1 - Tell us how your project(s) were started.
It started out of an urge to be in a rock band again. A few years ago there was a period when I didn´t sing in a band, always used to do that before, so it was a bit of an odd feeling not doing it. I think I needed that though, to get away from the rock n’ roll circus for a bit.. I even sang in an opera choir, doing Porgy & Bess and Carmen and stuff, just wanted to do something completely different, maybe learning new things and putting myself in situations I never thought I´d be in. And I learnt something new for sure: discipline. That´s not something you have too much of when you´re a lead singer. Anyway, after a while I really wanted to get back into rock n’ roll again. I was lucky enough to be asked to join a totally new outfit that was going to become Generous Maria. And I´ve been happy with her ever since.
2 - What does music, in it's entirety, mean to you?
Haha, I´m supposed to say EVERYTHING or something like that there, aint I? And yeah, it means a lot. I need it. But since my day job is in school, with kids, I pretty often need total silence as well. I often intend to get to listen to this or that new record in the car on my way home from work, a perfect opportunity to get some quality time with the stereo, but pretty often I just can´t bare to listen to anything at all. So music and silence in sweet combination, that´s the doctor’s prescription to stay sane.
3 - What does art, in it's entirety, mean to you?
Well, I read a lot and watch pretty many movies, those things are essential to me. I´ve come to the conclusion though, that picture art is merely decoration on the wall to me. Extremely boring of me, I know, but that´s the way it is. When I get some money I gonna buy it in specific colors to match my furniture, like that new-rich rock star in Hannah and her Sisters.
4 - Who is your favorite author, and why?
Well, there are quite a few, but if I have to pick one I´d say Stig Cleasson. He´s Swedish and I never heard of him being translated into English, so I checked it up and at least one title has been released in English. It´s called Ancient Monuments. He gotta be pretty hard to translate, I thought at first, because he deals with “Swedish conditions” so to speak, like why the goddamn spring never comes and people on the country side seeing everyone around them moving away to the city, but then again that´s only on one level, basically his books are about human needs and thoughts and interaction in general.. They are funny too. Read him if you get a chance.
5 - As your best friend, describe yourself.
I´d like to think that I´m a pretty reliable guy and that I can make my friends feel good about themselves.
6 - As your worst enemy, describe yourself.
I´m afraid I´m pretty keen on getting even. Revengeful.
7 - If your persona were immortalized as a cartoon character, who would it be?
One of those confused and neurotic guys in Claire Bretecher's The Frustrated Ones – if that´s the title in English, Les Frustrés in French anyway. Great stuff. Not exactly new, from the 80´s I think, but fresh always.
8 - Do you think there are conspiracies against the "everyday person"?
Well, you never know, do you..? There are mighty powers out there. Mega corporations trying to dominate the people of the world, fooling us that we still have a free will, governments totally in the lap of those corporations.. All that shit – it´s structures that are pretty hard to get in sight sometimes.. It´s easier to see how the modern cities are built – a couple of hundreds years they tore down most of the old town of Paris and rose it again with those straight streets, easier for the troops to strike against un-obedient citizens. Most schools and offices and of course prisons have the same right angle look to them, don´t they? It´s easy for the “rulers” to spot if someone is in the “wrong place”, because they don´t like that.
9 - What do you do with your spare or free time?
With a day job and a band there´s not that much spare time to deal with.. But when there is I try to spent it with my girlfriend. She´s pretty busy too so, even though we live together, we don´t see all that much of each other at times. I really long for more time with her.
10 - Please give us your interpretation of "the meaning of life".
Hmm, wish I had an answer on that one. I guess love has something to do with it. Maybe it´s true after all: “All you need is love”.
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