DRU: Who decided on the band name and how did it come about?
UOL: Our bass player came up with the idea, it’s a reference to a small Swedish sci-fi movie from 1959, also refers to a record by a local psychedelic rock band that made a record called “Flying saucers over Lappland” Our new record “Spökraketer” also refers to unknown objects that have been seen over the very huge areas up in Lappland, where there’s almost no people, just huge areas of forests and mountains.
DRU: Who are your biggest influences?
UOL: I think we in the band have different influences and it also changes all the time, but stuff that we all like is for example Neu, Faust, Hawkwind and I also listen a lot to more “modern” post rock and minimal electronic drone/ambient stuff.
DRU: Any specific guitar player, bass player or drummer influences?
UOL: Christer, our bass player has always been a fan of Lemmy, Andreas (the drummer) likes Tool, I don’t think I can choose a guitarist, but I prefer those with a personal style and that can make weird sounds with guitars before perfectly playing.
DRU: What role does synth play in the band? Is it for textural elements to compliment the sound or more in front to complement the guitar lines?
UOL: It’s to complete the sound and also to add the extra “space feeling”.
DRU: How would you describe your sound? Do you hear any similarities to Kraftwerk as is often mentioned?
UOL: I say that we play repetitive minimal psychedelic rock with influences from post-rock. I don’t see much similarities to Kraftwerk (has also seen that mention, we never mentioned them as inspiration, they are great, but not an influence, I guess it has to do with that Kraftwerk was a part of the early German kraut-rock scene).
DRU: How did the band form and come together?
UOL: Three of us was already playing together in a band called the magic lantern, some of us have been making music together in different constellations for more than twenty years now.
DRU: What’s your songwriting process?
UOL: Most of the times we just go down to the rehearsal space and jam, we record and listen and choose parts we like and then we work on those parts, add stuff or remove stuff, sometimes someone has a riff or a rhythm to start with but not always.
DRU: Best format? Vinyl records, cassettes, CDs or downloads? (Regardless of current popularity)
UOL: Vinyl, three of us are vinyl collectors, I also run a small tape label, so I like tapes too, but vinyl is like “the real thing”.
DRU: One or two artists/bands you would like to collaborate with.
UOL: If we could do something like that, I think it would be fun to make something with someone that does something completely different from what we do, like Joanna Newsome on harp or with Loscil (minimal electronics).
DRU: How has the natural environment in Northern Sweden influenced your sound if at all?
UOL: Hard to say, but I think out long dark winters sets us in another mood than if you’re living, we’re the sun is shining all of the year.
DRU: Any plans for an upcoming European tour?
UOL: No plans for touring right now.
DRU: Describe the Umea music scene, is it influenced by the local college and artists?
UOL: The musical scene in Umeå is diverse and living, the DIY scene is quite big and bands in different genres help each other to organize shows, but during the pandemic some places have been closed and some people have moved, but still have hope for the future and so many people here know that a living musical scene is something worth fighting for.
DRU: Is the recording process completed by sending files to each other or is everyone in the studio?
UOL: We were all together in the studio, most of the records are recorded live in the studio, with just some overdubs.
DRU: How has the band changed or not coming out of COVID now that most countries are open to live music again?
UOL: One of us have moved to another town quite far away and that makes it harder both to rehearse and to play live, but let’s just see what the future has to give.
DRU: Any social channels or band sites fans should check out for release, merchandise or tour information?
UOL: Where not too active here, but I try to update at Instagram @ufooverlappland and Facebook.com/ufooverlappland
Peace/Krister, guitars in UFO över Lappland.