VOLBEAT Frontman: 'I Would Always Rather Be On Stage And Connecting With The Fans'

Soundsphere recently conducted an interview with VOLBEAT singer, songwriter and guitarist Michael Poulsen. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Soundsphere: You seem to have a very positive relationship with your fanbase, so what do you most enjoy about that element of live performance in contrast to simply working in the studio?

Michael: I would always rather be on stage and connecting with the fans. But you have to remember, without being in the studio there would be no songs to play for them! [laughs] In the studio you're again together with the band, as in the tour bus and on and on. But the live shows, there will always be new people, and fans you haven't seen for a long time, so that's always great.

Soundsphere: Where does lyrical inspiration come for VOLBEAT when writing the storyline that is constant through your albums? Does it come from a specific location? Can you be out walking, or watching TV, for example?

Michael: It just seems that my mind is working non-stop, and that's good, but actually also a pain in the ass! But it can come from every corner of the world, or every corner in my mind. I always write lyrics as the last thing to a song. So I always improvise words when I'm writing the music. When I have the music and the melody in the vocals, I start putting words into it.

Soundsphere: What kinds of ideas are inspiring you most at this moment?

Michael: [Pause] I really don't know. It's not that easy to put into words. Because inspiration is such a crazy process where your mind sometimes flies away, and when it comes back, you don't know where you've been. And hey, I'm not doing drugs here! [laughs] Sometimes you are aware of where you got it from and other times you just don't know. And my ideas can change from one hour to another.

Soundsphere: How do you feel that you have developed personally through the music you've made as VOLBEAT since the project began, until now?

Michael: Tough question. Ask my mom or wife! [laughs] I feel I'm the same. I know I am. But you learn a lot being away from home so much as we are. You become aware of how fast time goes by, and we're only here on a short notice. So you just want to use your time the right way and be a good person, and not waste it on the wrong people, which sometimes can be difficult in this business.

Read the entire interview from Soundsphere.