Operating from Stockholm (Sweden) It’s For Us saw the daylight thanks to Camilla Karlsson (vocals,…
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.
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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