"Estamos tratando de expandirnos para dejar de ser solo una banda al estilo Mötorhead-AC/DC"

English Version

Unos días después de saber que Scorpions las han invitado a su primera gira por Estados Unidos, la guitarrista y mente pensante detrás de Thundermother, Filippa Nässil, abre los ojos a tiempo para nuestra entrevista matutina. Desde la cama responde nuestras preguntas sobre su nuevo disco,  'Black and Gold', y aquí está el resultado. La banda ahora mismo está de gira por Estados Unidos y les deseamos muchos éxitos.

MIM: Diez minutos antes de esta entrevista, me imaginé algo similar al principio del videoclip de “Watch Out” cuando estás en la cama, escuchas el timbre del despertador, dices, “¡mierda, la entrevista!” y tiras el reloj contra la pared.

PN: Sí. Mi reloj todavía está roto.

MIM: Pero comencemos por “I Don´t Know You”, ¿por qué elegiste lanzar un video animado y quién lo hizo?

PN: Lo hicimos porque estábamos muy ocupadas. Giramos mucho, tenemos como cuatro conciertos cada semana y no teníamos tiempo de grabar un video físico porque “Watch Out” nos tomó dos días para hacerlo. Pensamos: “ojalá pudiéramos hacer un video animado que fuera genial”. Era un sueño tener un video animado porque es algo artesanal y además ahorrábamos tiempo. Nos recomendaron a los chicos de Studface Studios en Inglaterra, tienen mucho talento.

MIM: ¿Han pasado por situaciones como las que suceden en el video?

PN: Sí, hemos estado tocando en todo tipo de espectáculos y nos han ocurrido más de una vez, como cuando llegamos al camerino después de hacer el concierto y todas las cervezas había desaparecido. ¡Alguien se tomó mis cervezas! Una vez había una persona en el backstage filmándonos mientras estábamos tratando de cambiarnos. Comenzamos a gritarle: “¡Somos chicas! ¿Quién eres tú? ¡Esta es nuestra habitación!” Todos estos eventos resultaron terminar en una canción. Hicimos una composición divertida al respecto.

MIM: Volvamos a “Watch Out” con estas paredes de altavoces, el fuego. ¿Cómo surge la idea?

PN: Mi sueño siempre fue tener un video con mucho fuego y amplificadores Marshall porque todas las grandes bandas de rock tienen un video como ese. También soñaba con conducir un auto en un video, pero no encontrábamos las locaciones y los recursos hasta que decidí que era el momento. Un amigo y su esposa trabajan en estudios virtuales y simuladores de entorno cerca de mi casa, a solo diez minutos. Les pregunté si podríamos hacer un muro de amplificadores Marshall, fuego, y otros efectos sobre una pantalla verde. Es increíble, ¿verdad? ¡Todo es imitación! También puse un anuncio en Facebook que decía más o menos: “si tienes un auto americano genial para un video musical, por favor, avísame”. Respondió mucha gente y finalmente nos quedamos con el Chevrolet Impala que es imponente. Las personas que nos prestaron el auto vinieron con nosotros todo el día para vernos filmar el video. Tuvimos una cena encantadora esa noche y les estoy muy agradecida.

Ha sido el mejor auto que he conducido. Lo tuve en mis manos durante todo un día, filmando con un dron en el aire. En Suecia intentamos fingir que es verano, pero fue en un frio febrero, puedes ver que en una de las escenas tengo puesto sombrero y guantes porque me estoy congelando.

MIM: Hablando de videos, Emlee Johansson es la directora de "Hot Mess".

PN: Sí, ella es muy creativa. Se ofreció a hacernos el tercer video porque se nos habían acabado las ideas, y sugirió hacer un video stop motion en su apartamento. Imprimió como doscientas imágenes de la infancia de nosotras. Tuvimos que pedir ayuda: “mami, papi, enviarme fotos”. Se las dimos a Emlee, mil fotos cada una, y en una noche hizo todo el video. ¡Es tan buena, tan creativa!, es uno de los mejores videos o quizás el mejor que tiene Thundermother y estoy muy orgullosa del mismo.

MIM: Estoy muy contento de escuchar eso porque "Hot Mess" es muy diferente a las canciones estándar de Thundermother. Una pieza que pudo haber sido escrita por Steven Tyler o Desmond Child. ¿Quién escribió la canción y cuál fue la intención?

PN: Estás muy cerca de lo de Steven Tyler. La escribimos Emlee, Guernica, nuestro productor y yo. Pensamos en algo al estilo de Aerosmith y empezamos a escribir la música. Cuando las chicas comenzaron a escribir la letra, solo teníamos una hora porque era muy tarde y nuestro productor se iba a casa. No teníamos tiempo para escribir, pero intentamos hacerla y surgió rápido: verso estribillo, verso, estribillo. Al terminar, la pieza solo duraba minuto y medio. Cuando llegamos al estudio, teníamos unas veinte canciones. Tuvimos que elegir diez y "Hot Mess" fue una de ellas: “Esta canción es muy interesante, una power ballad, estilo rock sureño que a todas nos gusta, nos recuerda a Janis Joplin, Aerosmith y cosas similares. La terminamos en el estudio el último día, escribimos tres solos para la composición y pasó de ser la más corta a la más larga.

MIM: ¿Guernica se sintió cómoda cantando ese tipo de canciones?

FN: Fue muy emotivo para ella. La cantó por la mañana en el estudio y se emocionó mucho porque la letra significa mucho para ella. Comenzó a llorar cuando estaba cantando, fue increíble. Ella es una gran inspiración para muchos.

MIM: La primera canción del CD es "The Light in the Sky", una canción directa para el concierto. 

PN: Es una de los que más me gusta. No estuve segura de incluirla en el álbum al principio, pero luego creció en mí. Todas hablamos de que queríamos hacer este tipo de canción de arena rock, como un canto deportivo, algo que pudiera sonar en un campo de fútbol con una batería fuerte. Si escuchas la guitarra, en realidad no hago mucho, solo algunos ruidos. Lo estábamos pensando, cuando recibimos un video de un fanático que estaba en Italia y vio que la Juventus, cuando calientan antes de sus partidos, ponen música de Thundermother. Vimos este video y nos quedamos sin palabras, así que pensamos que deberíamos hacer más composiciones similares, y esta es una de nuestras canciones de fútbol, con mucho Whoa, whoa, whoa. ¿Sabes? También sonará muy bien ahora que vamos de gira por América del Norte con los Scorpions.

MIM: ¿Te imaginas eso?, ¿qué vas a los Estados Unidos por primera vez y esta canción se convierte en un éxito allí debido al coro? 

PN: Todavía no me lo creo, no puedo evitarlo, me resulta difícil de entender. Creo que tal vez si obtenemos las visas y llegamos, entonces lo pueda digerir, pero ahora mismo es irreal. Estas cosas ya no le suceden en 2022 a la gente normal.

MIM: Crucemos los dedos para todo salga bien. La pista de cierre es una canción completamente diferente, “Borrowed Time”, una hermana de "Hot Mess". Hubo un momento en que pensé que "Hot Mess" podría ser la última canción hasta que escuché “Borrowed Time”.

PN: “Borrowed Time” también la escribió la batería, ella hizo la canción con una amiga. ¡Es tan ella! Es hard rock, aunque a ella le van más cosas como Iron Maiden. Bajamos el tono porque quería sentirme más yo cuando toco la guitarra, y cambiamos algunas armonías. Estoy muy feliz, es una canción muy hermosa que trata de ese pequeño momento después de un concierto cuando todavía tienes mucha adrenalina por lo que acaba de pasar. Es lo que más queremos en la vida porque viajamos mucho para dar un buen espectáculo, y el momento después del concierto es el mejor de todos. Hablamos sobre eso y ella hizo una increíble canción.

MIM: Emlee es una buena compositora y consigue darle un sabor diferente al estilo Thundermother.

PN: Exactamente. Estamos tratando de desarrollarnos y expandirnos para dejar de ser solo una banda al estilo Motorhead - AC/DC. Queremos que todas puedan ser creativas, es muy importante para una banda.

MIM: Me gustó escucharte con el talk box en 'Black and Gold'. Es la primera vez que lo usas. Leí que te inspiraste en la canción de Bon Jovi, pero a mí me recuerda la canción de Peter Frampton. "Do You Feel Like we Do?" No sé si conoces esa canción.

PN: No la recuerdo ahora mismo, pero la escucharé seguro.

MIM: Te lo pongo como deberes. Cuando terminemos la entrevista, busca en Spotify "Do you feel like we do?" de Peter Frampton.

PN: Lo haré. Gracias. El talk box es nuevo para mí.

MIM: En esta pista, grabaste cuatro guitarras, ¿cómo vas a arreglártelas en directo? ¡Por qué me imagino que "Black and Gold" se va a tocar en directo!

PN: Es muy difícil, ¡exageré! Toco guitarra slide, guitarra rítmica, guitarra solista y talk box. Pero tengo un plan: compré un slide de dos centímetros y puedo ponérmelo como un anillo para poder usarlo como slide y que no me entorpezca a la guitarra rítmica. Solo necesito comprar un talk box. Cuando ensayamos no uso el talk box, solo canto "Black and Gold" con voz grave, tengo la voz más grave de la banda.

MIM: Sobre el escenario he visto que no eres una guitarrista de muchos pedales ni muchas guitarras. Te basta con un delay digital y un phaser de Van Halen.

PN: Es suficiente. Incluso tiré por la borda el delay, ya no lo uso. Ahora tengo un cry baby y un reverb porque me gusta ese sonido de arena rock para las nuevas canciones. Con una gran reverberación suenan grandes y épicas. No me gusta cambiar de guitarras solo para mostrar cuántas guitarras tengo, aunque tengo más guitarras que las que ves en el escenario. No necesito demostrarle nada a nadie. 

MIM: Tu carrera musical está ligada a las guitarras Gibson. Ahora que me dices que tienes más. ¿Todas son Gibson?

PN: Ahora tengo tres Gibson y una Nik Huber, hecha a mano por un famoso lutier alemán. Están un poco enojados conmigo porque no la uso en directo, tal vez tenga que devolverla. Amo mucho mi Gibson blanca, pero acabo de comprar una nueva que probablemente usaré para la primera gira del Black and Gold. No he cambiado de guitarra en seis años, pero ahora lo haré y lo entenderás cuando veas la guitarra: negra y dorada. 

MIM: En algunas fotografías te he visto tocando una guitarra Warmoth.

PN: No, no tengo una Warmoth, esa es la guitarra de mi novio que usé en nuestro tercer disco.  Es muy buena guitarra, una de sus favoritas. La tomé prestada para ese álbum porque suena muy bien con una pastilla de bobina simple muy agradable y cálida, como Jimi Hendrix. No puedo conseguir ese sonido con una Gibson. Mi novio obtuvo la Warmoth de su mentor antes de fallecer, significa mucho para él.

MIM: He visto que sigues trabajando con Soren Andersen. ¿Crees que captura la esencia de la banda en disco?

PN: ¡Por supuesto! Él nos entiende y hace que nuestras canciones sean aún más interesantes. Solo con orientarnos que cambiemos un acorde, la canción se torna completamente diferente, hace que sea un éxito. También puede ayudarme a convertirme en mejor guitarrista y a Guernica a cantar mejor. Nos empuja al límite, nunca se rinde y es muy duro, muy rudo, pero al mismo tiempo muy respetuoso. Nunca toma la guitarra con cierta arrogancia como otros guitarristas. Yo toco y el solo da sugerencias, es muy alentador. Es la persona más amable que jamás conocerás. Es como un miembro de la familia para toda la banda, tenemos mucha suerte de haberlo conocido, somos muy afortunadas.

MIM: Hay un nuevo miembro al bajo, Mona Lindgren. ¿Cómo la encontraste?

FN: Mona es la mejor amiga de Emlee, tocaban juntas desde que eran niñas, luego dejaron de hacerlo, pero siguieron siendo muy buenas amigas. Cuando probamos a las nuevas bajistas, o no encontrábamos una lo suficientemente buena, o no tenía la mentalidad adecuada para el rock and roll, o no quería vivir esta vida loca que tenemos.  Pensamos probar con un guitarrista porque Mona es guitarrista. Ella se compró un bajo y en dos meses ya era la mejor bajista con la que hemos tocado. Siempre nos dice, en broma, que sólo se necesitan dos meses para aprender a tocar el bajo. Es una gran guitarrista.

MIM: Ahora que estamos hablando de cambios. ¿Cómo ves el futuro de Thundermother?

PN: Siempre vi que en el futuro seremos una gran banda, tocando en estadios de todo el mundo. Cuando fundé la banda en 2009, lo supe. Tengo una visión, sé que esto puede funcionar, la idea es buena y sé que puedo lograrlo. Tengo buenas habilidades y soy una guitarrista loca. Necesito encontrar músicos como yo, que quieran hacerlo en mis términos. No quiero adaptarme a otros, quiero estar con gente donde pueda ser yo misma. Podemos lograrlo, podemos ser y tocar como AC DC, ese tipo de rock and roll. Es una idea genial, sé que funcionará y no me rindo. Nunca me he rendido, y ahora estaremos haciendo la gira norteamericana con Scorpions. Solo confía en ti mismo. Lo más importante que podría decirle a la gente es que no se detengan sin importar lo difícil que se ponga, porque uno se vuelve más fuerte cuando enfrenta desafíos. Y si te rindes, te rindes. Pero si eres persistente, tendrás éxito. 

TG. Será su primera gira por Estados Unidos. Sabemos que una gira como esta no es fácil de conseguir, ¿cómo lograste entrar en el cartel?

PN: Viajamos mucho durante la pandemia, tocamos muchos shows, nunca dejamos de hacer giras. Alquilamos un camión de bomberos, hicimos un escenario en el techo y tocamos en Europa durante el confinamiento de una manera muy segura. No ganamos dinero, ¡perdimos dinero! Estábamos muy cansadas, pero seguimos adelante. Fuimos a Alemania y las noticias llegaron a Estados Unidos, y de repente, apareció un chico de Los Angeles que trabaja con AC/DC como booking agent. Nos envió un correo electrónico: “Oigan, quiero ficharlas”. Por eso repito que nunca te rindas. Muchas personas se dieron por vencidas durante la pandemia, nosotros seguimos rockeando.

English Version

A few days after learning that the Scorpions have invited them on their first US tour, the guitarist and mind behind Thundermother, Filippa Nässil, opens her eyes in time for our morning interview. From her bed, she answers our questions about her new album, 'Black and Gold", and here is the result. The band is currently on tour in the United States and we wish them much success.

MiM: Let me tell you that 10 minutes before this interview, I imagine you like at the beginning of the video, "Watch Out" when you sleeping with clothes. And then the sound. And you say, fuck the interview.

PN: Yes. My clock is still broken.

MiM: Yes. So a. Let me tell you that with black and gold, I become a die-hard fan. I remember that first advance video. I don't know. Maybe the first was a "Watch Out", but somebody said that the first is. "I don't know you". No. So tell me. But why did you choose to release an animated video and who did it?

PN: I guess it's because of the time because we are very busy. We tour a lot. We have like four gigs every week and we didn't have time to record a physical video because "Watch out" took, you know, two days to make. So we were like, Oh, I wish we could make an animated video that would be so cool, you know? And it's a dream to have an animated video because, you know, it's such a craft. It's a such amazing art. So, we said, like, we save time and we get the coolest video. Let's look for someone. Then we got some advice for a guy in England from Studface Studios, I think I'm not completely sure, but it says under the video. But he's really talented.

MiM: I'm going to check. So have you passed for a situation like the situation that happened on the video?

PN: Yes. I mean, we have been playing all kinds of shows and like not it's not like particularly one time, but, you know, many events. One time I come after a show and all the beers are gone. Someone took all my beers, you know what I mean? Moreover, one time there was a random person backstage filming us after a show. We are trying to get dressed now, you know we are girls. Who are you? Why are you stealing us? This is our room. And all these events turned out to be a song. Like, we meet so many people in our dressing room, and it's very difficult to tour because you don't have a home. You only have one hour in the room, you know? So we made a funny song about it.

MiM: It's another single "Wash out" with these speaker walls, the fire. How did the idea of filming this video come about?

PN: It was always my dream to have a video with a lot of fire. Marshall amps is a big place because all the rock bands have a video like that. But ThunderMother never made a video like that, but we couldn't find a location. Another dream I had was that I want to drive a car in a video. So I said, Girls, can I fix a car and fix a cooler thing and let's make a video? I called them my friend and his wife works in virtual studios so she can fake an environment. So it's very close to my home, actually, only 10 minutes from my home. So and then I wrote and asked her if we can make a Marshall wall, fire, and everything like this and this is just a green screen. It's incredible, right? So we just pretend that it was like a Marshalls and stuff, but it's just fake. Then I wrote on Facebook that if you have a cool car, an American car, please for a music video, give me a shout. I got so many answers. So I was like, Oh, let's take the Impala. You know, they're really cool. So I'm very grateful. The people that came and landed the car, they came along with us all day and saw us shooting the video. We had a lovely dinner in the evening.

MiM: When I was a child, the Impala was the highest, the best and the most interesting. I would say when I grow up, I will buy an Impala. It didn't happen.

PN: Well, it was the coolest car I ever drove. I drove around for a whole day, you know, filming with a drone in the air and. It's me driving the whole time and it's been freaking February, so it's so cold. You know, in Sweden we're trying to pretend it's like summertime. But you can see in one clip, I have a hat on, and I have gloves because I'm freezing so much.

MiM: Yes. So talking about videos, Emlee Johansson is the director of "Hot Mess".

PN: Yeah. Because she is so creative and she said, I can make you the third video because we ran out of ideas she has many ideas and she suggested making a stop motion video in her apartment. She printed like 2000 photos from a printer. So all we had to do was look for photos from our childhood. So we had to call like, Mommy, Daddy, send me photos, you know, and, and everything we've done. We, sent her 1000 pictures each, I think. Then she made that video one night like she was up till six in the morning, I think. She's so good, so creative, and we trusted her. I think it's one of the best videos or maybe the best video Thundermother has. I'm so proud of her.

MiM: I'm really glad to hear that because I think that the song "Hot Mess" is very different from the previous standard Thundermother song. So "Hot Mess" could be written by Steven Tyler or Desmond Child, the famous American songwriters. Tell me, who wrote the song and what did you try to get?

FN: You are very close with the Steven Tyler thing. It was I and it was our producer, and it was Emlee, the drummer, and the singer Guernica who wrote it. I want to write, you know, a68 like a waltz, like Aerosmith style. So we started writing music. When the other two girls started writing the lyrics, we actually only had one hour because it was very late and our producer was going home. He was in Stockholm visiting. So we just met for one hour. We don't have time to write a song, but let's try to write it. It came up so quickly, the song One Hour, but we only did verse chorus, verse, chorus. So it was only one and a half minutes long. We can't think of anything more. So then we rested it. When we came to the studio, we had 20 songs, maybe. So we had to choose ten songs and we said, This song is so interesting and so cool. Power ballads, Southern rock style that we all like, you know, reminds us of Janis Joplin and Aerosmith and stuff like that. We finished that song in the studio on the last day. We wrote "The End of It". It's really cool. It's like three solos in it, never-ending. I love it.

MiM: Was Guernica comfortable singing that kind of song?

PN: It was very emotional for her. She absolutely rocked it. I mean, she did it in the morning in the studio. And she was very emotional because the lyrics means so much to her. She actually started crying when she was singing.

MiM: So I. I didn't tell her this, but I'm going to tell you. Maybe the band could explode. The Latin vein of Guernica.

PN: Yeah. Yes, absolutely. Yes, there would be, because there are not many Latinos that's rock stars, you know, or girls in a rock band, you know. So I think that would be amazing. She's such an inspiration for many.

MiM: Yes. So the first song on the CD is "The Light in the Sky", also a potential single and a straight song for the concert. Tell me about this song.

PN: I don't think it's a single, but it's definitely one of the most like. I'm not sure I wanted it on the album at first, but then it grew on me. We all talked about we want to make this kind of arena song like a football chant, you know, something that could be on a football field because and then something with drums would be really cool with a drum verse. If you listen to the guitar, I don't do much, actually. I just do some noises because we got a video from a fan that was in Italy and then the big football team, Juventus, when they warm up before their football games, they actually have Thundermother in the arena. We saw this video and we had no idea how this could happen. So we thought we should make more songs like this, like arena songs, you know. It's really cool when people listen to that. This is one of our kinds of football songs that we try to make with a lot of Whoa, whoa, whoa. Do you know? Yeah. And it's also very feeling now when we're going on this North American tour with the Scorpions.

MiM: Yes. Can you imagine you go to the USA for the first time and this song becomes a hit there because of the choir? Yes.

PN: I still don't believe it, you know. I can't believe it. Still. It's very hard to grasp. I think maybe if we get the visas and we arrive, then maybe I will understand. But right now it's unreal. This doesn't happen in 2022 for normal people.

MiM: Yes. So cross the finger that anything wrong happened. The closing track is a completely different song, "Borrowed time". I think that this sister of "Hot mess". There was a moment when I thought "Hot Mess" could be the last song, but I had a listen. "Borrowed time". Tell me about “Borrowed time”.

PN: "Borrowed Time" was the song made by the drummer. She made that song together with a friend of hers. Do you want to run them? So it's just her song? She did a great job. It's so her. It's very, very hard rock. And she loves Iron Maiden and stuff like that, you know. So we toned it down from the made and stuff in the recording because I wanted to feel more me when I play the guitar. We dropped some of the guitar harmonies, but I'm very happy. It was a very beautiful song and it's about that little time after a gig, you know, when you are still high on adrenaline, what just happened? That's what we want, you know, in life because it's so much traveling and stuff and waiting and then the show. The moment after the gig is the best moment. You know, so we had to write a song about that. We said we talked about it and then she did one and it's incredible.

MiM: I didn't know. Emily is a good songwriter and she gets to give a different flavor to the Thundermother style.

PN: Good. Exactly. Yeah. That's how we do it. We're trying to develop and expand from only being a Mötorhead - AC/DC band. We want everyone to be able to be creative. It's very important for a band.

MiM: To me, it was really good to listen to you when you use a talk box on "Black and gold". It's the first time you use it. I read that you focus on Bon Jovi song, but to me, it reminds me of a Peter Frampton song. "Do you feel like we do?" I don't know if you know that song.

PN: I can't remember it right now, but I will listen to it for sure.

MiM: Let me tell you that apart from this job, I'm a teacher. Okay. Yes. So you have your homework when we close the interview, turn on Spotify and find "Do you feel like we do?" by Peter Frampton.

PN: I will. Thank you. The talk box is new to me.

MiM: Yes. In this track, you recorded four guitars. So tell me, how are you going to manage this alive? Because I imagine that "Black and gold" are going to play alive.

PN: Yes. It's very difficult. I exaggerated. I do the slide guitar and rhythm guitar, solo guitar, and talk books. But I have a plan. I have a plan. I bought this. It's this big slide. It's like two centimeters. You can put it on like a ring so I can play solos, and chords of still play slide. You know, so I think it managed to do slide and then rhythm guitar and then I just need to buy a talking book in the store. That's the only thing right now. I just when we rehearse, I don't use to talk books right now. I just say "Black and gold" because my voice is pretty dark anyway. I have the deepest voice in the band. I need to find one. I need to learn how it works. I just found one in the studio, but I'm sure I can find one. I will look for one, I promise. For you. Yeah, that would be really cool. It would make a flavor to the live performance.

MiM: Let me tell you that one of your videos I don't remember if it was a let's see "Watch out" was released on April eight. It was my birthday. I consider it a nice birthday present.

PN: Oh, that's amazing. We thought because it's also woman's day, you know, the International Woman's Day. But that's very cool. Your birthday as well. A perfect, perfect person.

MiM: Yes. I have seen the band on a stage and I have seen that you are not the guitar player with a lot of pedal, many guitars. I have checked that you have a digital delay and a Van Halen phaser and tell me it's enough for you.

PN: It's enough. Absolutely. I even threw away the delay. I don't use it anymore. I have a wah wah and I have a reverb because I like that reverb arena sound now for the new songs. I put on a big reverb. It sounds big and epic. That's like it's I don't like to change guitars and stuff like that. I mean, it's just for show to do that. Look how many guitars I have. I don't need to prove anything to anybody. I'm very happy with the guitar. But I have more.

MiM: Yes, I have seen that the wah wah is becoming famous right now. It was really famous in the sixties with Hendrix and so on. Then in the nineties, somebody create something related to the wah wah and called, crybaby. Do you remember or do you have never seen it?

PN: No, I have a cry, baby. My crybaby is very small. It's like this because I like small pedals, I like cute things. So all my pedals are very small.

MiM: Your musical career is linked to Gibson guitars. Tell me. Tell me now that you tell me that you have more. Do you have several guitars but are all Gibson or you are different?

PN: I have three Gibsons now for Gibson guitars and I have a different I have Nick Huber Guitar, a famous guitar builder in Germany, they are fantastic guitar makers. But they are a little bit angry with me now because I don't use it live. So maybe I have to give it back. I don't know. I love my Gibson so much, my white one. Actually, I just bought a new one and I will probably have a new guitar for the first black and Gold tour. I will change my guitar. I haven't changed my guitar in six years, but now I will do it. You'll understand when you see the guitar. It's actually black and gold.

MiM: In some photographs. I can see you playing guitar. Warmoth.

PN: No, I don't have a Warmoth. That's my boyfriend's guitar. He has a Warmoth. It's a really good guitar. It's one of his favorites. I only borrow it for that album because it sounds very cool with a single coil pickup. The same as Jimi Hendrix. I can't get that sound with a Gibson, and I think it's a very nice, warm sound. He got it from his mentor before he passed away. It means a lot to him.

MiM: I have seen that you continue working with Soren Andersen. Tell me, why do you think he put the essence of the band into the record?

PN: Of course, he can. He understands us, and he makes our songs even more interesting. He can just change one chord. The song is completely different. It makes it a hit. Or he can help me to become a better guitar player. Or he helped Guernica to sing better. He pushed us to the limits. He doesn't give up, he's very tough, and also very respectful. He never takes the guitar and shows me do this. You can believe with some arrogance like guitar players. I play and he just gives suggestions. Do you have another lick? What do you have? And then he said, Oh, that's good, that's good. He is very encouraging, the most kind of person you will ever meet. It's very kind. He's like a family member to everybody in the band. We are very lucky to have met him. Very lucky.

MiM: Good. There is a new member Mona Lindgren on bass. What did you find here and how did you get her in the band?

PN: Mona is best friend with Emlee, actually. They had bands together since they were kids a long time ago, and then they stopped playing together. They are still very good friends. When we tried all these bass players, we can't find one good enough or with the right mentality for rock and roll or to live this crazy life that we have. We said maybe we should try a guitarist because Mona is a guitarist. She is not a bass player. She bought a bass and learned bass in two months. She was already the best bass player we played with. Now she's learned to love the bass. She actually considers herself a bass player now. We also make a joke about bass, it's so easy to play bass. It only takes two months to learn. She's very humorous, she's a great guitar player.

MiM: Now that we are talking about members. The original lineup has changed a lot. When the ban started. How do you see the future of Thundermother?

PN: I saw us becoming a huge band, playing all over the world in arenas. When I founded the band in 2009, I saw it. I have a vision. I know this can work. I know I have a good idea. I know I can. I have good song skills. I'm a crazy guitar player. I need to find members like me, they want to do it on my terms. I don't want to adjust because I heard before I was too crazy on stage when I was playing with others. I took focus from singers and stuff like that. I want to be with people where I can be myself. I think if we can do that, we can be and play like AC/DC is the kind of rock and roll. It's a really cool idea. I was thinking, I know this will work and I'm not a quitter. I have never given up. Now we're doing the North American tour with Scorpions. So, you know, just trust yourself. And and the biggest thing I could say to people is that don't stop no matter how hard it gets, because you grow stronger when you meet challenges. If you give up, you give up, if you are persistent, you will succeed. You will.

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