Interviews: FLUSH

This is a new interview with the Rock artist FLUSH from Finland. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you plan it or came out just like that?

Oh man, if only we remembered... It was definitely not planned! It came from somewhere and we just liked that the name was short and simple but could still mean a few different things. We’re stuck with it now.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Not everyone is skilled to do math metal or prog rock so we had to play what we could! In all seriousness, we play the kind of music we also enjoy listening to. It’s a mix of a few genres and a lot of it comes from the 90s golden era of alternative rock, which was when we as music fans and aspiring musicians found our paths. 

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

We did, yes. Two of the original members, Lasse and Börje, met when we were 5 or 6 years old, and struck a friendship over cowboy guns, playing hide-and-seek, and doing whatever it is kids that age do. We’ve never publicly posted for new members and only recruited people we knew beforehand and could trust.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Imagine this line-up for a festival:

Lasse (vocals, guitars, songs) – Bad Religion

Janne (guitars, vocals) – Nirvana

Börje (drums) – AC/DC

Eero (bass) – Tool

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Life in general. Our songs are about personal events and experiences, and about our observations of things around us. Some songs are very emotional and personal, whereas others include social or political commentary.

6. Where was your last gig?

We played our first ever unplugged gig in our favorite local bar in Helsinki right before Christmas 2021. It was quite special with a very intimate setting and all songs rearranged for acoustic guitars. We do look forward to our first normal electric gig in April 2022, but who knows... maybe we’ll do another unplugged someday somewhere.

7. Where would you like to act?

Post-pandemic we’d like to play anywhere. Any stage will do! We’ve done a ton of small clubs so what would be of interest is outdoors festivals and also playing in new places, ideally central and southern Europe.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

We like shows and events with different types of artists and bands. Full-on punk or metal shows are fun, but it’s very cool when you play with artists different from your own style. The most important thing though is that the other bands and artists are decent people, who are considerate of the other artists on the bill. Comradery between bands is one of the best things about being in music.

9. Who not?

At this point we’d play with anyone! The pandemic has been long.

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

This is Lasse, vocals, and guitars, responding. As a kid, I was very shy and introverted, and in a way I still am. It’s taken me a lot of time to get used to being the singer in a band. I’m not technically very good and you won’t me see doing David Lee Roth splits on stage, but with practice and experience, I’ve gotten more and more comfortable in my role. What helps me is practice, more practice, confidence that comes with age, not giving up even after the terrible embarrassments on stage (don’t drink too much, it won’t help), and just simply doing the kind of music that you love doing. I don’t feel that I have a choice, really.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Bad Religion is the big and most obvious reference. Others include Biffy Clyro, Helmet, Rage Against the Machine, Hüsker Dü, Pearl jam, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Sonic Youth, Tool, Kent, Lemonator, Against Me!, and tons more. There is just so much good music out there to be discovered. Recently I’ve been getting into sludge, black metal and extreme metal. Some really good bands in those scenes too.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Tough one... People are generally really nice and supportive, and they understand that small bands like ours don’t live in mansions and travel in limousines. I think some of the strangest, but also nicest, requests are when people want to pay extra for merch. Maybe it’s the double price for a t-shirt or just rounding up the price, but some people are genuinely nice and appreciative of the fact that we put in tons of time and money in this thing and don’t really make any profit at all.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Without fans, there are no artists, and without artists, there is no music in its true art form. Our band’s primary purpose is to play live shows and without people coming to see us play, we basically lose the purpose of our being. I don’t think we can express the importance of fans any better. We would not exist without our friends and fans supporting us.

14. What do you think of our site?

It’s great! There are a number of great indie music websites and zines, and you do an amazing job of keeping the culture alive! In a world controlled by algorithms, favoring all kinds of terrible imitations of music, it’s always good to know there are actual music writers and sites that care about the health of the music scene. We are in this together!

15. Something to add?

Post pandemic, when restrictions lift wherever you are, go see shows and support your local clubs and bands. And prefer the small and indie ones, they really need your support. The big venues, festivals, and artists will prevail anyway, but the small indie bands and venues now need your support more than ever. Keep the music alive!