I got a promo invitation from Sound Pollution and it was from the Swedish band Frontback. A band that I never heard about before. It turned out that to be a band from the Swedish small town of Växjö, and this promo was for the third album.
Said and done, I listened to this new album. It’s called “Don’t mind the noise”, and I loved it! (Read the review here:). The album was so damn good that I had to get an interview with band, and got to talk to Anlo, the girl with that lovely special voice, and her boyfriend – the drummer Koffe.
Hey! Peps from Crannk here! How are you doing?
Frontback: Hi! We’re fine!!
To start it all off, who am I talking to?
Anlo: This is Anlo and Koffe. Koffe is our drummer.
Excellent! Having a nice and quite Sunday?
Anlo: Yeah, really. Just watching some guitar tutorials on YouTube!
Koffe: In lack of other things to do. Hahaha!
Well, I would like to start with a Hello from the boys in Bellybuster, I spoke to them yesterday.
Anlo: Wow, how cool! They’re from Växjö as well, and released an album right about the same time as we did.
Yeah, that’s right! Kind of exciting with two bands from the same town, releasing an album at the same time and gets my attention! 😊
Anlo: Hahaha! Yeah, it’s a bit unexpected, but it’s really cool!
It makes me wonder, is there something special about Växjö?
Anlo: Well, one can hope for it! A couple of years ago it was a big hype with a couple of rather big bands from the town. The Ark and of course Bullet and so. We hope that it is a new wave from Växjö coming!
And your new album, “Bring the Noise”…
Anlo: Eh… it’s “DON’T MIND the Noise…
Exactly, that’s what I meant! Hm…hm… hahaha!
Anlo: Exactly! Hahaha!
How satisfied are you with this album?
Koffe: Of course, we’re totally satisfied! We put a lot of hours behind the album, and we’re super happy that it’s out now, and that we’re able to display it.
Anlo: I agree. It’s been hard work, and we got the sound that we wanted.
It did get a lot of good reviews…
Anlo: And we liked your review!
Thanks! But I have to say, we get a lot of promo-links to new albums, and most of it is good for sure, but it never stays in the playlist. But I still listen to your album!
Anlo: That’s great to hear! And I’m glad that you liked my voice.
Yeah, I really do! But I think that your voice makes your music more special, it makes you stand out!
Anlo: I guess so, but I’m so used to it! Hahaha!
Hahaha! Yeah, I see that! You kind of hear it all the time!
But a bit more general, how do you start the band and how do you know each other?
Anlo: Well, I started Frontback together with my brother a long time ago. And then I found Axel, our guitar player on the web, on Bandfinder (www.bandfinder.se) And then of course, Koffe are living together for 14 years. He’s been with the band for five years, as well as our bass player, Jonas. But I’m the one who started the band and I’m the foundation.
Koffe: And on this album we have the same setting as the former album. And I think that things are moving after this last two albums.
Anlo: Yes, I agree. And it’s because of you, Koffe I guess?? Hahaha, he’s very humble!
So, how is it going? Do you get any attention?
Anlo: Yeah, a bit of attention. But it’s hard to get a gig in Sweden. There aren’t that many places to do a show on these days, I think. But at least we have a festival in Germany booked this summer (kola upp namnet på festivalen). We’re trying to book some gigs, but the festival is the coolest right now. But really, over all I think it’s a bit harder today.
Well it isn’t that often you see new Swedish bands touring the country…
Anlo: Really not, and that’s is so sad!
Koffe: You really have to have something special today and we kind of hope that Anlo’s voice can get us further! That unique sound you know.
Yeah, the prolem today… well a lot of the bands sounds kind of a like today….
Anlo: Exactly. And I’m thinking like, a bit that you wrote in your review that either you love or either you hate my voice, but at least you will remember it. And that has to be good, right?
So, it’s like a win-win situation really?
Anlo: Yeah, I hope so!
As I wrote in my review, I got this feeling of Danko Jones and Royal Republic when I listened to the album.
Anlo: Yeah, that is two band that I really like a lot! And it’s so cool that someone finally heard that! I’ve got Axel (our guitar player) to listen to Royal Republic a lot now! Because it’s the power of their songs we want to show! It’s gonna be hyped energic rock music you know. A lot of attitude!
And on that level, I have to agree! Your new album is full of it! But we talked a bit about the future before. You are working on getting some gigs right now, I guess?
Anlo: Yeah we really do. And now we’re about to go on tour with Thundermother, this weekend actually.
Oh yeah, that’s right I read about it!
Anlo: It’s gonna be fun. It will be three days and we will play in Motala, Malmö and Helsingborg, A kind of mini-tour. And after that, we will hit the Viva- sounds festival in Gothenburg on December 6. It’s a festival with different shows in different clubs and so.
Sounds great! Lucky Gothenburg!
But to round it of a bit, I have a couple of this or that questions. Are you into sport much?
10 seconds of quiet…. And then:
Anlo and Koffe: naaaaaa…. What?
So, my question about either Öster or Lakers (a football team and a hockey team) goes to the thrashbin! Next question: Metallica or Maiden?
And again 10 seconds of silence…
Anlo: I would say Metallica, but our Jonas will shoot us if we say Metallica! Hahaha!
Koffe: There’s no way to answer that!
OK then. Danko or Royal?
Anlo: EASY! Royal!!
Top 5 things of being in a band?
Anlo: Meeting people, great fellowship, being on stage, meeting people. No, wait we said that! Eh…
Groupies?
Anlo: God yes! Groupies are everywhere! Hahaha!
Koffe: But of course, meeting fans, meeting people. And when fans return to the gigs, you get really happy!
Anlo: Yes! That’s the best! Just the feeling that you actually make an inpact-
I was thinking about… as I said earlier, I was talking to Bellybuster yesterday, what is the situation with other bands in your town? Is there some collaboration with other bands in Växjö?
Koffe: Well, of course we follow each other, keeping track..
Anlo: We live a bit outside the town, so we don’t really know. But it’s always extra fun when it’s a band from Växjö playing somewhere outside the town. Like, wow that’s great that this band are making noise! And the feeling that we’re not alone, you know! It’s always fun when we’ve been away and have gigs with like Bellybusters. It’s extra fun! You feel at home!
And by that I have to say goodbye! You’ve been awesome and so fun talking to you! I’m so very grateful that I got this opportunity to talk to you, and I think that this wasn’t the last time we spoke!
Anlo: Thank you! So fun that you found us!
I would like to thank Anlo and Koffe for taking the time to do this! It was super fun and I hope that will talk again!
This interview is also available in Swedish here.
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Here you will find Frontbacks latest album – Don’t mind the noise:
