What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences?
Dr Space- I have a lot of music projects and bands so we will start with Øresund Space Collective (ØSC).. The band name came from the fact the band evolved out of jam sessions with different musicians in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden. For those jams we used to cross the Øresund bridge. This is the name we came up with when we wanted to play our first concert!! As for our influences they are many.. We play totally improvised space rock so we are inspired a lot by Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles, Allman Brothers Band, Grateful Dead, etc…. As for my solo projects under the name Dr Space and Dr Space´s Alien Planet Trip, I am inspired by Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze, Sula Bassana, Doug Walker (Alien Planetscapes).. Why am I Dr Space?? I have a PhD in Endocrinology and did not want to use my real name. My friend Doug Walker, he was Dr Synth, so I came up with Dr Space. I also have a band here in Portugal called Doctors of Space, featuring multi-instrumentalist, Martin Weaver (Wicked Lady, Dark) who also has a PhD. Since we play spaced out music, I came up with the name Doctors of Space!! We are influenced but everything around us and the sounds we hear in our head as we also make mostly improvised music up on the spot. It
is fun…
How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to explore when you start off?
Dr Space- As most everything I do is improvised and in one take, I usually have some vague idea of where I want to start and what synthesizers I will play.. Then I just start and see what happens… It is the same with ØSC and Doctors of Space, we choose a key to play in and maybe discuss a style or direction and then we just play and see what happens.. It is very fun and rewarding when you create an amazing piece of music…. Stuff I live for!
How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to explore when you start off?
Dr Space- As most everything I do is improvised and in one take, I usually have some vague idea of where I want to start and what synthesizers I will play.. Then I just start and see what happens… It is the same with ØSC and Doctors of Space, we choose a key to play in and maybe discuss a style or direction and then we just play and see what happens.. It is very fun and rewarding when you create an amazing piece of music…. Stuff I live for!
Why do you write the sort of music that you do?
Dr Space- ØSC, we create space rock and it is my favorite genre of music, so this is what excites me and I love to create music in a room full of like minded musicians. There is nothing better.. Music is meant to evoke emotion, to make you forget the crazy world and take you on a trip to another place. That is my goal as a musician and most of the players I play with are in the same frame of mind (I think!).
How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them into that live setting?
Dr Space- Well, as I play almost all improvised music, we never play any of the songs from any of our records in ØSC!!! Every concert is totally unique and that is fun but also a challenge…. I used to play with an amazing Norwegian band called Black Moon Circle, we played songs from our records but they were different every night, as we did a lot of improvisation. Doctors of Space, we used to play some of the songs from our first 2 records but nowdays, we just set up and play, a semi-rehearsed set but it is also mainly improvised and created on the spot… It is fun this way and always a new experience for the audience.
How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them into that live setting?
Dr Space- Well, as I play almost all improvised music, we never play any of the songs from any of our records in ØSC!!! Every concert is totally unique and that is fun but also a challenge…. I used to play with an amazing Norwegian band called Black Moon Circle, we played songs from our records but they were different every night, as we did a lot of improvisation. Doctors of Space, we used to play some of the songs from our first 2 records but nowdays, we just set up and play, a semi-rehearsed set but it is also mainly improvised and created on the spot… It is fun this way and always a new experience for the audience.
What plans do you have for the future?
Dr Space- I have several new albums coming out. In Sept, my next solo CD, Music to
Disappear to and Dr Space´s Alien Planet Trip Vol 8- Space with Bass IV will come out. My group here in Portugal, Doctors of Space, we will release a new double CD called the Wisdom of Clowns in November. Øresund Space Collective (ØSC) will release Relaxing in the Himalayas on vinyl. It was released a few years ago as a bandcamp subscriber CD. West Space and Love, we will also have our 3rd album out in the end of the year. Next year, the amazing new 3rd ear Experience record will be released and I play a lot of synths on it. Also, a collaboration with ex members of La Ira De Dios will be released, as well as another DVD and studio album but ØSC… Lots in the pipeline… ØSC, we will play a 20th anniversary concert in Copenhagen, Denmark April 11-12th, 2025. It is going to be a very special night with lots of musicians (at least 15 different) playing over the 2 nights and we will play 4 sets of music. Also, we will play the Spaceboat in Hamburg Germany May 23-24th, our 10th time.. We hope to have a tour in Sept and play in Italy for the first time ever. Lots happening next year. Thanks for this opportunity..
http://oresundspacecollective.com
http://oresundspacecollective.bandcamp.com
http://drspace1.bandcamp.com
http://doctorsofspace.bandcamp.com
http://www.spacerockproductions.com
Http://blackmooncircle.bandcamp.com
Http://auralhallucinations.bandcamp.com
https://estudioparaisonasn.wixsite.com/my-site