Milan Polak: EG interview



Milan Polak asked me to see if I could find the EG interview and lessons... first up the interview... the lessons going to take a little longer....

Milan Polak interviewed by Simon Badham May 2005

EG: You've finally unleashed your 2nd solo record 'Dreamscapes', how long has this album been in the works?

Polak: To be honest, my instrumentals are always a bypass product of my musical doings. It's strange because sometimes people listen to my instrumentals and they don't know or care about all the other stuff that I am doing and think they can judge me on just that. Some people think they can read my bio and listen to my CD and they know me and everything about me. But the truth is, that I just happen to write instrumentals once in a while. So to answer your question, the album is a result of writing instrumentals over a longer time.

To record everything did not take that long. But when I had the whole CD mixed and mastered I wanted to get a good label to release it. The feedback of fans and fellow musicians was very good and I just did not want the tunes to get lost on a CD that nobody knows of. That's why I am very happy that Lion Music signed it. They are an excellent company and have been doing a great job so far.

Don't get me wrong - when I call the instrumentals 'bypass product' it's not meant in a negative way. Each of the tunes is very special to me and has a story to it. That's why I was looking for a decent label to release the CD.

EG: Did collaborating on last years 'JAM' record give you the push to finally finish Dreamscapes?

Polak: No, most of the songs were actually finished before recording 'J.A.M.'. 'Panic Room' and 'Ground Zero' were written and recorded during my 'J.A.M.' sessions. That's why you find the same drummer & bassist on them who were also playing on my 'J.A.M.' tunes. 'Panic Room' was originally written for 'J.A.M.' but when it was finished I decided that it did not really fit and would go better with 'Dreamscapes' being a cool opener.

EG: Did it concern you, or appeal to you that Lion (www.lionmusic.com) is associated with a number of over the top shred type artists?

Polak: Are they? Actually, neither nor would be the case. I just felt that they were the best label to take care of 'Dreamscapes'. They have a very good reputation and offered me a fair deal.

EG: Considering the current musical trends and climate, the critical reaction to 'Dreamscapes' has been very positive. What was your honest expectation before the reviews came in?

Polak: Honestly, I did not know what to expect. I mean, you always hope for the best of course but some of the reviews and feedback were simply overwhelming. I just found out that 'Dreamscapes' was ranking no. 1 in four different Guitar Nine-charts with a popularity rating of 100.0 - wow! And some reviews were so good that I thought, 'Okay, everybody will think I wrote this myself or paid for that one...!' lol

Then again, you always have some people whose taste is different, which is okay. And then there are those who suffer from the - what I call - 'comparison syndrome'. Some people always have to label you or compare you. I mean, we all did not grow up in a vacuum and we all have our influences but hey, some people really overdo it. I have been compared to so many different (and great) guitarists, it has started to amuse me. I am not trying to be someone else. I don't want - with all respect - be Vai, Satch or anyone else.

I am content being myself - thank you.

EG: I've always felt a great album generates its own press, especially on the Internet where word of 'mouse' is a considerable market force. Have you found a new legion of online fans since the release of ''Dreamscapes'?

Polak: Mmmmh, good question, beats me. I do answer a lot of fanmail and it has not become less since the release of 'Dreamscapes'. lol There is also a lot of e-zines writing about 'Dreamscapes' and online stores selling the CD, so I guess 'word of mouse' (I like that term) is a very strong tool these days.

EG: The last time we spoke, you mentioned your commercial work not to pose much of a musical challenge. Did writing and recording Dreamscapes push your abilities?

Polak: Did I...? lol Well of course, some of the tunes are more challenging than your average commercial song. And on some of them I really went for it...! lol But there's also a fair amount of instrumentals on the CD that are more in the straight forward, easy listening to pop/rock vein. I tried to keep a balance. I get a lot of positive feedback about that fact that my guitar actually replaces the lead singer or that this is music even non-musicians can listen to or that this is music that could be used for movies, etc...

EG: You took the role of Producer on your new album. Do you enjoy the element of control and artistic freedom producing allows, or was it necessity?

Polak: Polak: To produce an album like 'Dreamscapes' I'd rather be in charge of everything myself. I know exactly what I want and how I want it. I have started to produce other people and it is fun to do that also. The only thing I am having a hard time with is producing the vocal stuff I am working on at the moment. There I wish I could have somebody to produce me.

EG: You state in the CD liner notes that Dreamscapes was recorded at 'Nice Noize' studios. Is that your home studio?

Polak: Nice Noize Studios 1, 2, 3 & 4 to be precise. Yeah, that is my home studio. I have always had a home studio and within the years it has been changing and growing. I reckoned very early that having my own recording facilities would be a lot cheaper in the long run than having to hire a studio every time I wanted to record something. It is also a very important part in growing and getting better as a guitarist, composer and musician in general, I'd say.

EG: What kind of a set up do you have?

Polak: I have some high end compressors/pre-amps, AKG microphones, a digital mixing console and the most important thing of all: a custom made room-in-room sound proof cabin. Also, I recently started to endorse sE Electronics who make some of the best microphones. I am using their high quality valve microphones on all my productions now.

EG: How have the songs evolved since you started writing for the album?

Polak: Usually, a song just 'happens'. I NEVER sit down saying, 'I have to write a song.' I can tell if people write songs that just 'happen' to them or if they force themselves to write. That sometimes happens to bands that get famous and then the record company wants them to reproduce the same record one more time. You can hear that the songs are made with mind instead of heart. The whole album 'Dreamscapes' is just a product of what I called 'bypass products' before. I collect these songs that just 'happen' and one day I have enough to fill an album with. That is also why you find so many different styles on that CD.

I just write and play whatever I feel like and whatever comes out of me and I don't care if it can be labeled to one genre or not. So there was definitely no specific direction in mind. I just happen to like and be able to pull off a few different styles of music. I get a lot of compliments for that and then there are also some people who obviously cannot deal with that and put me down for it.

EG: Did Bassist Bernd Fuxa and drummer Thomas Lang contribute much to the writing process?

Polak: No, not at all. They were replacing the instruments that I had played originally. I prefer to have different musicians play on a song instead of me performing everything and these guys are great musicians. They added a lot to the vibe and result of the tunes but all the compositions were written & arranged by me.

EG: The album starts with 'Panic Room', a multi faceted song that really demonstrates your stellar playing and production skills. How do you go about writing and arranging such a complex song?

Polak: For some reason it is the same to me as if writing a simple tune. I don't really make a difference. In my opinion it is as hard to play a simple line with good phrasing as it is to execute a complex part technically perfect. And writing a good hook is at least as difficult as writing more complex material. Things just flow out of me, sometimes it leaves me wondering too. It's like something else is using me as a tool of creation and sometimes I get the fear it might vanish someday. I might not write a song for weeks and then I write two or three in one week. It's like digesting - I vent my impressions, daily life experiences, emotions, etc.

That's what song writing should be - it is like a therapy.

EG: With that in mind, do you find that the process of creativity eases your demons, or creates more?

Mmmh, that's a good question. Let me think about that for a minute... I think both is the case. Especially with the vocal thing - writing music AND lyrics - you have a very powerful tool. I am a very straight forward guy. I speak my mind - like it or not. So knowing that I can set free and vent my emotions, speak my mind, utter my opinions is very challenging... lol But after having finished a song my demons are usually relieved and satisfied. That's why I call it a 'therapy'.

EG: 'Spanish Romance' has you tearing it up on acoustic guitar in the vein of Di Meola\De Lucia. You sound very at home with this technically demanding style; do you practice and write a lot unplugged? Were any of the electric songs written on acoustic initially?

Polak: Believe it or not, when I started to pick up the guitar I thought that it was normal to play guitar like that. My dad used to listen to a lot of Di Meola, de Lucia, Mc Laughlin, etc. I was very impressed by the sounds on 'Friday Night In San Francisco'. I never practiced this particular style of playing but I do love the acoustic guitar very much.

Sometimes 50% of my work is done on acoustic. There is something pure and honest about an acoustic guitar. I mean, you can't really fake anything. It separates the boys from the men. lol I do get a lot of positive feedback from Spain and South America with compliments on playing that style very authentically. I don't really understand it myself.

EG: Is 'Spanish Romance' a brief glimpse into what we can expect from your collaboration with Mario Parga?

Polak: Mmmmh, I don't know. We are actually planning not to go too much into that kind of style. It's been done before and the levels have been set long ago. The reason why I wrote 'Spanish Romance' was to pay tribute to Al DiMeola and Paco de Lucia for having had an impact on my musical development. It is a facet of my musical personality that I wanted to display.

The interesting thing is that when I met Mario Parga he was feeling the same way about music & acoustic guitar and both of us had been planning to record an album that's done purely acoustic. We both found that we had so many things in common that we decided to join forces and do that album together.

EG: 'Quicksilver' is reminiscent of a TV theme, but somehow coherently includes ultra shred playing and unison jazz lines with a saxophonist. How much rehearsing did this tune take to nail?

Polak: Actually not that much. Less than you may think. I wanted to capture that loose, live kind of atmosphere, kinda like old Van Halen. The main theme and unison lines in the middle were written out though. I had to notate them for the sax player (which is done in a different key than the treble clef) and we went through it a couple of times, mainly to nail the phrasing. The swing solo in the middle was actually composed by me on the piano and then I had to learn it on the guitar.

EG: Your acoustic arrangement of 'Die Kunst Der Fuge' [Bach] was an excellent surprise… is this a tip of the hat to your Paul Gilbert influences?

Polak: No, not really. It is rather a tip of the hat to - who I consider the greatest composer of all time - Johann Sebastian Bach. To talk about the Fugues would take an extra issue of EG but I'll try to sum it up briefly: I did some research on Bach and his music, his attitude towards composing, etc. For what I found out he was obsessed with writing the perfect composition and he tried to achieve that with the Fugues. A 'Fugue' is a piece that usually starts off with one line, a simple theme that starts to develop. Then another voice picks up the theme and starts to do a variation on it which has to still fit the first voice. Then comes a third voice picking up the theme and a forth one. So what you get is a 4-voiced piece consisting of a theme and its variations which is pretty hard to do. All the 4 voices have to work within themselves as well as in context with the other voices. The last of the Fugues consisted of the notes B - A - C - H. They found Bach dead with his head lying on the paper and it was never finished.

He also left a mystery about which instruments the Fugues were written for. First they assumed that they were intended for a string quartet but some of the lines have notes that go lower than the viola. Next it was assumed that the Fugues were written for piano but because of the anatomy of the piano that does not work too good either (because the voices would be too similar to each other in sound).

My personal opinion is that he did not care about the instruments, he was just striving for the creation of the perfect composition. So I decided to try playing 'Contrapunctus III' on acoustic guitar and bass WITHOUT rearranging or changing the original composition. I polished my sight-reading skills and started to record the first voice, then the 2nd, the 3rd, etc.

In that moment I was so close to Bach and his process of creation that I started to get goose bumps. There was something magical in the air that I won't forget for the rest of my life. I was also wondering why nobody had ever done this before me which I found out when recording the piece....! lol I haven't touched these regions anymore after this one either... lol.

EG: You're credited as playing piano on 'Joyride', was this sequenced or you genuinely tinkling the ivories?

Polak: It was actually me tinkling the ivories. Around '96 I started to grab some music of Bach, Toto and Queen and began teaching myself the piano. There was actually a time when I practiced regularly but I don't anymore. So it's all gone again. You can also hear me play the piano on 'Slowgold' and '4 A.M.'

EG: You've dedicated one of the heaviest tunes on 'Dreamscapes', 'Shadowdance', to the memory of Dimebag Darrell. Was Dime much of an influence on you? You played with him once didn't you?

Polak: think Dime had a huge impact on a whole generation of guitarists with his heavy riffs. He was one of the best rhythm guitarists (which is often overlooked, unfortunately). Also there is this special magic between brothers on guitar and drums (like Van Halen for that matter).

There is a special vibe, just listen to old Van Halen records. Eddie played awesome rhythm guitar. Then there is Nuno Bettencourt and there was Dime and his brother Vinnie Paul in Pantera. All these guys had some influence on my playing with their approaches. I met Dime when Pantera supported Annihilator who supported Judas Priest in the beginning of the 90's on their 'Cowboys From Hell" tour and we had a hell of a night. lol When I received the news about his death I was just totally shocked for days. In fact I still can't believe it....

EG: Did I spot a quote to Pantera's 'Medicine Man' in Shadowdance?

Polak: Not that I know. Which part would that be? I was more influenced by 'Vulgar Display of Power' and 'Far Beyond Driven'.

EG: I found '4am' to be one of the most successful songs on Dreamscapes. It is nice to hear such a technically able guitarist relaxing and really delivering a beautifully written piece of music. Do you feel this is an element overlooked by many of today's up and coming instrumental artists?

Polak: Thanks. I wrote this piece while noodling on my Strat without a pick, just my fingers. There is something about this 'flesh on steel on wood' sound when you play with just your fingers. I love doing that - I like that sound a lot. Some people told me that I should play a solo guitar over that song but they completely miss the point.

I wanted to have that vibe that Eric Johnson has on some of his compositions. When the song was finished, its atmosphere conjured up the picture of a hotel bar in the morning hours when there is only a few guests left finishing their last drinks. That's why I came up with this title.

EG: There has to be a story behind Girlfriends, dare I ask what it is?

Polak: I don't know if you can put this here. It is a bit x-rated. I don't know if you want to print that...

EG: I would consider it rude not too...

I had some girlfriends that were bi-sexual...

EG: Please carry on...

...so they would bring home their girlfriends and the three of us would have fun together. There is a special vibe, some magic in the air when girls make love to each other. It is quite different to man/woman and for sure different to what the porn industry is selling men. One Sunday morning I woke up with the scene of my girlfriend making out with her friend in my mind.

I tried to recall this magic vibe and while doing so my head started to create a movie score to it. So the music kind of captured these impressions. I ran into my studio, grabbed a guitar and started to record. I did not even change the key that I had in my head, so I actually had to tune one string differently. People think that the song is about my girlfriends but when you go back listening to it (now that you know the story) you'll find that the guitars are actually approaching each other and making love.

Some people also falsely believe that I tried to copy Vai but sorry, that was never the intention and just isn't the case...

EG: [Laughs] I don't recall 'drinking from the hairy goblet' on any of Vai's records... It's cool to find a solo album that's just that, a solo album with NO guest spots! Was this a deliberate move?

Polak: Not really (there was no hairy goblet by the way - lol - but let's finish with that now). I did not give much thought to this aspect now that I think about it. Joey Tafolla plays a solo on 'Vinka 611' which will be on my upcoming release 'Guitar Odyssey' (a re-mastered version of the sold out 'Guitar 2001' including a bonus track).

So, it definitely didn't happen because of egocentric reasons. If I had had Steve Lukather, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Marty Friedman near....

EG: "No Pro Tools" is written in bold type at the bottom of the CD liner notes. Are you worried that Pro tools culture within the music industry is affecting the value of genuine performances?

Polak: Yes definitely, just ask Luke! I really enjoyed the EG-interview you did with him, btw. We live in a time where media controls the music biz more than ever before and casting shows make the stupid masses believe that everybody and their dog can become a singer, musician, actor without any talent or charisma whatsoever. I mean, this is disrespectful! Any other profession has a higher standing than art these days!!

I have seen actual situations more than once where someone would come in a studio thinking he/she is great without any talent whatsoever. The producer records a couple of awful takes and sends the person home. Then for the next two or three days the producer sits in his studio cuts & edits, pitches and quantizes and in the end you have a 'perfect' take. Then the untalented singer comes back, listens and goes, 'Wow, I did not know I was THAT good...!'I mean, what's the point???

Some people diss us for playing with good technique - well, at least I am playing the shit for real!!!! As much as all the technical development of today can be a big help and blessing in the studio, it is also a big curse. Any idiot with a PC can download a cracked version of his favorite music software and record an 'album' in his living room.

My CD was played real and not edited and even though I am not especially proud of that fact (since I think that this is how music should be done) I felt the need to let people know. The most ironic side to that is that some reviewers read that note and then say, 'Well, the production is not so good in places.' Ridiculous and bizarre.

EG: What guitars did you use on Dreamscapes… the range of electric and acoustic tones are pretty diverse.

Polak: Absolutely. I used a couple of strats, my Peaveys, my good old hand-made classical guitar, a Les Paul, some 6 & 12-strings. When I write a tune I also hear a certain sound in my head. I usually know exactly which guitar and what amp I want to use.

EG: What's the status of your vocal CD?

Polak: It's coming along. Thanks for asking. I have about 30 songs and I am starting to get a picture. lol It will be very plain and personal. The lyrics will give the listener a deep view into my thoughts & emotions. One song is called 'Superstar-Mania' and it deals with the whole casting show bullshit and how I feel about it. Then there is a song called 'Crosses', which is about reflecting upon your life and dealing with my phases of insomnia. Then there is a song called 'Hero (I Never Gave All)', which is about trying to be important to someone but in the end you find out that this person just fucked you and doesn't care at all.

There will be a song that deals with what my parents have done to me. I have just written and recorded a song that is called 'Psychobitch'. I guess, I won't have to comment that - the title says all...

EG: I'm intrigued, whom would you say you sound like, and who are your vocal heroes?

Polak: There are so many great singers in the world and I am definitely NOT one of them. Some of the best are Jorn Lande and Joe Lynn Turner. Another awesome guy is Devin Townsend. I love Steve Lukather and Steve Perry and the unforgetable Freddie Mercury. I think Eric Martin and Paul Shortino are great. But what is more important is the fact that I don't sound like anybody else.

I guess, I am old and mature enough to not even try to sound like someone else. And for some reason all the singers I really like cannot be found in my singing. Should that make me rethink the whole thing...?!? lol I have played the rough-mixes of some of my songs to a few selected people and they were all impressed by the song writing and vocal performance but I am sure that when I release the CD there will also be enough people slagging me...! lol

You know, it's easy sitting there, getting CD's for free all day and putting them down. But if you are being creative you step into the spotlight which also makes you very vulnerable, I guess. That's life - welcome to the crossfire...! lol

EG: Have you given thought on how to avoid the mixed reactions Paul Gilbert and Nuno Bettencourt received when they took the 'guitar hero to vocal route?

Polak: No. And I am sure they didn't care either. There will be some people who will be disappointed for sure (some of the songs don't even have a guitar solo), there will be some angry fans saying that I sell out but I just feel that I need to record these songs now and I will do it. Period. My songs won't be guitar hero-like, they won't be commercial either.

I think I have a good ear for melodies and the songs will be tunes written on guitar - that's all I can say. I usually try to keep the thought of what other people may think far away from the process of creation.

EG: You are now offering personal online guitar lessons via webcam. What are you being asked to demonstrate, and how do you find teaching via this method?

Polak: Usually, people contact me via webcam to learn special interest stuff, such as: 'What did you play on that song?', 'Can you show me this lick or solo you played on this or that CD?', etc. But I also have requests about learning modes and compositional tools. And then you have those who want to learn technical stuff, e.g. alternate picking, sweeping, string skipping, etc. Basically, this enables people all over the world to have a private lesson with me in my studio without having to get on a plane and flying over here.

EG: Do you have much involvement with your fansite? (www.milanpolakfansite.com)

Polak: No, it is an independent site from Italy where it seems I have a lot of fans. I have always had a special relation to Italy. It is a beautiful country with beautiful, warm people. Basically, the host of the site Antonello Sassone and me have become friends in the meantime and I provide him with news, some exclusive stuff that can't be found on my site, etc. You should check it out and sign up for the newsletter.

EG: Finally, I thought you'd interested to know that when I play Dreamscapes' in Real Player, it thinks your album is actually Jennifer Lopez's 'Rebirth' album and then proceeds to tell me five interesting facts about J-Lo. Is there something you're not telling me Milan?

Polak: Lol. You must be kiddin'! Well, maybe there is something wrong with your RealPlayer or something I didn't know myself.... I also want to take this opportunity to thank you Si for all that you are contributing to the guitar community and for all your support. And also a big 'thank you' to all my fans around the world. Have a good one! Milan

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