Interview with Anders Nilsson (Songwriter & producer of Starlight Brigade)

grande-rock.com

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Submitted by thanos on Sun, 05/22/2016 - 15:49

Starlight Brigade released their third album “Destination Eternity” a while ago. From the very first time I listened to the album I was hooked by its wonderful & “moody” atmosphere. This is definitely an album that those who fancy atmospheric prog rock music should check out. The band’s mastermind, composer, multi-instrumentalist and singer Anders Nillson took the time to answer our questions and gave us a more complete idea about “Destination Eternity” among other things. Read for more below…

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Hi Anders. I’m glad I’ve got the chance to present Starlight Brigade’s new album “Destination Eternity” to Grande Rock and talk to you.
 A: Thank you Thanos, it’s a pleasure.
 Do tell me… what did you have in mind to create musically back in 2012 when Starlight Brigade was formed? Did you manage to achieve it after 4 years of existence?
 

 A: In 2012 I manage to write my first progressive rock tune ever. I had been written music since I was ten but my own songs always ended up being rock, blues, pop oriented. I carried a dream to create something that was a little bit ‘out of this world’ like Pink Floyd and other similar groups. So when I wrote the song “Velvet Sky”, after struggling with it for a long time, I had finally found the formula that gave me the courage and confidence to continue write in that way. Therefor I named the first album “Under the Velvet Sky” (2013) to celebrate we were finally on to something new. Since that song we have made three albums. The last one came out this year. I am pleased with all three. I also have an urge to continue to writing more songs and expand the journey further into the prog-universe.
 
Starlight Brigade feature several gifted and known musicians from the Swedish music scene, right? Does cooperating with several musicians help your creativity as a composer & musician?
 
A: Yes, it really does. I’m lucky that way to have connection with so many talented musicians. When I was working alone in the beginning I soon realized that I needed some outside musicians & artists to help me make the picture more complete. Now I often write songs with a special lead singer in mind since they have totally different characters and expressions. You also get a lot more feedback, which influences the writing. Every musician brings something personal to the mix that makes it more interesting I believe.
 
If I’m not mistaken “Destination Eternity” is your third release. Which are the new elements that you introduce with this album and which are the main differences & similarities between the other two albums?
 
A: To be totally honest. The first album was almost 100% experimental. My goal however was to give each song something that made them glue together. A concept album really. “Under the Velvet Sky” is very laid back and soft. The lyrics are often melancholic since no emotion is taboo in my writing. When the first album was released we found that we didn’t have enough songs for a live concert. I started to write immediately. My goal on the second “Into the Light” was to keep the mood of the first album but allowed it to have more up-tempo songs and produced in a way that made them possible to perform live. Since I had found the ‘formula’ it was almost easier to write the second. It was less experimental and some songs were more traditional composed. However I always forced myself to use unusual chord changes. I really wanted to get away from the mainstream. “Destination Eternity” is a mix of the two elements I had used in the first two albums. I blended the more experimental side with melodic rock and even put in some flavors of something close to hard rock. The album has fifteen songs so it was really a challenge to make every tune interesting and keep the feeling that that the tracks linked to each other. I’m very fond of records that put you in a certain mood which last through the album.
 
How did you come up with the album’s tile “Destination Eternity” and how is it related to the cover artwork, which shows the “city lights”, the plane on the moon etc. from the “port/beach” point of view?
 
A: Since we came up with the name Starlight Brigade the little plane almost became a logo for us. Now it’s impossible to leave it out. The moon is very mystical and inspirational I think. Almost like a fairytale I picture the plane with us in it ready to take off and play anywhere. A musical journey if you like. Not in a touring rock band way but like an imaginary musical voyage. The harbor on the cover is taken by our favorite photographer Lanfranco De Luca Babbaro. It’s a picture of our hometown Jönköping in Sweden. So it symbolizes a trip from home into the unknown. A feeling I would like to keep in the music, the artwork & promos.
 
Do tell us a couple of things about each track…
 
A: “Across the Milky Way”: I wanted the opening track to sound a bit epic. It has three sections and with singer Peter Sundell’s enormous vocal range I could write it in a very high key. To be honest “Shine on you Crazy Diamond” and “Stairway to Heaven” has influenced me to use that kind of structure without being a copycat. The lyrics has a theme about how human kind suddenly had revealed the answer to the big questions then immediately were expelled from that knowledge – ‘it wasn’t meant to be’…
 
“Take It or Leave It”: The lyrics are about that you have to make decisions in life even when it’s hard. Peter Hjalmarsson, who sings this song has a kind of ‘classical’ voice so it’s was intriguing to see how it would blend with an almost pop oriented song. I like the key shift in the chorus which hopefully puts it back in the prog mood. In Starlight Brigade I think every instrumental piece is as important as the singing. Therefor I always leave a lot of space for solos. This track also gives a fine example of Anders Landins great guitar playing. I soon realized after meeting him that he would be the perfect guitarist with his way to read and play my music. He does most of the solos on our albums. Since, I am also a guitarist we have found a way to complete the guitar parts and not compete or stand in each other’s way.
 
“A Toss of the Dice”: I always want to put a soul inspired song on every album. So this is the third. Micael Liljas’ voice is perfect for this kind of music. Our female singers Lene & Karin has also given it that soul drive which I think puts you in the right mood and also preserve the ‘Starlight sound’. The lyrics is about how life almost by chance treats you in different ways. Rich or poor, success or failure it’s a toss of the dice.
 
“She Can Be Forgiven”: The song belongs to the romantic side of Starlight. I wanted to write a song about a man how has battled with the loss of his love but finally comes to terms with it and he forgives her. Some genre fanatics find this sort of song belongs to the power ballad section and maybe it does. I don’t think there something wrong in that since love, loss and loneliness play such a big part in our lives. I think that this subject demands to be treated in a traditional way. It’s like blues: you don’t change the chord progression or something else that much so it ends up not being blues.
 
“The End of All Innocence”: I have never written a song like this before and I felt happy when it just arrived in my head after playing around with my synths for a while. There were so many deaths and sickness around me and that makes you very aware of how fragile everything is. It might have been the first Starlight Brigade song that didn’t have any guitars on it. I am proud of this track and that I dared to put it out with almost no rock appeal at all. Peter Hjalmarsson also plays a wonderful sax besides his singing. I like it when a song goes in different direction but finally arrives at the same goal. It might sound cryptic but that’s the only way I can describe it.
 
“The Shadows of Doubt”: It has a long intro then it suddenly goes in another direction when the singing starts. I believe you have to put as much work into every detail or else the listener might get tired or bored. It ones duty to put so much effort as possible to deserve the recognition. The lyrics are about the struggle with some personal problems. I must admit that The Beatles, which music I groove up with, has influenced me a lot on this track. The bassline our great bass player Jerry Grimaldi tracks down on this one is absolutely amazing.
 
“Who Will You Turn To?”: The lyrics are meant to be a story about a woman who had everything then finally reality caught up with her and she found herself without anything. I think the backing vocal really emphasizes Micaels vocal and put the song in the right mood. Acoustic guitars has always been an important element of Starlight’s sound so without being to self-centered I can say I like my acoustic solo on this one.
 
“The Sign of Life Keeps on Calling”: I wrote that song after me and my son had watched a documentary about the universe and the big bang etc. I have always been fascinated with those things and that’s why they often appear in promos and lyrics. The whole track is a metaphor about someone falling out of his everyday life into another dimension or civilization. With Peter Sundell’s vocal range it’s never any problem to use a very high pitch. He does brilliant backing vocals as well.
 
“Silent Words”: This song is very close to the original sound of Starlight Brigade and easy to play live. The meaning of the song is that often the most important words are seldom spoken. The song has no solo and maybe that’s a key element to our latest album. We dared to put out some songs without solos, which are unusual if you want to label yourself as a progressive band in my humble opinion.
 
“Fading Star v2.0”: This is probably one of the most complicated songs I ever written. I was very impressed by David Bowie when he started to work with Brian Eno on the “Low” album. So that sort of composition had been stored in my mind ever since. I love it when a song takes you on an unexpected journey. That was what I was aiming for. Peter Hjalmarssons’ sax solo and his great voice gives the right impression. With Lene & Karin on backing vocals the track feels complete in every aspect. I must say at this moment that being influenced by someone is not the same as trying to sound or copy that artist. Inspiration has to come from somewhere, doesn’t it? I’m also very pleased with the quite unusual chord progression.
 
“The Final Sign”: I’ve loved Led Zeppelin since day one. They opened a new world to me with that mixture of ethnic flavors and rock‘n’roll. So I tried to mix Led Zeppelin with Pink Floyd as an inspiration. At first I thought about leaving this out of the album. Even if Peter Sundell’s very impressive rocking voice gives the song the heaviness I was looking for. I thought maybe it’s too heavy and falls out of the frame. In the middle Anders Landin and myself takes one guitar solo each and that made it sound like a traditional Starlight song again. It’s funny afterwards some people consider this song to be the best on the album. It proves that you never know.
 
“Endlessly & Forever”: I wanted the track to sound safe and hopeful but like life itself there’s always a dark shadow somewhere. It’s like trying to force reality to be absolute perfect even if you know it isn’t so. We left the guitars out again. You must try to challenge yourself and have another approach so you don’t fall in the trap of repeating everything.
 
“Since I Put My Trust in You”: People have reminded me that I never write any songs in a major key… they are almost always dark and in a minor key. I think it’s much easier to write songs in a melancholic way since it’s the darkness and pain that troubles you. The good things in life are by nature no problem so they don’t need so much attention. This song was at least three times longer before it was edit down to a very short length. It’s in a major key and is a greeting to a person that has meant a lot to me. On the previous albums I ended them with an almost bombastic track but this time I took the other way around and dared to leave the listeners with a positive and thankful impression.
 
Do you think that the album contains too many tracks or did you have a hard time to decide which to leave out, so you finally included all on the album? Nowadays, albums tend to have way fewer tracks than yours.
 
A: I think every album should be a time mark of where you are in life at the moment. There are fifteen tracks left on the album after I lifted out some. I could easily left only ten tracks and had the others ready for the next album. I don’t like to speculate in music. It’s an art form and you have to be true to your concept. I was in a very intensive ‘flow’ when I wrote those songs. You should never put in fillers that only destroys everything you been aiming for. This time I was very creative on the next album I might write fewer songs but longer. You never know where inspiration takes you.
 
Where did the recordings take place and who did the production, mixing and mastering of the album?
 
A: Nearly all of the recording was made in my small studio ‘Megaphone studios’. Nowadays technology has made it possible to create things you only could dream about in the past. I’ve done all mixing and mastering myself. I know there are a lot of geniuses out there but I consider the production to be a part of the songs. It gives you a personal touch.
 
How is the usual songwriting procedure of yours?
 
A: Most often I mess around with my synths until I find an interesting sound or make a chord progression that inspires me and then the melody develops automatically. I often write nonsense lyrics to begin with and later work really hard until I’m pleased with the words. Frank Zappa once said that you make the best music on an instrument you’re not able to handle so well. I think that’s true. I’m a guitarist but sometimes you get stocked in licks and other guitar trix. I’m not a good keyboard player but that gives me more freedom to focus on the song rather than the instrumental skill.
 
Will there be any lyric or concept video out in the near future?
 
A: There are already five promo videos on YouTube to promote the new album. I can give you four examples: “Across the Milky Way”, “Take it or Leave it”, “She Can be Forgiven” and “A Toss of the Dice”. Just look for it on our web/FB site or directly on YouTube.
 
Do you plan to give any live shows and if yes, where and when?
 
A: For the moment there are only some vague ideas. Since we use a lot of back projections and are depended on a good stage light and sound there’ll be a lot of financial issues involved. The shows we done so far has been financed by music arrangers. We headlined the two latest shows and that felt very honorable.
 
Which bands would you say are the ones that influenced Starlight Brigade the most and how would you describe your music style?
 
A: If I try to think of the influences I must say that Pink Floyd and David Gilmour solo have made the greatest impression and then The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie and Brian Eno. We consider the music to be a mixture of melodic rock, progressive rock and crossover. To some really hard headed prog maniacs we might sound too soft and melodic but that is exactly the ingredients that draw me to progressive rock in the first place.
 
What are your expectations from “Destination Eternity” and what do you wish to achieve with Starlight Brigade in long term?
 
A: I hope it will be recognized and appreciated by so many people as possible. It’s very sad that the CD market is so diminished. Musicians also have to eat and pay the rent. At the same time modern technology has made it possible to promote your music world wide even if you are on a small label. In Starlight Brigade I have never speculated in people’s taste or tried to please anyone. It’s the listener who appreciates what we do, I’m not writing for the others. I want our little plane (logo) to be flying forever and discover new musical adventures.
 
It’s time for our Weird Questions!!! How did you come up with the name Starlight Brigade initially?
 
A: I like the idea of space and planets. So stars came naturally. Since we been so many people involved in this (almost like Alan Parsons project) the term Brigade seemed suitable. The name Starlight Brigade had a nice ring to it and also represented our music in a way.
 
What are those things that you do not like in the music industry nowadays?
 
A: I don’t like when a DJ or someone just cuts out pieces and bits and puts it together and call it his own music. I don’t like the fact that it’s almost impossible to make a living out of music. I’ve seen so many great artists being forced to appear in silly game shows and whatever… just so they can survive. Music and other art forms are necessary if the world wants to be interesting and a pleasing place to live in. It’s all about expression and communication really.
 
Which are the best 3 Prog Rock albums of all time according to you?
 
A: It might seem boring but if I have to choose I’ll be honest and pick these three: Pink Floyd – “The Dark Side of the Moon”, “Wish You Were Here” and “The Division Bell”…
 
Which do you consider to be the best male vocalist in rock history?
 
A: Robert Plant during his Zeppelin era. Not technology but the vibe he provided.
 
Which is the guitarist who influenced prog rock music the most?
 
A: David Gilmour…
 
Were you obliged to give just one album to extraterrestrials that would represent the whole human music, which album would it be and from which band/artist?
 
A: Almost impossible to answer but if it has to represent the whole of humanity I would say “Abbey Road” by The Beatles.
 
Fill in the phrase… “Prog Rock music wouldn’t have evolved the way it did, if it hadn’t been for…”
 
A: Syd Barret, who then passed on the gift to David Gilmour and Roger Waters.
 
If you could be any historical person, which one would you be and why?
 
A: I think I would choose Albert Einstein. It would be interesting to have such intellect that you could think ahead of almost anyone and try to use it in good way for humanity.
 
If you had the chance to travel in time… where would you choose to go? To the past or the future and why?
 
A: I would like to go back to the time Homo Sapiens were born and begun their journey to what we are now. Not the future… you don’t want to start reading chapter sixteen when you bought a new book.
 
Which is the most underrated musician of all time?
 
A: Let me answer that question in this way. When I listen to progressive rock stations over the internet, I hear groups that are absolutely amazing and when I try to look them up they hardly have a page on Facebook. So I choose those very talented musicians who never even get close to a fair chance of being recognized.
 
Where would you like to live… in Middle Earth, in the Seven Kingdoms or in a post-apocalyptic world like the one on “The Walking Dead”?
 
A: If you want to get a totally new view of life and humanity I think I chose the post-apocalyptic.
 
Imagine that your girlfriend/wife is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
 
A: You wouldn’t like to know!
 
We’re done Anders. Thank you very much for talking to Grande Rock. Wish you the best for the future to come. Take care!
 
A: Thanks very much for having me.