Interview

(Progressive Newsletter Nr.46 10/03)
excerpts from an interview with Hans Lundin (Keyboards)

On your previous album "Notes from the past", some ideas were used that have already been written in the past. Does "Keyholder" therefore only include new material, which has been composed in the last two years or were also some older ideas used?

All songs on “NFTP” were written between 1997 - 2000 except the song “Folke’s final decision” that was written way back in the late 80’s. The songs on “Keyholder” are all written the last two years with one exception. The song “Sonic pearls” was mainly written in June 1998 when I travelled through the Swedish landscape by train after mixing the Hagen album in a small village called Yttermalung, up in Dalarna. The strong folk music feeling still lingered inside of me and opened up the basic idea to this song. It was originally meant to be included on “Notes from the past”.


After the experiences with "Notes from the past", has the working process for "Keyholder" been much easier, running smoother?

The recording of “NFTP” was an almost unbelievable history starting with me and Roine Stolt and ending with a brand new constellation of musicians and new friends finding it’s way into the new album “Keyholder”. You can read the whole story on www.kaipa.info The History part 2. Of course it has been both easier and smoother this time. The musicians were present in my thoughts already in the writing process.


Were there some changes in the working and writing process comparing the last two albums?

This time Roine and I decided to have a deeper collaboration and produce the album together. During the making of “Keyholder”, Roine took a more active part in the arrangements and honing my compositions and in writing the lyrics, as well as in the mixing. So I think perhaps you can hear more of his fingerprints on the final sound of this production than on “NFTP”.


Who had the idea for the fantasy-like artwork?

The original artwork is made by Jan Ternald, an artist and also a former musician. During the 70’s he played in the Swedish bands “Älgarnas Trädgård” and “Fläsket Brinner” and did cover-art for Bo Hansson. He was introduced to us by Per Nordin who made the artwork to “NFTP”. Both Roine and I thought this artwork was really great and would be perfect for the new album.


Are you satisfied with the feedback that you've received so far, since the release of "Notes from the past"?

Yes definitely, I think people in general were a little bit suspicious concerning this comeback after almost 20 years of silence. Which is understandable… I am always suspicious about come-backs, so why shouldn’t others be as well? But the feedback was fantastic which I am deeply grateful for. I appreciate all the generous feed-back we have received and the support from both old and new Kaipa-listeners.


Most of the material on the last two albums were written by you. Even though there's a kind of sonical and compostional reference to the Flower Kings, not only because Roine is playing the guitar in both bands. Was he therefore influenced by your style or where does this connection come from?

I don’t think that originally it’s really so much influences from each other as that we both share the same cultural/musical environment. We were working close together in Kaipa during the 70’s because we shared the same taste for this special type of music and shared the same cultural/musical references and influences. Together with the other members we developed this into the very special and personal Kaipa music. When we separated later we both carried this tradition with us. When Roine later formed “The Flower Kings” this tradition became a part of this band, and when I wrote the songs to “NFTP” it became a part of that project. For me it was a most natural thing to ask him to play on this record. He brought back his developed style of playing, born out of our old tradition, and incorporated this in my compositions making this a very pleasant, special and personal musical meeting.


Are there also plans of performing live or will Kaipa stay only a studio project?

Kaipa is a studio project. So far there are no plans for playing live.


Do you have any plans of releasing old Kaipa unreleased material in the near future, e.g. a box of live material?

The three first Kaipa albums will be remastered and re-released on Inside Out. The plans today are to make a box including these albums and an additional CD with live and unreleased material. But no release date is set yet.


Kristian Selm © Progressive Newsletter 2003