INTERVIEW WITH TOMAS BODIN (italian version)
by Giancarlo Bolther

The first thing i've thinked listening to Sonic Boulevard is that this album is very romantic and quiet and less progressive...
Well you might be right, Compered to "Pinup Guru" I was searching for another kind of atmosphere. Also I was in love so......Amore!!!!

A second thing I've thinked about is that it has got a spiritual vibe...
Yes I´m glad you asked. I was in a very special mood when I composed the music. If this was a spiritual touch or not is hard for me to tell but I could feel a sense of security and calmness inside.

How much time did you take to realize it?
I composed the music during 3 weeks. Then I was in production for another 2 months.

How do you manage the compositive process?
I have music inside myself all the time. It´s just a matter of how much time I can spend composing. So if I sit many hours a lot of music will come out. Of course, not everything is good but mostly I get something I can use.

What kind of problems have you faced off?
During this production there was actually no problems. It all went very well. But I had a sort of problem....I didn´t know if this CD was going to be released as a regular CD or a smaller "internet edition". I´m glad it turned out to be the big release.

Would you like to tell us about the new songs?
I can say that song number 1, 4, 5, 9 and 10 have partly the same theme worked out in a different way. In that sense it´s a sort of concept album. Also I have used a couple of themes from my compositions in the Flower Kings. One theme is from the song "Garden of Dreams".

The song "The Horses from Zaad" remembers to me the great western soundtracks, in particular from Morricone, were you insipired by his work?
Well I always liked Clint Eastwood and also cowboy music a´ la Morricone. I guess Jocke JJ Marsh guitar play put the song in a hip cowboy mood. Yii-how!!

The last two songs were "Morning Will Come" and "The Night Will Fall", are they linked together?
No not from the beginning, but when I was listening to them I felt they where going to be great as "semi-linked". Iguess it was more like an atmosphere thing.

The cover of the album, like the one choosed for Pinup Guru, was inspired by etnic subjects, what does it mean and why you usually choose that kind of subjects?
I like worldmusic very much and have also used etno influences since many years back. Thomas Everhard is the man behind the coverart. I really liked his ideas because both Pinup Guru and Sonic Boulevard looked as they was somehow related. And I guess they are ...it´s only one year in between.

Which are the musicians involved in your new album?
I have worked with the same old guys from Flower Kings but also some new names like Anders Jansson (vocals) , Jocke JJ Marsh (lead guitar) and Jonas Knutsson (soprano saxophone). Another friend is Lars Bjurhäll which was doing a sort of african rap so well that I changed his name into Nógogo Bjurhäll. Jocke JJ Marsh is well known for the audience and fans to Glenn Hughs/Joe Lynn Turner. He also plays with Uli Roth. Anyway, he´s an amazing kind of guitarist.

Which are the differences between your solo albums?
I guess I have becomed more musically matured on this one. Today I know what I want. Also I know that I can achive this by myself. Also there is a more homogen touch on Sonic Boulevard. (I have variations on a theme)

A lot of young (in the rock history) keyboard players are doing solo albums in these years: Ryo Okumoto (Spock's Beard), Erik Norlander (Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane), Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Derek Sherinian (Planet X), Clive Nolan (Arena) and others. There is something that you like?
Yes they are great players all of them. Also, this could be the anti-guitar-players conspiracy The Great return of the Mighty Keyboard Wizards!!!!!! Ta-ta-tam-dita! (trumpets)

What do you think about the actual progressive scene?
It could be more experimenting. I think people are a little bit afraid to make music out of the "winning concept". In that sense progressive has a little bit becomed "regressive music". the bands wants to sound like it did during the 70-ies.

According to you what developments will be for progressive music in the next few years?
I hope there will be a better blend of different styles like jazz, world and rock. Perhaps I could call it Beatles-ish kind of ideal. Also I would like the scene to get more "entertainment-like" (Imagin a singer a la Freddy Mercury) Anyway, It should be fun to watch!

In my opinion the new progressive rock artists of today seem to be more interested on the technical aspect of music and don't concentrate enough on the beauty of the songs. What is your opinion?
I do agree... Music or should I say the song are not in fokus. It´s more important to stay "secured" as a musician. Play like hell and people will talk good about you.

I like a lot the Flower Kings, but i haven't liked very much the last album Unfold the Future, in my opinion it lacks in ideas, it seems to be a little tired in comparison to your previous works, what's your opinion?
I think Unfold was a sort of statement we did. We had done both Space revolver and Rainmaker which was mostly fokused on the "songs" Now we needed to put some focus on the tradition of jammin. This was how it all started during the 70 ies. I would say that "Thruth will set you free" is probably the best song Roine ever did with a lot of fantasic ideas and a very mature way of making the composition stay interesting. But I can also understand that some parts are not so easy to get into. One thing for sure ...the next album will not be in the "Unfold..." tradition.

At this point of your career which are the projects that you still want to realize?
Ohhh that is sooooooooooooo much. I want to do a pianoalbum, the Gustav Holst project.... a synth album in a Tomita tradition.... More albums in a Sonic Boulevard tradition, but with lyrics. Perhaps work with other keyboardists.

What is the greatest challenge for your future?
Staying cool in a world that is more and more turning into insanity......

GB

Interviews: 2005 (only in italian)

Reviews (in italian): Pinup Guru; Sonic Boulevard, I Am, She Belongs to Another Tree

Sito Web

Related Artists: Flower Kings