Wir brauchen keineswegs mehr darüber sprechen: Ein Album wie "Ridin' The Tiger" war für die Rockmusik-Geschichte wichtig wie kein zweites Album seiner Art. Aber warum sollten sich die aus eben dieser Band hervor gegangenen Bloodlights auf immer und ewig mit jener Größe messen lassen müssen? Denn mit dem selbstbetitelten Debütwerk "Bloodlights" offenbarten Cpt. Poon und Gefolgschaft Qualitäten, die zweifelsfrei dazu reichen sollten, sich von dieser Epoche zu emanzipieren. In Hinsicht auf den grundlegenden musikalischen Stil sind Bloodlights den Vorgängern Gluecifer natürlich zweifelsfrei ähnlich, nur ist der schwedische Vierer mit seinem neuen Werk "Simple Pleasures" weit mehr im Punk verwurzelt. Bereits im Vorfeld der Veröffentlichung des Zweitlings hatten wir die Möglichkeit, mit Captain Poon über die Entstehung von "Simple Pleasures" und die Pläne, die man heuer mit der Band verfolgt, zu sprechen:


SJM: I suppose a good place to go on is with the new record. The release date is set for February 26th, and it is entitled "Simple Pleasures". Upon first glance, this seems to be on the positive side. Now I'm pretty interested in this sort of stuff, so I was hoping you could briefly elaborate on where the title came from, and how you think it relates to the rest of the record.

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: THE TITLE IS JUST REFERRING TO HOW I FEEL ABOUT ROCK´N´ROLL IN GENERAL. THE SIMPLE PLEASURES ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE. YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT THEM, BUT LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT THEM. WITH ROCK´N´ROLL IT´S THE SAME THING. OF COURSE YOU´D BE ABLE TO SURVIVE BUT, LIFE WOULD SUCK WITOUT IT, RIGHT?

SJM: What, in your opinion, and after having listened to "Simple Pleasures" for about a thousand times in the studio, is one of the most exciting aspects about the new record?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: WHAT EXCITES ME, NOW WHEN I´M FINALLY SITTING WITH THE FINISHED PRODUCT IN MY HANDS AND CAN I PUT IT ON MY STEREO, IS THAT YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE WHOLE RECORD WITHOUT GETTING BORED FOR A SECOND.
IT´S GOT THE PERFECT LENGTH AND IT´S A FRESH PIECE OF ROCK´N´ROLL, SPREAD OUT IN 11 CATCHY TUNES THAT DIFFERS ENOUGH TO GRAB YOUR ATTENTION THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH. WHEN YOU´VE PLAYED IT ONCE YOU MIGHT AS WELL WANNA PLAY IT AGAIN.

SJM: Cpt. Poon – you have started a "career" as a producer of your new album "Simple Pleasures". Could you please tell us why? Do you think you as a musician and at the same time part of the band have the best idea of what the album should sound like?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights:I´VE BEEN THE PRODUCER MANY TIMES THROUGOUT MY CARRER WITHOUT TAKING ANY CREDIT FOR IT. THIS TIME I WANTED TO DO IT ALL THE WAY. I HAD A VERY CLEAR VISION OF WHAT I WANTED THIS ALBUM TO SOUND LIKE, AND DIDN´T FEEL LIKE HAVING ANYONE ELSE TELLING ME.

SJM: What is the main difference between the messages portrayed in the lyrics of "Bloodlights" and "Simple Pleasures"? What different thoughts are being brought out through your music? Have you mostly stuck to the same topics, or have you progressed to another subject matter?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: HA,HA AS THE BIG POET I AM A MAN OF COUNTLESS SUBJETS. NO, SERIOUSLY I DON´T THINK TO MUCH ABOUT THE TOPICS IN GENERAL. I WRITE ABOUT WHATEVER´S GOING ON AROUND ME, AND INSIDE MY HEAD. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I´M MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WRITING THESE DAYS, AS MOST PEOPLE GROW WITH EXPERIENCE, AND THE SAME THING GOES FOR ME. ON THE FIRST RECORD I WAS SOMETIMES A LITTLE TOO DIRECT, AND A LITTLE TOO NEGATIVE. NOT BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO, BUT THAT WAS THE WAY IT CAME OUT. THIS TIME I TRIED TO PUT A LITTLE MORE HUMOUR INTO IT, BUT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY WON´T GET IT ANYWAY, HA HA.

SJM: Punk'n'roll has been and will always been a fun orientated genre. Would you agree to this or do you think there's topics that are by far more than that? What about Bloodlights? Are there any aims to change the world?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: NO AIMS TO CHANGE THE WORLD FOR ME, MAN. I LEAVE THAT TO THE BEARDED INTELLECTUALS WITH ACOUSTIC GUITARS. I THINK IT´S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE DO DIFFERENT THINGS, SO DON´T GET ME WRONG. I JUST THINK EVERYONE JUST HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING THAT SUITS THEIR LIFE AND PERSONALITY. ME GROWING UP WITH AC/DC, IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST AND A LOT OF COOL PUNK ROCK BANDS, I NEVER REALLY SAW MY MUSIC AS THE BEST TOOL TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

SJM: As far as scenes go, the industry’s constantly changing, up and coming bands seem to have a different agenda that some of the veteran bands might. Who do you feel sets out with the same ideology as Bloodlights; attempting to accomplish the same things that you have?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: NO FUCKING IDEA. I´M HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING BANDS TO RELATE TO THESE DAYS. MAYBE IT´S JUST ME NOT KEEPING MY EYES OPEN, BUT I DO HAVE A FEELING THAT WE´RE A LITTLE STUCK IN MIDDLE. EITHER THE KIDS ARE LISTENING TO VETERAN BANDS WHO ARE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, OR YOU HAVE THE HIPSTER SCENE WITH BANDS POPPING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE, JUST TO BE WIPED OFF THE RADAR A YEAR LATER. MY PHILOSOPHY FOR A BAND LIKE BLOODLIGHTS, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO STICK AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, AND PROVE YOURSELF OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THE FANS YOU GET ALONG THE WAY ARE LOYAL, AND THEY WILL STAY WITH YOU FOREVER. IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO GET THERE, AND MOST MUSICIANS SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SUCH FACTS.

SJM: You keep your fans up-to-date via your MySpace-site regularly. How important is MySpace for you as a band? Do you think it's a great possibility to promote a band?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: I THINK IN THE END IT´S MORE OF A QUICK-GUIDE FOR THE CONSUMER, RATHER THAN A GREAT WAY FOR THE BANDS TO PROMOTE THEMSELVES. I GUESS MOST PEOPLE TODAY ARE JUST GETTING REALLY LAZY. THEY CAN GO AND CHECK OUT SOMETHING FOR THIRTY SECONDS, AND FROM THERE THEY MAKE UP THEIR OPINION ABOUT A BAND. OF COURSE I USE THIS MYSELF SOMETIMES TOO, BUT I CAN´T REALLY SAY IT´S SUCH A GREAT THING FOR THE BANDS. ON MYSPACE PEOPLE EVEN HAVE TO LISTEN TO SOME MP3 FILES THAT SOUNDS LIKE SHIT, AND AS A BAND YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION. NOT SURE IF THOSE CRAPPY FILES ON MYSPACE IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE THAT FIRST IMPRESSION.

SJM: As long as we’re on the topic of youth bands - where do you feel the industries’ headed?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: I TRY NOT TO THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT THE INDUSTRY IN GENERAL. I GUESS FROM THE THINGS I JUST SAID ABOUT OUR IDEOLOGY FOR THE BAND AND ABOUT DISCOVERING BANDS THROUGH MYSPACE ETC. WE´RE PRETTY MUCH ON THE OUTSIDE. EVERYTHING IS CHANGING AND IT´S CHANGING FAST. THE PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THIS IS HAPPENING IS THAT ONCE AGAIN IT MAKES THING EASIER FOR THE CONSUMER, WHICH IS GOOD. THE BAD THING IS THAT FOR EVERY DIME YOU CHOOSE TO SAVE AS A CONSUMER IT HURTS THE PERFORMER. KIDS TODAY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FREE DOWNLOADING AS A FUCK OFF TO THE MULTI NATIONAL CORPORATE INDUSTRY. IF THE SAME KIDS KNEW THAT THE COSTS OF MAKING A RECORD STARTS WAY BEFORE ANY CORPORATE FUCKER PUTS HIS GREEDY HANDS ON IT, THINGS MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE MORE CLEAR. AS A RESULT OF ALL THIS, THE LABELS BARELY PAY ANY STUDIOCOSTS. UNFORTUNATELY RECORDING AN ALBUM IS REALLY EXPENSIVE, AND THE BILLS NEEDS TO BE PAID NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF ARTIST OR BAND YOU ARE.

SJM: Whether you’re going punkrock or punk'n'roll or pop-punk - it tends to be a youth oriented movement. How do you as Bloodlights stay young in the genre?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: THE ONLY WAY TO STAY YOUNG IS TO FEEL YOUNG. YOU ALSO HAVE TO KNOW YOUR PLACE, AND BUILD AN IMAGE WHO REFLECTS WHO YOU ACTUALLY ARE. WE DON´T WANNA LOOK OR SOUND LIKE A BAND OF FOUR 20 YEAR OLD KIDS. WE PLAY ROCK´N´ROLL WHICH IS TIMELESS, AND CAN APPEAL TO EVERYTHING BETWEEN 15 YEARS OLD GIRLS AND 50 YEARS OLD GUYS.

SJM: Just let's briefly talk about your plans in early 2010. What are the most important aims and plans with Bloodlights? What is about to happen?

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: THE PLAN IS VERY SIMPLE. WE JUST NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND DO AS MANY SHOWS AS POSSIBLE IN AS MANY COUNTRIES POSSIBLE.

SJM: I always leave the last statement for the band. Is there anything you might want to add or just say? Then please, be my guest:

Captain Poon / Bloodlights: I´D JUST SAY TO THE READERS OUT THERE. IF YOU LIKE ROCK´N´ROLL AND YOU LIKE LEAVE ALL THE SHIT IN LIFE BEHIND FOR A WHILE, PICK UP OUR NEW RECORD “SIMPLE PLEASURES” AND MAKE SURE YOU CATCH US LIVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

(Dennis Grenzel)