Part 2

What tend to be the best songs in your opinion – those where you had a lot in common as a band or those where you had more differences? What happens when another musician take you outside of your comfort zone?

The “comfort zone” idea is interesting.

I think with each record, I want to work with elements that I know well, and to work with some elements that are new or challenging to me. So, for The Animal, this had a lot to do with steering that development process in the studio, and shaping the music within the compressed timeframe that you have in a studio situation.

This was challenging, but also very creative. I think that generally, (my) best music comes out of a place where I’m put into a challenging situation, and am forced to stretch.

I’m naturally a kind of introverted person, and I’ve made a lot of music by myself, responding to inner instincts and dialogues. You can’t really work this way when working with a group … in the beginning of working with the band, I was often outside of my comfort zone, in terms of explaining or demonstrating what I was looking for. They are all amazing musicians, and I have a kind of self-taught, trial-and-error approach to developing music.

So I really had to learn to express what I was interested in, and also to get a feeling for how to respond to their ideas.

What are your thoughts on the need for compromise vs standing by one's convictions? How did you resolve potential disagreements?

I don’t think we “disagree” so much in that sense ... but maybe as I’m taking that role of “leader,” there’s some element of working between my own sensibilities, and the group sensibility.

I think that working this way involves both trying to be very open and listening to everyone, but also I feel that I have to be ruthless on a certain level – not in a negative way, but that I have to make certain decisions about the music that are in the interest of the music being at its best. This could mean deleting some element that I myself have put in, or someone else’s contribution, or changing things in some other way.

I believe a lot in collaboration and group action, but also that, at least in our band, that it’s useful for one person to make final decisions.

Do any of the band's members also have solo projects? If so, how do these feeds into the band's creative process?

Yeah, they all have solo projects and other bands. I invited people into the band who are extremely accomplished and creative musicians, so they have a lot of other projects going on.

I think this is very important for our music as a unit, as everyone is bringing in their own ideas and experiences. And I think seeing their projects helps me to understand where they are coming from, and what their interests are.

In a live situation, decisions between band members often work without words. From your experience and the performances of your current tour, what does this process feel like and how does it work?

I think because we have learned the basic form of the tracks, this gives us a good foundation to play, where we really know where we are. It’s kind of in-built into the tracks that certain parts are more free – there might be a section where the viola and clarinet duet, for example, which can be a little different each time.

Depending on the feel of the room, or even the sound system, or how the drummer’s feeling, different tracks can take on a different character. I really like playing this way, where it’s not straight improv, and we are playing particular pieces, but it still gives us an opportunity to work on different elements each time we play.

It often means that my role, particularly on guitar, is somewhat to call certain changes or moments. So even thought the guitar part might sometimes be more of a rhythm element, it also allows me to signal certain transitions, which allows us to maintain a structure, even if we stretch things out.

How has the interaction within the group changed over the years? How do you keep things surprising, playful and inspiring?

Our group is still fairly new in some ways – we played a handful of shows in 2021 and 2022, but it was really since 2023 that we started playing a lot and working together on recording. So on that score, I’d say that we’ve gotten to know each other better, both in terms of playing but also personally.

Last year, we played in Barcelona and Lisbon, which were both great shows musically, but we also had a seriously fun time hanging out in those cities. I could really feel us becoming a band in those moments, where we’re connected through the music but also as people.

Working closely on making this record I think was a big transformation for the band. It’s the first time we’ve made a record together in that way, and I think having shared ownership of a record like that marks a big transformation. In a good way, I think that process kind of inspires and challenges us all, pushes us to try and make the best record we can.

I really like working with this group, and to that end I think a lot about how to keep it fresh and enjoyable for everyone – I feel like getting the best out of a group involves a feeling that people are excited to be there and be a part of it.

So I am working on developing music that’s important to me personally, but is also hopefully enjoyable to be a part of making for the others.

Have you worked with outside contributors – from sessions musicians via producers to other songwriters? How did this change, improve or challenge the established dynamic and how do you look back on that?

We have a “core” band (me, Carolyn, Tomo, Oliver, Pauline), but there are also others that come into the music.

On this record, Nicole Hogstrand also played a lot of cello, and Johan Carøe contributed to one track. I think the next Blue Lake record will also feature more collaborators beyond the core band. To me, this is a way to keep the music fresh and keep new ideas flowing. But it’s also important to me that there’s a core band that can provide continuity.

On The Animal, I worked with someone to co-produce for the first time, Aske Zidore. Aske is a musician/composer/artist, who has also produced a range of records. He’s a good friend, and I asked him to be a part of the process to have him onboard as someone who I trusted to have good ideas and judgments, on issues big and small. He helped run one of the live sessions, but was also part of just listening and giving his thoughts on things.

This was a subtle but really important part of the process for me.

Most bands eventually break up. What makes you stay together? What are essentials for a successful band?

I don’t really know how other people do things, but I try to make sure that the music is fun to play, and that people get paid something decent, and that there’s a good feeling in the group. Music is something that can be so magical, but the music business can also quickly be a grind if you’re not careful.

So I think I am working to create a positive situation where the group dynamic and the music itself can remain the priority.