Clair
00giovedì 14 aprile 2005 15:12
Hi freiends!
I was checking the Russian press on-line. These are the latest known news of EUROPE, you know.
There were two interviews with Joey that I tried so hard to translate in English, with the help of the automatic translator and my humble Russian as well. :-) Sorry for any inaccuracies!
Enjoy!
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EUROPE:
"We did not return for the money"
On the threshold of the sequential stage appearance of their European tour we succeeded in several minutes to have a talk with the vocalist of the group Joey Tempest.
Zvuki.ru: Joey, as far as I know, the members of the group Europe did not move to America, in contrast to their colleagues, and do feel themselves comfortably in Sweden, does the native land help?
Joey Tempest: Well, if I have to be honest, I have lived in London for seventeen years already, since my wife is English. I don't intend to go anywhere, I am already completely assimilated here; however, the distance between London and Stockholm is not so great: I fly there sufficiently frequently for the rehearsals, and to see relatives.
Zvuki.ru: Generally on comebacks - this thing is ambitious enough, but whatever we say, there was no sensational return for Europe. What is your general opinion of the reunions, which happen very often in the last ten years?
Joey: I would like to note that we did not venture this return because of the money, which we have quite enough of. If we speak specifically about reunions, then, honestly speaking, I was greatly pleased with the reunion of Sammy Haggard with Van Halen in the summer last year. As for the new names I like it when the old established musicians make something together under a new name, for example Velvet Revolver and Audioslave. I don't accept when 2-3 musicians from the old formation get together under the original name and are released on tour to mow mandrels (?).
Zvuki.ru: Your reunion was fairly filled with the atmosphere of secrecy...
Joey: Certainly, we locked ourselves in the studio, they fenced us from the attention of the press and all the curious, and we recorded the album. Of course, there had to be an intrigue, when it all comes down! (laughs).
Zvuki.ru: How did it feel to be back together and record in the studio again?
Joey: It's clear that it felt good, although a bit unusual. But we all know each other literally from the diapers and we were constantly in contact, even when Europe did not function. I, for example, sang on the album of John in the 1992, we regularly sent away to each other the gift copies of our solo work, in a word, we knew everything about who is occupied with what.
Zvuki.ru: By the way, and what relations have you got with Kee Marcello nowadays?
Joey: Kee, as you understood, does not assume participation in the comeback, he is now completely occupied with his group. Furthermore, he is sufficiently claimed in Sweden as a producer. We spoke with him about the possibility of joint appearances, but so far nothing is certain.
Zvuki.ru: As far as your last year's work "Start From The Dark" is concerned, it is possible to say that the majority found it nevertheless a questionable phenomenon and a few people could get accustomed the new sound.
Joey: Yes I know, many complain about the heavy guitar, the insignificant key-actuated parties... But, as a rule, the more they listen to the album, the more they are convinced, that it is sufficiently traditional for Europe material. I.e., through its musical potential this album is on the level of "Wings Of Tomorrow".
Zvuki.ru: By the way, "Start From The Dark" is a very symbolic name...
Joey: Completely, well observed - we really wanted to begin from zero, generally from nowhere. If I could get my wish, I would want this to be EUROPE's first album ever.
Zvuki.ru: Joey, as far as I understand, EUROPE takes 90 per cent of the time of all its members. But what are the immediate prospects?
Joey: f you mean to ask if we will be undertaking any solo projects, I do not know, if we do it won't happen in the near future. John has just released an album but it was recorded a year ago. While the rest of the band members have not planned to do anything else. You are right, no time for that. Already this year we will start writing some new material, I would like that Europe will be a working group like Deep Purple, for example.
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An interview with Joey from "Novi Izvestia", Russia
"We are older than the European Union" says the leader of the group "Europe" Joey Tempest
The calling card of Sweden, the group Europe, after its disintegration in the beginning of the 90s has recently reunited, though not in Stockholm but in London. On the eve of the first tour of "Europe" in Moscow we met the leader of the group JOEY TEMPEST
- Mr. Tempest, they say that in your youth you and your friends were so absorbed in rock music, that even between yourselves you spoke not Swedish, but in English. Is this true?
JT: Well, I would say, this is rather a joke... Although actually, when we had just begun to work with rock music, we listened mainly to English-language groups: English, American. To be precise - only in English. And probably, because of this during the rehearsals, playing the music and thinking in the language, in which we sing, we entirely entered into the roles of such rock stars, we started to turn to each other in English. But this was nevertheless just a game.
- But, as you got successful, you certainly have understood that songs in the Swedish language cannot qualify for the same success as in the English language. What do you think, why is English still fashionable?
Joey: You know, English is generally very convenient for the composition of texts for rock music. There are many words so that you can simply and correctly express your thoughts, to explain one concept or another. I would even say that English is the language of rock-n-roll. At least for us it is so. Indeed all rock musicians in the world will understand a song in the English - hence, it goes without saying, the success.
- It seems that you have completely left your roots - you even live in Britain, and your wife is English. Can it can be that you already consider yourself an Englishman?
Joey: Certainly not, I am Swedish. And I think this concerns the entire group. And it can be in no other way. Yes, I live in London and, I certainly, being located there, I speak English. But, arriving in Sweden, I switch to the native language right away. Moreover almost every day I speak Swedish on the telephone. I like living in England, but this does not mean that I'm not a patriot. I love my native land, and in this there is no portion of irony or pathos.
- By the way, haven't they proposed you to become the symbol of United Europe? You will agree that the name is suitable, and you are cosmopolitan...
Joey: It is true - such conversations appear from time to time. But in any event the name of our group came up considerably earlier than the national organization with the name "European Union". But indeed we were first! I am joking of course. Seriously speaking, when we gave this name to the group, no one thought that we will be able to personify so many countries in the future, and of course, there were no plans with respect of our name as a Pan-European brand.
- Rock-n-roll was always considered revolutionary, a style of protest. Recently rock musicians frequently make political statements - for example, the American group R.E.M. on each concert apologizes for the policy of Bush. Do you have your own political persuasions in EUROPE?
Joey: I think that each member of the band has his opinions about the policy and the politicians. Possibly, sometimes these positions do not coincide. But for us it is more important to love and to respect our audience, because to us it is important that it has respect for us. On our concerts we rather wish the spectators a pleasant time, than we would scan some personal political opinions. Moreover, if our positions are different - we are indeed not a political party, why carry differences to the listeners and spectators?!
- You were some of the few western musicians, for whom it was possible to visit the Soviet Union, this was in1987, on the television program "Ladder of Jakob". Do you remember this occasion?
Joey: Certainly, I remember! Then we met many interesting and pleasant people, who actually love music and are good at it. I remember the tv-performance. We had no concerts, but we had the possibility to have a little look at St Petersburg. The trip was a very pleasant event for us. I really wanted to come to Moscow, I had never been there.
- The Soviet Union was a closed state, which lived according to laws different from the rest of the world. Horror seized the Russians fallen for the cordon at the sight of these differences. It is interesting, what were your sensations from the country then?
Joey: Yes, actually nothing very odd happened to us during our stay here at the time. But, perhaps, some amusing situations took place, the fact that we had too many vodkas on one of the nights were almost late for the aircraft. And one of our guitarists, apparently from the gathered impressions and fatigue, fell asleep with the guitar in his hands and dropped it directly there, where bottles and everything else stood. This was a signal for the rest of us: enough for us. We then together with Jakob Dalin (leading the program ''Ladder of Jacob'') and the Russians leading the transfers simply rested. It is remarkable, by the way, how that time went!
- Was a cultural program in Russia provided this time? Or it is simply: "aircraft - concert - aircraft"?
Joey: I think that we nevertheless will be able to dedicate two or three days to leisure. At least we want it very much. Honestly speaking, about Russia I know almost nothing. I will have to come and see it by myself. There would be many interesting things to see, yes even everything else. I do hope that in Moscow there are some interesting museums as in St Petersburg? Will you will recommend any to me?
-Tretyakovskaya gallery?
Joey: Wait, I must write down the name. Thanks, I will try to visit it.
- Are you frequently called the group of one song: Final Countdown. Is it not offensive?
Joey: We know this, but... it is not offensive, indeed this does not correspond to reality. In my opinion it is rather a problem of radio and television, which, unfortunately, too frequently play the same songs. On all albums, I mean albums of EUROPE as well as solo albums, there were always a couple of songs that became hits both in Europe and in THE USA. People, who prefer music of the style which we play, know what songs we write and that in a creative aspect we are not the last band. But critics, who are ready to write down the group into the "band with one hit", there are always and will be enough of.
- It is interesting, have you tried to calculate, how often in your life did you play The Final Countdown? Haven't you considered approximately to note a super-anniversary to celebrate the 10 000th-time you perform the song?
Joey: The 10 000th performance?! That's not a bad idea! I think moreover, actually we played this hit no less than 10 000 times.
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