Zwischen der schwedischen Nationalmannschaft und The Sounds Parallelen zu ziehen ist wahrlich einfach. Das Drei-Kronen-Team ging bei der diesjährigen WM wie so oft mit dem Status des Geheimfavoriten ins Rennen, welcher zumindest für die eine oder andere Überraschung sorgen könnte.

Zwischen der schwedischen Nationalmannschaft und The Sounds Parallelen zu ziehen ist wahrlich einfach. Das Drei-Kronen-Team ging bei der diesjährigen WM wie so oft mit dem Status des Geheimfavoriten ins Rennen, welcher zumindest für die eine oder andere Überraschung sorgen könnte.

Man war sich allerorts sicher, dass Ljungberg und Co. dazu im Stande sind, der einen oder anderen Fußballgroßmacht ihre Grenzen aufzuzeigen – bekanntermaßen kam ja dann doch alles anders: vom peinlichen Remis gegen Exoten Trinidad & Tobago bis zur katastrophalen Leistung beim unrühmlichen Abschied im Achtelfinale gegen Deutschland lief es nicht wirklich nach Plan.

Man würde The Sounds unrecht tun, wenn man dies alles 1:1 auf ihren derzeitigen Status ummünzt. Es ist jedoch eine Tatsache, dass sich der Verlauf der aktuellen Tournee und die Verkaufszahlen des neuen Albums „Dying to say this to you“ richtungsweisend auf die weitere Entwicklung der Band auswirken werden. Nach wie vor das Trauma des One Hit-Wonders nicht wirklich abgelegt („Living in America“), gibt man sich weiter kämpferisch – und konservativ, denn in Sachen Sound haben sich die Gleichnamigen nicht von der Stelle gerührt. So etwas nennt man konsequent. Nach wie vor sägen sie mit ihrem Keyboard-zentrierten Pop am Nervenkostüm jedes Hörers. Wer sich als Freund dieser musikalischen Ausrichtung bezeichnet, wird mit Songs wie „Tony the beat“ und „Painted by numbers“ seine Freude haben. Derartig Gelungenes sucht man auf „Dying to say this to you“ in weiterer Folge jedoch vergeblich, da die CD nicht halten kann, was der Opener „Song with a mission“ verspricht.

Vom zwiespältigen Medienecho scheinbar völlig unbeeindruckt stellten sich Frontfrau Maja Ivarsson, Keyboarder Jesper Anderberg und Gitarrist Felix Rodriguez unseren Fragen. Wer in den Genuss Majas aufreizender, etwas exhibitionistisch veranlagter Bühnenshow kommt, rechnet mit einer launischen Diva der Extraklasse. Dass Performance und abseits der Bühne zwei paar Stöckelschuhe sind, wissen wir seit unserem Plausch im Pressezelt.

Are you satisfied with your performance today?

Maja: I really loved it! I didn’t know what to expect but when we arrived I saw this huge stage and was quite thrilled. At first, there weren’t many people, but in the end there were a lot – so I think we did well.

The Blue Stage is the biggest in Europe, you know.

Jesper: It’s really huge. I asked myself how to use that much space there was.

Do you prefer your own gigs or performing at festivals?

Jesper: I think it’s a good thing to play at a festival during the daytime because this is probably the best way to make new fans.

I especially was impressed by your drum solo at the end of your show.

Maja: I think it’s a good end to our show. Not many people use those drums from the 80ies any more and I think it just looks cool – and there is a good chance that people will remember that!

Exactly! So if they don’t remember anything else, they will surely think of this special feature for a very long time – and nobody will forget your show, Maja!

Maja: Oh, thank you!

I listened to your new record already and it was quite difficult for me to find many differences to the one you did before.

Maja: There aren’t that important differences. We didn’t change a lot because I’d say that things worked out well before. Of course we changed some small features, for example concentrate on electronic elements on a few songs and focus on guitars on others.

Jesper: We recorded songs like they sounded at the very beginning of our sessions for the new album. I think we tried to avoid experiments.

Obviously there are so many fantastic bands from Sweden. Would you say that this is just coincidence or is that for a special reason?

Maja: The educational system of Sweden focuses on the introduction of classical instruments to children. The government pays for that and I think that this is a gateway to discover other kinds of music and instruments on your own. It all started like this when I was seven. So, this system also offers to start a career with music.

Do you feel honoured when you are compared to an icon like Debby Harry?

Maja: Of course, although I don’t think that I sound like her and our songs can’t be compared to Blondie. Debby Harry is great in everything she does. I want to wait for the next twenty years where there maybe will be girls that get compared to Maja! I think history repeats itself and that remains to be seen.

Do your tattoos have a special meaning?

Maja: Only the three points between my thumb and my forefinger because my father, who was a sailor, had that too. The girl on my right forehand is a British cartoon character. I think she’s quite cool. And this round pattern on my left forearm, well… I was way too young. It’s kind of a symbol of the 90ies.

Do your regret it?

Maja: No, absolutely not! It’s a mark of the phase I was going when I was sixteen. It’s a part of me.

And what about yours, Felix? Of course I didn’t forget that you have one above your navel.

Felix: Yeah, it’s kind of a family symbol because my father and my brother have the same one too. Furthermore I’ve got one on my neck which says “friends forever”. Every member of our band and several other people have the same.

I am extremely interested in who the two girls on the cover of your new album are.

Maja: They are from New York. I met one of them one night in a club when we had 48 hours left to decide about the album artwork – which is how it always goes. We always come up with everything in the very last possible moment. So I asked her if she would do that because I loved the idea of this image – a chick whispering something to another girl. Lee said yes but we needed another girl. So I tried to get in touch with models in New York but in the end Lee asked her friend Alexis.

It’s also a bit distracting because no one from the band is on the cover, right?

Maja: Yeah, that’s what it’s all about.

Jesper: I think many people will take a closer look at our CD in a store because of that and maybe become interested in the music too.

Are you excited about the World Cup in Germany?

Jesper: Well, we’re damn happy about last night.

Maja: Oh, that was nerve-wracking!

(Anm.: Schweden besiegte Paraguay durch ein Tor in der Schlussphase mit 1:0)

Do you have a favourite player?

Maja: I like Zlatan!

(Anm.: der schwedische Nationalstürmer Zlatan Ibrahimovic)

He’s a genius!

Maja: He is! We also love him because he’s from the south too. In fact, we don’t watch that much football but when there’s a World Cup it’s something different of course. Zlatan plays in a kind of non-swedish way which I think is fascinating. He may be arrogant but he’s really cool.


THE SOUNDS, Interview am Nova Rock Festival 2006 (Nickelsdorf, Pannonia Fields II)  

Nova Rock
mit Guns N' Roses im Line-Up in Nickelsdorf