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G: Hi Snowy, First of all, Thank You for taking the time to answer these questions for the Mexican Audience and Spirit of Metal WebzineS: No problemas..its my pleasure.
G: Well, we know you, for being a multi gifted musician and singer, and for being in a big numbers of bands since Mercyful Fate to XXX your new proyect, What you can tell us about that kind of journey through the bands and the years?
S: yeah, what can I say. I just follow my heart and do whatever I feel like doing for better and for worse. Sometimes it may seem to other people that Im making really stupid business decisions like quitting King and Mercyful Fate to form my own bizarre underground black metal act Notre Dame or turning down Saxon and then helping out a couple of nobodies in an unknown glamband from nowhere.. but again, Im in this business for the passion and love of creating sound and vision and NOT just to make money and achieve great success in the eyes of the beholder. So I have to deal with the consequences of my sometimes less lucrative business decisions..
So for the so called journey, I am convinced that as long as I follow my heart, it will lead me on the right path, whatever that path might be,..but thats the whole beauty of life if you ask me.
G: What is your favorite instrument to express yourself and create a song?
S: I guess my voice doesnt count as an intrument, so when it comes to writing I must say guitar, acoustic or electric doesnt matter, could probably be bass as well maybe because I mainly write songs based on vocal melodies or harmonies not riffs,..well I guess I do that too ..
I must say it all depends on the style of music Im writing of course, Piano or keyboard is ideal in some cases.
G: Did you ever dream about being the person you are right know? In therms of Music of course
S: So what am I right now?
Hmm, never thought about that actually. I have never had something like a 5 year plan, time table or clear idea of what or where I would be at a certain point in life, but I always wanted and knew from the day i started playing music that this is what I wanna do with my life and from that point on i have walked in that direction and made those choices and probably sacrifices too, although I dont see it like that at all. To be honest I could never picture myself at age 39, not even now.
Like I said earlier I always follow my heart and wherever that may lead me.
But I never set out to be in all those bands Ive been with, it just sorta turned out that way and occasionally when some offer comes up that I find too interesting to turn down I sometimes feel like Yeah, why not it could be fun and I could at least give it a try, if I dont enjoy it I can always leave. And then the years fly by, But I always wanted to be my own and create my own band and I never ever dreamt of being in someone elses creation, it has just sort of happened in the meantime..ha ha . But Ive learned a lot in the process and achived tons of experience so I guess about time I get to it now, Dammit!
G: With wich band you enjoy the most, touring and playing live?
S: I must say I have enjoyed every band Ive been with. Some more than others and for various reasons but I have enjoyed them all. Dream Evil for example we had so much fun and laughed our asses off constantly, probably because it wasnt all that serious, it was like getting together partying with your nicest best friends, and then playing a little good old heavy rock.
On a more serious note, Therion has been really great, big production and stageshow that I designed and built and so on. My first King Diamond US tour in 1989 I enjoyed a lot, it was all new to me and Im grateful for being a part of this cool band at the very height of his career.
I like every band Ive been involved with, and when I dont enjoy it anymore i try to set things right, but if
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that doesnt work and I feel I just keep beating my head against the wall then I say goodbye and get the fuck out, simple as that. G: Are there any songs you dont want to play again live ever in your life?
S: No, not really. I dont think like that, when youre on stage you play for the audience, the fans and people who paid their hard earned money to see you perform and play the songs they like, and for them it might be the first time they see you and they expect to hear the hit songs. I may not love all the songs were playing with a band, but if the majority of the audience demands it, I accept that and take pleasure in giving them pleasure.. not totally unlike sex. And besides my longest tours was with King back then and we toured 3 and a half months and took about a month break and then 3 months more, you may be a little fed up by playing certain songs but I wouldnt say I never wanna play them again.
G: What can you say about the new proyect called XXX?
S: XXX as in triple X is a new band of mine, and although I shouldnt reveal too much about it at this point I cant help myself because Im so excited about it. Right now me and guitarist/engineer X are putting down the final touches now doing vocals, guitar overdubs and all sorts of effects and editing before the mixing in 2 weeks with Andy La Rocque, my old pal from King Diamond in his brand new superduper studio. Im proud to say that I got a great offer from a big Mexican company that were negotiating right now, so XXX is gonna be distributed and pushed on a big scale all over Mexico and we can come to tour in your beautiful country.. i cant wait- Yeehaw!
G: I think you became Therion more and more dark oriented, with all the theatrical and dramatic stuff on scene, what are your comments no that?
S: Id say it was about time ..ha ha!
Honestly, what I intended to do was basically to present visually what Therion represented musically. Well, its my opinion and view of it of course and i think Therion have made tremendous improvement as a live act.
There are of course things we can improve here and there,
But judging from the impression and respons from the fans and all people, it is nothing less than a big success. Unfortunately we havent been able to bring the big production stageshow over the atlantic yet,.. hopefully in the near future.
G: Please tell us about the future plans for Therion, Are you still hanging with them in the future?
S: I think and hope so. Me and Christofer have talked a little about future plans but I think he should recharge his batteries and enjoy his well deserved one year vacation and then well see what happens.
G: This was your second time in Mexico right? What are your impressions of Mexico and your Mexican audience?
S: I was only in Mexico one time before with Mercyful fate where we just played Tijuana on the US tour, but I had a really really wonderful time and great impression of Mexican people and Mexico on our last tour with Therion.
G: I know about a proyect with Therion´s ex singer Mats Levén called S&M, Im feel unpatient to hear that material, but tell me There doesn't seem to be huge egos here. Correct?
S: Eh, what do you mean huge egos? No, of course not. Mats and I work great together with the deepest respect for each other. We wrote a bunch of really great songs together and recorded some rough stuff at my house.
Unfortunately weve both been having a tight work schedule so S&M had to stand aside. I suggested to Mats just a few days ago that he should drop the S in the band name and do a solo album with the material.
G: Well could you describe in a few words, the next words:
- Snow is beautiful but,..I hate cold, I dont think I will live my whole life in Sweden.. Me
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xico maybe? Also because I had show-white hair as a kid thats what people associated it with and there of my nickname, that later became my real name.
- Tommie Helgesson. A close friend of mine who died about 25 years ago.
- XXX . My new vehicle for making XXXcellent music with friends.
- Dream Evil . it was fun until it wasnt anymore
- Loud N´Nasty great friends
- Notre Dame. my vampyric baby
- Therion pioneers with the opera /metal combination.
- Mats Levén- is one of my best friends, a real good guy and very professional singer.
- Mercyful Fate. One of, if not THE pioneers of black metal, that I had the great pleasure of being a member of ..later on.
- King Diamond. Hats off for the King! I was lucky to be in that band at the very height of their career. Everything started there for me.
- Memento Mori Was OK.
- Mexico. What can I say? I love Mexico, period.
- Carl XVI Gustaf who? Is that our swedish king? I d rather go for King Diamond or Kerry King instead.
- Threesome hell yeah,
G: And Finally.. a Few Trivia Questions:
- Favorite Food all sorts of junk food, Tacos, Pancakes
- Favorite Singer hard to pick one, many favorites, my Number ones being in some sort of order: Eric Adams, Dan McCafferty, Paul Stanley, Rob Halford, Axl Rose, Klaus Meine, Ronnie James Dio, David Byron and then the rest.
- Favorite Album. Same here, hard to pick , but a few all time favorites.. KISS- Destroyer, Into Glory Ride-Manowar, Loud n Proud Nazareth, Clandestine Entombed, Desolation Boulevard Sweet, Rainbow rising, In Rock- Deep purple, Ziggy Stardust David Bowie, Sad wings of Destiny/British steel/Painkiller by Judas Priest. Appetite foe destruction Guns and Roses. Dirty deeds done dirt cheap AC/DC. Candlemass Live. And about a 1000 more
- Favorite Song. You´re killing me here..ha ha!
- Life on mars-Bowie, Return to Fantasy Uriah Heep, Gates of Valhalla Manowar.
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- Favorite Artist / Musician.
Oh, there are just so many that have my admiration, whether it is for their songwriting, being a visionary, their musicianship or people just doing their thing without compromize that I could make a real long list, Paul Stanley, Ken Hensley, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Ronnie Dio, Ola Salo, Marilyn Manson, Nicke Andersson, Gwen Stefani , Lips, Vinny Appice, Bruce Dickinson, Ace Frehley, David Bowie,
Kate Bush, Mikkey Dee, King Diamond, Rob Halford, Blackie Lawless, Nikki Sixx.. I must say I used to worship Joey Demaio,..
- Favorite Movie. Big fish, Forrest Gump, Amelie from Mont Martre, The Omen, Happy Gilmour, Borat, Life and death of Peter Sellers. Etc.
- Favorite Video Game.. Never even played once..
- Favorite TV Show.. non, ..House and Dr Phil maybe.
- Favorite Book. read only autobiographies, rockumentaries mostly.
- Favorite Country to Play Live. Everywhere and wherever they want me.. Im not trying to kiss ass but I must say that the whole South American tour and all the Mexican shows we did last with Therion was really favorite tour of mine, east Europe and Japan is great too.
- Favorite Band to Play With my band, or wherever my role and input is important and highly valuated.
- Band or Artist that You Wish to Work With
Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Rob Halford. Nikki Sixx, Nicke Anderson,
Last but certainly not least Snowy Shaw and the seven dwarfs, XXX and Therion.
G: A few words to Mexican Audience
S: Muchos gracias.. ha ha ha pardon my poor spanish, I love Mexico, Hope I can come back to tour again real soon..
Lots of love. XXX
Snowy
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Interview done by Gabriel Mendoza
Au fait, de quel magazine est tiré cette interview ?
C'est gentil d'avoir de laurs nouvelles...
C'est gentil d'avoir de laurs nouvelles...
Sinon, quelqu'un sait où je peux trouver des interviews de Therion mais en Suédois ? :)
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