The Soundtrack of our Lives – Interview

Sweden really has good music. Just ask singer Ebbot Lundberg.

Ebbot is quite a jolly fellow. He is full of laughs and seems to genuinely enjoy himself. If you are wondering what the hell this is all about then I’ll tell you, The Soundtrack of our Lives. The best damn band you never heard.

How has the U.S. been treating you?

It’s been great.

I love the record, have you been getting good feedback?

Everything is extremely, suspiciously positive. (We both laugh) I can’t complain.

How does it feel getting awards?

It makes it easier, but I have always been annoyed that people haven’t been able to get a hold of the first two albums. Now people can try to find the first two albums even though they aren’t released here, hopefully that will change.

So the previous two albums are further out there?

The second one is much more psychedelic and the first is more schizophrenic. They are both very different.

Being that the songs have been around do you still enjoy performing them?

We aren’t tired of the songs. Which is a good thing, and it’s been two years since it was first released.

What is the songwriting process?

Someone can come up with a riff or lyrics and it passes through my own filter. I make up lyrics and arrange it and then I throw it back to others and it goes another round. It usually works, but sometimes someone comes up with a finished idea. We try to find the best sound or version of the song. We try them different ways, some we might try as a waltz. (Laughs) The process is mainly between me and the guitar players.

Are the lyrics conscious or sub-conscious? Like “I’m Still Aging” just doesn’t seem like you could think about writing that song it’s so out there.

(Laughs) Wait until you hear the other albums. (We both laugh) It’s both. It should be like that. Sometimes you just do what feels good. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense. That is what I think is interesting in writing lyrics. They are like a painting, sometimes you don’t understand it, but sometimes you do.

Does the riff inspire it or do you carry words or melodies around in your head?

I have to because guitarists are never quite original so you have to make something out of it. I have to try and make it interesting. You have to try and create something interesting. I want it good because it will stick with me for the rest of my life.

What I loved about the live show is the additional guitar and solos. It was great. Is that something you’ve been building up?

I think it was kind of modest in the beginning and then after maybe three years it just got more and more intense. I think after we released Behind the Music it exploited and became a freak show. It’s kind of funny because each of us has our own individual development and that doesn’t usually happen in a six piece band. Mostly you have one person who lives in his illusion and the rest are repressed. With us, each of us has found our own identity.

You guys were really compressed on the stage the night I saw you and I wished you had a larger stage because it seemed like each of you wanted to break out and just tear the place apart.

(Laughs) That is something that has sort of been missing.

By coming to the U.S. and playing smaller venues does it almost feel like your early days back home?

Not really. I love to get out and experience all the cities and this country. It’s very exciting. But sometimes we don’t really pay attention and aren’t in the right mood, but right now there is such a positive energy going through the whole band and we are enjoying it more than we used to. We could play in the streets and be happy.

Hopefully it won’t come to that.

Just for the fun of it.

Is the reaction the same wherever you play?

I don’t see so much of a difference, the reactions are the same. We have it great wherever we play, but we never know what is next.

What about new music?

Well we are looking at recording when we go back. I wouldn’t mind going for some new territories, it’s all fun.

Since the album was released two years ago I assume you have new music.

We do, and it is actually a problem because we have too many songs. We’re not sure what we are going to do, that is a serious problem.

That would seem to be a good problem to have.

Well it is a good problem. But it takes a lot of thoughts because we have lots of leftover songs from previous albums as well. We will just go piece by piece and see what happens.

Are some of the songs themes you want to talk about or is there no underlining meaning. Am I missing something?

That is for you to find out. (We both laugh) You really have to find out for yourself. That is really the point. That is what I am struggling with that as well. There is some kind of theme underneath but it’s liquid.

+ charlie craine