From: ?
- 1987
"August 19, 1963."
Lives:
"In a flat outside Stockholm."
What were you like at school?
"I tried to have fun. I did my studying as well, but I wasn't that interested in lessons. EUROPE were playing together as a band when we were still in school, so the only thing any of us were interested in was music."
Hobbies:
"I love just taking off and driving for miles in my Volkswagen Golf. I turn up the cassette really loud and just relax."
Favorite singer?
"David Bowie and a guy called Gary Barden, who used to sing with a heavy rock band called The Michael Schenker Group."
What's your favorite Bon Jovi song?
"I really like Bon Jovi. Their album's very good. I like 'Livin' on a Prayer' a lot."
First crush?
"It was a girl called Mia. We were both nine years old, and I thought she was beautiful. I spent two weeks trying to ask her out, but she just wasn't interested."
Worst date you ever went on?
"When I was about 15, I took my girlfriend to a Midsummer evening party. They're very traditional in Sweden. Anyway I took her to a boat party, but nothing went right. The boat sprung a leak and everyone was called off deck. I ended up just walking her home."
Who wears the trousers in your relationships with women?
"I'm not a very bossy person, but women don't boss me about either. I'm very absent-minded. Usually when I'm out with a girl, I'm daydreaming about something or other. The girl does all the talking and I usually keep quiet."
What annoys you?
"Big headed people and traffic jams. The traffic's terrible in Stockholm now because there's so much snow around."
Who perms your hair?
"My girlfriend because she's a hairdresser. Actually my roots need doing. It's a bit of a state at the moment."
Why do so many rock and roll people wear leather trousers?
"Er.... I don't know, I don't wear them that often. I only wear them on stage. Otherwise I just like wearing a pair of black jeans. I'm not really into clothes. I had my most embarrassing moment while wearing a pair of leather trousers. I was on stage and they split on the crotch. I didn't notice, but the audience did. I wondered why everyone started screaming..."
Are EUROPE a bad-assed, heads down, no nonsense rock band?
"Er... No. I don't think you can put our music into any category. We're not a heavy rock band and we're not a pop band. I think we're a (wait for it...) a melodic rock band."
Is Sweden a groovy, happening place to live?
"It's nice but it's not that groovy. Actually I'm thinking of moving. It's a toss up between Paris or London."
Describe your bedroom?
"There's a massive double bed. That's about it really. It's the most important thing isn't it?"
What's your favorite chocolate?
"I never eat chocolate or sweets. I spend most of my time eating sandwiches, because we're always so busy we never have time to eat properly."
Favorite food:
"Mexican food. I love hot and spicy things. And English pubs. Whenever we're in London we go on a... what do you call it? A pub crawl?"
Are you very health conscious? Do you like saunas and being slapped with birch twigs? (A traditional Swedish pastime after a sauna)
"I don't like saunas, no. And I don't like being slapped with birch twigs. It's the Finnish people who are into that actually. Swedes are more into fitness, jogging and sun beds. That's why when you come to Stockholm in the middle of a winter, everyone has a tan."
What would you be doing if you weren't in EUROPE?
"Just after I left school I really got into gymnastics. I was a bit of a wizard on the rings and the parallel bars. I won a medal once. After that it was go kart racing. I became a really good driver. I was the fourth best in the whole of Sweden, but at the same time EUROPE was starting to happen so I gave it up."
What do you have to immediately after this interview?
"I've got 150 cards to sign from fans. And after that I might go and get my hair cut. Just a trim, though!"
