Joey Tempest on Coming to America and Loving Vinyl

“MP3 is today’s world and we’re all getting used to it and we’ll have to live with and it’s OK as a medium but it’s a bit compressed,” says Europe vocalist Joey Tempest. “Me being a musician, I hear the difference. I like better quality stuff. Vinyl? I don’t know if it will find its way back, but it’s a wonderful piece of medium. It’s lovely to hold and to try on your player. It’s a special sound, isn’t it?”

I recently interviewed Joey Tempest for Noisecreep and I thought I’d share some of that with you. Europe’s new album Last Look at Eden is phenomenal and the band is on tour right now in Germany and Asia.

While I was preparing for the interview, I checked out Europe’s official message board and there were many fans asking for a vinyl release of the new album.

“We did a vinyl of Almost Unplugged,” says Tempest. “That was a show we did that was covers.  And we did some Led Zep covers. Last Look at Eden…I don’t know if it’s in the pipeline right now. Some of us in the band really like that (format) so it’s not impossible.”

Naturally I asked Joey when Europe would be coming to America to do some shows. I’m hoping the band will be here in the summer for a festival or two, but it’s highly likely the band won’t come to the states until autumn 2010.

“We have so many good things going on over here in Scandinavia and Europe right now…I want to do the best job possible in America,” explains Tempest. “We’re going to try and build it up slowly and come there in the autumn of 2010, which means we’re starting right now. We have meetings very soon and are starting to form a relationship with people we want to work with. We don’t want to just rush and you know, do a tour that maybe won’t help…it needs to build up slowly. It’s a big place and there’s a lot of rock fans there and we need to reach them somehow. America would be fantastic to do some stuff there. It’s a young country, made for rock n’ roll and it’s so nice to go there. As you know, we have a strong following in Europe and Scandinavia and Asia, so we have to take care of that as well.”

Read my extended chat with Joey Tempest soon on Noiscreep.  Last Look at Eden is available as a physical import or MP3 download.

 

Comments

[Bob]

Joey Tempest is being very diplomatic and careful with his words here. what he really wants to say is, "the majority of America doesn't care about real rock music the way other countries do. If we tour America, we'll have to plan it in such a way that we at least make back our airline fare." Let's face it, if I had the choice of touring countries that really support quality rock acts, or coming to America where the masses don't care about such music, I'd stay away from America as long as I could, too.

[glamrockerarchie]

its sad to say but i agree with the above statement, north america sucks for rock its all pre packaged pop bullshit no talent hacks who have everything written or played for them im sick of all these corporate bands bring back the 80s , anybody who lived in that era can relate as bands were loud proud and fun to watch and hell it was always a good party and smokin hot women whats not to like

[bumblefootboy]

i agree with both of the previous posts. i ve seen alot of video footage of concerts overseas, and those people go CRAZY ! here in the good ol usa, the people just stand around and look bored . i dont blame alot of bands for choosing to tour overseas, then here.i m sure they make more money touring overseas.makes you say, boy i wish i lived over there, just to see what a REAL concert experience is like.

[nirVrana]

Hmmmm, I am hoping that Allyson mentioned how amazing ShipRocked was, and how dedicated the fans on that cruise were, even towards the newer bands. Autumn 2010 dovetails nicely into Winter 2011....

Please work some magic, Ms. Glam... \,,/

[Mary Lou]

Unfortunately, I agree. America has NO TASTE. I'm kind of ashamed as a rock fan AND a citizen to say that I am from this country. We start stupid, pointless fads. We are controlled by money instead of quality music. We are BULLSH@IT.

Europe is my absolute favorite band. If you ask me what my favorite album of all time is it's Last Look At Eden. I still hope they tour here, or that our economy will pay me back the money I've lost so I can see them myself.