faq

Mychael Gerstenberger informs:
henk , rob , titia ,arwen , paul , tom , in general

Questions to Laetitia

- What is your earliest musical memory?

my mother playing Bach on the piano

- What was the first record you owned?

Diana Ross ...?

- What do you listen to on Sunday mornings?

Keith Jarrett

- What's your favourite Nits coverdesign?

i don't know

- Who's your favourite Beatle?

John Lennon

Dennis Versteeg wants to know:

What was your input in the songs on Wool?

We (the four of us) worked together at Henk's songa and we did a lot of experiments with grooves, forms, chords and sounds etc. to find the right character/ intensity. My specific input is the arragments for electric piano, synthesizer, vibes and marimba and the particular sounds created on the Ensoniq synthesizer.

Why don't you play marimba on stage?

For this tour we decided not to use the marimba on stage because it's a very large instrument that you need to play with both hands. There's no possibility to combine it with playing another instrument. So, fornow I prefer playing a marimba with my right hand on keyboard and use my left hand for other important piano- or synthesizer parts. Maybe in the future...

Why did you keep it a secret for so long that you played the violin?

As a child I played the violin. For a long time I had the idea rto use this instrument seriously, and the Nits wqas the first opportunity to do this along with playing piano and singing.

How do you decide which keyboard sounds to use for which songs?

In the beginning I chose the sounds i prefer. I(n the end, a decision of using a sound is always a combined action with the ideas/input of the other musicians. We tried different options. we started somewhere and never knew what lucky combination of instruments/sounds we'd find in the end.

Your not copying Robert Jan Stips' stlye a lot in the old songs, but how do
you go about rearranging his parts to your own style?

I first analize what Robert Jan was playing and write it down in chords. We often rehearse old songs during the soundcheck. we try different performances: Henk , Rob, Arwen & Leona also like to experiment and that makes it easier to find our own way in playing an old song. For me it's out of sense trying to play like an other musician because I'm another person.

You have an amazing voice, did you ever think of making a solo CD with
vocals?

Up to now I never had concrete plansmaking a solo album with my vocals. I once fantasized about it,... then it probably would be a more jazzy album, because of my timbre and my background.

You worked with many other artists besides Nits, which songs/albums you
played can you recommend to Nits fans

-Sof Parade 'Puur' (march 1992) Anxious Records ANX2000CD

-Van Krieken Kempen Sextet 'Mesa Verde' (march 1995) VKK20221 (is not available in shops anymore)

Compositions on the following albums:

-Pascal Vermeer Quintet 'Change of Sides' (october 1997) VIAjazz990382

-Pascal Vermeer Quintet 'I'm not' (june 1999) Challenge records BV PV75038

Were you familiar with / a fan of nits before you played with them?

No.

What's your favorite Nits song and your favorite non-Nits song?

I really don't know, 'cause it's changing all the time. I remember that I was deeply impressed by Nescio many yers ago.

Do you ever get on the internet to look at Nits websites?

Yes I do, when there's a possibility (I don't have internet at home)

henk , rob , titia , arwen , paul , tom , in general

Questions to Arwen

hans mulders is curious to know:

(1)Imagine: You were forced to stay on a completely deserted island in the
pacific for two months. What are the 10 albums you would you take with you?.

kind of blue - miles davis

catch a fire - bob marley & the wailers

songs in the key of life - stevie wonder

voodoo - d'angelo

beatles - best of

ahmad jamahl - live at village vanguard

6 suites for solo cello (bach) - pablo casals

un livro - caetano veloso

aretha franklin - best of

(2)What cd/lp do you listen to the most now?

caetano veloso - un livro

Mychael Gerstenberger informs:
- What is your earliest musical memory?

my father playing the blues on his guitar

- What was the first record you owned?

outlandos d'amour by the police

- What do you listen to on Sunday mornings?

if I'm awake, the Bach cello sonates by Pablo Casals

- What's your favourite Nits coverdesign?

I don't have a favorite, I like'm all

- Who's your favourite Beatle?

I don't have a favorite, I like'm all

Mychael Gerstenberger informs:	henk , rob , titia ,arwen , paul , tom , in general Questions to Laetitia - What is your earliest musical memory? my mother playing Bach on the piano - What was the first record you owned? Diana Ross ...? - What do you listen to on Sunday mornings? Keith Jarrett - What's your favourite Nits coverdesign? i don't know - Who's your favourite Beatle? John Lennon
Dennis Versteeg wants to know:	What was your input in the songs on Wool? We (the four of us) worked together at Henk's songa and we did a lot of experiments with grooves, forms, chords and sounds etc. to find the right character/ intensity. My specific input is the arragments for electric piano, synthesizer, vibes and marimba and the particular sounds created on the Ensoniq synthesizer. Why don't you play marimba on stage? For this tour we decided not to use the marimba on stage because it's a very large instrument that you need to play with both hands. There's no possibility to combine it with playing another instrument. So, fornow I prefer playing a marimba with my right hand on keyboard and use my left hand for other important piano- or synthesizer parts. Maybe in the future... Why did you keep it a secret for so long that you played the violin? As a child I played the violin. For a long time I had the idea rto use this instrument seriously, and the Nits wqas the first opportunity to do this along with playing piano and singing. How do you decide which keyboard sounds to use for which songs? In the beginning I chose the sounds i prefer. I(n the end, a decision of using a sound is always a combined action with the ideas/input of the other musicians. We tried different options. we started somewhere and never knew what lucky combination of instruments/sounds we'd find in the end. Your not copying Robert Jan Stips' stlye a lot in the old songs, but how do you go about rearranging his parts to your own style? I first analize what Robert Jan was playing and write it down in chords. We often rehearse old songs during the soundcheck. we try different performances: Henk , Rob, Arwen & Leona also like to experiment and that makes it easier to find our own way in playing an old song. For me it's out of sense trying to play like an other musician because I'm another person. You have an amazing voice, did you ever think of making a solo CD with vocals? Up to now I never had concrete plansmaking a solo album with my vocals. I once fantasized about it,... then it probably would be a more jazzy album, because of my timbre and my background. You worked with many other artists besides Nits, which songs/albums you played can you recommend to Nits fans -Sof Parade 'Puur' (march 1992) Anxious Records ANX2000CD -Van Krieken Kempen Sextet 'Mesa Verde' (march 1995) VKK20221 (is not available in shops anymore) Compositions on the following albums: -Pascal Vermeer Quintet 'Change of Sides' (october 1997) VIAjazz990382 -Pascal Vermeer Quintet 'I'm not' (june 1999) Challenge records BV PV75038 Were you familiar with / a fan of nits before you played with them? No. What's your favorite Nits song and your favorite non-Nits song? I really don't know, 'cause it's changing all the time. I remember that I was deeply impressed by Nescio many yers ago. Do you ever get on the internet to look at Nits websites? Yes I do, when there's a possibility (I don't have internet at home)
	henk , rob , titia , arwen , paul , tom , in general Questions to Arwen
hans mulders is curious to know:	(1)Imagine: You were forced to stay on a completely deserted island in the pacific for two months. What are the 10 albums you would you take with you?. kind of blue - miles davis catch a fire - bob marley & the wailers songs in the key of life - stevie wonder voodoo - d'angelo beatles - best of ahmad jamahl - live at village vanguard 6 suites for solo cello (bach) - pablo casals un livro - caetano veloso aretha franklin - best of (2)What cd/lp do you listen to the most now? caetano veloso - un livro
Mychael Gerstenberger informs:	- What is your earliest musical memory? my father playing the blues on his guitar - What was the first record you owned? outlandos d'amour by the police - What do you listen to on Sunday mornings? if I'm awake, the Bach cello sonates by Pablo Casals - What's your favourite Nits coverdesign? I don't have a favorite, I like'm all - Who's your favourite Beatle? I don't have a favorite, I like'm all