Soapbox

Interview with: Simon Brännström (vocalist)

Date: December 19th 1999

Where: Interview via E-mail. Date refers to date E-mail answers.

Other Bandmembers: Krister Mörtsell (bass, backing-vocals), Andreas Rejdvik (drums), Pär E. Augustin (guitars)

Band's Geographical Home: Umeå, Sweden

Discography: Soapbox (EP)

Available Through: Sally Forth

Official Website: Soapbox

Contact Address: soapbox@mindless.com

Interview by: mpo

soapbox1.jpg (27657 bytes)

From left to right: Krister, Andreas (the guy in front), Simon (the guy standing behind), Pär

You guys have just returned from the Rock Over Holland Tour, a
five-date tour through Holland and Belgium. I wasn't abled to attend one of
the concerts so why don't you give me a short history of the tour?

This all begins with a cold autumn in the northern part of Sweden in 1996. Four boys had to play energetic music to keep themselves warm. So Soapbox was formed. In 1998 the first demotape was recorded, and in 1999, Soapbox visited the studio again to record the songs for the first EP. It was released late 1999 by Sally Forth Records in Holland, and to make things even better for Holland, Sally asked Soapbox to come and visit them for a few days and while Soapbox were down there they played a few shows:

                   23/11-99 The Frontline, Gent (Belgium)

This was the first Soapbox show on this tour. The frontline was a small but cool place and we played together with the local band Antates. Not that many
people showed up, but we were very satisfied with the outcome.

                       24/11-99 OCC 2 Init, Amsterdam

This was the opposite of The Frontline, this place was a lot bigger, but
unfortunately we played there the same night as some big soccer game was
on TV, so not that many people showed up here. This night we had the honor
to play with Gleb from Utrecht.

           25/11-99 Q-bus, Leiden.(With Atonement and Shorttime)

Here we go... Big place, lots of people, two great local support acts,
Shorttime and Atonement, only too bad the late train had to leave when we
started playing. Some people had to leave in order to catch the last train home for the evening. It was a good show though.

        26/11-99 Kasteel, Alphen a/d Rijn.(With Salutary + I-reject)

Rocking in the Kasteel together with Salutary and I-reject, this was probably the best Soapbox show up to this date. Bad luck for you if you weren't there...

                   27/11-99 Black Rose Café, Dordrecht

This was maybe the smallest place we've ever played at, in the corner of a
small bar, behind a pillar in the corner. At 3.30 PM, seven people had shown up. Very fun though, we gave everything we had. Seen in a percentage kind of view, this is the place where we sold most merchandise. These seven people bought one T-shirt, two EP's and one Sellout CD (a compilation album with soapbox plus a bunch of Norwegian bands, and one other Swedish band as well).

How did it feel like to do this tour while there should have been a Selfmindead tour. Selfmindead was canceled and you came as the replacement. How was that?

Selfmindead is a hard thing to replace, and we feel sorry for them to have
some member changes coming up now that the new album is out. For us it was
a great opportunity to promote the brand new EP and also to promote us as a
band.

soapbox2.gif (4589 bytes)

This concert-tour was in support of your debut-CD which is released by Sally Forth Records, a Dutch label. You're from Sweden, the country known for Soulscape and Day-Glo. But you're not signed to them though I saw Samuel Durlings (of Soulscape) name mentioned as an executive producer. So, why did you guys end up signed to a Dutch label while you have some nice labels in your homecountry?

We have had contact with these labels and we know them personally. A
reason to not sign any of these labels I cannot say, and how we ended up on
Sally is all Samuel's work. He is a good friend of ours and has helped us a
lot as a band (he also made the cover for the EP). He had contact with
Sally since he is involved in Soulscape, and when Sally wanted to release
our EP, we were glad to jump on the train. To be on Sally gives us a great
chance of coming outside Sweden to play, which is fun, and I also think
that being on a label outside of your country opens up the eyes of the
people in your own country: "Hey, they must be good, they are signed to
a label in Holland!?" So, it's all about fooling the Swedes that we are good...

Interestingly, you will have one song on a compilation album of the small secular label Tolerance, also from Holland. Are you guys planning to emigrate to Holland?

We have no such plans at the moment, and it would be quite a long way to work every morning...

There's more Holland in the air because Soapbox will be playing the annual Brainwave Festival in January 2000. I'm sure you're looking forward to that. Could you give me a good reason why people should be there to check the Soapboxers out?

We are indeed looking forward to the Brainwave festival and we are rehearsing a bunch of new songs for you all to enjoy while we rock your socks off! A good reason to check out Soapbox. Well... I can't think of one reason to stay home. More talk is more rock, so come and see us!

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