Interviews

Steve Doerksen interviewed by Corey Bonnett of Metal Eater

"Music is supposed to be all about fun. That being said, it's been a while since I've come across a band that are having as much fun as Winnipeg's DREAM QUEST. From the creative zaniness on their website (read their FAQ) to their live stage theatrics, these musicians strive to make both themselves and their fans happy. Formed in 2000 by brothers Steve and Mark Doerksen (drums and guitar respectively) and Phil Janzen (bass, vocals), the overwhelming response to the raw talent in the band prompted them to continue performing, and eventually record their first CD in late 2004.

The band has coined the term Adventure Metal to define their style. Combining blazing fast drums, mesmerizing guitars, soaring melodies, and cascades of harmonies, its catchier than speed metal, heavier than pop-punk, and more innovative than hard rock. I caught up with drummer Steve Doerksen at the end of their recently completed winter tour to find out a little more about the band itself, their CD, "The Release", and future plans.

First of all, how did the term "Adventure Metal", which I've never heard to describe anyone but DREAM QUEST, come into being?

It seems like it's not enough to just say "metal" these days because there are so many sub-genres. We coined Adventure Metal to distance our image from the angry metal bands, the tight leather, and the songs about dragons. To us, Adventure Metal is like taking a running leap off the tallest building around, grabbing onto a nearby missile and hanging on, rocketing around the world fighting evil henchmen. Then, once all evil is defeated, jumping off the missile onto a spaceship and heading for Mercury, which is the heaviest and fastest planet - like us.

You mention your three favourite bands are IRON MAIDEN, Elton John, and LED ZEPPELIN - a wide range of musical diversity between the three. Have you taken a liking to any of the new bands that have emerged in say, the last five years or so?

Not many. I'm a huge fan of SONATA ARCTICA; I love the hooks they come up with. MASTERPLAN is also rocking my face off, but they're ex-HELLOWEEN guys, so not really new talent. I don't know if they count.

Is it true that your brother Mark writes the majority of the music in his head?

Yes.

Does he get you guys together and then talk you through new songs, until everyone is "on the same page"?

Guitar and bass parts go into a MIDI arranger on our Comptron 2000 along with a rough drum track. So Phil knows exactly what to do, and I know generally where the ideas are headed, and we take it from there.

With your brother in the band, do you two sometimes end up spending too much time together and duking it out (as brothers do)?

Sometimes. I once whipped a drumstick past him and the pointy end stuck into a door. Oops! Our arguments are funny though, cause our logic deteriorates really quickly.

How did the recently completed Canadian winter tour go?

Like everything else, it was an adventure. We met some cool people, played some cool venues we've never been to. Spent a day off playing Battletoads on an old Nintendo. We love the road, can't wait to get back at it in May.

Do you feel you gained some new fans out on the road?

Every show we play - at home, on the road, wherever - we get new fans. People like adventures, we just give them what they want.

Please detail your craziest/wackiest story from this recent tour.

We finished a show expecting to have a free place to stay but our host backed out on us at the last minute. We ended up going home with some guy from the audience who was really generous and friendly, but his house was trashed. We had to pick broken glass, nails, and tampons (unused, thank God) from our sleeping area, and the place was littered with random stuff like an upright bass, swords, and a forbidden couch (don't ask). It was still great. Life on the road rules!

Life on the road certainly is obviously not all it's cracked up to be...especially for smaller bands. What do you to keep yourself busy on the road when travelling daily (assuming you're not driving!)?

We sing our guts out going from city to city, usually to 1984 or Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds - unless it's late and we're sleepy. Then we play naming games, like movies with Stallone, or bands with the letter R. Pretty dull, but it passes the time. We once drove so long that Phil and Mark resorted to naming people they knew.

The level of musicianship and showmanship in this band is quite high, very impressive for such a young band. Are all of you trained in your respective instruments, or does it come naturally as a musician and a music fan?

Mark and I are moderately trained. I took several years of drum lessons, but my biggest leap in skill (and foot speed ) didn't happen until years later when I began practising for the love of it, not because I was supposed to. Mark has a couple years of formal instruction, but learned most of his chops from the Internet. Phil is pure Phil.

I didn't realize it at first, but lyrically, the band comes across (very subtly) with some Christian lyrics. It's not like playing a STRYPER album where it's "right there". Is this something you tried to keep "masked" a bit, or are the lyrics written to get the listener to put some thought into the lyrical meaning of the songs?

It's a bit of a balancing act. We want to write songs that are meaningful to us, but accessible to everyone. We've been told that "Facekicker" is about George Bush. That's not what it means to us, but everyone is welcome to their own views.

There is some impressive backing vocal work on the album. Who is responsible for singing some of the high-pitched screams on the albums, such as in "Facekicker"?

That is all Action Janzen you hear.

At the Thunder Bay show, the last of the tour, the band opted to throw in some great covers including VAN HALEN's "Panama" and MANOWAR's "Wheels Of Fire", which was perfectly-executed I might add. Did you do many other covers on the tour and if so, which songs?

That specific tour was just those two plus "Hot For Teacher", and also "Highway Star" by DEEP PURPLE. We've done a ton of other stuff, but not every show is the right venue for the "Dream Police" or "Mr. Roboto".

Before settling on the name DREAM QUEST, what were some of the band names on the early demos you three recorded?

COUGAR DOERKSEN, LASERFORCE. We were unaware of the connotations of the word "cougar" when we picked it up off the now cougar-less John Mellencamp. Laserforce evoked too much neon spandex in people's minds.

How long did the band spend in the studio recording "The Release"?

Recording took about 5 weeks, mixing was another week.

As studio time is pricey, are there things that you'll try to do or prepare for differently next time?

We'll be ready to rock harder and faster and sing with even more balls.

Do you have any new songs written or recording plans yet?

No recording plans, we're still promoting "The Release" for a while. We're always working on new songs.

Can you drop any song titles?

"The Acrobot", which I believe we were already performing while on tour, and "March Of The Nine".

Now, to go off in no particular direction for a few questions...Has anyone ever told you that you remind him or her a bit of Devin Townsend?

Nope.

What exactly happened to your finger and how long were you sidelined due to the injury?

I tried to block a roundhouse kick and took it straight on my pointed finger. It didn't break but it dislocated so far that the blunt knuckle was poking out about half an inch through my skin. It was a great story. My body went into shock right away, so I didn't feel a thing. It was really gross.

Finally, your personal bio states you're not a fan of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman which obviously makes you a hockey fan. What are your thoughts on the cancelled NHL season?

It's the greatest thing since the Jets drafted Teemu. There are too many teams, and not enough of them in Winnipeg. The longer this goes, the better the chance of teams folding, the talent pool being more concentrated, and us getting the Jets back.

Is there anything you'd like to add or say to METALEATER readers?

DREAM QUEST will be back on tour in May! Anyone in between Winnipeg and Quebec City has no excuse to miss us this time around, unless a large reptile is found in your basement. You should probably take care of that.

On behalf of myself and all of us at METALEATER, I would like to thank you for taking time with us today and wish you continued success with "The Release" and your tour dates in support of it.

Thanks a lot!"

<-- BACK