Operating from Stockholm (Sweden) It’s For Us saw the daylight thanks to Camilla Karlsson (vocals, bass) and Jon Gredmark (guitars). The duo has been joined by Rebecka Johansson (backing vocals, keyboards) and Alex Nilsson (drums). The sound is inspired by 80s cold-wave music, but still has a strong indie flavor. They released their first album “Come With Me” in 2017 (Luxury) while the newest work “Stay” got released earlier this year by Novoton. The work appeals for 80s lovers and especially for all of those who liked the 4AD releases. Camilla Karlsson and Jon Gredmark talked about their band and this new work.
(Credits picture by Joe Dilworth – Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)
Q: How did the ‘story’ of It’s For Us saw the daylight and what kind of band/project did you want to set up?
Jon: It started out as some kind of acoustic project with just me and Camilla. We wrote a few songs, played a gig in a basement (my mom was all the audience) and then it just expanded, both musically and publicly.
Camilla: Then we started to do music that needed more people, to be able to be played live. But we got tired of the commotion with all the different people at different times and they got tired of us and after a while we ended up as It’s For Us, four full worthy members and that’s the way it goes..
Q: Your songs clearly reflect multiple influences; from 80s cold-wave to rock and even indie. Tell us a bit more about the influences running through your work, the strong 80s connotation and your way of working?
Jon: It’s not some masterplan with clearly formalized frameworks and stuff. I guess music that you like influences you. The members in our band listen to lots of different music, but a common theme is probably the influences you mentioned. I was also born in the eighties so that might have something to do with things..
Camilla: I’m a product of the 80’s as well and so is Rebecka. Guess it was a great century.
Q: Early this year you released your second full length album “Stay”, which is inspired by very emotional and personal items. I can imagine your artistic creativity became a great therapy and/or exposure to give all these things a place. How do you look back at the writing of “Stay” versus these personal dramas?
Camilla: I’m not very well at writing fiction, I’ve always been writing for some kind of therapy. I was a kid who wrote in a diary every day and as I got older it turned into lyrics. So the lyrics are very important to me. And when I listen to music, I listen to the lyrics. If they’re bad, I don’t really enjoy the music that much.
Q: I can imagine “Stay” became a very personal and even intimate work because of the theme(s), but how would you compare the move from your debut album “Come With Me” towards “Stay”?
Jon: Everything moves. “Stay” is different from “Come With Me”, but they are both part of the same story. They actually express the same kind of emotions and the same kind of mood. The expression changes, but the theme remains. They are two different ways of saying the same thing.
Q: I noticed both albums have been released on vinyl format and not as a compact disc. How comes and what’s your perception about the different available formats you can use to release your work?
Jon: Hmm, that’s probably a question best replied by our record label. Our official stand though is that all formats are good if the content is. We are open for all kinds of formats that the future may hold. It’s just different kinds of mediums for people to communicate. If the budget is limited, you got to choose: and we chose vinyl..
Q: Tell us a bit more about the clip of the album’s title song and the recently live performances you did in the UK?
Camilla: Well if you mean the video to the title song, it’s a capture of us authentically, both on stage and off stage. We had some great shows in the UK. Lovely people! We love to play live so we’re looking forward to do more shows around Europe.
Jon: And we got some things going on, early Spring 2020 so bookers: be ready, keep your ear to the ground, keep in touch, keep mailing, phoning, hunting, stalking us. And see you soon! Love- IFU cru
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