In the course of his career he had played over 4.000 shows and recorded over 60 albums. He worked together with musicians like Adrian Vandenberg (WHITESKNAKE), Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE) and Atma Anur (JOURNEY). In 2004 he has been voted as best metal and allround bass player by Guitar Player magazine.
His name is Barend Courbois, and he is the new bass player of BLIND GUARDIAN – out on January 30, fans will be able to enjoy his skills on the new BLIND GUARDIAN album »Beyond The Red Mirror«.
Barend Curbois
“This was the longest production I have ever been involved in”, the Dutch musician explains. “As we all know, the recordings took a total of two years. The music is so versatile, which is just what makes the style of BLIND GUARDIAN so unique.”
Regarding his own style, Courbois is quite confident: “I play in a very powerful, but also melodic way,” he explains. “You could compare me to John Deacon. Something that QUEEN-fans Hansi Kürsch and Gitarrist André Olbrich really like.”
Frontman Hansi Kürsch confirms: “Barend is top. He is the ideal bass player for us and has a lot of musical understanding. He is variable and multifaceted, but still able to create all the power we need. And the fact that Krefeld is so close to the Dutch border makes our liaison really easy.”
Music has always been in Barend’s (who studied bass at Lyceum in Arnhem) blood. His father Pierre (74) is a world-famous jazz drummer and still performing on stage and had played alongside superstars like Jean-Luc Ponty and Ben Webster. At the age of four Barend started playing drums himself, at age eight he first picked up the bass and for quite a while enjoyed bagpipes as well. No wonder he feels right at home everywhere from rock and metal to jazz and funk.
The way he got in touch with BLIND GUARDIAN is not as spectacular as one might think. “One day I got an unexpected phone call from producer Charlie Bauerfeind, whom I had met at a project we both were involved in the early 90s,“ the bass player recalls. “He asked me, if I was available during the next six months, to tour with a major metal band. He wouldn´t tell me the band´s name at first though.”
Just one day after agreeing to this new engagement, Barend Courbois met BLIND GUARDIAN in Krefeld, only to find himself on tour two weeks later. „I was a total wreck before my first gig: It’s a real challenge to play BLIND GUARDIAN songs, but I love it!”
BLIND GUARDIAN will release their highly-anticipated tenth studio release, »Beyond The Red Mirror« on January 30th in Europe, February 2nd in the UK and February 3rd, 2015 in North America.
»Beyond The Red Mirror« will be released as Jewel Case CD (10 songs), Limited Edition Digi-Pak/Digi-Book (11 songs), Double LP gatefold vinyl (11 songs), EarBook (12 songs plus illustrations, photos, and liner notes) & as an Exclusive Limited Edition NB Mail-Order Earbook (12 songs plus illustrations, photos, liner notes + bonus 10”)
Celebrating the release of their tenth studio album, “Beyond The Red Mirror”, Metal’s most acclaimed storytellers BLIND GUARDIAN will do a run of release parties and signing sessions at several locations in Germany. The release parties give the fans a chance to listen to “Beyond The Red Mirror” in its entirety on the release day and win some merchandise.
For those who want to meet and greet the band in person, there will be three dates to check: Vocalist Hansi Kürsch and guitarist Marcus Siepen will be around for the signing session at the Saturn stores in Düsseldorf and Cologne and guitarist André Olbrich will join in Hansi and Marcus for the third session at Saturn Hamburg.
Saturn Düsseldorf – January 30 at 18 CET
Address: Königsallee 56, 40212 Düsseldorf
Saturn Köln Hansaring – February 03 at 18 CET
Address: Maybachstraße 115, 50670 Köln
Saturn Hamburg – February 04 at 18 CET
Address: Mönckebergstraße 1, 20095 Hamburg
“Beyond The Red Mirror” presents BLIND GUARDIAN at its best: Epic, versatile and uncompromising! Pre-order the album at the following link: http://smarturl.it/BLIND-GUARDIANMirror
Metal’s highly-esteemed storytellers BLIND GUARDIAN have just released the sixth new album trailer for their highly-anticipated tenth studio release, “Beyond The Red Mirror”, due out in Europe on January 30th, 2015, February 2nd in the UK and February 3rd, 2015 in North America, via Nuclear Blast Records.
In this new episode BLIND GUARDIAN discuss the difference between working in the rehearsal room, the studio and performing live on stage:
Commented guitarist Marcus Siepen: “After being in the studio we need to relearn, or rearrange everything for a live performance. We have to consider exactly which parts to play and how to share them. Is André also playing rhythm guitars or am I supposed to accompany him on lead guitars, stuff like that.”
Adds drummer Frederik Ehmke: “Live is always different from the studio. In the studio we can capture a perfect drum sound and it is all about tiny details. Live everything needs to fit together perfectly so that the overall sound of the band is good.”
If you missed the previous ones, check them out here:
Now available: BLIND GUARDIAN’s ‘Twilight Of The Gods’ mini-CD single including two live tracks recorded at 2011’s Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. Also available as a vinyl single in different colors here: http://smarturl.it/BLIND-GUARDIAN-Gods
Left (blue): Standard Artwork Right (red): Earbook/ Digi-Pak & Digi-Book Artwork
Watch the lyric video of ‘Twilight Of The Gods’:
»Beyond The Red Mirror« features the following tracks:
01. Ninth Wave
02. Twilight Of The Gods
03. Prophecies
04. At The Edge Of Time
05. Ashes Of Eternity
06. Distant Memories (bonus track on limited editions + vinyl)
07. Holy Grail
08. The Throne
09. Sacred Mind
10. Miracle Machine
11. Grand Parade
»Beyond The Red Mirror« will be released as Jewel Case CD (10 songs), Limited Edition Digi-Pak/Digi-Book (11 songs), Double LP gatefold vinyl (11 songs), EarBook (12 songs plus illustrations, photos, and liner notes) & as an Exclusive Limited Edition NB Mail-Order Earbook (12 songs plus illustrations, photos, liner notes + bonus 10”)
Metal’s highly-esteemed storytellers BLIND GUARDIAN have just released the fifth new album trailer for their highly-anticipated tenth studio release, Beyond The Red Mirror, due out in Europe on January 30th, 2015, February 2nd in the UK and February 3rd, 2015 in North America, via Nuclear Blast Records.
In this new episode you can see the work and recordings of the orchestra, choir as well as the band itself. Watch it here:
Commented guitarist and composer André Olbrich: “It’s not always been easy, especially when we dared to let the orchestra record first, before the band. This was a challenge for us, because we had to perform with the same mood and tuning of the orchestra.”
If you missed the previous ones, check them out here:
Now available: BLIND GUARDIAN’s ‘Twilight Of The Gods’ mini-CD single including two live tracks recorded at 2011’s Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. Also available as a vinyl single in different colors here: http://smarturl.it/BLIND-GUARDIAN-Gods
Metal’s highly-esteemed storytellers BLIND GUARDIAN have just released the fourth new album trailer for their highly-anticipated tenth studio release, “Beyond The Red Mirror”, due out in Europe on January 30th, 2015, February 2nd in the UK and February 3rd, 2015 in North America.
In this new episode you can see the band working and rehearsing on different parts, as well as viewing the first cover artwork proposals. Check it out below:
If you missed the previous ones, check them out here:
Now available, BLIND GUARDIAN’s ‘Twilight Of The Gods’ mini-CD single including two live tracks recorded at 2011’s Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. Also available as a vinyl single in different colors here: http://smarturl.it/BLIND-GUARDIAN-Gods
Four-and-a-half years in the making, “Beyond The Red Mirror” was recorded at Twilight Hall Studio in Grefrath, Germany and produced by Charlie Bauerfeind (SAXON, HAMMERFALL, HELLOWEEN). The album’s spellbinding tracks showcase BLIND GUARDIAN’s long-awaited collaborative work with three different classical choirs from Prague, Budapest, and Boston, plus two grand orchestras – each featuring 90 musicians.
An endeavour demanding that attention be paid to the lyrics as much as to the music, “Beyond The Red Mirror” is a desperate search for truth, an exploration of the relativities of good and evil, a testimony of the consequences of lost opportunities, a glimpse into a distant universe’s dystopian society, and a story about a prophecy, a promise of revolution, a plot for revenge, and a miracle machine with powers far beyond what mere mortals could have dreamed possible.
Features artwork by long-time collaborator Felipe Machado “Beyond The Red Mirror” is now available for pre-order in the following formats:
· Jewel Case (10 songs)
· Limited Edition Digi-Pak / Digi-Book (11 songs)
· Double LP gatefold vinyl (11 songs)
· EarBook (12 songs plus illustrations, photos, and liner notes)
· Exclusive Limited Edition NB Mail-Order Earbook (12 songs plus illustrations, photos, liner notes + bonus 10”)
The track listing for “Beyond The Red Mirror” is as follows:
01. Ninth Wave
02. Twilight Of The Gods
03. Prophecies
04. At The Edge Of Time
05. Ashes Of Eternity
06. Distant Memories (bonus track on limited editions + vinyl)
BLIND GUARDIAN will be performing on this year’s 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise in January 2015 before launching their headlining tour through Europe this upcoming April and May. A very special hometown show at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf, Germany will take place on April 25th.
All confirmed BLIND GUARDIAN dates are listed below:
22.-26-01 USA Caribbean Sea – 70.000 Tons of Metal
Metal’s most epic storytellers BLIND GUARDIAN are to release their orchestral and emotion-rich 10th studio album “Beyond The Red Mirror” on January 30th, via Nuclear Blast Records. Greatly inspired by life experience, world myths, legends, and their own fervent creativity, the band continually aspires to define themselves on a whole new level. With “Beyond The Red Mirror”, they have successfully captured the scope of their essence with unprecedented accuracy, transporting the listeners – via a mysteriously powerful red mirror – into an otherworldly dimension that includes tyrants, gods, and the Holy Grail. By far, the most important fact about the new album is this: there are no compromises. Not one.
During her pre-Christmas holidays in Helsinki, Tarja Virmakari had a chance to meet with BLIND GUARDIAN lead vocalist Hansi Kürsch and lead guitarist André Olbrich on their promo tour. During a pleasant chat, Hansi and André talked widely about the new album, its behind-the-scenes details, and the album concept, which has strong lyrical ties to 1995’s “Imaginations From The Other Side”. To know about this and much more, please join the chat below.
Lyric video ‘Twilight Of The Gods’
Left (blue): Standard Artwork Right (red): Earbook/ Digi-Pak & Digi-Book Artwork
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