Il y aurait vraiment beaucoup à dire de tout ça mais le plus important est que tu prennes soin de toi et que tu prennes les décisions qui te conviennent toi pour la bonne réalisation de tes projets et plus largement pour ton équilibre émotionnel, même si certaines décisions ne sont pas faciles à prendre.
Et je suis pressée d'en savoir plus sur la future tournée 2026!
Prendre des décisions ayant un impact sur les gens qui m'entourent a toujours été très difficile pour moi. Je me suis beaucoup oublié à travers le rôle de dynamo collectif que je m’impose encore trop souvent. Cette réalité a donné un pouvoir indécent sur ma vie, mes rêves et ma santé affective à des personnes qui n’avaient aucun scrupule face à la violence de leurs abus… Je le savais, je l’ai toujours su, mais il y avait toujours cette voix en moi qui disait : « Persévère, n’abandonne personne derrière. » Et au final, c’est moi que j’ai abandonné à travers toutes ces années.
Tu me connais, je referais exactement la même chose si je pouvais revenir en arrière… Ce qui fait que je n’éprouve aucun regret face à tout ça. Oui, il reste les profondes blessures psychologiques, les rendez-vous manqués, les envies niées, la scarification liée à la culpabilité d’avoir l’impression de ne pas en avoir fait assez, ou du moins, pas mieux… Mais ça, c’est l’aventure qu’est la vie. Et c’est surtout ce que je fais de tout ça aujourd’hui qui donne à ces sentiments d’échec et à ces blessures leur véritable valeur.
Je sais que me choisir sera toujours un défi pour moi, mais c’est une réalité avec laquelle je suis volontaire à composer, et une vérité que j’accueille en étant conscient qu’elle n’est pas immuable. Cet état de déséquilibre émotionnel ne me condamne pas — du moins, je ne le laisse plus m’accabler. Ce fut un long voyage, mais j’en suis grandi à plusieurs égards.
Pour ce qui est de la tournée en 2026, elle est directement liée à ce que je suis en train de me livrer présentement… Je suis impatient de voir tout ça se dévoiler devant mes yeux. Mais pour l’instant, je suis immergé dans la création, alors je suis résolument dans le now ;)
Such an amazing Q&A, and your answers are just as great. Thank you for sharing where you are at personally right now, which allows you to speak about all those questions with so much simplicity. I can feel a lot of love, but also freedom. It's so good to hear you say that you are now in the right place, living what you always wished, dreamed, and prayed for, both personally and through the creation that begins with who you are. It's truly inspiring.
That moment remains one of the most poignant and significant instants of my life. I saw what faith truly means, and had I possessed her courage, I would walk my life’s journey in a very different way... but it's one step at the time, always, so there's hope!
Merci mon petit frère pour cette continuité dans les éclaircissements, les différentes clartés mises en lumières de tes voyages intérieurs émotionnels qui nous parviennent à travers tes expériences musicales et humaines. Merci à tou.s.tes. Prends soin de toi, tu avais l'air d'avoir la gorge un peu enrouée. ;)
Je comprends parfaitement. Nos erreurs plus que nos échecs nous permettent au final de mieux nous comprendre et d'entrer en phase de résilence créatrice motrice sans peurs et sans heurts. Hope :) Gros becs ;)
Everything is a team effort. I usually bring the concepts, ideas, or sensations I’d like to see embodied.
From there, I collaborate with Stéphanie, who’s a fantastic photographer and designer, on every single visual element.
When it comes to film, it’s mainly my longtime creative brother Ben (who’s also part of the Long Shadows) and I who envision the direction together. And for pretty much every video I’ve released over the past 12–18 months, Ben has been the one editing and breathing life into it all.
He’s quite an artist. I’ll be sure to share your comment with him, he’ll be happy to hear it, especially since we didn’t have much to work with for that specific project... he did quite a "miracle" with this one 😉
Since you’re inviting us to ask questions about A Nightfall Ritual for the next Q&A… In the writing session video included in the DVD bonus material, we can hear the song "From The City to the Ocean".
When you recently talked about the concert in Taiwan, it reminded me that you had dedicated this song to your father during the festival performance that was broadcast on YouTube…
What does it mean to you to include this song in the DVD?
Not only in relation to your father, but also considering that it’s a Your Favorite Enemies song and now that you're rethinking the lineup and direction of The Long Shadows… I’m really curious!
"From The City To The Ocean" has always been a very intimate song for me, which I guess explains why it was a little distant from the usual sonic aesthetic I had shaped with "Your Favorite Enemies" over the years. That might also be why it's the only song from the YFE era that I wrote which I decided to carry into my current creative universe as of now.
Therefore, it was significant for me to share its ongoing evolution through the "A Nightfall Ritual" project. I’ll try to talk a bit more about it during the next Thursday-ish Q&A, since it’ll be focused on that specific project.
Thank you very much Alex! It's very interesting! I didn't have the chance to hear that version live yet, in the form of Alex Henry Foster, but I am sure that it's a complete different vibe! I'm curious about your next Q&A!
It’s interesting that you’re sharing your opinion about the Bob Vylan situation. I’m totally on your side with that one!
I saw Godspeed You! Black Emperor live, and one of their amps had “Transphobes eat shit and die alone” written on it. I was honestly shocked. Later on, I was even called a transphobe just because I said it was wrong to wish death on someone…
How do you manage to share your opinion with people who are already crucifying you just because you think differently than they do?
Isn’t it strange to live in a world where being a humanist is often seen as retrograde? It’s honestly quite puzzling to me. Even though I never shy away from offering my humble perspective on complex, dramatic, and often terrible situations when being asked. But I’m also well aware that every single word I share will be scrutinized and potentially weaponized. That’s the echo-system we all have to navigate through now.
I’ve never trusted the sidelined preachers or the self-appointed curators of “pure conscience” to begin with… they all have their agenda and I'm doubtful that it has anything to do with compassion or progress, especially when violence becomes a fair option... regardless of the “why” or the context... then conversation becomes impossible. It’s like a new kind of cult.
I miss the world where talking, sharing, and exchanging ideas was the foundation of a healthy relationship, when it shaped and reshaped our opinions. When thinking and reflecting were part of the process. Now, it seems to be all about: “If I feel it, it’s true.” Fair enough. But why am I suddenly a "subversive" individual just because I don’t feel the same?
I used to be an activist, until I spent time in Haiti as a social worker. Boots on the ground give you perspective… but listening to other people’s realities expands your heart in a truly magnificent way.
Long answer just to say: Keep being you. As long as you remain open to receiving others and willing to share who you are, you’ll continue to grow and you never know what beauty might bloom from that kind of kindness of yours.
Some people will be touched by the generosity of your heart, and others won’t. That, too, is part of engaging with others... it hurts to be judged, rejected and ostracized by people... even more when they are standing for openness and apathy... it's frustratingly doesn't make any sense... but it is sadly what it is.
One thing for sure, you’ll never be "off" for being honest and willing to be wrong somehow... those who aren't as disposed, oh well. 😉
Thanks for taking the time to do this, it’s incredibly insightful! You mentioned that you were planning to go to Tangier to write an album… but now it seems like it’s becoming more of a “project,” especially with the concert in Maastricht and that new song you created… “Champions of Nothing”?
Okay… long intro on my part, I admit 😅 — but here’s my question: When will we get to hear that one?
Thank you, Dominick, for your question—and great introduction. 😉
Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it. It was originally created as a one-off moment for the Midsummer Prog Festival. Like most of the songs I’ve written specifically for a tour or a festival, I never truly intended to release them afterward.
That being said, it's not a final decision on my part. Sharing is part of the communion I have with you all.
J’essaie de ne pas trop me préparer à l’avance… d’où le fait que ça peut partir un peu dans tous les sens, je suppose lol. Je veux que ce soit un échange organique, et non une tribune standardisée.
L’idée de la communauté, pour moi, c’est justement de pouvoir m’exprimer sans retenue, et surtout d’échanger avec vous sans limitation.
Donc c’est un vrai "work in progress" pour moi, d’autant plus que je suis celui qui filme, monte et publie… ce qui peut aussi expliquer la qualité joyeusement « amateur » du contenu, en comparaison avec ce que j’espère être la richesse du fond. 😉
Il y aurait vraiment beaucoup à dire de tout ça mais le plus important est que tu prennes soin de toi et que tu prennes les décisions qui te conviennent toi pour la bonne réalisation de tes projets et plus largement pour ton équilibre émotionnel, même si certaines décisions ne sont pas faciles à prendre.
Et je suis pressée d'en savoir plus sur la future tournée 2026!
Merci Sandrine,
Prendre des décisions ayant un impact sur les gens qui m'entourent a toujours été très difficile pour moi. Je me suis beaucoup oublié à travers le rôle de dynamo collectif que je m’impose encore trop souvent. Cette réalité a donné un pouvoir indécent sur ma vie, mes rêves et ma santé affective à des personnes qui n’avaient aucun scrupule face à la violence de leurs abus… Je le savais, je l’ai toujours su, mais il y avait toujours cette voix en moi qui disait : « Persévère, n’abandonne personne derrière. » Et au final, c’est moi que j’ai abandonné à travers toutes ces années.
Tu me connais, je referais exactement la même chose si je pouvais revenir en arrière… Ce qui fait que je n’éprouve aucun regret face à tout ça. Oui, il reste les profondes blessures psychologiques, les rendez-vous manqués, les envies niées, la scarification liée à la culpabilité d’avoir l’impression de ne pas en avoir fait assez, ou du moins, pas mieux… Mais ça, c’est l’aventure qu’est la vie. Et c’est surtout ce que je fais de tout ça aujourd’hui qui donne à ces sentiments d’échec et à ces blessures leur véritable valeur.
Je sais que me choisir sera toujours un défi pour moi, mais c’est une réalité avec laquelle je suis volontaire à composer, et une vérité que j’accueille en étant conscient qu’elle n’est pas immuable. Cet état de déséquilibre émotionnel ne me condamne pas — du moins, je ne le laisse plus m’accabler. Ce fut un long voyage, mais j’en suis grandi à plusieurs égards.
Pour ce qui est de la tournée en 2026, elle est directement liée à ce que je suis en train de me livrer présentement… Je suis impatient de voir tout ça se dévoiler devant mes yeux. Mais pour l’instant, je suis immergé dans la création, alors je suis résolument dans le now ;)
Tanger n’attend que toi, par contre ;)
Il n'y a rien de mieux que le "now". 😉
L'important est de ne pas regretter et de se tourner vers l'avenir ! Ce qui ne nous tue pas nous rend plus fort...
J'espère que Tanger continuera à m'attendre.
Prends bien soin de toi mon cher frère précieux !
Such an amazing Q&A, and your answers are just as great. Thank you for sharing where you are at personally right now, which allows you to speak about all those questions with so much simplicity. I can feel a lot of love, but also freedom. It's so good to hear you say that you are now in the right place, living what you always wished, dreamed, and prayed for, both personally and through the creation that begins with who you are. It's truly inspiring.
thanks to you Sandra for being such a defining accomplice to explore and discover a little more about life with me, it's a real privilege.
Very inspiring! I am so happy that you grab life like the woman on the wheel chair (concert in Japan) and stand up to live!
Thank you Alex ;-)
Thank you, Sergio.
That moment remains one of the most poignant and significant instants of my life. I saw what faith truly means, and had I possessed her courage, I would walk my life’s journey in a very different way... but it's one step at the time, always, so there's hope!
Merci mon petit frère pour cette continuité dans les éclaircissements, les différentes clartés mises en lumières de tes voyages intérieurs émotionnels qui nous parviennent à travers tes expériences musicales et humaines. Merci à tou.s.tes. Prends soin de toi, tu avais l'air d'avoir la gorge un peu enrouée. ;)
Merci à toi, ma précieuse sœur,
Tu me connais : je ne crois pas en un absolu limitatif, mais en une résilience transformatrice.
C’est ce qui me permet aujourd’hui de vivre un peu plus avec le cœur, et un peu moins avec cette hésitation née de la crainte de l’échec.
Si je me trompe, j’apprends, et je continue. Cela ne me paralyse plus.
Merci pour ton cœur.
Big hug!!!
Je comprends parfaitement. Nos erreurs plus que nos échecs nous permettent au final de mieux nous comprendre et d'entrer en phase de résilence créatrice motrice sans peurs et sans heurts. Hope :) Gros becs ;)
Thanks being a positive impact around the world 🌎 Alex. Thanks for sharing ✨️
Thank you Cyn for being part of that positive impact around the world, you have a magnificent heart!!!
❤️🔥✨️🫂
😎🔥🤘🤘🤘
Thank you for being part of the community Nicholas, it means a lot to me!!!
I would like to know who is doing the filmwork and the composition with images from Cologne and layers of clouds and birds. It`s absolutely stunning
Thank you, Andrea, for your question.
Everything is a team effort. I usually bring the concepts, ideas, or sensations I’d like to see embodied.
From there, I collaborate with Stéphanie, who’s a fantastic photographer and designer, on every single visual element.
When it comes to film, it’s mainly my longtime creative brother Ben (who’s also part of the Long Shadows) and I who envision the direction together. And for pretty much every video I’ve released over the past 12–18 months, Ben has been the one editing and breathing life into it all.
He’s quite an artist. I’ll be sure to share your comment with him, he’ll be happy to hear it, especially since we didn’t have much to work with for that specific project... he did quite a "miracle" with this one 😉
Can we expect a deluxe edition of A Nightfall Ritual, including the full concert?
Thank you Jon for your question,
That's a good question... the next Q&A Thursday/ish will be dedicated to the "A Nightfall Ritual" project, so I'll make sure to answer your question.
Amazing view, Alex, from La Maison de Tanger! :)
Since you’re inviting us to ask questions about A Nightfall Ritual for the next Q&A… In the writing session video included in the DVD bonus material, we can hear the song "From The City to the Ocean".
When you recently talked about the concert in Taiwan, it reminded me that you had dedicated this song to your father during the festival performance that was broadcast on YouTube…
What does it mean to you to include this song in the DVD?
Not only in relation to your father, but also considering that it’s a Your Favorite Enemies song and now that you're rethinking the lineup and direction of The Long Shadows… I’m really curious!
Thank you, Max, for your question.
"From The City To The Ocean" has always been a very intimate song for me, which I guess explains why it was a little distant from the usual sonic aesthetic I had shaped with "Your Favorite Enemies" over the years. That might also be why it's the only song from the YFE era that I wrote which I decided to carry into my current creative universe as of now.
Therefore, it was significant for me to share its ongoing evolution through the "A Nightfall Ritual" project. I’ll try to talk a bit more about it during the next Thursday-ish Q&A, since it’ll be focused on that specific project.
Thank you very much Alex! It's very interesting! I didn't have the chance to hear that version live yet, in the form of Alex Henry Foster, but I am sure that it's a complete different vibe! I'm curious about your next Q&A!
It’s interesting that you’re sharing your opinion about the Bob Vylan situation. I’m totally on your side with that one!
I saw Godspeed You! Black Emperor live, and one of their amps had “Transphobes eat shit and die alone” written on it. I was honestly shocked. Later on, I was even called a transphobe just because I said it was wrong to wish death on someone…
How do you manage to share your opinion with people who are already crucifying you just because you think differently than they do?
Thank you, Dorothy.
Isn’t it strange to live in a world where being a humanist is often seen as retrograde? It’s honestly quite puzzling to me. Even though I never shy away from offering my humble perspective on complex, dramatic, and often terrible situations when being asked. But I’m also well aware that every single word I share will be scrutinized and potentially weaponized. That’s the echo-system we all have to navigate through now.
I’ve never trusted the sidelined preachers or the self-appointed curators of “pure conscience” to begin with… they all have their agenda and I'm doubtful that it has anything to do with compassion or progress, especially when violence becomes a fair option... regardless of the “why” or the context... then conversation becomes impossible. It’s like a new kind of cult.
I miss the world where talking, sharing, and exchanging ideas was the foundation of a healthy relationship, when it shaped and reshaped our opinions. When thinking and reflecting were part of the process. Now, it seems to be all about: “If I feel it, it’s true.” Fair enough. But why am I suddenly a "subversive" individual just because I don’t feel the same?
I used to be an activist, until I spent time in Haiti as a social worker. Boots on the ground give you perspective… but listening to other people’s realities expands your heart in a truly magnificent way.
Long answer just to say: Keep being you. As long as you remain open to receiving others and willing to share who you are, you’ll continue to grow and you never know what beauty might bloom from that kind of kindness of yours.
Some people will be touched by the generosity of your heart, and others won’t. That, too, is part of engaging with others... it hurts to be judged, rejected and ostracized by people... even more when they are standing for openness and apathy... it's frustratingly doesn't make any sense... but it is sadly what it is.
One thing for sure, you’ll never be "off" for being honest and willing to be wrong somehow... those who aren't as disposed, oh well. 😉
Thanks for taking the time to do this, it’s incredibly insightful! You mentioned that you were planning to go to Tangier to write an album… but now it seems like it’s becoming more of a “project,” especially with the concert in Maastricht and that new song you created… “Champions of Nothing”?
Okay… long intro on my part, I admit 😅 — but here’s my question: When will we get to hear that one?
Thank you, Dominick, for your question—and great introduction. 😉
Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it. It was originally created as a one-off moment for the Midsummer Prog Festival. Like most of the songs I’ve written specifically for a tour or a festival, I never truly intended to release them afterward.
That being said, it's not a final decision on my part. Sharing is part of the communion I have with you all.
Any suggestions?
Wow, merci!!
Merci a toi Annie, je suis très heureux que tu prennes part à la communauté et à ces moments.
Ce format de Q&A est très riche,merci Alex !
Merci Stéphanie,
J’essaie de ne pas trop me préparer à l’avance… d’où le fait que ça peut partir un peu dans tous les sens, je suppose lol. Je veux que ce soit un échange organique, et non une tribune standardisée.
L’idée de la communauté, pour moi, c’est justement de pouvoir m’exprimer sans retenue, et surtout d’échanger avec vous sans limitation.
Donc c’est un vrai "work in progress" pour moi, d’autant plus que je suis celui qui filme, monte et publie… ce qui peut aussi expliquer la qualité joyeusement « amateur » du contenu, en comparaison avec ce que j’espère être la richesse du fond. 😉