Dear Jacob hi and thank you very much for your kindness to talk to our webzine. I think that we have a lot to discuss concerning your new album.

Thanks. I'm happy to talk about it!

You have a new album ready to hit the stores, if not already happened. How do you feel about it?

I feel better than I've ever felt about a White Willow album. Usually, when we're done with an album, there's always things I want to go back and change, or things that in retrospect I think we could've done better. But this time I am completely happy, and just looking forward to the album getting out there.

After five albums, how do you feel as musician and member of this band? Does a new album contribute something to your mood; does it refresh you or tire you?

I feel good. Making an album is always an exhausting process, and especially with the kind of music we play, there's a lot of work behind it. But in the end it is refreshing, and therapeutic. To me, making and completing this album was a kind of victory, because the band went through some hard times after "Storm Season", with people leaving the band and things looking a bit dark at times. But now we have a great new line-up, and I think our best album so far.

I think that it is obvious that the new album sounds more modern and I also think that was due to many reasons. I would like however to ask you what came first or what actually had the major impact to your sound, a new vocalist, a new composing approach or a new producer?

The first thing was basically a decision I made. There's only so many albums you can make with that retro philosophy, and since I mostly listen to new music, and my interest right now lies in contemporary music, I wanted to make an album that reflected my current preoccupations. Secondly, I guess Trude is a singer who is so versatile, and so familiar with modern rock and pop, that her singing and philosophy also influenced the direction of the album. Last but not least, we hired Tommy Hansen to mix and produce the album because we knew he had the talent to take that progressive sound and bring it up to date. We told him that we wanted to make an album that was definitely White Willow, but that didn't sound like a 70's album, and that wouldn't alienate listeners who aren't familiar with prog. Something that would strike the listener more immediately. So all those elements went into the "new" sound.

You recorded the album in short time by contrast to what was happening in the past. How did you came to this decision and do you believe that this fact contributed to the final sound of “Signal to Noise”?

Yes, we recorded and mixed the album in three weeks. "Storm Season" took a year... So it was a new experience. Basically, the reason why the previous albums have taken so long is that we haven't really worked with very efficient people, and also we've allowed for more time to figure things out in the studio. This time we had everything planned out in advance - all the arrangements were complete and everyone was well-rehearsed - and with Tommy being so fast and professional, three weeks was all we needed. I think because of that there is a freshness and spontaneity to the songs and the playing that maybe wasn't there before.

In general do you think that this is a step forwards that everyone will accept or are you expecting some kind of hesitation or even denying by fans of the band?

It's an interesting thing about playing in White Willow. Every album we make is very different from the previous one, and everyone who follows us has a different favorite. Some people think the first album was the best, and don't understand why we didn't make more like that - other people liked "Storm Season" best and aren't into the previous ones... But there's also the "hardcore" Willow fan who just accepts that we are always trying to challenge ourselves, but that there is some essence of White Willow in all the albums, that they like regardless of the sound or the stylistic changes. But this album I am sure will surprise quite a few people - maybe some will find it hard to get into, but I think most people will see it as a major step forward for us... So far the feedback has been really good.

Except from the change in your sound I couldn't let go unnoticed a change in your mood, am I right? The most songs are quite optimistic, not to mention “Joyride”, which show the happy face of White Willow.

I think you might be right about that. Even though this album deals with some difficult subjects, the overall tone is hopeful and optimistic. "Storm Season" was a bleak and desolate album, about impending crises and hopeless scenarios. "Signal to Noise" is maybe more about riding off the storm, recovering from the wreckage, finding wisdom and hope in challenges you've been through. And yes, "Joyride" is an uptempo and relatively lighthearted song - we all love a good pop song, and this is ours....

It is also obvious is that all lyrics seem very personal or at least they treat issues, states and feelings between two persons. Was there a particular reason for this?

Yes, they are pretty personal songs. Some of them were hard to present to the outside world because they deal with relationships and people in my own life, but I think they are sort of universal conflicts of emotions, and that almost everyone can recognize themselves in some of the lyrics on the album.

Is it my impression that you have separated somehow the more progressive and complex aspects of your music and transferred them to the two major instrumentals tracks?

That's a good observation. I was interested in seeing what would happen if I didn't mix everything up in every single song. So instead you have "Joyride", which is a short pop song, you have "Ghosts" which is an angular, dark prog instrumental, you have "The Lingering", which focuses on some of the heavier, gothier aspects of the band etc. To me it was rewarding to focus on a purer expression in each song, giving each song a very clear identity.

How do you feel that you are hailed as one of the prime acts of the Norwegian prog-rock scene? Do you believe that there is an actual scene and how did this happen?

The prog scene in Norway has gotten really good. We used to be pretty much the only prog band of any consequence, but now you have Wobbler, Circles End, Gazpacho, Anti-Depressive Delivery... lots of interesting stuff. So we don't feel so alone anymore. It's also nice to think that maybe we have helped revitalize the prog scene a bit here.

I strongly believe that Norway has offered many bands that are progressive (especially in metal), yet they are not categorized as such (from The 3rd and the Mortal to Arcturus and from Madder Mortem to Winds). The question is this: is there a particular element in your culture that pushes you to more progressive forms?

Certainly there are a lot of bands that have elements of prog - in addition to the ones you mention I would add In the Woods, Green Carnation, Enslaved - and there are many more. I suppose that the long dark winters give people too much time to think and brood, and that leads to more complex and more depressive music... Well, maybe not. But I too find it strange that there is so much prog here. One thing that I have thought about, is that Swedish and Norwegian folk music (maybe Danish too?) tends to be quite complex and rhythmically and tonally challenging, so maybe it's gotten into our blood.

Just to end this circle of questions. Do you believe that there is meaning to all those sub-genres that govern progressive rock, e.g. neo-prog, folk-prog., symphonic prog. etc.?

No, I think those labels are becoming increasingly meaningless. I've heard people say that White Willow is "retro-prog" and The Flower Kings is "neo-prog", but those distinctions are pointless. Retro and progressive is a contradiction in terms, and neo-progressive was a term used about Marillion in the 80's, which would really make The Flower Kings retro-neo-progressive... it leads nowhere. I've almost stopped using the word progressive. Art-rock is a less problematic term.

Now, I would like to ask what is the connecting line between your many side projects, which they are quite diverse in their aesthetic.

Well, as for me I have a solo project called The Opium Cartel, which is sort of folksy pop mixed with some electronic elements. I have also been in a hard rock band called Sariel, which is more in the Rainbow/Black Sabbath/Deep Purple line of music. Sariel is on a hiatus now. Then I've helped Wobbler, our keyboardist's band, record their debut album - they are pure symphonic rock in the 70's tradition. And speaking of Lars, he has an experimental black metal album coming out soon, the project is called In Lingua Mortua. The link between everything I think is an eagerness to explore as many different territories as possible.

Being in so many projects is something that “keeps you alive”?

Yes, absolutely. The more different things we do, the fresher our approach is to everything.

If you allow me I would like to play devil’s advocate. Aren’t you afraid of being accused for exhibitionism (something common in the prog. field) when you list all those different instruments that you use?

Haha! Well, that might be true! It's pure instrument exhibitionism. The very simple reason why we do it, is that we love when other bands do it! Nothing is more fun to us (or at least me and Lars) than albums where all the strange synthesizers and guitars are listed. Then you can sit and listen to the album and try to spot the instruments. It's a geek thing...

Can you clarify the concept behind the cover? How is the songs related to the illustrations of burning headphones and microphones?

Well, the interpretation is probably something you have to ask the artist about. But it relates to the title, "Signal to Noise", which is a term from audio technology and sound engineering, meaning the ratio between a signal, for instance a musical note, and electronic noise and distortion. But it can also be used metaphorically relating to the ratio between meaningful information and background noise, for instance between people trying to communicate. To me the album partly deals with people's sometimes doomed attempts to truly communicate.

After five albums and many live appearances do you think that is time for something like a DVD or a live album? Do you plan something like this?

We have planned it for a while, but so far we haven't been able to afford the equipment needed for a truly good recording of a concert. When we do it, we want to do it right. There's too many live albums that sound crappy. But soon, hopefully!

Forgive my next questions that are sort of political. Progressive is related to the intellectual and sophisticated side of rock or metal. I would like to ask you, if of course you agree with this statement, what should be the stand of an artist to the many social/economic problems around him.

Difficult question. Traditionally, progressive music has focused more on inner, personal change than external, social change. That is perhaps a shortcoming. I really admire politically conscious bands like System of a Down. Maybe prog should become less inward turned, and more concerned with the world around us. On the other hand, every change in the world has to start with an inner impulse, and maybe prog plays a role there.

I am asking this, because, except from being fans, we are also citizens and in times of despair (e.g. killing unarmed civilians in wars like the one happening in Lebanon) we seek for something to hold on. I believe that opinions expressed by musicians that we admire have a strong influence, either to awake us, or to comfort us. Do you accept this kind of responsibility?

I do. I don't know if I can live up to it, but I do feel that musicians have a responsibility to voice concerns about what goes on in the world. To awaken people, like you say. I myself have family in the Middle East, so what goes on now is very close to my heart. It is a senseless conflict on both sides, but unfortunately, the more you learn about the history and the politics of that area, the more you understand that the conflict is practically unavoidable. The best we can hope for is that a new balance will be found, and that people in the area will become too tired of fighting to continue. On the one hand you have an underdeveloped, poor nation, Lebanon, that is being held captive by extremist and fundamentalist forces, mainly originating in more powerful nations like Syria and Iran, and on the other hand you have Israel, with its huge army and American backing, but with a population that is weakened and constantly living in fear of being wiped off the Middle Eastern map because none of their neighbours want them there. It is impossible to choose sides, there is no right or wrong, there is just a sore, painful and sensitive conflict, and people desperately looking for ways out of it. It makes me very sad. Especially since they are basically the same people fighting each other: Arabs and Jews are just two different Semitic tribes. They should be brothers, not enemies.

Dear Jacob this is the end and I would like to thank you once again for the interview. I could keep asking you questions, but I do not want to exploit your kindness. I wish you all the best.

It was a pleasure to answer these insightful questions, so thank you, too!