Magnus aka Embee Looptroop Rockers interview for Feeder.ro
Feeder.ro: You were alongside Promoe since the beginning of Looptroop – is that right?
Embee: Yeah, that’s right, me and Promoe started Looptroop in ’91-’92.
Feeder.ro: So how did Looptroop Rockers evolve over the years?
Embee: It started out in my boiler room, at my parents’ place, just recording on a four track tape machine and it was pretty much just for fun and we didn’t do any shows back then, we just recorded a lot of songs to show to our friends.. We just thought it was a lot of fun to do it.. Our aim wasn’t to be superstars or anything, that was why we called our first tape Superstars; that was the last thing we thought we would be… Ironic from the start.
Feeder.ro: I remember you used to publish pretty much only tapes until the year 2000.
Embee: Yeah
Feeder.ro: That’s because you were doing everything lo-fi, and you were interested pretty much only in making the music, but not getting it out there?
Embee: Yeah, but it was also because we were.. we declared war against CD records. We didn’t like CD..
Feeder.ro: Whart’s wrong with CDs?
Embee: Back in the days we thought it was sellout to release on CD, we only wanted to release on vinyl or tapes; we actually made a song called “Militant vinylist” and that was because we didn’t like how the media stood on vinyl, actually; because I was a DJ and we wanted to cut on the records and make the nice blends with vinyl.. but 2000 was actually the first CD we released, in the year 2000.
Feeder.ro: Speaking of records and CDs and all that.. how’s it like to own a record label?
Embee: It’s actually just a record label that releases Looptroop music, so it’s more like a label that we put on our music; but we still work as a record label for our stuff – we put in money into making videos and producing the master tapes and everything like that.. it’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of administrative work as well and we try to get away from that, we just want to focus on making music, because half of the time is writing papers and emails and stuff..
Feeder.ro: Yeah, that must be daunting.. So that’s why you put this record label, David vs Goliath, together, just to keep away from all the mainstream labels and be able to do your own music?
Embee: Yeah, that’s absolutely right – we never shopped our demos to major labels or other record companies; all companies that we have collaborated with have actually come to us for collaborations, but it took a lot of years, a lot of struggle and a lot of years. We’re still struggling, we’re still.. It’s hard to get around on just music.. it’s really an everyday struggle and you have to work a lot for it. It took some time but now it’s a way of life.
Feeder.ro: So what’s your role in Looptroop Rockers?
Embee: I make all the music, I’m the producer.
Feeder.ro: And what’s the creative process like for a Looptroop Rockers track? Do each of you work together, or do you work separately, you make the music and then the other guys come with the lyrics..
Embee: It’s different every time, but normally.. I constantly make music in the studio for other artists as well as for my solo projects, but I always keep the best and most Looptroop-like songs, I just keep them in a special folder for the upcoming Looptroop projects. It’s always been like that, I always released solo material, and Promoe as well, and me and Cos.M.I.C. had a group called “The Casual Brothers”, we released two EPs. Basically, I got a couple of beats and like sketches and they start maybe coming up with a topic on top of it, we just work it together in the studio and then we get separate, and then we get back and work together and I always finished the track, I rearrange everything for the mixdown and stuff, and then it’s done.
Feeder.ro: Well, speaking of your solo career – “Tellings from Solitaria” – that’s such a fantastic title; it reminded me of expressionist poetry, in a way.. where did that come from?
Embee: It came from three years’ thinking.. I’m constantly thinking of titles and stuff, and when I had to think of a title for my debut album I knew it had to be something special. So – it was actually a long process of getting the right words together and something that expressed a lot of things in the same title: it’s my first solo album, I made it myself, with a lot of “solitaire” time spent in the studio for coming up with all the songs.. It’s.. quite different from working in a band to work as a solo artist.
Feeder.ro: Why is that? Why is it different?
Embee: Because it’s a lot of decisions that you have to make by yourself and on your own all the time – is this good? is this the right way? should the snare be this loud? Everything! From that.. and also making all the phone calls, and all the mail to get feature artists on there and try to get everything together.. to work as an associate producer and creative master of the same products.. It takes a lot.. and I’m in the same process right now with my follow-up. You tend to forget how hard it is when it’s released, but when you’re in the process it can be hard sometimes..
Feeder.ro: Speaking of featured artists – how did your collaboration with Nina Ramsby?
Embee: Actually, she’s been one of my favourite singers during the last year.. I discovered her last year, she released a couple of records with somebody else, and she is a really inspiring character in the Swedish music scene, and I just actually called her up, she didn’t answer, so I had to text message her and she said “I don’t have the time to do any collaborations”; and then she got my album the same afternoon, I sent it to her, and then she got really on to it, and said “We have to make so many songs” – and at the same evening I had a demo of this song.
Feeder.ro: Wow, beautiful, very cool! So – we get to this part where we all understand music is so strong; everybody talks about Looptroop’s message, especially Looptroop’s political message.. Why do you think music is such a perfecet vehicle for these messages?
Embee: You can get a lot of people listening but wouldn’t listen to your message otherwise.. but we’re not political in that sense, like talk people into our beliefs.. But I think it can appeal.. a deep, bottom-end in a song can appeal to someone in Sweden as well as in Brooklyn and in Romania.. and in all parts of the world – the feeling you get when you hear a track that you like. And while we’re at it, and while we’re able to reach so many people, we might as well say something because there’s so many people that never say anything in their songs
Feeder.ro: That’s sooo true. Did you use to do graffiti with Promoe, back in the day?
Embee: Promoe and Cos.M.I.C. used to do that, Supreme was always the more artistic type, the more…
Feeder.ro: More like fine art, in museums and galleries?
Embee: He’s not in any museum yet [laughs], but yeah, more like an artist.. But I’ve never made any graffiti, I never thought I was good enough to actually go out and paint a wall or something.. But yeah, we’ve always been surround by people that did that, many of our friends..
Feeder.ro: What’s going on with copyright in Sweden? The Pirate Bay went on trial.. and it sounds so much like a battle is being fought there..
Embee: Yeah.. after iPredator came into motion, the p2p download traffic went down 50%.. but we really need to teach people to have respect for music.. there are so many people that come to our site and ask where are the lyrics.. They’re right there, on the album cover, but they probably didn’t even think about that. And I have to say that, probably, these downloads helped us a bit, without them we wouldn’t be playing next month in Romania, but still.. I work with an organization and we try to raise awareness… to teach people to have respect for music, but it’s difficult, so many.. and especially young people are used to getting everything for free.. I don’t think the way to solve this is to prosecute people, but I can’t help think that people need to learn more respect for musicians and their work.
Feeder.ro: Speaking of your concert here – anything special we should be looking forward to?
Embee: You should realize it’s a very exclusive concert we’re doing in Bucharest.. one of only two concerts we’re having this summer.
Feeder.ro: That sounds great, we are deeply honoured!
Embee: Yeah, the last time when Promoe was there, the crowd reaction was fantastic, so we actually talked about it and we’re very excited to come and perform there. It will be the full show, and we’re very happy to do it!
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Interviu realizat pentru Feeder.ro de Alex Rosu.
Pe Looptroop Rockers ii puteti vedea in concert la BestFest 2009 in data de 04 iulie.