Cellar Twins

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Belgian melodic rockers Cellar Twins’ compelling 2019 full length “Duality” on January 29, 2021.

Interview conducted on Jan. 03, 2020

By Dan Locke

Cellar Twins is a modern rock band with an enigmatic sound identity. Composed of 4 Belgians and founded in2014, the group offers an intense journey into a unique universe where light and darkness combine. After a first EP in 2017, the band released the album DUALITY in December 2019, praised by many Belgian and international critics. Somewhere between passion and rebellion, Cellar Twins revitalizes a multitude of musical horizons and asserts itself as a new image of rock music

Lineup

Elodie Vainqueur- Bass

Jeff Sternon – Guitar

David Annenkoff- drums

Carl Kubinsky

What is your upbringing?

Jeff has a Ph.D. in biology and works in a biotech company, Elo has a master’s in classical music as a trumpet teacher but now runs a high-end chocolate store, David is a mechanical engineer and Carl is currently finishing a bachelor degree in public relations.

How did you discover music?

Elo’s parents are music teachers so she was in it her whole life, however, she discovered rock through guitar hero. Jeff stole his sister’s guitar when he was 8 and started taking lessons. Carl got a hang of rock by listening to AC/DC when he was 10. David couldn’t sleep without music when he was a baby, so he pretty much grew up surrounded by it.

How did you start to write music?

Carl started writing music when he entered the band as he had only been singing cover songs. Jeff wrote pretty much from the very start using the only 4 chords he knew at the time. David formed his first band when he was 20, they started as a cover band and went on to write their own songs.

Describe your music.

Cellar Twins has a unique sonic universe where we blend raging modern instrumentals with powerful yet clear vocals. This results in a combination of powerful and catchy tunes as well as deep soul trips that have the potential to be enjoyed by all, from laidback rockers to full-on metalheads! If we had to describe it in 5 words, it would probably be modern rock with metal flavors.

Jeff- How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?

I got my first electric guitar when I was 14 after convincing my parents that playing Guns’n Roses songs on a classical guitar was not the way things were meant to be. Sure, I still have it. It is a blue Aria pro-II Mac series with gold hardware ( I didn’t even need to go online to look it up!).

What is your guitar of choice now? Year, make and model?

I always loved the fast shreddy guitars and I’ve played Jackson and Ibanez’s for years. However, I’m very picky and I’ve never found a guitar that had all the little details I was looking for. So, after compromising for years I finally decided that I should just create what I needed. I got myself some power tools and created a beast! It’s a modern take on the superstrat look with 24 frets, ultimate access neck joint, locking tuners, Evertune bridge, etc. It’s the most comfortable guitar I’ve ever played, it looks awesome, and did I mention how kick-ass it sounds ? You can see it in the movie clips we released for the song “Millenium” and in the upcoming “Selfear” clip.

Your band is from Belgium. How did you form the band?

Jeff and former drummer Francesco initially knew each other from a previous softer indie project for which Jeff was asked to fill in. Given their respective tastes for heavy music, the duo naturally pushed towards upping the energy to a level beyond the tolerable limit for the other members at that time. While this choice led to the end of the initial project, it also served as a fertile ground for the duo to thrive on and the band Cellar Twins was born.

How did your band get its name?

Choosing a name was a huge brain grinder but we eventually stuck with “Cellar Twins”. On the one hand, it had a classy and enigmatic quality to it that we really liked. On the other hand, it seemed like a good choice for a headbangers duo rehearsing in a basement.

How did you get your new drummer David Annenkoff?

At first, we posted an add on our Facebook page to let people know we were looking for a new drummer. This worked quite well and we received around 20 answers from Belgian and French drummers. Unfortunately, even though some were quite talented, none of them seemed to tick all the boxes we needed. Therefore we searched the web through Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, etc and managed to narrow down our choice to 2 guys. Eventually, we chose David for replacing Francesco.

Have you had your first performance as a band yet with David as the new drummer?

Not yet, unfortunately… We were supposed to play at the battle of the band for the Durbuy Rock Festival and at Namur’s Delta, but both gigs got postponed due to Covid. But don’t worry, we will crush it soon!

What makes a good songwriter?

The ability to convey emotions that resonate with people. It doesn’t matter if it takes you 15 minutes of lead playing or just 3 chords, if your art hits home for people that are listening to you, then you have done your job right.

What is the process of writing your music?

The typical writing process we follow is that Jeff brings riffs and ideas for different parts that are then arranged into songs by the band as a whole. The lyrics are written by Carl and Jeff. A few songs with more personal meanings are sometimes written by a single member of the band, but these are more exceptions since we want to maintain a strong team spirit.

Do you belong to any songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?

We are affiliated to the SABAM, a Belgian singer-songwriter association which collaborates with similar associations all around the world.

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

The very first song we wrote was the instrumental version of the song “Fairy Tales” out of our 2017 EP. As all first songs, it had its crappy little demo where Jeff sang as Carl wasn’t part of the band yet, but hopefully, this won’t see the light of the day anytime soon.

Tell me about your latest release “Millenium” and the making of the video?

This video clip took a whole year to see the light of the day because we wanted to be sure that all the elements were there to fit the original song. From pre-production to the final editing we did everything we could to make the viewer feel involved in the story. The scenario tells the life of a protagonist tortured by pernicious actions committed by relatives and the serious after-effects she endures. We asked ourselves how to give a physical appearance to the lyrics and the answer is the final result. The place, the actors and the atmosphere were matching perfectly with the message we wanted the viewers to see and listen to.
The shooting took place at the “Lavaux Sainte-Anne” castle, Belgium, with a team composed of the band, two actors, one makeup artist, and the director/cameraman. It was a bit of a rush since we had a single day to do everything (set the stage, prepare makeup, shoot the video, etc. It was a big day, but an incredible experience.

What is your favorite track on the album?

Elo and David really dig $olace for its prog feel with odd time signatures, making it a bit of a challenge to play. For Jeff, the song Promesse has a deep and intricate meaning related to the illness of loved ones, but on the instrumental side he likes the raw power of Millenium and Molotov Parade. Carl has a soft spot for Selfear as it addresses the topic of dark personal experiences which he decided not to suffer from anymore. To him this story resonates as a reminder to refuse to give up and live with hope.

How do you stay healthy while performing?

Sleeping well, eating well and sport is the perfect combination to perform correctly, even though this epidemic makes it complicated. All these things are important for an artist but being healthy in your mind is necessary especially to feel comfortable and confident on stage.

What are your feelings about streaming music?

The music industry is in perpetual motion. Nowadays streaming platforms like spotify, youtube, apple music, etc have partially replaced record stores and thus became essential for a band’s distribution and development. It allows to reach more people and to be heard all around the planet.
Regarding live streams, we are a bit reluctant as it seems to lack some of the soul of live performances. The interactions with the audience is an essential part of live shows and is really something we are looking for.

How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score?

Well, this symbol has been used in informatics and telecommunications for more than 40 years now so this probably shows that people spend more time with their phones than with music scores. But you know, it’s not like believing that the earth is flat so it’s ok.

Digital vs. vinyl?

No matter if the sound is better on a platform or another, Carl thinks there’s a certain atmosphere you can’t find anywhere else than on vinyl. He has a collection of vinyls at home so he won’t answer this question objectively but there’s something unique about this vinyl thing. Concerning Cellar Twins’ future, we will see if listeners find it interesting because even though Carl prefers vinyls he must admit digital platforms are much more affordable and convenient.

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?

Jeff thinks about “Welcome to the jungle”, as he discovered rock music through Guns and Roses (and more specifically to the album Appetite for Destruction which he listened to non-stop for one year straight). Carl has “caught somewhere in time” By Iron Maiden. It was the first vinyl he ever bought. Elo has “hard rock hallejuah” from Lordi in mind, the song that made her discover rock music. David thinks about “Kingdom” from Devin Townsend. He discovered it after a bad breakup and it’s now one of his feel-good songs.

Both Pfizer and BioNTech have concluded Phase 3 Study of the Coronavirus vaccine. With the vaccine, it takes two shots. How many people do you think will take it and how many will forget to take the second shot?

Considering z is the number we are looking for, x is the number of people who effectively took the first shot and y is the approximate number of people who will take the second shot, one can reasonably estimate that z will be equal to x-y. QED

How long before the whole world will be vaccinated against the virus. You have to remember there only has to be a 70% for Herd immunity (Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.)

It’ll probably take from a couple of months to a year, at least we hope so. Actually, convincing 70% of people to receive this vaccine should hopefully not be too hard considering that it is particularly efficient and with little side effects. Some people may be scared of vaccines in general, but they should ask themselves how long they want this pandemic era to continue…

Elo- How was your birthday?

It was great, thanks! I spent the evening with my friends on Discord and we played a whole bunch of video games together, we had a blast !

Elo- What is Rock’s Cool?

It is a rock-oriented music school located in our hometown Namur. Students learn to play guitar, bass, piano, drums, etc and also learn to play as a band. At the end of each year, we organize a concert where students can play their cover songs in front of a couple hundred people.

Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?

It has already begun and the effects will be devastating for projects which will keep working the same as they always did. Covid-19 is just a new challenge amongst others and we try to find alternatives in order not to feel threatened by this epidemic. More globally yes things will change, not for worse nor better, but it will certainly change. Darwin’s theory of “adapt or die” has never been so true.

What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?

Our jobs didn’t stop so we had to keep working. Besides that, we stayed at home and wrote the music, played video games, watched festival replays streams and series. All the good stuff.

Why did you decide to record “Cloud Walker (Live unplugged)?

We also wanted people to discover us away from the loud amps and stages and more. We wanted to offer something more personal this time. Thus it seemed obvious to us that “Cloud Walker” would fit perfectly to that atmosphere. It was a good opportunity for people to discover Carl with his acoustic guitar in such a beautiful and peaceful place.

Where was it recorded?

On the contract with the owner it was specified that unfortunately, we can’t reveal where the video clip was recorded. The only information we can give is that this splendid place is situated in Wallonia, Belgium.

Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?

Jeff discovered Blender 3D modeling and he plans on using it for future album graphics. Elo grew her trumpet youtube channel. David started his YouTube channel for drum covers. Carl got into economics and also perfected his guerilla warfare on Battlefield 5.

95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?

We like Netflix because it is quite affordable and that a large catalogue is available. A few members of the band also watch video game streamings on Youtube or twitch for example.

With the streaming services (Disney (50+ new shows/movies Lizzie McGuire, The Sandlot, Beauty and the Beast prequel, Moana, Cars, Soul, Raya and the Last Dragon, Sister Act 3, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and Wendy, all future Star Wars and Marvel movies and shows) and HOB Max ( including Wonder Woman 2, Godzilla vs Kong, Top Gun: Maverick, Mortal Kombat, Tom and Jerry, The Many Saints of Newark, The Conjuring:The Devil Made Me Do It, In the Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Dune, The Matrix 4) planning to pull all the upcoming movies from next year and put them on their streaming service. How will that affect the entertainment industry?

One thing you have to remember also most these movies are already in the can ready to be release. And the original agreement were for the movies to come out at the theater first. The actors and crew make most of their money from the residuals (financial compensations that are paid to the actors, film directors and other involved (including music) in the making of the movie in cases of reruns, syndication, DVD release, and online streaming release).

We think that it will just amplify the way things are already moving. Even Though streaming used to scare a lot of artists because of its low financial returns we believe that somehow, someday the industry will find a way to adapt and pay artists the way they are meant to. This is just a transition.

Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses. The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.

How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?

We don’t think it will change the landscape of Facebook, but as long as it will build up stratagems to regulate and prohibit what people want to do, it will lose certain popularity. The problem with Facebook is that there are so many other competing platforms that people will just switch from Facebook to another one if they feel oppressed by it. To sum up we think that there won’t be any imminent changes, however, if they carry on that way the future will probably look bleak for Facebook

How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?

The best way to keep or develop a fan-base is to entertain them. There are many ways to do it but as with everything in music it costs a lot for the artist to create. The first things we are thinking about are video clips, singles, interviews, collaborations,… In other words things that fans maybe won’t buy but allow them to be aware that you still exist. In the end this is the most important thing.

Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.

It depends on the price! To some extent, it may be interesting for a band to pay in order to get a little extra exposure, but prices can be atrociously high with low rewards. In the end, it’s up to each individual to put his/her businessman hat on and decide how much they’re willing to spend versus the benefits they can get from it.

What about Holographic concerts in our living room?