The album

"One day Seb did an acoustic rendition of “Inside” from Stiltskin.
The day after JP and me changed his version and did a rockier version of it… That’s how Gostraks was born.
It was fun, we dit It quick and were happy with the result. Even Ray Wilson liked it…
We were pleased… We thought it might be fun to do more songs like that. We had just finished Curve.Axis.Symmetry. which was pretty intense and challenging. We wanted something lighter… 

2 years, the album is finished and of course it was much more complicated than what we planned. 

With our first 2 records, we have been tagged as being a pop/progressive act.
We never denied it because we all love many kinds of music. And pop is part of our heritage. Progressive too. Obviously.
So we chose 13 songs that reflected that more pop/rock side but wanted to do something different, as if it was a real Lunear records.
So we decided to connect every song, as if we were doing a conceptual album.
The first challenge was to select the songs. We also thought that it would be interesting to let every member sing the songs he had selected.
At the end 10 songs were chosen to be part of the album. And 3 have been left for a forthcoming EP."

 - Paul

The album

"Hmm… well…
I don’t remember it quite exactly like that.
In my souvenir, we first wanted to do a « girl cover » EP. 3 songs originally written/sung by girls. Simple. Fast. Easy.
We started to think about these songs, but Seb told us about a contest.

So we did « Inside » for this contest, and it was great. Recorded and mixed in 3 days. Simple. Fast. Easy.
So we thought about making an entire album of covers, like a pause between two « real » Lunear albums.
Each one selected a few songs, trying to find how we could do them in a Lunear way.
3 songs turned to 13 songs.

And one day, i said : « What about making an album with linked titles ? »
And then the problems begun.
Not so simple. Not so fast. Not so easy.

This « pause » album became a real complicated Lunear album :-)"

 - JP

The album

"Actually, JP is right. Sorry Paul!

Paul wanted to write the follow-up album right away. I couldn’t. My creative-batteries were down after Curve.Axis.Symmetry. and I needed time to recharge them, to find new ideas for lyrics…   

So we decided to do an EP with three covers. I was against the idea to make a full cover album because it reminded me of Fish’s third solo album “Songs from the mirror“ and because I think it’s a bad career move. But as Paul and JP argued: we don’t have a career, we’re just doing this for fun and covering great songs and honoring artists we love is fun. 

Then, during the first lockdown we entered a contest with our cover of Inside. C.A.S. was done and about to be released, we had plenty of time on our hands and we decided to go with this song that I love and that I have played live as an acoustic duo with my brother many times over the years. I did an acoustic demo first. Just guitar, voice and piano. Then Paul and JP went full electric and I had to add drums! And by the way, we won that contest. Quite an achievement that I’m still really proud of two years later. 

So. We were good at covering songs. And we are in a democracy. So we went for the full cover album I was against. We chose 3 more songs each. Well, I chose two because Inside was my idea and was a no-brainer for the album. Each were to sing the song we chose. And I wanted a final song with our three voices on it. So that’s ten songs on the record. 

Oh, and yes, despite stating that I needed time to write new songs and have new ideas, I managed to release a solo album in between (pun intended). But don’t worry, the proper third Lunear album is on its way. I have lyrics for at least two new albums now. And JP and Paul have many many great musical ideas in their vaults. Future is bright!"

 - Seb

Turn It on Again
(original by Genesis)

"Genesis is not my favorite band. Genesis is Musical DNA. I remember 1992. The release of The Way We Walk Volume One: The Shorts. I fell in love with them instantly. And my love never fade… Then a few months later, I found the VHS for the same concert. At the end of the show, there was this song that I had never heard before and that was not included on the CD. This song was Turn It On Again. The audience seemed so happy to hear it. What a closer… And what a clever song. It seems “easy“. But it’s not. It’s tricky with multiple time signatures. It’s kind of prog in its spirit but it’s a fucking awesome pop song. The 13/4 part is so fun to play. It’s pretty easy and straightforward but it’s in 13… It’s been one of my favorite song ever since the first time I’ve seen this VHS, so it was a no-brainer for me when we decided to chose songs to cover. And I knew that Paul and JP would be happy do to it. It is not the closer of the album. It works great at the beginning too. BUT, I wanted to have something more symbolic to start the record with. That’s why we included this almost a capella rendition of Guide Vocal, the song before TIOA in the Duke Suite and we linked the two together, something that Genesis sadly never did. And while we were at it we added hints of Duchess, from the Duke Suite too."
 - Seb

"Duke was one of the first vinyl from Genesis that I had when I was a teenager and it’s probably still one of my favorite Genesis albums. When we began working the song, I remember building the demo piece by piece… When you listen to the song, it never gives the sensation that it’s a complicated one. On the contrary. Well, I can tell you that the succession of 3/4, 5/4, 4/4, 5/8, 6/8, 9/8 is just unbelievable and a mess to play!!! Of course I wanted to sing it, but there was no way that Seb would let anyone else do it!! He had to try hard because vocals look easy, but they’re not, so It’s a fantastic job from him. And JP nailed it too on guitars. When we were working on the album, little by little TIOA became an obvious starter for the record. But we wanted to do something more… JP once said, “why don’t we do the entire Duke Suite”? I said “Hell!!! Yes!”, but it wasn’t the purpose of Gostraks. So we chose “Guide Vocal”. Seb had this idea that the album had to begin with our 3 voices, as on this record we would be sharing vocals duties. At first I did my part. And then just when we were finishing the album, JP and Seb added their voices too. So it’s the 3 of us singing a capella to begin the album, what better way to start?"
 - Paul

"Yes Paul ! I forgot that I had proposed to do the entire Duke’s suite instead of « Turn It On Again » ! If I had to choose a Genesis song, it would definitely not be this one. Don’t get me wrong: I love this song. It’s a good single, a hit built on weird rythmic signatures. But it’s not one of my « top Genesis song ». But it’s fun to play, and it was fun to try to respect the original one. Beginning with the a capella part is a smart move : I really love this part. And what a symbolic beginning !"
 - JP

Modern Love
(original by David Bowie)

"I can’t say I love everything about Bowie. I also can’t say I’m indifferent. The character, his influence in the music business are undeniable. Above all, his voice is the thing that always bluffed me. Let’s dance is a fun record produced by Nile Rodgers. Modern Love has always been for me a song that can bring to life a dying soul. It is so powerful. We tried to adapt it adding a more slow tempo at the beginning, giving it a 80’ sound. Singing like Bowie is impossible, but the song is fun and the rendition sounds great. "
 - Paul

"I didn’t know this song before. I grew to love it. It’s such a fun song. It makes me smile every time. I had a really hard time to record this, because my muscles are not quick enough. Fortunately, in the studio I can cheat as much as I want. And I did cheat. But, the result is the more important thing. And I’m proud of the finished arrangement. At one point I played a cow bell in the solo, because it’s fun. But Paul hated it so much that I gave up and removed it. « You can’t always get what you want » can you ? (well, that’s not a Bowie song but hey). "
 - Seb

"This one is on my « Give smile and let’s dance Top 5 song ». I’m pretty sure that it was my idea to cover it, and Paul stole it 🙂 I must admit that he sings it better than I would have. It was hard to find a good arrangement, and it was harder to mix it. But the result is quite good I think. And making the backing vocals was so fun !"
 - JP

Warriors of the Wasteland
(original by Frankie Goes to Hollywood)

"FGTH is a milestone in my musical life. I don’t remember how many times i listened « Welcome to the pleasuredome ». Their second album « Liverpool » wasn’t as good as the first one, but i always loved « Warriors of the wasteland ». A big rock hit. I thought it will be fun to rearrange it in a « wasteland » point of view, very slow and barebone. With a touch of guitar like in the « Attack Mix » with Gary Moore."
 - JP

"I remember well the day we had a FaceTime meeting with Seb and JP. We were brainstorming songs we would love to cover. The list could have been endless and after 2 hours, Seb had to stop because he was having dinner. So we followed JP and me. I always thought that I’m quite an encyclopedia of the music from the 80’ but I discovered this day that JP knew as much! Manhattan Skyline from a-ha and Warriors Of The Wasteland were debated and FGTH won. We could have made a good version of Manhattan Skyline but we thought that the vocal range of Holly Johnson from FGTH fits better to the voice of JP than Morten Harket’s."
 - Paul

"I didn’t know this song either… And I love it now. Beautiful atmosphere and a great performance. The drum machine is almost enough. It sets the mood for the song right away. After that, it’s really easy to follow and 90% of the arrangement is done. Kudos to JP for programming it (even though I twisted it a bit to fit what I was hearing in my head. I’m not sure I ever told them I did that, so, that’s our secret)."
 - Seb

Inside
(original by Stiltskin)

"Inside was the first song from the project, even before it was a project. It’s a fun song that I’ve played live many times with my brother. Simple chords but three different parts and a great arrangement. I think we did it right. Ray Wilson, singer of the band saw our video for Inside and liked it. Another achievement unlocked. Another thing to be proud of."
 - Seb

"I remember the Levi’s add in the 90’. That song was fantastic and I remember buying the single and then the album of Stiltskin. A few years later the world discovered Ray Wilson as the new Genesis singer. He did such a wonderful job as singer in Genesis, but it’s another struggle. The song was easy and probably that was the song that tricked us. It was so easy covering it that we thought that making and album of cover would be easy. It was 2 years ago, and now we know the truth, sometimes first impressions are wrong!"
 - Paul

"I covered it back in the days and it was great to play it again (Sam). A simple straight rock song. I love the rawness of the guitar sound."
 - JP

Sleeping Satellite
(original by Tasmin Archer)

"I have a list of songs I’ve always wanted to cover. And Sleeping Satellite has always been there. I discover the record in 1992, and was blown away by the quality of the album. Of course Sleeping Satellite was a major hit worldwide, but Tasmin Archer unfortunately didn’t manage to build a career after this hit. It’s a shame, because this album and the sophomore Bloom in 1996 are gems of pop music. Our version is very similar to the original. Adding only a rockier side to the song."
 - Paul

"Can you believe it? I didn’t know this song too! And now I love it. Paul’s vocals are amazing. I had to battle a little bit to impose my view on what the drums should be. I was sure, the toms were needed in the verses. And, as you can hear, I won 🙂 ."
 - Seb

"A very good song. I didn’t remember the original arrangement and when I listen to it, I was a bit surprised by the rendition. I remember that when I worked on it, I had in mind a more groovy drums and was a bit disapointed by Seb’s proposal. But in the end he was right and his drums are really nice and fits very well. I think we made a great job on our version, and Paul’s singing is really great."
 - JP

Perfume
(original by Britney Spears)

"I admit it might sounds strange, but i confess that i am a big fan of Britney Spears since « Toxic ». I had every album from « In the Zone » to « Glory ». Her music is fun, both well written and produced, with a touch of bad taste. And the melodies are so catchy ! When i decided to cover one of her song, i instantly thought about « Perfume », wich was not a huge hit covered too many times. I love the way we make it sounds much rockier."
 - JP

"As JP I kind of love Britney Spears. And I also love the duet Chris Braide / Sia who wrote this songs. They wrote so many pop gems together. JP did a fantastic rendition on this song and Seb rocked it! I love it!!"
 - Paul

"See the pattern here? Yep! I didn’t know this song… And yes, now I love it. I had a great fun drumming to it and the choir at the end it amongst my favorite things on the record."
 - Seb

Shake the Disease
(original by Depeche Mode)

"The year 1985. I had left the cello, and wanted to be a keyboard player. This song was one of the first song I learned to play. It was easy and the Depeche Mode at that time was so huge. 37 years later I still love this song. But to fit in our music we needed to change te feeling of the song. So from synth pop we moved to a more classic rock mood based on piano and guitar."
 - Paul

"I knew this one!!! YES!!! AT LAST!!!!! It brings memory from my teenage years, when I was listening to 101. We struggled a bit to find the right mood for the arrangement. We didn’t know if we should go for a rockier thing or not. We even tried to mix the moods but it wasn’t working well. In the end, we settled for this and I find it perfect. Paul’s vocals are amongst his best. He never sang better than on this record."
 - Seb

"This DM song is a bit special, because it ’s only a single and isn’t on any studio album of the band. It’s quite ironic to put it on our studio album. I really love the atmosphere we did. It reminds me of « So… many… » on our first album."
 - JP

Venice Bitch
(original by Lana Del Rey)

"I fell in love with Lana’s music a few years ago and I knew straight away that I wanted to cover one of her songs. The hard part was to convince Paul and JP, because they are faaaaaar from being fans. But I somehow managed to do so (I don’t remember clearly how. Alcohol, drugs, death threats or money might have been involved). Venice Bitch was the obvious choice. It’s the only “long“ song from Lana, the only one with almost prog vibes and it would have been a coward move to chose another one. Sometimes you have to do what is expected. That and I fucking love this song. It is beyond amazing. 

I wanted a rockier and less moody approch (the original works so well that there was no point in doing the same thing) and I remembered the way that Lana arranged her song Off To The Races for live performances. We went for this kind of arrangements in the second part of Venice Bitch and then we decided to break into Off To The Races for a few bars because why not. And I think it works very very very well. I’m really proud of the outcome."
 - Seb

"JP and me were not very fond of this choice, I must confess. We are not Lana Del Rey fans at all. And Seb is sooooooooo fan. I mean sometimes I might find it boring. But well, Seb is a true friend, and he was so eager to do a version of her. The result is just awesome and one of the best vocals Seb ever did. I’m very proud of the arrangement we’ve done. It almost looks like it’s a marillion song from “afraid of sunlight” with a guitar solo reminiscent of Clutching at straws. JP did a fantastic job on the guitar. "
 - Paul

"As Paul said, I’m far from a Lana’s fan. But I must admit that this song is really beautiful, and our version is one of my favorite track on the record. It’s Lana, it’s Lunear, at the same time. We struggled on it, but it was worth it."
 - JP

Renee
(original by Talk Talk)

"Talk Talk is one of the best band in the world. Period. I didn’t want to sing a classic hit, so i chose « Renée », which is the first name of my grandmother who almost raised me when i was young. Unlike the two other covers i made for this album, i wanted « Renée » to be as close as possible to the original, with a lot of space and silence."
 - JP

"1984. It’s my life. And Renee. This is a wonderful song and as JP said our version is close to the original which was damn perfect. Great atmosphere between Seb’s drums and JP’s bass too in this song. I think in this album, JP who is more a guitarist discovered new abilities on bass and that’s great for the future."
 -Paul

"I knew this one too. But I never « got » it before. Now I get it and find that it’s a unique mood. Great song and great vocals by JP. I love songs that take their time to breathe and this is one them. There is so much space in this song. The bass is perfect and the CP-80 is fantastic."
 -Seb

This is the 21st Century
(original by Marillion)

"2001 seems like a long time ago. But I remember clearly when I first heard This is the 21st century. The new Marillion song announcing the new album. And what a strange Marillion song at the time. That band would then always surprise us. The mood, set by the drum machine, is one of the best ever created by Marillion. The lyrics are smart, wise and the last verse is amongst my favorite Marillion lyrics ever. I wanted us to equally split the singing, in a symbolic way, but Paul ended singing most of it. To be fair, he did a better job than what we would have done. "
 - Seb

"Well, after “Inside”, “this is the 21st Century” was the second demo. I built the keyboards with a drum loop, and I sung all of it. I must I thought It was perfect to my voice. I love singing and doing it in Lunear is something I cherish even if it works well too when Seb or JP sometimes sing. Seb wanted to add some voices so he and JP sang 2 sentences in the song. This song was meant to be the closer of #gostraks and the end was not satisfying. I must admit that JP who mixed the album as always was having hard times doing it. And when it seemed over, I came with a different ending. Needing new drums and new guitars and new bass, also. I believe that at this very moment JP wanted to kill me 😉 I will not spoil the end of the record for those who want to have the surprise, but I think it worked so well that I hope that someday he will forgive me!!"
 - Paul

"This is my favorite bassline on the record. It was so fun to play ! Pete Trewavas is such a great bassist ! I’m also pretty happy with the « tapping section », and the guitars on the transition at the end of the song. Paul did a real good job on synths and vocals. The song seems to be written for his voice."
 - JP