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- Please, introduce yourself and tell us how it all began?
I'm Thibault, the band's guitarist. We formed Oaks in 2018 with Julien. We've known each other for a long time, as we both come from Strasbourg and work in the same field. For personal reasons, I had to move to Paris and my band at the time didn't last long at that distance.
After a while of putting my musical activities on hold, I decided to set up a new project in Paris, and immediately thought of Julien. We did a few rehearsals together, putting together riffs, and we immediately felt that things were working really well between us. After all, we'd known each other for almost 20 years, crossed paths on stage lots of times, drunk beers many times, but we'd never played together.
We quickly found a rehearsal space because it was inconceivable for us not to play on our own gear and amp stacks. The problem in Paris is finding this kind of space where you can store your gear, and I can tell you we've got it....). We then found our first drummer, Yohann, with whom we took the time to shape the sound and the Oaks project.
- Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all costs?
As I said before, we have a bit of a Gear Porn side. We like to accumulate amps and pedals. As a result, we've worked hard on our sound to make it massive and all-encompassing. Julien and I like to work on our effects, even if it means losing track of who's on guitar or bass. Julien is in fact a monster on bass, with an incredible knowledge and management of his effects and his instrument. He spends hours at home playing and fiddling with the pots on his pedals.
- Musical inspirations/influences? Why this all-instrumental orientation?
We have a lot of different musical influences. Personally, I've been through black metal, thrash, death, doom, stoner... Let's just say I'm the most metal of the 3.
Julien is more Noise and hardcore and Quentin more metal and modern rock. What's certain is that all 3 of us are very open-minded and that we integrate into the project all the music we've been listening to for 30 years now - and yes, we're past 40... As I said earlier, the project began to be instrumental a bit by necessity, and it's the freedom of tone that this brings that has reinforced this orientation.
Ultimately, a voice can quickly pigeonhole you into a particular style or crystallize certain criticisms. We don't have that problem, because we can reach out and touch a pretty wide audience, from progressive and traditional metal to the doom/stoner sphere.
- What about your latest album?
“Genesis of the Abstract" was recorded in our studio in July 2021 with the help of Julien Tota. We did it all ourselves in 7 days. It was quite a challenge, but we're pretty proud of the result. We wanted to have our own sound, our own color, and I think we succeeded. It's a 7-track concept album that deals with the Birth of Brait as a concept. “Genesis...” was released in autumn 2022 on Argonauta Records. Gero (Argonauta's boss) was very interested in our project very quickly.
All our visuals for posters and album/EP covers are done by Julien. So it was he who designed the cover for “Genesis...”.
We pressed it on a white Gatefold LP and we have 2 digipack CDs (Blue and Gold). All our merchandise can be found on our bandcamp and on Argonauta records.
- What are your plans for the future?
We're currently working on our 2nd album, which we plan to record in the summer of 2025 and hope to release in early 2026. We've already composed a good part of it, but we toured a lot in 2024, which slowed down the creative process.
This album won't be as conceptual as “Genesis...” but it will have a common thread around the Monologue principle. We're very excited about continuing the writing process. This album plans to be less convoluted than the previous one and more direct. We'll be recording with Andrew Guillotin, well known on the Paris doom scene (Clegane, Negative Concept,....) and who produced our single “So Heavy” released in Winter 2023.
- Your wildest dream with the band would be?
Honestly, I can't complain. I've got my own studio full of big amps, I've got some great Les Pauls, I play every week with my mates and I can express myself freely and simply with my guitar.
But let's just say that my wildest dream would be for Pink Floyd to reform and for us to open for them. Basically, no chance at all! (Don't stop believing - they say ! But, yes, right now, it's going to be complicated ! Good luck hey !Ed.)
- Your BEST & WORST concert and why?
Our worst concert by far was the one with Ufomammut at Le Petit bain in Paris. I was on tour in Scotland and my plane was very late. We had to cancel the same day, and Quentin and Julien were at the venue, with the gear set up on stage, waiting for me to do the sound check. I landed at the supposed time of our show... I'm answering for myself, but I think the other members of the band will agree that our date with Alcest in Strasbourg was incredible. The hall was packed to the rafters and the pressure was on. We gave a great concert, very diligent but full of energy. The audience had obviously come in droves for Alcest, but were very receptive to our project and put on a great show.
- Next live appearance(s)?
We've just finished a series of dates with Witchorious in October/November and we want to concentrate on composing the next album. So we're not looking for too many gigs at the moment. Nevertheless, we're in talks for dates around Lyon and a few festivals this summer/autumn. Obviously, if any offers come up, we're ready to get back on stage, but let's just say that we're not actively looking for gigs. It's a very time-consuming and difficult job.
- A few words about your local scene - any bands you're friends with that you'd like to name?
There really are a lot of excellent bands in France: I'd obviously start with Witchorious, with whom we have a very special relationship, especially after our little tour together (And you can read a report about their show in Amiens HERE - Ed.). I'm thinking of Clegane, of which Guillaume from Almost Famous is a member. He does so much for the local scene! Then there's our buddies from Vantre, with their incredible 2-bass/drums Noise project. Pelegrin from Nantes, with whom we played 2 dates last October, offer a stoner rock psychedelic sound with incredible vocals. Mauvaise Foi and their sticky, urban sludge. And, of course, Hangman's Chair, who are an example to us all, and good friends of ours.
- The last word is yours...
Thank you (You're welcome ! Ed.) and all those who support our project. There's nothing more motivating for us than talking to people who appreciate what we offer. It's an outlet and a passion for us that often allows us to disconnect from our everyday lives and its constraints and obligations. Music and creation are very important to us, and to be able to share this with you, for example, is extremely gratifying. (Thanks alot for your time, I appreciate ! Ed.)
Born 1969, grew up with the NWOBHM sounds, musically educated with cult french magazines that were ENFER and METAL ATTACK, definitely nailed to the style when "The Number Of The Beast" by IRON MAIDEN was released... From 1982, it was clear life would never be the same ! Young & getting wild to the HEAVY sounds of SAXON, VENOM, BLACK SABBATH, MOTORHEAD, Young Fab also discovered thanks to school mates the NOISE, FILTH & FURY of Hard-Core/Punk bands like G.B.H, DISCHARGE, BROKEN BONES but also CRO-MAGS, BAD BRAINS, FUGAZI... and later on, through the 90's, everything that was ALTERNATIVE, EXPERIMENTAL, GRUNGE, INDUSTRIAL (SONIC YOUTH, NINE INCH NAILS, SOUDGARDEN, ALICE IN CHAINS)... Passion & curiosity grew up as years went by ... Fate was SEALED... no turning back ! No Music = No Life !