Seb is Sebastien Dubail (Guitars / Vocals)
Raige is Regis Humbert (Drums)
Rod is Rodolphe Hartig (Bass)
Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?
Seb: The band name is coming from the C scale : C D E F G A B C, remove the C and read backwards 🙂
Raige and I started the band in 2002 with another bass player and keyboard player. After a few trial and errors we finally found the right bass player for us in 2010 when Rod joined the band. After winning a few studio days at a band contest we recorded a first EP “Throw it Away”, that was released in 2013. In the following years we had to change keyboardists a few times, but we managed to release a single in 2017 (“Looking Up”) with a music video, both self produced.
Besides playing gigs in bars and local festivals, we also started recording a few tracks for our new album in 2018 and then again in 2020, in Seb’s studio which has now become “Groove Sensitive Productions”. During 2021 it was very difficult to progress, with our keyboardist working in the healthcare system during the sanitary crisis… to the point that we decided to finish the record by ourselves. That was done by the end of 2022, and 2023 is finally here with releasing new music out to the world and playing it live, at last !
About the members :
Rod is also a bass teacher, and very talented drawer. He has released several picture books together with a female author, and is our dedicacted artwork designer.
Raige is not only a very good drummer, at ease with odd time signatures and polyrythmics, but also a very good keyboard player (he started with electric organ lessons as a kid), and self taught guitar and bass player. He’s also a very talented photographer and videographer, thus our dedicated video director (alongside of his current carrer as head of HR and Communications for a hotel and catering group).
I play mainly guitars but also bass, and a little bit of drums and keyboards. I’m a self taught singer fighting with bad habits, trying to balance with interpretation and authentic message in my lyrics. My additionnal contribution is audio engineering, since I’m an indie sound guy now (currently building a new home studio), after leaving my job in the embedded systems field in 2021.
Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?
Seb: Raige and myself were living in the same village since we were little kids, we were almost neighbors for about a year and messed around a lot with other friends on the same street. Then my family moved a bit further and we played with different friends, started to make music with diferent bands. When I was 18 we were also playing basket-ball in the same team, and it was during a summer basket camp that we realized we were both TOTO fans, and that we had to do some music together !
That’s when we started working on some of his instrumental music he was recording on a 4-track cassette recorder, and composed a few experimental tracks just for fun.
After a few months he asked me to join his pop-rock band at the time “the Lazy-Bones”, which I accepted, as lead guitarist and background vocalist. We played a few gigs here and there, recorded a 5-track EP, just before the lead singer decided to go his own way. I then took lead vocals, we hired my brother to join on keyboards, and started Bagfed as a 4 piece (with the former bass player of “Lazy Bones”.)
We’ve worn out several bass players in the first years, it was not easy in our area to find the right guy, with the right influences, good timing, and a solid groove. At some point we even decided to play with backing tracks – bass parts that Seb recorded were played through a bass amp from a MiniDisc, Raige with the headphones and click track.. but at least we could play live ! I called that playing with Scooby-Do 🙂
That was in 2010, we were playing with this setup for a band contest qualification phase in a small pub in Belfort (east of France, in our area). This day Rod was part of the jury. One of the judges introduced us to him, knowing we had a lot of common influences, he couldn’t be more right ! Rod was immediately fond of our music and style, we met a few weeks later for a first rehearsal together, which went great ! Since this day, we can delight ourselves of sweet Rod’s groove and his killer “climbing to the second chorus” bass lines (his signature).
For the record – we actually won the band contest that year, with Scooby-Doo ! The prize was 3 days in a studio, which gave birth to our first EP “Throw it Away”.
Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?
Rod : Toto, Peter Gabriel, Billy Idol, Bon Jovi, Motown artists & bass players, Dream Theater, Riverside, Steven Wilson and many others…
Raige : Michel PETRUCCIANI for his creativity, groove and dynamics, Jacob COLLIER for his no limit, extreme creativity
Seb : Toto, Steve Lukather, Joseph Williams, Santana, Satriani, Muse, Steven Wilson, Seal, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, Robben Ford, Herbie Hancock, Dirty Loops, Steve Vai, Derek Sherinian, Earth Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, Whitney Houston, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Charlie Puth, Cory Wong, Calogero, Florent Pagny, Coolio… and so many others 🙂
I’m really inspired by a lot of great singers / songwriters for their beautiful songs, and by a lot of great musicians for their sensitivity and creativity with their instruments. I think it gave me a sense of trying to be melodic in the first place on guitar, before building up to more complex and shred parts. Always a battle but still learning 🙂
As a band, I think our music and our sound reflect the fact that we have very wide influences in all kind of genres, and we kind of merge them into our own version of “progressive rock”, flirting with pop, jazz or funk depending on the vibe of the song.
Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?
Rod : At the beginning (“a long time ago”), I was more interested in fine arts, but as a teen, learning to play classical and electric guitar led me to a passion for bass guitar that never left me.
Raige : Always wanted to be musician but you know… life 🙂
Seb : Always been playing as a passionate semi pro, as a side hustle, until I decided to quit my day job in 2021 and fund my recording studio company.
What songs or albums are on your current playlist?
Rod : Seal, Riverside, Mammoth WVH, Daughtry, Cody Fry, Cory Wong, Kyle Easwood, Shaka Ponk and many others…
Raige : Currently : Time (Louis Cole), Nippe’s call (Cut the alligator), Piano Ballads Live (Jacob Collier)
Seb: these days, Denizen Tenant (Joseph Williams), Minute by Minute (the Doobie Brothers)… it changes a lot every few days 🙂
Do you sing in the shower?
Rod : that would be inconceivable … poor neighbours 🙂
Raige : Nope, do not sing at all..
Seb : not very often, but sometimes… Elvis and Sinatra standards 🙂
Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?
Rod : Yes, go back on stage to bring this record to life, and share these moments with my fellow musicians 😉
Seb : Indeed , currently we are focusing a bit more on the promotion of the album, with this first single and a few others that will be released in the coming months, along with music videos and a whole lot of new content on Youtube (stories about the songs, making of, alternative versions,…).
In addition we are also booking our first shows for early 2024, with a highlight mid-april where we’ll be officially presenting the album in a very cool venue in partnership with a local assocation in our area. They will be supporting us with their technical team to create a custom light show and big sound with a full day of rehearsal before the gig, which is not the usual deal for an indie band like us 🙂
We’re really looking forward to this show, and to booking some other cool gigs for the rest of next year !
Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?
Seb : Yes, « Brand New Souls » is actually a full 8-track LP, available in CD and Vinyle directly on our website store and bandcamp.
We’ll be releasing a few singles on streaming plaforms every 6-8 weeks, as our take on trying to grow our fanbase and reach a new audience, until we think it’s the right moment to release the full album on the platforms. But in the meantime, people who already know us can listen to the full album on our website (and bandcamp).
If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?
Rod : No preference, but rather big towns like Paris, London,…
Raige : Hollywood Bowl
Seb : The Sphere (Las Vegas)
Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?
Raige : Sylva (Snarky Puppy)
Seb : Very difficult to pick one between Mindfields, Tambu, XIV (TOTO), Aja (Steely Dan), Dangerous, History (Michael Jackson)… maybe the one that comes back the most often could be Tribute to Jeff (David Garfields & Friends)
Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?
Seb : seems I’m the only one here with the courage to answer this, so I’ll go all in : Katy Perry ! (Teenage Dream album, especially « California Gurls » for its groovy slap bass line which is so rare on mainstream…)
However, she lost me when I got the real meaning behind « Dark Horse » (especially the rap part – ew!)
If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?
Rod : Bagfed with a philarmonic orchestra (utopian idea ?…. not in my mind)
Seb : Toto, Steely Dan, Dirty Loops, Jacob Collier, Seal, Muse… all jamming together at the end 🙂
Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?
Rod : Kiss – Dynasty (giving a clue about my age here…)
Seb : It was in high school, a bulk purchase of 6 albums, including TOTO Legend (Best of) and Joe Satriani’s Crystal Planet. I think I listened to that Satch album a million times while on the school bus… Still have them, yes !
As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?
Seb : We deeply appreciate your love and support, it means the world to us !
We hope to see you at live shows very soon 🙂
Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!
https://www.facebook.com/bagfed
https://www.instagram.com/bagfed.music
https://www.youtube.com/@Bagfed
We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?
Rod : A big thank you for your attention, interest and support.
Seb : Thanks a lot for your kind support, and for this interview ! Rock On !
This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum