EXCLUSIVE: Days Of Confusion, ready to have a tour in Europe, next year, if planets align

Cosmin: Our new band formula means Cosmin Lupu (lead singer / guitar -photo-), Cezar Popescu (lead guitar / vocals), Andrei Zamfir (bass) and Alex Halmagean (drums). We have gone through changes quite a lot to this point and we have been enjoying this format, so far. The current musical direction differs pretty much from the original one (we were listening to other things in those years) and we honestly are very curious about how the next song that we are releasing on November 20 will go. It will be totally new for us as well.

What bands in the new wave have been an inspiration to you and in which way?

Cosmin: If we are talking about what was an inspiration for us in the stage that we feel is over, with the release of the last single on “Yin & Out”, we could say TesseracT, Periphery, Monuments or Being as an Ocean, for example. In 2012, we were listening to Fightstar, Sevendust, Dredg, 10 Years or Tool very much, influences that are very much present on our first EP, “Seeds”. Now, if I take a look at my Deezer playlist, you will find bands like Nothing More, Hozier, Ghost, Beartooth, Agnes Obel, Vola, Soen, Northlane, Good Tiger, Big Wreck, country music or traditional Japanese music, and others, of course. It’s a crazy mix, as usual. I have always listened to many musical genres, but what I think will be different this time around, is my focus at least, on the idea of expressing deeper things in a less agitated and minimalist way than before.

Where do you fit best in terms of the musical style? The band’s compositions are becoming more and more complex.

Cosmin: We like to call it modern progressive metal, but frankly, this whole thing with musical styles is only meant to put music in clear boxes and we are not very fond of this way of labelling things. As I mentioned earlier, we hope to surprise ourselves with what we are going to do next in music. The only thing we believe is that we are 100% convinced that our sound and musical approach will be VERY contemporary! We like to express ourselves as freshly as possible.

Cosmin: Each of us lives more or less from the music industry. For example, I am equally passionate about psychology and personal development. I am a guitar instructor and coach. I’m a certified coach and soon I am going to become a psychotherapist. I am seriously thinking on opening a school, along with other people that share my vision. The purpose? Offering the chance for a healthy future from a mental and musical perspective to those who want to explore this in life. Apart from this, I have an IT company also tackling educational issues, in the corporate environment.

Cezar lives exclusively from VITA DE VIE (a well-known Romanian band) and private guitar lessons, although he is also good at other things. And he is very good at it! Andrei has just begun to walk in this direction. He had a job until a few months ago, but now he’s just making music, and Alex is playing in some bands, teaching drums and sometimes having online projects.

It is very complicated to live exclusively from music, if we are just referring to the idea of earning money from selling your music, whether we’re talking about concert tickets, selling CDs or clothing, branded with your band, for example. There are many related activities, such as the educational side of the music or the studio projects that can provide a very good living status. But to do these things, you need to learn more. Knowing how to play better and better is imperative, but not the only key element to success. We’re going through a historic era. If you think that becoming a rockstar overnight brings you 5 Lamborghini cars in front of your house, plus a bus full of groupies which is following you everywhere, you are definitely dreaming. Of course, in this respect it is very important which kind of music you play. Even some of the foreign metal / rock artists say that they are guiding their children to become educated in other fields, even though they support them in their musical careers.

How much can we find your personal life in Days of Confusion?

Cosmin: That’s a very good question  My life is completely expressed in the band’s music. The songs are talking about my personal experiences, transformed into musical metaphors. I am convinced that many people have lived similar themes and that they have found themselves within them, although of course, each personal experience is completely subjective. After all, a piece conveys different things to each listener. When I write the lyrics, I want them to be real, to paint something which is alive with it!

Next year, Days Of Confusion marks 10 years of existence. What does Days of Confusion mean for you right now? How easy or hard it was at the beginning until you reached this point?

Cosmin: In the beginning, we used to look no further than our toes. At least, I was very focused more on what I was playing, than on thinking about how Days Of Confusion would be, over a number of years. However, now we know that we built something and that we want to get as far as we can go on this road. We hope to go touring outside Romania and to see what touring abroad means. Days of Confusion, for me, is a growing child. And we grow, together. As for the decade in question … it’s a little bit improper to say 10 years:) In 2010, we were focused on compositions and we had started looking for musicians in the band. I believe that 2012 is the year we really started to exist as Days Of Confusion.

What can you recommend young people who are just starting this beautiful musical adventure as a band? What should inspire them and keep them there in this world of music?

Cosmin: First of all, to be honest with themselves. This road is very beautiful and it can be sprinkled with some unmatched experiences, but the sacrifices are the same. If you are not willing to spend time with the music and do it with pleasure, you’d better look for other things to do. I had and have the opportunity to work with a lot of people who are looking for different things about music, but very few of them are really willing to spend time with the musical instrument, enough and consciously, so that they can see some results to help them become professionals. And here I mean the people who say they would really like to become professionals. Sometimes, I am surprised to find myself lazy or superficial (Cezar can confirm it:))), which does not please me very much, but I am aware of that, I observe myself and I’m working to overcome that, or understand what is the good thing behind being lazy, at that given moment.

Enjoy the music and the people next to whom you create your music. Be honest with yourself, especially when you look at those you admire. Remember that they are on top with a lot of work and sacrifices. Learn from the musicians that you admire. That does not mean to play just like them, but to assimilate the processes they were going through to be successful and to achieve excellence.

If you were to share the floor with two great bands from the international music industry which bands would be and why those bands?

Cosmin: The best thing for us would be touring in a festival or in clubs with Deftones, Tool, Tesseract, Periphery, Karnivool and Incubus. I summarized only 6 bands, although I could make up a 5-day festival lineup, at least.

What would be the next-door fixtures and what do you have in plan for the next 5 years in Days of Confusion?

Cosmin: As I mentioned at the beginning of the interview, there is a single and video that will be released on November 20, this year, along with a small national tour in several Romanian cities and we hope that next year to have a tour in Europe, if planets align. There are some possibilities. We aim to tag along a big foreign band for this international tour.