GA Hood> Before I get started with the questions, please allow me to thank you for taking the time to do this. Thank You!!!! If I may begin. . . GA> How is it that you decided to become a vocalist/singer? Have you been singing since you were a child, or did you take it up later in life? Stefan Carlsson> I didnīt have a choice really, I was chosen singer when we rehearsed with our first band. I was originaly a keyboard player and when nobody wanted to sing I felt like I could sing untill we found a ”real” singer. GA> Do you have any influences as a singer, and/or is there anyone (or band) that inspires you to achieve more with your music? SC> My greatest influence comes from Bruce Dickinson and Geoff Tate, not that I sing anywhere near as good as them, but their melodies are great and have class. Then there is Sting of course, who I think has the sharpest song and lyrics-writing brain on earth. Bands? Thereīs a lot of bands I like, some examples: Rush, Yes , King Diamond and Fates Warning. GA> How is it that you decided to become a rock/metal vocalist? Do you sing any other types of music, professionally or otherwise? SC> A try to be as broad as possible and try things I havent done yet when it comes to music. So in other words yes I play alot of other different music styles. For the present I sing with three different bands. GA> I know that you had joined Memento Mori in 1995 as Messiah Marcolin's replacement. Were you in any bands before Memento Mori, and, if so, do they have any albums out? SC> Well Mike Wead noticed that I sang (according to him) a little bit like Messiah on a recording with Neocori (mini-cd 1994). He heard it, rang me and thought that I should join the band, this was I think in 1995. GA> How is it that you originally joined Memento Mori? Was it through an earlier band? SC> I joined Memento Mori when Mike asked me to. This was back in 1995. They where going out on a tour in Germany and needed a “stand in”. GA> How long were you in the band Memento Mori? SC> I was a member for like six months? I donīt know really. GA> You never recorded an album with Memento, is there any reason for this? SC> No I didnīt record an album with Memento Mori. I donīt know exactly why but it didnīt work out at the time. I didnīt get to sing like I wanted to, and the lyrics was not written when we began to record. So anyway, I guess I wasnīt ready at that time to become a full time Memento Mori member. No it wasnīt anything for me. GA> Were you given the option to contribute music or lyrics to any of the Memento songs, or were all songs that were to be recorded (for La Danse Macabre) already written? SC> As I answered in previously answered. No influence or control, no fun. GA> And, would that be part of the reason that you decided to leave? SC> Yes, well I am that kind of person that wants to create and produce the music I am about to perform. But I guess Mike Wead had all the tunes planned allready. Anyway, I just liked one of the tracks from that CD and that was the instrumental track. GA> Once you left Memento, how did you hook up with Pathos? Were there any bands in-between? SC> Yes there where bands in-between. I went back to Neocori back in Sundsvall, and started like three other bands as well. Then after a long while I got ”hooked up” with Pathos. So I guess Neocori thought it wasnīt a great band was a good platform for growing other bands. GA> Pathos is slightly more exploratory with other styles of metal than Memento Mori is. Was this part of their appeal? SC> I have always liked music that sounds retro but has originality, so Pathos struck me as a band that wanted something and was not going to make it easy for their singer (musicaly). Theyīve tryed a few singers before me, but they didnīt think that it was possible to sing over that music hammering away in the background. So I went down to try to sing ”over” their music and it came out quite good I think. GA> Did you join Pathos early enough to write any of the music or lyrics? And if so, do you have any particular favorite song? SC> When I joined they had still not got to that point where melodies and lyrics where set. So I could work as usual writing both the lyrics and the melodies, and act like a counterpart to their music ideas. I donīt have a favorite song, I like them all. GA> How heavily did you contribute to the new Pathos album "Uni Versus Universe?" SC> I wrote the lyrics and vocal melodies as usual. GA> Of the two Pathos albums, which one, in your opinion, has better songs, or I should as, which one do you see as a more complete album? SC> Both the albums are complete but in different ways. I am of course more excited over ”Uni Versus Universe” because itīs a newer album and I havenīt listened to it more than a few times. I think we rehearsed like five times before we recorded it so I havenīt heard the whole album yet. GA> Are there any other projects, music or otherwise, that you are involved in? Do you have any future plans, regarding Pathos or otherwise? SC> Iīm involved in like three projects (including Pathos) and I am a ”stand in vocalist” in a studio where I live. Of course I hope that we still will evolve and produce music with Pathos many years from now. Itīs hard to get a name in this branch and one must try to ”hang in there” even though the business is slow. GA> I know that the band Pathos is based in Sweden, did you have to relocate to become part of the band, or are you from the same part of Sweden? SC> Pathos comes from Sweden thats right, but we donīt come from the same part of Sweden and I havenīt relocated myself yet. No I commute for like 80 miles (one way) when we play gigs and record our stuff in the studio. Otherwise we keep in touch with tapes and e-mail. We seldom rehearse and when we do itīs really hectic… I have rehearsed with the rest of the guys about 25 times now, and we have made about 10 gigs and two records now so guess we can call ourselfs rather productive? GA> Do you have any thoughts on the metal/rock? SC> Itīs difficult to make a name in Sweden because the market is over-productive, and the record companys rules the whole scene. But I guess that like everywhere. Itīs all about the money. GA> I was also wondering if you have any outside interests besides playing music? SC> Iīm interested in everything that is more or less retro when it comes to music. And of course computers and media. I have studied computer and media courses at university and I design homepages in my spare time. GA> Mr. Stefan Carlsson, I thank you once again for taking the time to answer these questions for us. SC> Rock on, musiclovers! Stefan Carlsson (Pathos)