Interview for the Kult magazine
In the December issue of the Kult magazine, you could read an interview with Linda. You can now find the whole interview on kult.cz.
Tempus is a medieval rock band. It was founded in 2007 in southern Moravia. The eight-member band released its first CD in 2016 called Bílá vrána, to which they added the single Spellbound in November this year. The band’s repertoire consists not only of original Czech songs but also of covers.
On your website, you state that you breathe new life into old traditionals and medieval melodies with your interpretation and modern instruments. However, the songs on Bílá vrána are rather original. That is, not only the lyrics but also the music.
Medieval melodies and traditionals are truly a great inspiration for us. For example, during the creation process, we take an entire composition and put an unexpected arrangement on it by changing the rhythm and choosing an unconventional instrument line-up. In another case, the original song is rather a basic inspiration for us, and we only keep the most distinctive motive from it. Sometimes, nothing remains from the original motive, and a completely new original composition is created, which, however, carries the energy of the original motive.
What do you put more emphasis on in your work – music or lyrics?
Definitely on music, and increasingly so because we are slowly moving away from folk songs and ballads. It is noticeable, especially in our latest single Spellbound, where there is quite a long intro, and the whole song ends with a massive instrumental part. Music is a universal language for us that everyone understands.
Your first album is called Bílá vrána. Is there any symbolism in it?
When the album was recorded, we didn’t know what it would be called. We were looking for something that would connect all the songs on the album. In the end, we decided to name the album after the song Bílá vrána, which is of fundamental importance to us because it is our first original song. The lyrics were created first and they were set to music later on. Our singer Linda wrote it, and she still remembers that she composed the whole thing in half an hour when she couldn’t sleep because there was a big storm. Bílá vrána connects all the songs on the CD by being a silent witness to all the stories that take place in the songs. It is like a fly-through of the whole album.
Does the song Spellbound also have any special meaning?
Spellbound is something like Bílá vrána on our first CD. It opens a new stage in our work. Since Bílá vrána, we have changed our view on creating quite significantly and learned many new things. We also have new members who have opened up new possibilities for us with unusual musical instruments such as the hurdy gurdy.
When we had the Deloraine band here last time, I asked them about competition. What about you?
Each band is unique in its work, unless you are a purely revival band (a band playing primarily covers). We do not have any direct competition; we prefer to cooperate with other bands.