Dead Rhetoric: That is amazing if you think about it. Since 1981 for two members to be in the same metal band for 37 years is incredible…
Johansson: And they must have credit for that. You can say what you want about Metallica, but for that they must have credit.
Dead Rhetoric: From what I understand, work is finally taking shape for a new Lion’s Share album. What can the fans expect, as it’s been over nine years since the last studio album Dark Hours?
Johansson: Yes, it’s been way too long. The main man, Lars Chriss, it’s his band and he started Lion’s Share. He’s also a thinking guy. He really thought the market is so screwed up, he’s not in a hurry to release the next album. He wants everything to be perfect when we release the next album, so perhaps this will happen next year. If we are going to do it, we will do it with heavy promotion, and a tour, and festivals – we are going to do everything right this time. I have been in so many bands, I feel that I haven’t focused enough on Lion’s Share- I owe Lars Chriss when we release a new album to go 100% to promote it and go on tour, do everything right.
Dead Rhetoric: As far as Wuthering Heights, is Erik’s health improving that there may be a new album in the offing?
Johansson: I think he’s better, but I am not sure. At least he is updating the Facebook page. Slowly but surely I think something will come. He has talked to me about doing some re-recordings of the older Wuthering Heights albums before I enjoyed the band, with me on vocals. Something will happen, that’s for sure.
Dead Rhetoric: How do you feel about social media in terms of pushing your craft – do you believe it’s as important today as face to face, hand to hand interaction and how much do you engage in these platforms?
Johnasson: Of course I have to, as a modern day person I have to interact on Facebook and Instagram. I’m a musician, that’s what I am- I try to answer every message I receive. If you want to get new fans, the most important (thing) is to go out and play live. Meeting the audience, that’s the most important. You can be big on Facebook, but when you come out and play live, it still can be 100 people in the audience. Facebook is not real life.
Dead Rhetoric: Where do you see the major differences in terms of your career from your early days to how things are going currently? Do you believe your thoughts about the music industry have changed over the decades?
Johansson: Yes, of course. The music industry is really fucked up. When we talk about records, and selling records. The live scene on the other hand is more alive than ever before. The music scene, it is what it is. What can I do? I have to live with it and do as well as I can. For example, Astral Doors our first album came out in 2003. And that is probably my best-selling album up to this day, because it was just one year before the downloading circus started. If we had started in the 90’s, maybe ten years earlier- then I could have easily lived just off of Astral Doors. Back in those days, it was totally different with the sales of records. If Of the Son and the Father sold 15,000, had it been released ten years earlier it would have sold maybe 100,000.
Dead Rhetoric: Would you say that first Astral Doors album is one of the albums you are most proud of in your career, or are there others you treasure too?
Johansson: I’m proud of every album I’ve done. The first Astral Doors, the first Wuthering Heights, and the first Space Odyssey, I did three albums and they were released within six months. Those were my first three albums released in my career, and I love all three albums. I also like Dark Hours with Lion’s Share- I think it’s a masterpiece. And also the Civil War albums. The first Astral Doors album has a little bit of an extra special place. The other bands I have been hired, in Astral Doors we are childhood friends so there is a little bit different of a connection.
Dead Rhetoric: What does the rest of 2018 into 2019 look like for activities related to Nils Patrik Johansson, Astral Doors, other gigs, possible future recording appearances to look forward to, etc.?
Johansson: It will be very hectic. We are scheduled to release a new Astral Doors album in November, so we are working hard on that now. We have twelve songs written, we just have to record them. We are playing some important festivals. Simultaneously I am writing songs for Lion’s Share. Lars and I have talked about releasing an EP in September. Perhaps three new songs and some surprises- some Sabbath and Dio covers, we had a tribute at the Sweden Rock cruise to celebrate Ronnie James Dio. The entire gig was recorded, and we may let 2-3 songs from that gig be available as bonus tracks. I have a lot to do- with Astral Doors, we will do a European tour to promote the album, a headline tour.
If I feel the fans like the solo album, and I am pretty sure they will- I put my heart and soul into this album. If it gets good response, I will talk to my booker and do some festival gigs. I am thinking about calling it Nils Patrik Johansson’s Flying Metal Circus! (laughs) What do you think about that? Does it work?