Once upon a time in Finland – someone came up with an idea to combine bluegrass, Finnish folk and rock/metal music. The outcome was Steve ’n’ Seagulls. This band’s live music video covers, including their take on AC/DC classic ‘Thunderstruck’, have to be heard to be believed. Their latest record Another Miracle also has six original tunes.
Seven caught up with Remmel and Herman post-gig at 1am Swedish time last week.
How does it feel to do originals compared to doing covers?
Herman – Well, I guess there’s a little bit more work to do with the originals because you start from zero. So in that sense, it’s quite a bit different. But when you think about a show, it’s not. It’s just playing music and having fun and so it really doesn’t matter if it’s original or a cover.
After so many hits on covers, what made you decide to write something of your own?
Herman – On the second album, Brothers in Farms, we decided to try to make one original on the album and we recorded that and – that was the beginning of that.
Remmel – Yeah, I don’t remember it being like a situation where we really decided or anything, it just felt like a natural thing to maybe compose original material.
Did you find the people close to you, like your family and friends, were ‘WTF’! when you started doing this?
Herman – Maybe. Yeah. I’m still struggling with my spouse with that. My stage persona is so different than before.
Apart from the other musicians and the other bands that inspire you, what inspires you as musicians?
Remmel – Oh, I would say maybe music in general. It’s always been that it’s a passion for me. I really like to read about music and I like to listen to my vinyls and play different instruments and everything.
Herman – I also like instrumental skills. I was born and raised with heavy metal music – like listening to thrash metal, Megadeth and listening to those guitars. That’s been a huge inspiration.
Do you find that you struggle with the accents and getting the inflections right?
Remmel – We grow up studying English. We started when we are in third grade or something like that. And I think all of us have also grown up with English music or music in English. So… but sometimes when we are recording something, then you more notice little pronunciation things. Maybe on the rhythmic part of words or specific letters – like, how do you pronounce ‘river’?
Eve – umm ‘rivah’
Remmel – yeah?
Herman – yeah?
Eve – er, yeah…
Remmel and Herman *silence*
Eve – See you at Easter.
Remmel and Herman – YEAH!
Steve ’n’ Seagulls will definitely be one of the funnest shows at Bluesfest. They play Friday, Sunday and Monday. Download the app and make sure you add them to your planner.
