The Wanderer: heart moving songs for the soul-searching man

24 juli 2019

(OMTimes Radio) An interview with singer-songwriter Nikos Frangiskatos from the band The Wanderer. The song “We’re all going home” has already touched many hearts around the world.

An interview with The Wanderer

The Wanderer tells the story of singer-songwriter Nikos Frangiskatos. Praised for his debut single “Down the Road”, which reflects his characteristic voice and his dreamy-folk songwriting. Throughout the years The Wanderer released several EP’s, supported multiple national and international acts and played in every corner of the Netherlands. The Wanderer creates heart-moving songs for the soul-searching man. Inspired by Xavier Rudd, Roo Panes and Trevor Hall but main and mostly by Life itself.

When your band started and what city (region of the Netherlands you are from)

We started in 2014 and we live in the center of Holland in a region called “Het Gooi”.

How did the band get together?

Long story. Nikos stopped with a successful formation and a life in the spotlight. Because he knew he had to tell a story and make music for the heart- and not for the commercial masses. Victor (pianist) hosted open mic evenings and when Nikos heard him play, he knew he wanted to be victorious as his wingman. Victor kindly refused because he already had a busy music life. Half a year later, when Nikos released his first single Down the Road, Victor joined. The newest member is Joost …… Nikos heard him play during a performance and he immediately knew he had to ask him. Joost also declined first and joined The Wanderer a year later.

The names of the people in Band

Nikos Frangiskatos, Victor Driest en Joost Spanjerberg

Why the name The wanderer?

I have always been a seeker of what cannot be found; “The meaning of life”. It is Alan Watts who said that the meaning of life is just to live. I am intrigued by philosophy and all the layers that a person can have. I have gained my share of darkness and started looking for the roots of these tendencies and behave. Depressions, drug addiction, fears, insecurities, I had to face them all and I did that through years of ‘spiritual therapies’. The more understanding I found in myself, the more understanding I found in human society. For me, there is no other. We are all the same but in a different form. During the healing process, The Wanderer popped into my head … like a whisper of a little angel friend;)

What was your vision for this music, what do you want to accomplish with the message?

Music is frequency and vibration. It has a healing power when it is made with energy that makes healing possible. Nowadays most of the music has to be made because it simply has to be made -to be sold. It may sound great, but it is empty. We make sure that you can feel our music, so you can feel that the vibration and energy it contains. My life story is in these songs, my pain, my hope, my faith and trust, my knowledge. Joost and Victor have their own gift that complements and enhance these energies. It sometimes feels like the world has forgotten what great power music has. We want to lift people through music. Give them a good ‘shot of Life’. Even if it’s for a brief moment.

What moved you to create such a piece of music “We’re all going home”

I may be weird for you, I realize. I think of us as an instrument for a message that wants to be told. I know that I am here on the planet with a certain soul mission. So if I already had a plan, this song must already be made in heaven ………. I have to try to remember it again.

I meditate on the lyrics. Certain songs I have written in a higher state of awareness. They’re not my lyrics. They come through me. For me, a song is an own entity that wants to tell its message to the people who need to hear it. Michelangelo said, “the statue is already there, I only have to break away the rock.”

That’s how I experience it. The songs are already there waiting to be reborn. And We’re all going home is a very very special song to me. Reborn at a very specific and right timing. If it has found you……then it was your time to hear it. Isn’t that a hopeful thought and which you know deep down its true.

Are you all planning to come to the USA for shows or tours? What is your schedule for shows?

No, let us try to build an audience in Holland first. We are very selective about where we play. Resulting in that we do not play a lot of gigs. We need intimate locations where we truly give and receive with our audience. Beyond that, as an independent, it’s so hard to be noticed or even heard. We build brick by brick, heart by heart.