Millencolin
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Millencolin

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“It’s not official yet,” begins Ohlsson, “but we have been recording a lot of songs.” Which, along with photos and videos all featuring a studio quite heavily: “I have just heard we will have one new song out in time for Soundwave,” he concluded, surrendering to the fact that Millencolin are up to something.

Six years since their last release, Machine 15, Millencolin have had ample time to take a step back, re-evaluate their punk values, and jump right back in. “With the last album we tried to do something really polished,” says Ohlsson. “Great production, strings, stuff like that. We were happy when we recorded it, but afterwards we realised it’s really not the best album at all. This time around we really went back to think about it. What are the most fun songs to play live? What are we? Well, we’re punk rock. They’re faster songs. It’s more punk rock than it’s been for a long time, but you know, sounding better,” he adds. “We are still not great musicians these days, but we were crap back then. So it’s much better now. And always with an evolving Millencolin twist.”

As well as returning to Soundwave, Millencolin have two unannounced sideshows, somewhere in Australia, where they will play full-length sets including the brand new track. “It’s a like tradition for us,” says Ohlsson. “Dodging the nasty Swedish weather, coming down to the sun. We really love Australia, and we’re so fortunate to be able to visit.” With their third visit to Australia in almost as many years, the band are thrilled to return to the Soundwave stage: “We’ve been playing these huge festivals for 20 so years, but we love the Soundwave crowd,” he says. “In Europe, the lineups can be massive, but probably 40 percent of it is electronic. The crowds tend to be different. Soundwave people seem to be really into music. It’s more our scene.” Millencolin have toured relentlessly since their mainstream success with the album Pennybridge Pioneers in 2000, and have shared the stage with most of the greats.

“We’ve been really spoiled,” Ohlsson continues. “We have played a lot of huge shows. There have been too many great lineups. At this Soundwave, we are really impressed by the Smashing Pumpkins; they were one of our favourite bands growing up, and we’re super excited to check them out. But to be honest, nowadays I just like to sit backstage and drink beer with my friends.”

And after two decades of headline shows and massive festivals the world over, it’s no surprise the Swedish punkers have cooled their jets. The 2013 Australian Warped Tour was a landmark in just how long their musical adventuring has been going on. “On the Oz Warped tour we caught buses, like the old days. It was nice to see the countryside. But we were on the mature bus; mostly us and The Offspring,” Ohlsson concedes. “We were mellow. Everyone was just trying to steal seats where you could have a nap. I love being on tour, but the travelling, that sucks. I’ve had this lifetime of travelling. Over our whole career, buses and planes, it could probably add up to a whole year. That’s crazy. I guess I should have brought a drawing pad, or something.”

As Millencolin’s sole visual artist, Ohlsson has always been left in charge of album art, design and general graphics, including work that appears tattooed all over fan’s bodies across the globe. “It’s awesome.” he says. “We had a competition to send in your Millencolin tattoos, and we just had so many. We had no idea. It’s really awesome. These people have my artwork, my band tattooed on their body.” As a graphic designer, as well as full time punk rock guitarist, Ohlsson complained of not having time to pursue his art as a hobby: “I hate it that everything turns out to be commercial; a t-shirt, an album cover, poster, whatever. I have at least six deadlines overdue. I’d love to draw for myself, but I haven’t for 20 years. I don’t really know how to anymore.” 

While most of us only dream of punk-rock stardom, I asked Ohlsson where he would’ve ended up if Millencolin had never left Sweden and made it huge. A homeless punk in Berlin, perhaps? “I wouldn’t be homeless,” he laughs. “I’m kind of a workaholic. I wouldn’t have been sitting around doing nothing. I’ve always go to have projects. Whether it’s Millencolin, graphic design, a skate contest or whatever. I can’t sit still.” 

With Millencolin’s devoted crowd across Australia preparing for their 2015 shows, Ohlsson is tremendously modest in regards to their success: “Sometimes you have to take a step back and see who you were [and] who you are now,” says Ohlsson. “We’ve always been super humble. We are so stoked at the position we’re in.” he continues, “but it didn’t happen overnight, we grew into it. We wanted to never take it for granted, and we never have. It’s just awesome.”

BY JAKE MCGOVERN