We always find the most interesting musicians around the world and it's a pleasure to introduce Jon Magnusson, a Swedish songwriter and musician with a wide range of musical talent. Read on to find more about his music!
Welcome! Please tell
us a little about your background and where you are from.
I'm from Stockholm, Sweden and I have been playing music
since I was a little kid. But I've been doing it more seriously the last 2.5
years.
What kind of music do
you play and why did you choose this genre?
I started playing mostly indie and folk but with time I have
explored new genres like jazz and progressive rock. I have even done some
electronica and hip hop collaborations.
It’s great to
explore! Who was your greatest influence to follow in the music career? Why?
I use to say I have three big influences: 1. Swedish and
British punk 2. Leonard Cohen 3. Simon & Garfunkel.
Excellent influences!
Do you also write the lyrics and compose the songs?
I do almost everything. From writing music and lyrics to
producing and recording. I do collaborate with two great producers/engineers as
well.
Very creative! You seem to be involved in most of the production of your music. When
was the first time you performed live and how did you feel?
2 years ago in a little venue in Stockholm and I was dead
nervous but on stage it felt amazing.
I bet it was
nerve-wracking but I’m sure you are pretty comfortable performing! Is there a
specific performance you feel was your best so far? If so, where and why?
A gig I did at a pub in Brighton, UK. A lot of people showed
up and even though almost no one knew my music I got them to sing-along to the
last song.
Fantastic! What do
you enjoy the most about your interaction with the fans?
That it gives me both encouragement and inspirations to
write new songs. I love when people share their story with me.
Awesome. You just
mentioned that your fans give you inspiration to write new songs, but is there
anywhere else that makes you draw inspiration to compose?
From a lot of different places. Real life experience,
literature, other's experiences. I also like writing from others perspective,
build up a character and try to imagine myself in his or her shoes.
What are you working
on now and what are your plans for the future? Where can we find and buy
your music?
I recently finished an instrumental EP that's more prog
folk/jazz/psychedelic and I'm planning the release of it. Then you'll never
know what I will come up with :) Best place is via my website www.jonmagnusson.se where
you can find links to all different places where you can buy/stream my music.
Congratulations on your newest release! Is there anything
else you'd like to add?
I love getting to know my listeners so please get in touch
via e-mail or my messenger m.me/jonmagnussonof
Thank you so much for your time, and we wish you lots of
success in your music career!
Jow: My father was a musician, he played drums in several
bands in the 60's (dressed up like the Beatles of which he was a fan). He was
also an illustrator. Music and arts live in my veins thanks to him. I remember always singing over the radio in the car when I was very young. Everybody
told me that I’d surely be a singer someday... but I never thought that it
would come true. In high school, I was in a choir, started to play guitar, had
an all-girl band, The Censured Ladies, we were playing Nirvana and Green Day
and I was a DJ at the student radio. The music I played was only underground
music.
I founded Innervoice, my folk solo project in 1994 but
started to play outside my room in 2008. In 2006, when I was looking for
musicians for Innervoice, I was approached to sing in a band that soon became Blame
Adrianne, a Stoner-Rock band. I was featured in several projects as a back
vocalist live or in studio (Hardluck Battleground, Speakeasy, Psychic Octopus,
Unveil, etc). In 2011, I became officially part of Unveil as the lead singer and
I started the band Les Gilles Thunder, a Country-Humorous-Trash band. I did a
few music chronicles on the net and for campus radio, CFAK. I've been judge in
a local music contest for 7 years and I'm a booker for a little festival in our
town called Familifête.
So, I think, as you can read, that the secret of my voice is
that I always sang, in different styles and whatever I do I'm always in
relation with music or arts.
Your voice is fantastic! What's the story behind the band's
name?
Alain: We wanted a name that evoked storytelling and
mystery. So we brainstormed ideas around a first name I brought to the table:
Dream Spinner. At one point someone said: Unveil and the room went silent.
Perfect.
That’s a pretty cool name for a band. Who was your greatest
influence to follow in the music career? Why?
Jow: Oh my! The 100$ question! Haha! I don't want to be like
someone else, I want to do things my way. There's A LOT of singers that I
admire, but I don't want to be a clone. I can say that my biggest influence is
Grunge and Rock music because I grew in the 80's and when I listen to this
music it give me this real satisfaction like the first time I listened to it
when I was young.
It’s great to be unique! Do you also write the lyrics and
compose the songs?
Jow: Yes. Since I started to play music. I always wrote the
lyrics of my songs and compose music. I'm known for my catchy melodies. I've
wrote 2 texts in our latest album The Deep Sleep: Captain's Flesh and Listen to
yourself. And I've already 4 others in construction for the future. In Unveil,
Alain and I write each on our side and after that we show each other our texts.
The melody and the main music is created by the two of us. After that, we play
it to the guys and they add their touch to it.
When was the first time you performed live and how did you
feel?
Jow: When I was in high school, I performed a lot (talent
show, choir, lipsync, theater). The stage was the only place where I wasn't
shy. But as a singer in a band, my first time was in 2007 with my band
Blame Adrianne. The bar was crowded, I was so nervous, all my clothes was
soaking wet of sweat before I began. I clung to my mic stand the entire set. I
think it intimidated me less to know that I was hiding behind it. Ha ha! But I
quickly got rid of it. I need to go in the crowd and jump on the stage now!!
Sounds like a lot of fun! Is there a specific performance
you feel was your best so far? If so, where and why?
Jow: Yes, at our launch party for The Deep Sleep. It was in
a cool little bar in our hometown, the place was crowded with our friends and
family. I was touched by all this love. I cried before the show. The dynamic in
the band was like "we are one"! We were ready, happy and excited to
play. The feeling was awesome!
That must have been thrilling! What do you enjoy the most
about your interaction with the fans?
Jow: The crowd nourish me when I perform. They are the
important ingredient to do a great show! I like to speak with them, know them
better, having their feedback to improve ourselves. Fans are why we are alive.
How do you draw inspiration to write your music?
Jow: I draw inspiration from a feeling I'm putting myself
in. I think of a main story and I wrap myself with the feeling that is
forwarded in the story and I write it down.
Great to write deep feeling music! What are you working on
now and what are your plans for the future? Where can we find and buy your
music?
Alain: For now, Jow and I are writing new material. When we
get a sense of the general direction these songs will take us, we will evaluate
our options. A new album, an EP, a concept show, a video series? At this point,
anything could happen. The songs will lead the way.
You can enjoy our two releases, The Deep Sleep and Codex
Noctem, on all major streaming/download sites (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.). If
you prefer videos, we have a web series entitled the Oblik session on
YouTube at http://bit.ly/OblikSession.
And for collectors, we have limited edition book-style CD of our new album “The
Deep Sleep” available at http://bit.ly/UnveilCDs
I really enjoy your sound and I’ll be looking forward to new
releases. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Jow: Thank you very much for you interest in our band. It's
always a pleasure to do interviews. Hope you like it. You can keep in touch with us and be noticed
of all the latest news on our website: www.unveil616.com
Rock on! Jow
Thank you so much to Jow and Alain from Unveil for this
great interview!
To sample their music and find out more about the band, here
are some cool links:
