Dirk Verbeuren (Soilwork, Scarve)
April 2008
When and where were you born?
I was born on January 8th, 1975 in Wilrijk, Belgium.
What kind of memories do you have of your childhood?
My childhood was pretty uneventful. I was mostly happy as a kid, but somewhat of a loner. I liked doing my own thing. My parents and I have always gotten along well as far as I can remember.
Did they support you when you discovered music?
In fact, my mom and dad were the main reason why I discovered music. Both of them play instruments and are big music lovers. The radio was always on in our house. They encouraged me to pick up the violin when I was six years old, and never stopped supporting my musical endeavours ever since.
Do they also go to your shows?
They have come to see many Scarve and Soilwork shows across the planet. Even though metal isn't necessarily their favourite genre, they seem to really appreciate what my bands are doing.
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
No, I'm an only child.
What was your dream as a kid? What did you want to be as a grownup?
My dream as a kid was to drive a train. We lived nearby the busiest Belgian railroad and I used to watch trains passing by for hours and hours, and take notes in a little notebook! As a grownup, music was really all that mattered to me.
What was the first time you tried yourself out on a drum kit?
I think I was 16 when my parents bought me a second-hand Maxtone kit. Before that, I used whatever I could find: cardboard boxes, wooden rulers… Anything I could play fast on!
What was the first song you ever learned to play?
That must have been something by Napalm Death or Slayer. I was obsessed with those bands at the time.
Do you play other instruments?
A little bit of guitar. I played the violin for seven years and took some piano classes when I was 13. But I can't really play those instruments anymore.
What were your first influences as far as bands and drummers?
Dave Lombardo and Mick Harris are the reasons why I pay drums. I listened to a lot of thrash, death metal, punk and grindcore, but also to hip-hop and other stuff like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Chad Smith was an early influence too.
What was the first vinyl you ever bought?
Purple Rain by Prince. I was 6 years old.
And what was the last CD you bought?
Let It Stink by Death Breath.
Do you purchase music regularly?
Not as regularly as I used to. I just don't have the time or money. But I've been collecting music since I was a kid and I've purchased more than my share of albums over the years.
What kind of music you like to listen to?
Mainly metal, electronic, punk, hip-hop and pop music.
What would be your 3 all time favourite albums?
Napalm Death's Scum, Slayer's Reign In Blood and Prince's Purple Rain.
And what is your favourite album that you played on?
Irradiant by Scarve.
And what would be the least favourite one?
That's too hard to say… Regardless of the end result, they all make for good memories.
What songs do you like to perform live the most?
I've mostly been performing live with Soilwork in recent years, so right now I'd say anything we play from the new album Sworn To A Great Divide. I also still love Bastard Chain even though we've played it maybe 400 times!
What was your first concert as a music fan?
Public Enemy at the Zenith in Paris, France. That was in 1990 I think.
And the first show as a professional musician?
My first tour was with a band called Artsonic in 1995. But my first serious live shows were with Scarve in 1994. This was all in France where I lived most of my life.
Best live gig of your life?
That's very hard to choose… I'd say BB King's in NYC with Soilwork, and the Tuska Festival in Helsinki, Finland with Scarve.
And what would be the worst one where all went wrong?
During an early Scarve show, my drum throne slipped off the raiser in the middle of a song. Funny to look back at, but a little embarrassing at the time.
And what was the strangest thing that ever happened to you on stage?
That would also be a Scarve show in the North-West of France, with Lyzanxia if I remember correctly. A bunch of fans flooded the stage during our encore, and there were maybe fifteen kids headbanging in a circle around my drumkit for the duration of an entire song. Quite surreal.
What is the first thing you do after getting offstage?
Catch my breath, discuss the show with the rest of the guys, and then shower… if there's a shower.
Do you prefer playing in front of small or large audiences?
I don't care how many people are in the audience. I always try to give 100%. It's more the setting that influences the atmosphere of a show, and I tend to prefer the intimacy of a club because you can really feel the energy from the fans when they're up close.
What was the largest/smallest crowd you ever played in front of?
The largest must have been at some German festival, maybe 12000 or so. The smallest, I'd say probably 5-6 people.
What were the most unique venues you played at?
During the 2005 Ozzfest, Soilwork played an off-date show with Killswitch Engage in an old metal factory. I can't remember where it was, but that was one of the coolest places to hang out and explore. The sound sucked though.
What is the best and worst thing about being a musician?
The best is to be able to dedicate tons of time and energy to creating and performing music. The worst is without a doubt being away from home for 8-10 months a year. For me, that's truly the difficult part of this job.
If you were to make a Dream Team line-up of musicians who would you pick?
I would pick some of my musical heroes: Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel) and Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah) on guitar, Shane Embury (Napalm Death) on bass, Martin Van Drunen (Pestilence, Asphyx, Hail Of Bullets) on vocals, and myself on drums… because I'd love to play some real heavy shit with those people.
You've been involved in a few bands and projects. How could you sum them up?
Scarve is the heart and soul, Soilwork is the achievement, and the rest is icing on the cake.
Do you have time for hobbies besides doing music?
Spending time with my wife and cats is the best hobby I can think of.
How many languages do you speak?
I speak Dutch, French and English fluently, and I'm trying to learn some basic Swedish.
What would be your day job if you weren't a musician?
Probably something that has to do with either animals or computers.
What do you think about religion?
I don't need it in my life, but as a kid, I was taught some good basic values through religion. I wish more people developed a strong personal life philosophy instead of being blind followers.
When you are not on tour, where do you like to be the best? What place would you call your home?
I like it the best wherever my wife is. I'm somewhat of a "citizen of the world" but there's no place like home with my loved ones.