http://blog.myspace.com/officialevergrey
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Question: What were your main inspirations while writing Monday Morning Apocalypse? (Question from MySpace user "Nicklebag")
Tom Englund's answer: Really anything and everything, Evergrey has always been writing about things that either inspire, provoke or affect us in some way. The same goes with this album. One of the biggest differences between this and some of the prior albums are that we now have written 12 individual stories with different storylines, small dark fiction stories that in one way or another are based on stuff that we ourselves or someone close to us have experienced, everything from personal loss to vengeance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally, what is your favorite song off the new album and why? (From "Angel Smalley")
Tom: Hmmmm, I think you would get a different answer everyday of the week, BUT since today is Tuesday morning and we just came back from a show on the Canary Islands where we played, I would say Obedience, it's a quite speedy and groovy song that displays a lot of what Evergrey is about and the solos are really cool to play.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is the story behind the song "Still in the Water"? (From "Tork")
Tom: Actually Monday Morning Apocalypse, Obedience and Still in the Water share the same storyline if you will. But the basic story, starting with MMA is about a person being harassed in school from when he was a little kid and his ways to carry out his vengeance many years later when maybe his tormentors forgot about it all. This guy however became so deeply and emotionally disturbed that the memories from his school-years would never ever leave him.
I think this is one of the biggest problems we have today in the world, that grown-ups don't take this serious enough, I mean everybody thinks it's terrible and horrifying that kids can be that mean to each other, but then we just shrug our shoulders and move on. And that's why we have all these problems today with disturbed persons walking into schools killing people. What we have to do is to start thinking where the problem lies from the beginning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was it a consious decision to make Monday Morning Apocalypse a shorter album with shorter songs and was this done to appeal more to the US market? PS. Don't take this as a negative opinion of the album, I love it and will be at your UK shows. (From "MikeEvs")
Tom: It was not a conscious decision but at the same time Evergrey has always, at least in our eyes, been about writing the best songs whether they are 7 or 3 minutes and for the first time in our career we had the knowledge and ability to write the album, we maybe wanted to write all along, since the day we started. We merely didn't have the experience and skills to do so before. But that was Evergrey at its best then and this is Evergrey at its best today. We did though write to appeal to the current market, but all of the markets not only the american one
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How was the recording from Monday Morning Apocalypse different than the previous albums, and why was it written the way it was? (From "Images & Words")
Tom: Actually all of them have been very different from each other. Since we have been working with different producers, technicians, studios and of course players in Evergrey for almost every album we have come to apreciate an album recording for what it is, which is to capture us, our feelings and our songs and then put that on a piece of plastic. The main difference though, that would separate MMA from the others, was that we had hired outside producers, we still recorded it in Division One, our own studio, but during the recordings we all along had Sanken and his assistant there which meant that if something fucked up, like the computers, we could go and have a beer, watch a movie or practise a solo instead of worrying about the damn computer.
At the same time it was very healthy for the songs and the overall recording that someone else from the outside had input and opinions about the songs we had written, they came with ideas that we tried and sometimes liked and sometimes just laughed at but the main thing was that we all trusted and respected everybody's opinions.
After the recording was done we went to Stockholm to mix it. This was also quite different,since usually I am involved in everything from the writing of the songs to the production and mixing. After they worked on a song for a day or two we could go in with an opened mind and "fresh" ears to make decisions on whether something was too loud or too low in the mix or something needed to sound different.
During an album recording you get so much involved and tied up in you own self that it becomes unhealthy. Therefore it was nice to have a guy saying sometimes - "Hey, you play like shit here and trust me you wouldn't wanna put that on an album."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evergrey's albums tend to have very solemn and dark themes to them. This approach took a very unique turn with the concept behind In Search of Truth. The idea of making an album based around a person who is not only struggling with alien abduction but is being driven to darkness as no one will believe him and he is even unsure of himself is one of the most original ideas I've seen produced in music.
My question is, what inspired you to write about such a different concept for an album and do you have any other ideas about more unique concept albums? (From "Chris is the Spirit of Vengeance")
Tom: The answer is very simple, the book "Communion" by writer Whitley Strieber is what inspired ISOT. It's a book that I would recommend anyone liking that album to read. I read it and was really drawn into the story and his thoughts and beliefs on what felt was happening to him.As of now we have not any plans whatsoever for a new album as we are touring extensively for the MMA album.But you never know there might be a ISOT part 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many of Evergrey's albums have incredibly contemplative themes within them, and I personally have never stopped loving the feel and the theme of The Inner Circle. What are some of the deepest and most intriguing albums you've ever heard and would you say these albums and the bands that put them together have had a substantial impact on Evergrey's writing and overall voice? Also, how far do you think bands can push controversial themes in albums of any genre? (From "Waiting For Flight 777")
Tom: As for the album that have had the most impact on me personally would of course be "Operation: Mindcrime" by Queensryche. Still today the production and songs stand up to any of todays releases.
I don't think there are any boundaries whatsoever today, with everything from terrorist attacks to pedophiles happening on a daily basis, I think the source of inspiration for controversial themes is something that unfortunately will never dry out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Search Of Truth is one of my all time favorites. Do you find that if the album is a concept one the songwriting gets to be more emotional? (From "Petedrums")
Tom: I don't know, that is actually more up to you to decide, I mean of course when I wrote the story I personally felt that it became really interesting and sincere and that if you dug into the story it would give the songs way more depth. But at the same time all of our songs have really strong themes and therefore also stand out emotionally.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is Evergrey a religious band? The lyrics seem to have religious meanings behind them. (From "Jason England")
Tom: We are probably the most non-religious band on the planet. However we have had issues with people within religion like priests molesting children and cult-leaders using the weakness of others in order to gain something for themselves.
That is the bad impact religion can have on some people. Therefore we encourage people all the time to think for themselves to not have the religion think for you. Life is too short to have someone else decide for you what to do and not to think.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What was it like for Evergrey opening for In Flames on the US tour earlier this year. Did you get better reactions than expected? (From "Corey")
Tom: The great thing about playing in Evergrey is that we never expect anything, we just do what we always do which is to give 100% at all times. People who maybe heard of Evergrey have a made up mind of how we sound, look and perform but for every show we have people coming up to us saying stuff like "Hey you were awesome, I thought you were like this or that".
The cool thing is that Evergrey have fans in every genre of metal, well of music really, which is really great cause we dont have to write with any boundaries.
The tour with In Flames was the same thing like when we were touring with Arch Enemy, Iced Earth, Children of Bodom or whoever else we've been touring with, we had a great time and became really good friends with the guys in IF and the audience seemed to really enjoy evergrey or maybe even discovering us for the first time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You have toured with many bands, with what band would you like to go on next tour? (From "Telcontar")
Tom: Well Metallica or Iron Maiden would be cool cause it gets you you in front of a lot more people which is the main purpose behind this. So any band as big as possible would be cool. At the same time it would be great to tour with IF again since we had such a blast last time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When you guys are touring what is, if there is, a prized possession you just got to have with you whilst you are traveling and what sentimental value does it have for you? (From "James")
Tom: I think I answer for everyone when I say the Ipod. It gets us through any boring day and all the great nights, the sentimental values lies within the song played I guess. Sorry that it doesn't get more exciting than that
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who are some of your "idols/influences" that you've been able to share a stage with or had the pleasure of meeting? If it were possible to play on stage with one of them who would it be? (From "Kittybeast")
Tom: That is the cool thing about this job. I have pretty much met everyone of my childhood idols, Bruce Dickinson, Paul Dianno, Rob Halford, The Scorpions, Yngwie Malmsteen, Europe, Queensryche - the list goes on and on but as I said earlier Iron Maiden would have been really fantastic to tour/play with.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's it like without Michael on bass and how do you think that will effect the writing on the next album? (From "Rusted Angel")
Tom: Well people evolve in different ways and that is what happened to Michael but it's not like we have lost him as a friend, there were no arguments we merely just have a new bassplayer in Fredrik who is a great guy and awesome player who I think will have a lot of impact on Evergrey. Michael's departure won't affect the writing at all really since he was never involved in the composing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was wondering if you have started writing for the next album yet, and if it will be a concept album like Inner Circle, or a theme based album like Recreation Day? (From "Justin 'Sorrowed' Koteff")
Tom: We have yet to write a single note for a new album and the same goes for the lyrics.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know if you would agree me but I think the producers are getting more and more famous nowadays, just think a few years earlier, we even didn't know who produced the album but nowadays it's one of the most important things and we even know the album's mixing&mastering engineer. But on the other side, of course not the producers but their technology seems to be dangerous for the music... the loudness race and the polished productions... What do you think? (From "Pirate Queen Of The Seven Golden Catwalks")
Tom: I of course don't agree at all since I am a producer myself. I don't see anything dangerous with either technology or polished productions I rather just see the oppurtunities in todays technology and evolvement in studioengineering.
I find it exciting and honouring to be able to be part of another band's songs as a producer, to offer my ideas that will help hopefully improve their songs. I don't see how that can be dangerous for the music.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where do you see Evergrey professionally in the next 5 years? (From "Tanya")
Tom: That's a tough question to answer. We have always had a strong conviction that Evergrey will make it big enough to keep us busy in one way or another for the rest of our lives. We are not there yet but steadily on our way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Roberto, I'm from Guatemala in Central America and my question is this: It's been said that piracy is affecting all the music industry in general, but in my country and in my specific case, the CD's of my favourite bands are not at affordable prices, and a lot of times we, the heavy metal fans have to save money for almost 2 or 3 months to get one CD of the metal bands we like, and my question is this... what would you do to get to the fans of the more distant countries, and at the same time trying to keep affordable prices for them? (From "Roberto")
Tom: Unfortunately enough we can't do anything about that. It's the market that decides the prices and it doesn't get us any more money either.
But of course I think that everyone should be able to buy at least one album/per month without a problem. At the same time the prices are what causing the downloads and in turn causes the decreased sales. But that's the world today.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Both you and Henrik are amazing lead players, and your guys' solos add a dramatic effect to the songwriting. Now I must ask, who is faster, you or Henrik? (From "Jared Dowty")
Tom: Thanks a lot, glad you like it.
I would say that Henrik is way faster on the hammer-ons/legato type of playing and that I am faster on the staccato playing.But we are both really damn fast and amazing, especially me!
Thanks a lot for your questions. I appreciate your interest in 5 guys from a little shitty town in Sweden.
Let's do it again sometime,
Tom.
----
Question: What were your main inspirations while writing Monday Morning Apocalypse? (Question from MySpace user "Nicklebag")
Tom Englund's answer: Really anything and everything, Evergrey has always been writing about things that either inspire, provoke or affect us in some way. The same goes with this album. One of the biggest differences between this and some of the prior albums are that we now have written 12 individual stories with different storylines, small dark fiction stories that in one way or another are based on stuff that we ourselves or someone close to us have experienced, everything from personal loss to vengeance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally, what is your favorite song off the new album and why? (From "Angel Smalley")
Tom: Hmmmm, I think you would get a different answer everyday of the week, BUT since today is Tuesday morning and we just came back from a show on the Canary Islands where we played, I would say Obedience, it's a quite speedy and groovy song that displays a lot of what Evergrey is about and the solos are really cool to play.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is the story behind the song "Still in the Water"? (From "Tork")
Tom: Actually Monday Morning Apocalypse, Obedience and Still in the Water share the same storyline if you will. But the basic story, starting with MMA is about a person being harassed in school from when he was a little kid and his ways to carry out his vengeance many years later when maybe his tormentors forgot about it all. This guy however became so deeply and emotionally disturbed that the memories from his school-years would never ever leave him.
I think this is one of the biggest problems we have today in the world, that grown-ups don't take this serious enough, I mean everybody thinks it's terrible and horrifying that kids can be that mean to each other, but then we just shrug our shoulders and move on. And that's why we have all these problems today with disturbed persons walking into schools killing people. What we have to do is to start thinking where the problem lies from the beginning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was it a consious decision to make Monday Morning Apocalypse a shorter album with shorter songs and was this done to appeal more to the US market? PS. Don't take this as a negative opinion of the album, I love it and will be at your UK shows. (From "MikeEvs")
Tom: It was not a conscious decision but at the same time Evergrey has always, at least in our eyes, been about writing the best songs whether they are 7 or 3 minutes and for the first time in our career we had the knowledge and ability to write the album, we maybe wanted to write all along, since the day we started. We merely didn't have the experience and skills to do so before. But that was Evergrey at its best then and this is Evergrey at its best today. We did though write to appeal to the current market, but all of the markets not only the american one
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How was the recording from Monday Morning Apocalypse different than the previous albums, and why was it written the way it was? (From "Images & Words")
Tom: Actually all of them have been very different from each other. Since we have been working with different producers, technicians, studios and of course players in Evergrey for almost every album we have come to apreciate an album recording for what it is, which is to capture us, our feelings and our songs and then put that on a piece of plastic. The main difference though, that would separate MMA from the others, was that we had hired outside producers, we still recorded it in Division One, our own studio, but during the recordings we all along had Sanken and his assistant there which meant that if something fucked up, like the computers, we could go and have a beer, watch a movie or practise a solo instead of worrying about the damn computer.
At the same time it was very healthy for the songs and the overall recording that someone else from the outside had input and opinions about the songs we had written, they came with ideas that we tried and sometimes liked and sometimes just laughed at but the main thing was that we all trusted and respected everybody's opinions.
After the recording was done we went to Stockholm to mix it. This was also quite different,since usually I am involved in everything from the writing of the songs to the production and mixing. After they worked on a song for a day or two we could go in with an opened mind and "fresh" ears to make decisions on whether something was too loud or too low in the mix or something needed to sound different.
During an album recording you get so much involved and tied up in you own self that it becomes unhealthy. Therefore it was nice to have a guy saying sometimes - "Hey, you play like shit here and trust me you wouldn't wanna put that on an album."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evergrey's albums tend to have very solemn and dark themes to them. This approach took a very unique turn with the concept behind In Search of Truth. The idea of making an album based around a person who is not only struggling with alien abduction but is being driven to darkness as no one will believe him and he is even unsure of himself is one of the most original ideas I've seen produced in music.
My question is, what inspired you to write about such a different concept for an album and do you have any other ideas about more unique concept albums? (From "Chris is the Spirit of Vengeance")
Tom: The answer is very simple, the book "Communion" by writer Whitley Strieber is what inspired ISOT. It's a book that I would recommend anyone liking that album to read. I read it and was really drawn into the story and his thoughts and beliefs on what felt was happening to him.As of now we have not any plans whatsoever for a new album as we are touring extensively for the MMA album.But you never know there might be a ISOT part 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many of Evergrey's albums have incredibly contemplative themes within them, and I personally have never stopped loving the feel and the theme of The Inner Circle. What are some of the deepest and most intriguing albums you've ever heard and would you say these albums and the bands that put them together have had a substantial impact on Evergrey's writing and overall voice? Also, how far do you think bands can push controversial themes in albums of any genre? (From "Waiting For Flight 777")
Tom: As for the album that have had the most impact on me personally would of course be "Operation: Mindcrime" by Queensryche. Still today the production and songs stand up to any of todays releases.
I don't think there are any boundaries whatsoever today, with everything from terrorist attacks to pedophiles happening on a daily basis, I think the source of inspiration for controversial themes is something that unfortunately will never dry out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Search Of Truth is one of my all time favorites. Do you find that if the album is a concept one the songwriting gets to be more emotional? (From "Petedrums")
Tom: I don't know, that is actually more up to you to decide, I mean of course when I wrote the story I personally felt that it became really interesting and sincere and that if you dug into the story it would give the songs way more depth. But at the same time all of our songs have really strong themes and therefore also stand out emotionally.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is Evergrey a religious band? The lyrics seem to have religious meanings behind them. (From "Jason England")
Tom: We are probably the most non-religious band on the planet. However we have had issues with people within religion like priests molesting children and cult-leaders using the weakness of others in order to gain something for themselves.
That is the bad impact religion can have on some people. Therefore we encourage people all the time to think for themselves to not have the religion think for you. Life is too short to have someone else decide for you what to do and not to think.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What was it like for Evergrey opening for In Flames on the US tour earlier this year. Did you get better reactions than expected? (From "Corey")
Tom: The great thing about playing in Evergrey is that we never expect anything, we just do what we always do which is to give 100% at all times. People who maybe heard of Evergrey have a made up mind of how we sound, look and perform but for every show we have people coming up to us saying stuff like "Hey you were awesome, I thought you were like this or that".
The cool thing is that Evergrey have fans in every genre of metal, well of music really, which is really great cause we dont have to write with any boundaries.
The tour with In Flames was the same thing like when we were touring with Arch Enemy, Iced Earth, Children of Bodom or whoever else we've been touring with, we had a great time and became really good friends with the guys in IF and the audience seemed to really enjoy evergrey or maybe even discovering us for the first time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You have toured with many bands, with what band would you like to go on next tour? (From "Telcontar")
Tom: Well Metallica or Iron Maiden would be cool cause it gets you you in front of a lot more people which is the main purpose behind this. So any band as big as possible would be cool. At the same time it would be great to tour with IF again since we had such a blast last time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When you guys are touring what is, if there is, a prized possession you just got to have with you whilst you are traveling and what sentimental value does it have for you? (From "James")
Tom: I think I answer for everyone when I say the Ipod. It gets us through any boring day and all the great nights, the sentimental values lies within the song played I guess. Sorry that it doesn't get more exciting than that
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who are some of your "idols/influences" that you've been able to share a stage with or had the pleasure of meeting? If it were possible to play on stage with one of them who would it be? (From "Kittybeast")
Tom: That is the cool thing about this job. I have pretty much met everyone of my childhood idols, Bruce Dickinson, Paul Dianno, Rob Halford, The Scorpions, Yngwie Malmsteen, Europe, Queensryche - the list goes on and on but as I said earlier Iron Maiden would have been really fantastic to tour/play with.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's it like without Michael on bass and how do you think that will effect the writing on the next album? (From "Rusted Angel")
Tom: Well people evolve in different ways and that is what happened to Michael but it's not like we have lost him as a friend, there were no arguments we merely just have a new bassplayer in Fredrik who is a great guy and awesome player who I think will have a lot of impact on Evergrey. Michael's departure won't affect the writing at all really since he was never involved in the composing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was wondering if you have started writing for the next album yet, and if it will be a concept album like Inner Circle, or a theme based album like Recreation Day? (From "Justin 'Sorrowed' Koteff")
Tom: We have yet to write a single note for a new album and the same goes for the lyrics.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know if you would agree me but I think the producers are getting more and more famous nowadays, just think a few years earlier, we even didn't know who produced the album but nowadays it's one of the most important things and we even know the album's mixing&mastering engineer. But on the other side, of course not the producers but their technology seems to be dangerous for the music... the loudness race and the polished productions... What do you think? (From "Pirate Queen Of The Seven Golden Catwalks")
Tom: I of course don't agree at all since I am a producer myself. I don't see anything dangerous with either technology or polished productions I rather just see the oppurtunities in todays technology and evolvement in studioengineering.
I find it exciting and honouring to be able to be part of another band's songs as a producer, to offer my ideas that will help hopefully improve their songs. I don't see how that can be dangerous for the music.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where do you see Evergrey professionally in the next 5 years? (From "Tanya")
Tom: That's a tough question to answer. We have always had a strong conviction that Evergrey will make it big enough to keep us busy in one way or another for the rest of our lives. We are not there yet but steadily on our way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Roberto, I'm from Guatemala in Central America and my question is this: It's been said that piracy is affecting all the music industry in general, but in my country and in my specific case, the CD's of my favourite bands are not at affordable prices, and a lot of times we, the heavy metal fans have to save money for almost 2 or 3 months to get one CD of the metal bands we like, and my question is this... what would you do to get to the fans of the more distant countries, and at the same time trying to keep affordable prices for them? (From "Roberto")
Tom: Unfortunately enough we can't do anything about that. It's the market that decides the prices and it doesn't get us any more money either.
But of course I think that everyone should be able to buy at least one album/per month without a problem. At the same time the prices are what causing the downloads and in turn causes the decreased sales. But that's the world today.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Both you and Henrik are amazing lead players, and your guys' solos add a dramatic effect to the songwriting. Now I must ask, who is faster, you or Henrik? (From "Jared Dowty")
Tom: Thanks a lot, glad you like it.
I would say that Henrik is way faster on the hammer-ons/legato type of playing and that I am faster on the staccato playing.But we are both really damn fast and amazing, especially me!
Thanks a lot for your questions. I appreciate your interest in 5 guys from a little shitty town in Sweden.
Let's do it again sometime,
Tom.
