Festivalsnack Sweden Rock 2023 #1 – AIRBOURNE!

Med Sweden Rock Festival blott runt hörnet så är det på sin plats att uppa stämningen lite och vi kan bjuda på lite sköna snack från förra året som inte fått sett dagens ljus ännu… förrän nu. Tänk så här – det dundrade något band i bakgrunden och Joel och Ryan O’Keefe marsherade in i pressarean och vi kastades in i ett supervarmt rum innan deras spelning SRF 2023 och vi fick ett grymt snack med dem där de bara var så sköna som Airbourne kan vara! God läsning fellow Airbourners!

Hi Guys! 

Hey! 

Festival time again. This time around is it going to be carnage and everything all at once? 

We’ll get to the stage and see what happens. You get to the stage, then we will know. But the crowd steers us in the direction that we go. Yeah, like they’re the ones, you know, we’re just the servants of rock’n’roll. We’re here to serve rock’n’roll. 

Joel O’Keeffe (J): We’re here for the people, but is the first of all festivals we ever played in Europe was Swedenrock Festival, back in 2008. 

Sweet. Yeah that was that was awesome. I remember that one actually as well. We were like on the way to something else and then “What is this?”. And from then on I was hooked. 

J: Wow. There you go. Very good. 

Antics before the stage – do you do any warmup for singing and do a backstage jam or something? 

J: You have a bit of a scream, you know. But guitar wise? Not really. 

Ryan O’Keeffe (R): I don’t do a lot. All comes out on stage. 

J: Like, the schedules are so tight, you know, these days it’s just like you just all of a sudden you’re on stage. Like “Fuck we’re here! We go!”, you know? Yeah. 

Yeah, that energy, and I know you’re just laid back and when you go on stage you become that persona. 

J: If you try to live your life like living on stage, I’d be just… you know you wouldn’t make it to the next gig, so you gotta save it for the crowd. 

That beer thing, how many times have you hurt yourself in in the head? 

J: Many times fucking Heineken pains. Heineken cans, they’re very thick. 

R: And then because I think they made like little kegs, so they’re sort of like not like a can, it’s… 

J: …it’s like to hit yourself in the head with freaking big rock. 

How did you come together early and started to play, how did you pick up your instruments and come together? 

J: Well, he came into the world as my brother. Haha. 

R: We just started playing. Joel started playing. Just start playing guitar. He wanted to play with drums so… and I just asked mum and dad if they would get me a drum kit. I was about 11, I think. And then off we went and pretty much was playing with Joel and just rock and roll, yeah! 

For new music, last time around it was before the pandemic, 2019 or something? 

R: Yeah, like that. We’ve been working on stuff early this year and then after this festival run we’re going to get into it again. The next time you’ll see us we’ll have a new one. That’s it. And still It’s going to be that high octane stuff. 

Nice! I love the fact that you and James Hetfield made me get the white Explorer guitar. That one is awesome. How do you end up with the explorer? 

J: I don’t know. Could have been a James Hetfield thing. I remember playing one and going “Fuck, these are really good!”. Just like there’s no real thought. No other than picking up and ging “I’m gonna rock. I like this!” That’s it. 

So if you forget something at home and you’re going on tour – what thing would make you go back and fetch it? 

J: Ohh like if we need to play the show with jeans. If I leave my jeans at home, we’re gonna go back and get them.  

R: My rock chains. 

Are there any bands you pick up for inspiration nowadays? 

J: I mean, there’s always old Motörhead recordings coming out, you know, I mean, I don’t know. Like, I mean, if we hear a new band we always definitely take notice. 

R: There’s probably a band that there’s newly touring over here called The Poor from Australia that we’ve listened to for a bit and people definitely should check them out. Definitely an influence on our end. 

Do you have any new bands that you have found out when on tour or from whatever that you like and you want to have for support? 

J: Yeah, there’s a band called The Native Howl.

R: We toured with them in America, The Native Howl, definitely check out The Native Howl, yeah. 

Really interesting food wise at the festival. Is there something that you would like to go out and get? 

J: Fried chicken chips. 

If you have any time to watch any bands at Swedenrock today what would it be? 

R: Yeah, we’ll definitely see Def Leppard today. 

J: Big influence, man.  

I think if you look at the early stuff and compared to your stuff, you have some flare there that is the same. 

R: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Even if you go back to Running Wild, also a favorite. I don’t know what it is with that tune. It’s so simple, but I’m just hooked every time going into it. Thank you.

R: Thank you for the kind words. 

J: Thank that one to Judas Priest – Another thing coming! 

So one final question. Pizza – What is your favorite one? 

J: Ohh, just pineapple and ham. 

Thank you Guys! 

J & R: Thank you. Bye bye. 

TEXT: Tony Asplund (tony.asplund@rockbladet.se)
FOTO: Cathrin Linné (cathrin.linne@rockbladet.se)
INTERVJU: Joel O’Keefe (sång), Ryan O’Keefe, Airbourne
AKTUELL: Jobbar med ny platta, spelade på Sweden Rock Festival 2023, Sweden Rock Festival går av stapeln nästa vecka!