photography by rickycphotography.com
Swedish rock stars The Sounds rocked the Fillmore this week, the second time they have sold out the iconic music palace. I talked to Maya and Felix about music and more.
1. All right, Maya, Felix—The Fillmore, this is the second time you’ve sold this place out. Does it translate back in Sweden? Do people know of The Fillmore?
Maya: Oh absolutely… absolutely. I was talking to the bass player actually just like two hours ago and he said, “Well I have this Jimi Hendrix album at home,” and his father is a big fan. The first time we heard that we were going to play here he was like, you know, like crazy about it cause he knows so much about this place, and he heard about it so much when he was young. So definitely. Of course.
LM: Can you get a whiff of the rock legends in the air here? Old, dead rock stars who’ve played here?
Felix: You can. You can sense it.
2. What’s it about you playing in this room?
M: I mean, I can only compare it with other venues I mean it’s always a good sound. It’s good PA and it’s beautiful. It’s a good vibe throughout the whole, whole night.
3. Is intimacy important for you when you’re playing live? Or do you equally love playing stadiums and massive rooms?
F: It’s good to have both. Like yesterday, we played at a little bit bigger place and today we play here. It’s still a big place but as you said more intimate and it’s good to have the opportunity to play both.
LM: And if you want to swing off the chandeliers, they’ve got great chandeliers.
M: ::laughs::
F: We’re gonna maybe do that tonight.
LM: Yeah. Could be a first right?
F&M ::laughs::
LM: Make great earrings as well.
4. You recorded your last album here?
F: We were here for three months.
LM: Oh my, you know the area.
M: So, we know the bay area pretty well.
F: We’ve been here.
LM: What did you enjoy most? Eating out—where did you venture to?
M: Eating out? I dunno.
LM: Did they feed you?
F: They feed us, but….
M: Around 6th street, that’s a great...
F: How can you forget that?
M: Yeah. ::laughs::
LM: That’s an experience
M: Yeah. It really is, and like we talked about before, you can really feel the whole hippy vibe is still going on and some are stuck in it, and maybe I should have gotten out of it a little bit some time ago. Yeah, but it’s beautiful. It’s a very beautiful city—it’s kinda rough, but still gentle at the same time. I don’t know how to explain it. But, it’s a very different city compared to, you know, Houston.
5. Were you inspired to write any songs at all after staying in the Bay Area? After being in the mad, fab city of San Francisco?
F: Well, yeah I think so. As Maya said about the last album we recorded here. So we got inspired; we wrote a couple songs here as well by staying in this area. So who knows what’s going to come out on the next album.
M: Actually, when we do play Ego, I think about the hotel where we stayed. Every time I listen to it, I think about this city. So of course, yeah.
6. What’s on your iPod at the moment?
M: Seriously, I don’t even own an iPod.
F: That’s always a hard question.
M: There’s a Swedish new act. I dunno if this song or the band is called Those Dancing Days, but that’s a very good song right now.
LM: Felix..do you have an iPod?
F: Oh, I have I broke it though. But I think I’m going to buy a new one
M: ::laughs::
7. Off to Australia next to do some shows, and in terms of recording, what’s next? Are you gonna take some time out?
M: Yeah.
F: We’re gonna have a month off cause we’ve been on the road for three years on this album. And then we’re gonna have a month off for vacation, and then we’re gonna go back to our studio in Sweden to write the third album.
M: Yeah...
LM: Well, welcome back.
F: Hello we’re back
M: We’re back, baby.
Swedish rock stars The Sounds rocked the Fillmore this week, the second time they have sold out the iconic music palace. I talked to Maya and Felix about music and more.
1. All right, Maya, Felix—The Fillmore, this is the second time you’ve sold this place out. Does it translate back in Sweden? Do people know of The Fillmore?
Maya: Oh absolutely… absolutely. I was talking to the bass player actually just like two hours ago and he said, “Well I have this Jimi Hendrix album at home,” and his father is a big fan. The first time we heard that we were going to play here he was like, you know, like crazy about it cause he knows so much about this place, and he heard about it so much when he was young. So definitely. Of course.
LM: Can you get a whiff of the rock legends in the air here? Old, dead rock stars who’ve played here?
Felix: You can. You can sense it.
2. What’s it about you playing in this room?
M: I mean, I can only compare it with other venues I mean it’s always a good sound. It’s good PA and it’s beautiful. It’s a good vibe throughout the whole, whole night.
3. Is intimacy important for you when you’re playing live? Or do you equally love playing stadiums and massive rooms?
F: It’s good to have both. Like yesterday, we played at a little bit bigger place and today we play here. It’s still a big place but as you said more intimate and it’s good to have the opportunity to play both.
LM: And if you want to swing off the chandeliers, they’ve got great chandeliers.
M: ::laughs::
F: We’re gonna maybe do that tonight.
LM: Yeah. Could be a first right?
F&M ::laughs::
LM: Make great earrings as well.
4. You recorded your last album here?
F: We were here for three months.
LM: Oh my, you know the area.
M: So, we know the bay area pretty well.
F: We’ve been here.
LM: What did you enjoy most? Eating out—where did you venture to?
M: Eating out? I dunno.
LM: Did they feed you?
F: They feed us, but….
M: Around 6th street, that’s a great...
F: How can you forget that?
M: Yeah. ::laughs::
LM: That’s an experience
M: Yeah. It really is, and like we talked about before, you can really feel the whole hippy vibe is still going on and some are stuck in it, and maybe I should have gotten out of it a little bit some time ago. Yeah, but it’s beautiful. It’s a very beautiful city—it’s kinda rough, but still gentle at the same time. I don’t know how to explain it. But, it’s a very different city compared to, you know, Houston.
5. Were you inspired to write any songs at all after staying in the Bay Area? After being in the mad, fab city of San Francisco?
F: Well, yeah I think so. As Maya said about the last album we recorded here. So we got inspired; we wrote a couple songs here as well by staying in this area. So who knows what’s going to come out on the next album.
M: Actually, when we do play Ego, I think about the hotel where we stayed. Every time I listen to it, I think about this city. So of course, yeah.
6. What’s on your iPod at the moment?
M: Seriously, I don’t even own an iPod.
F: That’s always a hard question.
M: There’s a Swedish new act. I dunno if this song or the band is called Those Dancing Days, but that’s a very good song right now.
LM: Felix..do you have an iPod?
F: Oh, I have I broke it though. But I think I’m going to buy a new one
M: ::laughs::
7. Off to Australia next to do some shows, and in terms of recording, what’s next? Are you gonna take some time out?
M: Yeah.
F: We’re gonna have a month off cause we’ve been on the road for three years on this album. And then we’re gonna have a month off for vacation, and then we’re gonna go back to our studio in Sweden to write the third album.
M: Yeah...
LM: Well, welcome back.
F: Hello we’re back
M: We’re back, baby.
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