Port Noir recently released their new album The New Routine on the 10th May via InsideOutMusic. In between rehearsing some of the new music, guitarist Andreas Hollstrand took the time to answer some questions about both the band and also their new release.
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We’re from Södertälje, Sweden.
How did you meet?
AW and Love played in a band called Vanessa and had known each other for a while. I was at that time playing in a band called Saving Joshua, but we were on the brink of breaking up. We were all doing well but wanted to do something else and take our careers to another level. AW And Love started a new project and asked me if I wanted to meet up for a beer and discuss this further. Several beers later our first single Sun dè Man was written and recorded. I didn’t really know the guys from before but me and Love actually went to the same music school but in different grades. We even went on a choir trip to Bulgaria together where Love baptised me with vodka in a sink while shouting words from a Bulgarian bible but that was not enough for us to keep a relation outside of school.
How long have you been playing as a band?
Since November 2011.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Nowhere, really. We had another name before, but it was pretty hard to pronounce so we decided on getting a new name. We wanted something short and easy to remember and came up with Port but since it was already taken, we added Noir for an elegant and original touch.
What are your influences?
It can be anything. A sound, riff, loop, beat or of course another great song. Also, the idea of performing it live inspires us. We’re always influenced by new things and there’s so much music that we have not yet discovered and whenever we do hear something that inspires us, it’s most likely going to influence our music.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
I think we have a unique sound of combined rock, r ‘n’ b and pop without losing our personalities behind our instruments. I think we have found the perfect mix and we’re able to deliver it live too. We never stop evolving. We never get stuck with a specific genre; we always want to try new things and experiment with different sounds. That’s what makes us unique.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Every song has a different lyrical theme and they’re inspired by both personal experiences and what’s going on in the world at the time. Whatever affects and moves us, really.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
It’s a very energetic and emotional live show. We try to bind the audience with our music rather than what we say on stage between the songs. Since we’re only three it’s very interesting to see and hear what massive soundscape we’re able to create. By the end of this year we’ll probably go beyond the 100 shows-mark!
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
One of the wildest things I’ve ever done during a live show happened a couple of years ago when we supported Pain of Salvation. During their last song on the last show on the tour we jumped up on stage and moshed out with our instruments. I took a it a notch too far and fell over hitting the singer Daniel Gildenlöw so he also falls and almost falls off the stage hitting his head passing out for a brief moment. Helping him up we notice he had almost broken his nose, but he keeps on playing and finishes the song while bleeding from his forehead and nose. This all can actually be seen on YouTube!
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
We use anything we can find and that works, really. We changed guitars from 7-string humbucker monsters to 6-string single-coil twangzers from Fender for this album and we actually think it sounds much heavier! When we’re in the studio we play around with whatever amplifiers we can find there along with some cool fuzz-pedals. When we play live, we use the Kemper Profiling Amps. AW uses Tama drums and Zildjian cymbals.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
We’re promoting our new upcoming album The New Routine and the singles we have released up until this point. Check out our new songs “Old Fashioned”, “Young Bloods”, “Champagne” and “Flawless”!
What are your plans for 2019?
Our new album is out May 10 and everything that’s happened so far has dwelled around the release of our new album. But the future looks bright! The plan is to take Port Noir to the big stages. Right now we’re waiting release our new album and then tour, tour and tour.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you?
There are so many ways to approach this question, but I think we can all agree it would be cool having Yelawolf as support with Rammstein headlining. Yelawolf, Port Noir, Rammstein. I would certainly not miss that show!
From previous Band of the Day, Khaidian: do you believe metal should challenge the listener?
Metal should be used to build structures, not challenger listeners.
From another BotD, Not Ur Girlfrenz: what was the first concert you ever went to?
The first big concert I went to by myself was The Offspring in 2003, but there were many smaller local shows before that, even ones where I played myself.
And from She Burns Red: What is the one thing that really annoys you about being in a band?
The uncontrollable wait between albums and tours and not being able to plan or have a vacation longer than one week.
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