Greg Prato of Songfacts recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Michael Poulsen of Danish/American rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT. An excerpt from the chat follows below. Songfacts: How does the songwriting work primarily in VOLBEAT? Poulsen: It's pretty much been like in the beginning, but there has been a slight change. I pretty much write everything at home, and then I bring it to the rehearsal room and I play it to the other guys, and we put on the rest of the instruments. There will be songs where maybe Rob [Caggiano, guitar] has a certain idea for a middle part, then we might change it. Jon [Larsen], the drummer, may have an idea for something, and then we change it. That's pretty much how it works. Normally, I will write a whole song and show it to the other guys in the rehearsal room and we play it. Other times, I will come with a half song, and we finish it up on the road in soundcheck, or we write backstage. This time [on VOLBEAT's upcoming sixth album, "Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie"], Rob has been there when we start writing, so he had a few ideas. He wrote most of the song "The Loa's Crossroad", and he was writing with me on a song called "You Will Know". He had a middle part in "The Gates Of Babylon". So he had his impact here and there. But I would say I write 95 percent of the music and I write 100 percent of the lyrics. Songfacts: Do you prefer writing on your own, or in collaboration? Michael: Mostly I find it more comfortable to do it alone, because I really like to be locked into that zone — in my own little bubble — where I can go over the details. Basically, just being in my own little world. But at the same time, sometimes you can be pretty locked into a song, and really don't know where to go with it. Sometimes, it's cool when other people are there to say, "What if we do it like this?" And I say, "Wow, that's a good idea!" Both things can work out really good, but I mainly like to sit alone at home and write. Read the entire interview at Songfacts. "Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie" will be released on June 3 via Republic Records.
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