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WhoMadeWho - Great Danes

Author: Nina Bertok
Tuesday, March 24, 2009

One of 3D’s favourite bands, WhoMadeWho are back with their awesome second album, The Plot. The Danes get all sensitive on 3D’s Nina Bertok.

Bob Dylan once said he didn’t need time to be creative, what he really needed was deadlines – and Danish indie rock/dance wonders WhoMadeWho know exactly what he meant.

Speaking of the trio’s latest album The Plot, vocalist/guitarist Jeppe Kjellberg blames the band’s perfectionist ways for the almost three-year-long studio session.

“It’s just too long,” he states. “A lot of the time was spent trying out all kinds of different recording techniques and concepts of composing. We decided to go on a big musical journey to figure out where we truly wanted to go, except that the journey just took [longer] than we expected. I guess it’s hard on anyone when you’ve got a really successful debut album and then you’re expected to top it off with your second one. It’s pretty hardcore but I think we managed to do it. In the end we had enough material on our hands to fill three records – at least two really good ones, anyway.”

And while Kjellberg and fellow band members Tomas Hoefding [bass/vocals] and Tomas Barfod [drums] couldn’t be happier with The Plot, the guitarist hopes their next album will take less than six months to make.

“When you’re a perfectionist it can be really destructive,” he says. “You can actually skip some really good stuff because you just want it to be so perfect. You need to have a clear vision of what you want and then just do it. When you start over-thinking and over-analysing you can turn the good into the bad. We spent way too much time on this record and hopefully next time around that will be more like six months. It’s just a matter of putting your foot down and saying, ‘it’s over’.”

Not only does The Plot reveal the most intricate and complex side of WhoMadeWho to date…get ready to also see the boys at their most sensitive.

“Well, we’re all sensitive guys, you know,” offers Kjellberg, “so we thought it would be appropriate to show a bit of a sensitive side of WhoMadeWho as well. We made a ballad. Tomas [Hoefding] used to have a band where they played more mellow stuff so he is able to do ballads every day first thing when he wakes up. He’s the sensitive guy, he’s the one with the romantic heart. It’s just another thing that we wanted to try this time, to integrate everybody’s backgrounds. Mainly, though, the core sound of the album is old school with lots of funky bass-lines and drumming and a rhythm section that goes directly to your stomach. It’s a very physical kind of record with a real functional disco vibe.”

The next three months will see WhoMadeWho hit the stages across Europe on the back of the album, but there is one show in particular that Kjellberg yearns for a chance to perform.

“I want to be Michael Jackson’s backing band,” he reveals. “It’s the ultimate dream, isn’t it- He’s coming back and bringing some shows to England and how cool would it be to play with him- I’d love to be able to help him out get his new, fresh start all over again!”

WHO: WhoMadeWho
WHAT: The Plot through Gomma / Inertia
WHEN: Out now
MORE: whomadewho.dk

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