"Everybody is free to send us demos, because you never know what will come across."

A conversation with Jaap Wagemaker, A&R and Product Manager for Nuclear Blast, about the 20th anniversary of the mighty German metal label...

Vassil Varbanov: Which are your priority releases for 2007?

Jaap Wagemaker: Ha! Do you have like ten minutes? In January it was Therion's "Gothic Kabbalah" and Kataklysm's double live CD/DVD "Live in Deutschland". In February we had Sirenia with "Nine Destinies and a Downfall", in March - Chimaira's "Resurrection" and Threshold's "Dead Reckoning". In April it was After Forever with their self-titled album, and the highlight in black metal for 2007 will be Dimmu Borgir's new CD "In Sorte Diaboli". In May it will be our newcomer band Sonic Syndicate - it's one of our top priorities for 2007 and we'll do everything for them. Besides, the first new number from Nightwish will be available - only online - and I think lots of people are desperately waiting to hear it. Then in June it will be Candlemass with "The King of the Grey Islands", featuring their new singer Robert Lowe from Solitude Aeturnus, followed by a new album by the Swiss band Samael. In July it will be the new Nile album, in September - the new Nightwish release, in October - probably Meshuggah and Exodus, and in November - maybe the new Soilwork album. As you see, we have plenty of highlights coming up, and if this is not enough - we'll also have two special albums to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nuclear Blast.

V. V.: Nuclear Blast is definitely the strongest and most popular metal label worldwide. Which companies do you consider your biggest rivals?

J. W.: For sure Roadrunner Records. When we are looking for new bands or trying to sign bigger names, we are always in competition with Roadrunner. Maybe on second spot it will be Century Media. Other than that there's not much rivalry or competition worldwide.

V. V.: What do you do when you meet people from these two labels - you look at each other like enemies or you talk friendly and drink together?

J. W.: Metal people are like one big family, even if they work for other companies. Yes, there is competition, but it's good to have it, because it keeps your eyes and ears open in order to be the first one, to find good bands and do things that no one has done before. However, when we meet at festivals, then we hang out together, switch out information, cooperate, plan joint tours... We hang out, we have drinks and we party, so there's a healthy competition. Nobody is seeing each other as an enemy.

V. V.: Having in mind your job at Nuclear Blast, you should be among the first ones to listen to songs by your favourite bands. Do you like that?

J. W.: Yes, and that's a very big privilege. Besides, these bands wanna know your opinion about their new songs, whether me as a fan like their new stuff or not, and that's a big honour.

V. V.: Except for the promotion, you're also taking decisions which bands and albums to be released by Nuclear Blast. Do you receive many demos from Bulgaria?

J. W.: We get demos every day from around the globe, including Bulgaria, but I cannot say right now which bands have sent me demos. I've got so many CDs to listen to every week - between 35 and 50 recordings by bands looking for a deal - so it's hard to remember all names. It's also hard to find really good bands among those 35-50 CDs weekly. Besides, our roster is very, very full. At the moment we've already booked the complete schedule by the end of the year and we're already planning for 2008.

V. V.: So your message is: Do not send me demos!

J. W.: No, that's not the message. The message is that everybody is free to send demos, because you never know what will come across. Maybe next week I'll receive the new Soilwork? Or the new Children of Bodom? Or the new Sonata Arctica? Everything is possible. If you don't pay attention to what's happening in the underground, you'll never know if there's a new band worth listening to or worth investing in.

Copyright: Tangra Mega Rock