Interview with Michael Sobygge, Melodic Meltdown / Solo (September 30, 2005)

- I think it's very hard to put a label on your music, but how would YOU describe your music to an outsider?

MICHAEL - MY BAND MELODIC MELTDOWN IS FAIRLY TRADITIONAL ROCK/ METAL, I'LL SAY. AS FAR AS MY INSTRUMENTAL CD'S I AGREE THAT IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO CATEGORIZE.

INSTRUMENTAL CD'S TEND TO BE VERY MUCH THE SAME ALL THE WAY THROUGH (WELL IN FACT MOST CD'S ALL IN ALL TEND TO BE THIS WAY) – IN ORDER TO MAKE THE MUSIC MORE EXCITING AND LESS PREDICTIVE I HAVE CHOSEN TO WRITE DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC ON THE INSTRUMENTAL STUFF.

THAT IS, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, THE STRENGTH ON THESE CD´S.

Where do you see the main difference between your band Melodic Meltdown and your solo albums?

MICHAEL - AS MENTIONED ABOVE. MELODIC MELTDOWN IS PRETTY MUCH TRADITIONAL ROCK/ METAL. THE INSTRUMENTAL STUFF IS MORE EXPERIMENTING.

How long have you been playing guitar, and for the guitar-heads out there can you please tell us a bit about the gear you use??

MICHAEL - I HAVE PLAYED THE GUITAR SINCE 1991. AND IN 1996 I ATTENDED CLASSICAL MUSIC ACADEMY – BUT LEARNED THAT I WAS MORE A ROCK-PLAYER THAN THE TRADITIONAL CLASSICAL PLAYER. BUT I DO FIND GREAT INTEREST IN BOTH STYLES.

AS FAR AS EQUIPMENT I USE MY OLD FENDER STRATOCASTER A HUGHES & KETTNER VORTEX AMP. – FROM THERE I JUST PRETTY MUCH TURN THE VOLUME UP – HE-HE!!

I DO LIKE THE DELAY AND THE WAH-WAH A LOT.

Who and what inspires you when you write a song?

MICHAEL - AS A SONGWRITER I'M INSPIRED BY DIFFERENT BANDS – VERY DIFFERENT BANDS – I LIKE PINK FLOYD A LOT – AND I'M AN OLD FAN OF METALLICA. I ENJOY TOTO, SATRIANI, DEEP PURPLE, MEGADETH, AND LED ZEPPELIN – THE OLD QUALITY-DUDES.

I RARELY BUY NEW CD´S AND WHEN I DO – I BUY THE CLASSIC NAMES LIKE OZZY, MAIDEN ETC.

Which song do you consider to be the best one you have ever written?

MICHAEL - THIS IS WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY I HAVE WRITTEN SO MANY GREAT TRACKS THAT I CANT POSSIBLY PICK ONE, ISN'T IT. –HE-HE.

AS FAR AS THE VOCALBASED SONGS (AND BEING A LISTENER – NOT MAINLY A GUITAR PLAYER) I LIKE THE TRACKS “ MEMORY LANE ” AND “A NEW BEGINNING” FROM SECOND SKIN (2003) “DRAGON'S TEETH IS ALWAYS A KILLER WHEN PLAYNG LIVE - AND I VERY MUCH LIKE THE NEW TRACK “VIRULENCE” OF THE MISSING LINK E.P (2005).

AS A GUITAR PLAYER I LIKE MY DEBUT FROM 1997 A LOT - AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME GREAT SOLOS ON NO WORDS NEEDED (1998) .

When you write a solo, do you tab it out and practice it, or do you come up with stuff in more of an improvisational style? And do you have a different approach when you write for Melodic Meltdown?

MICHAEL - I MUST ADMIT THAT 99% OF MY SOLOING ON THE INSTRUMENTAL CD'S ARE IMPROVISED – I LOVE IMPROVISATION. AND I THINK THAT SOLOS ON AN INTRUMENTAL CD ARE ALLOWED TO BE IMPROVISED. ON MELODIC MELTDOWN IT´S MORE 50-50 'CAUSE I ALSO THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SING SOME OF THE SOLOS. NOW THAT'S WHAT MAKES DAVID GILMOUR AND KIRK HAMMETT GREAT PLAYERS IN MY OPINION.

What about your family and friends, do they enjoy the music you create?

MICHAEL - I DON'T THINK THAT MY PARENTS LIKE IT AS MUCH AS THEY WISH TO, BUT WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT. BUT MY BROTHERS SUPPORT ME A LOT. SO DOES MY GIRLFRIEND AND MY LITTLE SON. HE ROCKS WHEN DADDY'S PLAYING.

Are there plans in the future for another solo album or will the main focus be on Melodic Meltdown?

MICHAEL - TO BE HONEST I WOULD LOVE TO DO ANOTHER SOLO-ALBUM, ONE WITH A GREAT PRODUCTION TO IT!! BUT FOR THE MOMENT I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO CONCENTRATE MY WORK WITHIN THE BAND. HOWEVER YOU LIKE IT INSTRUMENTAL CD'S ARE MADE FOR VERY FEW PEOPLE (11 GUYS IN HELSINKI WILL BUY IT –HE-HE) – VOCALBASED MUSIC GOES OUT TO A WIDER AUDIENCE .

Do you feel that you sound will evolve in some different direction, in the future? Or will you still follow the same path?

MICHAEL - ALREADY I HAVE TURNED A BIT DOWN AS FAR AS INTENSITY AND TEMPO GOES. I THINK THAT THE MISSING LINK IS A PRODUCT OF GETTING OLDER, MORE MATURE AS A PLAYER AND SONGWRITER – NOT WANTING TO DO EVERYTHING IN ONE GO AND PLAYING AS FAST AS POSSIBLE MOST OF THE TIME.

Let’s speculate – you have been granted a free slot on a tour of your own choice – who would be your ideal touring partners?

MICHAEL - I WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT PINK FLOYD – I SIMPLY LOVE THAT BAND.

- What are your favourite old and recent bands?

MICHAEL - AS MENTIONED BEFORE. PINK FLOYD, METALLICA, OZZY, DEEP PURPLE ETC. – AS FOR GUITAR-PLAYERS I LIKE STEVE VAI, SATRIANI, MACALPINE, VINNIE MOORE, AND MALMSTEEN – THOSE GUYS.

Now to musicians and vocalists. Who would you most like to work with for a bit of fun if you had the choice of anyone at all?

MICHAEL -I WOULD LOVE TO BE OZZY'S “NEW KID IN TOWN”. HE SEEMS TO ME TO BE SUCH A NICE GUY. HE WOULD BE A GREAT BIT OF FUN.

And how do you feel about the metal scene in general at the moment? And how about the Danish scene?

MICHAEL - THE METAL SCENE IN GENERAL: HMMM I DON'T THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT. THE NU-METAL THING HAS CREATED SOME GREAT SONGS BUILT ON CLASSIC ROCK FORMS - CATCHY CHORUSES AND SO. BUT I'M NOT A FAN OF THAT PARTICULAR TYPE OF MUSIC.

THE DANISH SCENE IS GROWING STRONG I THINK. MY OLD FRIENDS FROM MERCENARY, MNEMIC AND ANUBIS GATE ARE DOING VERY, VERY WELL – I WISH THEM ALL THE SUCCES THAT THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET.

Vinyl has had a small comeback lately – do you still prefer “the old sound” or are you a CD/DVD kind of guy?

MICHAEL - THAT I DO NOT CONSIDER – WHAT I KNOW IS THAT IT'S MUCH EASIER TO SEND CD´S FOR A REVEWS THAN VINYL. – I DO LIKE VINYL THOUGH, THERE'S SOMETHING PARTLY RELIGIOUS ABOUT IT.

Last question - do you have any famous last words for our readers?

MICHAEL -I HOPE YOU'LL BE BUYING MY MUSIC FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR FRIENDS. OR AT LEAST THAT YOU WILL SPREAD THE WORD AND DOWNLOAD MY MUSIC FOR FREE SO THAT IT WILL BE PLAYED WHEREVER YOU EARS MAY BE. THE BEST PART ABOUT WRITING MUSIC IS THAT IT WILL BE HEARD.

SOME OF THE GREATEST EXPERINCES HAS THEREFORE BEEN THAT SOME FROM THE BRAZILIAN JUNGLE HAS GOT HOLD OF MY MUSIC AND THAT I GET MAILS FROM YOUNG GUITAR PLAYERS ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO LIKES MY MUSIC. THAT MAKES YOU FELL IMMORTAL FOR A SHORT MOMENT. AND FINALLY I WISH TO SEE YOU ON SOME OR ANOTHER SCENE NEXT SUMMER. KEEP ROCKING!!!!

Peter was asking the questions on this one, and a big thanks for Michael Sobygge. We wish him and his band all the best in the future...

Melodic Meltdown - The Missing Link

Click on the album to see more info on Melodic Meltdown and Michael Søbygge.