𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗸𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧 to Joey Tempest

Podcast/Interview by Rockklassikker to Joey Tempest – recorded on September 21st, 2022

My personal considerations, this is a very nice and long interview to Joey, where he provides some very good hints for people who want to understand more about him and his own universe!
Three main topics – if I’d have to direct you to walk through what he says…
First, he doesn’t aim to be and act as a Celebrity, in fact he clearly identifies himself as a musician and songwriter. Maybe bad news for the rock-star type of followers, but I think it’s his very own intrinsic value, actually!
A very honest tale from his side, for all those who have an open heart to listen... And what I can testify directly, in everything he says and does, he is so very consistent that it would be hard for me to think differently!
Second, his going through the creative process when you even are forced to ‘kill your darlings’. You can hear the emphasis and the stress upon it that he puts, and his true participation in this discussion...
Last, but not least – you can probably feel and perceive yourself the lack of interest when he is called to respond to some ‘quick and easy’ questions at the end.
Particularly if you compare his level of engagement with the previous topics… he gets involved again only when he is asked to answer about what happens if the guitar doesn’t arrive?
Take it away then, folks! 🤘😎🤘

🎙 Europe - Podcast/Interview by Janne Innanfors of Rockklassikker Swedish radio station – recorded on September 21st, 2022: Link

𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Then I'd like to welcome back Joey Tempest from Europe. It's been a while, but welcome!
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Thank you! Thanks! Nice to be back.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - I understand, 2017 was the last time we were here, and we got to sit and hang out a bit. Now a lot has happened since then, you could say.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Yes, it has been a different time.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Among other things, if you look at the latest, you've been on tour with Whitesnake.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Yes!
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Those guys, do you know them?
How about being a fly on the wall there and hanging out with you when you meet?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Yes, as I said, we have met at various festivals and concerts before, so we know each other a little and also the band members, although they are replaced a little from time to time. But we get to know the new line-up on this tour. It was their farewell tour that they are still doing, and I think they will do more gigs. But how it is. Yes, suddenly David entered the lodge with a boss attitude, and I think it's great fun. He's probably a bit of a Europe fan, seems like he knows Ian. I think since the Classic Rock era, and I think he met Ian a few times, so he usually calls him "You, sexy bastard"… And then we talk a little bit about more gigs we're going to do together and so on. But it's always exciting and he's nice and professional and likes Rock and likes Europe, so it's a joy to tour with Whitesnake!
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - His birthday is on the same day that you will be playing at Grönan.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Yes, yes, we'll try to come up with something where we actually used to it.
It might happen that we sing a bit on a song and then the audience can sing along. We usually do it if we get a feeling because it's our new friends and you can tell it's the band and sometimes, we sing a little for them.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Nice! You also had to jump in and save Skogsröjet, if we can say so, this summer, because I think that's who jumped out and that's what happened instead.
How was it? It was probably a bit short notice that it was like that.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - It was a short notice, but it worked out. Got it sorted. We had just got over this big tour, then the crew and people disappear a little bit. We got it sorted and it turned out to be a super super gig.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Everyone thought “I would get some”.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Know exactly how it worked out.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Yes, I also have to praise you for your fine effort which makes me, and many others think that you really excelled. It was in this documentary that was recently shown on TV and such - Hård Rock på Export. Yes, you were massive. Have you seen results yourself?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - I saw a little. I asked early, “Do you have anything to show me?” It was quite an early stage and then they sent over a bit, and I emailed back. I think I called and said, “This is amazing!”.
I almost got teary-eyed because we get a form of respect that can sometimes fall through the cracks.
Maybe not from Rockklassiker and Rock and such, but sometimes it is like that.
Here we got raw about the story, and like a value, and other musicians and stuff from other bands spoke so well about us, and our music - earlier music - that had influenced them.
And it was… yes, I really liked it. Then I did another thing, although it was Swedish metal, which I was also happy with, because I’ve got to talk about music and sit with a guitar, and I don't do much promotion and stuff like that if it's not about music or if it’s Rock.
It is… there's a lot I say no to a lot in Sweden, but I think it's a lot of fun. This stuff is fun to talk about music and even on TV. If I get a guitar and can talk about it, I'd love to.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Then you end up in your right element. I think what you did absolutely amazing was to see that as well, because it's true.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Thanks so much!
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - But as you say, you probably get any number of requests for different gadgets. How do you feel when you jump in? Is it fun or hard? Or how do you feel when you jump into stuff like this?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - To be completely honest, I don't wake up in the morning like “now I'm going to be on an entertainment program. What fun it is to have this to be done!”
We have a new record out and I will do this and then I will do a good job and do it well.
But I never - from the beginning - so my goal was never to be a celebrity.
So, I wanted to be a musician, and I wanted to be a touring musician, and be in a band and that meant so much to me, and that's enough for me.
I have the band, I have my songwriting, have two things that take up a lot of my time.
Then I have two boys and a wife and the four of them take up my life, so I don't feel that I need to do things, not for the sake of celebrity, but if it's something that means something.
With Rock på Export you get to talk about music in depth and stuff like that.
I think that's fun, but I tend to filter out everything else.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - I just saw the last episode now going actually. I thought there was a bit too few endings to it. It must feel good for you too when you get this. You must bring out the record that sold the most of all these and then it is precisely that one that everyone gets to bring out.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - I was actually hesitant. Can you? Yes, but what you are looking at now is clearly that. But The Final Countdown probably sold the most of all those records. But I'm a little doubtful, so a little doubtful.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - We'll talk a little about the Final Countdown as well, because it was as if it reached a milestone. There you can say the least, with over 1 billion views on Youtube. And if you have to put it into perspective, Michael Jackson's thriller, among other things, hasn't even reached that level. Or Abbas's Dancing Queen. And even Bon Jovi, who then met his life, has not reached there either. How did you find out about this news?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - We were probably on tour with Whitesnake when the rumor started and we were talking in the band about how amazing and unreal it was, but incredibly flattering. And it's difficult, we really understand. So now the song has lived for so long and also the video we're getting used to.
There were certain elements you might like those clips, but could we? Maybe they would have cut in my black jacket with a white jacket and that's probably what's left. The months after the video was cut. But there's something fun about the video, too.
It was a gig in Stockholm, Solnahallen, where they did two nights there and Swedish Television was there. So, a video team from England filmed Sweden's Television filming the gig and there was an energy that was good about it too.
It was early days, there was hunger. It was like there's something in that video that obviously people like. They want to watch it over and over again. It also means that it is the song, but also the video.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - That's really a bit of fun. You really go back 40 years when you watch this SVT. But what else do you think? We talked to Slash a while ago, apparently, he hates music videos. It's a bit funny considering that he himself is in a rather unique one where he goes out bare-chested and plays in November Rain or whatever church it is in the desert all of a sudden. But how do you feel about music videos?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - If there has been anything? There was. We got signed to CBS Epic in New York and I got there the first time when I was 21 years old. Since then, I have been there many times and MTV's offices were very close, so I was over very early to visit them.
And I found it fascinating with these videos that were made. But what happened that was perhaps a bit boring, was that everyone wanted to compete for the biggest video and the most ice cream. Yes, it was. More of that and more of that. It was a bit boring, so we tried to keep our live performance. For Rock The Night it was, Final Countdown of course. We tried anyway. We would love to have it, so we record it live. So, we booked in Japan. We tried to keep it that way anyway. But yes, it's okay, as long as you have some control over it. That's what it is. However, it might be a bit fun to make a video sometimes.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - As in Upplands Väsby. You were there last summer, and it was there that you received a monument and were presented in honor. And there's a lot from Upplands Väsby, you get to follow that in this documentary we've talked about as well, but I think there's been talk of you yourself getting a Park or something like that.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - I haven't heard that the first time. It's really bizarre.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - But how? How was it in the park?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - It was fantastic, because there were families there and friends standing there when we arrived, and you could see them. And if there would be a monument for us there in the middle of Väsby where we used to hang out. There was a youth farm where we did our first gigs that were seen and there is a place in Väsby around that area where Norum and I hung out a lot. Zamora was there, it was where we hung out late at night listening to and singing music. When new records came out and what young people dreamed of and what touring rock bands were there. It was in those surroundings. So, get there again and then get an award like this. It was surreal and it was amazing. It's fun that now you can. I can take my boys and some younger people and go there. Look here, that dad has got this, in his home place and they have…
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - I think it's cool. Or what do you think yourself? What kind of feelings, emotions, thoughts do you get when you are in Upplands Väsby?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - It's always exciting. Not there that often. But I'm going there. See my mom as much as I can. Now that my father has passed away, it's trying to live with her then. But then I usually go out for a long walk and then all the memories come back. So, here I had some beer, there I met that girl. There they did it, we scratched. Yes, there are so many memories, but mostly positive ones. I walked along the whole way and wrote the lyrics in my head and such memories remain as a musician. And when we recorded songs like Seven hotel up in a rehearsal room, special rehearsal room there so everything comes back when I walk around there, and it feels good to have it.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Gotta talk about it too. After all, you received a Grammy in 2017 when I was 18 and went out. I was there and celebrated that I held this guy then too. I was there with Ian and a few others. Levén was probably there too. Yeah, where's the Grammys now?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Ehm, it is with me. Now you're sitting here, it's time. We would sort of take turns, we thought. So, when I think. I think we have two actually. And we will, we will get them. They can commute. But I'll hold on for a while longer.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - I share the mail that never arrives.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - I wasn't there at the actual ceremony, but I remember that it's a thing we have. We are working on a documentary now. For the first time we have said YES.
We have received so many requests over the years for various documentaries. If it should be actors playing us or if it should be a pure documentary.
But now we have said YES, let’s… let’s do this.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - What is that?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - It will be even more in 4 to 5 years. Now we have had a director and his time with us, filming us around the world.
We had an idea to do ‘To Be’s after Walk The Earth, so it was a natural thing for us to do.
During this process we thought what if we could use all this new material and show what we do today everywhere around the world and then look back and dive deep and find everything.
So that's what we're doing.
We keep going, looking for everything old and then it's back to the beginning and all the time commuting to maybe in Santiago or in London or something.
We talk about the past and the new. I think it could be quite interesting. It will take another year to do it, but we are in full swing.
What have I wanted to say with the documentary? That I remembered mentioning it to the director when we won the Grammys to tears with some of the band that night.
And things like that are very moments like that. I think they are so beautiful, and I hope we can reflect a little of that in the documentary.
The later moments that we talked about a little bit now, that we've gotten a little bit of respect and a little bit of care and stuff like that. It's so incredibly fun for us.
After all, we are some guys from Upplands Väsby, who want to be like Deep Purple and that we can still be here and do good gigs, big gigs and tours. It's absolutely incredible.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - So, when you usually see things like that yourself when you move, maybe looking in boxes. But now that you're digging into history, you must have found something that you had totally forgotten or…, oh wow ‘that's awesome!’
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - A VHS tape in a box! And it was quite fun that we filmed. Our manager filmed a lot too. I got all that.
So now I've managed to find those boxes and it's from when the guys came, and we mixed the Final Countdown in San Francisco when we met.
Partyed in rooms there and listened to the first mixes and the songs I sing live in the studio, I think Heart Of Stone
And then even further back from when I went in 84 85, the first tour is with Jan and Mic and that was it. Where do we have this? Totally amazing!
So, the Director wants me to go through it properly and send it over so there's quite a lot of old stuff too.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Awesome! You are here at RockKlassiker. I always ask the guests we have here from time to time, what makes a classic rock song for them. What must have, according to you?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Uh! Well…yes, as a songwriter it has become that have… have started to think more about how it happened. How did I write this?
Because you write new music and then you want to… you just don't want to throw something out, but you have thought ‘I have experience, I have to try to use it then’.
But for me, then and now. It's about a few different things. First, it is this small flame of the melody or lyrical idea that builds, that becomes a fire that you build on.
But if we're going to talk rock, it's usually guitar. It is very important. A riff, a melody. But something that many people may sometimes forget is how important the drums are.
The rhythm, the feeling, and the sound of the drums. I think there are unfortunately too many people who need to produce a little and it ends up being a lot of mash.
But it's important to get the space there for all the instruments and especially for the drums that you hear and feel this roughness. You are taken by it too.
But it should be a nice guitar riff. If we talk about rock, each part must have a value. That's what's hard as a songwriter.
You must throw it away and that is where many people may not dare do it. They have a good song, but a passage with it, it can’t go.
In any case, it leads to something good, but it doesn't work. It is important to dare remove it.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Kill your Darlings…
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Absolutely, that is so true!
And it has happened to me now during these extra years. We got M for sad reasons with everything.
But it's given me as songwriter time to live with certain songs and what's happened there. I made demos in early 2020 which I have now updated, and they are much, much better.
So, it was ‘having the time’. Time can really develop a song too. There are three seconds of the third demo of the first song. It could be so good…
And when everything moves quickly, then you never really have time to live with them. Then they end up on the record and it can become a filler, as we call it.
Maybe they could, if you cut it, fixed it, lived with it, made it, work a little more, scratching with the guys maybe. Or if you could, they would have been even better.
But just rhythm, good guitar riffs, lovely vocals, good melody, and no gaps. No parts that are passages, but there you have a rock song.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - And tomorrow you are at Gröna Lund here in Stockholm again. Tell us a little bit about that gig.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - I've lost count of how many times we've played at Gröna Lund, but it's always fun and enjoyable because it's a bit of a home gig for us.
There will be people from Väsby, family, friends, but at the same time Stockholmers who have lived with us all these years and they will still come, I hope so.
Looks like this is some kind of special night anyway. We have had many guests who want to come in. Seems like it's pressure.
Many people want to come, and our documentary film team will be there. We know we've heard a lot of people who want to come in as musicians and those from other bands.
There has been talk about… my manager mentioned that Greta Thunberg might want to come, and I and many others think that would be nice.
But what's fun for me, is that my 90-year-old mother is coming.
She doesn't do much now, but she said I can't miss it. I have to see that. Me and my brother and my sister gone. But there will be a little family and such and a lot of friends and a lot of rock fans. So, it will be a real party at Grönan!
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - And Greta. So, she's a deep friend too!
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - We can assume that. What I heard. And I have to say that I have respect for her and what she does, so I think it would be fun if it was like that and if she shows up. It would be amazing!
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - I thought about that too. You say it feels like home ground, but specifically Gröna Lund… it must be pretty special to play there considering it's a theme park.
You see a lot of carousels and stuff at the same time, don't you?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - It is a good question because too often it's like that when we get requests for gigs, and then you see a fairground in the middle of town somewhere in Europe…
…so, it might not be the right forum. Is there any Rock feeling or are there any Rock fans there and what's going on? But we have never questioned Grönan.
It's a lot because of our past when Norum stands at Thin Lizzy’s Bad Reputation, when Ian enters the stage, and other big rock bands that influenced us or something.
The rest of us also, who have seen other bands. Gröna Lund became a cool place to play because of the bands that played there when we were teenagers…
…and that's how it has become for us. We have never been a question, should we play or not now at Grönan?
No way… Gröna Lund, absolutely! We say ‘Yes!’ straightaway, and it's always been really nice!
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - For those who haven't been there backstage, there is a photo wall with artists who play - awesome when you go there and watch.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Yes, there is! Yeah, it's really across all genres and it’s great history.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Indeed. Forward now. I know that there are many people who long for new music, because ‘are they still on?’ So, to speak. You have had a lot of time to write, how does it look?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Is it good to write a lot or not? Good? This is the question in the end.
But yeah, it's good and there are really good ideas and we've now started sending each other and talking more about it.
And next year will be very eventful. We want to record new music this spring.
Whether or not a whole record is released or if there will be a few songs during the year, we'll see, but I think that the plan holds up.
We will also hopefully release the documentary around this fall… next fall, both documentary and at the same time go on a 40-year Anniversary Tour.
Since our first record in 83 - that tour in the fall together with the documentary. Some new songs. It will lay the groundwork for a bigger tour the following year.
We have to think that far. Time flies so fast when you're my age. It goes away, so you have to plan ahead.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - But what a year! Oh my God…
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - It will be exciting, next year. So, we lay the groundwork for that.
Right now, a lot of work, but with songwriting and digging up old material for the documentary and putting together a great tour, the service is done. It is going to be fun.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Have had what you do. I thought we'd finish with six quick ones here.
Simply a classic thing that I don't usually do. I felt that I got a feeling, and we are working on it now.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Okay
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - It's not difficult stuff. Are you ready?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Okay
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Favorite food? Right.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Still Japanese food
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Most famous person you have in your phone book
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Probably Tobias right now, with Ghost. Set one.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Question: last artist you listened to yourself
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Audioslave, listening to this morning
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Have you ever asked for someone else's autograph?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - No, actually I don't think I have. No, no, I haven't.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Apart from family then, what is this that you miss the most when you are out on tour?
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - That's a good question, because on tour I have my favorite songs and at home I have my family. My children. There you have it. I probably miss my little studio there, there I can.
There I have everything I want and old memories, new ideas, boxes, boxes of Europe stuff and solo stuff. I enjoy digging into that. Do I enjoy it?
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Has it ever happened that the guitar hasn't arrived…
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Oh, it will be chaos!
Then we have to hire something, something here in Buenos Aires and we have to hire here. Haha. What will it be like?
It has happened, but you still drive on. But it can be difficult if you play. For example, I have those first three notes of Open Your Heart…
It must be pretty good guitars for that riff to work. It has to be a fairly loud and well-tuned guitar to work, so it can be a bit difficult there.
Then you really have to take it in and sharpen up.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - So that it gets completely destroyed by some brain hemorrhage: ‘You have to make time for it!’
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Everything. I know luck is pretty open… We talked to many people through all the years and made a good bond and to work with them is quite simple.
It gets a bit like that, you just react, but then you do the work. It's just run.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - I've had a terrific time! You're having so much fun at the gig tomorrow. Cool that so many people are coming and also family.
And then there are rumors of a prize as well, perhaps.
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Yeah, my manager talks about it here and there
Someone is talking about YouTube maybe showing up, because there has been a bit of an uproar here in Sweden, as The Final Countdown has been played so many times as a video.
And it may happen that we get some award on stage or backstage. That would also be really fun. We'll see, a lot will happen around Grönan.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲: - Yes, I think so too. So: ‘Be sure to be there and celebrate Europe here. And then you’ll get a really lovely moment and also fun next year!’
𝗝𝗼𝗲𝘆: - Thanks! It was nice to be here, good questions and fun as usual!