Humbucker … an elegant suggestion of his friend in musical adventures Nicke Andersson (Imperial State Electric, The Hellacopters) from here, the rest is a very personal rock album, recorded with the collaboration of great musicians who made of it an excellent final result. Beyond looks to past decades and comparisons, what RPH shows us in his new solo facet is an album of classic rock and roll sound without getting too far away from some of his previous bands as Thunder Express and lightly getting close to the sound of Imperial State Electric.
Why did you decided to start this solo project called Robert Pehrsson’s Humbucker?
-I had left my previous band ”Dundertåget” and I had no steady band at the moment. So it was a good opportunity for me to have the time to record a solo album.
Has the name that you choose ”humbucker” relationship with the sound of the electric guitars pickups??
-Yes, it’s from the pickups. Nicke Andersson came up with the bandname and made the logo for me.
and this name of humbucker does have something to be with your sound or the sound that you wanted to have??
-I only play guitars with Humbucker, and mostly Gibson Les Paul. So it’s a nice little hint to that. But I also just like the way tho word ”Humbucker” looks and sound. I think it’s a great band name.
Did you have in mind to have a band to tour with, when you started this project, or in the begining was planning only to record your own songs ??
-I thought I would only do the album from the beginning, but during the recording I changed my mind and now I want to go out and try this on the road!
Which are the band members that you are going to tour with you?
-Jens Lagergren from my old band Dundertåget will play bass.
Joseph Tholl from Enforcer and Black Trip will play second guitar.
We are still trying to find the right drummer. We have a few who is interested right now.
So we just have to find the right one.
Which are your plannings to present the album live? Are you planning to visit Spain?
-If someone are willing to offer me shows or a tour in Spain that has financial backing I’m totally all for going there.
I love Spain, I think Spain and Germany are my favorite countries to tour in.
We have just started rehearsing with the band and are trying out drummers.
A lot of bands say that countries like Germany or Spain are the best places to play… are this countries more difference than Sweden, Finland or Norway?
-I like Scandinavia also. But I just find it so amazing that even if you are a really small band there is always a lot of people at the shows in Spain and they are totally devoted and love the rock music we play. What I like most is that there just seem to be such an unconditional love for music in Spain.
You used to play different styles with other bands, Death Breath, Thunder Express, Slingblade… and now RPH, can we say that this is the style that you are more comfortable to play and express your own music??
-It’s different from Death Breath of course, but it’s not so different from the other bands.
I feel pretty comfortable playing rock altogether. It’s not something I think of to much.
I have always enjoyed playing in all the different bands I have been in.
When I was listening the songs that you were updated on soundcloud my mind was directly to Thin Lizzy… is this the kind of sound that you were looking for?
-The first two songs that I recorded were really influenced by Lizzy.
During the recording of the album I saw a lot of other bands doing that thing also.
So I made a decision to steer away from that a little bit. I have a lot of influences and Lizzy is just one of them.
Who was the people involved to help you to play with you in the songs of this album?
-I asked my friends to help me out.
Nicke Andersson (Imperial State Electric, The Hellacopters, etc)
Tomas Eriksson (Imperial State Electric)
Dolf De Borst (Imperial State Electric, Datsuns)
Joseph Tholl (Enforcer, Black Trip)
Robert Eriksson (The Hellacopters)
Fred Estby (Dismember, Dagger)
Johan Bäckman (Necrocourse)
Olle Dahlstedt (Entombed)
Peter Stjärnvind (Nifelheim, Black Trip)
Johannes Borgström
Three members of the Imperial State Electric are playing with you in the album and sometimes you use to play with them live when Tobbias can’t do it seems that all of you are like a great ”family of rock and roll”!! how is the relationship between all of you when you play together, I mean,who is the ”boss”? who take more decisions about the sound or how to play a song, etc
-Yeah, we have a really good relationship. They are my close friends in my personal life also. Not just in music. I think we trust each other enough musically to not have to be in command so much and be bossy. But in RPS Humbucker I of course have the final word and in ISE Nicke have the final word.
Could you tell us something about the recording of this album? and the songs?
-This album was recorded in a really chaotic period of my life with my mom sadly passing away and my longtime relationship breaking up. But I kept telling me to continue no matter what and that I would be proud and happy when it was released no matter the outcome.
And now I am real satisfied and proud of my album. It was a real work victory and achievement for me and people really seem to like it a lot!
Could you talk about all the songs of the album and which ones are most important for you, after this two important happenings in you life??
-I think it affected the whole album of course. My lyrics in general is about heart ache, the feeling of alienation or searching for something else, to wanna change and not be able to etc. It’s pretty dramatic stuff. But I’ve always wrote those kind of lyrics even before al this. It’s really hard to pick a certain song. But Can’t Change is maybe a special one.
Thanks for the support!
