Interview: 10 Q’s with AMAZE ME
There have been some cracking melodic rock albums so far this year and now you can add Amaze Me’s new album ‘Guilty As Sin’ released on AOR Heaven. Peter Broman answers are questions on the new album and more…
What are you currently up to?
“To my big surprise, we have lots of requests for interviews! I honestly didn’t think that Amaze Me were that interesting for anyone these days? I didn’t think that this genre was so alive, as it has proven to be through the responses we’ve got so far. So – I’m doing lots of interviews and writing some more music.”
“Also we’ve put up a Facebook page called “Amaze Me Band” to make it possible to communicate with the people that are interested in Amaze Me. I was talking to the really sweet and kind Petra Rottman of ‘Break Out’ a few days ago and she told me that we owed it to the people that like Amaze Me to have a Facebook page… We also have one more song that we will put up on our Facebook, exclusively for those people..”
What made you bring back Amaze Me now?
“There were a number of things happening in my life that made it feel like a good idea basically. Melodic rock has always been the closest to my heart and for me it connects back in time, to when things were much more uncomplicated – and you had big hair!
When doing Amaze Me I can create from the heart, without having to think about what’s cool or what will sell and I needed to feel that now.”
Could you take us through the excellent new album ‘Guilty As Sin’ e.g. recording process, ideas behind the songs…
“Thank you so much for those kind words! When writing the songs I’ve often started out with just an acoustic guitar and my voice. Then I started building the production and since this is my universe, I can do anything I want!
Some may say that the songs are a bit overproduced and maybe, that’s true but Amaze Me is an opportunity for me to find the core reason as to why I started making music – I just love the music and I love melodic rock!
Amaze Me is not about making money, which means that it’s totally “from the heart”. Every time I hear myself saying that I’ve made the album “from the heart” I feel that it sounds pretentious – but that’s how it is!”
Peter, you handle all the instruments. Was there ever a plan to have session/guest musicians involved, although previously Amaze Me have always been a duo.
“I love working with other songwriters and musicians and that is almost always necessary working towards a contemporary music market. BUT, as I said, Amaze Me is a loophole where I can find inspiration for own music and my life. It became a part of dealing with handling a divorce (from my ex-wife 3 years ago) and countering a creative crisis.”
AOR Heaven released the ‘Ultimate Collection’ last year. Are there any plans to re-issue your earlier albums and are there many unreleased songs from the earlier albums that could perhaps be added as bonus material?
“We haven’t talked about that but IF there is another Amaze Me album after “Guilty As Sin”, it could be an idea to re-record one of the old songs. Maybe have some kind of vote about that? I don’t know, but thinking about it, I think it could be fun! And having fun – that’s what Amaze Me is all about for me!”
Amaze Me have a very rich musical sound and it sounds like a big budget production. How is this achieved and is producing an album now easier to achieve with that big melodic rock sound given the technology now available?
“Thanks once again for the kind words! When doing an Amaze Me album, I don’t want to get lost in technology really. I felt this time that I wanted to do something really dangerous and that is – fight the “loudness war” as I call it. I didn’t want an album that was over compressed; over the top.
Back in the “vinyl days”, you didn’t push the limiting or compression the same way everybody is doing these days. I’ve seen a couple of guys claiming that the drums are programmed – they are played!”
“I was pointed to a site in Australia by a friend. There was a really bashing review, and that is ok of course, but he claimed the drums were programmed. I wrote him a kind mail saying they weren’t, but he didn’t bother answering me or change his statement.
As I said, he is entitled to his personal view of the album and that’s what I love about music, but it’s sad when you are being wrong and don’t bother changing that wrong statement; or even get back to me. It’s either arrogance or he just plain thinks that I’m a loser not worth his valuable time!”
How important is social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc., for the band in getting your music out there and communicating with your fans?
“I’ve never had Facebook and people have been nagging me for years about that. Now Petra Rottman (Break Out) hasn’t left me any excuse for continuing my resistance.
She gave me the perfect reason when she said that I should have a Facebook page for Amaze Me, out of respect for people who might like us. I’ve realized that social media is very important for the survival of this genre. That’s why I thought it was important to get back to “Mr Australia”.”
What have been the live highlights for you and why?
“Way back, when I started to play the guitar I had a very fast learning curve so I was out playing for an audience just half a year after I took up guitar for the first time. It was an interesting time which had the character of a “Forrest Gump” story somehow.”
“Playing at a fair in Mora (my home town, and where I met Conny our singer, by the way…), I met ABBA backstage on their first tour in 1973. They didn’t even have the name back then!
My brother and I had a band and we were chosen out of so many bands to be on a very popular TV show back in 79. It was filmed in front of a live audience and was great. Marie Fredriksson from Roxette had her first appearance on that show with her band too!”
“During the 80s we played at lots of different festivals and stuff. Conny had actually joined the band as the drummer then! And the 90s and onward has been all about song writing.”
“Meeting lots of interesting people and getting an adrenalin rush from a great gig is the way I would answer your question.”
Peter; I was reading an old interview on the Mood Swings website where you said you were writing radio commercials/jingles. Given that these have to be instant and catchy to gain a listener’s attention does it help having written quality AOR songs? Have you ever been tempted to add a snippet or two of an Amaze Me tune into one of the jingles?
“Well, everything connects and it works both ways. I’ve been writing and producing radio commercials, made original music jingles for small and big brands, been doing sound design, sound for events, producing radio shows, sound for TV and so on.
But, in all this I would say that the feeling that I find through making an Amaze Me album is the most important – pure joy!
Creative work should be fun and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to do another Amaze Me album – to get back to that feeling! I don’t know that I’ve ever used an AM tune in a commercial…. Making jingles takes you to very different genres and it has seldom been melodic rock.”
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from music?
“I bought myself this big boat last year – an AQUADOR 26 HT! It’s also called the “Rockboat”! Going out into the Stockholm archipelago is a feeling filled with harmony and joy! Before buying this boat, I’d never driven a boat or owned one . . . Economically, it’s a disaster but sometimes it’s good to do something crazy and “follow your heart” instead of the brain.”
Anything else to add and a message for your fans…
“Buy a boat . . . Or, in other words – “follow your heart”! And thanks Jason for your interesting questions! That even took me deeeeeep down memory lane!”
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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024
THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)
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12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
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