SOURCE – First of all, congratulations with the release of City of Sin. I recently heard the album and it was mind blowing! How is the reaction so far with the album?
Christian Nørgaard (Guitar) – Mixed to be honest. The major part of reviewers and people in the music business that has heard it thinks it fantastic, fortunately, but there is also a part of the reviewers, mainly from the metal-scene, that are a bit more so so. That’s just the way it is. We are rockband, and we don’t aime to please everyone… Hahaha.
SOURCE – It can be difficult to hold on to a sound you’ve become known for while also trying to explore new musical areas ?
Christian Nørgaard (Guitar) – In our case it’s not that difficult really. A lot of the sound is dictated from the way the double bass sounds and works which actually work as a limit for what we actually can do with this format. That limit, fortunately, is also a great catalysator for creative ideas because you stop focus on being creative, and just focus on making something works within those limits and then suddenly great things happens… It’s magic… hahaha.
SOURCE – You work with Jacob Hansen and Rob Caggiano. Can you give us a few details about recording this album?
Christian Nørgaard (Guitar) – The thing with Rob Caggiano was something that came into place back in 2015 when we were in the writing-proces of the album. I talked to him about that at a summer-party at Michael Poulsen’s house, and then he said: “Well, if you guys need a ripping solo just say then…” And off course we said: “Then”. He then recorded a lot more than a solo. He actually plays through the whole song, with some fills, some theme-guitar, some funny scrape over the strings, and then the solo off course.
Recording at Jacob Hansen was something we have wanted to do almost since we created Grumpynators 6 years ago. Both Jakob and me has tried to record at Jacob H’s studio when we did our different parts on the records of Volbeat, and in our perspective he is just the best producer/sound engineer Denmark has to offer… And we still think that by the way. The only thing he did, recording-wise, was to record the vocals. Everything else was recorded in Copenhagen at Jakob Gundels Studio (A lot of Jakobs J). And then he mixed and mastered the whole album.
SOURCE – Are there plans for a traditional video for that song or any others on the album?
Christian Nørgaard (Guitar) – Yes, so far it is planned to be the third single with video and all the other bells and whistles.
SOURCE – Which is more important in music – being intentionally novel and innovative or being consistent?
Christian Nørgaard (Guitar) – Neither, if you ask me. I’m interested in writing good songs. That’s the main priority. Should we, in that process, be innovative or for that matter consistent, fine. But, it is definitely not a target we have.
SOURCE – Apart from your own, whose records would you recommend to readers of Sourcewebzine.com.br? Why would you choose them?
Christian Nørgaard (Guitar) – For an international audience I think I would recommend the following Danish records:
Dizzy Mizz Lizzy | Forward In Reverse – Great record by a band that used be huge in Denmark, then they broke up and had a break for 15-20 years, and then they made a major comeback with this record. Awesome hard-rock recorded and produced by Jacob Hansen by the way.
Franklin Zoo – Red Skies – Post grunge with a singer, Rasmus Revsbech, that sings remarkely close to Chris Cornell. Not as party friendly as Grumpynators, but definitely something with a high integrity.
My old friends from Volbeat should off course also be on that list. My favorite is still Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood.
SOURCE – What’s the situation for your type of music where you live right now?
Christian Nørgaard (Guitar) – We have one semi-nationwide radiostation, called myROCK, that plays rock music in Denmark. The Danish National Radio almost doesn’t play any rock music. That said, the only thing that really can sell tickets to live concerts is the big Danish rockbands like: Volbeat, Dizzy Mizz Lizzy and D-A-D. So, in radio, not so good, live, very good.
SOURCE – Thanks for taking the time to allow me to interview you. Do you have any final words for the people at home?
Christian Nørgaard (Guitar) – That would be a huge shout-out to our supporters in Grumpynators True-pers. Hope to see a lot of you guys at our release-party!
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