Terry Dark – Ten Questions, Ten Minutes on ‘Caravel’

As the vocalist of Jameson Raid Terry Dark needs no introduction, but some 46 years after the band released their debut 45, ‘Seven Days Of Splendour’, the Netherlands-based frontman has unveiled his first solo album, ‘Caravel’. An intriguing and quite astonishing release, ‘Caravel’ is perhaps a million miles from Jameson Raid. Although obviously still featuring Terry’s trademark storytelling, this offering is a concept album based around space travel, although nothing is ever quite that simple. In Terry’s own words: “Caravel is my own story about a future space journey in a spaceship that thinks it's a sailing ship and has a thing about horses. These surreal themes are reflected in the music where even the part-robot crew sings. Clear? I hope not.”

Q1. What made you decide to record a solo album now? And how long has the idea been in your head?
“At a certain moment the realisation hit me that I’ve written many, many songs of all different types, not only metal and hard rock, and that some of them perhaps deserved to be set free to live a life outside my living room. At the same time, a long held wish to record a themed album was bouncing between the two brain cells that I possess or possess me. The decision to merge these two facts, songs and theme, was quickly made, and all that was then needed was a catalyst. An interest in space, previously expressed in songs (‘Hard Lines’, ‘7 Days of Splendour’) allowed me to shamelessly choose space, with a spacecraft, a crew and a story line of my own making. I started working on it in 2016 and recording in late 2017.”

Q2. Any how did you bring it to life?
“I found a local studio with an engineer I could trust, Frans Bronzwaer, and who was prepared to at least explore some of my unusual ideas. We hit it off and soon he began to play guitar parts on several songs as well as making valuable suggestions. We worked together with Jameson Raid’s excellent bassist, Luud Tilly, who's never short of ideas; drums on some tracks by JR’s Neudi Neuderth, and a guest appearance by JR’s guitarist Kalli Coldsmith. Frans’ protégé, Mathijs Gijzen, an all-round musician, became an integral part of this group, and Mara, a local songbird, has sung on many tracks. A dozen or so other artists joined in on trumpet, piano, keyboards... There's a full list on the vinyl album’s gatefold sleeve. Wickedly, the fates dealt us a massive blow when Frans passed away after a short illness. Happily, his playing is not lost.”

Q3. What did you set out to achieve when you wrote and recorded the album? And do you think you achieved it?
“Honestly, a themed album with an original story line is not as easy to create as I hoped or expected. You have to set the scene, introduce characters and explain where, why, who and what. Two spoken parts give some information and yet are not truly story lines. So the songs have to inform the listener whilst allowing them their own imaginings. I have included an A4 sheet with a story line to help and included in the cover art are light and clear explanations of things like Space Dust and the Space/Time Continuum.
“I’m a huge fan of surrealistic art. Artists such as Dali, Ernst, etc, whose art expands the mind. The album cover art reflects this also. So, with ‘Caravel’ there are many surreal elements in the songs interwoven. A bit difficult to explain. But I believe I’ve achieved it what I set out to achieve.
“The overall soundscape is quite unusual. For example, the song ‘Caravel’ is sung, according to me, by the ship’s robots and gels into a three guitar solo ending featuring three different players (self included) and styles, plus, in the middle, ‘other things’. The song plays for nine minutes, with multiple parts and I’m very pleased with how they somehow fit together. And ‘We Are Not Alone’ is another song I’m proud of; it took the longest to be crafted and recorded.”

Q4. How does this new album compare to your work with Jameson Raid?
“Ah, well, there’s little on ‘Caravel’ that can be compared to Jameson Raid. The use of original songs and riffs, plus my lyrics and voice, I suppose, in terms of sound it’s very different, and I had very few restrictions or boundaries. No lead guitarist saying, ‘I’m not playing that’ or other band members agreeing with him. I had control at all times, despite leaning heavily on my support team of Frans, Luud & Mathijs. It was refreshing. If I recorded for three weeks and didn't like the result I threw it away, started again. That's freedom. I experimented a lot!”
“And, usually with me, the lyrics are written after the music has ‘suggested’ things to me. Is it upbeat? melancholy? A bit of both? On this album the story had to be adhered to but in a loose way. The extra fun part was including imaginary future adverts, robots singing, spoken parts and many sound effects.”

Q5. What album (or albums) made you think “I want to be a musician; I want to do that”?
“I grew up with the ‘three Bs’: Beatles, Byrds and Beach Boys. Or is that four? Anyway, they made me excited to make music.”

Q6. What are your strengths, do you think, as a songwriter and as a performer?
“As a songwriter there are always stories to be told, and bringing them to life in a listener’s mind has been my aim. Performance wise, I don’t push my voice to do things I can't do or would do badly. Also, I try to be clear and not leave people thinking ‘er, what?’”

With Jameson Raid at Bilston's Robim 2 on 18 July 2010

Q7. What’s next for Terry Dark?
“I’m starting on the second ‘Caravel’ album as I’ve enjoyed the process very much. The first one took almost seven years. Lack of funds. Covid. Frans’ death followed by personal tragedies with two family members passing on. I can't describe my intense feelings around these events but many of us have experienced them. Anyway, I hope to complete the second album much more quickly. As for the current album a touring band is not on the cards right now but who knows.”

Q8. Every time I see a moving car with a dog poking its head out of the window it puts a smile on my face. What makes you laugh?
“The silly mistakes we all make, dropping a raw egg on the floor or rushing up to someone to say hello and realising you don't actually know them. I’m a huge fan of comedy shows and satirical humour like Jimmy Kimmel, ‘Have I Got News For You’ or Stephen Colbert. Kids can easily make me smile and, of course, cats!”

Q9. What film do you think ‘Caravel’ could be the soundtrack to?
“Now the hard questions,” he laughs. “It would have to be the oddest film you can think of. I wouldn't know to be honest.”

Q10. If you drove an ice cream van, what tune would it play?
“It would depend on my mood. Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ would be a bad mood. The Byrds’ ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ for a normal mood. ‘Walking On Sunshine’ by Katrina & The Waves for a happy mood.”

For more information, or to order a copy of ‘Caravel’ go to https://caravelonline.com

© John Tucker March 2025