Inside the Mind of a Toreador

An interview with composer/musician/producer Jeff Pflaumbaum

by SYMBOLS! International Design Studio

1) Where did Wings of Fire originate?

I was working on finishing 'The Afterlife of Sigmund Saul' with the producer Karlos Colon. Since there were a few large ensemble performances on the record, we thought it would be cool to put a group together and regularly play that kind of music.

2) Is there any meaning the name?

I took the name from two of the large ensemble songs on 'The Afterlife of Sigmund Saul'; Wings (an epilogue) and The Real Fire. Then I saw a Charles Ives quote, "In 'thinking up' music I usually have some kind of a brass band with wings on it in back of my mind" and that solidified it for me.

3) How do you pronounce your last name correctly?

flom-bomb

4) Now, let's talk about the album. I have to say, I really, really enjoy it. It has a fantastic "live vibe" and excellent sonics. How would you describe the album's sound?

It's got a lot of stuff. Brass section, reed section, rhythm section, male vocals, female vocals. Like an orchestra. A rock orchestra. The music is very much an attempt to give my own take on a lot of the horn/rock bands from the late 60's and 70's. Each one was different from the other so I had to find a way to make mine unique.

5) A common mistake in reading poetry or song lyrics is that the reader might misinterpret the words as being about the person who wrote them. So, is Bullfighter Ballet autobiographical, a little, or not at all?

The music is, for the most part, autobiographical but the story was a combo of life-experiences and fiction. I initally had no intention of writing an autobiographical record. I did the Sigmund Saul double record and that was very much mirrored off of past experiences I had as a teenager. So I guess I wanted to move on from that. But one day Jaime asked me what the thread was that tied all the music together and, almost instantly, I got a very clear idea of what it was. Ironically, people who liked Sigmund Saul would ask me, "What comes next? College-life?"

6) Since it is a 3 act "rock opera", it as intended to be a sort of concept album, right?

Yeah. I broke ACT I into two acts. In reality, everything until Factoryland is ACT I. ACT II would actually be the 2nd Wings of Fire record, and Factoryland would be ACT III. Because I didn't know if I'd ever record that 2nd record I split up ACT I.

7) Obviously there is meaning in your choice of the bullfighter theme. What is it?

I think it has a lot of meanings. Some specific and some general. But it could probably be best explained as the artful act of entertaining the crowd.

8) One of the many fantastic things about the album is how different many of the songs are on the album. Some are all out fun - blasting horns over energetic bass riffs and funky drum beats - some are very complex and extremely long (Factoryland Part 1 is over 10 minutes long), while others are soft and very personal. How do you account for such diversity? Is it just a means of challenging yourself to do different things, or were you just following your creative instincts?

I think if you condensed someones life from high school to post-college into one hr of music, it would be at least that diverse ... or should be. But I should also say it was still a temendous challenge. One piece, 'Tomorrow's Sorrow' a 12-minute jazz ballad was cut because it hung too much on one mood.

Overall, I like to create music that has a natural diversity. Almost like a forest, how all the trees blend together almost seemlessly, yet up close, each one is vastly different than the other. I try to think on a big musical canvas like that. Too much Bob Ross as a kid I guess.

9) I'd like to ask about specific songs on the album, if that's alright.

OK

10) Where and what is "C-Town"? Two songs on the album involve the place and it just begs the question...

C-Town can really be any small town. I modeled the song off of my hometown in NC but it really could be anywhere. I chose the title to keep it non-specific.

11) "Under U.", a really fascinating song both lyrically and musically, is a very curious track. The lyrics seem to portray a college kid upset with university and its professors. Please do give some details.

I wanted it to work as a foreshadowing of Factoryland with hipper music and angrier lyrics. College athletes get run thru the mill. I wanted to convey that.

12) "Graveyard Fields" is just one of my personal favorites on the album. The melody is very beautiful and the chord progression is very haunting. The lyrics are really thoughtful and touching. For those who may not know, what are the "Graveyard Fields"?

It's a place in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I wanted to write a song that felt like an ellegy. I remember doing something like that after ending a long relationship with someone. I guess it was another case of art imitating life. But, Graveyard Fields is a beautiful place and thought it would be an ideal setting, as well as title, for this type of song.

On a side note, we actually finished the record without Graveyard Fields. I went back and added it and even had to remaster the record as a consequence. But I felt that strongly about the song and the sentiment so I'm really glad someone likes it.

Thanks a lot for your time.