Saturday, June 18, 2022

πŸ’’πˆππ“π„π‘π•πˆπ„π– π–πˆπ“π‡ 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐅𝐀𝐍 πŽπ‹π’πƒπ€π‹, πŒπ“π• π€π’πˆπ€πŸ’’

πŸ’’"𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏ʼ𝒕 π’π’Šπ’Œπ’† 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 π’Žπ’šπ’”π’†π’π’‡. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’–π’“π’”π’†π’π’‡ π’Šπ’ 𝒂 𝒗𝒖𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 π’‘π’π’”π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’π’. 𝑰ʼ𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’•π’‰π’†π’Šπ’“ π’π’Šπ’—π’†π’” 𝒐𝒏 π’”π’π’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π’Žπ’†π’…π’Šπ’‚ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’ˆπ’†π’• π’“π’†π’‚π’π’π’š 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 π’ƒπ’š π’Šπ’•. "πŸ’’
(πš‚πšπšŽπšπšŠπš— π™Ύπš•πšœπšπšŠπš•, π™Όπšƒπš… π™°πšœπš’πšŠ 𝟸0𝟷𝟹)

Photo credit: Digital21 and Stefan Olsdal Instagram: Afterdepth Photograph; Edit by Marti


Hello soulmates,

about a month before Placebo's performance in Singapore during the Loud Like Love tour in 2013, MTV Asia presenter Hanli Hoefer interviewed Stefan Olsdal.

It is clear that the questions revolved around the new album and especially around the burning topic of social networks.

I share this conversation with Hanli's preface, because I just like it.
As she herself stated - "overall, Stefan was well mannered, friendly, conversational and incredible thoughtful. I enjoyed my time speaking to him."
I would also like to point out that there is one small mistake in the transcript that I did not dare to correct - Placebo first played in Singapore in 1999 and since then in 2006 and 2010. The text should probably have written "first" not "last".😊

So enjoy today's reading.
By the way, how do you like Stefan with a mustache as a porn star from the 70's? 😁

You may not know that this photo was taken during the Movember charity campaign.
But we'll talk about it some other time.


πŸ’’πˆππ“π„π‘π•πˆπ„π– π–πˆπ“π‡ 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐅𝐀𝐍 πŽπ‹π’πƒπ€π‹, πŒπ“π• π€π’πˆπ€πŸ’’
π™Ώπš˜πšœπšπšŽπš π™Ήπšžπš•πš’ πŸ·πŸΏπšπš‘, 𝟸0𝟷𝟹 π™°πš 𝟽:0𝟿 πš™πš– π™±πš’ π™·πšŠπš—πš•πš’ π™·πš˜πšŽπšπšŽπš›


Hey guys!

Last week I had a phone interview with Stefan Olsdal, bassist and guitarist from the alternative rock band, Placebo.

I like Placebo, I don’t have any of their full albums but I do listen to a handful of their songs.

My top 3 favorites are: β€œEvery You Every Me,” β€œRunning Up That Hill,” and β€œPost Blue.”

The questions I asked him were mainly revolved around their up coming album, Loud Like Love. He described the album as the most colorful and honest album they’ve made to date. The first single, β€œToo Many Friends,” is based on the changing norms of society especially with the influence with social media.

When talking to him about the message behind the song we touched on the topic of social media as a whole and he brought up a very thought provoking point which was that, primarily, privacy is sacred. What you share may hurt you and at the same time how do we know whether social media is actually bringing us closer or isolating us.

Stefan shared with me that Brian (Molko) and himself don’t actually have a social media account of any sorts.

He did have one before but then felt as if he was being invaded by all these people asking to be his friend so he shut it down because he felt like it was in a way, emotional blackmail.

β€œThere is a reason I’m not in touch with these people any more,” said Stefan. I find it a very different and interesting way to look at social media, as opposed to, β€œOh I haven’t seen or heard anything from this person in ages, let me check up how they’ve been!

One thing that I find very interesting about Placebo is that Brian and Stefan are incredibly multilingual.

Stefan speaks Swedish, English, French, German and Spanish.

Actually, you can find many Placebo radio interviews online that’s done completely in European languages.

And when the conversation lightened up in the end, I asked him a fun question: β€œWhat trend would you like to bring back?”

He actually answered: β€œMustaches. A strong porn β€˜stache from the ’70s.” Very nice!


Overall, Stefan was well mannered, friendly, conversational and incredible thoughtful. I enjoyed my time speaking to him.

The full interview is typed up as a transcript below so read away!
In the mean time, power to the peo- just kidding. Take care you guys!
- π‘―π’‚π’π’π’Š
* * *

Photo credit: Gwen

πŸ”Έππ₯πšπœπžπ›π¨ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐒𝐞𝐰 π“π«πšπ§π¬πœπ«π’π©π­πŸ”Έ


πŸ”Έπ’€π’π’– π’ˆπ’–π’šπ’” 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’„π’π’Žπ’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’˜π’Šπ’•π’‰ π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’π’†π’˜ π’‚π’π’ƒπ’–π’Ž, 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒅 π‘³π’Šπ’Œπ’† 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 π’˜π’† 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 π’‡π’“π’π’Ž π’Šπ’•?
Stefan: It’s Placebo’s 7th record and probably our most colorful and honest album to date.

πŸ”Έπ‘¨π’π’… π’Žπ’†π’Žπ’π’“π’‚π’ƒπ’π’† π’Žπ’π’Žπ’†π’π’•π’” π’˜π’‰π’†π’ π’Žπ’‚π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’‚π’π’ƒπ’–π’Ž?
S: ItΚΌs funny how the first two songs – β€œLoud Like Love” and β€œBosco” – are the first and last track of the album. They seem to set a bookends for the theme and for the vibe, sound and feel of the record. β€œLoud Like Love” is an upbeat song, and β€œBosco” is exposing the dark side of relationships and love. Also music style Loud like love is up beat, whilst Bosco is introverted and a stripped down piano track.
πŸ”Έπ‘Ύπ’‰π’‚π’• π’˜π’π’–π’π’… π’šπ’π’– π’”π’‚π’š π’Šπ’” 𝑻𝑯𝑬 π’”π’π’π’ˆ 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’‚π’π’ƒπ’–π’Ž?
S: ItΚΌs difficult. β€œToo Many Friends” was the one that jumped out at me and Brian as being the first single and it also channeled our love for old ’80s epic pop tracks, like β€œTotal Eclipse of the Heart.” So it seemed like the perfect first single. Personally I think β€œBosco” is an achievement for the band for it transcends what we imagined Placebo to sound like. It’s something that sounds like we haven’t gone to that space before, vulnerable and emotional.

πŸ”Έπ‘»π’‚π’π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 β€œπ‘»π’π’ π‘΄π’‚π’π’š π‘­π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’…π’”,” π’Žπ’š 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 π’•π’‚π’Œπ’† π’˜π’‚π’” π’‰π’π’˜ π’‘π’“π’Šπ’—π’‚π’„π’š π’Šπ’” 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’•π’†π’„π’‰π’π’π’π’π’ˆπ’š π’Šπ’” π’†π’—π’†π’“π’šπ’˜π’‰π’†π’“π’† 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 π’˜π’‰π’†π’ 𝑰 π’π’π’π’Œ 𝒂𝒕 π’Žπ’š π‘­π’‚π’„π’†π’ƒπ’π’π’Œ π’‘π’‚π’ˆπ’†, π‘°ΚΌπ’Ž π’˜π’π’π’…π’†π’“π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’˜π’‰π’ 𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 π’“π’†π’‚π’π’π’š 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’˜π’‚π’” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’Žπ’†π’”π’”π’‚π’ˆπ’† π’šπ’π’– π’˜π’‚π’π’•π’†π’… 𝒕𝒐 π’ˆπ’Šπ’—π’† 𝒐𝒓 π’”π’π’Žπ’†π’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ.
S: You touched on something that we relate to – privacy. Neither me or Brian are engaged in social media.

I set up a Facebook account then I immediately shut it down. I felt, first of all, that I was being invaded by all these people who wanted to be my friend and there is a reason IΚΌm not in touch with these people anymore.

(It felt) almost like an emotional black mail, asking to be my friend. And I donΚΌt like to over expose myself. You put yourself in a vulnerable position.

IΚΌve seen a lot of people to share their lives on social media and get really hurt by it. So the song questions the nature of friendship with these new β€œcyber friends.”

The big question is – Is it really bringing people closer together or is it isolating people? Considering the fact that people spend more time at home in front of the computer then interacting face to face.

πŸ”Έπ‘»π’‰π’‚π’•β€™π’” 𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 π’˜π’‰π’†π’ π’˜π’† 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’”π’π’„π’Šπ’‚π’π’π’š π’˜π’† π’”π’•π’Šπ’π’ π’„π’‰π’†π’„π’Œ 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’•π’Šπ’Žπ’†!
S: Yeah! I even find myself reaching for my phone during social events. It has led to this new compulsion and there are treatments for internet addicts.

It’s a technological lifestyle change that is happening so fast I think its hard for us to say what effect its having to society and what the long terms affects may be.

It’s a really interesting formula and that’s what Too many friends touches upon.

Photo credit: Joseph Llanes

πŸ”Έπ‘°π’•β€™π’” π’“π’†π’‚π’π’π’š π’“π’†π’‡π’“π’†π’”π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 π’”π’π’π’ˆ 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’”π’π’Žπ’†π’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒔𝒐 π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’π’ π’šπ’†π’• 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 π’šπ’†π’• 𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒖𝒑𝒐𝒏. π‘Ίπ’Šπ’π’„π’† π’˜π’†ΚΌπ’“π’† π’•π’‚π’π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’Žπ’π’—π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’‡π’π’“π’˜π’‚π’“π’… 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’” π’„π’‰π’‚π’π’ˆπ’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒔, 𝑰 π’…π’Šπ’… π’˜π’‚π’π’• 𝒕𝒐 π’•π’‚π’π’Œ 𝒕𝒐 π’šπ’π’– 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’Žπ’–π’”π’Šπ’„ 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 π’π’π’˜π’‚π’…π’‚π’šπ’”.

𝑨 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒇 π’Šπ’• π’Šπ’” π’π’†π’‚π’π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’•π’π’˜π’‚π’“π’…π’” π’†π’π’†π’„π’•π’“π’Šπ’„ 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒆𝒔, π’‰π’π’˜ 𝒅𝒐 π’šπ’π’– π’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’Œ π’•π’‰π’Šπ’” π’Žπ’‚π’š 𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 π’ˆπ’†π’π’“π’†π’” π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆?
S: I mean its interesting because I think there isn’t a singular music movement at the moment.

Like you say electronic dance music, that is happening in various parts of the world. I have friends from the States who are all β€œHey man, have you heard this EDM?”

And IΚΌm all like, β€œWhat? Yeah, we had that in Europe 20 years ago!”

Whats happening in Europe now is that the banjo is becoming quite popular every band has a banjo on their album.

So I don’t really see it as a global trend anymore with so many different outlets for music, with internet tv and internet radio.

Everything is out there and it’s much easier to listen to variety of music. For us, if you look at our history we never try to follow another sound or a band. Intrinsically, we feel that if you try to be something you are not, youΚΌre not going to get all the way there, you only become a copy of whatΚΌs out there.

If you follow a trend, by the time you end your record the trend has passed and itΚΌs like your shooting yourself in the foot. Basically we try to do what feels right for us, and so doing weΚΌve carved out our own little path.


πŸ”Έπ‘¨π’“π’† π’šπ’π’– π’†π’™π’„π’Šπ’•π’†π’… 𝒕𝒐 π’‘π’π’‚π’š 𝒇𝒐𝒓 π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒔 π’Šπ’ π‘Ίπ’Šπ’π’ˆπ’‚π’‘π’π’“π’†?
S: Yes, we are! That’s the part of touring we enjoy the most! We’ve performed in Singapore a few times I think the last was in 1999.

There were some issues with cross dressing and it got heated politically. But yes, we do want to come back to play. We have good memories there, and we love playing in places where we have a history with and Singapore is definitely one of those places.

πŸ”Έπ‘Ύπ’‰π’‚π’• 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’”π’π’Žπ’† 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 π’šπ’π’– 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’π’Šπ’”π’•π’†π’π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒐? 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 π’Šπ’ π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’Šπ‘·π’π’…?
S: IΚΌve been listening to Sigur RosΚΌ new album. They are this Icelandic band. I also listen to an English singer/songwriter named James Blake. It tends to not be rock music, it tends to not be loud.

Something more contemplative, something to get lost in, something that does not follow the conventional pop structure with singing on it.

Some instrumental piano music by modern day classical composers.
πŸ”Έπ‘»π’‰π’‚π’•π’” π’‰π’π’π’†π’”π’•π’π’š 𝒏𝒐𝒕 π’˜π’‰π’‚π’• 𝑰 π’˜π’‚π’” π’†π’™π’‘π’†π’„π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ!
S: You know, it gets tiring to listen to the type of music you make yourself.

πŸ”Έπ‘°π’‡ π’šπ’π’– 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 π’ƒπ’“π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’ƒπ’‚π’„π’Œ 𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒅 π’Šπ’π’•π’ π’‚π’„π’•π’Šπ’π’, 𝒃𝒆 π’Šπ’• 𝒂 π’‰π’‚π’Šπ’“ π’”π’•π’šπ’π’† 𝒐𝒓 𝒂 π’”π’‚π’šπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’˜π’‰π’‚π’• π’˜π’π’–π’π’… π’Šπ’• 𝒃𝒆?
S: The mustache! The ’70s porn mustache. ThereΚΌs something about it. It can look very wrong but when you have a guy that carries it off, it is a look that can be really attractive and sexy.

πŸ”Έπ‘½π’†π’“π’š π’”π’†π’™π’š! 𝑰 π’Œπ’π’π’˜ 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’šπ’π’– 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’Žπ’–π’π’•π’Šπ’π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’–π’‚π’. π‘ͺ𝒂𝒏 π’šπ’π’– π’”π’‘π’†π’‚π’Œ π’‚π’π’š π‘¨π’”π’Šπ’‚π’ π’π’‚π’π’ˆπ’–π’‚π’ˆπ’†π’”?
S: No, I’ve not spent enough time in Asia to pick anything up.

πŸ”Έπ’€π’π’– 𝒅𝒐 π’”π’‘π’†π’‚π’Œ π‘Ίπ’‘π’‚π’π’Šπ’”π’‰ π’•π’‰π’π’–π’ˆπ’‰. 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 π’π’‚π’π’ˆπ’–π’‚π’ˆπ’†π’”?
S: IΚΌm Swedish by birth so I speak Swedish. I was educated in English so I speak English. I grew up in a French and German speaking country so I speak French and German. My partner is Spanish so I learnt that.

πŸ”Έπ‘¨π’π’š π’˜π’π’“π’…π’” 𝒕𝒐 π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒔 π’Šπ’ π‘¨π’”π’Šπ’‚?
S: We’ll see you very soon!

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