Swedish hard rock group Graveyard are returning to Australia in early 2015 to take part in the Golden Plains Festival in rural Victoria as well as a number of headline dates.
Winners of a Grammis (Swedish Grammy) for Best Hard Rock in 2012 as well as appearing on a myriad of Best Of 2011 lists, they are bound to thrill existing fans as well as entice a crowd of new support with there uber-unique style. Vocalist/ guitarist, Joakim Nilsson, sat down to answer the following questions.
Since the departure of co-founder, Rikard Edlund, in October last year, who will be filling the bass duties on this tour?
Don't tell anyone but it's actually gonna be our first guitarist Truls Mörck.
The band's albums have achieved higher charting with Nuclear Records than with TeePee; is that more to do with band development or with the labels themselves?
Nuclear Record is a bigger label then TeePee and obviously have more resources, but TeePee only had the American market and the label we had for the rest of the world for our first record was a very small label that simply could not do the work that we needed to grow as a band, so we had to change label. We have also toured a lot, so when we released 'Hisingen Blues' with Nuclear, we were bound to get a higher charting.
How does Graveyard define themselves given they fit countless genres by anyone who reviews or interviews them?
I guess the thing is that we don't define ourselves. The only thing you could say that we are is a hard rock band with a lot of influences.
You're coming to Australia for Golden Plains Festival as well as headlining some dates in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Do you prefer the festivals or the more intimate shows?I love both; tight, headlining shows with the diehard fans and festivals with a bigger crowd and a lot of new listeners.
Given your reputation for having a characteristic '70s feel, how do you respond to being called a 21st Century Black Sabbath?
It's an honour but I wouldn't say that we sound anything like Sabbath.
Your resume includes playing SXSW to touring with Soundgarden. What do you classify as you personal highlights?
We have been growing step by step the whole time and sometimes you have to pinch yourself. Never thought that we where gonna open up for bands like Motörhead or Iron Maiden but personally I would say that Soundgarden is one of the highlights 'cause it 's one of the first bands I started to listen to when I was a kid.
How did people react to you supporting Soundgarden? What was that tour like?
I would say that people seemed to enjoy our shows. Big tours like that are always pretty easy, everything from catering to soundchecking is always really fixed so it's just to go with the flow.
Are there any plans to go into the recording studio anytime soon?
We are gonna start February and we are really looking forward to it.
Given there will be a new bass player, do you have any desires to change your sound?
We never really wanted to sound like a '70s band, we just wanted to sound great and that is what we're still aiming for. But having a new bass player will change the sound, but I know that it will still be great.
Have you ever come across any issues arising from the fact there is a Spanish death-metal group with the same name? Have you ever crossed paths with the Spaniards?
Not really. I know they have played in Sweden once. But if there are problems, they should know that we were first.
Australian's are undoubtedly world-class beer connoisseurs. Will you be bringing any Hisingen Brew for us?
I'm sorry to say that the beer is discontinued. Guess we’ll stick to playing music.
Written by Jeremy Edwards
Graveyard Tour Dates
Wed 4 March – Oxford Art Factory (Sydney)Fri 6 March – Crowbar (Brisbane)
Sat 7 March – Ding Dong Lounge (Melbourne)
7-9 March – Golden Plains Festival (Meredith)
