- Hello, Martin! How are you doing? To start this interview, let's talk about the project that gave us the Protector's rebirth, named "Martin Missy and the Protectors". How did you decide to create that band? And how did it lead you to the Protector's reanimation? - The idea came up at a Nifelheim-aftershow-party in Stockholm in 2005. I met a Metalhead called Jonas Svensson there, and we talked about Metal for hours. During the conversation the idea of forming a Protector-coverband came up, and Jonas said he would find some guys in his hometown Uddevalla for this. A couple of months later he contacted me and said that he had found three Metalheads for the coverband: Carl-Gustav Karlsson (drums), Michael Carlsson (guitar) and Mathias Johansson (bass). In the beginning of 2006 we rehearsed together for the first time. Five years later we decided to reanimate Protector again, and to start writing new material. I talked to Hansi Müller (who founded the band together with Michael Hasse in 1986), and he said that he thought it was a good idea. In the autumn of 2011 we released a 4-track demo. - Later, with the same line-up but already as Protector you released "Reanimated Homunculus", the first full-length for 20 years. First of all, how would you explain the meaning of this title? - The Homunculus is another word for "Golem" (or artificial created person). Its "the return of the Golem" so to say. - What do you think about the album now, almost 2 years after its release? - I still like all the songs on the record. My bandcollegues, who wrote most of the riffs, did a very good job on the songs. - You were very careful choosing people to work on it: Thomas Skogsberg and his Sunlight Studio, Kristian Wahlin and his great artwork. How could you comment on the whole recordings/release process? How did you like that cooperation? - Tomas Skogsberg is a great producer. He is very calm and easy to work with. And he also brings in some own ideas, when he thinks that there is a part of the song that needs to be changed. And Kristian Wåhlin is a great artist, as you pointed out. I gave him an idea of what we would like for the cover, but in the end he did his own thing. I think it turned out great. - You wrote all the texts, what are the main topics that you are singing about? How important for you is to have meaningful lyrics in your songs? - There are a lot of different topics: Real life, history, science fiction, fun and mysticism. I'm not a person who is writing lyrics that try to change the world. I leave that to other artists. The main thing is that there is a cool / interetsting story and that the words fit in well with the riffs. - "Reanimated Homunculus" has been released with the help and support from High Roller Records. How do you like those guys? Do you think you get a good distribution and promotion globally around the world? - High Roller is a great record company. It is very easy to work with them. If there are any questions from our side, we get answers real quick. And they have a great staff that work with layout, mastering and public relations. And the distribution works out fine as well. - Do you consider that Protector now is as a German band or a Swedish one? In your last album we can see a tiny Swedish Death Metal influence already. Is that influence getting more noticeable with time? - We are a swedish band now, because we all live in Sweden. I don't know what the future will bring regarding the songwriting, but I think it will mainly be Thrash Metal with some Death-influences. - Have you started working on the new album? Do you have any news to share? - We have 9 songs ready, and the 10th (and last) song is on its way. In May we will go into the Sunlight Studios again to record the next album, which hopefully will be released in late summer 2015. - Back to the early 90s, What was the reason for you to leave the band after "Golem" release? What do you think about those albums recorded without your assistance? - I left the band in early 1989 because I got big psychological problems (panik- and anxiety-attacks). I returned to the band in the summer of 1989, recorded Urm the Mad, played one gig with the band in november 1989 and then left the band again, because I felt that the motivation had gone. I like all the recordings that Protector recorded without me. - Being in the underground for so many years, how could you compare the nowadays' music industry to the old days' one? Is there anything you miss in particular? And what do you like in it now? - I don't know if I miss something really. The concerts and the fans are pretty much the same as in the 80s with all their vests, bullet belts and stuff. The big difference is maybe that there are many, many more bands around. I have to be honest that I've given up to follow the scene and new bands a long time ago. I just can't keep up with the pace. - Tell us a bit about your another project, Zombie Lake! The line-up is impressive, how did you guys decided to have a band? Can we expect another album from you? - I have had contact with Derek Schilling (guitar) for about 10-11 years now. We tried to do something together back then, but it took a couple of years before we finally got it all together. The album "Plague of the Undead" was released in 2013. At the moment we are writing new songs, but I don't know exactly when everything will be finished and when the next record will be released. - Have you seen "The Protector" movie with Jackie Chan? - I have heard about it, but i haven't seen it. - Thank you, Martin. Would you like to say anything to our readers? - Stay Metal, feel free to visit our Facebook-page and maybe we'll see each other at a concert soon! |