finnbands: Most people in Germany might not know you, so please introduce the band in a few words.
Jontte: We're Crumbland from Helsinki. And we play this kind of melancholy, kind of aggressive American Rock.
finnbands: Why do you think that the name "Crumbland" fits best to your band? Why have you picked it and what does it mean?
Jontte: Well, it's a weird story. We were pretty drunk one night...as always. That's the way I guess all band names were found. So it was a pretty long train of thought that you really can't describe later. It doesn't really mean anything. It was just a weird thought that one thing led to another and Crumbland was born.
finnbands: You've changed the name of the band a few times and members have left while new ones came. But besides that: What has changed since your beginnins and how has the band developed in the last years?
Jontte: I guess the band or the idea of the band, the idea of the music has been pretty much the same all the time. I wrote most of the songs. So the style hasn't changed that much. I guess we're just sort of made it more defined. Now that you actually know what Crumbland sounds like...we're a bit all over the place. Now we maybe know what we're doing a little bit more. A bit more professional.
finnbands: Where do you see your musically roots? Do you have any idols that influenced you and the music you're doing?
Jontte: Our roots are definitely on the American west coast. Seattle. The grunge bands of the 90`s. Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Soundgarden. So I guess those would be our idols, if we have idols.
finnbands: What are your musically goals you really want to achive?
Jontte: To play at Wembley.
finnbands: It was a long way from the song "Slide" to your first album "Should I tell you?". Why did it took so long to finish your debut?
Jontte: We were working on the album for a year and a half. But most of that time we were just waiting around, 'cause we had the idea to start to use different producers to try different songs and different people to work with. But that was a very slow way of doing it. We recorded for maybe a couple of weeks and then we had to change the producer and then we waited for like two months and then we again recorded something. It didn't really take that long to actually record the album. The waiting around was terrible.
finnbands: Are you satisfied with the way you've done it now?
Jontte: Yeah, we're very happy. It was a very tough process and it felt like everything was falling apart when the album was done.
finnbands: Are there any plans concerning a release of "Should I Tell You?" in Germany as well?
Jontte: I think...if you ask me again maybe tomorrow after Popkomm then we know better, 'cause that's why we are here. No plans, but of course that's what we want to do.
finnbands: Will there be another single release from your first album within the next time?
Jontte: Yes, "Little Town" will be the next one.
finnbands: Since you have written all songs on your own it's probably a difficult question but do you have any favourite track on the album?
Jontte: I have many favourite tracks. But I think one of the oldest songs and one of the songs I always like the best is probably "Down". A slow song. That's one of my all time favourites.
finnbands: Which is the hardest song to play live?
Jontte: "Wasting time", probably...no, actually. Maybe "Wasting time" or "Go" or "Your King". We're gonna play a bit of "Your King" tonight. "Wasting time" is pretty hard 'cause you need acoustic guitars.
finnbands: How does a complete song develope from the first idea to it's final form? Is there a special mood you need for writing songs?
Jontte: Yes, a hangover. That's usually when the first spark is born, when I sit at home playing my guitar, maybe having a hangover or just some kind of mood. Usually it takes a very long time for me to develope the ideas into a finished song. And when I have the finished song I take it to the rehearsal space, play it for the guys and then we're arranging it together. Usually I have a pretty complete song before I play it to the band.
finnbands: It seems that every guy in Finland is a member in a band or a musician. So what were your reasons to start playing in a band and can you still remember your first contact with music?
Jontte: I can't remeber my first contact. I can remember my first concert. That was Atomic Swing. A Swedish band...you've probably never heard of them. They were pretty big in the 90's for a while and they were playing in Turku. I must have been like 18 years old. It was in a club, so you have to be 18 to get in. But my reasons for starting playing music were just...I don't know...just one of those things that you know...that this is what you have to do. You get your first guitar and start playing and listen to Pearl Jam or what ever. This is what I want to do.
finnbands: Are you doing something else besides music business? Do you have a normal day job?
Jontte: Most of the guys play in different cover bands just to pay the bills. Teemu is teaching a little bit. He's a vocal teacher...singing teacher. We all do day jobs every once in a while. I've been working as a bartender. Not right now. Now I am working in a Kindergarten a couple of days, 'cause they needed help. I'm helping them out. But it's a lot of fun.
finnbands: So you like children?
Jontte: Yeah.
finnbands: Today will be your first gig in Germany. Have you ever been to our country before?
Jontte: Antti has been to Berlin. I'm driven through on my way to France once. But we didn't really...I think we stopped at a service station and had a couple of coffee. So I can't say that I've been here. And I've been to Frankfurt...airport. I guess that's not Germany either.
finnbands: What are your expectations for tonight? Are you excited?
Jontte: Yes, very excited. Well, as I said earlier this is not just a normal gig for us. There gonna be some important people. So I guess if everything goes really well tonight our lives could change quite a lot. That's of course what we're hoping for. Of course that makes us even more excited.
finnbands: What is your biggest fear when you are on stage? If there's something like that…
Jontte: For me personally, my voice is always my biggest fear. The voice is a very delicate instrument, so if you're just a little bit sick or I've been drinking to much coffee or beer or what ever the voice can fail you.
finnbands: You have played some acoustic gigs in Helsinki at last...
Jontte: Yep.
finnbands: ...where you have covered "Umbrella" from Rihanna. Why have you chosen this song for your set?
Jontte: We have some obvious songs like Foo Fighters "Everlong". And we play Stone Temple Pilots "Plush". That's sort of what people expect and also it's fun to play those songs...they are sort of where we come from. But then it would be really boring to just play those kind of songs. We think it's hilarious to play a song that people would never expect us to play. And we play them in our own versions of course. It's really fun to see people's jaw drop when they first hear it. It's like "I know this song...who is this?" And when you see them start whispering. That's so much fun.
finnbands: Are you going to play it today or just own songs?
Jontte: No. No Rihanna today.
finnbands: How do you decide about a setlist? And on which state before a gig: shortly before the gig or during the last rehearsals?
Jontte: Well this setlist that we're going to play tonight we more or less figured out last week. So we've been rehearseling it a couple of times. But usually we try to do it a couple of days before. It's not an easy thing to decide the setlist. It needs a certain curve in the dynamic that it doesn't get boring. Something has to happen all the time. So it's usually hard work to figure out what you're going to play and in what order. We had some good sets and it works pretty well.
finnbands: Now we want to get to know the band a little bit better. Name one word for each band member that describes him the best.
Jontte: Let's start with Antti. I think Antti...Antti is sort of stable and calm...one word... Antti is the teddybear. And Teemu is...it's harder. Teemu...
finnbands: Do you want to think about it for a little while?
Jontte: Yeah, that's what I'm doing. Teemu in one word...Pexi is easier. Well he is...I've got to be careful so he doesn't get angry...Pexi is a smurf.
finnbands: Ok, which one?
Jontte: I don't know. He's just a smurf. He's quite...you know...he's a short guy and a little bit weird. He's not blue. Teemu is...really good at telling storys, if something has happened to him. He's a story-teller. He tells jokes a lot. So maybe he's a story-teller.
And then there's me.
finnbands: Yes.
Jontte: Do I have to describe myself?
finnbands: ...one word. You can say "undescribable".
Jontte: That's a good one...I am...I heard from some people "quite difficult" but I find it hard to believe. But I guess we go with difficult.
finnbands: The next embarrassing thing: We saw a picture of you where you have worn a Spicy Girls shirt...
Jontte: Yes...
finnbands: Any statement? Which is your favourite Spice Girl?
Jontte: Scary Spice. I don't know. Actually that's sort of...goes under the same category as playing "Umbrella". It's a sort of fun...a sort of anti statement. Cause People don't expect me to have a Spice Girls T-shirt. So it would be no fun to have a Pearl Jam T-shirt or a Kurt Cobain T-shirt but a Spice Girls T-shirt. It's a certain kind of...it's ironic in a way.
finnbands: We just want to make this sure.
Jontte: Yeah, I'm not a big Spice Girls fan, if that's what you were afraid of.
finnbands: If you know that tomorrow will be the end of the world: What would you do?
Jontte: Well tonight I would play one hell of a gig. So that I can die proud and happy.
finnbands: People from Finland are known for hard drinking. Do you keep up with that?
Jontte: I used to, but actually because of the singing I can't. Alcohol fucks up my voice. I would like to but unfortunately I can't. But the other guys are doing it for me. Of course after the gigs I can drink but not before the gig. Or if I have a gig the next day I can't drink. So I'm not a typical Finn in that way.
finnbands: The last thing we want to do is a little game:
I mention some words and you tell me what comes first to your mind.
Jontte: Ok.
finnbands: Best band ever existing?
Jontte: I would like to say Crumbland but I don't think that's true. I don't really have an all time favourite...
finnbands: So there is no favourite?
Jontte: Well that's a little bit cocky to say also but I guess I have to say it. There is no best band. But I gotta pick one...I would say...I wanna say that Crumbland will be the best band ever. You know, in a longer perspective.
finnbands: Most useful invention?
Jontte: One of those...what do you call them? When you drink champagne and you have this little thing that you stir the champagne with to get the bubbles. I can't imagine how people get by without it. They are fantastic.
finnbands: Music?
Jontte: Music…a feeling. Music is feeling.
finnbands: Childhood dreams?
Jontte: Rockstar.
finnbands: Thank you for the interview.
Jontte: Thank you.
crumbland.com
19.09.07 ~ Berlin
Interview by anna, puschel & niina © finnbands.com