Checkout a new Millencolin interview by Sandiegopunk.com!
Robert Carrillo: So you guys have toured the world, put out plenty of albums, done pretty much everything a punk rock band is capable of doing, what keep you going after all this time?
Fredrick Larzon: I don't know, as long as we do new songs which feel new to us and come up with
new ideas in how we write songs it's glorifying I guess. When we reach the day that we can't come up with new stuff, then we'll probably split the band. As long as we have shows like this and like our new stuff than we will definitely continue. You get to travel too, all around to all kinds of places and play shows, so its great.
RC: Well since you've been pretty much everywhere, what are some of your favorite places to play?
FL: Australia is really good. Both for playing and doing other stuff. The States, I mean show wise it's pretty much the same everywhere I guess. But I like the States and Australia and Canada and Europe too.
RC: Pretty much everywhere huh?
FL: Ya, everywhere.
RC: So a couple years ago you put out Pennybridge Pioneers, which was really a landmark skate-punk album. Like him and I (referring to a friend that was brought along) have pretty different musical tastes but we both think that album is great. We're you able to gauge that when the album came out, or did you not notice the impact that it seemed to have?
FL: Back then we didn't notice it I guess, but nowadays when we come here for the second time on Home From Home we notice that most people like the songs we play from Pennybridge Pioneers. But, it's like there is groups of people, one group that has been listening to us from way back. Another that found out about us on Pennybridge Pioneers and on.
RC: Well ya, I mean with all the success of Pennybridge Pioneers you guys come out with Home From Home and it was pretty different. It seems to be more of a rock album, not so much a skate-punk album. What led you guys to that shift in your sound, because making Pennybridge Pioneers part 2 would have been the easy thing to do?
FL: Ya ya I guess, but we never really think about how we want an album to sound, it just turns out like that. I mean Nikola and Mathius, they're the ones that come up with most of the ideas, pretty much everything. So when we start to rehearse, the songs just become like that. It's not that we plan.
RC: So you didn't go into the studio saying, 'Let's make a rock album this time around?'
FL: No, no nothing like that. I mean, at the same time you get influenced by the music around you, I mean it's everything you hear. Back when we recorded Pennybridge Pioneers we were listening to things like Samiam and more emotional punk bands. Then again, we were listening to that kind of music when we recorded the new album as well. So I don't know, we always try to come up with new stuff, new directions.
RC: So, right now is Millencolin your full time job or do you have other ventures or things you're doing when you're not working with the band?
FL: Well we've lived off the music from '95 I think, something like that. So it's our job, not that I see it as a job, but we pay our bills from this.
RC: Well I mean more like is there other things you do besides the band, like other projects?
FL: Well when we're back home me and Erik we work with the band pretty much everyday, I mean we have our own office at the record company back in Sweden. We answer emails and he updates the website and do all kinds of stuff. New video stuff, layout stuff and all that. I mean, when the weather is nice we go out golfing, fishing, whatever.
RC: With the Burning Heart imprint from Epitaph, it seems recently bands have been coming out of Sweden. More independent type rock bands like the (International) Noise Conspiracy, the Hives as well as others. Burning Heart is obviously bigger these days because of the success you guys have had. So now they are able to help push out these bands from Sweden, do you feel like when you see these guys now that you had some kind of hand in opening that door for more independent bands coming out of Sweden?
FL: Ya maybe I guess. I mean we were the first kinda punk band from Sweden in our era. Like we got to come to States and Australia, and got to put out albums on Epitaph. And I guess the bands coming out after us are using the same contacts pretty much, like booking agencies and distribution. So I guess we have opened a lot of doors for other Swedish bands.
RC: You guys have been involved with Epitaph for some years now, what are your feelings towards working with them after all this time?
FL: Ya since '96. It's been really, really good. They've helped us a lot through the years both with tours and done a great job. We're happy with them. They're very very similar to Burning Heart in how they work.
RC: Have you guys ever had any major label interest, and if so is that something you would consider?
FL: We don't have a contract now. So I mean we look around, you gotta do that you know? Cause we've never done that. We signed directly to Burning Heart after our second demo and we've been with Burning Heart and Epitaph since that, so I guess we gotta look around and see what's the best direction for us. But we love those record companies of course, and I guess we really want to continue working with them. But we do need to look around.
RC: I know this was a while ago, but I read a review of your 10-year anniversary show in Sweden and it really seemed like an amazing night with Brett (Gurewitz) coming out as well as other stuff. I'd just like to hear from your perspective about that show and what were some of your favorite things about that night?
FL: For me it was the thing in playing with Brett of course. And we played all these old songs which we never play nowadays and a really really long time ago we used to play some of those songs. It was pretty much like a regular show except that we had these guest appearances, you know and you can't get hammered before that kind of show. {Laughing} So after the show, when I felt like partying, everyone was going home. But the show was great, 900 people in the crowd so it was a really really good show. And we hadn't been playing in Sweden at all since I dunno, '97 or something except for a few festivals so people came from all parts of Sweden to see the show.
RC: You guys have become one of those prototype Warped Tour bands with your ties to the skate scene and the fast paced music that most Warped kids are there for. And I know you left your mark with the Beer Bong Olympics. What are some of your favorite things about that kind of tour and would you do it again?
FL: Ya, ya it's a great tour and loads of fun. It's a really, really long tour to do. If it's at the right time for us, like if we release an album, since we are an international band we need to cover the continents. So of course we would love to do it again if the time is right.
RC: So you guys have been tied to the skate scene for years now, both here and back home. Skating has obviously grown more popular over the years, what are some things you've noticed over that time period? Do you think its changed?
FL: I, {laughs} have never been a skater. It's all the other guys, they've been skating a lot. I dunno, it seems like all the young kids, they're so good these days. They kick their asses all the time. {Laughing} And we try to help out, support the local skate scene. Erik and a couple friends of his help built a indoor skate park and it's going pretty good. We had a skate competition for our 10-year anniversary, and that was pretty fun.
RC: You didn't enter?
FL: {Laughs} No, no I didn't.
RC: So how about your local scene musically. Is there any specific bands that people here and outside of Sweden should be listening to or maybe check out?
FL: Yes, there are a lot of bands. Like this band {points to sweatshirt} Nine, they're kind of a metal/hardcore band and the Peepshows, of course the Hives, (International) Noise Conspiracy, Randy. The Norwegian band TurboNegro, they've been around a long long time. That's some of the bands that are really good.
RC: OK, well in closing you guys got a lot of old fans out there, as well as a lot of new ones. Anything you want to say or get out there to people reading this?
FL: Ya, well first to all the old fans thanks for sticking around for us, coming to the shows. Same thing to the new fans, it's great, we're still having a blast.
RC: Anything specific to look forward to with Millencolin?
FL: Well I'm looking forward to starting work on a new album, that's what I'm looking forward to. I'm stoked because I can actually be on this tour. I had to go back home last year when I broke my arm, so I missed the second half of it, and I missed out on the European tour. So this is kinda like the first tour for me after Home From Home.
RC: So looking forward to it?
FL: Ya, totally.
RC: Alright, that about does it. Thanks a lot.
FL: No problem, thank you.
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