My interview by mail with EUROPE 24 june 2009

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EUROPE

Interview EUROPE by mail with Ian Haugland the drummer

on 24 june 2009

I sent this mail interview on 5 May 2009, you will understand why some issues such as cover or new titles to play live, since we know the result. But at the time of my questions, the cover was not known and nobody had heard the title « Last Look At Eden ».

Here the interview :

Valérie : Hello, my name is Valerie and we have been doing interviews by mail and we are met in Paris in the Meet and Greet in 2007. First, I would like to know how are you?

Ian : Hello Valerie!

Thank you, i´m just fine. Sorry for the delay of this interview.

Valérie : We were able to follow the evolution of the recording of "Last Look At Eden" on your blog, can you speak to us about the working atmosphere?

Ian : The studio we worked in, Studio Bohus had a great and creative atmosphere. It was built in the 70´s by the same guy who built some of the best studios in L.A , so it really had a great sounding studio room, which is very important for recording drums. The mixing consol also had an interesting history. It was custom built for Georg Lucas Studios in the late 70´s only for mixing the soundtrack of Star wars, and later bought by Studio Bohus here in Sweden... How cool is´nt that !?

Every night as we left the studio we heard a ghostly whisper saying... May the force be with you ;-)

Valérie : "Last Look at Eden, why this title? Is this a wink to "Prisoners In Paradise"?

Ian : Joey is a master of cool album titles is´nt he ?

I don´t really think it´s a wink at the Prisoners... album. The way i think when hear the title is,

that it´s time for us to start taking care of mother earth and stop fighting wars otherwise we´re

heading for the end of the world. The great thing about this titel is that it makes you think, it makes you see pictures in your head. It really engages you.

Quand j'entends le titre, je pense qu'il est temps pour nous de commencer de prendre soin de la Terre Mère et d'arreter de se battre avec des guerres autrement, nous nous dirigeons ver la fin du monde. La grande chose à propos de ce titre est qu'il vous fait penser, il vous fait voir des images dans votre tête. Il vous engage vraiment.

Valérie : Who is the "Mojito Girl"?

Ian : Some girl Joey knows who is crazy about Mojitos.

Valérie : Your shows in Chile after almost 20 years of absence ... it was crazy over there right? :-).

Ian : It was great to be able go back to Chile after such a long time. Many of the fans we met there were´nt even born last time around. The shows were sold out and the crowds were just fantastic !

The people over ther really loves rock´n´roll. The roar when we played The Final Coutdown was frightning. Really... it was the loudest since the 80´s.

I hope we can go back to South America soon it was an amazing trip.

Valérie : There was also an earthquake, how did you feel now?

Ian Haugland

Ian : It was quit scary really. We never have earthquakes in Sweden so we´re not used to them.

I woke up around 4 a.m in the morning with my bed shaking like hell. I felt like i was in that movie

The Exorcist, when Linda Blair becomes obsessed by a demon. I paniced and ran out of the hotel room only wearing my underweare. On the way out i forgot the key to my room, so i had to go down to the hotel lobby to get a spare key... Yes, people stared at me, but it was a good thing i did´nt sleep naked that night ! Anyway the quake was over in 40 seconds but it felt like 4 houres to me.

Valérie : You will participate to the Hellfest in France the day on the music festival. Thank you that will be the most beautiful festival of music in my life :-). Will you sing "Mojito Girl" or another new song?

Ian : We played Last look at Eden as the only new song. Usually we try to play 2 new songs in the set, but at Hellfest we only were aloud to play a 60 min. show.

Valérie : Can we hope to have another date here in France this summer?

Ian : I´m not sure if we will be back during the summer, but we will definitely come back on the next European tour.

Valérie : Once your album will be released, have you an idea of the period to which you will come in France?

Ian : Nothing is decided about when the European tour will kick off. I only know we´will be touring with Gotthard in November.

Valérie : You go for a tour co-headliner with GOTTHARD in Germany, how the idea came?

Ian : We had an offer from our tour agecy for this tour, and we all thought it sounded like a great idea. I personally think Gotthard kicks ass !

Valérie : Could you doing for example if we proposed it a tour in co-headliner with NIGHTWISH or EDGUY? Do you appreciate these bands?

Ian : We would definitly concider the offer if it came around.

I personally like these bands. Edguy even made a cover version of I´ll Cry for You, say´s it all does´nt it ;-)

Valérie : In the last interview by e-mail which I sent you (it was Mic who had answered), I had asked if one day, you would make an album with the accoustiques versions of your biggest hits. Since, you made the concert "Almost Unplugged", what is your state of mind after this show?

Ian : It was great fun to do that show. It was like the old songs got a injection of new blood. Also it was interesting to approach the songs with acoustic instruments and a live sting quartet. This was also the first time we played some songs by our favorite artists. It felt great to pay homage to legends like Led Zeppelin, UFO, Pink Floyd & Thin Lizzy.

I really hope we can do it again... You know... Part 2 : The Revenge of Almost Unplugged 

Valérie : Is it with this show where there were strings that gave you the idea of including a song with the Prague Symphony Orchestra?

Ian : I think the idea of using the Prague symphonic Orchestra came from Tobias Lindell (the engineer & co producer of the album) when he heard the intro that Joey & Mic had written for the song Last Look at Eden. He thought it would give it that extra kick in the balls, if we used a symphonic orchestra on it. In the end we used the orchesta on 4 or 5 songs. I love it, it really gives the songs that extra dimension.

Valérie : If you had to choose a Metal Female singer to do so a duet with you on a title, who you would choose and why?

Ian : That´s a tricky one... I can only speak for myself, but i like the singer of Evanescence. She´s got an interesting voice, or maybe the singer of Arch Enemy... what a match in heaven

Valérie : Do you have an idea of what will be the cover of "Last Look at Eden?

Ian : The cover is something... Out of this world :-). I never seen anything like it. It´s very stilistic, clean and provoking (judging by the reactions from fans so far). It seems like people either love or hate it passionatly. Either way is great as, long as it stirs a reaction.

Valérie : I leave you the last word, if you have something to add, don't hesitate!

Ian : If you´ll like Last Look at Eden half as much as i do, you´ll gonne want to merry it and have it´s children. See you on tour soon:-).

Valérie : Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

Thanx to Klara at Talen Trust to have pass my question to EUROPE!