Interviewed by Denys (Site Founder/Senior Staff Writer) Myglobalmind Webzine
Myglobalmind:Hey Micke, how are you my brother hope everything is going well. Congratulations on the new record “Out From The Cold” and thanks for taking the time to join us on Myglobalmind Webzine.
Micke: Thanks Denys, and all is well here in Sweden, just a bit sick an tired of this white thing on the ground called snow, haha! Im so glad for your interest in this hard rockin band from Sweden.
Myglobalmind: I bet is pretty hectic time for yourself and the band the release of your new album, how excited are you about it and what’s the early feedback been like so far?
Micke: Haha yes its kind a hectic for sure mostly with this promotion stuff but I love it! I must say I’m very excited about it and the more I read and see reviews articles and stuff the more excited I get, the feedback so far has been overwhelming , I think we did get a bit spoiled with good reviews with the last album but this is even better.
Myglobalmind: Before we get into the new record, tell our readers a little about yourself. How did you get into the music industry and how did you end up in forming Coldspell?
Micke: The history of ColdSpell started many years ago. We had a band here in Sweden – R.A.W. that released 2 albums in the mid -90´s but the scene for melodic hardrock was not at its top I can tell for sure, haha and the keyword for that was probably “grunge”! So we closed that chapter in -97 and I guess since then my ambition has been to do this ColdSpell thing but somehow the years just fly away and after some years and after moved to Kiruna up in the north of Sweden I formed ColdSpell in 2005. Guess I been in the music industry for a long time and have done some interesting stuff over the years but ColdSpell is everything since 2005.
Myglobalmind: What led you to get involved in the Hard Rock and Metal scene? Did you play any other type of music other then these genres before?
Micke: You know , once a hardrocker – always a hardrocker. Grew up with all those great -70´s, -80´s bands and even if hardrock always been priority one I always been curious in all other kinds of music. Played over the years in different projects, cover bands, tribute bands and done some backing up for some Swedish artists.
Myglobalmind: Influences in your music I’m sure range from a good dose of classic rock bands, what are some of your personal favorite bands that shaped the way you play music today?
Micke: Yeah that’s a long list but to mention some names/bands that I always get back to is Sabbath, Purple, Montrose, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Priest, Ozzy, Lynch Mob, Journey, Badlands, Kings X, Dream Theatre!
Myglobalmind: Talk a little about the band R.A.W which you play with in the 90’s with Kicken from The Poodles? What type style of music did you guys play in that band?
Micke: It was more in to aor a bit softer I guess while ColdSpell is heavier and more like what I wanted to sound like. We did 2 albums in the mid nineties and I guess that these albums did not get the chance they deserved when they where released in the middle of the grunge – era! The first album got re-released by MTM in Germany in 2004. We have a song from the second RAW album on this new release, the song Seven Wonders. Due to the fact that Anders Lindmark now is in ColdSpell we decided to clean the dust from that good old rocker. Anders and I used to play together in RAW!
Myglobalmind: I seem to ask this question to other Swedish Hard Rock bands, so much good music comes out of there in Metal and Hard Rock that’s pretty incredible. Is the music market there pretty competitive? Here in the USA is a totally different market nominated by mainstream music. Just trying to get a sense of the music industry in Sweden if you will.
Micke: It must be our Viking blood or maybe its something in the water, haha. No I don’t know why but there is for sure a true dedication to hardrock in Sweden, I mean we are only 8 million people in Sweden and compare that with US that have ………millions of people! I do get this question quite often but I have no good answer to that question.
Myglobalmind: Let’s get into your new record Out From The Cold, why that title and did you approach a new musical direction as compared to the band’s very well received debut “Infinite Stargaze”?
Micke: No I think the direction is the same , its all in the vein of classic hardrock/metal but with a bigger heavier sound. It’s the same songwriter , same studio, same Tommy Hansen that did the mix but it feels like this is our sound. I’m so pleased with the Infinite Stargaze album but it could have had a bit heavier sound.
The title felt so right due to the fact that 3 of us live up in the north of Sweden where the winters are cold and also the title can be refereed to this second release and that its time with this new album to break the silence and hopefully be a name and a trademark, and that people will know that ColdSpell is here to stay!
Myglobalmind: Tommy Hansen is back at the helm in the mix department. does this guy ever take a break?
Micke: Haha no I don’t think he knows what vacation is, he is something special – the master of knobs!
Myglobalmind: For fans not familiar with the sound of Coldspell, explain to those fans what the band sounds like and possible influences?
Micke: I already mentioned some influences and the sound of us I think can be explained as a mix of classic hardrock with choruses from the eighties and with a healthy dose of metal/progressive stuff, haha!
Myglobalmind: Any favorites songs on the record and if so which one and why?
Micke: Maybe this title track “ Out from the cold” , its more like this “anthem” feeling like the “Keep on believing” song from the Infinite Stargaze album, I´m a bit weak for this kind of songs, haha! The King is another song that is very close to me , this song can be a dedication to one of the greatest Mr R.J. Dio and can also be dedicated to emptiness and sadness when loosing someone near, maybe a father, mother , brother, sister………!
Myglobalmind: What do you hope fans take from your new album?
Micke: I hope they will feel that it is 100% heart and soul in these songs and that they feel that this is not just some temporary band/album , this is honest hardrock by true hardrockers!
Myglobalmind: Hey Micke what’s your weapon of choice when it comes to playing the guitar? Which type of guitars do you use live on stage and in the recording studio?
Micke: I been trying it all but since some years back I realized that Les paul is my kind of thing. Live I use Gibson and ESP les paul at the moment and in the studio it was the same, did the rythm git with the Esp Eclipse and solos with Gibson Les Paul. Did the rhythm git with the Peavey 5150 and solos with Engl Savage
Myglobalmind: Talk about the fans of the band throughout Europe and beyond, did you guys get a chance during the last record to tour often? Any future plans for support of this record?
Micke: No unfortunately we did no touring after that album , did a bunch of festivals and clubs in Sweden but after this release things will be different and we are definitely gonna do some touring in Europe 2011 and as it seems now there maybe will be some dates in US too , I keep my fingers crossed!
Myglobalmind: I know this question gets rhetorical after a while but because we are based here in the USA, is hard to enjoy so many great bands from overseas live and vice versa is difficult for bands like yourself to cross the Atlantic and come here to spread your wings for the American fan base. Is is this something that may be feasible in the future for Coldspell?
Micke: At the moment we have some amazing people in US that have one goal for 2011 and that is to have us over there to US and do some shows or maybe touring and as I said, we keep our fingers crossed. Its amazing how much awesome feedback we get from fans in US – I’m a bit chocked!
Myglobalmind: What has been the biggest festival or venue the band has ever played?
Micke: We did some festivals in Sweden in 2010 , played at Rockweekend with bands like Deep Purple, Twisted Sister and with bands like Europe and Skid Row at Nordic Rock.
Myglobalmind: What bands and albums are you currently listening to at the moment?
Micke: That new Whitesnake album sounds great , also did listen to Black stone cherry, yesterday I had to once again pick up that Symphony X album “Paradise Lost”
Myglobalmind: Hey Micke let the fans and readers worldwide know why they should pick up your terrific sophomore release of “Out From The Cold”?
Micke: Because its all about hardrock and its just a matter of time til we come to US and its important that you all know the words to sing along, haha! Im so glad if you give it a chance – hope you think it’s a perfect mix of good old classic hardrock / metal with a fresh up to date sound. I been working like a maniac with this album since I started doing pre productions in march 2010 – so hope you like it!
Myglobalmind: What’s next for Coldspell and for the future of the band?
Micke: We are doing promotion for this new album and we are about to as it seems now confirm some dates in Europe this spring. We are about to do a second video from this new album.
Myglobalmind: The final words are yours my friend, thanks for taking the time and Cheers have a drink on me…
Micke: Thanks Denys, you´re welcome. I sure will save that drink until we meet! It feels just awesome with the new album and all the kind words and we sure do hope that we will get a chance to cross the Atlantic and get to rock in US.
Please visit: http://www.coldspell.se and http://www.myspace.com/coldspellsweden
Webzine Review for Coldspell – Out From The Cold
https://myglobalmind.com/2011/01/31/coldspell-%e2%80%93-out-from-the-cold/