Peter Iwers - In Flames (14/02/2012)
The 59th Sound recently spoke to Peter Iwers of In Flames about their latest album; Sounds of a Playground Fading, their upcoming Soundwave tour appearances and the role being a father whilst on the road!
So your band, In Flames was formed in Gothenburg, Sweden like 22 years ago. You must have a big support from home?
Yes, absolutely!
I guess you must have played a couple of gigs in Gothenburg over the years?
Yes, we used to, but not really a lot the last couple of years. These last years it has just been like one time, probably every time we release a new record.
When was the last time you played a gig in Australia?
I believe that would be the Soundwave Festival two or three years ago. I am not really sure but it was a hell lot of fun!
So you are coming down to Australia to tour with the Soundwave Festival around Australia and you start out in Brisbane the 25th of February. From what I have read (correct me if I am wrong) you get thirty minutes on stage at the Soundwave Festival and also a sideshow in Brisbane and Canberra. It must be hard to decide which songs to play when you have the whole ten albums to chose from. How do you do it?
It is really hard. Yeah, I don’t really know. I think we get a bit more. I think we get fifty minutes actually. But yeah, mostly we try to represent the albums from the last couple of years and then we throw in some old songs in the mix to.
I am looking forward to catching your show!
In Flames are classed as one of the pioneers in the genre of melodic death metal and you have sold more than 2.5 million records. How do you manage to stay so down to Earth with all this success?
Well, we are just us. We do our own thing. We don’t really think about how many records we have sold or anything like that. We just want to have fun. Yeah, that’s how easy it is.
When did the success of the band truly hit home? Was it surreal to think to yourself; “Wow, we have managed to reach so many people all around the world with our music?”
Well, I think that is too hard to take in. I probably still haven’t realised how far we have come. Every time you are on stage is amazing. For example, I have just came back from a walk and I saw how all the people were lining up for our concert. It is really cool!
In Flames released their tenth studio album last year, ‘Sounds of a Playground Fading.’ It is an interesting choice of album name. I interpret the meaning as getting older and more mature with time. Would you say that you are over the “rockstar lifestyle”?
Haha. No, I would say that we have never really been living that lifestyle. We are normal dudes out playing and having fun. And at home we have families and children and everything, so we come home to do dishes, cook and so on. It is not that glamorous. We are just us.
So do you think you will keep playing for many years to come?
Yes, hopefully. We will keep playing as long as we have fun and we really enjoy it so yeah. No reason to worry.
‘Sounds of a Playground Fading’ was like a new chapter for In Flames. It is the first album that Jesper Stromblad (founder and guitarist) has not participated in, and it is also the first album after In Flames left record label Nuclear Blast for Century Media Records. How were they to work with?
They have been really good. It is really exciting. I think that sometimes it is important to move on. It is easy to get stuck in old patterns instead of moving on and trying new things. I am really happy with the change.
The album has also received its fair share of both positive and negative criticism. Some people are implying that your sound has become to mainstream. What is your comment about that?
It doesn’t matter actually. We make music that we like and the people that appreciate our music will keep listening to it. We do our best and that is the most important thing.
Well I like your attitude to that.
I guess that you always question a band when they change their sound a little bit?
I think that we went in the same tracks as always actually. We have evolved as a band quite a lot over the years. The change comes very naturally with time and when you have fun together. I think we have kept going in the same direction as always but it is important to change a little bit sometimes as I said before. I don’t understand that some people say that we have changed our sound completely. I don’t really agree with that.
I really enjoy your song ‘Where The Dead Ships Dwell’. My interpretation of the lyrics is that it is about how hard it is to change and let your life take a new direction. What does the lyrics mean to you?
Yeah, the songs are pretty complicated to explain, but you know, Jesper Stromblad left our band very suddenly. From what I have understood the song is partly about that.
In Flames also had a collaboration with Pendulum that resulted in the song ‘Self vs Self’, a mix between melodic metal and electronic rock. How did you get that opportunity, who came up with the idea and where was the song recorded?
We got an offer from our management. Right then we were in London touring so we went over to their studio and listened a little bit and they really wanted to record it. They had their contribution to the song ready and we added our guitar and bass. It was really interesting and it just happened by coincidence actually. They expressed that they really wanted to work with us.
That song impressed me, and how well the electronic sound worked with the metal genre. So I am wondering, can we expect any similar collaboration’s in the future?
Right now we don’t have anything planned but if we feel like it in the future or get a good opportunity that is appealing to us, then we might. Nothing is impossible.
I also have a personal question for you. Is it hard to juggle the role of a father and touring?
There is not really a ‘recipe’ for how to do handle it but I think everyone handles it in their own way. But I try to call home as much as possible, Skype, send pictures, messages, postcards, everything. I try to keep my kids updated with where I am and what I am doing. The kids are different ages. My daughter understands where I am, but I guess you have to do the best you can of the situation. Of course, it is hard for the children when I am away but at the same time I try to be there all the time when I am home. I don’t work then so I have a possibility to be with them in the day and come along to school activities and things like that. I don’t want to come home from work really tired at six and be in bed by eight. It is nothing like that when I am home.
Which of the bands that are coming to Soundwave are you excited to see live?
It is hard. The amount of bands is just insane! But I would really like to see Dredg. I have never seen them live but I like them. I think they are really good. A fun thing about this Soundwave is that there are so many famous bands that we have toured with and that we know personally, so I am sure it is going to be a lot of fun.
That sounds great!
So, a bit of a funny question. Many people have been asking themselves why Anders decided to shave of his dreads. Some people saw it as a part of his image. Do you know anything about that?
The answer is very simple! [Laughs]. He needed to cut his hair. It is as simple as that.
In Flames are famous for their really energetic live shows. What can your fans expect for the upcoming Soundwave Festival?
A fantastic liveshow! [Laughs]. No but we will go up there and play and have fun and hopefully it will energize the crowd as usual. We will bring equipment that will make it a spectacular show visually. But most importantly the fans can expect to have a hell lot of fun!
In Flames will be touring around Australia with the Soundwave Festival in February/March. They will also perform in Brisbane and Canberra with Lamb of God and the Black Dahlia Murder for two sidewaves.
Malene Aakre
So your band, In Flames was formed in Gothenburg, Sweden like 22 years ago. You must have a big support from home?
Yes, absolutely!
I guess you must have played a couple of gigs in Gothenburg over the years?
Yes, we used to, but not really a lot the last couple of years. These last years it has just been like one time, probably every time we release a new record.
When was the last time you played a gig in Australia?
I believe that would be the Soundwave Festival two or three years ago. I am not really sure but it was a hell lot of fun!
So you are coming down to Australia to tour with the Soundwave Festival around Australia and you start out in Brisbane the 25th of February. From what I have read (correct me if I am wrong) you get thirty minutes on stage at the Soundwave Festival and also a sideshow in Brisbane and Canberra. It must be hard to decide which songs to play when you have the whole ten albums to chose from. How do you do it?
It is really hard. Yeah, I don’t really know. I think we get a bit more. I think we get fifty minutes actually. But yeah, mostly we try to represent the albums from the last couple of years and then we throw in some old songs in the mix to.
I am looking forward to catching your show!
In Flames are classed as one of the pioneers in the genre of melodic death metal and you have sold more than 2.5 million records. How do you manage to stay so down to Earth with all this success?
Well, we are just us. We do our own thing. We don’t really think about how many records we have sold or anything like that. We just want to have fun. Yeah, that’s how easy it is.
When did the success of the band truly hit home? Was it surreal to think to yourself; “Wow, we have managed to reach so many people all around the world with our music?”
Well, I think that is too hard to take in. I probably still haven’t realised how far we have come. Every time you are on stage is amazing. For example, I have just came back from a walk and I saw how all the people were lining up for our concert. It is really cool!
In Flames released their tenth studio album last year, ‘Sounds of a Playground Fading.’ It is an interesting choice of album name. I interpret the meaning as getting older and more mature with time. Would you say that you are over the “rockstar lifestyle”?
Haha. No, I would say that we have never really been living that lifestyle. We are normal dudes out playing and having fun. And at home we have families and children and everything, so we come home to do dishes, cook and so on. It is not that glamorous. We are just us.
So do you think you will keep playing for many years to come?
Yes, hopefully. We will keep playing as long as we have fun and we really enjoy it so yeah. No reason to worry.
‘Sounds of a Playground Fading’ was like a new chapter for In Flames. It is the first album that Jesper Stromblad (founder and guitarist) has not participated in, and it is also the first album after In Flames left record label Nuclear Blast for Century Media Records. How were they to work with?
They have been really good. It is really exciting. I think that sometimes it is important to move on. It is easy to get stuck in old patterns instead of moving on and trying new things. I am really happy with the change.
The album has also received its fair share of both positive and negative criticism. Some people are implying that your sound has become to mainstream. What is your comment about that?
It doesn’t matter actually. We make music that we like and the people that appreciate our music will keep listening to it. We do our best and that is the most important thing.
Well I like your attitude to that.
I guess that you always question a band when they change their sound a little bit?
I think that we went in the same tracks as always actually. We have evolved as a band quite a lot over the years. The change comes very naturally with time and when you have fun together. I think we have kept going in the same direction as always but it is important to change a little bit sometimes as I said before. I don’t understand that some people say that we have changed our sound completely. I don’t really agree with that.
I really enjoy your song ‘Where The Dead Ships Dwell’. My interpretation of the lyrics is that it is about how hard it is to change and let your life take a new direction. What does the lyrics mean to you?
Yeah, the songs are pretty complicated to explain, but you know, Jesper Stromblad left our band very suddenly. From what I have understood the song is partly about that.
In Flames also had a collaboration with Pendulum that resulted in the song ‘Self vs Self’, a mix between melodic metal and electronic rock. How did you get that opportunity, who came up with the idea and where was the song recorded?
We got an offer from our management. Right then we were in London touring so we went over to their studio and listened a little bit and they really wanted to record it. They had their contribution to the song ready and we added our guitar and bass. It was really interesting and it just happened by coincidence actually. They expressed that they really wanted to work with us.
That song impressed me, and how well the electronic sound worked with the metal genre. So I am wondering, can we expect any similar collaboration’s in the future?
Right now we don’t have anything planned but if we feel like it in the future or get a good opportunity that is appealing to us, then we might. Nothing is impossible.
I also have a personal question for you. Is it hard to juggle the role of a father and touring?
There is not really a ‘recipe’ for how to do handle it but I think everyone handles it in their own way. But I try to call home as much as possible, Skype, send pictures, messages, postcards, everything. I try to keep my kids updated with where I am and what I am doing. The kids are different ages. My daughter understands where I am, but I guess you have to do the best you can of the situation. Of course, it is hard for the children when I am away but at the same time I try to be there all the time when I am home. I don’t work then so I have a possibility to be with them in the day and come along to school activities and things like that. I don’t want to come home from work really tired at six and be in bed by eight. It is nothing like that when I am home.
Which of the bands that are coming to Soundwave are you excited to see live?
It is hard. The amount of bands is just insane! But I would really like to see Dredg. I have never seen them live but I like them. I think they are really good. A fun thing about this Soundwave is that there are so many famous bands that we have toured with and that we know personally, so I am sure it is going to be a lot of fun.
That sounds great!
So, a bit of a funny question. Many people have been asking themselves why Anders decided to shave of his dreads. Some people saw it as a part of his image. Do you know anything about that?
The answer is very simple! [Laughs]. He needed to cut his hair. It is as simple as that.
In Flames are famous for their really energetic live shows. What can your fans expect for the upcoming Soundwave Festival?
A fantastic liveshow! [Laughs]. No but we will go up there and play and have fun and hopefully it will energize the crowd as usual. We will bring equipment that will make it a spectacular show visually. But most importantly the fans can expect to have a hell lot of fun!
In Flames will be touring around Australia with the Soundwave Festival in February/March. They will also perform in Brisbane and Canberra with Lamb of God and the Black Dahlia Murder for two sidewaves.
Malene Aakre