Planet Loud caught up with Swedish metallers Arch Enemy backstage at Brixton Academy to chat about their experiences in Japan, their current album and little old ladies.
Planet Loud – What have you been doing since we last saw you in the UK?
Arch Enemy – “Since you saw us last year we’ve been on the road for most of the time, apart from a little break. We’ve been to Japan, China, all over Mainland Europe and now back to the UK.”
Planet Loud – What was China like?
Arch Enemy – “It was very different, They weren’t used to having a big heavy metal band over there so the audience wasn’t sure what to do but it was cool. We didn’t get to see much of the place though because we didn’t have much time to do anything. It’s such a polluted place though, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”
Planet Loud – Did it annoy you that you couldn’t get out to see the tourist side of China?
Arch Enemy – “Well, to be honest, we were so tired when we got there, all we wanted to do was relax. We did talk about going to the Wall but time was against us.”
Planet Loud – It sounds like it has been quite an eventful tour for you guys because I believe you were joined onstage by an old lady in Russia?
Arch Enemy – “Ha, yeah. She came out of nowhere and just walked right across the stage. I was stood there screaming away and I looked to my side and there was this old lady on stage.”
Planet Loud – What was going through your mind?
Arch Enemy – “Who the hell is that? I think she was the cleaner looking for somewhere to plug her vacuum cleaner in.”
Planet Loud – Have you been documenting this tour?
Arch Enemy – “Well, we did a lot of footage in Japan. The tour was sold out in advance and the album, Rise Of Tyrants, is one of our most popular albums out there. It seemed like it was the right time to take a camera crew out there and document it all. We’ve got interviews with all the band members, us travelling around Japan and ten or fifteen cameras filming the show in Tokyo. That is a project we will be working on in the future.”
Planet Loud – Going back to the album. When it came out it surprised people with you trying out new ideas. Did it get the reaction you expected?
Arch Enemy – “Well, some people loved it, some of the magazines hated it. I think that people who were reasonably new to the band only knew us from The Doomsday Machine which had a modern sound to it and were surprised by the new as it had a lot more melody and other elements to it. The thing is that bands are always on the neverending magical quest. If you can’t buy the best record ever by your favourite band then why not make it yourself.”
Planet Loud – Do you have a touring cycle in mind for this album?
Arch Enemy – “Probably the end of the year then we will be done for this record.”
Planet Loud – Is there a plan mapped out for the future?
Arch Enemy – “You mean like a five year plan? Like in old Russia? We’re going to increase the production and that includes the live gigs.”
Planet Loud – Okay, last year there was a controversial interview with you guys in one of the glossy magazines….
Arch Enemy – “We don’t want to talk about that crap. It’s all rumours and bullshit so you might as well skip to the next question.”
Planet Loud – Do things like that make you hate doing press?
Arch Enemy – “Not really. We don’t hate doing it as such. We just don’t take it seriously. The problem appears just to be in the UK as well. You have the tabloid mentality in the UK and that has crept into the music press as well. I feel sorry for music fans in the UK as they can’t read about the music.”
Planet Loud – Is the rest of the world any different though?
Arch Enemy – “Well, it seems to come across more in the UK that they have to write about anything other than the music. Like, they need to know if anyone in the band is doing drugs, who is sleeping with who. It’s just fucking crap.”
Planet Loud – Do you feel like you’re an easy target Angela?
Arch Enemy – “Well, I’m not Christina Aguilera. I sing for this band because I’m into the music. I come to the UK and it’s like everyone knows about Britney’s panty-size. I know a lot about music, I’m a music fan. I love bands like Carcass but over here people don’t want to know about what music I like. They never ask me what bands I like. It’s a shame because there is nothing to educate the kids who read this shit. Its like you could take a bunch of drugs, get fucked up, fuck a load of girls and then you’re on the front of the magazines. It’s bullshit. I wouldn’t have my kids read the magazines that are out there. The people that are on the front of these magazines aren’t any sort of role model for young people.”
Planet Loud – Okay guys, what’s next for Arch Enemy?
Arch Enemy – “Well, we’ve got a few ideas for the next record but at the moment we’re still buzzing off playing these songs to our fans everynight and seeing the reaction we get.”
Interview by Graham Finney
