The Sounds
By Justin MyersJustin Myers interviews Felix Rodrigues, the guitarist from rising Swedish band The Sounds
On Wednesday 21st February I went to the The Faversham in Leeds to interview Felix Rodrigues, the guitarist from rising Swedish band The Sounds. The band have already made quite an impact in Sweden and USA. This is the outcome of that interview.
So how was the band formed?
It was formed by me and Johan, in Helsingborg, Sweden.
Since you've been in Britain, how have the audience responded to you?
There's been a really good response. Really, really good actually. We haven't been here so much. We were in the UK three years ago, because we didn't have a record deal and then our Swedish label did a deal and now we have a record deal here and the album's coming out soon. The response has been really good from the crowd in the UK actually.
Have you had the same type of response in Sweden?
It's different, because when we started in Sweden we played maybe a hundred shows before we even had a record out. So we toured a lot, before we had a record deal, and the response was a little bit like now. Like word of mouth, ya know? It spreads because we toured so much, and that's what we're doing here now.
But in Sweden it's a little different because we've released two albums there. This is what it was like for us three years ago in Sweden.
So you're pretty successful in Sweden now?
Yeah, we're doing pretty well in Sweden, we're a big band there now. Why we haven't been in UK until now is because after the first record we got an opportunity to go to the States, so we kept touring there. We were just building a fan base and it kept going really well in the States so we had to continue touring there.
We wanted to come to the UK, but we didn't have a record label here and there were politics with all the record labels. But now we finally have it, and now we're gonna spend a lot of time here.
You've had shows with major bands such as Billy Talent?
Yeah, we did! At Brixton Academy. We did Brixton Academy with Panic! At The Disco, like four shows in a row... and what else? We toured with +44 in the UK as well.
So a lot of the bands are getting onto the idea of The Sounds, it's only a matter of time before the music fans do?
Yeah, yeah, I think so too, I think that's why a lot of bands are into new music. We live in the same industry so it's easy for a band to get hold of something new before the public gets it. That's probably why we do a lot of tours with bigger bands, and we've been friends with the +44 guys. Not all of them, but we know the guitar player. He's a good friend of mine and we toured with him and his other band Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards from Rancid at the Warped Tour, so we know each other from the past. It's really cool.
How would you describe your music to someone who's never heard you?
Errmm... I don't know. Maybe like energetic rock punk with influences from, not early 80's, but from electronic music.
Which artists have influenced you musically and personally over the years?
Over the years... Oh that's so hard. EVERYTHING! We've been doing a lot of tours. Last year we did 210 shows and we've been touring with a lot of different bands and somehow they're always having some impact on you. You meet a lot of people, you meet a lot of new bands. You see a lot. I can't just put a name on one artist or band that has inspired me, and I think it's the same for the rest of the band. We get inspired from all of the touring more than just like one artist.
Can you name anybody, even from before The Sounds?
When I started the band I was listening to Suede and all that Britpop. I don't do that anymore. I can appreciate it, it's good music, but every year there's a new band growing on you. Right now I'm listening to Bloc Party's new album a lot. I'm probably gonna do that for a couple of months, listening to it and then I'll switch. There's lots of artists and although I was listening to Suede when I formed the band you can't really hear any Suede in our music.
Your previous album was titled Living In America, why was that?
We had a song on the album called Living In America and that was the biggest hit of the year in Sweden .. like a HUGE single. We named that song because we wanted to have the word America in. I dunno, somehow Johan the bass player came up with 'America' and then I had the melody, and I wrote the chords and the chorus and it was like (sings) 'Living In America, Living In America', and then we added more. That song is about Sweden being really Americanised and we don't have to be. You should be proud of where you're from and who you are, and Swedish people are not so proud of it. So that's what that song was about, and we named the album 'Living In America' because it was the biggest hit.
How long do you think you'll be promoting your album before the third?
In the UK we'll promote this one probably the whole year. We will be here on and off.
We'll be here one more week, then we'll have four days off, then we'll be back again for another three or four weeks. I can feel the vibe. It's like it's growing, so we're gonna spend a lot of time here and promote this album. The next album will come out next year.
Are there any artists you'd like to work with?
There are some, yeah. I can see a producer as an artist as well. I wouldn't mind working with the U2 producer I think. The guy who did the new Bloc Party album, he's a really good producer. I would pick maybe him. He's the pick of the week! [laughs].
Last Question. A few reasons why readers should buy your album?
Errm... because you wanna be the one that has the latest album. Something new and good. You don't wanna be the one who doesn't have the album everyone's talking about.
And it's the best album of the year?
Yeah, I'd say it is. My top five albums of the year... I'd say it's...number 1! It's good.
The Sounds album 'Dying To Say This To You' is out now.
