Interview
(Progressive Newsletter Nr.26 07/99)
excerpts from an interview with Roine Stolt (Vocals, Guitars)
It began as a 8 minute piece of Tomas Bodin, then I put vocal and lyrics on it and we started developing it together ending up with 20 minutes, I worked some more, throw in some vocal stuff more and we developed it even further, I called Tomas one day and said, "listen, we got this 60 minutes piece, is this madness?" He just laughed and said, "I know the progheads will go nuts over such a piece".
On your website you lowered the expectations for „Flower power“ reaching not as high „As stardust we are“. Comparing these two albums, do you honestly feel so?
Well, today I don't know, I still think "Stardust" is a Prog-rock statement of proportions, if I may say so, time will tell it's up there along the big one's. "Flower Power" is partly as good. Some of it is just beautiful ...... We've tried to strech even further towards experimental AND commercial, plus a good bit of Psychedelia however we do not use drugs. We wanted to make something that had the warmth of a 70's recording with a slightly muffeled sound ,we used a lot of expensive tube technology, but to be honest some of the 70's feel is unintentional, because of technincal errors. But I think over all the sound is very nice, the keyboards and guitars sound better than ever. And it gave it all a nice 70's sound. We've tried hard to stay away from stereotype neo prog digital sounds. We want to take the listener on to a journey, to experience something their 70 heroes did, but don't do today, and most other bands dare not, or are incapable of doing. We may be wrong, we may be Wagnerian fools, but we've tried, in the same spirit as "Sgt. Pepper" maybe or "Relayer", or "Electric Ladyland" , "Bitches Brew", "Sign O' the Times"...... Let's say "Flower Power" is different from "Stardust", others must judge if it's better !
On „Stardust we are“ just Tomas Bodin participated as a co-writer, on „Flower power“ almost every one of the band was involved in the writing process. Did this happen out of the more and more growing group feeling in the band or was it a natural process that the others also wanted to participate on an album?
The other members have contributed more on this CD in terms of composing, yes. Tomas and I wrote the 59 minutes piece together. On "Stardust" I wrote most songs , on this one we have more contributions from other members of the band, but I would lie if I'd say that we experience a "growing groupfeeling". Everyone is very much involved with their own business and don't live with Flower Kings as a main thing in their lives as I do. I asked them to contribute and at least some of them did. I know you would all like us to be a wonderful flowerfamily, but we're not. We are individuals, with individual goals, some want fame, some want money, some want to serve God or the Flower King, some want to travel and have fun. I dare not wish anyone to share my vision in this project ,so I'm happy with the small contributions I get from the others. And I very much plan the next steps on my own.The King is my baby, I must take care of it as nobody else would .
Every time seeing the Flower Kings playing live it’s different, because you rearrange songs or improvise. How much of what is happening live is planned and how much is really spontaneous?
Maybe 90 % planned. But yes, we re-arrange from time to time. Now I feel we've done the plain "playing the songs" thing all over, Japan, South America, USA, Europe. I feel we must incorporate some serious light show, effects, and film and image projection in the near future. It will cost us a fortune but I know a spectacle will draw much more attention and raise ticket sales for our shows. So maybe it'll pay off in the long run.
In March you played in Tokyo and Osaka. How where you received by the fans and which impressions of Japan did you take home?
Japan was interesting, the tour support and organization was amazing. We actually made some money for a change! And they supported us in every possible way, the technical arrangements were top class! Unfortunately I was ill during our stay, I may have had a minor collapse because of too much work with my Record Label. We recorded the 3 shows on multitrack and may use some on the upcoming live CD .
Last year you toured extensivly through South- and Northamerica. How did things work out on that tour?
South America was very good, we had 300-400 people on places we never played before in Argentina and Brazil. The audience was very good, but the people working with technical stuff were not that good unfortunately, but it didn't seem to affect our impact, success. So I guess everyone was happy. U.S.A. was both good and bad. New York was great, ProgDay OK, Boston and Washington OK but too poor attendance, due to poor information in progcircles. Lot of people who had liked to see us wasn't aware of the shows and they were really let down when they found out afterwards that we had played their area.
On your american tour, Robert Engstrand replaced Tomas Bodin due to time reasons. Was he just engaged for the tour or are are there further plans of cooperation with him?
Flower Kings is really very much like this: Roine says: "I have this tour, can you play it ?" and the bandmember say "yes I can" or "no I cannot ", consequently some go on the road and some don't. "The bus" is going anyway it turns out, it wont stop just because some member have other committments. Robert did a great job, and you will see this for yourselves, as he is replacing Tomas on this Summer gigs, Burg Herzberg and Vigevano Festival plus the September gigs. It's perfectly OK , I know many people adore Tomas playing but Robert is as good! So, don't worry, he's a wiz!
„The cinema show“ was included in a shortened version on the Genesis tribute „The fox lies down“. Who had the idea of shortend this song and what do you think about the sampler at all, for that it included not overall very good interpretations of Genesis classics?
I think the sampler is below standard. I'd prefer Steve Hacketts "Genesis Revisited" or the originals. However I think our version of "Cinema show" is very good and the highlight of the CD. Unfortunately the record company cut it down from our 11 minutes full version. But the fans can get it in full version on our japanese version of "Scanning The Greenhouse". And I have an excellent, but slightly unrehearsed, live surprise version of "The Lamb Lies down on Broadway " from our recent show in Quebec city. It rocks!!
Kristian Selm © Progressive Newsletter 1999