“One big lesson I’ve learned is to keep going. When I look back on my journey, I definitely had delusions of grandeur when I was younger. (Probably common). Life has a way of humbling you at some point, or at many points along the way.”

Piet Dalmolen: Time Stands Still

From the coastal cliffs of Northern California’s Emerald Triangle, guitarist, singer and songwriter PIET DALMOLEN will be released TIME STANDS STILL, his long-awaited debut solo LP on January 17, 2025. Boasting eight eclectic compositions, this talisman resonates through an ambitious amalgam of sublime psychedelic rock, soulful jazzy blues, and indie-Americana. Bobbing and weaving amidst the foundational chemistry of bass, drums, and various keyboards, Piet’s superb guitar and understated vocals coalesce to create a dense, potent vessel of joy and vulnerability. A veteran studio engineer and session guitarist for two decades, Dalmolen toured nationally in the mid-aughts with jam upstarts Nucleus, and subsequently gigged with numerous Northern California bands.

(Photo: Piet Dalmolen)

These days he’s in DIY-mode across multiple roles for this intensely personal passion project. Ably assisted by Matt Engel on keyboards, Tommy Fitzmaurice on drums, and Ian Taylor on bass, TIME STANDS STILL was tracked across several sessions in 2023 at Odyssey Studios, a rustic barn situated on a prairie overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Here Piet Dalmolen was able to keep his focus solely on creativity and bandleading, and once the basic tracks were laid down, he overdubbed additional guitar and vocals at his own Universal Balance Studios in Arcata, CA, throughout 2024.

Interview by Michael Limnios              Special Thanks: Billy James (Glass Onyon PR)

How has the music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

I would say that my views of the world and the journeys I’ve taken have influenced my music. My parents were both well travelled with a diverse music collection and that had an influence on me from a young age. I grew up hearing everything from Classical to Jazz to Led Zeppelin. When I was coming into my own as a musician, I grew to appreciate music from all over the world as well, and tried to learn what I could from it. This album in particular has been influenced by my life experiences in the sense that I hadn’t written much of my own in years while raising a family, and I have grown as a musician, so I had a lot of ideas to get out both musically and lyrically. Most importantly, I went to the Hawaiian island of Maui in the middle of writing this album when the devastating fires happened. So I experienced both a beautiful vacation and a life threatening adventure, and all are reflected in these songs. 

How do you describe your sound and songbook? Where does your creative drive come from?

I always have a hard time describing my sound because I love so many different kinds of music. As a teenager I fell in love with all the psychedelic music of the 60’s, the San Francisco / Summer Of Love sound. There are lots of things I appreciate from the 70’s as well. And of course I grew up through the 80’s and 90’s, with MTV (when it was music) so there was so much to be inspired my. My creative drive has been with me ever since I picked up my first guitar at age 15. As I get older I like the feeling of endless potential, there is always room for improvement and to do more. The only limit is my imagination.

”I call myself a stubborn optimist, I’ll always fight for good. My parents were both University Professors, well educated historically and politically, and I inherited that, and it's troubling to see the things happening in the world now.” (Piet Dalmolen / Photo by Chester Cooley)

What moment changed your life the most? What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?

There are a few moments I could point to, musically speaking. The first one that stands out was a Grateful Dead concert, their last tour with Garcia. They were playing a classic, epic song, and a giant spotlight flashed on ten thousand people so full of joy in that moment, and that’s when I knew I had to do this with my life, one way or another. To be a part of creating that joy for people, and myself through the process. I also loved going to Europe a few times in my twenties, especially Amsterdam where my dad’s side of the family is from. It felt like the intersection of the whole world, culturally. So old and historic and so forward thinking at the same time. Lastly, the Hawaii trip that became part of this album is an experience I’ll never forget. At this point in my life and career I feel like it’s time to give it everything I have. 

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I don’t think I particularly miss anything from music of the past. There is so much that I appreciate, but you can’t stand still. (Ironic title for my album, “Time Stands Still”, because it certainly doesn’t!) I probably connect more with music from decades past than a lot of what is happening now, but I use that for motivation as an artist. I am often driven to create something that I want to hear that doesn’t exist yet. As for the future, it’s complicated. I call myself a stubborn optimist, I’ll always fight for good. My parents were both University Professors, well educated historically and politically, and I inherited that, and it's troubling to see the things happening in the world now. Adding to that is the anxiety of bringing kids into a struggling planet. Although, my whole life I’ve always fought for joy, and maybe that’s one of my drives an as artist. To create beauty through it all, no matter what.

If you could change one thing in the musical world and it would become a reality, what would that be?

A digital business model that allows artists to get paid fairly.

”I would say that my views of the world and the journeys I’ve taken have influenced my music. My parents were both well travelled with a diverse music collection and that had an influence on me from a young age.” (Photo: Diet Dalmolen)

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

One big lesson I’ve learned is to keep going. When I look back on my journey, I definitely had delusions of grandeur when I was younger. (Probably common). Life has a way of humbling you at some point, or at many points along the way. But putting my guitar down was never an option. Somewhere in the middle of the personal era that I would refer to as family/survival, I saw myself at a crossroads. I could grow old and become the literally tired cliche of someone who “used to play guitar/make music," or I could continue to improve and give the best I had to give. Creating a soundtrack of life with a guitar in my hand is the one thing that has always made sense to me. It’s how I relate to the world. And I’ve always believed in what I have to offer, regardless of the material rewards. 

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

That’s an interesting question for someone my age (46). All I can do is create music that I think is quality, that I’d want to hear. I think I have good taste and can play my instrument well, and I just go from there. I can be very critical/discerning/picky with other music that I listen to, and hopefully that helps me to avoid creating and putting out junk myself. I try to keep up with what’s happening, but I’ve never been a trend chaser. Good music, and good art, is timeless. I was just watching a Yacht Rock documentary and what struck me is how things can be so “in”, then totally uncool, then come back with a vengeance. As far as presenting to a new generation, I just see it as playing the games of social media, short form digital content, etc. It’s not particularly fulfilling to me, but I’d rather play along than sit on the sidelines and complain. On a positive note, I love how strongly the Vinyl format has come back. I’m so excited that with this album I have created my first proper “record,” and I am very proud of it.

Piet Dalmolen -Home

(Piet Dalmolen / Photo by Chris Parreira)