Interview
(Progressive Newsletter Nr.10 09/96)
excerpts from an interview with Jan Erik Liljeström (Vocals, Bass)
+ Nicklas Berg (Guitar, Mellotron)
(JEL)Virtalevy is our own creation. We chose self-production because we felt that we could promote the CD as well as the labels that had showed an interest in releasing "Vemod". By distributing the CD ourselves we get contacts with all kinds of people that are into this type of music. Because of these contacts we have gotten more into the business part of it all, and this has been an advantage. The fact that we like to have control over our work also led us to this decision. It has in retrospect proved to be the right move for us, although the business part takes up a lot of our time. Because of this we might choose a different solution for future releases.
How did it come to the publication of "Vemod" in Japan?
(JEL) We met a reprensentative of our current japanese distributor in conjunction with our gig at Progfest '94 in Los Angeles. He was a big fan of Anekdoten and has been selling a lot of imported "Vemod" CDs in his shop in Tokyo. He later told us he wanted to release "Vemod" on a new progressive label called Arcàngelo that he was establishing. We re-recorded an old tune that was on our first demo and included it on "Vemod" as a bonus track. "Nucleus" was also released in Japan as the second CD on Arcàngelo. I have now seen that the ex-King Crimson pianist Keth Tippett has released an album on the label as well.
You received very good reviews all over the world for your first album. How is the feedback for "Nucleus" so far?
(JEL) It seems like most reviewers prefer "Nucleus" to "Vemod". The CD has also already been sold in about as large quantaties as "Vemod", which of course is very nice. Some of the neo-prog-listeners seem to accept "Vemod", but have bigger problems getting into "Nucleus". Those who are used to listen to heavier music don't seem to have that problem, but there seems to be some kind of difference among the listeners in that respect.
Some people say you're just a King Crimson clone and copy music from the 70's. How can live with that reproach and what is your personal definiton of the music you play?
(NB) At the beginning of Anekdoten's existence we did many King Crimson songs, and because of that our sound became similar to the "Red"-era of Crimson. We were excited with the opportunities this heavy sound had in terms of compositions, expecially the fuzzbass which gives a very unique rhythm-section along with the drums. "Vemod" was written and recorded during a time when we were very influenced by Crimson. However, when I listen to the album now, I can spot other influences as well. "Nucleus" emerged in a period when we listened to a wide spectra of music; everything from classical to grunge and other modern music. The result is quite schizophrenic, but we wanted to do an album without compromising anything whatsoever. Maybe you could call it "very alternative rock". We are satisfied with the result and "Nucleus" is definitely a musical development. I feel we have an identiy of our own nowadays.
(JEL) We really don't care that much about the retro-stamp that we have been given by some people. We try to do good music as we can within the limits of our talents and skills and if this means that we will sound retro, then so be it. I believe that the music has a timeless quality and that people will enjoy it just as much after many years and many listens. Generally I feel that the record releases of the 70's have stood the test of time better than many of the records released in the 80's. Some of the basic recording-values got lost in the strive for clean productions in the 80's and the pendulum has now swung over to the other side again.
On the one side your music is sombre, aggressive and sometimes a bit depressive. On the other side the lyrics are filled with hope. What is the explanation for this contradiciton?
(JEL) I wouldn't characterize the lyrics as very hopeful, but I do try to write them in a human way. It is important to me that they encourage the human voice. The western so-called civilization of today is ruled by cold blooded institutions. We live in a time of great conflicts and unease and we have to find new way of looking at things. We know that there is something terribly wrong with the way we live, but we don't really change our behaviour much. I have not written any political lyrics for Anekdoten yet, but I try to make people think about their situation and our relations to one another. The change has to come from within and cannot be forced upon us from above. As for your interpretation of our music as aggressive and depressive it all has to do with what points of refernce you have. Relatively speaking our music is pretty harmonious if you think about what kind of music that could be created from the twelve-note scale. But if you would introduce our music to the average pop/rock-listener he would probably find it dark and depressing. The axis in popular music is turned very much into realms of inoffensive "muzak" with little tension. However, here is so much more musical terrain to explore and we like to experiment with tension and release, chaos and order, in our music.
Do you think that a band can be successful playing progressive rock nowadays?
(NB) The music climate has changed over the last years. When you watch MTV, you can hear that many bands nowadays are quite experimental. Some of them, for example Portishead and Smashing Pumpkins are really progressive and I think that those kind of bands made the ordinary listener more open to unique sounds and instrumental music, so I think that the time is right for progressive rock.
I had the chance to see you live last year in Würzburg. As I saw the real dynamic and expressive style you played it seemed clear to me that you are more a live than a studio band. How important is it for you to play live?
(NB) Playing live is the reward for all the hard work we do. When we are on stage we have the opportunity to express the songs as they were intended to. There are things that happen in live concerts that are impossible to capture on a studio recording. The energy between the performing band and the audience is of great significance and the whole experience of a rock concert is really something out of the ordinary. For us musicians nervousness plays an important role at a concert. When you are nervous your brain gets very creative . That is if you know how to handle the nervousness so it doesn't get out of hand. Sometimes you do things in concert that you didn't know you were capable of. We are definitely a live-band, but it is still very good to develop the songs in the stuido and one has to make albums in order to get gigs. But we prefer delivering the goods live, and it is the best way for us to promote our albums.
You played on the Progfest '94 in Los Angeles. How did Greg Walker become aware of you and which were the experiences you made while being in the U.S.A.?
(NB) Änglagård played an old Anekdoten demo to Greg Walker when they were in L.A. for Progfest '93 and when we released "Vemod" he started distributing us through his mail-order company. He liked us and invited us to Progfest '94. At about the same time the manager of the american band Discipline contacted us and asked us if we were interested in touring the States, which we of course were. The first gig took place at the Progfest in L.A., and I think the gig represents a highpoint in our musical career so far. The spirits were very high and the concert went well. The arrangements around the Progfest were very professional and Greg Walker and everyone involved in the project did a remarkable job. We continued the tour with gigs in Detroit, East Lansing, Québec and Baltimore supporting Discipline. This tour was also very well organized and the Discipline guys were wonderful people and a superb band. We also got the chance to see a lot of America as we were travelling from coast to coast. The gigs went well and we are very grateful to Greg Walker and Jeff Stone for bringing us there.
You have played in different countries and for different events. Are there any national differences regarding the reactions of the audience and which are your favourite concerts you played so far?
(NB) It is strange, but we have been very well received in all countries where we have performed. We still haven't experienced rotten tomtatoes being thrown at us at stage. Of course the audience in different countries have acted differnetly. The italian audience is very polite, sitting quiet on their chairs listening, whereas in Canada a concert means party. The german audience is really into the music and are very good at supporting the band on stage, which I like. Some of our most remorable gigs have been the Progfest '94 in L.A., the AKW in Würzburg and Québec in Canada.
Sweden seems to have taking over the leading role in progressive rock at the moment. Do you have any explanations for that?
(JEL) There is a solid rock tradition in Sweden. It has been comparatively easy to get a rehearsal studio and to play in a rock band has turned out to be some sort of popular movement here. It has been comparatively easy to get a prog rock record released independently or by a specialized label in the 90's. A big percentage of the bands that play this type of music have therefore released records. Many of the swedish bands have been playing together for quite some time, but haven't been able to find an audience for their music until recently. So there has also been a number of acts that have been around for a while, but have now started to get recognition.
Are you satsifeid with what you reached already, e.g. appreciation by the fans, being independent from big record companies or what would you like to change?
(NB) We are very satisfied with what we have reached so far. Our records have been sold with more than 20.000 copies and we have been fortunate to play in many countries. We have a big underground network with distributors, magazines, radiostations and so on, so we have managed quite well without a big record company. We have, however, started to do some licence deals with foreign record labels, for example in Japan, and this is something that we would like to explore further. It is nice to have control over our own affairs, especially when it comes to contracts with record companies, as they ar in most cases very unfavourable for the musicians involved. Many musicians struggle very hard to receive fair payment from their record companies. We would probably have to sell 200.000 copies of our CDs to equal the income we have had selling these records on our own. Our main aim is to reach a wider audience, so we will try to get better distribution for our music. I am certain that one can make a successful music career without being signed to a major record label.
Kristian Selm © Kristian Selm, Progressive Newsletter 1996