A Dirty Dozen with ROGER NILSSON from THE QUILL – March 2024

According to a recent press release: “The iconic Swedish hard rock band unveils their musical prowess in their highly anticipated 11th album, Wheel of Illusion. With a storied history dating back to the early ’90s, The Quill has consistently pushed boundaries, blending powerful riffs and soulful melodies. Wheel of Illusion promises to be a sonic journey, showcasing the band’s evolution while staying true to their hard rock roots. From the thunderous drumbeats to the searing guitar solos, each track is a testament to The Quill’s enduring commitment to delivering a raw and authentic sound.” We get bassist Roger to discuss new music, influences, and 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 you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Well, since Wheel of Illusion is our 10th album by now, we always try to find new things and sounds to keep things fresh for both us and the listeners even though our basic sound is well defined by now. This time we added some old school synth sounds here and there as a little extra flavor. During the pandemic I also took up mandolin, so we added a bit of that to “Hawks & Hounds.” Nothing that takes center stage but something to give the songs some light and shade.

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

Music was all around growing up. My dad is a big fan of Stones, The Who and Kinks so right from the get go I was exposed to all types of great music. When I was about 5 an older friend showed me posters of KISS and from then on I was hooked.

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

The first KISS album I bought was Dressed To Kill and it certainly made a big impact, a little later the Canadian band Helix came to my little town and for the first time I got to experience a real rock show. As a kid I was really shy but something about standing on a stage appealed to me. Seeing Helix and then KISS a few years later were pivotal moments for sure.

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

Jimmy Page no doubt – he must have tons of cool riffs and song-ideas since he hasn’t released any music in over 20 years. And his knowledge and expertise in producing would be awesome to see firsthand.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Collecting and listening to records is a big part of my life. There’s nothing better than going to a record fair or out in the wild searching for rare records. I also enjoy riding my mountain bike in the woods. A great way of relaxing.

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’re about as old school hard rock as you can get. Think Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath etc. And that’s what we’re always seeing in reviews etc.  So far no one has compared us to Britney Spears, thankfully.

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

Our Singer Magnus is the master of the Judas Priest-sandwich. Two slices of bread, butter, sausage, and tons of a Swedish seasoning called Mexican Hot! When it comes to drinks – we’re Swedes so we help ourselves rather quickly.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I once got to meet producer Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, KISS, Deep Purple) at a Christmas party in London. I made a short stint playing bass for Arch Enemy who were then managed by Iron Maiden’s management Sanctuary. We were in London to play a show but got there one day early and got to go to the Sanctuary Christmas party. At first, I didn’t recognize him, but someone told us who he was. We were introduced to him later that evening, but I think I only rambled something like ”I’m a big fan of your work.”

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best thing is really hearing the reaction from fans. Whenever you release a new album, it means the world to us when people contact us with feedback. That and the camaraderie – the four of us have played together for 30 years and that is something you value a lot as you get older. We’ve been through highs and lows, had tons of fun and have experienced things that no one can take away from us. Lately we’ve been getting some recognition here at home, which is really nice also. We got the Culture Prize in our hometown a few years ago and last year we got our own star at the local walk of fame. If anything it’s really cool for our parents and kids to see.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I would love to talk about other records than ours, collecting etc. but you always end up talking about your latest release when doing interviews like these. So I solved that during Covid and started my own show on our YouTube-channel called Record Collecting with The Quill. I did over 100 episodes before I decided to take a little break – but one day I’ll revive it for sure. It was really cool connecting with fans about music other than ours – I found some great records I never heard of though those discussions and hopefully I got others to listen to stuff they never heard of before as well.

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?

Nah, not really, I’m not one who likes to dwell on the past. Everything happens for a reason. But with that being said – saying no when we were offered to open up for this new upcoming band with their debut album coming out shortly wasn’t the best of our decisions. A few weeks later they exploded with “I Believe In A Thing Called Love.” Talking of course about The Darkness and the tour we said no to was totally sold out.

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?

There’s quite a few. Creatures Of The Night with Kiss is one – just to see exactly who played on the album. Black Sabbath Vol. 4 – how much was it really snowing in LA? 😀 Talk Talk’s – Spirit of Eden is another one. – they set up this totally psychedelic recording session and improvised for months and then patched together an album out of those jam-sessions. And any of the Beatles albums would be cool just to witness their creative process.

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Category: Interviews