The inspired Dylan is my favorite Dylan.
You have just recorded your next album, „Awareness”. Please tell me about your musical path from the first contact with the scene until now.
I played, of course, guitar and sung mostly Dylan songs since I was 14-15 years old, but as an organized artist, my musical path, I must say, started out through a Norwegian tribute band ( Bobband) of Bob Dylan. That I formed with my friend Eldar Kyrkjeboe.
We played all kinds of places all over the south of Norway. From festivals to small clubs. Acoustic or electric settings.
But it comes a time when you want to do something else.
I started doing more and more my own music.
It was a struggle writing songs because of my musical background of Dylans’ songwriting. You know, always compare yourself with the master. In the end, I throw my songs away, literally burned them.
I had to stop comparing and do it my own way.
I remember I was invited to Italy to play some concerts. And I was sitting in my hotel room early one morning, and it all came to me. A new way of writing and express me.
Like a new morning, ever since then, songwriting became easy in a way.
I developed my way of performing and wanted to do proper record. I found the producer and bass player Tor Arne Hansen, and we picked the musicians that would fit into my style of music.
It happened that I went to Poland and was invited to play one pub gig in Gdansk.
Well, I did, and in the audience, there was someone who liked what I was doing, and I was invited back for more concerts and things getting better.
I got a manager and things got organized.
A variety of all kinds of concerts with or without the band.
I have played all kinds of concerts from Festivals like Mrągowo to small clubs. Private concerts, everything.
Lately, we do some special clubs, culture houses, and even libraries.
It is impossible to hide your great fascination with Dylan. You played at Dylanów festivals. You created Dylanów projects. Where does this inspiration come from? Who is Dylan to you, and why is he so special among many other fantastic musicians?
No, and I don’t want to hide it.
I just don’t want to copy him.
To me, Bob Dylan is the greatest artist of this time, and he might be one of the greatest artists ever lived.
His lyrics are in some kind of my Bible. It is a wealth of wisdom
Without Bob Dylan, the musical world would look different.
He is the one who walked the path of modern music, and he changes the way of writing songs.
I could go on forever.
To me, he is my lead star.
As we know, Dylan has had many intriguing periods in his career: folk bard, rock’n’roll icon, culture, converting Christian in the 70s, or recording great records with Daniel Lanois. Do you have a favorite face of Dylan, beloved albums?
Yes, he sure does.
The inspired Dylan is my favorite Dylan.
I can’t pick one. All his periods got jewels. The only album I’m not very fond of is „Knocked out loaded,” but on that album, you got the masterpiece „Brownsville girl,” so what to say?
Also, his latest work is incredible. His latest album „Rough and ready ways” Wow. He still developing, Amazing, and very inspiring.
You have performed in Poland many times. Where does this sympathy for our country come from?
It developed through the years.
Poland has the most beautiful audience in the world. Very respectful to the musicians and listening carefully.
I feel they have a culture in their blood.
I love the Polish people and their interest in culture and art, politeness, and generosity.
Really enjoy playing, and the response is great.
I meet a lot of intellectual people.
Polish people are not spoiled in any way.
And in some way, I feel Polish people are waiting for something. Politics to change might be?
It is like you are at the beginning of something and slowly open up.
The very modern combined with the old fragments.
We have crazy times of a pandemic. How are you going to promote your album?
I have this amazing manager who means the world. We operate in social media. We try to reach the media in Norway, Poland, and the world with music, mainly where they are interested in this music genre. We are on all
streaming services.
We want to deliver the album’s message to a wider group of people, organizations involved in defense of human rights, environmental protection, people who consciously look at the world. And we encourage you to buy music on digital and physical media through stores and music portals.
But I am a creative artist, and I feel a little lost in this pandemic close down.
You also released your album on vinyl. Do you like this medium? Do you have a large vinyl collection?
I love the way a record sounds on vinyl. Everyone should have a record player for vinyl.
For me, to make a record is to make a vinyl record. Something about the whole thing. Like a piece of art.
I don’t have a large collection of vinyl, but I love the one I got—different kinds of music.
There is a real boom in vinyl records in Poland. There are new stores, we organize many vinyl events. And how is it in Norwegian? Do you also sense vinyl madness?
Really there is such a trend In Poland? I’m happy, and hopefully, we will be able to sell vinyl then.
The trend in Norway is that it had a boost, but now it is a little slow, but you know we are only 5 million people in Norway. So there is just a tiny mark. Only one or two record stores left.