Page 59 - Black Velvet Issue 91

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BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 59

A (Musical) Note From...

Björn Wennerborg (Animan)

Dear Black Velvet Magazine readers! (and perhaps a little lucky) bands manage to When we wrote the latest Animan album -
This is Björn of the Swedish alternative achieve. But writing songs with Thomas truly ‘The Unholy’, we were totally clueless about
metal/rock band Animan speaking. There's a was a new beginning. Since then and up until trends and charts or if the sound was not mod-
million different topics to choose from in the today we are constantly striving towards a ern enough and so forth. We created the music
exciting world of music and the choice is hard. new, united, musical goal. We contribute to because we love it, trying to squeeze out every
I'm gonna give the slightly worn topic ‘indepen- each other’s ideas while we never interfere little drop of potential from every song, not car-
dent’ another go. Everybody knows the term – with the other's creativity unless it's necessary. ing if we get signed or if we earn any money.
but what does it really mean? Or at least, what Even if we share the role of frontman/lead To me, that’s about as independent as it gets!
does it mean to me and Animan? singer the focus is always on what's best for We still depend on loads of stuff of course.
Here's my point of view. I guess it started the song. It doesn't matter who wrote what. If We really do want people to hear the music,
out like it does for so many others. A young a part or the whole song is more suitable for listen to it and enjoy it. To reach out to people
adult, rehearsing with my band/my best friends one of our voices – that's who's going to sing we depend on the internet, musical platforms
as often as I could. We were chasing a record it. like iTunes & Spotify, social media, etc. We
deal and the dream of the band making it big Thomas' and my collaboration has brought can’t change the world in that way, but we can
– everything else was considered a complete me freedom in writing music. His liberating phi- change our own little world of music, I guess.
failure! losophy and ideas about being in a band had Creating a healthy environment for ourselves
In the process, I was putting a huge me realize that perhaps you don't have to work to explore and use our creativity in the best
amount of pressure on myself since the only a full-time day job to be able to live off of it. possible way.
future I saw was to write and play music. We This insight also took some of the pressure It's a hard thing to combine business and
struggled, but never really got the response we off. A famous Swedish writer once said that art. You often hear: “You've got to create con-
were striving to achieve. I was frustrated, anx- “work is the opposite to inspiration”. Although tent,” or “You need more followers on social
ious and feeling like crap throughout too many that might not be the definite truth, I for one media,” for instance. Sure, not every part of
periods of time. can really adapt it to my life. being an artist can be fun and inspiring. Social
This was NOT independence at all! Sure, Music is very time consuming and that has media can be a great thing – I totally get that.
I was an independent artist by definition, but if also been a frustration throughout the years. But if I'm supposed to post meaningless crap
you're a slave to your self-made pressure, mis- Sometimes it feels like ages before I can finish on Youtube and Facebook all the time, I'd
guided thoughts and ideas about ‘success’, something up and I wondered if everybody is rather do something else than music. Although
you're not that free and independent, are you? this slow? Well, of course not. But to me, this that might sound bitter, I'm not, to me it's just
I wish I knew back then that there were op- is the way it is. If I don't dedicate time and en- not worth it.
tions – and plenty of them as well! Years went ergy into my projects then I might as well not So, if I should try to come to a conclusion
by and members of the band left or were re- do them. It was a huge comfort to realize that! of some sort... to Animan, independence
placed. Changing lineups, finding new areas Money. You can have different approaches means freedom and that we managed to reach
in music and evolving the sound. For a period to it – by force, luck or by learning to change a point were we don't have anything to lose,
of time, Animan (back then named Backwater) how you see it. Money will still affect us some- no matter what. We'll stay on this journey as
was a trio and we felt that we missed some- how. You do need money, but perhaps you long as we find the joy in creating heavy
thing - an extra layer of sorts. As we were re- should try to separate it as much as you can music, yet with harmony and soul. And ‘The
ally into another local band called Pillowman from the music that comes from your heart and Unholy’ is just the beginning of everything!
we gave their frontman, Thomas Kihlberg, a soul? No disrespect to the amazing pop song- Cheers,
call. He joined Animan and basically that was writers and artists that are topping the charts Björn - Animan
the start of a new era. This was almost ten today; neither am I saying that they don't have
years ago. their heart and soul in their jobs. But still, their In a band? Want to write a one-off col-
At that time I guess we were still chasing job is to adapt to trends and the market to umn for Black Velvet? Get in touch. Email
something that just a few really hard-working make the music sell. editor@blackvelvetmagazine.com.

ANIMAN