Interview with Moon Safari

1. Hello and thanks to accept to answer to our questions. First is about the name of the band: how it came you choose Moon Safari?.

I just saw the name Moon Safari roll by on the TV screen at the end of an MTV video back in 1998, it was a song by AIR and the album was…Moon Safari. The music didn’t really catch my attention but the name did, and when I mentioned it to Petter he really liked it and we decided that would be the name of our band. We didn’t start it until 2003 but the idea for the band started to form around that time.

2. What were main sources of inspiration for your music? Was any particular band or artist that influenced you?

We’re inspired by so many different genres and artists, but something that unites us is that we’ve always had great respect for the Beatles. The song writing, lyrics, playing and so on. In a way they were the first prog band, Sgt Pepper I’m sure influenced both The Who, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes and all the greats that came after that made big, imposing music like we try to do.

3. Your comeback and “Himlabacken 2” were high rated by prog magazines. How did you feel with a new album after 10 years and starting being active again?

It’s a great feeling to have it out and last winter was so fun when we started to get people’s reactions, most of which have been really positive. We won’t wait 10 years to release the next album, that’s for sure.

4. We read that your “family” increased a lot in 10 years? Do members of families likes music played by Moon Safari? Are any of your children playing music or dream to become musicians?

Many more kids than back in 2013 when we released Himlabacken Vol. 1, that definitely played a part slowing down the processor Vol. 2, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be, the kids come first. But now as they grow up it’s super cool to bring them to our shows and show them what their old dads can do. They’re all interested in music I think, Moon Safari 2.0 is in good hands!

5. You were surprised when we contacted you to play in our festival? At this moment you don’t have a specific tour for 2024. What are your intentions for the next year?

Yes, it was a great surprise! We can’t wait to play. Most prog promotors are in the UK, Germany, Holland, Japan and the US, so we’re really excited to visit Romania and Buzau, This will be our first time in Romania and in eastern Europe in general so we’ll be really fired up to win over some new listeners!

6. You are a quite independent band that produce on yourself the albums? Is it easier than to enrolled with a big record company?

We definitely value our independence, but that also came out of a real disinterest in the band from mainstream labels and even the bigger prog labels, and Tomas Bodin from the Flower Kings who produced our first album back in 2005 basically told us to start our own company and do it ourselves, we did and now that’s been a point off pride ever since. Obviously it has it’s draw backs, we don’t have the same reach as a big label so getting the word out is more tricky, and we actually tried again before Himlabacken Vol. 2 to find another home for the music, but again little interest from bigger labels. But that’s fine, we do alright with a hardcore fanbase that help us and still buy music in physical formats and pay for downloads. If the only revenue was streaming we’d be out of business in a month for sure, so thank god for real music lovers.

7. What kind of music do you listen home and when you have time?

I can’t speak for the other guys but in my house atm it’s Sepultura and Meshuggah, my kids of three and five are going through a metal phase, that’s really fun. Next week it might be Eurovision so I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.

8. What should audience from Buzau expect from Moon Safari?

I would say a lot of adrenalin and a lot of melody driven prog rock with soaring vocals, huge solos and a lot of drama. Again, we can’t wait to play!

Tolea Postovei

August 10, 2024

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