 This is an interview I did in 2003 and I just can't remember who it was for! I just stumbled upon it on my hard-drive while making this new EM site. So instead of skipping it I thought it would be rather nice to include it as an additional interview. It covers some interesting grounds and is also complete with all the answers so... enjoy! (I hope You understand the english in the questions, I remember I had a hard time with it...) 1) Hi Marcus,say some enterance words to our readers about ur project Elvira Madigan. Hi. Well, Elvira Madigan is a project that spawned out of the desire to take a step aside from what is commonly released in the music industry to devote entire creations to artistic freedom and "genreless" expression. I recorded my first tracks in 1998 without a single clue of where I was heading and now (after releasing two other albums on my own recordcompany Northlore Records) all my work is to be rereleased with full distribution on another record company. "Witches - Salem (1692 vs 2001)" is the latest effort and is the first one to be released on Black Lodge (and in most countries it is already released by now). Soon "Blackarts" is to be rereleased as well, and hopefully also the songs I recorded in 1998 who are still in it's entirety unreleased (as part of the selftitled debut). Other than that I can say that Elvira Madigan is a project rather hard to define. I started it all to quite egoistically record my material without external interference (such as secondary opinions and eventual market sales) in order to find out how all those riffs and songs I had written up until that time would end up if written and arranged only in a way I myself would find perfect. I am rather surprised Elvira Madigan has become as vital as it is today, for I never really planned to do all this. It's just a journey I embarked on in order to express myself artistically and it all came together quite nicely! 2) How Elvira needed to come into being? I had some bad experiences in previous band and I also had tons of material just stocking up and really needed to get things off my head. I was also quite bored with my own songs up until then, since I - before Elvira Madigan - had a tendency to write music according to all those unwritten laws in music (refering to song structures like: verse - bridge - verse - bridge - chorus - verse - bridge - chorus - solo - chorus - end. Most songs regardless of genre are arranged this way). My lyrics ended up with a bitter taste of lacking in originality since one quite easily falls into the trap of unknowingly gathering phrases here and there, and when composing own lyrics for a song - suddenly things feels eerily familiar and quite unoriginal. I really wanted to reflect all that creativity that lurked within myself and approach it without comparing it to things one normally hears. I wanted to make MY own music and really feel like this was MY journey and not something done with secondary intentions (such as becoming a "rock-star" or earning money). I wanted to do it ONLY for the music and nothing else. Only for the art. That's partly why I write some of my lyrics in Swedish for instance. 3) What are u doing nowadays? I talk about promote the band,new album,some shows etc... I can't play live obviously, since it's only me in this little project of mine. But that also means (that I am alone that is) that I am extremely busy practically always with stuff related to Elvira Madigan in one way or another. I have finished recorded my next release which will be a covers album called "Angelis Deamonae - Wiccan Aftermath". This album was actually finished in January this year and is still waiting on all the negotiations with Black Lodge. It is quite unnerving to just sit and wait, but I really don't want to throw things away by signing just anything when I have done so much by myself and had so much control of everything. I don't want to squander anything as well as make sure I can get financially what is reasonable to befall unto me. I have signed deals in the past without being so careful and I'm not doing that mistake again. Well, back to the covers album; It's a great piece of work and sounds just as artistic as my own original releases. I have taken great care in choosing tracks that are more or less unknown to the metal community and also made sure they all sound "Elvira Madigan"! I can assure You that NO covers album ANYWHERE sounds like this! It has instrumental parts and strangely arranged tracks just as my previous work and is filled to the brim with energy. I'm not a huge fan of covers albums myself so You can understand that I wouldn't do this if it wasn't justified. I mentioned the covers album was finished in January... Since then I have rebuilt my studio and have since April been recording my next original album. Now unfortuanly (though I have recorded quite much already) I can't say much about it at this point. Everything always changes along the way, but it seems to have a few more faster tracks and it is going to be only in English since there is a storyline running through the album. I've worked my butt off with this story and I have felt increasingly dissatisfied with the way concept albums are made these days so I thought this might be the right thing to do. I mean; most "rock operas" don't even get the story through and the listener is completely unaware or uninterested of that story that is well hidden behind buttered up phrases lik "Spread You Wings", "Sword of - this and of that" and so on. What I mean to say is, I intend to release a concept album with a story that is crystal clear just like any King Diamond album but with my personal twist on the use of the English language. Apart from new releases I have been busy with the making of the new website that will launch as soon as negotiations are over. I have also scheduled time to check out whether there is a possibility to remix "Blackarts" before its release in the new studio. 4) I'm wonder why u use synths and effects in ur music? I guess do u choose making an ambiance of avantgarde and gothic by using progressive elements and heavy guitar behind extreme music. It's all about art. It's all about recording whatever is needed for that particular track in order to make it perfect. I am a huge fan of thrash metal (the kind of thrash I grew up with during the eigthies that is...) which doesn't incorporate synths at all, but I also love stuff like Anathema, the Gathering, Tori Amos and Marillion who all incorporate tons of synths - and Elvira Madigan is the result of all my wishes to express myself and I obviously write the kind of music I am inspired by or feel moved by. Whatever has an effect on me and touches my creative nerve gets mixed upp with everything else that inspires and and "voila!" out comes my own music. Music has to have a certain depth in order to be vital and touch that special nerve inside ones soul so that You might feel moved. Synths enable alot of that if used properly. 5) U use progressive elements in ur music,especially trying to use of guitar rytmes and solos, a difference of goth black is this, what do u think about this? It is rather different than what is generally described as goth or Black Metal. But I don't really catagorize my music in any specific genre. I listen to so much and when I record and write it ends up in a certain way without me anylizing it too much. I can get quite surprised at times thinking how original some of my stuff appears. I might even be surprised that "I" have written it, but I suppose it is all due to the wide spectrum of creative input and output I devote myself to. Most of my basic music that I have early on in the writing process is rarely Black Metal. In fact, I don't really consider my music very "Black". Take away the vocals and the music is more like Speed Metal. It might also be rather unfair to those who REALLY play Black Metal to call my stuff "Black". The reason my guitars micht feel "progressive" is probably because I don't really focus on just one particular instrument when writing. Every instrument is played in order to connect with all the other and therefor when attention is shifted on a particular song all the instruments have to adapt. Some riffs might be really strange or quite straightforward in order to fit the current mood. This "shifting" of attention is probably a main factor towards the music "progressive" feel. I myself like very little progressive music to be honest. 6) please tell me ur past workings about music before Elvira? I have played in a couple of acts as well as a few other less serious constellations. None of my previous bands did get any larger amount of attention though. The first band I joined was called "Ethnocide" and we played Death Metal in the very early nineties, some of the fellow bands who were part of that scene and who played the same gigs in the same area of Stockholm are now huge! After that I had a band called Andalucia for some three or four years who played Heavy Metal. My experiences of that particluar band is more or less directly responsible for me starting Elvira Madigan. None of my previous endeavours did actually release anything (except Ethnocide who released a demo tape - excluding me. It would be fun to hear it though!). 7) Ur screamy voices look like a bit Dani Filth in witches I guess, to u what's it looking like? Is it disturbing listeners or fans? It is not disturbing to the listeners as far as I know. The only one who starts to get disturbed by those comparisons is actually me. But I can respect that people think that as long as it only concerns the singing. Some think my music is very much like Cradle of Filth and that is starting to get a little bit annoying. On the other hand; I remember how Crimson Glory when they released "Transcendence" always had to be compared to Queensryche. If one looks back at those bands now, it is rather clear they have their own approach and their own particular style. Eventually, people will come to understand how different Elvira Madigan and Cradle of Filth are as well. My keyboards contain far more emotional spectra than any of Cradle of Filths work (who focus more on horror), and my general approach has little to do with the gore and necrophilia that Cradle of Filth incorporates. I myself would draw parallels more easily towards Blind Guardian if one really needs to have a larger act to compare with. 8) How much new age styles or ethnical movements of music marketing influence to ur music? Do u listen this styles much? I am not sure of what You refer to here. I do enjoy folk music as it is played here in Scandinavia and I love folk inspired bands like Subway to Sally and SKyclad as well as Hedningarna and other nordic Rock/Folk stuff. I don't listen to ethnic music from abroad. Nothing like Celtic folk or South American folk. I can unfortuanly not relate to that kind of culture and musical tradition. I just need to take a walk in the dark woods of my country in the deep winter to connect to all that folklore and folkmusic of the past that spawned out of what I today might see. To me, that is the power behind folk or traditional music. Some get stuck up on thinking Vikings (Eddan) or Trolls are cool conceptions but things might get pulled out of context then. One needs to connect with that raw energy to fully make folk believable. And in Elvira Madigan alot of my creativity gets the same general expression. 9) Ur music has a conceptional implict about witches,and this concept really fit Elvira's sound. What is the main point of ur conceptional? I am glad You find it fitting! I am greatly inspired by strong and towering poetry as well as folklore and erotic stuff. I truly love to check out stuff from the darker side as well. Now, I am truly not satanist - but I have actually studied much in the subject and the general affirmation to the human nature that actually IS satanism is very sound indeed. And the general crimes commited by every damn religion in the world today as well as in the past makes it so easy to write darker lyrics and indirectly critisize the powers that be. Now, as I said - I am not satanist and neither is Elvira Madigan but the kind of storytelling that fits me and my art is related to Witchcraft and sensuality as well as folklore. Early conceptions (I mean pre- medieval) of Satan is highly interesting and is a huge inspiration. Before the Dark Ages Satan was the most beautiful of Angels and his nature was equivalent with "Individuality" and "Creativity" and how organised religions can possibly find those qualities "Evil" is completely bewildering to me. Also, there's not much more sexier than a raunchy vampirish young lady implementing witchcraft and living according to her own flesh is there? 10) Which type of drum percussion u used in ur album? I think generally it's ok but parts of speedy black drum kicks lool like a mock appearance. I use a drummachine that I have worked with several years before recording for Elvira Madigan in order to perfect the sound. I think it kicks ass! And alot of people have had a hard time realizing it IS a drum machine. It doesn't sound too neat or perfect. 11) How do u make musical compositions? Tell me which elements u use much or less in ur musicaltalent? I make my songs out of something basic and then add stuff upon that by improvising and trying to find out what is good for that specific song. I may write the song on guitars or keyboards or have a general idea of what I want to achive and then program the drums according to that. After I am satisfied with the song with drums I start recording the guitars and differnt other stuff. I basically work with the song until it gets a life of its own and more or less tells me what is needed and what has to be changed. I might completely rewrite some riffs or melodies along the way and exclude stuff that are great just to make the finished song in its entirety perfect. That is much the case, since I don't really focus on one particular instrument to shine through. I listen to what fits THE SONG and the instruments and everything the song consists of has to bend to that. At times it is a grueling task but when the song is finished and I listen to it with immense pride - it's all worth it! But the fact that I use such puzzling song structures forces me to put extra effort into making the song linear yet very interesting as well as keeping all those tempo changes that I just love and has become a vital ingridient in my music. 12) Can u say me why u do this kind of music? Is this a special pleasure or meaning of a gothman or etc...? Well, I don't know it I am a gothman... But I do this kind of music because I think it is the best possible stuff I can make and I can write anything I want and still end up with something that can be incorporated in Elvira Madigan. At first I did try to analyze my stuff in order to make it as good and original as possible, but now it seems than more or less happens automatically. I could never imagine myself NOT doing this - whether it ends up on album or not. 13) Elvira is one man project and u have to do all things. Though u performed of all instruments in witches, u did all the productions and sets the graphical outlines.Is it a bit hard? I guess u are hardworking or as info's of Black Lodge rec. said, u are a controlfreak. Yes, I am both hardworking and a control freak. I guess those two goes hand in hand. I mean, should I decide to let other people do stuff I feel contempt with doing today I will no doubt get some of the load off my shoulders, but on the other hand I would also not know where Elvira Madigan was heading and have little control of how the end result will be. Elvira Madigan is an artistic journey and it wouldn't be much of an art consisting of me expressing myself if some of that expression was left up to others who doesn't share or know my devotion or intentions. My brain is most of the time flooding with creativity and that is obviously something none other than me truly can take part of (since it is MY brain!). But so far I enjoy it all. 14) To u, do u feel sufficiently about all productions and recording of witches u did? I love the production! It is everything I want it to be. I can get quite sick of productions that strip away the soul of music in order to perfect every single sound and make the productions ever more expensive and perfect. To me productions aren't necesarily good just because they are expensive. I mean, I have demotapes from bands I bought in the early nineties who then got a record deal, and in some cases the demo tapes sounds better! Or just imagine the thrash scene of the eighties with Brittney Spears productions! No, I think productions should adapt to the intentions of the music and provide the right landscapes in accomodation to the feel of the music! Power Metal and latter day releases are plauged with this very issue. All the bands that get picked up by labels today release albums that sound perfect productionwise but the music doesn't provide ANYTHING. Until I picked up Einherjers latest "Blot" and Dimmu Borgirs "Death Cult Armageddon" (who are both masterpieces!) I had almost given up hope on something really REALLY good being released in the metal scene of today. For the past years there's been an incredebly dryperiod when only lame and extremely boring albums have been released in Metal. Progressive Pop bands like "Muse" release albums more important and interesting than 99% of the Metal scene today. I really hope this will change!! I might come off a little grumpy here but I do think this is the case. 15) Please tell our reader ur last words, Thanks ur interests for interview. Take care, bye. Last words eh? Well I hope people will stil send me their thoughts via email. Remember, I read every single on of your emails and reply to them all as well. Thanks. |
