BMS: Hello there NightmareBE! I read that you’ve got two shows arranged for today. WildFest and DixieFest. Is this the first time you do two shows in a single day?

Jasper: Back when we went on tour to promote our debut album Dirt we had one date when we did two shows in a single day. So it’s not the first time we’re doing multiple shows in a 24-hourspan. But it’s important to look at your overall schedule (both professional and personal) and the time it takes you to go from one venue to the other if you want to do double shows. For instance, today we actually had the chance to do three gigs but we noticed that our commitments for today would’ve made it impossible to show up for all three of them in time.

BMS: I see. Now Vassili, since you’re the band’s most recent addition, tell me how you ended up behind NightmareBE’s drum kit?

Vassili: Zan used to give guitar lessons to my best friend and he recommended me to check out Zan’s guitar work. I visited his YouTube channel and was impressed with his guitar shredding skills. I contacted him and said that I would always be available should he be in need for a drummer. Eventually in 2013 Nightmare BE announced there were parting ways with their drummer and so I instantly auditioned.
Zan: Yeah, and Vassili’s drum beats were so badass that we instantly accepted him into the band. He’s our very own Greek god of thunder!

BMS: Yeah, I’ve got to say, Vassili, you look a bit like Chris Hemsworth from the Thor movies!

Vassili: Thanks for the compliment, mortal! Unfortunately I left my hammer over at my old man’s palace in Asgard!

BMS: I read that you mixed your debut album, Dirt, in the Sierra Studios in Greece. How did you end up there?

Zan: Vassili’s uncle works at the Sierra Studios and via Vassili we sent him our recordings for Dirt. He was pleased with our work and so we flew over to Athens and went to work. In the past, artists like the Scorpions, Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan and Robert Plant recorded material there. In addition, movie production companies like Disney and Pixar used the studio to do Greek dubbing for many of their animated films. So it was a huge honor for us to mix our album in such a legendary studio. We had an awesome time there. Both in- and outside the studio!
Vassili: Yeah, we ate a lot of pita meat and drank a shitload of beer. You know, Greeks usually drink coffee or wine so when we came into a bar and all ordered an unusually huge amount of beer they quickly had the impression that we were a bunch of drunks! Ha, ha! Good thing I fluently speak Greek, otherwise we might have ended up with coffee rather than beer! During the final day of our stay we visited the Acropolis and we marveled at its brilliance!

BMS: Yeah, I already went to Greece myself during my final year at high school. Awesome country! So, it’s been two years since Dirt’s release, are you guys going to release some new stuff next year?

Zan: Tonight we’ve played two new songs. One was an instrumental and the other was called Lost In The Dark. Overall, we have about six new tunes written and we hope to bring out a new album somewhere next year.
Krikke: We’re very critical about what songs we want to put into Dirt’s successor. Our first release was well received so we want to make our second album even better. For the moment we don’t have enough material we consider good enough to be part of Dirt’s successor. But don’t worry, my friend, it won’t take us too long for a new album either.

BMS: I look forward to it. So guys, what other activities do you have in life aside from NightmareBE?

Krikke: I play defense in a soccer team.
Zan: Aside from jamming with NightmareBE I also play guitar in the hard rock band 10 Rogue, fronted by Idool 2003 winner Peter Evrard.
Jasper: I make my living as a physiotherapist. Unfortunately, I don’t get a lot of young girls who visit me at my office. And like Krikke, I also enjoy doing sports.
Vassili: I work as professional sound technician. Recently I helped the melodic death metal band Hexa Mera with the production of their latest album, Enlightenment. We recorded that little gem at the Empyrean Studios in Mechelen, the same place where we had recorded our own album. I also frequently do live sound engineering at gigs.

BMS: I see, next time I’ll see you behind the sound table I’ll buy you a beer! Now, for a final question. Why should we all check out NightmareBE?

Zan: We’re a pure-blooded rock n’ roll band. We don’t rely on keyboards, extreme vocals or special visual effects to stand out from the crowd. NightmareBE simply are of four young guys who want to bring the 1970s rock n’ roll vibe to today’s audience. Our arsenal consists of guitar, bass, drums and clean vocals that will make you bang your head and sing along.
Jasper: So check us out before we’ve gone all fat, old and grey!

BMS: Sure thing, guys! Now let’s take a selfie!