can still make time to do things together, despite some events causing hindrance, and even though our commitments have changed dramatically from when we were still students.

• With which artist did you have the most interesting collaboration?

I really respect Duncan Patterson for wanting to participate in our first album, as I cherish these times close to my heart. There were a few more people we were discussing playing with, but we didn’t get around to doing that, so we might do it on an anniversary release or something we’ll have to see. When it comes to people we’ve shared stages with it was interesting because each and every one of them didn’t treat us like the little supporting act that would open for them, since day one, and that made us think that we were really considerable and felt respected by people we had spent hours listening to ourselves.

• Tell us about your future album. What will it be about?

There’s going to be a central idea again like it happened with its predecessors, and it’s becoming a bit of a tradition. It will be there to dress the whole album with an atmosphere and not strictly frame the song lyrics, and what those should be. The title is going to be Family and what I can tell you is that it’s not going to be all about picnics, holidays, and quality time spent! Musically it’s going to be a good mix of styles again and it’s always interesting how we mix old material with new riffs as we have that idea pool that’s full of song parts and it’s always growing!

• Ukrainian Bandura: how will it feature in your next album?

We are still figuring out parts for it as it’s an amazing-sounding instrument. As a friend of mine used to say, instruments were created to produce sound, and not to accommodate certain styles or techniques. It’s a very beautiful instrument in its own right!

• Which direction will you choose after the album release? What are your future plans?

It’s going to be a record with the familiar dark rock atmosphere and a bit of folk and industrial in the mix like we always do.  It’s just going to be more mature in its sound since we’ve all learned a lot during the course of Phase‘s existence. Our plans are to release a few more things outside the album, like a few singles on vinyl records, a box set, and a photo book for our 10 years, I personally think they are being done beautifully and have collector’s value, and I can tell you that since I am the number one Phase fan.

• Do you plan to play in Ukraine? Maybe, the Ukrainian audience will get lucky to hear Phase with Ukrainian Bandura live?  

Quite possibly, we’ve used quite a few fancy instruments over the years but it’s costly to bring them on a tour. But since we are in talks with promoters for gigs there, I bet it’s rather easy to source one locally!

[taken from: http://www.dailymetal.com.ua/phase-pro-kontsert-v-syriyi-spivpratsyu-z-microsoft-ta-ukrayinsku-banduru/]

Interviewer: Jasia Reznikova / Sandra Konopatska
Publication: Daily Metal
Period: August 2018