Photo credit: Christine Engstad
Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?
In the beginning of my career, it was a rental. Later on, my German management had a black Mercedes Sprinter that we used during a 3-month long tour in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It came with a tour manager/driver as well – that was awesome!!
No notable car break-down stories from that tour, but I remember we pulled up at a gas station late one night. All of us opened the doors at the same time and got out of the van. My guitarist had his guitar in a soft bag, carrying it in his hands, I think he was going to move it to the back of the car. To the employee at the gas station, it looked like a weapon, and he thought for a second that it was a robbery. Poor guy, I felt so bad for him. He was shaking like a leaf when we got in there.
Today I have a Tesla X – It’s our family car but it works well as a band ‘van’ too.
I guess I have been lucky, car break-down wise. Except for a minor charging issue this summer when we were heading up to the mountains to play at a country music festival. I was not able to charge at any of the superchargers in the area. After two hours of frustration, a few phone calls to Tesla support, explaining that I had a VERY important festival to play, we finally found out that the car needed a new update to charge at the new superchargers. Long story short, we made it to the festival in time, with the Tesla.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
I only eat plant-based/vegan food in general. It can be hard to get that on the road, but it is much better now than what it used to be. I always bring fruit and nuts with me, so I’m good till I get to the venue. I do have vegan food on my rider, but not all the venues have read all the details. Sometimes the only plant-based option is fries.
I often stop at the nearest grocery store to get some food, just in case.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
I’m not breaking many strings. I try to change them regularly, and it has never been an issue for me. A new set of strings is about 15$ in Norway, that is if I buy the economy pack. One set would be around 23$ – I use Elixir Phosphor Bronze.
Where do you rehearse?
I do have my own room at home with my guitars, amplifiers and music gear set up. But also, my yoga and Pilates stuff. It’s kind of like my free space.
My kids are not allowed in there, haha. For rehearsals with my band, I rent a drop-in place, downtown Oslo – nothing crazy here.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
It was something like «If I could have a dime for all the tears I cried, If I could have a dime for all the times you lied, baby baby, I would be a millionaire»
The title was «One More Dime». LOL
Describe your first gig.
The first gig I played was with Negative Creep, my first band (named after a Nirvana song), at “Ungdommens Kulturmønstring” – a competition for children and youths in music and arts. It was in my hometown, Elverum. I must have been around 13-14 years old; I remember being super nervous. We didn’t win, but it was a great experience, and it opened some doors for us.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I am working as a Pilates and yoga teacher – I had my own Pilates and yoga studio for 12 years but closed it when I moved to Germany 4 years ago. I spent those 4 years only focusing on music. Being back in Norway now I have started to teach some courses again, upon request from my old customers. I guess it has been such a big part of my life, that I couldn’t say no. It gives me energy and somehow keeps me grounded.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
It has increased over the past 10 years, but I always put a lot of the money back into my music. Paying for recording sessions, taking new photos, music videos, paying musicians ++ I try not to have any expectations, but I hope it will continue in the right direction.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
That it’s a marathon obstacle course and you must wear many hats while you run it.