Hi there, and pleased to meet you! Why don't you start from a short biography of Factory Of Dreams? Let us know something more of your new band!

HUGO: Thank you Dario, our pleasure and nice to meet you too! Factory of Dreams consists of me doing the compositions and playing most of the instruments, and of Jessica arranging and recording all the vocals. Occasionally, we have some guests playing along. On this first album, we have Chris Brown on fretless bass guitar, really great! Factory of Dreams was born just after I completed Project Creation’s latest album, which is another band of mine. You know when you sometimes need to escape your main thing, and just try something different? Well, this was the case and I felt the need to start a new project more spontaneous and altenative so I got into my studio, started to play some melodies that I had been whispering in my head for quite some time. I wanted to try a more focused style of music instead of the multiple genres that can be found on my other projects. The other unique feature about Factory of Dreams is really the vocals. I was fortunate to have found my friend Jessica ‘walking’ around myspace! I spotted her and immediately liked her voice which brought a whole new dimension to the project. The only thing is that her voice was so good, that there was no room for other vocalists (laughs!), so, factory of Dreams was born, which doesn’t mean that some guest musicians won’t appear, in fact, some will surely appear again on next albums. JESSICA: Yeah, it was so fortunate that Hugo found me that way. It’s so easy to kind of drown among all the other voices and faces on Myspace, so when Hugo got in touch with me and after listening to the music he’s written in his other project, Project Creation, I felt very honoured that he wanted me to do vocals for him. He’s a magnificent songwriter and being a part of Factory of Dreams has been very exciting so far, and nothing but a pleasure. And I’m sure it will be even cooler to work further, now that we know each other better and know what goofs we both are. HUGO: ahh, you’re always so nice! I also love science fiction, and I wanted to do a story about a land divided by a Stream of good and evil, with two sides each taking the Evil ‘character’ and the Good one. This was a kind of new imaginary planet. This place is made of illusions created by machines - the Factory and the Air Powerplant - and people carry on with their lives just to survive, but is surviving a way of really living? I don’t think so, and this is what we also wanna show with the concept of Factory of Dreams. So, Poles is quite abstract, mixing sci-fi with more common things, and focusing on our planet, society and our everyday dreams and nightmares. I like nightmares, they excite our senses, makes us aware of things….and yeah, they’re creepy! Above all, I love to create new music and new sonic sensations. This concept was the really the whole foundation for my main thing, that is the music. JESSICA: I think Hugo has captured this sci-fi sensation very well in his tracks. The atmosphere is there, it’s found in the lyrics, and hopefully it also reflects in my vocals. I’m into science fiction too, maybe not as much as Hugo but the interest is definitely there, so this was a thought provoking and exciting CD for me to be a part of.

How did you proceed in composing the song of "Poles"? What do you usually take inspiration from, during the songwriting process?

HUGO: Well, inspiration usually comes in form of a certain group of melodies or sonic senses and those are mostly used to start a whole new song. Then, it’s each person’s way of dealing with the music that makes the difference. My main inspirations may come from movies like Star Trek, Dark City, Solaris, A.I., 2001, Contact, etc., books like Stanislaw Lem’s Solaris, Stephen King’s novels and TV series in the likes of Galactica, X-Files, Masters of Horror. Oh yes, for Dark City (probably my all time fav movie), I wrote a very short text about it. If you guys are interested just go to our myspace blog (follow www.myspace.com/projectcreation). Resuming the inspiration subject, there’s a ‘song’ or a sensation that I’m always listening to in my head. I don’t know what it is, but it’s there, and when I hit the keyboards or the guitars, I start playing that kind of melody immediately. It’s like an imprint on my mind. Most of us have this, but it’s what you do with it that matters in the end I think. So, the composition and recording process was very natural. I started to write the songs on synthesizers along with the lyrics and designing the concept on paper. Then the real instruments, electric guitars and bass guitars, were added. As for vocals, well vocals weren’t that important so that was the last part to be done. Kidding of course (!), I’m just messing with Jessica!! JESSICA: Oh he’s not messing, he’s just telling you the truth! And maybe I should also be truthful: it’s really my bunny singing on this CD. She’s just too shy to have her name out there (but she’s named Lill-Katja, in case you want her to sign something for you in the future) so usually I avoid mentioning her. Just thought I’d do it today since she can’t read anyway, or so I think? She doesn’t know how to produce consonants with her little bunny mouth so that’s what I’ve contributed with for this project – consonants, very nice ones even. HUGO: (laughing). JESSICA: Well ok, to get back on track and be serious... I think for vocal recordings you also need inspiration. Particularly since I was given quite free hands with the vocals for Poles. So I tried to really get into the lyrics, make my own interpretation of them and just go for the emotion these particular lyrics brought me. Most of the time it was quite easy but sometimes I had to check things a bit more with Hugo, since this was anyway quite a new experience for me, I’ve never recorded vocals for anything like this before. HUGO: Vocals were recorded at the same time the mixes were being dealt with. I had to make sure that the vocals would really stand out from all the instruments. My collaboration with Jess went really well, that we could have made a whole new album right after Poles, I’m sure! But, unfortunately Jessica has a tremendous collection of Ponies that required attention so…. :) ok, seriously, this was all done modernly using new technologies, the Internet. We exchanged emails very often, I sent her the music, the lyrics with lots of notes and she would answer me with her interpretations for each theme. Most of the time her views truly matched my own views for the vocals, which was good since we were in tune (like the instruments…). So, while Jessica was recording the vocals I was refining the mixes and recording more additional guitars and also the guitar solos on very specific songs, like ‘Crossing’ and ‘Factory’. During this time I was also working with the designer on the illustrations. Artwork was a very important part for the album. It made the whole thing complete. Jessica also did a photo shoot session, so that she would be incorporated into the World of Poles. So, to everyone reading, please check the booklet, there are wonderful images there. JESSICA: The booklet yes, there are so many great images in there. They definitely add to the science fiction atmosphere of this album, so do check that booklet out.

I think we should consider your music as a sort of progressive rock with some gothic element in it. Do you agree? What are your main musical influences, anyway?

HUGO: Yes, I agree. It’s definitely modern progressive material with a dark theme, gothic or dark electro if you’d like to call it. I usually describe it as Atmospheric Prog Metal actually. It’s different than usual prog rock since it’s quite electronic as well but doesn’t have too many forced or complex structures that simply, in this case, would destroy the honesty of the Factory of Dreams music. It’s a powerful, low-end bass sound, and I love this kind of sonic approach. About the lyrics, they are also quite dark but always having that ‘Light’ shining in them. I love different music genres in the likes of Devin Townsend, Lorena Mckennitt, Tori Amos, David Arkenstone, Edenbridge, The Gathering, Strapping young lad, Threshold, Gamma Ray, Within Temptation (…well, a few songs..)… I like powerful, melodic music, sometimes very chaotic like Devin Townsend's SYL. Also like industrial music, new age and progressive metal and some melodic power metal. JESSICA: I agree on the genres mentioned above, this is definitely a mix of progressive atmospheric rock/metal and I also hear gothic elements in there. Sometimes there’s a heavy, quite industrial sound going on there too, I think. HUGO: Yes, absolutely Jess, the industrial heavy parts are a mark of FoD’s sound, and will be even more on the second album. JESSICA: For me the main influences for my vocals are The Gathering, Sarah Brightman, Nightwish, Björk, Anna Ternheim, U2, Opeth, Within Temptation (at least I listen to their first albums) and lots more I suppose, somehow I think all you listen to contributes to your influences but maybe not so much that it’s noticeable.

Let's talk about lyrics: what subjects are you dealing with, in these songs?

HUGO: Like everything, it’s a simple theme, but it’s the way this theme is treated and accessed that makes the difference. It’s the same with movies nowadays, I really feel that it’s becoming hard to make an original movie (the number of remakes and U.S versions of European and Asian movies say it all..), or let me rephrase it, it’s hard to have an original idea, but the way you can arrange a script and those ideas, making them evolve into something different, can create a new and original story. That’s the real point when making any art form. Poles album is all about Good and Bad, our Positive and Negative thoughts clashing with each other, but, let’s face it, they need each other, and this is what intrigues me in human nature, we need to feel Bad in order to taste and know Good, otherwise it’d all become senseless, pointless. Another thing that keeps me thinking for hours is the concept of an infinite universe. We, as humans, cannot understand that too well. I cannot get it easily: if I did I would not be human, at least in this early evolutionary stage we are in. We must always have an explanation, a finite thing. What if it were only natural for certain things to be unexplained, what if it is part of an equation, right? So, Poles speaks about the harm we do to our world, about nature, about organic versus machines, about other dimensions, about light and dark, and especially about Hope towards our Earth. The song ‘Sight of a better Universe’ is Hope. Stream of Evil, well I never spoke about this one, but it’s all about the mixed feelings one may have, thus the contradictory emotions stated on that song. The anger, the serenity. I think every song is quite personal and the concept serves the music here, and not the other way you know.

Do you thing you're gonna support this release playing live or should we consider Factory Of Dreams as a studio project only?

HUGO: For now I’m especially focused on making a solid studio release, with two albums. It would be awesome playing this live, and I hope to do so. My main concern however, now, is really to make more music, but we'll see in the very near future since now I’m a bit short in time, I have lots of things on my mind now! Enjoy this album for now, soon more stuff to come along:).

Have you already composed some new songs? What should we expect from the second album, anyway?

HUGO: Yeah, I can’t really stop doing so. It’s a part of me to always keep creating new music. Probably, the second album will be about Jessica’s dreams that may involve her pets and may be some Orcs (I’m always goofing with Jessica, so, excuse our behaviour!). Seriously, it’s still very early to give you detailed information about a 2nd album since Poles was just released, but yes, I have some ideas recorded and also on paper. What can I say, this second album is becoming even more powerful and most of all, larger and more complex. I don’t want to enter my Project Creation realm with it where there is too much progressiveness and experimental parts, but the truth is that some songs are getting another kind of structure with this 2nd album. All in all, it’ll retain the Factory of Dreams powerful melodic mark, that’s what I expect and fans expect from it. Jessica still didn’t hear my first approach to these themes, but I’ll soon throw high up in the air the demos for her. JESSICA: From what Hugo has told me about this album, the ideas he has for it and so on, it sounds like an album just as interesting as the previous one. Maybe more interesting since I’m not 100% sure what to expect from it and now I’ve already heard Poles.. :) So I’m curious about new things now and I hope there will be many tracks written for the next album real soon, I’m very keen on working further with Hugo and I know it will be a good experience. Poles taught me a lot about my voice and I’m sure this next album will do so as well. HUGO: As for the concept, what to expect… well, I would like to take the listener into a Voyage across one’s mind, so, expect to see landscapes and music imagery like never seen before (I hope!), and see things that are impossible to see in our planet. It’s an Utopian album, and the title may follow this theme. So, expect stronger sound and with more parts both in terms of instrumental parts and music composition.

What do you think about the new technologies in music? I mean: internet, myspace, mp3 and so on...

HUGO: It provides a great freedom and choice for the musicians and for the fans I think. Without it I couldn’t possibly, or hardly, get to know Jessica for example via myspace. Also, it would be very difficult to work with Jessica without the internet, unless she or me could beam up on to my Floating World (Project Creation’s first album hehe). So I’m grateful for the new technologies, really. I’m also very dependent on it, and kind of addicted. So, I may need a clinic and medical treatment to help me get rid of it :). JESSICA: I agree with HUGO, there are lots of good things with internet. It had been quite impossible to “meet” some of the people I’m working with now if it had not been for this little invention, and also it gets your music out there more. At the same time internet is quite flooded with music so you kind of vanish among all the other bands and musicians out there. I just take it as pure luck that Hugo found me, it’s easy to avoid clicking that mouse button, you know, or just point and click at another part of the screen. HUGO: yeah, however, there are negative points, at least as I see it. What’s providing this freedom is also killing cd sales and the public respect for an Album as a whole Work and sometimes respect towards the musicians themselves. I know cases of musicians that are giving up their careers due to this. In old days a band could sell hundreds of thousands of cds and make a living out of it. Today, it’s very very difficult. Few bands can do this. A well known band may be able to do so, but for most independent labels it’s hard, and some may have to rely a lot on live shows solely to be able to live, and this may involve long and hard tours, if they’re feasible at all. What if an artist is sick, tired of live shows, and like a book writer, simply wants to create and write music? Well, that’s a problem when one’s work is limited this way, and nowadays the downloads are so widely spread that people forget it’s Illegal. And we must fight this, people have to be aware that an album takes Years of Hard work and investment to make and every artist must be respected. So, mp3s are cool and a great way to promote a band, but not when we see full albums available as torrents and on blogspots. Blogspots are cool, but only if they’re focused on Helping the bands, offering 2 or 3 tracks for promotion purposes and with permission from the authors. We have friends that have blogspots and help us this way. Thumbs up to them! So, please don’t see my comments as a negative thing, it’s the reality, and music exist also due to those buying it, the fans, so help us to carry on the dream. JESSICA: I agree on what HUGO says here. I think mp3’s are good for getting to know new bands, of course you don’t want to buy an album if you’re not able to listen a bit and know the sound. But if you don’t like the mp3’s you don’t download more from the band, so what then says that if you do like the music you should download the rest of their stuff instead of buying their record... If you do like the band you should buy the CD and support their music, it’s that easy. There are so many hours of work behind the tracks. I don’t only record vocals, I write my own music as well, and somehow I’m not too bothered if people download it since I anyway am just trying to reach out to as many as possible with my music at this point. But if things were to become more serious I don’t think I’d be too happy if people kept downloading. And in the end I always really appreciate it when people ask me about buying my music, even now when it’s just at a demo stage. That’s a very kind and sweet way of supporting a musician. When I myself find music I like I always buy it. HUGO: Yes, and people can download full albums legally, for half the price. Just check, for example Mindawn.com where you can also get Poles there, or listen to it freely. Just like when you go into a cd store and ask to listen to a cd. To sum things up, internet, myspace, mp3s, I’m cool with it, we do lots and lots of promotion over the net and I think I couldn’t live well without it now since my music relies a lot on it, but to everyone out there, please, keep buying the albums. If you do so, more music will come out and less labels/bands will close their doors.

Thank you very much! Please salute our readers in your own way!

HUGO: I want to thank Dario and Fulvio for this great interview! A real pleasure. To our Italian readers and fans, be sure to get the album, I think the full package is worth it and features a really well made booklet with great ArtWork. And please come by our myspace and get in touch with us, we ALWAYS reply and are thankful to you guys! We have the official site at www.hugofloresmusic.com and also www.myspace.com/projectcreation where you can listen to the music and purchase the album. Thanks, Ciao! JESSICA: I’d like to thank you for this very nice interview, it was indeed a pleasure. If you’re into gothic rock you could also check out the music I’m writing myself, at www.oncetherewas.com or www.myspace.com/oncetherew and don’t be shy to drop a line. And also, make sure to buy Poles and enjoy :)

Dario Adile