How are you feeling about tonight’s concert?
I’m excited, it’s gonna be cool. We don’t come very often so it’s great. The tour has been amazing so far as so many people comes every night. Performance wise was probably one of the best we had. This time we have a little bit of production and not the one we usually have when we are headlining. But all essential is hear and its gonna be amazing.
And I promise I’m gonna shave!
Buahahahaahhahaah
Yup!
Nope, it’s just a joke.
We’re we are dying to hear something exclusive!?
Here it is: I promised my mother and wife that I was going to shave a week ago and I still didn’t do it.
THE BEST SCENES NOW ARE IN THE UP-AND-COMING ECONOMIES NOW
What is the difference in mentality when playing in front of different audiences from different countries?
The best scenes now are in the up-and-coming economies now. At the start of our career, the most of the feedback was from central part of Europe, like Germany, Austria and such with the highlights in the biggest cities; Paris or London. But, majority of the scene was located in this kind of cities or the States. But now we have a true rise of all the eastern European counties like former Balkans but also north of Italy is getting better and better, with better clubs and better shows in general. We just played Spain and it was amazing. Portugal had 2 sold out shows- also amazing! So, this kind of countries that were in the periphery a bit- are growing. The standard is getting better, club wise; not only how is it built but the lights and the infrastructure also. There’s a step forward in my opinion. This gives you hope for the future. In these counties you get the craziest people because they don’t get a show every day and are not spoiled. So, when they have a show: it’s something special and they go there and wanna enjoy and have fun.
But, lately there has been many concerts and big names coming to Croatia which puts some in a position that they can not afford all. I mean it’s great, but there’s so many concerts in Zagreb, Budapest, Ljubljana and you simply cant catch all of them.
This is the sickness of the music industry. But I don’t wanna discuss the music industry and the dynamics of what’s happening, but only my band as I don’t wanna give my explanations on the economy and everything around other bands. For sure, this is a moment of change with a lot of up-and-coming bands that don’t have the solid financial basis. So, it they want to make it and wanna make it for a living: they have to tour. On top of this, older bands also tour a lot as conditions change. So, there’s this contrast between this new and older bands and the fan base is picky and they tend to choose. In a way, it’s a bad situation but it also gives you an opportunity to be unique and make your band be compared to others. So, if you’re better and put a lot of effort into your music and your show- then: it’s gonna give you much more results in the future apposed to before. People used go to shows and didn’t mind a lot, but now: they have to choose. So, if you invested in your band in the music, gave time and on the artistic side. It’s a complicated moment but Fleshgod Apocalypse is benefiting out of this. We are getting opportunities to be around and people are seeing growth. In the USA were the headlining bend and it’s the best thing that ever happened to us.
This whole mess with so many bands on tour is gonna end. In 2 or 3 years. Its not sustainable. People come to what they choose. If you’re in it with your whole heart, soul and brain- its gonna be great and they will choose you again. They think are they gonna see a band for the 5th time or give a chance to up-and-coming band. We are surrounded with very good bands and this is our time finally!
IF YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA: YOU CREATE A SOUNDTRACK TO THAT CONCEPT
How do you maintain creativity when writing and keep new ideas coming?
I collect stuff during the time. In a way I’m always creative. I’m very picky with what I do when I write music and I tend to wait. Our last album was 5 years ago. Its not in line with todays time when you always must do something. Last album was inspired by my accident and other albums were metaphors for things happening in our lives or we were witnessing those things in society. I look around and get inspiration from reality. I’m always inspired, with riffs, with ideas; concepts. When the times comes, I just stop and review all the stuff and I keep like 1% of it. I’m very, very picky. Then the process starts as there’s a lot of work behind a FLESHGOD song, especially around arrangements and song writing, but mostly it’s having a good idea. If you have a good idea: you create a soundtrack to that concept. Afterwards it’s very smooth and easy process.
Do you read reviews and does that impact you?
No, I just go my way. I’m very, very lucky to do what I do. If we feel artistically that we need to go into certain direction: were gonna do it. As if you do something just to please the fans: its gonna end up in mess. You have to be honest, take the risk and pay the consequences. It makes me proud when I read really good reviews because its amazing to know that you gave something to people, emotionalwhise. But if someone knows what’s he talking about when saying how to do something better: we would listen. We always try to understand. Good criticism is OK, but just being negative about all isn’t gonna make us change a bit.
Do you communicate with your fans?
I try to spend the time with them, the most I can in person. I stay off social media and try to make it a habit to just go and take a shower after the show and then go to the crowd and meet fans. That’s my way to stay close to the fans, talk to them and be nice and kind to people. I truly respect them. I don’t wanna be a guy on social media “preaching on the one right way”. I wanna be honest 100% percent and that is not cool or rock-star wise, but I don’t care.
What are you doing in your free time?
I love my family, mountains and wilderness. My big passion was climbing and why I had an accident in 2021, but it still is but I just took a step back because it became too dangerous for my profession. Afterwards, I started gardening and its kind of training my passions as you plan and then you have to wait. I’m a semi-boomer and I feel lucky to be in nature or my garden.
Your plans for the future?
We released the album now so its gonna take a couple of years of promotion and its giving us the best feedback from our whole career.
How do you maintain the balance between your private and professional life?
I don’t. My wife is super supportive and se understands the situation. I’m blessed to travel a lot and it’s a nice gift life gave to me. Its tricky as we have three kids but fortunately we manged to make it work. We hear each other all the time.
The interview has been conducted with on 19 January 2025 in Zagreb by Pavao Hodap and Kristina Hećimović.
Gallery:
DARK FUNERAL, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Ex Deo, Kami No Ikari; Boogaloo, Zagreb, 19.1.2025
