Hailing from Sweden Maryslim are one of the new
generation of crazy rock n' rollers to be currently hitting the scene
hard and fast. Following on from the release of their new album 'A
Perfect Mess' we catch up with Mats to find out more ...
MM - Firstly who are Maryslim?
Mats - Mats, Kent, Urrke and Patrik. Four different personalities that
somehow melts together and ends up playing good rock music.
MM - Is it true you all came together after meeting up in a
bar?
Mats - Well me and Kent decided to start a new band and we wrote
songs and recorded it but we didn’t have a bas player or a drummer. A
friend of ours had told us that he knew a guy (Urrke) and I think he
plays the bas because I saw him running around in his apartment whit a
Thunderbird when I was there on an after party but I don’t know if he
actually can play.
And then we met Urrke at a concert with Hellacopters
and Wayne Cramer I think it was back in 99 so we asked him and he said
hell yeah!! Then when we tried him out it actually turned out that he
could play the bass! Then Urrke knew Patrik and the whole crazy circus
began.
MM - The
bands new album ‘A Perfect Mess’ is the bands third full album, what
feedback have you received so far from both your fans and the media in
general?
Mats -
Well from the fans it’s been great and when we’re out playing we’re
getting amazing feedback. The Media has been pretty good to us this time
I think also but more outside Sweden though.
MM - How
would you describe your music to anyone not familiar with the band and
where do you draw your influences from?
Mats
-
The influences comes from everywhere but if I should try to describe the
music I would say, Hard rock with a little bit 80’s heavy metal, punk,
and rock n' roll mixed with pop melodies. Weird hahaha.
MM - Who
normally writes for Maryslim, and what would you say fuels your lyrics?
Mats -
Well the latest album it’s written almost by me (Mats) both music and
lyrics, before Kent has been involved in the music process and Urrke has
written some of the old lyrics on the first album and Split Vision. I
try to keep the lyrics as easy as possible but of course sometimes you
really make it. I write about what I see, read and of course my own
experiences and the different things you get exposed to. And I like it
when people can make there own opinion about the lyrics, it doesn’t
matter if someone reads something else into it.
MM - How
have things changed with the band since you first began to now? How do
you feel you guys have matured both as a band and in your sound over
this time?
Mats - I
think we have developed a more matured sound and even the lyrics. It has
to be a substance to what you sing about in my opinion.
MM - How
do you feel the band fits in with today's music scene? And what about
your local scene, is this a healthy place to be?
Mats - I
think it fits in well, it’s kind of timeless in a way. Sooner or later
someone will enjoy it haha!! The local scene is healthy in that sense
that there are a lot of good bands but it can be hard to fit, it’s a
small country.
MM - Are
there any more modern bands or artists that you guys look up to or get
inspired by?
Mats
- I
think we get inspired by a lot of bands, mostly old ones I think.
MM - How
did you come to meet Peter Tagtgren and what made you choose him as the
producer for this new album?
Mats -
Well we worked whit him on Split Vision and it was “love at first sight”
so we wanted to try to take it a step further whit him this time and I
think we got even closer to the sound that we have in our heads. Peter
is very talented and a really nice guy so it was pretty easy to choose
him again. We have a lot of fun in the studio, and I think that’s
important that it clicks socially.
MM - What
are your favourite tour and groupie stories that are worth telling?
Mats
-
The favourite tour must be the latest whit The 69 Eyes and Wednesday 13
it was a blast!!!
Stories to tell!? Well maybe they'll show up in lyrics in the future hehe.
MM - Did
you all agree on your particular sound at the very beginning or were
there ever any clashes over musical ideas?
Mats - No not really,
I think we found our sound pretty fast.
MM - How
do you put your songs together lyrics or music first, or do they develop
at same time? Electric or acoustic?
Mats - I sit at
home with my electric guitar and a little amp and the music comes first
whit arrangements and melodies, then when we’ve tried it out whit the
whole band I ask the rest of the guys if it’s a good song and if
the approve I go home and write lyrics. Of course everybody in the band
is involved in arrangements and sometimes changes if there are better.
MM -
Looking back on all you've done, if given the chance is there anything
you would change?
Mats - No
you can’t turn back time, there is no time for regrets, the only thing
you can do is write even better songs and do an even greater album! (If
we talk about music) But I think it goes for private stuff to.
MM - Do
the band have any tours or festival dates planned for the coming year?
Mats -
It’s pretty slow this summer but in the fall we’re gonna tour some more
but I don’t have any details right now.
MM - Can
you tell us a little about the process of how ‘A Perfect Mess’ was
recorded?
Mats -
Well we did a preproduction and sent it to Peter so he knew how the new
songs sounded and then we recorded the album during 2½ weeks in may 2006
in the Abyss Studio.
MM - What
are the bands favourite tracks off the album and why?
Mats - I
really don’t know but I thin that Part of me is Urrkes favourite and
actually mine to. I don’t usually have a favourite but this one I’m
really proud of.
MM - What
are your views on rock fans, as opposed to fans of other types of music
(eg. Boy pop band fans!)?
Mats -
It’s hard to say but the fans on this latest tour in Germany, Holland,
Belgium and Finland was amazing! They are very nice fans, really cool
persons.
MM - Do
you think rock fans (and bands for that matter!) are treat with enough
respect in today's society?
Mats -
I’m not sure what your question actually is about here but I think it is
the same as it always been, people think that they are naïve dreamers I
guess but that’s the beauty of it, do what you want and don’t care about
what other people say!!!
MM - What
does the year ahead have in store for Maryslim?
Mats - As
I mention earlier we’re planning to tour in September and forward, and
then it could be time for planning a new album, we will see.
MM -
Finally are there any words of wisdom you’d like to share with all your
fans out there?
Mats -
That’s also something I’ve already said: Feel your guts and go for it
because nothing is impossible!!!! Do what you want and believe in
yourself!!
Thanx a lot for this time.
Cheers
Mats/Maryslim |
