Louis Hauguel : So very typical question to start: How Blues Pills was created? Was it difficult to gather everyone?
Elin Larsson: Blues Pills formed a while after I became friends with Zach and Cory back in early 2011. Me and Zach were sending songs we had been writing separately over the internet to each other, and the second time I flew to America we started collaborating and writing together. In the beginning we were only 3 (Me, Zach and Cory). We didn’t take it too seriously, more chilling at the farm outside of Ames, Iowa. Just writing music, jamming, having fun. not knowing what would ever happen for us, we where all kind of lost but just enjoying life for what it is, day dreaming. Our first ever demos of Blues Pills were only the three of us playing. Cory and Zach splitting the guitar parts and then Zach on bass and Cory on the drums and me (Elin) singing. Eventually really quickly offers and shows were coming in, and we got signed by crusher records of Sweden. We got really blown away by this and I remember that day, you see I never would have thought stuff like that would happen.
We got a tour offered in Spain and Portugal, but we were only 3 people at that time. Zach and Cory remembered they met and saw this french kid ( Dorian ) play guitar incredibly. They met him during a tour with their old band. We got in contact with Dorian, at that time he was only 16 years old. We asked if he wanted to play with us on our first tour and also record some solos on our EP that would be released. He said yes. After this tour in Spain, and after playing together we all decided that we would continue and be based in Sweden. It was kind of hard in the beginning with all the visas but finally it all sorted it self out.
2/ You have a very powerful bluesy voice that brings shivers to the spine - for how long have you been practising? What are you main influences and what do they mean to you?
Elin: Thanks dude. That’s nice of you to put it that way. I don’t really know. I’ve been practicing my instrument with teachers since age of 14 back and forth. When I was 16 I went to music high school in Sweden. But I been singing a long time. as long as I can remember. I think what most inspired me was the love and joy music gave me. When I was singing it made me feel so much, you know? Made me feel happy and whole in a way, all the different emotions you feel x 1000. It was so cool to me. I know this maybe sound super deep or something but that was the main reason for why I started to sing. I always listen to big and bluesy, soulful voices , everything from R’n’B artists to Jazz, Blues, Soul and Rock. I think it’s a mix from all of it that made me find my own sound. Aretha Franklin is one of the main inspirations for me, since I listened to her a lot as a younger kid. When I got older I started to listen to more heavy music/psychedelic/rock ect. But I still have my heart for the soul and the blues of course. Of course my influences means a lot to me, even though I never met any of them personally they where still the ones that helped me and teaching me, I was listening to their music and singing their songs and so on. Which I think is super cool they did that without their physical presence.
3/ I read somewhere that the name Blues Pills came from a music blog. What are your thoughts on nowaday's music industry where digital releases are always expanding, CDs kinda going down and Vinyls, on the contrary, rising up again? What format do you like the most?
Elin: I kind of have a mixed feeling against it. It’s good, you can spread your music everywhere and there is so much music today, and back before the internet existed INCREDIBLE bands where playing that no one probably knows about. Then of course there is bad stuff with downloading as well. I think that if you’re really into a band, you should buy their album. And also you go to their shows and so on, which supports the band. I like vinyls, the artwork is bigger and also I like flipping the record over and it just feels more alive then digital and CD format.
4/ How did you come up to the - let's say, globally speaking - Psychedelic scene?
Elin: I started to listen to psychedelic and 60’s and 70’s rock when I was a teenager, started out when some dudes from my class wanted me to jam War Pigs with them in the basement in my old school. And that opened slowly the door to this kind of music. I had lot’s of musician friends that shared music with me and I with them. I’m not really into this mainstream pop star Idol lifestyle that's going on all around. It kind of had a backward effect on me. Back in the 60’s and 70’s there was just so many great vocalists and musicians, and songwriters, and the raw talent would shine through, probably because nowadays it all gets watered down with digital recording where everything can be fixed and autotuned and so on.
5/ Do you have any memorable life, musical moments in your young career that you would like to share with our readers?
Elin: I can’t think of something special now. Maybe.. don’t build a human pyramid while your on a festival concert with your drunk friends, will end kind of badly.. haha
6/ Blues Pills new album is gonna be released in July, the 25th. What can we expect from it, what are the themes you decided to explore this time?
Elin: This is the true sound of Blues Pills. I can definitely say that we are the most proud of this recording. We have some old songs that are really re arranged. It’s going to be fun to see how fans react on that. For me they are way better. Feels like we made the songs more full songs, they are finished from the ideas of them that we released on the EP’s before. Now also since working with a producer and recording in a real studio, it’s really a noticeable difference from the past stuff we put out. Basically all stuff before I see as demos that we recorded our selves that happened to get released. This is going to be the real deal. It’s a lot of rhythm and way groovier then our other stuff. Im exited to release it and I am so proud of the album and all the people being involved and working with it.
7/ I saw that Blues Pills are playing a lot of festivals. Do you actually prefer outdoors or indoors venues? and why?
Elin: I appreciate both. Outdoor shows usually have a better sound than the indoors venues we’ve been playing so far. But then again, you get closer to the Audience indoor than outside. So I like it as much playing indoor as outdoor.
8/ Tell me, how music is important for you, what does it represent to you? Plenty of good bands comes from Sweden, would you consider it too as a big scene of creativity and in a way, a main influence?
Elin: That’s a darn good question sir, getting deep . Wow where do I start?! Music brings people together, it makes people excited, it can bring the saddest person into a state of bliss. Make you look forward to something, make the day dreamers dream even wilder and rocking the unsleeping to the heaviest sleep. It can help you through hard times and struggles you have to deal with in your life and connect to the darkest of your thoughts. It can also make the good stuff feel even better than it already felt . Music is the cherry on top of the cream and the cream is your life. Sometimes it’s a big mess and sometimes it’s too sweet, but sometimes it’s really perfect.
Sweden definitely has a very rich music scene. There is no doubt that it inspires creativity. Being around so many good musicians, seeing lots of good bands, it all contributes, and pushes you to be even better.
9/ Desert Island question is a kind of tradition. So, here we go! Give me one record, one movie, one book you would take with you there ?!
Elin:
Album: Etta James - At Last
Movie: Hot Rod
Book: Robinson Crusoe
10/ What are your ideals in life, things, themes you like to fight for?
Elin: I could probably write you a book based on this question, but I will keep it simple. I think happiness is the most important. But the hard part is how we get there.
11/ Last lines are entirely yours... Feel free to share with us anything that comes up to your mind right now!
Elin: Thanks Louis for taking interest in Blues Pills and doing this interview.
Hope to see you at one of our shows in the near future!
Best Regards From Sweden Elin Larsson, Blues Pills
Louis Hauguel for Fuzzine. (2014)
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