THE DISCLAIMER (that's right, the disclaimer)
I'd like to dedicate this MySpace-page especially to :
* Guitarists and Bassplayers
* Guitar-, Bass-, Amp-, FX-manufacturers
* Guitarmagazines
* Gearsluts in general
* Friends in real life
* ... and Belgian Metal Bands only !
I will not add
* Bands - Except from the Belgian Metal Scene !!
* Spammers looking for as many friends as possible. I will check your profile before accepting your request anyway !
* Pretty ladies unless you are holding a guitar, bass, or coffin case !
Only Gear and Gearsluts.
Just like me !!
On with the Biography:
Hi everybody !!
Here are some things about me you might or might not want to know, but were afraid to ask !
I go by the name of Quevin Smeyers and some of you may know me as Galatorn, which is the nickname I've been using for years on different internet-forums and chatboxes. The nickname comes from a character in the comic-series Thorgal. He's the prince of Brek Zarith who inherits a kingdom full of dead people. Actually he's called Galathorn, with an H, but that name was already taken in the Hotmail member service, so I simply dropped the H. Hence : Galatorn.
I was born in 1979 (MCMLXXIX), a common year starting on Monday. It was proclaimed International 'Year of the Child' by the United Nations. On the very same day (the 12th of March) Pete Doherty was born, later to become 'enfant terrible' with The Libertines and Babyshambles.
* Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She'll be known as The Iron Lady. Not to be confused with an Iron Maiden.
* Bjorn Borg was ranked number one on the world-tennis-list twice, both times winning from Jimmy Connors.
* Brenda Ann Spencer, aged 16, kills 2 teachers and wounds 8 students at a school in San Diego, California because she doesn't like Mondays...
* ... Inspiring Bob Geldof to write the song "I don't like Mondays" for The Boomtown Rats.
* Sid Vicious bass player for The Sex Pistols dies of a heroin overdose.
* It snows in the Sahara Desert for 30 minutes.
None of this however is very interesting...
Except maybe this : Alexi Laiho is born on the 8th of April 1979, not knowing at that time, he will be a great inspiration for yours truly, with his band Children of Bodom.
Now why would I possibly create a "My Space" ?
Well... Things became more interesting in 1994. Two very important events that would change my life forever happened when I was 15.
First of all, I got in touch with the alternative side of music. I think Kurt Cobains death in April of that same year had something to do with that. Aswell as The Offspring's break-through single "Self Esteem" from the album "Smash".
Secondly, and even more important, I got my first guitar !!
That's when it all started. That's when it all went wrong...
Around that period I had a friend who got an electric guitar for his birthday. I believe it was an Aria Pro Strat-model, but I'm not sure. He had been playing accoustics for a few years and he thought me some chords and some typical songs, like "What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes and "Zombie" by The Cranberries.
I borrowed a western guitar from my uncle, which I had to return to him after 15 years of cherishing the damn thing as my own. It's a guitar by Roderick Paeshold, model P 185. Nothing fancy, but it served me well : I took it to college, I took it on holidays and I had it with me on camp. Basically, I had it with me night and day. The design you can see on the body, is a drawing of Jan Bosschaert, one of my favourite Belgian artists, known from the comics "Sam" and "Jaguar".
It was the start of a great adventure and a I embarked on a quest for gear and a band !
Gear-wise it lead me to all of this. Already quite the collection, but there's more to come, and there used to be more too.
- Back row, from left to right:
Jackson Dinky DR2 (main axe, D-tuning), Ibanez RG 1570 Prestige (back-up axe, D-tuning), ESP MII Custom (second main axe, D-tuning), Jackson Dinky DK7 (seven-string, B-tuning).
- Flat on the couch, from left to right:
Diamond SG (project guitar), Fender Sunn Mustang (project guitar), Jackson Randy Rhoads RR3 (back-up axe, E-tuning), Yamaha RGX 312 (project guitar).
- Front row, on the left:
Washburn ABT Force 5 (stage-bass), Peavey T 40 (studio-bass).
- Front row, from centre to right:
Jacky Jackson Semi-Acoustic , Roderick Paesold P 185 , Honda Acoustic , Cuenca 40P , Santana - Model C100 .
My latest addition to the collection is this beauty:
A Jackson Soloist SL 2 USA , with Barknuckle Painkliller-pick-ups.
Without a doubt, the best guitar I have ever handled.
In the amp-department I'm a proud member of the Engl-family. No I'm not endorsed - yet - but I did fall for the sound the very first time I heard them !
I play an Engl Powerball , through an Engl Vintage 412 cab or through his smaller brother, the ENGL Vintage 212 cab . Both equipped with Celestion V30 speakers.
My back-up amp is a Madison Divinity II , by who my band actually is endorsed.
And for bass, I use a Randall RB 100 bass-combo.
And band-wise... Well... I got together with Lord Blackheart aka Don Sortino and we started a band in November 2002, called Nightcrow, which was quite quickly renamed Angeli Di Pietra .
After gathering a full line-up, we stormed the stage on the 24th of January 2004. And we haven't stopped since.
Even after numerous line-up changes, a shitload of start-up-problems and the usual search for gigs and venues.
Picture taken @ Paganfest, Hof Ter Lo where we opened for Tyr, Eluveitie, Moonsorrow, Korpiklaani and Ensiferum.
The songs on my page are Angeli Di Pietra songs, obviously. And so is the gig-list. Feel free to check out Angeli Di Pietra's My Space , where you can find some more tunes and info.
As you all maybe know, my band has just released their debut-full-album "Storm Over Scaldis", through the Austrian label CCP Records , with distribution by -amongst others- SPV, Rock Inc and Seasons Of Mist.
We recorded the album at the Excess Studios in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Between the 19th of July and the 16th of August 2008. Here's a little slideshow to give you all an idea of how things were over there ! You can also check out the blog with the Studio-report .
You can also check us out @ Our Stage .
Or come and watch us live some day !
See you all there !!
Greetz,
Quevin " Galatorn " Smeyers
Angeli Di Pietra 's Rhythm n' Pitch player.
Proudly Endorsed by
Madison Amps and
Dovetail Strings