Harry Kappen is a Dutch musician and music therapist. His first love is the guitar, but gradually he discovered the bass. Now you can safely call him a multi-instrumentalist. His work as a music therapist requires him to be able to play a variety of instruments, including voice, in order to connect with his clients in different ways. This is necessary both in the treatment of individual clients and in system therapy (for example, in dysfunctional families). On his latest album 'Escape' and separate single 'Wargames' he sings and plays every instrument himself in combination with the use of digital sounds from Logic Pro.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hey Harry Kappen, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
My sister is 4 years older than me and had a guitar, which aroused my curiosity and soon I 'borrowed' her guitar more and more to figure things out for myself. Furthermore, my sister and I often had to do the dishes and during that activity we discovered rhythmic dishwashing. Rhythm became a very important basis for my (our) musical experience. Together with a friend we later founded a school band and we were allowed to rehearse in the basement of that friend's mother. That meant a lot of rehearsals, being able to play tight together, learning chords, playing a lot of rock and blues, a healthy basis I think.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Collaboration may be going a bit too far, but I would like to start by talking to some greats like Prince, Paul McCartney, Tom Yorke, Dave Grohl, Bjork, John Mayer, Neil Young over a cup of tea and just chatting about music a little bit, maybe playing together a little bit.
On my latest album 'Escape' there is a song that happens to be about that: 'When I sleep' is about encounters I have when I sleep :). Escape from reality in dreams. There I meet, among others, Paul McCartney and Prince and, as good acquaintances, we play together in the studio...
Your latest song is 'Wargames'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
Wargames had to be made because it bothered me that there are so few protest songs in the top 40, while there is so much going on in the world. Back in the days of the Vietnam War, the charts were full of protest songs, but not now. Why not, I thought. There is reason enough: Ukraine war, ignorence, fake news, people who no longer want/can't listen to each other's arguments, conspiracy theories and so on.
How do you know when a work is finished?
That's a mystery to me. There always comes a moment when form, text, sound, choice of instruments and feeling coincide as one whole. It just happens somewhere in the process. And then I know from experience that it can also be a snapshot. So I don't work in a hurry, but I wait patiently and listen to the result again on other days. If the feeling of falling together continues, then I'm done.
What are you most proud of?
I am proud of my son, who has found his way in life despite setbacks.
I'm not that easily proud of anything, rather I don't call it pride, but rather satisfaction. And that can happen through many things: a successful meal (I like to cook), a guitar solo that beats, a client that I meet and says that he or she has benefited a lot from my therapy, because I am also a music therapist.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
I don't see myself as an artist, I am just who I am and am someone who makes music. And someone who has been doing that all his life. Of course there are moments that are annoying, the breakup of a band for example, but that will never lead to me not being able to make music anymore, that will always be present. Music is one of the certainties in my life, just like breathing, family, love, food.
How do you structure your day?
In my daily life I have a job as a music therapist; I work with adolescents who are in unpleasant circumstances for them; evicted, failed school career, personal behavioral or developmental problems. I use music as an instrument in the treatment of these young people, together in a team of psychologists, behavioral experts, psychiatrists, youth workers, etc.
I also teach at a master's degree in music therapy. Because of these jobs I have a very structured life and I get to make music in the evenings and weekends.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
Honestly, my schedule is pretty full as you can imagine. But besides my work and my music, I love my girlfriend very much, I like to travel, I follow other musicians on youtube (for example Rick Beato) and I like to cook. I had many professions in the beginning, one of those professions was chef in a number of restaurants. Now I like to cook songs :)
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
Not really...or it must be all the song I'm working on at that moment. In any case, it is always a short number, because of the high energy prices today :)
What are your plans for the future?
The release of my album 'Escape' and later this year's single 'Wargames' opened a number of doors that I am happy to step through. I'm going to see and experience it, I'm someone of the moment, I like to live in the now and I'm aware of where I am, how I feel, and I'm curious about the future. I have found good management with whom I click well and I am confident that fun and exciting things will happen. And if not, I will remain Harry, the musician and music therapist, the guitarist who will hopefully make a lot of new music.