A Dirty Dozen with CHRISTIAN LILJEGREN of NARNIA – June 2019

According to a recent press release: “Today, Swedish metal band, Narnia, release the single “A Crack in the Sky,” which is the first track of the coming studio-album From Darkness to Light. To follow up the release, touring begins in September, where the band looks forward meeting old and new fans. The album-release will be followed up with a tour in 2019-2020, starting in South America, together with Stryper and Tourniquet.” We get co-founder and vocalist Christian to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

What you are about to hear and experience on our new studio album From Darkness to Light is a musical journey for all senses both musically and lyrical content. We have really tried to develop our sound and style but still the identity as Narnia. We believe that many listeners will go back to this album and re-listen as it has so many elements from metal, passion, symphonic & bombastic elements, progressive rock, fast, heavy, mid-tempo, ballad an album that have strong spiritual impact with a divine dimension that makes you feel very good listening to it and we will bring that feeling on tour as well.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

The band that really got me into music was The Sweet in 1979 when I heard the song “Action.” I was 8 years old by then. Then great bands such as Rainbow, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake & Queen make me realize I wanted to be a rock singer when I was 11 years old and then when I heard Stryper in 1985 with Soldiers Under Command, I really wanted to form a band in the same direction, vision & mission. It took over 10 years to find the right members but in 1996 this was a reality for real and Narnia was born.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

I think a combination of Soldiers Under Command with Stryper, “Action” with Sweet and Rising Force with Yngwie Malmsteen & The Final Countdown with Europe. As frontman and vocalist my influences are Ronnie James Dio, Brian Connolly (The Sweet) Freddie mercury (Queen) Joey Tempest (Europe) & Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden).

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Rainbow, The Sweet, Yngwie Malmsteen´s Rising Force, Europe  & Stryper.

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

It would have been an honor to make a duet with Neal Morse. I am really touched by his songs & lyrics and spirit into the music.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

We are playing melodic metal with symphonic and neoclassical elements. One reviewer compared with Nirvana & Guns and Roses. They are cool bands but the similarities with Narnia are far gone.

7. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

For me it is the freedom to express your feelings into music and can share it to thousands of others both live and studio and we connect in a marvelous way. Music is a language that goes straight to the heart.

8. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

To be honest we seldom cook food together. We rather find a good restaurant with good food and drinks and enjoy life together and just enjoy the moment.

9. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

It was during Sabaton Open Air in Sweden when we played there 2017 and I met Steve Harris backstage. He is a musical hero for me and I didn’t dare to shake his hand. I just stood there and stared from a distance. This was not a normal reaction for me for people who knows me but I am actually happy that I still can be starstruck.

10. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

I have my dream job today as a coach to guide people to get the next job or education where I use my experience as full-time musician for many years. I have a good boss so I have the great balance to tour and record and also good time with family as I have wife and 4 children between 10-20 years old.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

You always learn by life itself. I really worked too hard in 2017 so I had to step back and during that time I realized how to work in the future and also which people to have around me and also to delete to get the right balance in life. The new album From Darkness To Light really shows that but it is very important to make reflection here and then so don´t rush my friends you have time. I know it the hard way! Take it easy one day at a time and don´t take anything for granted.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I think it would have been amazing to see and hear the making of The Sweet´s Give Us A Wink album from 1976 as it had a huge impact on me and I would love to meet Brian Connolly personally face to face the singer in reality and hear him live and chat with him. The timing and the tone of his voice on this album is just amazing.

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Category: Interviews