There’s not many bands out there that you can genuinely say that 12 albums in they are making the music of their lives but following up the wonderful 2018 release ‘You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N’ Roll‘ Hardcore Superstar have a real monster on their hands when they release ‘Abrakadabra’ on March 25th. The Rockpit has been following the band since well before we launched the website in 2009 and they’re never let us down. On record these guys sound awesome, but as a live band they are in a class of their own. As we always do with a new Hardcore Superstar album we got on Zoom with Jocke to discuss whey Abrakadabra is going to set your world alight!
Mark: Hi mate how are you? Thanks so much for checking in with The Rockpit today.
Jocke: Hey mate! (laughs)
Mark: It’s been a while but it feels like so much longer! Last time I saw you was in Melbourne!
Jocke: At Max Watts!
Mark: That’s the place. For many people down in Australia you were one of the last international bands that we saw before the world changed.
Jocke: Crazy times. Cool and sad.
Mark: I have to say that after getting the album last year and living with it so long now it’s still amazing, one of your best!
Jocke: Thank you very much.
Mark: I read through the press release when it arrived and came to the line that it was probably the album you should have released after the ‘Black album’. Listening I completely get that, but tell us why from your point of view.
Jocke: Yeah, when we started to write the songs, teh music for this album it was just before the pandemic and during the pandemic so we started to write songs like we’re taking now, through Zoom. And we did that back and firth for like six or seven months until we had the album. So after that for the next few months we got together in the same room with a distance of 5 metres from each other because of the pandemic. And when the songs started to come along and take their form we all of us thought it sounded like the ‘Black album’ 2.0, you know? So we thought why don’t we call up Johan who produced the ‘ Black album’ so we did that and he said “Send me the songs and I’ll listen to them.” So we sent him some rehearsal demos and stuff and he loved it, so he was on the train immediately. Because if you listen to the ‘Back album’ and then sound to this album it sounds like the follow up.
Mark: I completely get that, I think it does and it’s a great way of describing the feel of it.
Jocke: Yeah.
Mark: Definitely my album of the year so far.
Jocke: Oh, thank you!
Mark: So many great songs, ‘Catch Me if You Can’ is one that really stands out, I love ‘All For One’ and ‘Throw a Brick’ which I think is one of my favourites on the album. But then to close with something like ‘Fighter’ is perfect. It’s wonderful stuff. I was lucky enough to catch your very first visit to Australia…
Jocke: Wow! (laughs) That was way back, in 2008? Was it?
Mark: Yeah, the second album had just come out and you were getting a lot of airplay with ‘Someone Special’ and I’ve been listening ever since. One of very few bands who have never disappointed me! But since then you’ve got a huge and growing fanbase down here now.
Jocke: Yeah, we saw that when we were there with Buckcherry. It’s great to have that and it’s getting better and better every time. And now we have Danny from Silverback Touring! (laughs)
Mark: Yes a great guy to have on your team and I know he’s raring to get you over again! It’s still strange times over here but things are getting better and I know the borders will be open soon (They are now – this interview was done back in February before the borders opened), how are things in Europe at the moment for shows?
Jocke: Actually we got news today that the restrictions are here for a few more weeks and then all of the restrictions will go and Covid 19 will be classed like ‘flu’ and Denmark have taken al of their restrictions away.
Mark: Wow let’s hope there’s more to come, things are certainly changing.
Jocke: Yeah hopefully! (laughs)
Mark: What do you think is going to make the setlist this tour Jocke. My dilemma is whenever you release a new album there’s always so much I want to hear. How do you
Jocke: We did 20 shows this fall, and I think I’ve got a setlist somewhere! (Jocke searches and pulls out a setlist) We opened up with ‘Catch Me if You Can’ then we went straight to… how can I not remember this! ‘Electric Rider’ (From ‘You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘n’ Roll’) then ‘We Don’t Celebrate Sundays’.
Mark: That’s a heck of an opening!
Jocke: But if you’re talking about the new songs we did ‘Catch Me if You Can’, ‘Dreams in Red’, and ‘Weep When You Die’ from the new album.
Mark: Three great songs.
Jocke: Yeah.
Mark: You mentioned writing a little differently this time – over Skype initially. How hard is that? Do you share ideas first then work them up over the internet?
Jocke: Yeah, someone has a riff or a title or a lyric then we start to write around that. Adde (Magnus ‘Adde’ Andreasson) the drummer in the band is the main writer so the most songs on this album came from him. Once we have the ides we talk about them, I maybe want to do a twist here, or sing like that. I mean of the 23 years together we know each other and we respect each other and when you grow up that bond gets stronger, we were in our twenties, I turned 48 now! I don’t want to be 20again! I’m more calm now, I’m wiser now, I don’t get irritated over small things. But when you’re in your early 20’s you would kill to get your name under the title of the song, but we have always shared everything 25% each because we all do so much. I do a lot of interviews, Adde is the main writer, but we write together and everyone does his part in the band, everyone puts in. So why not let the guys that do certain things best do those things? I do the interviews Mark as you know because I like to talk! (laughs)
Mark: (laughs)
Jocke: I think with young bands there’s a lot of jealousy but when you get older you get rid of the jealousy and keep looking forward.
Mark: I love that sense of democracy and comradery, and it’s certainly working! I just find it incredible that a band especially these last two albums is writing material just as string as I guess what you would consider your classics! I loved You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘n’ Roll’ but I think I love ‘Abrakadabra’ just a little bit more!
Jocke: (laughs) Exactly! Mark, I talked to a journalist from Switzerland before and he said a good thing, that when he listens to our new music we still have the teenage angst, the teenage power but we’re not teenagers anymore. That’s because we still want to write songs that we love ourselves. And if we write songs we love ourselves it’s gonna show when you listen to it live or on the album. We want to write songs that you can take your first like this (Jocke clenches his first and throws it in the air) and say “I’m gonna kick your fucking ass tonight!” We’re still like that!
Mark: You’ve hit the nail on the head!
Jocke: If you ask my wife I’m eighteen (points to his head) – I’m eighteen here!
Mark: That’s so right and with a song like ‘All For One’ that’s lyrically what we’re talking about!
Jocke: Yeah, absolutely.
Mark: Tell us about the last song ‘Fighter’ do a lot of your songs start out like that before they get worked on? Is that acoustic approach something that works for you as a band when writing songs, or does it depend on who has written them?
Jocke: Yeah it depends who has written them. But every one of us has an acoustic guitar so of course we sit down in our homes and just jam. But Adde wrote this song, he’s talking about us actually because we’ve been around for so many years and we’ve been fighters. 23 years and we kept on going – we never stopped, and we’re going to do a video of that one which will be cool.
Mark: You certainly are. I know when you started out the part of the world you were from was best known for Metal, so Hardcore Superstar’ sound was very different to what was around you then.
Jocke: Yeah.
Mark: And I think over the years a lot of bands have listened to that sound and you have influenced so many other bands.
Jocke: Yeah I think that’s because we’re combining the Hard Rock and the Thrash and the Sleaze. I mean if you listed to us today we’re not a Sleaze band anymore, we’re more of a Hard Rock band. A regular Hard Rock band that plays good Rock and Roll.
Mark: You know what they say there’s only two types of music, good and bad, but Rock and Roll will never die.
Jocke: (laughs) Exactly! Actually Mark I told a journalist from France, he asked “So if I go to a record store where can I find your music?” I think he meant what genre so I said “You just go to the section where it reads ‘Good Fucking Music’!”
Mark: (laughs)
Jocke: And we’ll be there! (laughs)
Mark: Absolutely! It’s always a pleasure to talk to you Sir, I know we’ve caught up many times over the years, let’s hope the next time is when you hit our shores later this year!
Jocke: I think Danny is working on that now. Even in Australia you’ll be opened up soon!
Mark: The East Coast is about to open and we’ll be there by the end of the year but at the moment if I want to visit the East Coast I have to quarantine for 14 days when I get home in a Hotel! (Things have changed now of course – we spoke last month).
Jocke: 14! Fuck! (laughs) Oh my God! That’s an expensive concert ticket! (laughs) I promise if you do that I’ll put you on the guest list!
Mark: (laughs) I’ll get saving up now!
Jocke: (laughs)
Mark: I think I said in the review that there’s a lot of great music on ‘Abrakadabra’ and no little magic. Another great Rock and Roll record out on March 25th. Thanks so much for taking the time to check in again at The Rockpit Jocke, I know we’ve done many interviews over the years and it’s great to see that your fanbase continues to grow.
Jocke: Thank you Mark. Catch you on tour!
Mark: Any last message for Australian fans ahead of when we see you next?
Jocke: Of course. I just want to say that we miss you guys and it’s not my fault the pandemic came, so I think it’s time to kick the pandemic right in the fucking face, so we can come down to Australia again and raise some hell!
Mark: Sounds great mate! Take care Jocke stay safe!
Jocke: Take care Mark, cheers!
Check out the ‘ABRAKADABRA’ Review HERE
