HEJ, How are you?
Hej! We’re very good thank you, sorry about the slight delay.
Moonbabies is a great name! How did you decide it? Has it a story between you and Carina?
Thanks, we think so too, we chose it because it simply fitted the atmosphere of our songs. We often record and work on the music at night, and i can tell you for a fact that it’s no myth that full-moon nights are the most inspiring and creative. We also chose the name because it’s a bit uncool . Back in the 90s we felt that we wanted to go against the “trendy” thing to name your band to something un-personal and tough. Moonbabies just felt right.
How did you two meet? How did you both decided to marry? And who proposed?
We are celebrating 20 years together this summer. So we met when we were really young, in 1995 going to high school, both involved with music, bands, Indie, Grunge, Shoegaze, Lo-fi etc. We first met in 1994 actually, and I fell in love with carina which she didn’t even notice, and a year after that it just happened. The proposal 🙂 that would be me. 5 years married this summer. We have a lot to celebrate in 2015, this, an Album, 20 year anniversary.
Moonbabies is making indie – pop music since 90’s, what was the challenges of being an independent band that you encounter with?
Challenges, Oh I’m directly thinking about all the numerous times you experience negativity. Could be a lousy gig, a hateful review, people ripping you off economically, business partners that are treating you badly, or just an empty feeling that you will feel from time to time when you’re not feeling you’re getting the feedback your music deserves. You know, all the setbacks that you definitely WILL encounter at one stage or another, these will either drag you down and leave you feeling like shit for a day or two, or they will help you get a thicker skin or help you get even more determined to succeed with your dreams.
Moonbabies is a band founded in 1997, is it has disadvantages in new indie music area? What did changed in 10 years in your music?
I’m not sure about the question. But the whole music industry has changed dramatically. In 1997-2001, with the internet just starting we hooked up with people, zines and labels in the US, got tons of fantastic help and reviews, and toured and released our first album June and Novas (with a couple of EPs). The “old” label/artist relations were still the same as it ever was, I’d say that music industry really crashed around 2005-2006. Comparing the early 00s with 2015 is so drastic. Lots and lots of positive things (the ease of you as an artist to handle a album/song release, the direct connections with your listeners, The Vastness of Music and Music Allies) and the cons (In a pure Artist/Band perspective: The extreme amount of music that is everywhere and band poking on everyone’s attention – aka the competition, and with that – the money to make on music.)
Your last album Moonbabies at the Ballroom was released in 2007. What did you two do in 7 years? Were you on a break or Did you decided focus your personal lives?
No, on the contrary! It’s been 7 years of lots of Hard F*#king Work! I nearly took us down, personally and musically, but we somehow managed to come out of it, with a Album, EPS and our health – and a child 🙂 It’s a BIG topic, would take a book to explain the psychology of it all. If you want more in depth. please read our newest Bio, which explains the hardship pretty accurate: http://glgpub.com/roster/moonbabies
How is being both a married couple and having a band?
Sometimes it’s really really hard, especially when times are not flowing with positive things. But it was somehow destined to be I think, we have always talked and discussed and worked with Moonbabies related things from we wake up until bedtime. Maybe not as much these days 🙂 but for many many years, being a couple makes you stronger in the long run I think. It’s a deeper thing going on, that can be quite interesting in a music making scenario.
Can you give us more details about your upcoming album? Is there any surprises?
Yes, The new album will be out this Spring! Finally. The songs are diverse. Lots of it are electronic based, some of it are big and dreamy… and floating. I always thought that listening to our music is like stepping into a new world. And with this album it is even more so. Putting on every song is like opeing a new door, a journey through love and emotions and atmosphere and colours. Half of the album was written in 2008-2009 in Berlin, Germany, 3-4 songs written 2010-2013 in Malmö, and 2-3 songs are written just recently. Everything mixed and recorded (like always) by us. It is VERY diverse, but still has that common melodic Moonbabies feel.
Most of the Turkish indie artists/ bands have different music projects with different names. While their sounds are changing, also their name changes. Have you ever think to release your upcoming album under a new band project/ name?
YES, not this album. But some years back we started making very electronic-based music that was so far from Moonbabies that we were thinking about releasing it under another name. Who knows, maybe we’ll do it later.
In one of your interviews you have mentioned that you both love vintage movies. Are there any movies that influenced your music?
Yeah, there are lots of movies that influenced our new album. I think Movies are even more direct influences than other music is to us these days. To Name a few I think of immediately: Walkabout, Fail-Safe, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, The Day of the Locust, Woman under Influence, The Hour of the Wolf, Wild Strawberries, Vertigo.
Both of you are also producers, do you have some other works except Moonbabies? Can you tell us more about them?
Carina has her (yet-unreleased) solo-project going on. I’m starting to produce again (after a 7 year hiatus) just recently some new tracks of the swedish band Emerald Park. Our relationship is great, I produced and co-wrote their album “For Tomorrow”, if you haven’t do check it out.
I think, you have never been in Turkey? Do you know what Simit is? and Would you like to play in Turkey?
No we sadly haven’t been to turkey, if we do, let’s hook up!? Simit = Google – a special turkish Bread? Would love to play in turkey if the opportunity comes up and possibility of doing it is there. Right now things are uncertain at many levels, musically and personally, but that is what makes life so damn exciting, right!!? 2015 looks awesome right now anyway. Keep on doing your great stuff Nordik Simit, cheers / Ola
Hear Moonbabies’ latest single “Pink Heart Mother” from their upcoming album “Wizards on the Beach”;