SOURCE – Speaking of those beginnings, I’m curious as to where that was specifically for you in your youth – where you sort of had that moment of clarity that set you on the path to where you are now?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – No, not really. When I was younger me and some friends fooled around alot playing in many bands. Mostly we play crust/punkrock and we later formed into heavier metal type stuff. I was about 15 when I discovered bands like Katatonia, Paradise Lost and Anathema and that really was the point when I knew I wanted to do something similiar. So the real doomsound came a bit later around the year 2000. Before that we mixed alot of different influences. A matter of fact, I think we still do in a way but we have certainly found our sound.
SOURCE – How have you seen the band grow since that first demo, and what’s been the biggest obstacle for you guys to overcome since the beginning?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – The biggest challange was always to find time to rehearse and get all members together and still is. Also the many changes in personell is always a bit tough, to restart. For the first 8 years or so of the bands history we never was real serious, we never really planned anything, stuff just happened.
SOURCE – Did you approach this album Sovran differently than the other ones you’ve put out?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – Not really. The biggest change was the long time it took for it to be finished. We had a break for about 2 years after Lisa left and it took 2 more years before the album was out after we found Heike.
SOURCE – What Sovran is Draconian’s fifth record and honestly sounds like the most relaxed thing you guys have ever done, if that makes sense. What was sort of the impetus for you guys with this one?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – I had the idea I wanted to go back a bit in our sound, make a very Draconian sounding album and as I mentioned it was on the drawning board for some time. Almost all songs were written quite fast but they had time to mature and sit with us for a while before we even recorded them. Small adjustment were made of course right until the end.
SOURCE – What band or music from your youth do you see as a kind of creative catalyst for you as a musician, and is that same band or type of music something that continues to inspire you creatively?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – The list of bands that inspired me when I was young is long. But when it came to Music that inspired my songwriting for Draconian early on the biggest inluences were of course the holy trio from UK. My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost and Anathema. But also stuff like Tiamat, Amorphis, Saturnus, Novembers Doom, While Heaven Wept and Morgion.
SOURCE – I wanted to ask you about your own personal discovery of music and your own desire to be a musician. Where did that start for you where you realized this wasn’t a hobby or just another interest but something that would define who you are?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – Quite early on I discovered music and when I began playing the drums at age 11 I knew this was it for me. I Think I will always continuing playing or writing musicin some way. It’s really like a form of therapy.
SOURCE – Draconian originally began as what would largely be considered a doom/death metal band, and then the band moved thematically to a more gothic aesthetic. Was that a progression the band saw coming from the very beginning, and what was that transition like from a creative standpoint?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – I think a lot of it has to do with the quite Byron, Shelley, Milton inluenced lyrics and the fact we started using female vocals. I don’t think we sound like any other bands in the new goth genre and it was never our intention.
The type of musically goth we all prefer in the band is the 80’s style goth bands like Fields of the Nephilim and Sisters of Mercy. But we don’t sound like that either although I try to sneak in some bits here and there, haha! When we think of the goth that inspired Draconian it is the gothic time period really.
SOURCE – Do you see the sort of negative impact that culture of immediacy has specifically had on the music industry? Has the artform itself been affected from your point of view?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – Yes it more quantatity than quality these days. But I have faith it will all change. Just look at some years ago most people didn’t even want to pay for the Music and today the buy vinyl records that costs a fortune and taking their time to enjoy Music and not just click to the next track or artist.
SOURCE – Do you have any plans of a South America and Brazil tour?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – No, not as this point.
SOURCE – Anything else you’d like to mention or promote?
Johan Ericson (Guitar) – Thank you for an not so ordinary interview. See you soon!
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