BACKGROUND: I began playing the piano when I was very young. Often memorized by my parents: on 3 October 1962 -I was three and a half- I approached the instrument with a hammer. Since than the backroom was no go-area. And therefore my youth was one of climbing trees, playing soccer and doing arm wrestling with very old ladies. But the piano kept its drawing power.

One day on a nice summer morning I went to my blood brother Wim, for we had the plan to go screwing off traffic signs; I walked through the garden up to window of the study at the back of the main house, as I heard this wonderful sound? I looked inside and I was stunned, never saw this before: there was Mrs. Dobbe sitting naked behind this baby grand! I loved it. Dazzled and blown away by the new impressions and strangling feelings I ran into the meadow and killed my first frog.
Than my sister felt the need to come home with a man.
He was five years older than me, had a guitar and a moustache, and one evening he asked if I knew Genesis. I laughed at him, nodded and said: sure, but I believe in evolution.
Than he putted a record on the turntable, turned the volume knob and I heard: "Looking for someone? Try to find a memory in a darkroom. Dirty man you're looking like a Buddha. " What was this? "Nobody needs to discover me, I'm back again."
Strange? Wonderful? Romantic?
"This is what music should be!" my meant-to-be-brother-in-law cried. "Symphonic rock is the road to everywhere. It carves a solid blueprint in my veins." He nodded, made silly faces and threw up, for he had smoked a lot. But I was puzzled.
And than I heard more and more. Yes and Pink Floyd and VDGG. I liked it. I became to love it. The beginning over the years of an endless search for heavenly chords and sounds and epic-tracks. We didn't stop talking about prog -Wind and Wuthering was just released- and at once the urge manifested itself of forming a band! But therefore it seemed logically to first learn playing an instrument. PIANO!!! Of course. Mrs. Dobbe behind the baby grand! Yes!
We both did. I was eighteen, Wolf Rappard twenty-three. Better late than never. Once a week together we immediately tried to compose like the professionals. This was our quest. It was the start of Egdon Heath.

I never stopped loving the instrument. All those majestic chords. In 1978 'And Then there were three' did it and 'A Curious Feeling' from Tony Banks in '79 did it again: I was persisted to get hold on those magnificent strains of harmonics. And then I heard Guide Vocal. It was everything in a nutshell to me. Shivers through my spine. They should play it at my funeral.

GEAR:
Kawai MP 9500, Roland RD 600, Roland P 55, Access Virus C, Novation A-Station, EMU XL-1, Roland JV 1080, Yamaha TG 500, Korg Wave Station SR, Alesis Micron, EMU III XP, Roland D 50, Roland JX 3P, Akai SG 01v, Alesis S4, ARP Prodigy.

MUSICAL INFLUENCES:
Tony Banks, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, YES, Pink Floyd, Keith Jarret, Randy Newman, Stevie Wonder, Debussy, Dream Theater, Spock's Beard, Flower Kings.

WEBSITE:
Jaap Mulder on Mojotheater