Morgana:

Interlace's work is engaging on so many levels. The musical composition and vocals are creative, the lyrics have depth and intrigue, and concepts behind each of your albums are well-presented, yet, you still have not reached a large audience. What are your thoughts about basing the validity of your work on its reception? That is, do you need recognition to feel that your efforts were successful? Much of the greatest art of our history was not appreciated in its time. Do you feel that your time has yet to come?

Oscar:

First of all, thank you for having us on your show!

You know, that's a complicated question you're asking. Because on the one hand, you can't listen too much to what other people say. In order to fulfill a vision you have to be persistent and believe in yourself. And it usually takes time for people to understand your vision and become part of it.

At the same time, there's no denying Interlace is a failure unless people appreciate what we do. I mean, we're not spending all that time and money just to amuse ourselves. Right now we have a small and devoted fanbase, and we're thankful for the support we get.

But in the end, we want to reach as many people as possible. There s no point in being alternative for alternative s sake. Rather, you're labelled as alternative because you make up your own mind and do things your way. If Interlace would suddenly be labelled as mainstream - fine by us.

Morgana:

One interpretation of recognition might be to define it in terms of record sales. How do record sales contribute to your sense of accomplishment, if at all, holding constant the influence of marketing, promotion, and distribution? That is, in the end, does the amount sold impact on your sense of accomplishment?

Oscar:

I personally feel that record sales tell you something about the extent to which you have actually succeeded in creating something that people appreciate. However, what's most important is the feeling you get when you listen to the material yourself. Obviously I don't listen to Interlace CDs a lot, but whenever I do, I get a sense of pride that I'm part of this project.

Morgana:

What drives and inspires you to create conceptual albums with such elaborate layerings of meanings and interpretations for your music? Do the concepts guide the writing and musical direction?

Oscar:

The four of us have all been working with music for so many years, and I guess you always look for new challenges; new ways of expressing yourself artistically.

Interlace was in a sense taking this to the edge. We have extremely well-defined rules for what Interlace is, and how the conceptual evolution should proceed. We realize that after only two albums, most of this evolution is still not visible. But it will become more apparent over time.

Also, people are so used to music being one-dimensional - if you ve heard one track from an artist, you know what the project is all about. We don't want to do that, and it seems this creates a lot of confusion in the press: you know, what genre is Interlace, are you supposed to dance at Interlace concerts, are Interlace pro or against cloning... hey folks, you're missing the point here...

Quite a few journalists have remarked that Interlace isn t for everyone, and we completely agree - that's the whole idea.

Morgana:

How do you tackle musical composition? Do you ever find that working within a concept restricts you from being as creative as you might be on an album or does it enhance it, and how?

Oscar:

The conceptual dimension of Interlace is both confining and rewarding. When you have that well-defined space, it's easier to stay focused. But at the same time, a lot of promising ideas are left unexplored since they are incompatible with the boundaries you ve chosen. In the end, we feel that the pros outweigh the cons.

Morgana:

I read your article in Comatose Rose in which you described how the original album version of "Under the Sky" was the initial response to your record label's request for a club track. A much faster club version of the song was later made. The new single, "Master" seems to be the closest you've come to successfully guaranteeing yourselves club play, but did you consciously take this into consideration when writing "Master"? What are your thoughts on the pressure to create a club track in today's scene to essentially "lure in" some listeners you may have otherwise not attracted?

Oscar:

There is a lot of pressure to create club hits, that s for sure. To us this is a problem, since we don t want to write simple, one-dimensional tracks. You have thirty seconds to catch people s attention, that's it. I hate that development, you know, music sounding more and more like a jingle in an commercial for dog food.

Speaking of food, here in Europe we have a movement called slow food. It s basically a reaction against fast food and what it represents. Slow food consists of the best ingredients, ecological and locally produced, and the chefs prepare each meal for several hours before it s served. You have to eat it slowly too - a lunch can easily take three or four hours. I think the alternative scene needs more of this: some quality thinking and patience.

Morgana:

I am especially fond of your web site's description of your art being a room that encapsulates all academic forms in a realm of enlightenment. What do you hope fans gain from experiencing the virtual laboratory that is Interlace? What is missed when listeners only pay attention to the music, rather than reading the lyrics or understanding the concept behind the records? Can there be appreciation for Interlace in parts rather than as a whole?

Oscar:

I definitely think one could appreciate our music without paying attention to lyrics or artwork or concept. In fact, I think most people who buy our albums do it because like our music, and that's it. But it s important to us that everyone who takes a look under the surface is rewarded. As I said earlier, Interlace perhaps isn t for everyone. We want to give something special to those who are serious in their search for an alternative.

Morgana:

Nothing is too blatantly obvious in your lyrics. Do you aim to provide a challenge to your listener, do you prefer to write this way to leave your songs open to multiple interpretations, or does this style of writing shields you from misinterpretation?

Oscar:

I m afraid my way of writing lyrics paves way for misunderstandings rather than shielding us from them. However, we want to offer an alternative to commercial culture. If we sing Hate, fuck, death instead of Oops I did it again , what kind of alternative is that? And if I serve my thoughts on a plate, then the listeners don t have to think for themselves, and that s exactly the problem with commercial culture - that we re spoon-fed, passive consumers instead of participating in the culture. I mean, that's one thing I love about live shows: that we, together with the audience, make it happen. We create the magic together.

But back to the point, I don t think our lyrics are that difficult. Anyone with access to the Internet could probably figure them out.

Morgana:

Interlace is sometimes compared with Skinny Puppy, perhaps for lack of a more worthy comparison in today's increasingly futurepop-oriented scene. Are you pleased, unhappy, or complacent with such comparisons? Was Skinny Puppy actually an influence for you?

Oscar:

When I grew up, Skinny Puppy was an important personal influence for me. I even have a Skinny Puppy tattoo which I made back then. All four of us still like them, so I suppose it s a flattering comparison. However, I m convinced that it s made because people have such a hard time talking about music without comparing it to other music. After all, it s pretty obvious that Skinny Puppy and Interlace come from different places artistically.

Morgana:

are some of your current favourite bands and what do you look for in music you listen to and purchase yourself? Or, what genres of music do you find you immerse yourself in lately?

Oscar:

We prefer not to talk about our personal selves in interviews. We made this decision right from the start, to lead all focus on Interlace on the project itself rather than on us as individuals. Still, I think that your question is a valid one since it s tied to what we create. But my only real answer for you is that we come from quite separate musical backgrounds. I feel that s a great advantage for us as a band, to have so many genres to draw inspiration from.

Morgana:

Do you have plans for touring North America? Is this something you're interested in doing? What will your stage show involve?

Oscar:

We d love to come to Canada and the USA. Even more so since we just rebuilt the entire stage show. You know, our show always corresponds to the current conceptual phase, and during the new phase, Imago, the foetus is out of the incubator. So this time it's more extroverted and aggressive than Innuendo was. We premiered it in Malm , Sweden on October 9, and it worked really well. With the choreography and the props... a lot of things are happening on stage. I wouldn't call it theatre though, because the music is always in focus, but it's definitely more to it than just four guys posing with keyboards. The way we see it, people make the effort to come to our show, so we should make the effort to entertain them. After all, it's never the audience's fault if they're not having a good time.

Morgana:

Can you give us a hint into the third conceptual phase of Interlace or of the progress of Interlace?

Oscar:

We get this question a lot, but we want to tell this story chapter by chapter, without spoilers. The focus will be on Imago alone until the next phase is entered.

Morgana:

Well Oscar, I just want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview for the listeners. I really appreciate it. I know you're very busy, and best of luck with Interlace!

Oscar:

Thank you. It was nice talking to you. Good luck with the show and I hope to see you in Toronto.

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