STURM UND DRANG
are by far the youngest band we ever reviewed (maybe RACHEL SWEET and THE DONNAS were younger, but not that much). Their CD 'Learning to rock' is perhaps one of the best Melodic Metal releases of 2007 and therefore it was very interesting to interview the band's singer/guitarist André Linman and drummer Calle Fahllund...
Can you please first introduce us your band?
André: Our band comes from Vaasa, Finland . We are 5 guys who are 15-16 years old and we love and play heavy metal! We started the band when we were 12 and 13 years old - after a Judas Priest gig!
Calle: I would describe our music as pure eighties heavy metal with influences from modern power metal and also with a touch of good old classic rock.
You are by far the best youngest band I ever heard, how on earth is it possible you play such a classic 80s melodic metal style, what are your influences?
André: Thanks very much! We started to listen to 80´s music already when we were pretty young (even younger than we are now, haah!) because no other style of music interested us and we fell in love with metal instantly. Our influences are mainly Judas Priest and other 80´s metal bands and also newer Finnish power metal (Sonata Arctica) and many other great Finnish bands such as Children Of Bodom etc.
Calle: Yes, our music is mostly influenced by bands such as Judas Priest and Maiden, the bands we grew up listening to. As a drummer my influences are Tommy Lee , Mike Portnoy and my mentor, a Finnish drummer Kai Hahto.
You have released one of the best CDs of 2007, while you guys are all twice the age younger than most established bands, aren't you afraid the success you now have will be hard to top on future records?
André: I don't really think that much about how well it will go in future and the albums which aren't yet made I mainly concentrate on making the next record and good songs and then we´ll see how it goes.
Calle: I don't want to worry so much about stuff like that, right now I just want to focus on our first album, and touring with that one.
Can you handle the success in Finland, as I have heard you already have a Gold record?
André: Hehe, yes i think so. Getting gold was a really amazing thing, it felt so great!
Calle: No problem with that one so far! This year we have done lots of gigs all over Finland, and met lots of fans from different places, and of course it's nice to hear people singing along to our songs at the gigs.
Have you been playing with some of the other Metalbands from Finland yet?
André: For instance with Apocalyptica, Swallow the Sun and Kilpi plus many others during the festivals.
Calle: Yup, and during the summer we met a lot of famous Finnish dudes otherwise, too. Such as Timo Kotipelto, Tony Kakko and Alexi Laiho. I also met my long time idol Jaska Raatikainen at the festival Ruisrock in July this year - that was so great! And after that I went to see him playing - it was WILD!
Are there already plans to tour outside Finland, I believe Germany is the first?
André: We've already played in Germany at Wacken Open Air in August. And we actually finished our first European tour last month with Apocalyptica.
Calle: Yes, we were 3 weeks in Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Hungary and Czech Republic. And I believe we'll come to Germany soon again!
In Finland you are quite big, I heard the new single "Indian" reached the number 1 spot in the hitsingle charts?
André: Yes it has been #1 for a few weeks now, it feels so great:)
Calle: Yes! Its our first no 1. single in Finland so it's a big thing for us. First single "Rising Son" did well, too. It was on the single chart for weeks and weeks but it didn't reach #1, so this feels so good!
How's the publicity in the Foreign countries going?
André: I think in other countries we are not yet as famous in Finland but it's going better and better all the time, we have sold many records aboard, too, but I think we are still more kind of underground than mainstream.
Calle: Yes, it's rolling. The European tour was also a great opportunity for us to show ourselves to new audiences in different countries.
Already a CD out at 16 years, how do you experience
this?
André: Unbelievable, it's so great that we have gotten this opportunity - already in this age.
Calle: Yes, it's a dream come true of course!
What can we expect in the future from you guys? Many more CDs?
André: More touring and many more cds, more METAL!!!
Calle: Yes, I hope so, I don't think this is the last time you'll see of us ;)
Anything to add...
André: Rock the Metal!
Calle: Drum on!!!
Thanks for the interview and good luck in the long promising future ahead of you!
André: Thank you!
Calle: Thanx a lot :)
