wirtten by Marko Jakob | 30.03.2022 |
Pix666: Hello Tommy, hey Teemu. Thanks for your time. How are you doing these days? How are the other guys of MyGRAIN?
Tommy: Hell-o! Thanks for asking – we’re doing okay, despite of the strange and crazy times.
Teemu: Hi there! We’re doing quite fine thanks for asking. Been quite crazy with the pandemic going all over.
Pix666: What kind of music does MyGRAIN make and how and where did you meet your band mates?
Teemu: MyGrain makes classic melodic death metal. For me the melodies have always been the soul of a good metal song. No can do without. I joined the band a few years later when our keyboardist back then,Eve, called that they would need a new guitar player.
Tommy: I’d say we make classic melodic death metal as Teemu said, but with a modern touch and slight proggy twists here and there. The first shape of MyGrain formed already in 2005 with a small bunch of friends, and we got it growing and evolving from there – meeting all the current bandmates via music scene and via mutual friends.
Pix666: Your band had a break of about three years some time ago. What was the decisive point why you finally started making music together again?
Tommy: During those about three years we got together some times just to spend a night out etc, and many times we had talks like “should we start making music again..”, so it just came naturally like that, as we all are driven by making music and we’re such good friends with each other. We got our lost motivation back.
Teemu: Yeah, the band’s career wasn’t going forward anymore. The music was there but to be able to do that one would need support from other sources also and we were quite fed up with how those things seemed to go. It was better to take a break. Just enjoy other ways of life ,at least for a while.
I don’t know if there was any decisive point particular but realising that the love for music and friendship with the band members has always been the force that drives forward that it would be a shame to not make new music with friends. Just enjoy that and trying not to worry about anything other aspects.
Pix666: You returned in 2018 with the EP ‘III’. Has anything changed musically compared to your previous releases and how were the new songs received by the fans?
Teemu: I think musically the EP was something that we would have normally done anyway after 4. Album (Planetary Breathing) but we just had a new drive going on.
Tommy: As Teemu said, musically it was just a continuum from the previous album Planetary Breathing – songs we were planning for the album after that. But after the break it felt like a good idea to put those few songs on an EP and then start the new from ground zero after that.
Pix666: You released your album ‘V’ in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. Were you allowed to present the album live to the fans at that time?
Tommy: Indeed what a timing to release the “comeback album”. It sure wasn’t the best timing but who could’ve foresee this all happening and for how long. We got only few live shows with the album V, but hopefully with the next one we are more lucky!
Teemu: It was really bad timing to release a new album but what can you do. Just after the release we had a chance to play 2 gigs before everything was shut down again. It was so sad.
Pix666: Do you have written new songs in the meantime – can the fans perhaps hope for a new EP or even a new album this year?
Teemu: Yeah,we have been composing new material and hopefully we will be able to introduce it to the world! Don’t know yet when.
Tommy: New really cool stuff is totally brewing up in the shadows, but can’t say when are we gonna release something…
Pix666: Do you already have concerts planned for this year and what are the rules for the audience regarding Covid restrictions in Finland at the moment?
Teemu: Covid restrictions were just shut down in march so maybe everything is going to be normal again. Slowly but surely! We have couple of gigs planned for the year. It’s little bit challenging get new gigs right now ‘cause every place has been booked full with bands’ gigs rescheduled from 2 years time.
Tommy: Yep eventhough the restrictions have now shut down, it’s still really hard to get gigs happening as everything’s been booked full for so long time. Luckily couple of shows are planned. More could be coming this year, but let’s see about that.
Pix666: Let’s talk a little bit about your songs. How do you create your songs? Is there a certain plan? Who in the band is responsible for what and what themes are the lyrics of your songs about?
Teemu: Some songs get their start at rehearsals and some come from demoing home.
Tommy: About the lyrical themes, they’re nowadays mostly inspired by the surrounding things and events that happen around us in the world. So it varies much and can’t say any certain theme. Sometimes the lyrics are veiled in these cosmic and space stuff, which i’m sort of fixated about always.
Pix666: What have been your most memorable moments and highlights in the long band history of MyGRAIN so far?
Tommy: Well, some of the most memorable moments have been touring in Japan and having a showcase gig in Tokyo – Japanese fans are something else, in a good way! Also all the other experiences touring abroad, and summer festivals – they’re really great, and really good memories!
Teemu: For me maybe the travels abroad have always been most memorable ‘cause we haven’t have many chances to play there. Still, it’s always great to see at least one happy face after the gig saying that we rocked! =D
Pix666: Do you have some – typically Finnish – hobbies? Here in Central Europe they say that ice swimming, drinking alcohol, ice hockey and sauna are a must for Finnish men 😊.
Teemu: Well, you said it! Though haven’t never tried ice swimming.
Tommy: Indeed those are quite essential ones hahah, altho i don’t know if drinking alcohol could be counted as a hobby, but it’s a common thing to get a bit sh*tfaced every now and then and party like there’s no tomorrow… One of my favorite winter hobbies are definitely snowboarding though!
Pix666: Thank you very much for the interesting answers – Good luck for the future and stay healthy!!!
Tommy: Thank so much for the interview! Stay safe and healthy you too, and everyone out there!
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