TSOOL: A Soundtrack For Your Summer

When you can’t swing your arm without hitting another bubble gum pop music act, it’s refreshing to turn to The Soundtrack of Our Lives, a Swedish band of six males that’s been around the block – their psychedelic rock is influenced by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Swedish folk, punk and everything in between.

The 12-year-old band gained an international cult following in 2003 with a Best Alternative Album Grammy nomination and their latest album, Communion, is a creative retro-rock 24 track work (each track represents the hour of one day). Before TSOOL head our way to headline the InMusic Festival on Aug 9, lead singer Ebbot Lundberg spoke to tbj by phone from Sweden to illuminate more about the band’s spiritual sound, what it’s like to fight with psychedelic rockers and who’s the greatest rock band alive ...

the Beijinger: TSOOL been to China before and performed in Beijing. What were your impressions of China?
Ebbot Lundberg: I was surprised about the food – it was so good. The Chinese food we eat in Sweden is completely different from the real thing in China. Also, we saw some of the art world and saw Asian music mixed with European music. I had a notion that things were moving very quickly and that there would be a big change. Buildings were popping up everywhere, and we could see the old culture mixing with the brand new. There was so much energy. We also traveled to Shenzhen which was like seeing science fiction.

tbj: What was it like playing in Beijing?
EL: It was a really good feeling to connect with the people. They had never heard us. That was an experience to connect with everybody.

tbj: Why will you only perform in the InMusic festival?
EL: We’re going on tour in Germany and are only flying in for one show in China. We’ll be there for three days. But it’s something we want to do, and we plan to do a bigger tour later on. Hopefully, we won’t be too jet-lagged.

tbj: But why aren’t you performing in Beijing during your three days in China?
EL: I’m sorry – no one has really told me. Are we not performing in Beijing?

tbj: You’re performing only at the InMusic Festival, four hours north of Beijing.
EL: Well, that’s interesting! Thank you for letting me know – nobody told me! So we’ll end up in Inner Mongolia…good place to meditate.

tbj: The band formed in 1995 – the six of you have been together a long time. How have you grown and changed as a band?
EL: I was part of the band Union Carbide Productions which was underground and like Nirvana. In fact, we were asked to be on the same label as Nirvana, but we didn’t believe in signing with them. They were big fans of us, really. Oh, well.
In the beginning, we all came from different semi-famous groups. When we formed, we were known as a super group. We didn’t’ really know each other, but we’ve grown into each other since we’ve been together for 12 years.

tbj: Your music is about spirituality and is psychedelic. Do you ever get caught up in silly things like fighting amongst each other?

EL: Of course! Everybody’s different. We try to get along. In the end, the music comes first – it’s the essence of everything. Most albums are a struggle but for Communion, the last album, it was so easy. We didn’t even bother to have a fight.

tbj: Your music is described as psychedelic rock, alternative rock and
in your words, “space rock.” Can you elaborate on what this means?
EL: It’s very metaphysical. It’s a reflection of what we are moving towards and what’s going on in the planet. Music should be a reflection. You feel things in the air and pick things up and find words. It’s about intuition. It’s a present day thing, where we are right now. It’s influenced by the revolving times we live in now, and it’s very spiritual level.

tbj: How did you find your particular sound?
EL: We listened to things kids listened to in the West. We grew up on Swedish folk, the Beatles and the Stones – 60s bands. And then I started playing punk when I was 15. Our sound is a mix of everything we’ve ever picked up. We’ve formed our own identity as a band.

tbj: Many of your songs have been used as soundtracks for films, such as the 2004 movie In Good Company. With the name of your band, I have to ask – how does it feel to have your music played as a soundtrack in these shows?
EL: I find it quite funny. During In Good Company, they play our song while a character is crashing a car. I found it so funny, but it depends on the film. Hopefully we will end up in a more spiritual movie, but it’s all good.

tbj: You’ve toured a lot. How has your touring style or attitude changed since you started as a band?
EL: You learn all the time. Sometimes you tour too much, which we probably did, from 2001-2005. We were really exhausted. Now we pick places we want to go and try not to tour too much. But we still have the Eastern world and South America to explore.

tbj: On your inspiration, you once said that the “source has always been the atmosphere where we live.” Do all the band members still reside in Sweden?
EL: Yes. I think we are all really rooted in Sweden. I think if we moved, it would be to Canada, because it’s pretty similar to Sweden with the nature. But Sweden, this is where we belong. I live by the sea on the west coast of Sweden. I can’t really breathe anywhere else.

tbj: Noel Gallagher of Oasis once called TSOOL one of the greatest rock acts
around – who would you say is one of the greatest rock bands around?
EL: I would agree with him – ha! But I would also say Silver Bullet from Sweden is one of the greatest rock bands around.

tbj: What do you think about the newer acts emerging from Sweden that are receiving international claim, such as Jose Gonzalez, Lykke Li and Peter, Bjorn and John?

EL: I really love Jose Gonzalez. He’s really good. I like his expression. And Bjorn from Peter Bjorn and John played with our band during our US tour – so we know them. As for Lykke Li – she’s interesting. I saw her live for the first time a few weeks ago.

tbj: You once said that you want the transformation into weightlessness
and to let go of the ego. How do you get in touch with your spirituality?
EL: I should meditate –I think I need that. Right now my life is really hectic. But I just walk around in the woods where I live with my dogs and that’s my meditation. It’s also good to snorkel in the sea.

tbj: What do you like to listen to on the road?
EL: Old jazz or Coltrane.

tbj: Do you think about making another radio hit when you write your music?
EL: I don’t listen to the radio that much. The music they play is really bad. Soulless, empty, with no expression – it’s just horrible. That’s why we are trying to make something that we wish existed.

tbj: You said Communion was a concept album and should be listened to in
its entirety. Tell me more about the album.
EL: It’s like going to a trip or taking a ride. It’s very ambitious. It started off with “Babel,” which is about the globalization of the language and what happens when everybody understands one language again – from the myth of Babel. Then it goes into different mental states and goes through different subjects. It ends up with “Passover” that everything was a dream. It’s like a movie. It has all the diverse sounds that we’ve been messing around with during the years. This time we actually didn’t compromise. This album just created itself, and it’s very positive. It’s interesting to see where it will go and how people will respond. You have to listen to it a couple of times to get into it.

tbj: What are your future plans?
EL: We have recordings to go back to and finish. Then we’re going to tour in England and Europe.

tbj: Do you ever tire of making music?
EL: For me, it’s always exciting. That’s how I survive. I can’t really live without making music. I write 99 percent of the lyrics. Besides singing, I play some guitar and piano on the records and onstage, I play the harp, harmonica, and an old flute.

The Soundtrack of Our Lives performs on Aug 9 at the InMusic Festival. For info on the festival and a more comprehensive line-up, click here.

Related Blogs: Tricks Are For Kids: Tricky Heads Our Way