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An interview with Anders Friden of In Flames
by Tom Novak
(Feb. 23, 2006)
This past weekend The Swedish metal band know world wide as InFlames, were in Worcester Massachusetts supporting their latest CD “ Come Clarity” On Ferret Records. Which just debuted weeks ago in the states, supporting them on this tour were The Christian Rock, Bible thumpers otherwise known as Zao, The California Metal band, Devil Driver and Florida’s Trivium. Before the 2100 thousand kids who bought every ticket in sight, to the Palladium nightclub, Lead Singer for In Flames Anders Friden sat down with me and we talked about the progress of the tour so far.
Q.) Anders, hows it going?
A.) (Glances at clock sitting on the wall of the tour bus) Ahh, Good morning. (With a wide grin on his face)
Q.) I take it your still on Swedish Time, even on the road?
A.) Aaa… all the time,( laughs)
Q.) So the time change when you’re in the states doesn’t screw you up to much when you’re on the road?
A.) Naa not really, I think I’ve grown accustom to this time, Its just that you play and then you stay up late and other than that there not much for us to do than sleep.
Q.) So your on tour now supporting your latest effort (“ Come Clarity”) which was released on Ferret Records, here in the USA, why such a smaller label similar to Metal Blade, and other smaller labels of its kind?
A.) Well actually Metal Blade didn’t want it, Ferret did. I mean they gave us the best deal. And we wanted to be on a smaller label where we had more control over our own thing, instead of someone trying to force us to become something were not.
Q.) Was that a concern and or an issue related to why you parted ways with the American Division of Nuclear Blast & Century Media Entertainment?
A.) Well Nuclear Blast, couldn’t get our albums into the stores, they had to go through Century Media. And after a while it just didn’t work out, and we’d been with that label for quite some time. and if we put our hearts and souls into something we want people to be able to find the album.
Q.) Did you know that you really did shock people by not going with a label like, RoadRunner records, of all places?
A.) Really… why’s that…
Q.) Financial reasons, especially with bigger labels like that one in question?
That’s thing with rumors, people talk too much, some people just don’t have a clue with what the fuck is going on. We never, it was not our intention to go anywhere in terms of a label, Ferret offered us the best things.
Q.) Now on “Come clarity “ what do you feel as the lead singer and one of the main song writers, feel that stand out more on this record as posed to previous inflames records.
A.) I can never answer questions, like what stands out more. I mean this in the light of the Old Inflames stuff as well, I mean its I can totally trace our history in this album to where I don’t even think the band knows where were going. We don’t wanna repeat ourselves, we don’t wanna do something that everyone expects. I ‘d like people to go ..”…Wait, this is inflames, but is not what I expected !” I wanna have people say that. And I guess each record is a new reaction to the previous one, no matter what year we did the other ones, I mean this one is a little more up tempo, more guitar orientated that “Soundtrack”(To your Escape) and still has all the elements of what were known for, Melody and Aggression.
Q.) Now do you pay attention to people’s reactions between album to album, or how you’ve changed over the years, because with “Soundtrack”, fans thought for whatever reason, maybe to make themselves feel important or let them think that they could rate records and as result not absorb it as well as “Reroute to Remain” your previous works?
A.) Well we sold more with that album, So I feel that…
You’re having the last laugh….
Yeah I guess, I felt with that, because at the time we did a tour with Slipknot, people started to think that we were turning into a “nu metal” band, but obviously now more people know about us .And more people wanna have an opinion and its so easy to sit down at a computer and write “ I hate you” or “ you suck” “you do this…”. Then go do it on your own, I mean we’ve been around for …( pauses) This is what our 8th album in 12 years and there not that many bands that last long. And still people still do care I mean this whole tour has been sold out basically, so we must be doing something right. So all the nerds behind the computers can go fuck themselves.
Q.) So aside from letting the live show speak for itself, do you ever find yourself logging on to a computer and pretending to not be yourself and then in effort to have the last laugh, logg on and go give those hecklers hell online ?
A.) I mean that’s pretty tough, I mean I read what people are writing, I pay attention, but it doesn’t get to me. To change who I am. Or my music, I mean were here today because we believe in ourselves and do what we want. Not because what you say or what a record label says or what anybody else is saying. It’s the 5 of us who decide what we want to do. and it can be to a point where your like it,. Where people misunderstand your purpose, and try to talk about us like they know us, that is like come on! In the end though I really don’t care that much, I mean you cant satisfy everyone, that’s just impossible. And if you like 1 album out of all our 8, then cool, I mean at least you like 1, I mean if you like it cool, I don’t try to force my music on you or anyone else. I mean we do what we like to do and if people wanna come along then cool.
Q.) So No “Rock star” fantasy’s with this band then?
A.) naa we’ve been doing this for to long, there’s no point.
So you still feel theres longevity, to the point where, you guys feel 8 or 10 year more down the road you could see yourselves still doing this band?
I actually hope Ill be doing something else in 10 years, like sitting on my porch sipping whiskey and be able to look back and laugh at the memories.
Q.) Speaking of memories, you probably made some this past summer on the Ozzfest tour where you guys opened the main stage, here in the US, what were your thoughts on that tour?
A.) Yeah, well it wasn’t the greatest of times I felt we got screwed a bit, I mean we only got to play 5 songs, I mean it was an honor, to be asked to play with (Black) Sabbath and (Iron) Maiden, and all the other bands on the tour. Who most we’ve already toured with. And we know but playing 5 songs out of the 7 albums we had under our belts doesn’t do our material or history justice. I mean people were sitting down eating their burgers and eating and its day light, its not Rock and Roll.
Q.) Then I take it you guys are little more excited for this summer then as seeing how you were just confirmed as one of the headliners for the “Sounds Of The Under Ground” (tour )
A.) Yeah that’s gonna be cool, I mean at least people can and we can get a pit going and get people to go nuts, I mean at least people just wont be standing there like they were at the Ozzfest. I guess on the plus side we also got out way more people though then we may have realized…
Q.) Now had you had it your way, would you of rather played the 2nd stage where you had more participation from kids in the crowd.
A.) Yeah, either way though it was a great opportunity, and a good time, but were not doing it again, I mean let’s leave it at that.
Q.) Now with this tour you have Trivium, Devil driver and Zao on the bill, why those 3 bands, what about those 3 acts that caught your attention.
A.) Well it wasn’t really up to In Flames to pick the openers, we get booking agents and Record labels, who say this bands looking for a tour, I mean Zao though is on Ferret with us so that worked out for the obvious reasons, Devil Driver opened for us on the “Soundtrack” tour in Europe and their cool guys, and Trivium are nice guys so its pretty cool.
Q.) Last time you guys played at the palladium you were opening with Killswitch Engage and playing After As I Lay Dying, So does this mean you’re expecting a bigger crowd, because you’re headlining…?
A.) Well seeing how tonight is already sold out and I don’t think I could ask for more.
Q.) In a perfect world though if Inflames could pick who was going to open for you guys, doesn’t matter who, what would be some of the bands you guys would pick?
A.) I don’t know really man, I mean I think it would be smart to pick someone who isn’t a metal band who’s like nice and quiet before we go on.
Q.) So could you guys see yourselves touring with a band like HIM then?
A.) Yeah Defently I know the drummer, he’s a cool guy! Yeah why not. I mean I don’t have to pretend anything to anyone that I’m a metal fan, I mean I’ve been listening to metal for my whole life I don’t have to pretend or protect or something. I mean we’ve tour with many different types of bands, that’s why we can draw in fans from so many different garners
Q.) Now how do crowds in the states vary from the crowds in Europe?
A.) They don’t really, it’s really the same kids who go crazy to music, I mean here (in the US) I think kids are a little more violent. And maybe here in America, kids are a little more open minded, cause in Europe, metal is metal and that’s it.
Q.) Now with this current set, lists is it more newer material or are you guys going to mesh a lot of different songs together from all 8 records?
A.) We try to mix it up, because every time we play old songs not a lot of people know about it , we hear this form a fan and then we here …..( Clap, clap), but yeah we still try to mix it .
Q.) So did this record leak on the internet and if so were you surprised to see that interest.
A.) Yeah it leaked like 3 months before and well I wasn’t really surprised, it really just sucks because it takes away the fun of really going through an album and that release day, is like… “Woohoo”( in a cynical tone) you know whatever, and its been out there already. I mean we got good reactions overall, but its our heart and soul and people are just taking it .
Q.) So are you more of fan then of kids being able to go out and buy a physical record and be able to see the liner notes and see the art work.
A.) Shit that’s how I am ! I mean get tons of records for free but I still go out and buy records, because I don’t download at all.
Q.) So is there an I-pod in your bunk then?
A.) I have an I-pod, but it my own stuff, which I buy and then put in my own I-pod , I mean, I think even though you download it, most people want to have the real case and record accessible to them.
Q.) So do you feel as a musician, down the road you’re going to have to catter more to the interactive markets and that newer medium?
A.) I just create music; I don’t think about that really, there are other people who make those decisions for us, because other wise it takes away from our creativity
Q.) So any last thoughts you want to leave your fans with?
A.) Nope J
(followed by a causal laugh as Anders gets up
to go finish waking up)
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