Interview with Vega lead vocalist Nick Workman

Lead vocalist Nick Workman of the melodic rock band Vega took some time to speak with me about the band’s latest offering, Kiss Of Life. This is a really good disc; one in which I found myself thoroughly engaged and engrossed. Melodies reign supreme and it flows well from track to track. The incredibly natural and warm sounding production makes it super easy to listen to as well. Here is what Workman had to say about the band, the new release and their plans for 2011.

Now that your brand new CD, Kiss Of Life is complete how do you feel about it? Are you satisfied with the outcome?
Nick: Yeah, we are very proud of the album and in all honesty other than a few levels here and there of different things, we wouldn’t change anything.

What was the writing process like for this CD? Did you guys all write together? How long did it take?
Nick: It happened so quickly. We wrote 25 songs in just a few months. Tom and James live in the north of England and I live in the Midlands. So we would talk over the phone about a style of song we wanted to write, then Tome and James would work on the music overnight. I would wake up to an email with the music attached and while they were sleeping through the day i would write the lyrics/melodies. None of the songs took longer than 24 hours to write.

You worked with John Greatwood a very well known, well respected producer. How did you get in touch with him and what was it like working with him?
Nick: Tom and James had met him a while back and he told them that when they come to do an album let him know and he will make it sound twice as good as whatever budget we have. He came on board and knocked it out the park!

Give us some insight into the meaning behind the title Kiss Of Life.
Nick: Well, it is referring to anything that gets you out of an all-time low. It could be a person, a piece of music, a film, anything that pulls you out of a hole. When my Mum died it was Ritchie Sambora’s “Stranger in this Town”. I had that on repeat play every night to help me sleep.

Even though the songs on Kiss Of Life are packed to the gills with huge guitars, intricate rhythms, and complex arrangements, there are still strong songs at the core of it all. When you write do you start building from a simpler frame and then just stack up all of the individual parts and nuances?
Nick: Yeah, but to be honest the demos have the same arrangements so nothing was really added in the studio. We all love bands like Def Leppard and U2 and they have a lot going on in their songs, so having all these different parts comes naturally to us and is a part of what we do. Because Tom and James didn’t have to think about lyrics and vocals they just really got their heads in the music and vice versa for me.

When you began to put an album together were you concerned at all about commercial success?
Nick: No because the music we like and write is commercial so we didn’t have to try and be something we are not. Because we are a new band we didn’t have the record company telling us how we needed to sound. So what came out of us is 100% Vega.

Are there any tracks on the disc that are personal favorites or that have good stories behind them?
Nick: Ahh, I find it hard to find a fave. I do think the title track is a monster of a song. However I also love “S.O.S.” and “What It Takes”… all of them really. “SOS” was always going to be the bonus track for Japan but when we finished recording it we just were blown away at how it had turned out.

What artists would fans be surprised to find on your iPod?
Nick: “The 7 Dwarfs: Hi Ho, Hi Ho.” I have a 7 year old daughter.

Tell me about a book or two that you’ve read that you think other people should read?
Nick: I thought that the David Lee Roth biography was great and very inspiring. I’ve read all the Dan Brown books but they became a bit predictable to be honest. Right now I’m reading “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and that seems good so far.

If you had not become a musician what other career path would you have liked to attempt?
Nick: Movies. I love films. Doesn’t even have to be in front of the camera, I would just want to be involved. Maybe I could be Halle Berry’s wardrobe assistant!

What three words best describe your band?
Nick: Rockin’, catchy, brilliant.

If you were a superhero, who would it be and why?
Nick: Gotta be Superman as he can do it all can’t he? I can listen in from miles away; don’t have to pay stupid money for flying… so many reasons.

What is the one thing you absolutely insist upon in your rider?
Nick: Man, if we are lucky enough to get one. Water would be nice.  [ END ]