interview with thomas youngblood
interview with thomas youngblood, founder kamelot. What's the latest and we discuss some of Kamelot's roots
1. Hi Thomas! how are you doing? Where are you at the moment?
Hi Guys and Girls! Doing great! I am home at the moment, in Tampa. Enjoying the sun and beaches 😉
photo by Nat Enemede
2. You formed Kamelot in Tampa. how did it all begin?
I started to jam with some friends in high school, a drummer, guitarist and singer, we played songs from Judas Priest, Dokken, Accept, Europe, and even Pat Benatar. “Hell is For Children”, I got to meet her a few years ago, an amazing lady. Anyway, I got bored playing covers and wanted to play my own riffs and songs. I formed Kamelot then and I bought a multitrack recorder, small synthesizer and a drum machine and started writing songs. I went to Morrisound studios in Tampa and made our one and only demo. Sean Tibbetts, then Sean Christians was also on that demo and promo photo. I sent our demos to several labels in Europe and after a few months, Noise Records from Germany offered the best deal.
3. who are your biggest influences from your youth?
I grew up watching local bands Savatage (Avatar) and Crimson Glory, also Saigon Kick. Seeing them live and then expanding beyond Florida gave me inspiration. Of course I also loved Maiden, Priest, Rush and others. I loved Segovia on Classical guitar too. I wanted to use that in Kamelot from day one. After the first album I also got into New Age and that was something I needed to add to Kamelot. Also, before I even played guitar, I played Saxophone. One day I got the album Switched on Bach, that was the first classical fusion I had ever heard. This was before the internet remember, lol.
4. what are the biggest differences between the beginning and now?
We are more seasoned now, the band is all super pro and committed to Kamelot. We have expanded quite a bit over the years, including more musical diversity and theatrical elements. The shows are bigger than ever, thanks Kamelot Fans! There is much more to come.
5. All the Kamelot cover arts seems to tell an amazing story. where did this come from?
First cover was made by sister Rachel. After that my co-worker at the time Derek Gores worked on all the covers until Ghost Opera. He is now a big artist in Florida, so happy for him. I later chose several artists based on the mood of the songs and setting. For Silverthorn, a concept album, we chose to work with Stefan Heilemann. He also did Haven and The Shadow Theory. Giannis Nakos did the art for The Awakening, it’s one of my favorites.
6. When you first started the band, you must have had a certain vision or set of goals in mind. Looking back, how closely has the actual evolution and experience of the band aligned with your initial vision?
Every step has been an evolution and a milestone, and overall I am happy with every album. The latest album “The Awakening” has surpassed all previous ones in chart placements (Top 2 USA, Top 10 Germany) but we still have many goals to achieve with the band. Our shows have become something I am proud of and we want every fan to walk away hoping for the next visit. Our goal is for bigger than ever productions and events, we plan to make the show an even more immersive experience.
7. what can fans expect from the European Tour?
Our biggest and best live show ever!! Our fans deserve the best!
8. what do you like most about touring (in general or in Europe)?
The history is so amazing, the architecture, the fans, the food!! Great cities and venues and we have some big plans for the future!!! One thing you can be assured of, we do not live in the past, for us it’s about today and tomorrow and that is an amazing feeling.
9. Have you considered doing a live tour of any of your older albums?
No, I don’t see the reason for this to be honest. As I mentioned before, we live in the present, not the past. We love adding a song here and there from the back catalog but we focus on the new album on every tour. We like to be creative and present fresh material. I wouldn’t rule it out with the right guests and production.
10. Can you tell me something about each member of the band, from your perspective?
Let me start with Sean (bassist), he is one of the most motivational and fun people in my orbit. Any KamFan knows his dedication to the live show, even finishing a concert after breaking his knee. You may see him fishing at the next festival if there is a lake or river.
Oliver, the Maestro, is the quiet storm, reading books backstage then ready to rage on stage seconds later. Amazing keyboardist and guitarist! Would even be cool to have him join me for a song or two on guitar one day!
Tommy, not only one of the best singers on the planet, a true musical force and frontman for the ages. He is the youngest of the band but has the wisdom of an elder.
Alex, the beast on the drums!! Never a sad day when you hang out with Alex. He is the most upbeat human I know and I call him at times to discuss things because his perspective comes from a positive angle.
11. Last words for the KamFans
Thanks to you all for the support, we do not take it for granted. We are even more inspired than ever with our most successful tour to date, AWAKEN THE WORLD TOUR, and look forward to the upcoming European/UK Tour. It’s an amazing lineup with support from Ad Infinitum, Black Brian and Frozen Crown. This mini festival is something we cannot wait to present to the masses!! Love you all!
Thomas Youngblood
