Normandie take on the A-Z challenge

Our A-Z challenge is a fun way to get to know the many bands and artists out there. Here it’s the turn of Normandie frontman Philip Strand to tell us all about our favourite Swedes!

A song that made you want to make music?

30 Seconds to MarsKings and Queens

Best rider you’ve had?

Buyout for Nandos, or Hamburg Headcrash – mozarella toasts!

Craziest moment you’ve experienced in the band?

Sleeping in the van after a breakdown in Hungary in -10 degrees, in a town with 50-100 citizens or getting on stage at Reading festival to a packed tent.

Deepest lyrics one of your songs features?

Misery loves company and I’m surrounded – from Atmosphere on the new album

Easiest song you wrote?

White Flag, took 30 minutes on a bass guitar!

Favourite song in your set?

Awakening or White Flag

Guest you’d most like to feature on your record?

Hayley Williams 

Hardest thing about being in a band?

Finding a healthy good tour rhythm!

Interesting fact about one of your members?

Håkan got a White Flag tour tattoo believing we would all get one, but he was the only one!

Jokes you have in the band?

Imitating the Swedish king

Key to writing a song?

Commiting to weird ideas until they work!

Longest distance you’ve travelled to play a show?

Sweden to Czech Republic, or when we drove to play Download

Most inspiring musician you’ve experienced?

Ryan Key has some stories!

New band you’d recommend?

Envyyou

Opening for this band would be ideal?

Nothing But Thieves

Place you’d most like to tour?

Japan or USA

Quote you’d like to pass on to our readers?

Make just enough money to do what you wanna do, but enough time to enjoy it.

Reason for the title of your recent/forthcoming release?

On the first personal album from us we wanted to be raw and unpolished in a wanna be perfect world. To talk shit about yourself and show your flaws can be beautiful in a time where a filterless picture of yourself is rarity.

See us live at?

European tour March 2021, and Slam Dunk Festival!

The old days of music were better than the current, do you agree?

Not at all. Back in the day labels decided what was gonna make it or not, today bedroom producers make billboard hits!

Unusual merchandise?

Let’s make a Normandie pencil. Does anybody use pencils today?

Variations you’d like to do on any of your songs?

A full orchestra would be cool, or acapella choir medieval style!

What do your fans mean to you?

How funny would it be if I said “Nothing” here haha. No, but I’m not sure if I’d write albums if nobody listened, so everything is for them! But we’re very uncompromising when writing our music, so we’re not crowd pleasers, which means that the fans positive reactions mean even more.

X-rays or any treatments needed for band-related injuries?

Some broken fingers here and there but nothing metal!

You’re late for a show, whose fault is it?

Mine! Need to poopoo 5 times at least before walking on stage!

Zoo animal that best describes the personality of your band?

Animals shouldn’t be in Zoo’s 🙁

Elizabeth Birt

November 2, 2020

Band management assistant. Goth princess and lover of all things music and sport.

@lbirt1993

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