How was Backdraft born? How long has the band been around?

Rob (guitar): We started out in late '97 under the name Morningwood. After a few member changes the Here to save you all-line-up was set in 2000.

Mats (bass): We recorded Here to Save You All in Jan-Feb of 2001, toured some, had a lot of fun and then some down times. We split with our original singer, Rev Soarthroat late last year and was in a real funk for a while. It was a matter of calling it quits altogether, but what would be the point of giving up? But in May none other than legendary Raging Slab singer/guitarist Greg Strzempka joined Backdraft, so once again, the sun's shining! We're currently working on songs for our next album, which we hope to record this fall, and we're talking to a few different record labels.


To those that have not heard "Backdraft", what can someone expect? How would you describe your own music?

Rob: We'd rather let the music do the talking and let you other guys decide how to describe and label it. It's all about rock'n'roll basically.

Mats: I'd say it's hard, heavy, grooving rock'n'roll with songs you can dance to without spilling your beer.


What is it like to be in the music business?

Rob: Show me the money! It really sucks...

Mats: It's at least better than being in the dot com business. Nah, I've worked in lots of different jobs in the music business since 1995 and still don't feel the need to get me a real, respectable job. If you're a music FAN, it's however difficult to not have your love for music destroyed by actually working too much with all the different aspects of it, the business side et cetera. Of course it would have been better for our band to come out ten or twenty years ago, we would've been superstars by now! The world has turned and left us here, but you can't let that affect you. But I can't stand the whining that it's all unfair, in my opinion, it's not. You decide what you want to do and don't let anything affect that.


What are some of your influences, musically or otherwise?

Rob: We're inspired by various kinds of music genres, ranging from Dolly Parton to Morbid Angel. Lately we've been listening to a lot of AC/DC, which you will probably notice and enjoy on our next record.


I really dig the tonal quality of your music, has it been challenging to find the right guitar and vocal sounds?

Rob: A friend of us, Per Wikstrom, produced the album and is very much responsible for that crispy Here to Save You All sound.

Mats: The album was recorded live to a great extent, and the arrangements, sounds, equipment are the same that we use live, so it's a no-bull or fancy tricks rock record. Best of all, it was unbelievably inexpensive to record! We're hoping the schedules work out so we can do the next one as well with Per.


What is it like have Sweden as a home base? Are you looked down upon because of your style of music there?

Mats: It's great! We have a social system that's great for lazy people, so people in bands have an easy ride, I'd say, more so than in many other western countries. And we have a broad spectrum of music, a strong influence of American and English culture, a free, open society - what more could you ask for? But musically, we are definitely sort of outcasts, but not looked down upon. It's very open-minded in the rock crowd, and lots of variety in the bands here.

Rob: Most European people dig our sound and think that we stand out from the rest of the music-scene in a cool way. The only ones that are kind of questioning our "american sound" are the Americans themselves and judging us by us coming from Sweden.


How is the songwriting processed explored?

Rob: Always starts with a guitar idea and then we arrange it from there.

Mats: Working with Greg's been great, he's just "oh, perfect, I can think of millions of things to sing to that", so we're just trying to find the ultimate idea. At the moment we're sending tapes back and forth but I hope we can get together soon and finishing it all together.


Is the band able to make music full-time, or do you have jobs you must endure?

Rob: I wish it was our full time duty, but sadly that's not the case. Work sucks. Buy our record you muthas!!!!

Mats: I enjoy my work, doing various freelance journalist stuff, so it's more about fun than enduring it, but of course I'd rather be drunk on tour all the time.


How does the band view internet file sharing?

Mats: 95% pro, personally. I can show you all the albums I bought and shows I went to, that I would have NEVER heard of, if not for the net - it has made me consume MORE music product as a whole. I view it also as a preservation and sharing of popular culture - are there money NOT being made by the rightful copyright owners because I downloaded and watched Weather Report with Jaco Pastorius live from Germany 1978 yesterday? Or that I found this great couple of Professor Longhair tracks that I have never seen in any record shop in my town? If it would mean that less music was being played and enjoyed by the people, then it'd be a problem. I don't see that yet. It's not important to have maximum revenue. The people who suffers most from file sharing are the already huge, rich, spoilt artists who always want MORE! For smaller bands it only means exposure, and for the audience it means diversity and democracy. We don't make any big money ANYWAY, so it does not matter. But of course I'd rather you buy our album than get it off Kazaa. But the bottom line is it's better that you listen to it than not. You could always buy me a couple of beers next time I'm in your town as thanks for stealing our music...


What do you all do for fun?

Rob: Playing with Backdraft on stage is my way of having fun. If I'm not on stage I settle with beer and sex.

Mats: Doing drugs, being rock! I read a lot. But the most fun is working with the band - that's what's really important.


What kind of music are you listening to lately?

Mats: Little Feat, Los Lobos latest one "Good Morning Atzlán", Bigelf, Sly & The Family Stone, Tommy Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Solomon Burke, the Led Zep live album, 38 Special, the new Supersuckers album, Jimi Hendrix.

Rob: AC/DC.


At what point did you realize that music is going to be your ultimate passion?

Mats: Got Kiss' Destroyer for my ninth birthday in 1983. Then saw ZZ Top, Whitesnake and Motley Crue on TV. Got Iron Maiden's Powerslave for X-mas. Happily deranged since then.

Rob: Personally it has always - or since I was 11 when listening to Billy Gibbons - been my dream to be a rock'n'rollin' super guitar player.


What can one expect to see live? Are you currently or plan to tour soon?

Mats: I've been working to get us to the US for a couple of years, but it's never happened. Now, with Greg onboard, I hope that it'll be a lot easier. But the thing is now that we're another band from the one who did the first album, so it wouldn't be fair to go out there "in support" of Here To Save You All. We would go out there as a NEW band, with NEW songs. So, maybe it's better to wait 'til we get the next one out...


Care to share any thoughts on global events?

Mats: We're an apolitical band, but that doesn't mean I don't have an opinion. I really am worried about the confrontational US foreign policy, and that the view is more or less "fuck everyone else, we don't care, we'll buy you or bomb you". Look back on history and the downfall of the old empires, and be very afraid. People out in California, 100,000 miles from where whatever is happening goes "yeah, I support the troops", like it's a fucking sports team - war is televised and made into computer games like it's all the ultimate reality show. Fear, ignorance, self-sufficiency, egoism, lack of education, knowledge, empathy all goes hand in hand, and it seems it creeps through the American society from the bottom to the top - THAT's what sets the US apart from the rest of the western world. Not that Americans are morons - every country has the same percentage of goons - but in most of the western world we try not to vote them into power. Aren't there fifty things that your government could do to improve things for all people living in America, instead of what it's doing overseas? What's the missile defense program costing? Who are making the money from the new Iraq? Does anyone care about anything anymore, except that the gas should cost less for their new SUV?


How about crazy stories from the road?

Mats: The only time we've been on MTV, after a great festival we played in southern Spain last year (Serie Z), after the show, interviews and all I happened to get a little too sloshed and the nice, pretty MTV VJ lady had to take care of me being sick and pathetic! I'm eternally grateful. Whoohoo! Viking power = bad common sense! If Snejken (our other guitarist) was around he could probably tell you the story of when he almost lost his penis on the highway. Or when he almost got satanically sacrificed by a girl and her boyfriend, escaped and ran around alone in a blizzard all night. Poor Snejken always gets into trouble!


How can one experience Backdraft? Where can we find your music?

Mats: If it's not in your local record store, make them order it from Abstract Sounds, or via Lumberjack Distribution. Or get it off Amazon.com, or better yet, order directly from us at www.backdraft.web.com We will touring the US next year no matter what, so that's at least something to look forward to!
 

Anything else to add?

Mats: Thank you to each and everyone who bought our album or came to our shows. You haven't made us rich, but you have filled our hearts with luuuv!

Rob: Buy the goddamn record and demand Backdraft on your buddies' parties. We're sick and tired of working shitty day jobs and can't wait to smack the states with the Backdraft cock rock power.
 

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