Serge: How did the idea come about creation of your individual
web site?
Medwyn Goodall: I have wanted my own web site for a few
years. It wasn't until I met my good friend Stephen Page, that
my wife felt we had found the right person with which we could
co-create and design such a site.
I've always wanted my own web site for several reasons. I have
produced many albums for different labels, interviews, concepts,
artwork, all manner of things, but no where can you find all my
work in any one place. There are many countries and areas that
are unaware of some of the albums I have produced simply because
distribution is poor in their area. I therefore wanted a site
of my own that had everything I'd ever produced, anything written
about me, any ideas, news, sounds, samples, photographs, whatever,
all in one site. The ultimate and only Medwyn site where everything
could be found, purchased, seen, read, experienced. I think we
have achieved just that. Visitors have been very flattering praising
the site.
Serge: Your site looks very good. It contains a great deal
of interesting information and detail. Your site is also very
easy to use. Could you tell me who designed your web site and
how was it made?
Medwyn Goodall: My web site was designed by Stephen Page
and myself. I must admit it was a great deal of fun in creating
it too. We both wanted it to be very interactive, very easy to
navigate and use. Something constantly growing and updating. Whilst
we wanted it to act as a data base for all thing Medwyn, it is
also a shop, and fun place to leave messages, ask questions, listen
to samples and so on. The graphics are also very state of the
art.
Serge: You have placed a series of various interviews on
your site. Also I have found information about your albums grouped
in relation to the two labels that have released your music: Oreade
Music in Holland and New World Music in the UK. There is also
a section of recommended albums by the media and fans themselves.
What made you decide upon what to display on your web site?
Medwyn Goodall: Apart from making the site attractive and
easy to use, we did want the site to be informative. The best
way was to divide up all my albums into time periods and with
which label I originally recorded them. It make looking through
my albums very easy and you can get a good sense of the order
I created all my albums in.
We created the recommended page of albums for those unfamiliar
with my work.
It's a very good place to start and you can even get to hear clips
of the albums directly off the internet.
Serge: For a long time I wanted to ask you how do you manage
to collaborate with two companies (Oreade Music and New World
Music) at the same time?
You are creating music in so many styles that there are no two
similar albums in your discography.
Medwyn Goodall: I only produced music for Oreade Music
and New World Music at the same time for a few years. I stopped
producing music for Oreade in 1997.
I have always been blessed with the ability to write music very
easily and so I found it just as easy to write for two labels
as one. It was that simple.
Now though I prefer to produce less and concentrate on writing
something epic, stunning, the best I can possibly create.
Again my ability to try out new influences and create new styles
and variations is something that is natural to me. I work very
hard at it and develop the ideas I have. I seem to have a natural
instinct for how to use other instruments and cultures, in the
same way a good cook knows how to blend spices and ingredients.
It's a mixture of effort and natural ability.
Serge: Do you take part in the cover design of your albums
and who therefore takes part in preparing the cover design of
your albums?
Medwyn Goodall: Yes I take part in the design of my album
covers. Usually an album is based on my own ideas, so naturally
the cover has to fit in with my original concept. It's therefore
a case of finding the right image, look, colors and layout that
best describes that idea.
I don't produce the art work myself and never have done. However
many of the ideas are my own. I suggest a direction or the sort
of thing I'd like.
Those ideas I pass on to a manager at New World Music.
New World Music in turn take those ideas to a professional design
studio.
They in turn come up with various ideas, formats, and layouts
that I then choose from as being the most appropriate until we
reach a final choice.
On occasion a painter may be involved and commissioned to paint
a special work for the cover. Medicine Woman 2 was created this
way. The painters are usually credited somewhere on the cover,
like Lisa Iris who is a friend of mine. A very talented USA artist.
Serge: There are so many links on your site. On what grounds
were they chosen?
Medwyn Goodall: All the links on my site are friends or
other sites that would support and link with my site from theirs.
If anyone has a site that would like to link with mine, please
get in touch.
Serge: Could you please tell me a little about the people,
the links to which web sites you have placed in your site?
Medwyn Goodall: The Links on my site are mainly to Oreade
Music. A Dutch label I have produced many albums for as seen in
my online catalogue and shop.
There is also a Link to NAV (which is New Age Voice). NAV is the
most respected magazine and assembled new age charts of radio
play and retail sales for the USA.
There is also a link to Keith English. Keith has produce many
of the original paintings that have in turn become my album covers.
A very talented and visionary painter.
There is a link to Terry Oldfields own web site. Terry is a friend
and a colleague of mine on the NW label.
Bear is the nick name of a radio DJ who plays many new age albums
on his own show.
Every link is of someone I know as a friend or has linked to my
site and so I return the favor.
Serge: Why did you decide to tell so much about your studio
and your instruments?
Medwyn Goodall: I was quite open about my studio and instruments
because fans are forever curious and love to know such details.
I have been constantly asked over the years and so I thought it
would be interesting for fans to get a feel for where I work and
how.
Serge: In our previous interview I didn't ask you about
your family and your private life. Could you tell me about this
now?
Medwyn Goodall: I keep my life as simple as possible. I
enjoy a rural existence. I don't like crowds, parties and the
city life. My life and music is a connection to nature. Beyond
that I can't say more because my private life is a quiet private
life with my wife and cats.
Serge: Maybe, there is something about which you were not
asked but you would like to tell us. Possibly, you would like
to tell us something important...
Medwyn Goodall: I think the internet is the way of the
future. My web site is a way for me to be able to reach out more
directly to my fans and for us to share a common site and interact
in ways we could not dreamed of only a few years ago. Come join
the party at www.medwyngoodall.com
Serge: Certainly, I couldn't manage without a question
about your creative plans.
Medwyn Goodall: The Scroll-Clan 2. The sequel to Clan has
just been released on my web site.
The middle part of the on going trilogy. It has to be the best
Celtic album I believe I have ever produced. It can of course
be seen and heard and bought at my web site. So this is currently
a big event for me. As for the future there are so many plans
and ideas I would hardly know where to start. I'd like to put
a DVD film together with myself performing on it. There are also
many albums planned for the future. Keep checking the "Latest
News" page on my web site as this is where I will constantly
update all the projects I am involved in.
Serge: In general, what would you like to wish to our readers?
Medwyn Goodall: Peace and lots of daily Medwyn Music....hehe,
oh and chocolate.
