Interview
Shout Out Louds Interview
- Author:
- Review Date:
- 10/09/2007
Here comes the Swedish Invasion. While at the Detour Festival, BandNation caught up with Adam (vocals, guitars) and Ted (bass) from the Shout Out Louds to talk about their upcoming tour and driving home for Christmas in Sweden.
Hi Guys, so you’re album was out earlier this year. Can you tell us about it and your upcoming tour?
Ted: We’re doing a full tour promoting the album in much of the United States and we’re here today at the Detour festival in Los Angeles.
Adam: Yeah, this is the first show on this tour. And the album came out [in the US] 3 weeks ago and it was recorded last year in Stockholm. We’ve been touring since spring, playing a lot in Europe and now we’re here to play our songs in this country.
Are you guys excited to be here in America?
T: Absolutely, yeah. It’s really nice to move around, we’ve been in Europe for a while now and Australia so it’s great to be in the States and Canada. And I hope some people will come see our shows.
So what can fans anticipate from your shows?
A: Energy and Inspiration, yeah I mean we’re playing at 5:30PM today so it’s a bit, not scary, but to play in the middle of the day like that…
well it’s definitely nice and sunny
A: ...yeah, it will and I think our new songs are a little bit more tropical rhythm inspired and I think it’ll be perfect.
T: yeah, and for a band that more or less hasn’t seen the sun all summer, because it’s been a really bad summer in Sweden.
A: Yeah, it’s quite tropical here.
So, what kind of music do you listen to and what inspires you guys?
A: there are so many things it’s so hard to say
T: Sometimes you get more inspired by other things like books or films, I mean more inspired in that way. Of course we listen to music, but I don’t know, it’s hard to pinpoint what’s inspiring you to certain things.
A: I just found out that I’m old enough to really appreciate Bob Dylan.
Oh yeah? He has his new album out soon – his collection
A: oh I didn’t know about that.
T: Small steps, small steps.
A: *laughs* Yeah, this year I’m liking the new Panda Bear album. I listen to that a lot. And I listen to a lot of Jazz and I listen to a lot of pop.
T: I’m listening to the new National album
A: Yeah it’s a really good Swedish band, I try to listen to a lot of Swedish music too and get inspired by a lot of the local bands. There is a lot of competition in the local scene.
And how does the music scene differ in Sweden than the States?
T: I guess it doesn’t differ that much but I of course it’s local I mean…
A: I think there is more diversity. I think the genres are kinda’ more clashed
T: yeah and there are fewer bands, it’s harder to grow a crowd and maybe bands have to be more different. I don’t know. And then of course, people sing in Swedish – yeah so that scene is not big here [in the US] but I guess you have the Latin scene. Yeah, I don’t think it differs that much.
So, what else is coming up for you guys aside from the tour?
T: Yeah the tour more or less but we’re also doing this TV show – Craig Ferguson. That’s coming up every month, its fun to do those late shows.
A: We’re going to be here for a month, in the US and Canada, and then we’re going to do some shows in Europe and Japan before Christmas. Yeah and then we’ll be home for Christmas.
T: Yeah, driving home for Christmas
A: I’m going to be listening to Christmas Songs. Yeah my favorite Christmas song is Chris Rea’s “Driving Home For Christmas”. This is just bonus material you’re getting from me now. So we’re gonna listen to that for a about a few weeks before Christmas and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
T: Yes, and we celebrate one day earlier than you do. We celebrate on the 24th.
Really? Is that just a Swedish thing?
A: I don’t know.
T: I think more European countries do but I’m not sure. Or maybe it’s just a Scandinavian thing.
So your Christmas Eve is on the 23rd?
T: No, Christmas Eve is still the 24th. But we celebrate it, so when you wake up in the morning and do your stuff and then you eat at a Christmas Table, we call it, at about 1 o’clock.
A: Sort of a Buffet
T: Yeah, a Buffet. Herring and Smoked Salmon and stuff like that. And in the evening usually you dance around the Christmas tree singing song. And open presents!
What? You open presents before Christmas Day?
T: Yup. On Christmas Eve
Oh no, that’s just wrong
A: We have no patience at all, the Swedes have no patience.
T: Yeah, the dancing and singing and eating is more important
A: Yes, and Christmas Day is more like a hangover day and you get to play with your toys.
*laughs* ok, so what’s your favorite thing about touring?
T: I mean it must be playing of course. Playing is fun still…
A: Food I think
T: Otherwise food, yeah
A: Trying different foods and seeing different things.
Do you have a favorite place you’ve been to so far?
T: Well Australia is always exciting to go, but it’s also a bit disappointing because it’s kind of like Europe and the US. You go so far, but it’s kind of the same.
A: I always love when we play New York. We have a lot of friends there.
T: Yeah and LA is always fun too, we have friends here.
A: LA is kind of growing on me. It’s taken a while to get this city but we’ve been here a lot now and I appreciate it a lot more. I’ve never really been down here though [Downtown LA].
This is very different then
T: Yeah, We’ve been downtown
Yeah, I guess when it’s blocked off like this and you can walk all over the streets of LA for a festival
T: Yeah, and we’re stay pretty close. I was walking and jogging the other morning and it’s nice. It’s more of a town.
A: It’s monumental down here, like Eastern Europe. I like it.
Cool, well we get lots of indie artists on BandNation – any advice on the music industry?
T: Just trust your instinct on what you want to do and not think too much about what other people do. And remember to enjoy yourself.
A: So many clichés in this business.
T: Try to avoid the clichés. And just don’t get too sucked up in the business. The business is obnoxious. Just try to play and have fun! That’s what will take you further.
Definitely, any words to your fans
A: Hello Fans. We love you.
T: I hope they enjoy the new album and I hope this tour will make us meet a lot of fans. Yeah it’s always fun to.
A: Yeah check us out!
T: Yeah and you’re not fans, you ‘re just people like us that would listen to good music. Fans is a weird word
A: Yeah, we call them Music Friends.
Well we’re certainly music friends of the Shout Out Louds now and to show how much we appreciate them here is a little early Christmas present:
I’m driving home for Christmas
Oh, I can’t wait to see those faces
I’m driving home for Christmas, yea
Well I’m moving down that line
And it’s been so long
But I will be there
I sing this song
To pass the time away
Driving in my car
Driving home for Christmas
Its gonna take some time
But I’ll get there
Top to toe in tailbacks
Oh, I got red lights on the run
But soon there’ll be a freeway
Get my feet on holy ground
So I sing for you
Though you can’t hear me
When I get trough
And feel you near me
I am driving home for Christmas
Driving home for Christmas
With a thousand memories
I take look at the driver next to me
He’s just the same
Just the same
Top to toe in tailbacks
Oh, I got red lights on the run
I’m driving home for Christmas, yea
Get my feet on holy ground
So I sing for you
Though you can’t hear me
When I get trough
And feel you near me
Driving in my car
Driving home for Christmas
Driving home for Christmas
With a thousand memories
Song: Driving Home for Christmas
By: Chris Rea
Don't forget to also check out photos of the band in our Detour Festival review
Hi Guys, so you’re album was out earlier this year. Can you tell us about it and your upcoming tour?
Ted: We’re doing a full tour promoting the album in much of the United States and we’re here today at the Detour festival in Los Angeles.
Adam: Yeah, this is the first show on this tour. And the album came out [in the US] 3 weeks ago and it was recorded last year in Stockholm. We’ve been touring since spring, playing a lot in Europe and now we’re here to play our songs in this country.
Are you guys excited to be here in America?
T: Absolutely, yeah. It’s really nice to move around, we’ve been in Europe for a while now and Australia so it’s great to be in the States and Canada. And I hope some people will come see our shows.
So what can fans anticipate from your shows?
A: Energy and Inspiration, yeah I mean we’re playing at 5:30PM today so it’s a bit, not scary, but to play in the middle of the day like that…
well it’s definitely nice and sunny
A: ...yeah, it will and I think our new songs are a little bit more tropical rhythm inspired and I think it’ll be perfect.
T: yeah, and for a band that more or less hasn’t seen the sun all summer, because it’s been a really bad summer in Sweden.
A: Yeah, it’s quite tropical here.
So, what kind of music do you listen to and what inspires you guys?
A: there are so many things it’s so hard to say
T: Sometimes you get more inspired by other things like books or films, I mean more inspired in that way. Of course we listen to music, but I don’t know, it’s hard to pinpoint what’s inspiring you to certain things.
A: I just found out that I’m old enough to really appreciate Bob Dylan.
Oh yeah? He has his new album out soon – his collection
A: oh I didn’t know about that.
T: Small steps, small steps.
A: *laughs* Yeah, this year I’m liking the new Panda Bear album. I listen to that a lot. And I listen to a lot of Jazz and I listen to a lot of pop.
T: I’m listening to the new National album
A: Yeah it’s a really good Swedish band, I try to listen to a lot of Swedish music too and get inspired by a lot of the local bands. There is a lot of competition in the local scene.
And how does the music scene differ in Sweden than the States?
T: I guess it doesn’t differ that much but I of course it’s local I mean…
A: I think there is more diversity. I think the genres are kinda’ more clashed
T: yeah and there are fewer bands, it’s harder to grow a crowd and maybe bands have to be more different. I don’t know. And then of course, people sing in Swedish – yeah so that scene is not big here [in the US] but I guess you have the Latin scene. Yeah, I don’t think it differs that much.
So, what else is coming up for you guys aside from the tour?
T: Yeah the tour more or less but we’re also doing this TV show – Craig Ferguson. That’s coming up every month, its fun to do those late shows.
A: We’re going to be here for a month, in the US and Canada, and then we’re going to do some shows in Europe and Japan before Christmas. Yeah and then we’ll be home for Christmas.
T: Yeah, driving home for Christmas
A: I’m going to be listening to Christmas Songs. Yeah my favorite Christmas song is Chris Rea’s “Driving Home For Christmas”. This is just bonus material you’re getting from me now. So we’re gonna listen to that for a about a few weeks before Christmas and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
T: Yes, and we celebrate one day earlier than you do. We celebrate on the 24th.
Really? Is that just a Swedish thing?
A: I don’t know.
T: I think more European countries do but I’m not sure. Or maybe it’s just a Scandinavian thing.
So your Christmas Eve is on the 23rd?
T: No, Christmas Eve is still the 24th. But we celebrate it, so when you wake up in the morning and do your stuff and then you eat at a Christmas Table, we call it, at about 1 o’clock.
A: Sort of a Buffet
T: Yeah, a Buffet. Herring and Smoked Salmon and stuff like that. And in the evening usually you dance around the Christmas tree singing song. And open presents!
What? You open presents before Christmas Day?
T: Yup. On Christmas Eve
Oh no, that’s just wrong
A: We have no patience at all, the Swedes have no patience.
T: Yeah, the dancing and singing and eating is more important
A: Yes, and Christmas Day is more like a hangover day and you get to play with your toys.
*laughs* ok, so what’s your favorite thing about touring?
T: I mean it must be playing of course. Playing is fun still…
A: Food I think
T: Otherwise food, yeah
A: Trying different foods and seeing different things.
Do you have a favorite place you’ve been to so far?
T: Well Australia is always exciting to go, but it’s also a bit disappointing because it’s kind of like Europe and the US. You go so far, but it’s kind of the same.
A: I always love when we play New York. We have a lot of friends there.
T: Yeah and LA is always fun too, we have friends here.
A: LA is kind of growing on me. It’s taken a while to get this city but we’ve been here a lot now and I appreciate it a lot more. I’ve never really been down here though [Downtown LA].
This is very different then
T: Yeah, We’ve been downtown
Yeah, I guess when it’s blocked off like this and you can walk all over the streets of LA for a festival
T: Yeah, and we’re stay pretty close. I was walking and jogging the other morning and it’s nice. It’s more of a town.
A: It’s monumental down here, like Eastern Europe. I like it.
Cool, well we get lots of indie artists on BandNation – any advice on the music industry?
T: Just trust your instinct on what you want to do and not think too much about what other people do. And remember to enjoy yourself.
A: So many clichés in this business.
T: Try to avoid the clichés. And just don’t get too sucked up in the business. The business is obnoxious. Just try to play and have fun! That’s what will take you further.
Definitely, any words to your fans
A: Hello Fans. We love you.
T: I hope they enjoy the new album and I hope this tour will make us meet a lot of fans. Yeah it’s always fun to.
A: Yeah check us out!
T: Yeah and you’re not fans, you ‘re just people like us that would listen to good music. Fans is a weird word
A: Yeah, we call them Music Friends.
Well we’re certainly music friends of the Shout Out Louds now and to show how much we appreciate them here is a little early Christmas present:
I’m driving home for Christmas
Oh, I can’t wait to see those faces
I’m driving home for Christmas, yea
Well I’m moving down that line
And it’s been so long
But I will be there
I sing this song
To pass the time away
Driving in my car
Driving home for Christmas
Its gonna take some time
But I’ll get there
Top to toe in tailbacks
Oh, I got red lights on the run
But soon there’ll be a freeway
Get my feet on holy ground
So I sing for you
Though you can’t hear me
When I get trough
And feel you near me
I am driving home for Christmas
Driving home for Christmas
With a thousand memories
I take look at the driver next to me
He’s just the same
Just the same
Top to toe in tailbacks
Oh, I got red lights on the run
I’m driving home for Christmas, yea
Get my feet on holy ground
So I sing for you
Though you can’t hear me
When I get trough
And feel you near me
Driving in my car
Driving home for Christmas
Driving home for Christmas
With a thousand memories
Song: Driving Home for Christmas
By: Chris Rea
Don't forget to also check out photos of the band in our Detour Festival review