EuroNet: If you had to put a particular label on Brainstorm, What would it be? Pop? Rock? Grunge?
Brainstorm: Pop/Rock. That would be it.
EuroNet: Growing up in the U.S.S.R, what were you main musical influences?
Brainstorm: There are five members in Brainstorm and we all have been influenced by different artists. Pete was a great fan of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Drummer, Nick liked Nirvana and Radiohead. I liked Britpop. We all liked A-Ha from Norway. Lots of different music. I like Travis a lot at the moment. The last album I bought was Peace by the Eurythmyics.
EuroNet: Has it always been music with Brainstorm or did you have other careers?
Brainstorm: It was always going to be music, we started like any normal high school rock band 11 years ago, and we are still together. We all attended music school but only Mike, keyboards finished. It is a job and a hobby together.
EuroNet: What about Supergrass? You supported them in their Danish gigs, Right?
Brainstorm: I think Supergrass are great. I love their music, it is always about music, the are not into making a great show but they are there and play their music. Yes the drummer was such a crazy guy, and we love him. He has such a unique voice. I love all their songs, they are great.
EuroNet: What was it like for Brainstorm to win Eirovizija in February and to be representing Latvia in their first ever Eurovision?
Brainstorm: To be frank I have never saw Eurovision Song Contest before, I have seen clips from it though and I can imagine the general idea and the atmosphere. I think Brainstorm will fit there very well, it is not a traditional song for Eurovision as I understand. We are so proud to be representing our country with "My Star".
EuroNet: Who did you think to be strong competition from Eirovizija 2000? Did you expect to win?
Brainstorm: Linda Elena, "Let's Go Insane", I liked that. I think she has a great voice.
EuroNet: What made you decide to enter Eurovision?
Brainstorm: Festivals and concerts are our style. We are patrons of them. We have participated in song contests like Eirovizija twice, we wanted to represent Latvia in such a big contest, we made a decision to participate. In the past we have competed in festivals in Latvia and Sweden where we won both. This is the third time we have participated in a festival like this, it may be the biggest but as we say in Latvia three things are good things, third time lucky.
EuroNet: Tell me about "My Star", was it written especially for Eurovision?
Brainstorm: "My Star" was written in the Summer by me, we had not recorded it and then we heard about Eurovision and we thought it would be well suited. Its a very personal song, I hope people will feel it in Stockholm. It was just like any other song though when I wrote it at home, the lyrics were in Latvian at first and it was a strong love song but now the song in English "My Star" is more about Faith in something, Faith in a something unique, only one star in the whole sky, one love in the whole world. The lyrics all came to me in France, at 5:00 in the morning after a party, I was outside and there was just one star in the sky. All I could see was one star and I thought, wow this is my star, it was different to the rest.
EuroNet: Do you think it is important that Brainstorm sing "My Star" in English?
Brainstorm: Yes I think it is important, we have thought about singing in Latvian, but we think the words are important and we want everyone to understand what I am singing about, everyone understands English both in Europe and in Latvia but not Latvian unfortunately. I do not know if I would have entered Eurovision if I could not have sung in English. I don't think the Latvian public mind, they understand the reasons why we will be singing in English. They have a special Latvian version in Latvia that nowhere else has. Only two of the songs in Eirovizija 2000 were sung in Latvian.
EuroNet: How is the Latvian version of My Star doing in the Latvian charts?
Brainstorm: The Latvian version was number 3 two weeks ago, I do not know now as I have been in New York.
EuroNet: Does representing Latvia for the first time ever in Eurovision add any pressure onto you?
Brainstorm: Maybe, from our experiences we try not to worry too much, just do our best and play by the rules. We will be ourselves and play from the heart and try and touch people.
EuroNet: What's the video like?
Brainstorm: We only had 14 days to shoot the video and send it to Stockholm so the video was quick and simple. It is a simple video of us playing English football and sitting on English grass. Lots of English grass. We shot the "My Star" video in the Jacobs studios 30km from London, It is a very good studio. We recorded the song there also. Our drummer, Nick was the director of the video. I like the new version of "My Star", re-recorded and produced by Tony Mansfield, the producer of A-Ha, he is very optimistic and very angelic, he writes great ideas.
EuroNet: What did you think about London?
Brainstorm: London is very special, I dunno if it is because they drive on the other side of the road or if it is because it is an island on an island. We were there not too long ago to shoot the video and re-record the single with Tony. The weather was great compared to Latvia. In Europe, You find all the cities so familiar but London has something very specific, maybe it is the island? Green grass and so many people playing football. We're just back from New York now also, We did not play any gigs but we had 12 meetings within the recording industry to promote the album in the States sometime.
EuroNet: How do your international audiences compare to your Latvian ones?
Brainstorm: Not much different. I think they are the same everywhere. If you get them going you get them going and if you don't you don't. But we have so many more places to play yet, we will see.
EuroNet: 24 countries in Eurovision 2000, what will make Brainstorm stand out?
Brainstorm: We ourselves will do it, I think most of the performers are alone and girls but we are a band. I have heard of the girl band from Macedonia, but we are the only male band. There has never been a band like Brainstorm before in Eurovision, I am so happy that the band and the song "My Star" differs from the others. We are very experienced in live performing and touring, this has got to help.
EuroNet: What about an orchestra? Are you happy that there is none?
Brainstorm: Brainstorm is a live band but we will not be plugged in Stockholm. We are a five piece band and always have, we will all be on stage in May. There will be 24 participants, it will be too difficult to switch from a live act to another. There are so many styles in Eurovision, different music. This is the best way to do it. It is the professional way to do it.
EuroNet: What about the competition? Have you heard any of the other songs yet?
Brainstorm: I think I will listen to the other songs on the internet soon but I have not yet. I've read something about the German song and Norway's song and I've read that Estonia's song is quite good, but I think anyone can win. I am so happy about the good words I see on the message boards about Brainstorm and I am so so happy about that. The fans are everything, they make Brainstorm. Of course I am always ready to listen to the critics also.
EuroNet: How do you feel about the fact you will be competing against Russia and Estonia in May?
Brainstorm: Does it add on the pressure? It has been a long time ago since we have been competitors in a negative way. Its makes no difference to us if we are competing against Sweden, Norway, Spain or Russia. Eurovision is about music. It will be the music that decides if Russia and Estonia are voted for by Latvia, maybe Russia and Estonia will give us full marks. I don't know. No-one knows.
EuroNet: Will your family, friends and fans be travelling in May?
Brainstorm: Our parents will not, they will watch on TV but certainly all representatives from the record company will be. My best friends will go, 25 people I know are going, and we will all have a great party of course. We are very familiar with Stockholm, we recorded a lot of songs in the EMI studio there. We have many friends in Stockholm and in the Latvian embassy there, we will be doing a live gig there on the 11th or 12th May. I think it's a great city.
EuroNet: What will you be doing between now and Stockholm?
Brainstorm: We will be playing many gigs here in Latvia, we will be involved in a musical in Latvia's biggest theatre, the play is called "Zveiks", it is about a Latvian soldier from WW1. We will of course be doing lots more rehearsal.
EuroNet: Will second place be good enough for Brainstorm?
Brainstorm: Yes of course, we will try to be the best but we never talk about it, we know that what will happen will happen, we are there to perform and sing our song as well as we can.
EuroNet: What are your ambitions for Brainstorm?
Brainstorm: When we go, we always go for the best.
