Short And Crisp: Artists let their musical pants down Pt. 44

Today with Emlee Johansson from Thundermother

Short And Crisp is simply about musicians answering 30 questions about music in general within a very short time. In short intervals the most different artists will let their musical pants down in front of you.

Today Emlee Johansson from Thundermother will answer our questions.

My earliest childhood memory that has something to do with music was:
– Being at my parents choir concert. Im like 2 years old or something. I remember walking up on stage and behind the choir, while they were singing, to stand with my dad. And I have a memory, there was a big beach ball there too… haha it’s very blurry, but I remember feeling a little shy, because everyone was looking at me.

I still remember these treasures from the music collection of my parents:
– I specially remember they had SweetGive Us A Wink. It was a fun album cover to look at, with two eyes, and when you took out the inner record case, one of the eyes changed from being closed to being open. Good stuff.

My father often tormented me with the music of
– Big band jazz, like Count Basie. I really enjoy that kind of music today, but I was not super interested in it when I was a kid.

I had these music posters / band posters on the walls of my children’s room / youth room:
– First I had a lot of posters of a Swedish Rap artist called Markoolio. But they were later replaced to a loooot of Iron Maiden posters, and some Van Halen too.

The first self-bought album was:
MarkoolioSticker Hårt. I did a performance as Markoolio in a talent competition (imagine a little 10-year old girl with a painted beard and an over sized football shirt, haha) and came second! The price was a gift card from a local record store, and I went straight there and bought that album.

I still like to listen to this song from my childhood:
– There’s a lot of good stuff I like to listen to sometimes haha, it brings back a lot of good memories. I especially still enjoy Who Said I Would with Phil Collins, me and my sister always had a big jumping party on the couch to that one haha. Also, Wannabe with Spice Girls never hurts, when you’ve had a beer or two… 😉

The first gig I attended was:
– I guess some concert with my parents choir, called Bel Sono. The very first gig with them I attended was lying in my mothers tummy. I think they’ve told me it was a Beatles tribute concert.

My first trials at an instrument were:
– Piano. We had a lot of instruments at home, but I specially enjoyed going mental on the Piano. And when I was 9 years old, I started to take lessons, but a year later or so I changed to guitar lessons.

My favourite song is:
– Wow, thats a tough one. I can say this. Aces High with Iron Maiden is a special one, a lot of things changed when I heard that one for the first time, that put me on the path I’m walking on today.

The first time I got in touch with Rock/Metal was:
– When I saw a Kiss performance on TV. I have no idea how old I was, but I must have been very young because I remember I was scared of Gene Simmons, he looked super creepy.

Besides Rock/Metal I also like:
– Orchestral music, like classical music or movie soundtracks. I just love it, and also love to write and arrange music for orchestra. One of the most powerful things I’ve experienced is to write a whole music score and have a real orchestra perform it. I was just sitting in the audience listening, and every single note they played was carefully chosen by me. It’s just overwhelmingly awesome.

When I am driving with my car I listen to:
– It’s very depending on my mood, and time of the year. Rival Sons always works!

To a romantic evening belongs music from:
– Whatever music me and my romance have in common! But I also think Slayer is very romantic.

During sex I do not like the background music of … at all:
– Any type of Saxophone. My dad plays saxophone, so that would just feel weird.

During my wedding is being played/was played:
– I kinda dream of having a string quartet play arrangements of Iron Maiden songs. Written and arranged by me of course, so it sounds the way I want it, haha.

During my funeral should be played:
– The same as my wedding, hahah.. string quartet playing something written by me. But I would also love a mighty song on church organ, like Binary Sunset from Star Wars or something. And then finish the whole thing with something funny to make people cry happy tears.

This band/artist is a weaning?
– I dont really understand the question.. sorry!

My favourite band is:
– I have to say Iron Maiden, they have been with me for a long time now and they mean a lot.

The most underrated band of all time is:
Toto. They are super cheesy, but I love them.

This embarrassing album is in my collection:
– A few pirate copy albums bought in Thailand. I should have supported the bands instead. I was young and foolish.

I am particularly proud of this treasure in my collection:
ThundermotherThundermother and ThundermotherHeat Wave! It has always been my dream to be a musician, so I feel very proud of what I have achieved.

I would visit the concert of this band for the sake of my partner:
– Haha, well that depends on what band that would be. I have no idea, but I guess I would be supportive.

I like to sing this song under the shower:
Bohemian Rhapsody

The best concert I ever attended was:
Iron Maiden in 2006. It was my best concert, because I was 16 years old, in the front row and got a guitar pic from Adrian Smith. Nothing will ever beat that.

I attended this concert apart from Rock/Metal:
Radiosymfonikerna (one of Swedens finest orchestras) playing movie soundtracks.

I don’t need another concert of this band/artist:
– I don’t like to talk bad about other bands, so I’ll just leave this one blank 😉

I can’t stand still during a concert of:
Iron Maiden. Surprise, haha.

These three songs can’t be missed on a perfect mix tape:
Led ZeppelinKashmir
Iron MaidenThe Evil That Men Do 
GhostDance Macabre

Three records I would take with me on a desert island:
Iron MaidenBrave New World 
John WilliamsStar Wars (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 
Rival SonsGreat Western Valkyrie

I love to sing along to this popular song, when I’m drunken:
Run To The Hills or Bed Of Roses

Did you miss the previous episodes of our Short And Crisp interviews? No problem, you can read them all here at any time.