In June 2005 I had the chance to interview the Swedish trio Quelles Paroles.
Here are the questions:

You guys are from Sweden, but where do you come from exactly?
We all live in Malmö in the south of Sweden, near Copenhagen.

What are your day jobs that bring home the bacon?
MJ:
Mailman, dishwasher and in my sparetime I sell myself.
AA:
I am a co-owner of a travel agency called Nätresebyrån. I started out with this business one and a half years ago.
MH:
From now on I'm Andy's slave J! But seriously, I work as a salesman and webmaster for the same firm mentioned.

I am a little bit into French, but what are the reasons calling your band 'Quelles Paroles' which means 'What kind of speeches', or similar?
MH:
We started out as qp but decided to use the full name later. The lyrics are important for us and the name could be a little hint of that.
AA:
It's a bloody good name!!!
MJ:
I have no idea...

I recognized that a lot of new bands are coming from Sweden or the 'Ex-Sweden part' Norway, e.g. Lowe, Colony 5.
How do you explain this situation?
AA:
Who is Colony 5?
MJ:
I think that first of all, the electro scene in Sweden is growing and expanding as never before ... and second ... the conditions today when it comes to making music are far more cheap and easier than before. To make a long story short ...
MH:
I agree with Magnus. Nearly each and every person in Sweden uses a computer these days. The step is not far to install a sequencer and a synth and start making music. Maybe all Swedish electronic bands can take advantage of the fact that Sweden in the 90's became a huge music selling and producing country. Thanks to Roxette, Ace of Base and the Cardigans J!
AA:
Already in the 70's ABBA broke the ground with their, at the time, pretty experimental productions, started using the studios as an instrument.

Your music consists of both acoustic and electronic elements and is kept melancholy.
Who are your examples and what kind of audience do you want to reach?
MH:
Depeche Mode, The Cure, Kraftwerk, Erasure, Radiohead, Nitzer Ebb to name a few ... KENT and Moby are great too.
MJ:
I guess we all have a similar background when it comes to influences. I, on the other hand, can enjoy the tunes of underground electro as well as mainstream music as long as the idea is worth a listen.
AA:
If Magnus would stop babbling ... I like the poppier sounds and I can't stand Nitzer Ebb and that kind of music. My best bet is Yazoo - it won't get better than that!
MH:
Don't forget U2!
MJ:
Don't forget Miss Kitten.
AA:
Oh dear! Don't forget ... eh ... never mind!  *everybody laughs*
Audience-wise we would obviously want to reach people between 20-60 that can afford to buy cd's and also can relate to the 80's.
MH:
We seem to have one leg in the pop-scene and one in the electronic scene. People categorize us like the one or the other but we think and hope that we could appeal all kinds of listeners.
MJ:
MJ: I really don't give a rat's ass, as long as they don't throw bottles or anything rotten on me while performing on stage - or backstage J.

You basically produce mid-speed tracks and ballads.
What do you prefer, danceable and catchy songs with a hooking beat or sensitive and authentic ballads?
MJ:
Haha, my favourite question. I seem to be the only one in the band with an urgent need of harder and faster beats in the songs. Like Scooter ... ha ha, well - not really!
I do, however, like both types but on stage and in clubs I prefer the catchy ones.
AA:
I'm not able to write up tempo songs anymore. I think its more feeling with songs between 80-115 bpm. I really enjoy listening to good old 'Just Can't Get Enough'-like tune, though.
MH:
I don't WANT to write up tempo songs *laughs*. My opinion is that you loose that certain feeling with a fast track. I like more profound songs with a soul. The lyrics are very important too. As Andy mentions you get a good groove with the slower tracks.
I'm a concert person, not a club person. I really hate dancing!

How do you produce your music?
I mean, do you prepare a concept, followed by the production of the instrumental background and adding the lyrics at end?
MH:
Andy and I have a little studio in our own homes where we bring forward musical ideas. Very often we do a short piece and if we both like it, we begin working on it. Most often the musical ideas come first, but I write many lyrics that can lie around for months and suddenly it fits on well to a new musical idea.
AA:
I'm the master of 8 bar ditties! *haha* I can't finish a song on my own, the ONLY exception so far is a fairly new track called 'Deep'. Also I don't really care about the lyrics so I write some 'nonsense' lyrics that Marcus can use some words or phrases in.
MH:
We have been composing together over 10 years now and really enjoy it. The songs tend to be best when we produce them together. Lately, Magnus has gotten more and more involved in the producing and the vocal recordings.
MJ:
As said above, I don't take much part in the actual song composition. I sing and I try to do the best I can with my voice and at the same time steer Marcus away from sometimes totally impossible sentences to pronounce or to sing at all. I do come with up some ideas once in a while, but I prefer to stick with the lyrics.
MH:
Seems like we have to get a new singer *haha* No, I think Magnus has a great voice.

What are the backgrounds of your lyrics - own experience or fiction?
MJ:
I can just HOPE that the lyrics Marcus write aren't all his own experiences. Then we have a problem J!
MH:
Basically all lyrics are from my own souls 'surroundings' even if I get ideas from movies I watch or books I read. It tends to be much love and misery J
AA:
Even when I try to be serious it will only be some corny love story J.

You make use of acoustic and electric guitars. How important are the 'natural' sounds for your compositions?
AA:
I like 'real' drums and I think that adds body and weight to the songs. Acoustic guitars also work well with synthesizers. Being the 'electro nerd' in the band I always try to stop Marcus from using too many guitars and other horrible instruments J
MJ:
As long as it sounds good and makes the song sound the way you want, I don't see any reason to bother. I think that when it comes to performing the songs live there's a difference. The songs DO sound more alive with acoustic drums or/and real guitars. No doubt!
MH:
I really like bands that blend acoustic sounds with electronic ones. Depeche Mode, U2, Die Krupps and Cure for example. Just use the sound that fits the purpose in that particular song. I mean, it's hard to use any other instrument than an electric distorted guitar when you need edge. Acoustic drums are great too when you want a heavier sound. At the same time you never can replace the synthesizers when you want cool and different sounds.

You released some singles and E.Ps started with 'Grand Theft Audio' in 2003.
How has the response been from the community to your music?
MH:
We've got appraisal from a lot of people from different parts of the world. The latest fan was a girl in South Korea!! Germany and the Benelux-countries seem to like our music as well.
AA:
Common people seem to like it but the old farts at the record companies are tougher.
MJ:
Let's just say that nobody actually dislikes us, everyone seem to think that we sound good and better than the average non-signed bands around. That is of course a comfort, but still not enough. No one seems to have the courage to let us show people what we're all about.

When will you release your first full-length album?
MJ:
When Hell freezes over ....
AA:
Hahaha ... oh, that's bitter! Maybe when Marcus and I learn how to speed up our song writing J!
MH:
When we find that record company boss who gets our ideas.

How are your ambitions spreading your music to other continents?
I mean are you in contact with foreign labels, like A Different Drum?
MH:
Mainly we have tried to get a Swedish record-deal but lately we have more and more turned our focus abroad. We have sent our songs to quite a number of labels and it should be interesting to see what happens.
AA:
We were contacted by Johan Hallin that runs a site where you can buy unsigned artist (some signed independent artists as well) on-line. It's a GREAT site - www.mela.se - go check it out. It's in Swedish now so non Swedes need to go practice their Swedish! ;-) It will soon be translated into English as well.
MJ:
I guess you have a bigger chance winning the lottery than getting yourself a record deal by just sending a pure demo to a label. In our case, stuck with one leg in each genre, we need to come out and play live and in that way create a local audience. Slowly our name will be heard and recognized. Maybe THEN a record deal will follow.

From the email conversation with Magnus I know, that Quelles Paroles isn't a pure studio band.
How important are live gigs for you?
MJ:
Well, we couldn't actually live or perform live without our studio. Live gigs are the most important thing - at least for me. That's what it's all about to come out and show who you really are, that you really want and HAVE FUN! Music is nothing but having fun. And it is a great fun - for everyone around as well.
MH:
Well, I think we are more studio based than Pet Shop Boys and Kraftwerk *haha*. We will never be completely separated from backing tracks and so on. We use live guitars on stage, though. But it would be really great to perform with a real drummer on stage sometime! It would give the gigs an extra dimension! And for that matter Magnus is the soul and the heart of Quelles Paroles live.
AA:
I think it's extremely important to play live but for me it's the process of making sounds and songs more interesting. I really enjoy a gig and we hope to get some gigs abroad soon. Why not in Austria? *laughs*

Thank you some much for the amusing interview.
Now enjoy some snippets of their E.P. und single releases.

• Deep (Quality Parkas - anytime in 2005)
• High Hopes (Unity in Diversity - January 2005)
• Undress Me (First Class Second Hand - October 2003)
• Everlasting (Grand Theft Audio - April 2003)

Get further songs and videos directly from www.quellesparoles.com.

The copyright in these sound-files is owned by Quelles Paroles, Malmö - Sweden. For all files I got the exclusive authorization of Quelles Paroles. All sound-files are only for private use. Any commercial distribution and copy is prohibited.

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