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I could only find it as an audio-interview, so I took some time, wrote it down and after that also translated it to German.
If you should find any mistakes, click here to let me know!
Mike: Michael Kroeger, bassplayer, Nickelback, Army.
R: When did you arrive?
M: We arrived here yesterday afternoon. Checked in the hotel and have been doing a lot of nothing since we got here.
R: I heard you had some wonderful meat for dinner...
M: Oooh, yes! Very nice! How did you hear that?
R: From the record company guy.
M: Oh yeah. We were into the meat last night, yes.
R: Was it in Amsterdam?
M: It was... I dunno... somewhere outside of the city. I don't know exactly wher it was, to be honest. It was a 30-minutes-drive, but our drivers got lost, too, so...
R: So you're staying in Amsterdam?
M: Yes.
R: Just in the center of something?
M: Ya, ya, right in the center of the town. I mean, we're already out of the hotel. We're leaving as soon as the show's over to go to the next show, wherever that is.. I dunno... (probably looking at his paper)
R: uuuhmmm....
M: Dusseldorf!
R: Dusseldorf, Deutschland...
M: Dusseldorf! Ah, ja!
R: Doesn't it sometimes get really... uhm... mixed up? Like: "Tomorrow, we're in Switzerland and the we're in Sweden"?
M: Absolutely, ya! For sure! I mean, I had to look at the paper to know where I'm going tomorrow, that's pretty bad.
R: Isn't it a great experience you're experiencing right now?
M: Ya, it's... it's going good. It's okay, it's not that bad. I mean, it's just so much so fast that you don't really know where you're going or when you're going there, but uh... you know, just have to go with the flow and read the paper (laughs). So you know where you are! (laughs)
R: So, a couple of years ago, you were like very small 'till little radio stations started showing and playing your first single "How You Remind Me". Is that right?
M: Over here, on this side of the water, ya, that's when it all really started to go. I mean, we had singles before that... uhm... that were... we tried, but didn't work as well. I mean, it started with a very, very small amount of fans in every country and then, when HYRM came out, we had a lot of fans everywhere all of a sudden.
R: How is that feeling? How is it like: "Whoa, we got a big single everywhere at #1 in like almost the whole world!"?
M: "Ya, ya, that's it man! I don't know how to tell you, it's uh...it's pretty hard to explain, really, because it's something that you can't really prepare yourself for or either. You know, it's a big one that we went over the course of that year from quite obscure beginnings to very high hights, you know. We're still feeling the effect of it now, even in the next album, you know, it's hard to explain that places you've never even been before like South Africa, we have... our record is two times platinum in that country. Weird things like that.
R: Did you play there already?
M: No. Still haven't even been there. We have to go!
R: What have you seen this year, like 2003, what kind of continents did you see?
M: Uhm... We've been around the world in 2003 as well because we were finishing off the last tour and then in the summer, we went in and made the record and now, we're finishing out the tour seeing Europe again for I think the third time this year. And there's also Japan and Australia and all those things as well.
R: What's the difference between Europe and Japan, for example? Is it like one crazy madness?
M: Ya, it's weird! Have you ever been to Japan?
R: Nope.
M: ... it's different, you know. Like when you get of the airplane here in Holland or in Germany, everybody's tall. When you get off the plane in Japan, everybody's not tall.
(R. laughs)
M: It's different. Very different. It's... the asian cultures are completely different because wherer we are fomr in Canada is based on Europe, right?! I mean, it just is. North America in general is a European based world. But over in Japan, it's based on the orient. It's oriental culture which is completely different, completely different! It's like... I say it's like gettin' out on another planet, you know, 'cause it's so different, very different. It's cool.
R: And people are waiting at the airport and like screaming and stuff?
M: Get a little bit of that, ya. They know who er are.
R: Back to the music now, because you just finished the new album "The Long Road". Are you satisfied with the result of it?
M: Ya! We feel like it's the best work of ours so far. Just because we... uh... feel like... uhm... our songwriting and performance of the music got better over the years and continues to grow as we go along, you know.
R: You produced it yourselves...
M: (agreeing) Hm.
R: Why this time?
M: Uhm... hm... it's hard to say why because it was sort of many circumstances that led to this. One of them was that we didn't decide on a producer. We had many producers that we wanted to give a shot but it ended up using none of them because either they were busy, weren't interested or the timing was wrong. And I think more than anything we didn't make an attempt to get a producer was a very cursory attempt. And really what we were thinking was that we're gonna produce it ourselves anyway so that... we aimed for producers that we knew we couldn't get, I guess. And we only gave them three weeks and advanced time, so the best producers were busy three weeks and advance... so...
R: Ok. Which one did you have in mind?
M: Oh, I don't wann say because I just... ya, I rather say: just the best rock guys there are in the world.
R: But next time, you won't use a producer again?! Or...Because this album sounds killer, so...
M: Ya... I don't know... uhm...
R: You got big hit-singles over here so "F*ck the producers!", I say.
M: I guess, but it's also something that you... uh,,, it can..you can..there is a... there is the potential to become arrogant and think that you're the best when... There is a reason why those producers have the reputations they have: it's 'cause they're good! Uhm... so I don't really want to assume the best producers, but we do have the best judgement for Nickelback-songs. But who knows! Maybe we will do the next record ourselves and maybe we will be approached by a producer who wants to produce our record.
R: A long time ago, you were in Holland, like two years ago, wasn't it?
M: We've been here a few times. We've been to this venue here about a year and a half ago I think it was.
R: How was the last time over here?
M: It was great, it was great!
R: Do you love to come to Holland?
M: Ya! The crowds here are great! Ya, it's fantastic. There's like... Europe in general is very, very good to us, you know (in a laughing tone). There isn't like hot spots and cold spots. They're all good. (Laughs) Ya, Europe in general and the British Isles, I guess, are all really great for us. It's good for us to come over here and play everywhere.
R: Your new single "Someday" is a huge hit over here. How do you look back on that one? Like writing: is it easy for you to write such things?
M: Haha! Uh...
R: You never know when it's becoming a hit of course, but...
M: ...ya, that's right, but it's also... uhm... it's never easy writing a song, I think. I find, it's always a challenge to... uhm...always make sure that you're creating the best material, you know. You have to place a lot of pressure or... uhm... you have to apply yourself more than, you know, really thought possible, really. And that's how songs like that come is we sort of write and create it and then look at it and go: "Is it done?" - "No, it's not done. We have to fix this and this and this..." and go back and go over it many, many times and be sure that it's our best work.
R: Ya, ya. A couple of years ago, I think when HYRM, the single, came out and then we had an interview also and then, Chad told us like: "Oh, we have the new record already done". And that was like three years ago and then, two years ago, the album came out, so... is it easy for you then to write songs?
M: Uh... they just come all the time. I mean, it's not like we're the kind of band that says: "We're on the road so we don't write any songs and then we go home and we're writing and then, that's all we do". It's like we're making pieces of plastic or something. We're making songs now. So it's more like it happens all the time; it never stops! When we're on the road, when we're at home, when we're so called "writing", you know, which means we're not doin' anything, really. We're just fooling around. It's just... It just happens, you know, it's lnot like going to a factory and making like wooden dols or like cars or something like that. I think, it has to really... I think it has to strike you, it has to happen. It has to occur more than be forced. I don't think you can really force it.
R: But is it easy for you to write on the road?
M: Ya... when the songs come, the songs come. It's just like when you're gambling, playing poker or something. When the cards come, they come and when they don't, they don't. And when you sit down tryin' to write a song and it's not there, it's not happening, it just isn't. And you shouldn't even try. And then, when it does happen, you have to be willing to shut off everything else and just do it when it happens.
R: Do you often during soundcheck play some new ideas or something?
M: Yes. Yes, all the time. I dunno... we have a new one we're working on right now that uh... we may play at soundcheck today. We have played in many soundchecks throughout Europe, we've played this new one. We're working on it and that's the way it happens, man! They [the songs] just sort of come and you work on them when they're there.
R: I just saw a documentary on MTV of you guys and I saw backstage-images like you were drinking lots of stuff and having some fun, so I think you really like to party, is that right?
M: (laughs) I dunno... I mean that's sort of the media creating the story, you know what I mean? 'Cause I'm not really like that so much. I mean, I've talked to you about two parties I've been to in the last year and that's about it. Pantera Party: ya, Grammys Party: yes. Outside of that, it's f*ucking boring.
R: (laughs) That's a good one!
Well, some questions about some songs. "Thow Yourself Away". - You don't write the lyrics...
M: No, no...
R: More Chad's work...
M: I know what the lyrics are about in that song and I'd rather not talk about it actually.
R: Is it so heavy then?
M: It's... ya, it's...
R: Is it personal for Chad?
M: No... it's not personal... it's just... uhm... it's just something that... it's really like a down topic that I don't really like to talk about. I mean, lsten to the song and you know what it's about and so that, you know, it's pretty self-explaining, sorry. Unfortunately.
R: Ya, cool. What about a new single, a next single?
M: Next single for Europe... will be "Feelin' Way Too Damn Good". That will be the new single for over here. In North America and Australia, we released "Figured You Out" which is... a bit... uh... what's the... how do you say it? ...a bit riskey, yes!
R: For Nickelback's things riskey?
M: Ya, apparently, the busienss-powers that be or whatever, say that Europe won't take something that dangerous or whatever, so... we moved on to the next single which is a little lighter.
R: The title is positive, so...
M: Ya, right! Perfect!
R: Okay, what do you expect for tonight?
M: Tonight's gonna be good! Tonight's gonna be really good! We always find, like I said, we played here before and it was great. And we sold lots of tickets, I think they're all gone, so it'll be great to have a room full of people in there.
And I gotta say one thing: that room downstairs - it's the best sounding room in the world!
R: It sounds really great! I saw Limp Bizkit a couple of months ago and that was the best sound I've ever heard, so...
M: Ya. It's unbelievable. The way that that room has been engeneerd to sound is... I think the best sounding venue we've played ever.
R: Cool!
What does a show from Nickelback look like?
M: Well, there's a lot of things that happen. I hope that we will get to use our whole pyro-show. A lot of fire, a lot of explosions, a lot of moke. Uhm... and it's gonna be really loud and sweaty and hot and... fun!
R: Enjoy!
M: Thank you!