Interview with Joakim Åström from APRIL DIVINE

 

click on the banner to read the German version of it:

 

 

Just a while ago, you finished the tour as support for Staind. What was this tour like for you? Was this an experience you definitely are proud of being able to make it?

 

Absolutely. In two weeks notice, we got the opportunity. We’re all working class heroes, but even our bosses were excited for us to do this, so we got off easily. This was easiest the most fulfilling and most funniest tour for us. It was our first tour in Europe and Staind, as a band, and their crew were just too nice too us. For me personally it was rewarding to meet one of my heroes vocal wise, and to see that he also has a warm, respectful persona.

 

Of course, you were given feedback from the fans. During your show in Berlin I was able to see what you are able to give and how the reaction of the crowd was like. What was it like for you? Was it what you expected? May you want to share some of the anecdotes of the tour with us.

 

Just in general: the crowd, the fans, the void. We did not expect anything from the crowd. When we played in Sweden as tour support for bands like Alter Bridge, Karnivool or Staind we did at first expect them to like us too, since we’re not that far apart musical style wise (like when we’ve supported Europe, Skid Row, Thin Lizzy), BUT when we noticed that the Swede’s don’t even like us then, we’ve dropped our expectations.

But this year, we’ve been on tour in both Costa Rica and USA….and I really have to say we’ve got some confidence back, because the fans were great. Great, but not awesome like in Europe! I met fans from Glasgow down in London, who has been following US, and not Staind (?!) for 4 shows (the whole UK-part). But when we came back to Sweden for a show, a month later, the crowd was gone - the void.

You want an anecdote? Our Hungarian driver made me laugh a bunch of times. So, here are some of our moments:

I was talking English with our tour bus driver, from Hungary. Me: “So, do you think we’ve got time for a beer somewhere, before we go to the show. Is the venue far from here?” The Driver (smiles) and says: “I can’t understand you when you talk Swedish!”

The Driver: “Jocke, what is your everyday-job when you’re not playing music?” Me: (thinking it would be funny to let him guess what I do for a living) “Can you guess?” The Driver: „Eh,...you are a...guess? What’s a guess?”

 

Let us now proceed with a few questions more in general: In Germany you are, really, really sadly if you ask me, quite unknown. Just to make sure more people get to know you soon, let’s do something like an introduction: Who is April Divine? What does April Divine stand for? Which is the way April Divine has chosen to go?

 

April Divine is a four piece from northern parts of Sweden. April Divine is just a name, a girl, a month – it’s a divine. We’re aiming of writing this sort of music that we like, not considering, “what’s hot right now”. We have no political stand with the band. Me, personally - I support endangered species...and smurfs.

 

According to researches the band April Divine was renamed twice since the foundation back in 1998. What is the “real” story behind it?

 

First we were called Starfuck. That didn’t work for obvious reasons. The we changed it to Bloody April, since we like playing with words. Our US manager did not like the “Bloody”-part, so we refined it – and that’s how it comes up to April Divine.

In Sweden, you quickly earned and caught attention by being played and heard at P3 (Sweden's biggest rock radio station) and beside that you were voted as the "Best Unsigned Swedish Rock Band." The story went on and then it sums up and you were known even in other countries. That’s something many bands dream of and want to achieve. But let us do some kind of personal resume: Do you still remember the very beginnings of your band? Maybe the first ideas for a song, the first demos, first visits in the studios or your very first show on stage.

 

 



 

Yeah, of course I remember. Rehearsing in a garage, starting off with Metallica covers, afterwards moving on to Nirvana covers – that’s the time when I took the position behind the mic. I had blond hair, dreadlocks, white Squier Stratocaster and a Metal Zone Pedal.

 

If it would be up to you to draw the line right now, are you satisfied with the result of your hard work?

 

I’m satisfied with the songs I’ve written, the tours we’ve made. But, as bigger it gets, the more you want – that’s the circle we live in. After being on tour with Staind and Alter Bridge, I’ve seen and got to think about the feeling about how it would be headlining, riding a nightliner, massage room at the venue, playing in front of thousands of people that likes your music. Most important - to be able to have the music as your only occupation.

 

“Redemption”, your newest record of all, was released in September 2011 here in Germany. After getting positive criticism about your debut “Chapter One” the expectations to the following record were really enormous. Have you been afraid of dealing with those expectations? In general, what is your way dealing with critics (positive, as well as negative ones) especially according to releasing a new record? Sure there are many critics outside doing their very best in advance, literally, to disassemble everything into the smallest pieces just to find something negative although the record hasn’t been finished and/or released so far.

 

I don’t want to disappoint myself, the band and of course not even the fans. I always put a lot of pressure on myself. I think it works well in my case. I get more productive and creative, especially when I have a lot on my mind. I care what the fans think, I don’t give a crap, what the critics think. I believe in democracy, not dictatorship. I like statistics with a large population.

 

By being talking about records, what does the phase of developing a record in case of April Divine looks like? From where do you take the ideas for your songs, how is a song created at all?

 

That differs from situation to situation. I can come up with a melody at an airplane, record it on my voice recorder. The guy next to me seems to think I’m a weirdo. When I get home, I go straight to my studio. I have a room with a song booth (closet), and a Mac. “Copycat” is an example for that scenario.

Sometimes I’ve actually dream about a song, the chords and even the whole melody. And in my dream I’m aware of dreaming and try really bad to wake up – just to be able to remember the song. If that is possible, I go straight up into thestudio, record it, and then go back to bed. When I wake up, I’m not sure, if I really was able to record the stuff. “#1” is an example for that scenario.

Sometimes I just sit down in my studio, playing around – That’s how “Faced down” was done.

 

As already mentioned, you have played beside Staind. Back in 2007 you already did this before. Furthermore, to name another example, you were able to earn more experiences and therefore caught more attention beside Alter Bridge. Are there bands you’re dreaming of playing together? What is your biggest goal to achieve?

 

I would love to meet the guys from TOOL. I love their music. Not to say, I wasn’t stoked meeting Aaron, a great inspiration and person. Not to say, I wasn’t blown away meeting Slash in the stairways backstage while Alter Bridge were playing. Without the sun glasses and the hat, in a dark stairway, it’s kind of hard recognizing him, haha.

Me: “Slash?”. Slash: “Yes.”. Me: “Ok. Just checking. Eh…what are you doing here?”. Slash: “I wanted to surprise Myles! I was in Stockholm on promo and was thinking, that the guys would be surprised, when I go up and join them on stage now. Who are you?”. Me: „Jocke. I think they will be surprised!”

 

Let’s get a little bit crazy about touring and concerts: Imagine, you would be the headliners of the tour, venues being sold out months before the show actually takes plays, front rows full of fans screaming your name and being unable waiting another minute to see you. It’s your decision to chose your own support act. Spontaneously, who comes into your mind?

 

Staind. “You scratch my back…”, and also I love standing side-stage listening to them. Also, they are fun guys to hang with. Because of Aaron’s broken back, they bring up a massage room on each venue, that we also can use. It’s all good hanging with them.

 

If it would be up to you, what will the future of April Divine look like? What does the schedule say about “What comes next?”? Maybe your own headlining shows?

 

Right now - a new album. Afterwards, we would love to go back on tour in Costa Rica to relax n meet our friends over there. Then back to Europe and Germany - in the best of worlds as a headline tour.

 

 

Vanessa Vogl – www.sounds2move.de

 

 

Link: www.aprildivine.com