INTERVIEW: VLATKO STEFANOVSKI

/, Sound, Blesok no. 118/INTERVIEW: VLATKO STEFANOVSKI

INTERVIEW: VLATKO STEFANOVSKI

I want to write another good song in my life!


On the other hand, you had concerts with maestros such as Tommy Emmanuel, Stochelo Rosenberg… Jan Akkerman…

STEFANOVSKI: That is a great compliment and a great privilege for me… I still consider “Kings of Strings” an explosive and large project. Tommy Emmanuel has given me serious compliments, and I have also spoken very well of him, because I think that he is the best acoustic, steel-string guitar player today. Tommy is the best. There is no one better than him. The man knows 12,000 songs by heart. You cannot compete with him. He is a living encyclopedia. A living juke box. He knows all tunes. The difficult as well as the easy ones. All songs by Ray Charles, by THE BEATLES… by Nat King Cole, by Django Reinhardt… how can you compete with him? The man is far, far away…

Is there anyone, anyone left among the guitar players that you would like to play with on the same stage? To play together. Like, you’ve had the desire to, but due to circumstances, you didn’t manage to get hold of him, to organize such a meeting?

STEFANOVSKI:
Taking into consideration my age and experience, and the mileage I’ve passed, I know that projects happen only if they want to happen. I cannot force anyone – please, we have to collaborate. If the collaborations do not happen spontaneously, then there is no sense. To compel someone, to write messages that I want to cooperate with him – that makes no sense to me. I want things to come naturally. And this thing with Tommy Emmanuel and Stochelo Rosenberg came naturally. With Jan Akkerman likewise. With the London Symphony Orchestra, it came naturally… I didn’t force them to play with me. It happened. Only then things make sense. Only then you don’t feel redundant on stage.


How did you experience the fact that you were recently awarded “11 October” Award? You are the first among the rock musicians who receives the highest state recognition.

STEFANOVSKI: Of course, that is a great honor. And I’m very glad I was awarded the “11 October” Award. I cannot complain any more that I am not recognized in my country. I have no arguments for it. I cannot say that abroad I have been recognized, while no one pays attention to me in my country. They sealed my lips. And, how I experienced the award? I think I earned it long ago. Trust me. I know exactly what I am doing for Macedonia. For our identity, which is so discussed lately. I know the effect, because I play music which is part of our culture. I play it in a different, contemporary way, but I lean on our tradition. Our culture. If you have your culture, they cannot dispute anything. Because culture is what makes your national identity.

Translated byKalina Maleska
PhotographyTatjana Rantaša
2018-10-30T09:54:34+00:00 March 27th, 2018|Categories: Reviews, Sound, Blesok no. 118|0 Comments