Separation, communication and creation; the paradox of composing across continents in a time of Pandemic.
Since that busy time in 2019 Hasse toured with The Flower Kings in South America, Europe and Japan, toured with HFMC in Europe and saw the release of well received albums from both bands. In the Spring of 2020 both the Flower Kings and HFMC had successful albums and re-energized fans poised to hear them play in up-coming concerts and festivals. Fans and band members alike were looking forward to that special magic when live performances bring musicians and their fans together. Then the World learned two new words; Covid-19 and Pandemic; and all Hasse’s plans came crashing to a halt.…Since the Spring of 2020 almost everything has changed now, in some way, for everybody. We were lucky enough to find Hasse Froberg had the time and energy to talk to us about what this time has meant to him, to his band mates and his music…and as upsetting and frustrating as it was and it is…it’s not all bad.
Coreopsis Journal: As I think back to what I can recall of 2019 it was a busy and creative time for The Flower Kings. The tours of South America, Europe and Japan, seemed to breathe new life into the Flower Kings, so much so that Roine Stolt captured that new energy in his compositions for the Waiting for Miracles album.
That was one of the best ever Flower Kings albums. It seemed like the live tour and Waiting for Miracles album really set the stage for a spectacular 2020 for you and the rest of the band.
Hasse Froberg: Hi Steve and thank you. Yes, since our comeback we’ve been pretty busy up until everything closed down around March, 2020. This meant we had to make completely new plans all of a sudden. We were supposed to play some festivals around Europe and even Armenia for the first time and let’s not forget ‘Cruise to The Edge’ but everything got cancelled. After some band discussions on Skype, we decided to record a new album instead. When we got the clearance from our record label Inside Out, we immediately started to send music to each other. After a long process of choosing what to record, we finally started to track the music. This time we were separated from each other from start to finish, so that was a new but interesting experience.
Coreopsis Journal: From Europe to Armenia that is a lot of territory to cover, Hasse. I hope you will eventually get to go there, just to be able to see a place you have never seen before. But tell me more about the recording of the new album. I wonder if it may have opened up some doors if a band member feels less self-conscious about sending in an idea rather than in person? Or perhaps self-consciousness does not even enter the situation when recording new material with The Flower Kings.
Hasse Froberg: Yes, we were supposed to play at a big and established outdoor festival in the capital city of Armenia, Yerevan. I believe the offer still stands, so if everything is back to some kind of normal we’ll be back playing there next year instead. Self-conscious or not, I felt this new situation made us more on the edge. We didn’t take the time to chat for fun, or cracking jokes. As Mirkko recorded his drums home in Napoli (Italy), in his own rehearsal studio by the way, Zach tracked the keys and also recorded some guitar at his home in California. Jonas did his basses home in Austria, while Roine and I worked here in Sweden. All this led to our conversation was very much to the point throughout the recording. During all my years in TFK I’ve never experienced so much involvement from all members of the band as this time. I mean isn’t that strange since we were miles apart while recording? My personal thoughts on this are because we had no gigs or other things to “worry about”, we could focus on this recording entirely. We must have put in more time than on any other recording, which has given us time to reflect, which to me has felt marvelous. I guess only God knows how many mixes Roine has done on each and every song? How many takes Mirkko had to do on each and every song before we settled for the right version and how many channels Zach used for his keys etc….
Coreopsis Journal: Working at a distance from one another, working in the face of great disappointment, and working in a World turned upside down, it’s easy to think that perhaps everything would come out disjointed, or half-hearted. But what you’re saying is that this album had more and better concentration than anything in the past. I know the band must have missed the warmth and fun and humor of being together, but as the music progressed and you heard the results do you think that it raised everybody’s determination and enthusiasm to make this the best effort yet?
Hasse Froberg; The situation we’re living in right now is very different to what we’re used to, so it’s not that strange that our recording this time was different and felt different. Some personal things happened to a member of the band, which I’m sure also affected the process and in the end the sound. Now that I think of it, this “social distance recording” made us communicate more than normal about the music as we were making it and as far as I know, I think this is more of a band effort than any of the other albums. There is at least four songwriters on this album and then we have Mirkko, who’s a very creative drummer and has big ears for arrangements and he’s not afraid to speak out loud in case he has ideas. I mean we’ve had fabulous drummers over the years but they only focused on their own playing. I don’t think I ever heard one of our previous drummers speak about keyboard arrangements, intros, or why not who will sing what (referring to Roine and me) or whatever. Mirkko also plays lots of different percussions on this album and those are very present in the latest mixes. They definitely add lots of color to the sound on this album. Of course we’ve all had ideas during this recording, some of them got realized and some maybe not. You have to keep in mind, it’s a democratic band but at the end of the day Roine has the last call. I mean he’s never been afraid for input from other members and he takes them seriously. If he likes a certain idea, he has no problem to go along with it, at the same time as he has no problem to say no if he doesn’t like it. This can sometimes lead to very long discussions but I like to believe that the band benefits from it in the end.
Coreopsis Journal: You are so right, Hasse, about ‘this situation that we’re living in’. It’s a time when people feel the pain of lost loved ones, lost work and lost sense of the normal. But it sounds as if The Flower Kings have found something good amid all the upset and disruption; a ‘silver lining’ of communication and cooperation within the band. Was this something that the band members noticed right away, as you were creating the new album or something you all just slowly realized over time?
Hasse Froberg: I think the longer into the recording we got, the more communication and cooperation were held. I think by the time we started to realize that this album is turning out be to something else really, we started to discuss the different ideas more frequently, to get the most out of them. It’s a very delicate thing though, since there’s no wrong or right here, just different opinions. If you then take into consideration the age span between all members, it’s easy to understand we all have different musical references. That itself can be a task to deal with, if you think of that what sounds good to one guy, might sound weird to the other. However, I’m pretty sure all the guys are happy and proud over this upcoming album (including Jonas who thinks everything sounds horrible…all the time).
Coreopsis Journal: How many bands would love to stumble unto this level of communication and cooperation, Hasse? When you consider how terrible the background circumstances were, you had people of different ages and musical backgrounds creating something stronger than what they had ever done before. Who would have expected that? It is a rare gift and a great blessing …And what great good fortune to find a person and musician like Mirkko who can bring unexpected skills to the music beyond his drumming/percussion skills.
Hasse Froberg: Stronger than what they have ever done before? I’m not sure I said that, but I believe we have a really strong album coming up. Not that I can put things in perspective yet, but when I listen to what we have achieved, to my ears the music sounds more emotional than before and maybe even fragile or vulnerable in certain places (if you can put it like that). I said in a Facebook update earlier that we sound more brave and beautiful on this album and I still think so. However, I don’t have a clue what our audience will think? I mean our latest album Waiting For Miracles turned out just fine and we started to record this (still untitled) album about eight to nine months after we recorded the previous one (which is not a long time). With that said, I had my doubts when we kicked off the project but I was quickly proven wrong. There’s drama, madness, joyfulness, sadness and passion in the music in a way I haven’t heard before. I also want to add that to me Roine has written his most heartfelt and emotional lyrics ever for some of the songs. Yes, there’s some political lyrics too, I mean it’s hard not to write about that since the world is such a crazy place right now.
Coreopsis Journal: With all that you have just described, Hasse, it seems that the up- coming album will equal or surpass “Waiting for Miracles”. The addition of Zach Kamins on keyboards and Mirkko DeMaio on drums somehow coincided with or enabled some really strong writing last year. Something like that has happened again this year even with the burden of a pandemic. So if you find ‘drama, madness, joyfulness, sadness and passion in the music in a way I haven’t heard before’ it’s likely your fans will feel those emotions and respond to the music. Perhaps the new album is it’s own little miracle. Like life….continuing in the face of bad luck and impossible odds.
Hasse Froberg: It might be just me but then again, I don’t think so. Apart from the different circumstances of the recording and the current state of the world, I’m not sure what’s making me love this album so much? One thing is of course the songs. On this album we literally have recorded a wide array of music of very high quality (according to me). On top of that, there’s great performances from all involved and Roines mixes sounds truly great. So yes, it might be a little miracle after all, especially if you think of all the years we’ve been playing and all the albums we’ve recorded. Impossible odds or not, we definitely haven’t lost steam yet. That’s very clear to me when listening to the new music.
Coreopsis Journal: Hasse, I think that most people who have followed your work with The Flower Kings and HFMC ‘trust your ears’ and your honesty. Fans of Progressive Rock look for sophisticated harmonies and rhythms, but melody, meaning and emotion move people the most. I remember you telling me about one of your earliest live gigs with The Flower Kings, you were surprised to see tears in the eyes of many of the audience members as they listened. I believe you said that ‘you knew you were on to something’ at that point… If the present time has brought the new and the old members of The Flower Kings to record in this extraordinary circumstance, where communication is more than normal and the compositions are solid, different and special, then a little miracle has occurred. Who knows why or where a miracle will happen, it is like catching lightning in a jar. I bet you have done exactly that, Hasse. I bet your fans will hear it and feel it too.
Hasse Froberg: That’s what I hope but you know what Steve? It’s at times like these I wish I was American because then it would be easy for me to say, HEY GUYS, we’ve just recorded the best album we’ve ever done! Unfortunately, I’m more of a “melancholy Swede” with a ‘little guy’ on my shoulder telling me to not blow things out of proportion. And let’s not forget, this is the way I (personally) perceive our new music in the middle of the mixing process. There’s a good chance other people will have a different opinion of the album. Talking about it, we haven’t decided the title yet but we have some options and last week Inside Out proposed a really cool artist, who’s keen on doing the artwork for us. I’m not sure where this will end but the whole thing sounds exciting to me.
Coreopsis Journal: I like your humor and even-handed approach talking about your work, Hasse. (It can be pretty embarrassing these days to see loud-mouthed Americans make the rest of us seem like clowns.) Only time and listening to the music will reveal it’s value. But I don’t believe you have had this kind of reaction before when we have talked about your recordings with The Flower Kings. I have read Mirkko’s words on line and he paints a very similar picture…. If your record company has a really cool artist doing your artwork that seems like another big vote of confidence for the new album, whatever it’s title.
Hasse Froberg: As a matter of fact, I just came home after visiting Roine earlier today and we still haven’t seen anything, which makes us a little nervous. I think I told you earlier that the deadline is on the 5th of August and by then everything shall be at Inside Out, including the artwork. As it is now we don’t have any other options at the moment, so he better deliver before it’s too late. Well I’m sure it will work out in the end. No seriously, I wish I had some of that “straight forward- no matter what” attitude, since it becomes easier to sell your product if you’re convinced every release is the best. Yes, I saw what Mirkko wrote the other day and he seem pretty excited too. Once again, don’t forget that we don’t have an objective opinion since we’re very much part of the case.
Coreopsis Journal: Experienced musicians like yourself, Roine and Jonas have been through many recordings and tours. If somehow you feel that this time has resulted in something more than what you expected it reinforces the impression that Mirkko has. Mirkko’s role in The Flower Kings seems to go beyond percussion to seeing into many different levels of the music, but always at the service of making the music have the most emotional impact. I think you have found a very valuable member, and his words of enthusiasm for this new creation are the words of a musician with the enthusiasm and poetry of a fan. The artwork and deadlines are important, but the heavy lifting, the composing and creation it seems like that has come through and brought The Flower Kings through to a better place, even with all the uncertainty yet to come. If nothing else it seems that the band members have risen up and bonded more over the current writing and recording.
Hasse Froberg: I’m not sure because you see everything in black and white, since we’re communicating through our TFK mail group. Normally when you interact you sometimes use your “physical language”, like a smile or whatever and sometimes not even that. The only way to make yourself heard this time has been to write down what you think and send it to this mail group I just mentioned. I’m not sure it’s the best way to bond but everyone has been pretty frank about what they think about this or that. At the end of the day it might be a good thing, since we all get to know what matters the most to each and every one musically. And believe me when I say that it’s very different from person to person.
Coreopsis Journal: Yes, normal human interaction has a lot of subtlety and warmth. No one would choose to lose that. But, if you have gained something back and it made musical ideas flow back and forth better, I think that is pretty cool. It’s a nice surprise if something good has been able to come out of this Pandemic time.
Hasse Froberg: We didn’t have any other options and now that we have the result, I can only say it turned out fantastic. I can’t help to think if the album would have turned out like this if it wasn’t for the pandemic? However, that’s a question that will never be answered.
Coreopsis Journal: When I think back to 2019, Hasse, part of what made it so busy for you was that you recorded an album with Hasse Froberg’s Musical Companion as well as with The Flower Kings. You started tour dates with both bands and then had to announce that your long-time friend and bass player, Thomas Thomsson was leaving HFMC. As you are looking forward to recording a new album with HFMC what are you finding with regard to HFMC?
Hasse Froberg: I can tell you right away that Thomsson leaving HFMC was hard on us all. He’s that kind of guy you hear and see and I mean that in a positive way. I bet that if Thomsson and I would enter a room of strangers at the same time, they would probably not even notice me. Yes, he had that kind of impact on people and actually on the band too, maybe most off-stage but on the other hand, you can’t take away the kind of Rock n Roll drive he has in his playing, that suited our first 5 productions perfectly. However, our new guy onboard Sampo Axelsson has already floored us with his playing, his musicality and his overall knowledge about music and all the related things to it. He has already made a big impression on the sound and he’s a songwriter of dignity. In other words, all is good in camp HFMC at the moment.
Coreopsis Journal: It’s hard to lose a person who’s been in the band as long as Thomsson, but it sounds as if your new your new member, Sampo adds even more to HFMC. With the new HFMC album coming up is there anything you have experienced from recording the new Flower Kings album that you would like to see work with the guys in HFMC?
Hasse Froberg: The way we work is so different from each other so it’s hard to tell. Then again, I would love to see the commitment from all the guys involved in the new TFK album, once we start to record with HFMC. Talking about it, our preparations got delayed by the Corona situation as we didn’t play for 2 months, in March and April. However, Sampo joined the band in January and by now I’m sure I speak for everyone, when I say we’re very happy with the current situation. By now, it feels like he’s been in the band forever and even if he’s more calm and relaxed compared to Thomsson, he has truly claimed his spot in the band. I’m sure he will make an impression as soon as people hear his playing. I guess time heals after all.
Coreopsis Journal: Is the material for the new HFMC album all written now, and what does Sampo Axelsson bring to the band’s writing? You called him a songwriter of dignity.
Hasse Froberg: That’s impossible to answer. However I believe we have what we need to make a strong album by now. Sampo’s songwriting is very much inspired by the era around the first years of the seventies. I can give you names like The Who and Led Zeppelin for instance. I mean I love those bands myself but they have never inspired me as a writer. In the songs that Sampo has presented to me and the band I can definitely hear echoes of those bands. I like that a lot because it means we’re able to broaden our sound. In fact, so much it has already given me an idea of a possible title, and the way I look upon the whole project of recording our next album.
Coreopsis Journal: Perhaps Sampo’s influence will open up the band’s imagination for writing in general. Because sometimes a new influence, sparks something that may be a contrast. Some of the best Progressive Rock albums were filled with contrast. Think of songs like “South Side of the Sky”, “We Have Heaven” and “Mood for a Day”…all on the same album.
Hasse Froberg: That’s what I’m thinking. The way I see it is that it can only be good to have a new composer onboard that writes music that doesn’t sound like Ola’s or mine. As a matter of fact, his first contribution to the band is a collaboration with me, where I came up with the chorus and the lyrics after he showed a great intro and verses. This led me to believe we have endless possibilities with Sampo in the band. And I haven’t been proven wrong yet.
Coreopsis Journal: It is funny how musical influences go, Hasse, particularly within a band situation. When you have multiple writers, it does not always mean that one person is influenced to write something that sounds similar. It can also mean that you write something that has a contrasting feel to it. Perhaps this is what happened in the early days of Progressive Rock. There were no formulas, and there was no one ‘sound’ people were after. The songs often had very different sound qualities as well
Hasse Froberg: To be honest, we have recorded a wide variety of music over the years in HFMC. I’d go as far as to say everything from classic Progressive Rock and Hard Rock to quite simple Pop. Still Sampo’s songs have a flavor of his own compared to Ola and me, which is a bit strange if you think of all the styles we’re covering. And while we’re at it, let’s not forget Kjell’s contributions as a composer for HFMC. These are the things that make a band a BAND and HFMC as a unit is very strong right now.
Coreopsis Journal: 2020 has been a year of surprise and disappointment for us all, Hasse. But you have also had some good fortune to have your recording experience with the upcoming Flower Kings album, and the good fortune of a strong new member in HFMC. Has this year brought you something you would like to share with your fans about Music or Life?
Hasse Froberg: I think this year must have brought new experiences to all of us. Most of them are bad of course, especially if you’re affected on a personal level, like losing your loved ones, relatives or friends or your job or the business you’ve built. However dreadful and tragic the situation is, I can’t help to think if there’s a meaning with this? This has forced us to stop, no matter if we like it or not. When we start all over again and things will eventually get back to some kind of normal, I hope we can do it in a way that is friendly to our planet and friendly to all of us living on it.
Coreopsis Journal: Is there anything else you can tell us about the up-coming Flower Kings album, Hasse? I understand it will be released in November 2020 on InsideOut Records.
Hasse Froberg: I have now seen the artwork and the title of the album is Islands. It’s a double CD and a triple Vinyl album. I believe it’s about 92 minutes of music and it will be released October 30, 2020 on InsideOut Records. I have also listened to the master of the album and I don’t really know what to say. To my ears, this is our best effort. It has everything, the songs, the production, you name it… I can’t wait to see what the audience will think of it!…And the artwork is classic Roger Dean.
Coreopsis Journal: Islands is a perfect album title, Hasse, and with artwork by Roger Dean it should be a great hit. This is great news and a wonderful achievement for how you, Roine, Jonas, Zach and Mirkko recorded the Island album. If your ears tell you that this could be the best Flower Kings album I am sure that your fans will be delighted and up-lifted by the work and look forward to October 30, 2020 to enjoy what you have all worked so hard to create. During this Pandemic we have been like our own little islands, but as John Donne said “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” I think the Flower Kings music is one of those things that unites so many of your fans from Japan to South America and even to those little corners we may forget like Armenia. Thank you for your time, Hasse. I am looking forward to landing on your Islands, soon.
Steve Blomerth is a full time Chiropractic Physician located in Peabody Massachusetts. His education includes a BA in English Literature from Northeastern University in 1973 and a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Logan College in 1982. As a musician and songwriter he has maintained a small home recording studio since 1990. Tennis, softball, mountain climbing and natural food cooking are part of his other interests and pursuits.