"Hope we can tour like this one day"
René Rutten was born on July 2th 1972, in the city of Nijmegen, the Netherlands. His passion for music was shared with his brother, Hans Rutten, each with their favorite musical instrument: René with guitar and Hans with the drums. This partnership that was born at home has given rise to one of the most significant and pioneering bands in the rock world: The Gathering. In an exclusive interview to Anneke van Giersbergen Brasil, divided into two parts, René tells us a little about the memorial concert of 25 years of the band, bringing together old and new members of all generations of The Gathering. In the second part, René tells us some facts, as when he met Anneke van Giersbergen for the vocals and how they choose Silje Wergeland to replace her. Also says a little about the current hiatus of the band and future projects.
The Gathering's 25-year concerts were one of the greatest events on the rock scene in 2014. How did the idea of this celebration? Invite all former members has always been part of the original idea of the event?
RENÉ RUTTEN - Yes, the ideas was to work with all the bandmembers from the last 25 years. We still had contact with all of them.
For you, what was the highlight of this reunion?
RENÉ - The highlight for me was to see all the bandmembers on stage and around the concert, and to play the songs for the fans… We would never think that so many people were coming to the show...
It is noticeable the emotion that all members and former members felt in these two shows, and this is transmitted by the album perfectly. This meeting did the band get with a taste of "we want more"? Did you speak about a chance of a tour or something?
RENÉ – Yes, we would love to! But not all ‘old’ bandmembers want to because they have there own plans. Hope we can tour like this one day...
Define the setlist of a band with 25 years of career and 11 studio albums released isn’t easy, besides being extremely challenging task, for sure. How was the process of choosing the setlist of the show? Was the selection done together with the former members?
RENÉ – Yes the only problem we had was to rehearse the old ‘songs’, how we gonna plan all that was a big puzzle, but the songs we played we were all very happy about that.
In 'TG25: Live at Doornroosje' album, the song "All You Are" was removed. Could you reveal why this song was chosen to be out of the album?
ANNEKE - On both shows there was a problem in the recordings and we could fix it, so that’s why it’s not on the recording.
We know that the show was not filmed professionally and we understand the reasons for it. But at the same time, we realize that many fans filmed the shows with amateur cameras. Is there any intention or you already had considered release a videoclip using the footage of the fans as an official video, as many band have done around the world?
RENÉ - Good idea! But I think there are all some video out there with our audio recordings mixed with the video’s, so it’s there but not ‘official’ released by us.
How was your relationship with the former vocalists? Did you keep in touch with them or there was a complete separation for a certain period? How was this resumption of contact?
RENÉ – We always had some contact with former band members, so was no problem to contact them and ask about this idea. We had some meetings before...
"We proofed they were wrong"
The band has 25 years of so many stories and eras. The whole band is incredibly talented, but one of the things that attracted the most attention from the media and the public regarding The Gathering was the protagonism to bring a woman on the vocals and the compositions, something not very common in the 90s. How do you see it? How did the idea to invite Marike to the vocals of the band come out? And later, Anneke, to be the only singer-songwriter?
RENÉ - We just took the risk to do it! The same was to use keyboards live on stage as well, at the beginning not many people liked it, but sometimes you just need to do what you think is the best and what you love to do the most. Even if ‘others’ say its stupid to do or a risk to do because of the fans will not like it, but we proofed they were wrong ;)
For some bands and artists who have emerged from this movement known as "female fronted", like Nightwish, Nemesea, Stream of Passion, Devin Townsend, Mark Jansen, Tarja Turunen, Simone Simons, Floor Jansen and so many others, The Gathering is mentioned as inspiration for their career. How do you feel being the creator of a band that inspired the appearance of so many others?
RENÉ – For me it’s feels very good, it’s weird that so many people ‘changed’ the rock/gothic music and we were one of the first one who did it, and many followed… Hope there will be something ‘new’ again in the music industry and not only copycats.
Anneke van Giersbergen, as we know, is an amazing singer, songwriter and instrumentalist who added so much and for so long to the band, and vice-versa. How did you meet Anneke? And what are the best moments that you can highlight from her "era" in the band?
RENÉ - First time Anneke was playing in apub where I was working, and we just asked her if she like to play with us… Nothing big just simple… And with the song “Strange Machines” we opened all the doors in and outside Holland.
When replacing Anneke, you didn't choose to conduct competitions or ask for materials, you opted for an internal process. Thus, how did you meet the incredibly talented Silje Wergeland and how you were convinced that she would be the ideal replacement?
RENÉ - After Anneke left us, we got so many ‘demos’ from artists from all over the world and we just liked what Silje did later on some demo songs from us, and she is great to work with.
We know that the band never settled to a single style and every album innovated in this sense, feeling free to follow the direction you were wishing at the time. Listening the latest studio album released, this change was much more evident than in previous albums, tending more to an electronic style. How was the process of creation and development of this album?
RENÉ - It just happens, we talk a lotabout what to now… What is the music we like to listen now, and as everything in live changes also our way of writing and recording is changing, and we just don’t like to repeat or copycat ourself.
Let's see if you can answer this question: In your opinion what was the best album and best music made by The Gathering until now? Why?
RENÉ - That’s hard to say, I love every album we made and the time we worked on it, some are more special then others, but songs as Travel, Heroes for Ghosts, and I Can See Four Miles are songs that jumps out when we play it live.
The Gathering is currently on hiatus. Have the current members already thought about coming back? Will the fans have to wait a little longer? Or they [we] can start to warming up to some big news? What are the future plans?
RENÉ - Well… I can tell that I’m working on a new project, but what that is…? ;)
The Gathering is a band which formed generations with its 25 years of music and inspiration. From those 25 years of history, what are the most important moments? Why?
RENÉ - All moments are important, even the smaller ones, but for me to play all over the world and to write music that can touch the hearts of so many people is just magic and a great feeling for me. As long as I live I like to do that.
René, was a pleasure to talk with you! Thank you very much for answering us in this interview and we hope, very soon, be able to see The Gathering playing live in Brazil again! Would you like to send some message to the Brazilian fans of the band?
RENÉ - Yes, I hope we will play soon again in Brazil and stay slow! ❖
