Sad news: The music world mourns the loss of Ray Manzarek (74), founding Member and keyboarder of The Doors, White Zombie drummer Phil Buerstatte (44) and Uriah Heep bassist Trevor Bolder (63). R.I.P.!
German Hardrockers BERSERKER will donate 18.000€ to the Berlin cancer charity for children on May 25. November 2011 BERSERKER front man Schröder was diagnosed with cancer, now he is cancer-free. In 2012 the band collected money for this charity at their concerts and will also continue to do so in the future. Slayer´s Jeff Hanneman is dead: he passed away at about 11AM on May 2nd near his Southern California home because of liver failure due to an infection after a spider bite. R.I.P. Jeff!
The Siberian Jay music video "I´m Holding" featuring Mikko Sirén from Apocalyptica on drums - we reported about the videoshoot in our "1h with" Special - can be watched here: http://youtu.be/C-hSNurZVcs
Jaded Heart: It´s all about “ordnung”
They have been in business for 20 years and do not even think of quitting - Jaded Heart. Their latest album „Common Destiny“ was released a few weeks ago, therefore this is the right moment to chat a bit about it with singer Johan Fahlberg, and about the secret of this successful Swedish-German cooperation.
Hey Johan, I hope you are doing well. The new Jaded Heart record “Common Destiny” came out this May, how do you feel about it?
I’m very excited. I think we’ve done are really great album. I’m looking forward to play the new songs on tour soon.
“Common Destiny” has many great songs to offer, with catchy melodies and lyrics; can you tell us how the usual songwriting process looks like in your band?
Thank you! Peter writes almost all the riffs and I do the vocal lines. Peter and I get together and we rewrite some riffs and vocal lines. We send mp3 files back and forward to the other guys to hear what they think, and what they have come up with. We exchange idea’s over the Internet ‘till we’re satisfied. After the pre-production all of us have a gathering, usually in Sweden, to decide which songs we want to end up on the album. This time we had 25 songs to choose from. The hardest part is to “kill your darling” when it’s a song you really like and the others in the band don’t.
Something I’d like to know is how do you handle rehearsals? Two of your band are living in Sweden, the others are from different parts of Germany. Where do you meet each other, or do you just rehearse right before you go to studio or on tour?
Yes, we meet up in Germany and rehearse a couple of days before the tour. Everybody is well prepared, so it’s only small details that we have to work on.
Would it be an option for you to move to Germany?
I don’t know, I really like it in Germany, but I guess if I’d move abroad it would be somewhere where it’s warm and the sun shines everyday. At least where the winter is not as long as it is here.
You are from Sweden, why did you choose to join a band from Germany, aren’t there bands like this around in Sweden too?
It was actually a coincidence that I ended up in Jaded Heart. Nowadays with Internet and cheap flights you can live almost anywhere. I even meet my German friends more often than some of my Swedish friends.
I have to ask this: What would you say is the biggest difference between Germans and Swedes?
I can’t come up with any. The Germans are awesome and we’ve become close friends. I mean, we both like beer, rock n roll and having a party. I guess we’re all the same. And in Sweden, we like “ordnung” (= “keeping things tidy”, the ed.) as well… ha ha.
You are part of Jaded Heart since 2005. How did you become part of the band?
It was a friend of mine, Mikael Rosengren from Constancia, who have heard that JH was looking for a new singer. He had Mülli’s phone number, so he got us in contact with each other. I sang a couple of old JH songs and sent it to them. We met up in Germany for an audition and they seemed to like it, ha ha ;-)
2009 you also joined the Swedish band Denied as a singer, isn’t it a problem to fit both bands into your time schedule?
No, I like to have a busy schedule. So far it haven’t collided. Now when we release Common Destiny my focus is on Jaded Heart.
The guys of Denied have been your friends already before you joined the band, I guess it was a little different in Jaded Heart, right? Would you say that a band which is first of all just a “work-connection” has more discipline then one you have with friends?
No, we’re such good friends in booth bands. When it comes to work we’re very disciplined and focused. I guess being friends is the easiest way. We know each other very well and what’s good and best for the bands.
After several years of cooperation you left Frontier Records and signed your new contract at Fastball Music. What was the reason that you left Frontiers and what do you expect from the new label?
It was time for us to move on. We wanted to do a really good record and release it on a label that actually cares. We have so far just started our journey together with Fastball and it feels great. It’s fantastic to work with professionals.
So after the record release, do you have plans already for a tour and Festivals this summer?
Yes, we’re planning as we speak. I can’t reveal anything right now unfortunately, but very soon I hope.
You have been seven years part of the band, what are the things you wanna reach within the next seven years in this band? Any goals you reach for?
Time flies … Well, I’m looking forward to new great albums, tours and hopefully another seven successful years. We’ve been on tours over the years all over Europe and have had great response from our fans. Our first tour in Japan last year was a blast. Hope to get back there soon.
I hope they will come true and wish you and Jaded Heart all the best with the new record.
More Information: http://www.jadedheart.de
Video “With You” : http://youtu.be/lc3IxICrVA4
Author: Sandy Mahrer photo: Tim Assmann Date: 2012-06-20
