My Interview to IAN HAUGLAND for MaxMetal Rock Web in Spain
Jul 13, 2018 11:11:24 GMT 2
Post by Eva Tomorrow on Jul 13, 2018 11:11:24 GMT 2
Hi all, well ... I collaborate with a Rock website in Spain called MaxMetal, it's a very cool site with lots of interviews, reviews, rock news ... buuuuut,sorry because yes, it's in Spanish ...
A few days ago I was able to interview Ian Haugland for MaxMetal, it was via email, I want to thank the help of Adam and Ute who are the ones who made it possible and of course Ian for his generosity in the answers. The interview is published on the WEB of MaxMetal but in Spanish, I'll leave here the original that is in English ... I hope you like it.
maxmetal.net/2018/07/11/entrevista-ian-haugland-europe-julio-2018/
Interview to Ian Haugland (MaxMetal)
Last year the band EUROPE, which shook the musical scene in the 80s with their album THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, released their eleventh studio album WALK THE EARTH. They have been in the music scene for more than 30 years include a rest time in 90s although they returned in 2004 being a band completely reformed and evolving in each work without any kind of nostalgia for the past. This year Spain has 4 dates with EUROPE, next July 11 they will play in the "Festival de la Guitarra" in Cordoba and they will continue in October in the Tour "Walk The Earth" with concerts in Bilbao (5), Zaragoza (6), Madrid (7). MAXMETAL wants to know the comments of the band about their present and future as a rock band and about the next dates in our country.
1. Early years ... It all started with the EUROPE album in 1983, followed by WINGS OF TOMORROW, and the laureate THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, how do you remember that time? What remains of Europe of those years?
Ian: I remember it very well! After Europe won the Rock SM contest, that resulted in their first album, they got a lot of media attention something that was previously unheard of for a Swedish Hard Rock band singing in English. I remember thinking ”this band has opened the door to the world, for other Metal bands too”... It was a big, important and inspiring event for all Swedish Rockers. What I think remains strongly from the early days is the urge to let the musical creativity be the driving force behind the band. Neither fame nor fortune but a call to make the next album or show better than the one before.
2. October last year 2017, the 11th studio album titled WALK THE EARTH, a work full of nuances, with songs very different from each other, like “The Siege” or “Turn to Dust”, 2 very different cuts. How was the process of making the album? Something very characteristic of the band is to innovate, how can you work always looking to offer something new?
Ian: When we start working on a new album we never really know what it will be or sound like when it’s finished. Working with Dave Cobb for the last two albums we‘ve learned not to bring finished songs to the recording studio like we did on earlier albums but rather to bring in song structures, riffs, fragments of melodies, in order to keep an open mind and a creative flow in the studio together with Dave. We find this way of working really exciting and inspiring.
3. The producer of WALK THE EARTH is Dave Cobb an award-winning American producer especially of “country” music with whom the band complemented very well to make the magnificent and praised WAR OF KINGS, How was get back to work with Dave?
Ian: Working with Dave is the greatest! He really helped the band to find the ”right path” in the creative writing/recording process. Dave becomes the 6th member of the band in the studio, jaming, brainstorming and creating. He becomes the captain of the ship and helps us navigating through the stormy sea of music!
4. About the last album , How was work at the London famous Studios Abbey Road? Where artists such as Michael Jackson, Iron Mayden, Freddy Mercury, Steve Wonder, Amy Winehouse, among others had recorded there.
Ian: Getting a chance to record at the Abbey Road Studios was a real ”bucketlist” moment for the band! Just sitting in the studio realizing that we where using the same mixing console and microphones which were used by Pink Floyd and The Beatles recording their greatest albums was kind of awesome, unreal, cool and at the same time humble! Like recording in the church of Rock’n’Roll with a clear presence of the lord and all the angels of rock!
5. In this second stage the band has managed to find their place and each album is an evolution of the previous offering new turn but with the personality of Europe . The band receive very good reviews from the hardest rock press that in the past didn’t gave this same support or recognition. What do you think about it?
Ian: It’s a wonderful feeling! When we reunited in 2003 we decided not to become a band only relying on the past, playing ”old hits” but rather take risks, explore different musical paths and most of all let the musical inspiration be our guiding star. So finally getting all these good reviews, awards and new generation of fans is a proof that we made the right decision!
6. In 2008 in Nalen (Sweden) the band made an acoustic concert that was published in a DVD, in the tour of the year 2012 with the album BAG OF BONES, the concerts also had an acoustic part, with Ian and his drawer and Mic and his mandolin, Have you ever talk again with the band about to perform a new acoustic concert like Nalen's?
Ian: The ”Almost Unplugged” show was a great experience for us and we’ve been talking losely about doing something like that again but we haven’t decided yet. Maybe call it ”Part 2. The revenge of Almost Unplugged”
7. Now in summer, time for Festivals, next 11 july the band play in Cordoba in "Festival de la Guitarra" Where does the band feel more comfortable, at festivals even if the audience is not all yours or in smaller places where people are going to see only the band and they are more your own crowd?
Ian: Hard to say... I think the festivals are great to play, more relaxed - you get a chance to hang out and party with other musicans and also present your music to people who dosen’t usually listen to Europe. On the other side it’s awsome to play to the core fans on our own shows since they know basically every song and are more enthusiastic!
8. In the next autumn Europe continues with its "Tour Walk The Earth" with several dates in Uk, three dates in Spain and more dates in other European cities. What does the Spanish crowd mean to the band?
Ian: Our Spanish fans mean a lot to the band. Spain was one of the first countries to really embrace Europe back in the 80’s. We feel a very strong connection to our Spanish sisters and brothers! A wonderful audience, great people and amazing fans!
9. How do you see the current music scene for heavy-rock bands? Does the band continue to feed on influences from the past, or are there current bands that are also influence for EUROPE?
Ian: I would say both! We still have our roots firmly based in the British Hard Rock from the 70’s and that is a never ending well of inspiration for the band. But it’s also refreshing and inspiring to hear new young bands embracing the old school Hard Rock and turning into something new and refreshing. Also it’s good to hear young testosterone filled musicans frantically play their instruments, keeping old farts like myself on my toes and not let myself ”get old and tired”
10.What plans does the band have for the future? New album? More dates in live?
Ian: We will continue to ”Tour The Earth” next year as well, dates are already being booked and later 2019 we’ll start working on the next album. As I said before we don’t have a fxxking clue what it will be like, except that it will be round with a hole in the middle!
Thanks a lot to Ian for his time and good luck for the future.
Eva
A few days ago I was able to interview Ian Haugland for MaxMetal, it was via email, I want to thank the help of Adam and Ute who are the ones who made it possible and of course Ian for his generosity in the answers. The interview is published on the WEB of MaxMetal but in Spanish, I'll leave here the original that is in English ... I hope you like it.
maxmetal.net/2018/07/11/entrevista-ian-haugland-europe-julio-2018/
Interview to Ian Haugland (MaxMetal)
Last year the band EUROPE, which shook the musical scene in the 80s with their album THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, released their eleventh studio album WALK THE EARTH. They have been in the music scene for more than 30 years include a rest time in 90s although they returned in 2004 being a band completely reformed and evolving in each work without any kind of nostalgia for the past. This year Spain has 4 dates with EUROPE, next July 11 they will play in the "Festival de la Guitarra" in Cordoba and they will continue in October in the Tour "Walk The Earth" with concerts in Bilbao (5), Zaragoza (6), Madrid (7). MAXMETAL wants to know the comments of the band about their present and future as a rock band and about the next dates in our country.
1. Early years ... It all started with the EUROPE album in 1983, followed by WINGS OF TOMORROW, and the laureate THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, how do you remember that time? What remains of Europe of those years?
Ian: I remember it very well! After Europe won the Rock SM contest, that resulted in their first album, they got a lot of media attention something that was previously unheard of for a Swedish Hard Rock band singing in English. I remember thinking ”this band has opened the door to the world, for other Metal bands too”... It was a big, important and inspiring event for all Swedish Rockers. What I think remains strongly from the early days is the urge to let the musical creativity be the driving force behind the band. Neither fame nor fortune but a call to make the next album or show better than the one before.
2. October last year 2017, the 11th studio album titled WALK THE EARTH, a work full of nuances, with songs very different from each other, like “The Siege” or “Turn to Dust”, 2 very different cuts. How was the process of making the album? Something very characteristic of the band is to innovate, how can you work always looking to offer something new?
Ian: When we start working on a new album we never really know what it will be or sound like when it’s finished. Working with Dave Cobb for the last two albums we‘ve learned not to bring finished songs to the recording studio like we did on earlier albums but rather to bring in song structures, riffs, fragments of melodies, in order to keep an open mind and a creative flow in the studio together with Dave. We find this way of working really exciting and inspiring.
3. The producer of WALK THE EARTH is Dave Cobb an award-winning American producer especially of “country” music with whom the band complemented very well to make the magnificent and praised WAR OF KINGS, How was get back to work with Dave?
Ian: Working with Dave is the greatest! He really helped the band to find the ”right path” in the creative writing/recording process. Dave becomes the 6th member of the band in the studio, jaming, brainstorming and creating. He becomes the captain of the ship and helps us navigating through the stormy sea of music!
4. About the last album , How was work at the London famous Studios Abbey Road? Where artists such as Michael Jackson, Iron Mayden, Freddy Mercury, Steve Wonder, Amy Winehouse, among others had recorded there.
Ian: Getting a chance to record at the Abbey Road Studios was a real ”bucketlist” moment for the band! Just sitting in the studio realizing that we where using the same mixing console and microphones which were used by Pink Floyd and The Beatles recording their greatest albums was kind of awesome, unreal, cool and at the same time humble! Like recording in the church of Rock’n’Roll with a clear presence of the lord and all the angels of rock!
5. In this second stage the band has managed to find their place and each album is an evolution of the previous offering new turn but with the personality of Europe . The band receive very good reviews from the hardest rock press that in the past didn’t gave this same support or recognition. What do you think about it?
Ian: It’s a wonderful feeling! When we reunited in 2003 we decided not to become a band only relying on the past, playing ”old hits” but rather take risks, explore different musical paths and most of all let the musical inspiration be our guiding star. So finally getting all these good reviews, awards and new generation of fans is a proof that we made the right decision!
6. In 2008 in Nalen (Sweden) the band made an acoustic concert that was published in a DVD, in the tour of the year 2012 with the album BAG OF BONES, the concerts also had an acoustic part, with Ian and his drawer and Mic and his mandolin, Have you ever talk again with the band about to perform a new acoustic concert like Nalen's?
Ian: The ”Almost Unplugged” show was a great experience for us and we’ve been talking losely about doing something like that again but we haven’t decided yet. Maybe call it ”Part 2. The revenge of Almost Unplugged”
7. Now in summer, time for Festivals, next 11 july the band play in Cordoba in "Festival de la Guitarra" Where does the band feel more comfortable, at festivals even if the audience is not all yours or in smaller places where people are going to see only the band and they are more your own crowd?
Ian: Hard to say... I think the festivals are great to play, more relaxed - you get a chance to hang out and party with other musicans and also present your music to people who dosen’t usually listen to Europe. On the other side it’s awsome to play to the core fans on our own shows since they know basically every song and are more enthusiastic!
8. In the next autumn Europe continues with its "Tour Walk The Earth" with several dates in Uk, three dates in Spain and more dates in other European cities. What does the Spanish crowd mean to the band?
Ian: Our Spanish fans mean a lot to the band. Spain was one of the first countries to really embrace Europe back in the 80’s. We feel a very strong connection to our Spanish sisters and brothers! A wonderful audience, great people and amazing fans!
9. How do you see the current music scene for heavy-rock bands? Does the band continue to feed on influences from the past, or are there current bands that are also influence for EUROPE?
Ian: I would say both! We still have our roots firmly based in the British Hard Rock from the 70’s and that is a never ending well of inspiration for the band. But it’s also refreshing and inspiring to hear new young bands embracing the old school Hard Rock and turning into something new and refreshing. Also it’s good to hear young testosterone filled musicans frantically play their instruments, keeping old farts like myself on my toes and not let myself ”get old and tired”
10.What plans does the band have for the future? New album? More dates in live?
Ian: We will continue to ”Tour The Earth” next year as well, dates are already being booked and later 2019 we’ll start working on the next album. As I said before we don’t have a fxxking clue what it will be like, except that it will be round with a hole in the middle!
Thanks a lot to Ian for his time and good luck for the future.
Eva