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Metal/Prog Metal Interviews

Evergrey

Interviewed by Gary Hill
Interview Tom Englund of Evergrey from 2001
MSJ: In Search of Truth is your third album. How would you compare it to the other two?
The first one we did when we had only been a band for about 8 months, so it was an album where we really didn't know what we wanted to do. For the second album we really knew what we wanted to do. We were very focused and very determined on how we wanted things to sound and be basically. It's a very sad album. It's total despair basically, that album, which is called "Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy". With the new album, I would say that we have added a lot more keyboard parts. I think it's like a journey between hope and despair - a lot more contrasts.
MSJ: UFO's are a recurring theme with the band. Where did that come from?
Actually, I read a book called "Communion" by Whitley Strieber, and that is a book that really affected me very deeply. It had a major impact on my personal views on the subject. It inspired me that much that I wanted to make music about it basically.
MSJ: Have you ever had any UFO encounters?
I've seen some strange things in the sky, but it's really hard to explain what they could be. That's what I'm really most interested in.
MSJ: Are there plans to release the first two albums in the US?
Yeah, probably.
MSJ: What are the future plans for the band?
Well, we're doing a show in Atlanta tomorrow. Then, we're flying home and being home for a few days. Then we're going out on a European tour. Then it's almost Christmas so, starting next year, we're doing a small Swedish tour. Then we're doing a headlining tour of France. Probably by February or March we'll be back in the USA for a fall tour with somebody bigger than us. So we can go as a support act.
MSJ: Are there any musicians with whom you would like to work?
Yeah, I would love to work with David Gilmour. Tori Amos would be cool. Mark Knopfler would be cool. There's a lot of people who it would be cool to do some sort of collaboration with.
MSJ: Who do you consider to be your influences?
Of course, we must have been influenced by all the hard rock acts that we listened to when we were kids, like Iron Maiden and Helloween and Queensryche and Skid Row and Europe and whatever. Today we don't get influenced in that way.
MSJ: What has been your biggest Spinal Tap moment?
Oh - that was when we played in Chicago this year. We were in the middle of the studio work with this album. We were working like 13 or 14 hours a day for like one and a half months, having a real stressed out situation. We were also doing a live broadcast on Swedish radio in between and also going to Chicago at the same time, as well. We didn't have any time to rehearse. We had a really new guitar player - just joined the band. So, we had to also rehearse in the studio at the same time as we were recording the album. We came to Chicago, and we stayed up all night mixing like just a rough mix for everyone to hear at the Prog Power show and drinking on the plane over. So, it ended up we were up for like 54 hours in a row. Basically we were really stressed out and exhausted really. We got up and did our worst gig ever. We were so ashamed we couldn't look up from the floor. The thing is, I think we made it worse in our heads and our minds because everyone else seemed to like it - loved it basically. That's why we signed to InsideOut, as well because Jim (Pitulski -ed.) saw what he saw and liked what he saw. But, for us it was a total disaster.
MSJ: What was the last CD you bought?
I got the Queensryche live album.
MSJ: What was the last concert you saw?
I saw Gamma Ray a week ago.
MSJ: This interview is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2001 Year Book Volume 4 at  garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2001-and-2002.
You'll find concert pics of this artist in the Music Street Journal members area.
 
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