Exclusive Interview with Jorn Lande Part II (Vocals) (Jorn, Masterplan, Allen-Lande, Ark)

I guess I wanted to go back to basics, that's all really. The guys are great guys, I have known them for many years but sometimes people grow in different directions....

Jorn Lande Interviewpic 7

 

 

 Interviewed by Mark Dean (Journalist/Writer/Contributor) Myglobalmind Webzine

 

Official Transcript Part II

 

I had just asked Jorn regarding his extraordinary work rate

Jorn  “Its not a measured time, it could be over tomorrow. Normally if
you are lucky in this life ,you live to be an average age-an old man
of seventy or eighty..I think that I just don’t want to do anything
else, I want to make a living from music,and at the same time I do want
to have the normal things in life. I have to be creative to make enough
to support my life. There are all the things that you really want to
have,the material things in life. Some things you don’t need ,you get
older and you settle with less, and they are not important anymore. You
have been there and done that kind of thing .I think these days I’m
noticing that I’m getting older and I really need to work hard, now
while I still have the energy to do it. In a few years maybe I will
slow down a  bit, but I will still make music. I am not going to
retire,but I will have  a more normal tempo with what I am
doing. Another thing is,that when you repeat yourself, you start to
realise that you have heard stuff before. You realise that you have
done that already many times. It becomes harder to find inspiration as
well. I think that it is a natural development that eventually I will
spend more time on the albums. Also when you have built a career ,in
the end people will expect you to deliver something really good. It
doesn’t have to be new or original just has to be solid
craftsmanship. You have to really deliver something that stands out
quality-wise. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.”

OK,I’m actually going to go back now to some of your earlier musical
projects and discuss those,if we can.Your contributions to Avantasia
were very well received.Firstly I would just like to ask, have you  new
 plans with that project?

Jorn”I had been asked last year to do the album that’s coming out now
when the guys were working on it, but I just didn’t have the time to do
it. Also Toby wanted everyone that participated on the album to do the
tour this year but with 20 or 30 shows maybe more but I wouldn’t have
been able to follow up on that. I have a new album now that I’m working
on ,and I have to finish that album by April. Its going to be released
in June,another one with new songs.”

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Whats going to be the lineup of musicians playing with you on that one?

Jorn”I have a new guitar player Jon Holtiv(?) , a great talent in his
mid forties.I have known him for years. He has been part of other
projects in Norway, and is pretty well known over here.He has never
really worked with a band,he has those qualities. He is of the kind of
guitar hero calibre. He played with other constellations in the
past, but never really got the chance to do it for real. He has done
everything else-Euro vision Song Contest , and part of all these
non-metal things. He is well known,and has done great .He is now
playing with this band and we have some great new songs coming.It is
the same as usual,trying to meet the deadline,and working against the
clock. I think there are some cool songs on the new album. There is
definitely going to be two or three tracks that will stand out. Some
other tracks are slightly more diverse compared to what we normally
would do. That is again modern times.”

Just to touch on another band that I know are very
popular-Masterplan.You actually left them for the second time last
year,would you like to discuss what happened? Was it the same problem
as before with musical direction? Or was it something else?

Jorn”I guess I wanted to go back to basics, that’s all really. The guys
are great guys, I have known them for many years but sometimes people
grow in different directions. They always stayed in that German power
metal kind of bubble I would say. Not to say that in a negative
way, that is their trademark and they wanted to keep that. I think I am
more of a free bird somehow. I just do what I like to do,if it doesn’t
feel natural then its not right.I have done so many things in my past
where I have been compromising with people(working with bands or in
concerts).  As you get older you just need to follow your own heart
sometimes. When we did the “Time to be King”album we were agreeing on
certain things,that we needed to work together for that album. I didn’t
have the same pressure,and I could be free to create things
writing-wise on the album. At the same time I felt that I was tied up a
little bit, like somebody had put a limit on you. Nobody tells you that
you cannot do this or that,but you have to fit in with the music. If
Roland or Axel or somebody has a piece of music that they would like
to include on the album and they are really excited then they send it
to me. They want me to write something with it,and sometimes I didn’t
feel I liked it that much. I need to find inspiration all the
time,which is difficult in a more forced way of working. I felt that I
just didn’t want that to continue. You can call it a “musical
difference”between us.They have a more fixed concept for what they
want to do. Roland at the beginning came from Helloween,and they had
that German power-metal thing. Its like a load or some baggage. I think
Germans also are really structured,and they don’t want too many
changes.”

OK, just to move on then and mention some of your other musical
projects.What about the Ark project, again very well received any plans
to reactivate that?

Jorn”Not in the near future, I don’t think so.You never know what may
happen in the future, maybe one day we will do something again. It’s not
something that is likely to happen in the next 3-4 years. Maybe when we
are a bit older”

232Jorn Lande Interviewpic 10

What about the Allen-Lande project?Any plans  to do some new music with that?

Jorn “Yes, probably we will do another one. We have been talking about
that, I had thought that was it with three albums being enough. There
was a feeling that there wasn’t much going on in the music anymore. I
thought in a way that it was enough,but now there is another guy who
is going to produce. It will be a new guy working with us for the next
album of the record. He will add some new colours,  It might be
exciting to try and make another one. We will see in the next couple of
years but definitely I think t will happen”

Do you have much time? as I appreciate that you are very busy. I have a
few more questions.

Jorn “Yes i have time ,don’t worry, I have all the time in the world”

I know that you are a very busy man, and was quite difficult to
schedule an interview with you.

Jorn “Yes I have been very busy in the studio. I am leaving tomorrow
for Sweden at 6am. Tonight I am off,and don’t have anything to do right
now. Right now Im just trying to figure out how to pack some stuff into
the car.I have another home, a house in Sweden. My wife and I are going
there tomorrow and spend a few days off. We will be back on Sunday In
Norway again.”

With no music then on the days off???

Jorn “No ,not for the next 3-4 days, I always have to write
stuff. Probably I will have a glass of wine tomorrow night,and go over
my lyrics. Its always something that I have to do. Then I am into the
studio next week”

What do you like to do when you are not making music?? any particular
interests or hobbies?

Jorn Lande Interviewpic 9
Jorn”Well I used to be into cars, but I don’t have too much time to do
that anymore. I used to have a couple of old American sports cars. A
mustang,mark 1 and a Corvette  which I used to fix and drive spending
a lot of time with friends. I had one who was a mechanic,and shared the
same interests. The last couple of years I just didn’t have time, so I
sold one of the cars, as music was just taking up too much time(.If I
commit myself to do something). I like to go on trips with my wife,as
often as we can to the mountains,or walking and spending a few days
there. I like to go out far into the country, as that is where I grew up
in central Norway. I am trying to do that as often as I can , a
primitive and simple way of life. I like that but there is just no time
for it. Of course I may watch a movie or read a book. I have to write
music and be in the studio ,and rehearse or play shows in between. I
have these houses that I need to maintain, there is always something to
restore, something to change. Then I need to meet with some guys
regarding carpet,or an electrician, plumber or something.There is
always something.In the last few years I never really had time to have
a different hobby I guess. Music is my hobby, in a way I  am making a
living from my hobby, which is good.”

Moving on to a couple of general questions now.Whats the most
difficult decision that you have ever had to make?

Jorn”Oh that’s a tricky one. I’m not sure actually,in music I guess it
was difficult when I was asked to leave Masterplan. It was something
that could have been important for me for my future. It was like taking
a step out of your safe haven some how,and do everything on your
own..I don’t think that I have any major things that I have had to
turn down in life. I have turned down many things in music,and a few
offers.I don’t think that I have turned down anything that I was wrong
about. I did some stuff in my life that I could have done
better,because of where I was at the time. Facing life I wasn’t always
doing the right things, but that is just part of life. What I wanted to
do in life, if I had a dream or something I am not sure. I love some of
the older bands like you said to me earlier that you enjoyed the older
Dio stuff.”

I was going to discuss that with you,You have paid homage to a few
classic rock bands on your releases-Dio, Whitesnake, Deep
Purple….Hendrix.What new artists and bands though are you listening
to currently?

Jorn “I’m not really listening to much new music at all. I always end
up with my old record collection. The Cd’s that I have are usually
re.releases of old vinyls that I have. Some are best of,s and
remastered stuff”

Would you buy for example a remastered Rainbow album for example?

Jorn “Yes i suppose that I would, I have most of them already. I would
buy it if there was something on it that I didn’t have or if I had
lost the original. I don’t really buy much new music, as I am kind of
trapped in the early eighties.(laughs).  “

Just a couple of final questions then.Over your extensive back
catalogue of releases,what are your favorite  and least favorite
albums? Do you listen to your own recordings/

Jorn”Sometimes I do,and I find that whats brilliant, I recognize that
in some songs or albums. You mentioned Ark”Burn the sun”. Of course I
realise that today that album for example is a classic album and it
has something unique in it. Its not an everyday piece or work. It really
was an identified and creative era of my career. We had absolutely no
boundaries and no restrictions. We were just together in the
studio, doing exactly what we wanted to do. Doing the best that we
could. We never considered what would be difficult to perform live or
what would be politically the wrong direction for the market.We didn’t
really consider anything as we were just 100% free to do something
that we really enjoyed..The way that we were was a combination of the
time,and the age that we were. We were in a stage of life where we all
met,and we just wanted to make something great happen. The album came
out and it was a great piece of work,but what happened unfortunately
at the time it didn’t do much for us.The record business wasn’t  really
the best at that time. The nineties it was really difficult. It was
getting better but we were caught between two chairs.We were not
either birds or fish we were something else.

Jorn Lande Interviewpic 11

Another record “Beyond Twilight-the Devils hall of fame”I think is a great piece of work,and I can recognize those songs.Yeah I do go back and listen to that but I already know which songs or albums that I don’t like that much. I recognize and enjoy the albums that I know are really great work. I think that we all grow.Today I am more open-minded really . I hear the song as a magical thing,and if it needs or deserves the extra attention or focus when I record it . Then we will make sure that  its going to happen and to make it the best that it can be. Then there are other songs as I said before that sometimes we include a song or two that’s a good one may not 100%fit the style. We wont play it live but will still include it on the album. We may not always spend the same amount of time on that song. We may brainstorm it faster, there’s nothing wrong with that. In a way it is all a challenge. Sometimes its a challenge to finish something when you have a hard tight schedule, and the deadline is coming up. I think that its all good when it is done,and its out. You can then be fine and happy and think that we actually pulled it off. That we made the whole record from beginning to end in just a few months. Then you listen back and you realize whats strong and what is weak with it. The most important thing is that you have some strong songs on the album. I don’t think the way that the old bands did to have one album that is a classic. Maybe some people would think like you said earlier about The Ark and stuff that’s a classic. Some people say that “Spirit Black”my own album is a classic,or Jorn “The Duke”is a classic. I have a different prospective. I think that what is important today is to make a good overall release, in a limited amount of time. You have to be in the market, and you have to work. Its the only way today in the rock scene to really have a career. You have to work more and you have to release more albums, and tour. Its not too bad though, I am lucky as I have my wife that is understanding. She wants me to do what I am  doing, and said that she wouldn’t want to live with me if i didn’t  She knows that it is important to keep the fire burning, and that’s how we move forward.”


Just a final question if I may.If you were actually pick somebody
yourself to interview.Who would it be,why would you choose them-what
would you ask them?

Jorn”That’s a tricky question again..I would actually like to talk to
Kate Bush.She is so secretive in a way for many years.She didn’t like
the limelight,she would be a cool person to sit down with ,and get
some answer to many questions.I like her work ,and I think that she is
very talented and unique.Today she is probably as talented as she was
back then.I know that she released an album not that long ago,with
some of the old stuff on it.She also did this Christmas thing- a
Christmas album.She is still an uncompromising lady,in her music.I
would be interested in talking to her.Other people I would like to
talk to-I love the actor Russell Crowe,one of my favourites.I could
mention more people but theres so many once you start to think about
that question.In the business already I know and have worked with a
few people in the past.Some of them I would like to meet again ,not
necessarily to interview-but to just talk to. Its like previous past
relationships,your first girlfriend,the first that you had a
relationship with.Sometimes you were on different stages,in life and
you realise that when you look back it would be great to sit down with
her again.Just to talk about life.Its like you have some unfinished
business”

Finally you said earlier that you are working on a new album.Potential
release date in April,what about touring plans specifically regarding
the UK?-And Ireland

Jorn”Ireland could be a tricky one.We have a new agency
now, Continental-they also have bands like Accept..We are working a lot
right now to prepare a tour  and also for 2014 trying to get as many
festivals as possible.We are in a phase now where we are changing
agencies, we don’t have too many things going on right now. We have some
shows here in Norway, and there are a couple of festivals in Belgium
and in the Netherlands in the summer. There are a few other spread out
shows. We were talking about doing something in England  but we don’t
know yet. There are a couple of festivals,we would probably do at least
one or two of them. We are a bit delayed with that(Download festival I
suggested)since we have changed booking agents .Theres a limit to how
many you can get in a short time period. You also want to have a proper
spot when you play, having to play a bit earlier if you are too late
with your booking. I think sometimes it is better to wait until the
year after”

Thanks very much. Apologies again for the initial phone problems.

Jorn”That’s not a problem Mark. Where in Ireland are you located?

A little country place called Antrim-outside Belfast

Jorn”So you are in the North?

Yes, thats why I was earlier hinting at maybe a Belfast date to be
included on a UK tour?

Jorn Lande Interviewpic 12

Jorn” We played Dublin once on  an earlier tour.,it wasnt the biggest
show.Some people really appreciated it ,it was a great experience.Most
of the times when I have been to Ireland with my wife a couple of
times just for a weekend.We did the normal tourist things-the Guinness
factory.”

Ive got to let you go back to your packing.Thanks for spending a lot
of time talking to me this evening.I really appreciate that, as I do
realise you are a very busy man

Jorn “Just get n touch if you are going to any of my concerts. Maybe we
can meet up or something. Just email G,or the record company . Have a
nice evening Mark”

 

http://www.jornlande.com

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