Sweden’s Finest: ADEPT!!

 

 

Interview is answered by Robert Ljung the singer of the band

Questions are asked by Sir D

 

 

A: Hi! This is Robert, vocalist for the band adept!

 

What is the story behind the name, Adept?

 

A: I wish we had a really cool story to tell here, but its just one of those names we thought sounded cool.

And when we were just a beginners band our name still stood really early on the bill due to the anture of the alphabet!

 
If you could describe yourselves in 3 words, what would it be?

 

A: Party. Hangover. Party.

 
Explain what is the set up of your band?

 

First we have me (Robert Ljung) on vocals backed up by our guitarist Jerry Repo and Gustav Lithammer.

Filip Brandelius on Bass and Garbiel Hellmark on the drums.

 

How did you all get to know eachother?

 

A: Me, jerry and gabriel started playing together in 2004. We are all from the same small community of Trosa.

So we all knew of each other in the beginning even though it was the interest of music that drove us together.

Me and jerry was partying together way before the band started and was always taking about starting a band together but then we got really drunk instead

and that’s how it all went everytime we met. It wasnt before Gabriel and two prior members put a band together we put away our beer and went to try out.

And here we are.

 

Thinking back to when you first performed on stage together – what was that experience like?

 

A: This was back in sweden 2005. I remember myself being really, really nervous. It was a lot of people being a one-stage festival and all.

I have blackouted a lot of the set but I think we got trough the set somewhat OK. In fact we have that first performance on tape, but we havent had the guts to watch

it yet..

 

When you go to different shows, how does it feel to see all the fans singing along to your tunes?

 

A: It is the sweetest feeling in the world! We have been blessed to tour Europe so much in the recent two years,

and it seems that wherever we go a lot of people is standning there singing a long to our songs. It makes you feel that you made an good impact

on them. That my lyrics seem somewhat important to them. Its a really cool feeling.

 

How has 2011 been so far you as a band?

 

A: This year have been the best year for us as a band by far. We released our new album and after that we have pretty much been on tour.

Getting on the A DAY TO REMEMBER tour over Europe was an amazing opportunity to show yourself infront of large crowds. And a personal

hightlight for us. This summer has been hectic with all the festivals and now we are back home planing to record new songs, new music video

and then get back out on tour.

 

What song, in your opinion do you think is the one you enjoy performing the most?

 

A: I prefer the song “The Lost Boys” just because its a heavy tune that makes people do crazy things in the pit. And also the song “”Let’s Celebrate Gorgeous! You Know Whose Party This Is” cause it is a hectic song with a lot of different elements to it. And also it has a personal meaning to me.

This year you released another album named, Death Dealers. With your amazing album Another Year of Disaster, what did you want to do differently with the latest album?

 

A: Well, we didnt want to make the same album again. We knew that we wanted to put more heaviness into the tunes, but still keep a lot of the melodic parts from the AYOD album. We wanted to have this brutality in the songs but still make people sing the choruses! And I feel we achived that.

We are slowly writing our third album and hopefully it wont sound nothing like the previous two albums!

 

How influential has social networking sites like Myspace and Pure Volume in attracting new fans from outside of Sweden?

 

A: In times like these, when record companies have lost a lot of ground, social networks make bands with and without record deals the chance to spread their music as far away as they can. We did put a lot of effort into Myspace but like music industries social networks also goes up and down.

Today Facebook is an important way to connect with fans, but myspace was a better music platform which I hope facebook will take a look at.

But none the less these networks is vital for bands (especially up and coming bands without major record deals backing them up) to promote themselfs and get them self rings on their waters.

 

You are due to play at some amazing festivals over the next few months, such as Nonstock Festival at Odenwald, Germany and Helgeåfestivalen 2011, back in Sweden – what are you looking forward to the most about these events?

 

A: We love to play all kind of shows but fesivals are special. Its a party that lasts several days and people are always on their best moods.

We’ve done good shows, terrible shows and weird shows this summer. Our hightlights have been festivals such like Powerfest, Nova rock, Greenfield, Graspop and so on. Then we had some tragic enqounters at pukkelpop which started of wonderful with a nice show and ended up with a tragedy when a big storm struck

the festival and severel people died. It was really sad and horrible to witness. 

How many hours a week on average would you say you practise?

A: Oh. We basically never practise. We play so much that we dont really have to. When we are about to go on tour we met up and write a setlist together then play that from front to back a couple of times and then we’re off. 

 Who are your influences?
 

A: We have always been fans of Glassjaw, Finch, Hopesfall, Boysetsfire, Funeral for a friend, Life in your way, Alexisonfire and so more.

Of course new bands come all the time to rocks your socks off like Architects, BMTH, letlive.

DO you all have similar music tastes – if so do you try to incorportate them into the band?

 

A: We have some similiarites in our musical taste, but some people perfers more metalbands while other listens more to hardcore.
 
What lessons have you learned in the past year?

 

A: Never fall a sleep outside the venue in winter times. 
 
 What would you like to achieve by the end of the year?
 

A: We would love to look back at the year and realise that we have achived more then what we did the year before.

That we are a band that is moving forward both musically and personally.

Describe a typical day for the band?

 

A: Well we are sitting in our van most of the time – listening to music, playing video games and talking shit.

After arrival at a show we usually hit the beers first then we try to have time to explore the city we are in before we have to load our stuffs in.

After a good set we hit the clubs and stay up as long as we can. Good times.
 
How have you found the support of your family and friends?

 

A: Yeah, we have amazing support from them. We rehearse at Gabriels moms place which is really nice of her. I dont think we ever payed her anything for that..

And economicaly our parents always helps us out when we need the cash. Cause trust me – it gets a little poor husteling at show and not hacinv a “proper” job.

 

Why should people check your music out?

 

A: I think we are an interesting element to the music scene today. We have some nice guitar hooks, cool choruses combinened with a party-vibe.

We want the show to be about the people watching and not about the people playing it. More people on stage, more people singing in the mics.

This is your band as much as it is ours!
 
what advice from your own experience would you give other people wanting to start their own band?

 

A: It takes hard-work and a lot of luck to make it this business. We know, we have tried for 7 years and still havent gotten that far.

But you will gain so much more of it then you imagine! The friendship between us have only grown stronger, and all the amazing places we’ve seen, the people we’ve met. We will look back at this being fifty and say that we really did something amazing. Eventhough it didnt get us a dime.