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Band page - Malrun
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What is your name and your current position in the band?
My name is Mikkel Johnsen and my current position in the band is the eternal jester. Besides that I try to play the drums once in a while.
How would you categorize the style of the band? And did you ever consider or try playing other styles of music than the one(s) you are playing now?
The style of Malrun I would probably describe as melodic hard rock/metal. Although most of our inspiration lies within the boundaries of metal I won't exactly call us a metal-band mainly because of the focus on melodies and the fact that we mostly work with clean vocals. We do, however, bring more and more elements of metal into our songs and I think people will get a hint of that when they hear new material from us in the future ;)
Do I ever consider playing another type of music? Well, all the time actually. I always think it's an intriguing thought to expand your musical experience as well as source of inspiration. However, with that said, I'm pretty confident that I play exactly the kind of music I love the most!
What is your latest album and why should people buy it?
Our latest (and only) full length record is Beauty In Chaos which was released 9th of August in Denmark and in the fall 2010 in the rest of Europa via Mighty Music / Target. I won't tell people why to buy it; they'll have to figure out their own personal reason to get a hold of it. :) But to give you a little hint, the drumming is insane!
Tell us about the history of the band. More specifically, when was the band formed, how did you meet, and have there been any particular highlights or low points in your career, any crucial events that have taken you where you are today?
The band was formed by singer Jacob and guitarist Mads who five years ago met at a wedding. Busy smoking cigars and drinking whiskey, they decided to form a band through which they could follow their mutual dream. They quickly started auditioning for the remaining parts of the band and no sooner than later the cover band Faust was a reality. During the next couple of years the ambitions grew hastily and three of the members were substituted to form Malrun. It did, however, take a couple of years for us to find the perfect constellation in which we are today.
Low points: I don't really recall any specific low points during my time in Malrun. However, if I had to mention any, it would probably be the two changes in line-up that I've experienced. Although it turned out far better when we found the right guys for the job, the fact that you have to throw out a member or that someone decides to quit leaves you with an empty feeling; we were suddenly moving backwards in progression instead of just rambling through like we wanted to!
As for highlights, there are three things I can come up with; 1) Being chosen as support act for Staind was obviously great and a heavy pad on the back! 2) SPOT festival 2010; again, just an honour to be handpicked to these kind of jobs! 3) The recording of Beauty in Chaos; the intensity, fun, frustration, the whole package was just a mind blowing experience and something I've wanted to do my whole life!
Was there ever a time when you wondered if your band would remain just a local outfit and never make it in the industry?
While I've always had the attitude and the mentality to believe that we would make it there have, of course, been several times where you wonder if something is ever going to happen! Like when you finally get to play this cool gig in Copenhagen and as you're about to start the concert the only two persons in the room is the person we brought along and her friend! But I think one of the strongest attributes of this band is that we believe in ourselves, no matter what happens. It's like a freight train moving on and on, even if there's something on the rails trying to stop it.
Can you share with us one or two of your favourite moments with the band?
Again I would have to refer to the Staind gig and the recording of our debut album. And then of course every time we've got together just to get hammered for no apparent reason at all. I don't exactly remember much from those evenings but I know I had a great time! ;)
How is the writing process in the band?
The writing process is very collective. We all participate heavily when writing new material and a guitar riff can sometimes come both from the drummer or the bass-player. Having said that, we do have Patrick (guitarist) who comes up with let's say 80 % of the ideas for new riffs. And we always use them as the basis of writing a song. Then, when we all participated in finishing and arranging the song the vocals and lyrics are made by Jacob, again with help from everyone else. This means that we all have a saying in the process of making a song come to life.
What brought you on the path to becoming a musician? Did you ever consider or take any other paths through life besides music?
My father has been a musician his whole life and his father too! So, when he bought me a guitar and my brother got a drum set I soon realised that playing the guitar wasn't really my thing (read: I sucked at playing guitar!!!). It's much more fun having two wooden sticks in your hands with which you can hit as hard as possible on different things!
Do you have any idols? If yes, who?
Hm, let's see. Obviously I have tons of idols and inspirations. If I had to mention the two who comes up first it would probably have to be Mike Portnoy who is the first drummer I really admired and he is, when thinking about it, the basis of my style of playing. The other one is, ironically, a guitarist, Mark Tremonti who has been the biggest star of my life for more than a decade, haha! As a kid and teenager Creed and Alter Bridge were my absolute favourite bands and he is the brain behind them both. With him I think it's just as much his person and attitude as his music that attracts me. He's a really cool dude!
Do you have any regrets looking back at your career? For example any songs or even full albums that you regret recording? If so, what made you regret it?
Hm.. I don't regret any songs even though my face makes weird expressions when listening to a few of the older ones today! But regretting them would be wrong because everything we have ever done has a small impact on what we have become today. As for our first EP, those three songs we really loved back then. Even though we don't like them anymore, they are definitely a part of what we are today in the sense that they helped us develop the kind of music we play. So, to quote the gangster ancestors of my relatives; No Regrets!
Are there particular songs in your catalogue that the fans love but you're not particular fond of yourself?
It's a tricky question but I think the song Caught Between Your Legs is very popular among the people who like us. But the five of us in the band finds it a little less interesting than most of the other songs.
How important do you rate the lyrical side of your albums?
I know our lead singer loves the lyrical side; I really don't give a shit! Just kidding! For me lyrics have always been almost as important a thing as the rest of the music because it contributes with a lot of feeling, emotion and it does bring forth the message or the theme of the song. And I think much of what we stand for, both as persons and as musicians actually comes out through our lyrics. Take our debut album; the title, which in itself is kind of a statement, was created using the theme of the lyrics so I consider them quite important.
What do you think about the state of the music industry today?
I'm the kind of guy who still goes into a record store to physically handpick a CD, look at it, listen to it, purchase it and go home to listen it all the way through and I think it's really sad realising that - presumably - that part of the industry is slowly dying. However, I'm too much a product of my generation to not also love the fact that you can log on to Itunes and search for practically every single song that has ever been made and purchase it right away, heh. That really is a cool thing.
I think as a band we have accepted the fact that people just don't buy as many records as they used to so, as a band, you have to think alternatively and be creative which can also be a good thing! We know that if we want to earn just a tiny bit of money on this business it has to be on concerts, merch and stuff like that. When that is said, we'll keep writing music, play concerts and have fun as long as our bodies allow us to, even if we don't make anything from it.
What do you think is the best way to fight music piracy?
Don't even bother. I don't think you can do anything about it so we musicians have to stop whining about it (if anyone does that anymore). Again, think alternatively, be creative and make people adequately interested in your products to be able to make something of it!
Do you have a life philosophy? If yes, what is it?
I don't think I have found the one philosophy that really fits me quite yet. If anything, I would have to quote an Alter Bridge song that says "I'll never long for what might have been, regret won't waste my life again". I may have a tendency to always think about how things could have turned out instead of just accepting how they actually did turn out an deal with you current situation in life.
Can you describe a typical day in your life?
I can but in a month it wouldn't be true because I begin studying at Aarhus University from the beginning of September 2010. From then on, it'd probably be breakfast, drumming, studying, working out, eating, Simpsons, drumming, sleeping. In the weekends you can add either "beer" or "rum" in the spot between all of them!
What do you like to spend your time with besides music?
I love working out and try to always learn new stuff. Apart from that, basically just hanging with my friends and family, being with my girlfriend and enjoy lifeJ
What's the craziest thing that has ever happened on a tour?
Well, we haven't ever been on a actual tour so far, at least not outside Denmark. But the funniest thing I remember was during our sound check as support act for Staind. Ulrik (our bass player) was asked by Staind's sound guys to do a line check in his microphone, and knowing that the volume was insanely high he decided do his Bruce Dickenson wannabe scream, "Yeaaaaaaaaaah", which seemed to both surprise and deeply annoy these professional American sound guys who knew nothing about little Danish Malrun. They went: "ehh.don't do that again dude!". Haha. I laughed my ass of behind the drum set.
You're heading off to live on a deserted island for a couple of years with your portable entertainment system... Which albums, movies or books would you bring? (Max. 3 of each)
Movies: A beautiful Mind, UP!, Blood Sport
Books: The Lord of The Ring (because I've never read them!)
Albums: Human Clay (Creed), Sacrament (Lamb Of God), Hot Fuss (The Killers)
What is your favourite joke?
That's What She Said! --> Because you can use it whenever the fuck you want to and it works! (yes it does!)
Can you tell us about any future plans for you and your band?
Hopefully, we'll get to play loads of gigs during the next year, and perhaps some actual touring in Europe. Besides that we are already doing pretty well writing new material again. So, if my personal little agenda sticks to its plan we'll be recording sometime next year or so :) Oh, and it would be pretty cool to get a major breakthrough as well...
Thanks for answering these questions. Now you are free to write a few lines to our readers.
Well, we hope you'll enjoy our new album Beauty in Chaos. And hope to see you out there on the venues for a hell of a party!!:-)
Added by Steen - 8/18/2010
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