1. Describe yourself in five words. So that will be a large penis…[laughs]. Okay, I have five words? Then I have to say kind, but in the next breath absent minded. That can be an annoying combination. With absent minded I mean that I'm occupied and busy with a lot of stuff, intellectually and philosophically, which kinda makes it a bit hard sometimes to be around me. Also competitive, with a little add. I know I'm competitive, but I try to avoid situations when that competitiveness triggers. I hate sports, because if I'm involved in sports I'll just have to be the best, otherwise I won't be satisfied. We have here in Sweden this tradition of having sport people coming to the Olympics, saying: "Well, I aim to be like among the first twenty and then I'll be satisfied." That's a philosophy I can never adapt to. If I do sports, I will be completely set on winning. Second place doesn't count. Maybe that's why I'm in music, because that is very hard to judge. You can only judge music on sales. Yeah, and you can always argue that the sales are misleading. But the music competition that we've entered, I've been set on winning and we actually usually manage to accomplish that [laughs]. The fourth element of the five words of my own description is talkative. I tend to talk a lot. Especially when it comes to intellectual stuff. So the last word has to be…no, definitely not smart… no, intelligent neither, no it's philosophical. 2. Who was your first love? Are you referring to people, or ideas, or music? Well, I was heavenly in love with a girl in my class when I was ten or eleven years old. She was the silent, mysterious type. And as long as those silent types don't make the mistake of showing too much you can have a complete vision of how perfect that mind or that person would be. So mystique, silent girl really triggered my imagination of perfection. But when we finally got together it didn't really live up to my expectations [smiles]. She didn't have all those fantastic features that I kinda depicted it, or imagined. And she wasn't all kindness, you know. Still, she was probably better than most people, but… well, if I haven't built up those great expectations it might have turned out different. 3. Which moment in your life you'll never forget. Phew, there's a lot! That's difficult, there are just so many things [thinks for a long time]. Okay, if you ask me this next week, I'll probably say something else, but the thing is: I kinda grew up feeling that I was a bit different from people. I came to the conclusion that either most of the world is stupid, or I am the one who's stupid. And so stupid that I don't even realise that I'm the stupid one. But then I did that military test for your intelligence, and having full score in that was some sort of relief for me. I felt like: "Okay, so I am not insane!" Was that relief not a false modesty? Was that test not more of a proof instead of a relief? For me it was more of a relief, because I was actually questioning my sanity a couple of times. Or maybe it's that I'm still the stupid one and the intelligence test was just to figure out if I'm stupid enough. Or am I now being too paranoid? [smiles] Yeah, it was not an intelligence test, it was a stupidity test! But really, is that intelligence test a moment in your life you'll never forget? Really, getting the results was very important for me. Let's make it a little more understandable. You know, I really dislike the whole military idea. And the whole idea about those IQ-tests is that we have to weed out the idiots, sort to speak. And I'm of the firm philosophy that you have to be an idiot to buy those military ideas. On the other hand, intelligence is such a little bit of that whole thing. It's such a small part of life. For me, it has caused nothing but problems anyway. If you have a ten-point scale for intelligence, you'll find most ass-holes around eight or nine on that scale. When people are intelligent enough to figure out that they are intelligent, they still don't have the wisdom, morals and empathy to go along with that intelligence. That's when you get an asshole. I mean, unfortunately a lot of pretty intelligent people are very aware that they are intelligence and that doesn't work out very well, especially when they are in a powerful position. It allows them to make decisions over other people's heads. So in that case I think I would prefer being around two or three on that scale. In that military situation I was the kinda hippie-ish guy. I didn't bring the papers I supposed to bring, I kinda behave rather erratic. I was viewed upon like something of a goofball. I was the weirdo. In that sense it was really nice at the end of the day to score full on that IQ-test, because all of a sudden they looked at me in a complete different way, even though I was exactly the same guy. That gave me a good feeling: "I knew you were wrong and now you just prove me that to me! You were judging people falsely and now all of a sudden you started treating me differently, although I haven't changed a bit." That is what this whole military system is. It's formed upon. In Sweden, you were obliged to do the military test at the age eighteen and you weren't allowed to refuse the army then. So I applied for weapon-free service and eventually I was able to convince the psychologist of my arguments not to join the army – although I could fake I was an idiot, I decided not to pretend like that - so in the end I didn't serve the army at all. 4. If you can choose a person you can co-operate with, which person will that be? A dead or a living person? Phew… I have so many interesting ideas. I'm torn between my serious side and my completely weird side. Okay, I would like to work very closely and having a nice co-operation together with Hitler or George W. Bush, because I could have the opportunity of making some change in their philosophy, before things went too far. So, that would be one idea. Another side of me wants to say that I can imagine a very close co-operation with "whatever good-looking female artist" [smiles]. For my serious side, I would have to choose either a visionary or a musical artist. Actually, I think it would be a very interesting idea to work with Dalbello [Canadian singer, wrote for instance Queensryche's 'Gonna Get Close To You', EDS]. I think she's great singer and I think the music that she make is tremendous. I love her musical visionaryship. If visionaryship is a word by the way, maybe I invented that word by now [smiles]. Only her last album 'Whore' dates from '95 and I'm still waiting for her next album. I expected you would have answered this question by saying the name of Mike Patton. Well, this might be completely wrong, but I have the feeling that he's probably not that nice to co-operate with. Don't let this to any misunderstanding, I think he's a very good singer and does a tremendous job, but I don't know if I like to work with him. But hey, maybe he's a very nice guy and I misjudged him completely? 5. Who do you consider as your master? I think I don't have one. So it's not Carl Anderson, the black guy who played Judas Iskariot in Jesus Christ Superstar? Oh! Well, he was one of those musicians I really appreciated in Jesus Christ Superstar. I constantly wondered what he did after that and one day I thought I'm gonna check that out. Then I found out he was dead. "Okay, so it's too late now…" So it's not that he was big, major influence on me, it's just that he was always in the back of my mind. I always liked a lot of different kind of music, but I rarely had idols. Probably that's good though, because usually when people have their idols, they will do their best to sound like them. I mean, I'm more influenced by ideas and certain songs or features in certain songs than certain bands, artists or albums influenced me. Together they make out a very nice communicative library of musical influences. I don't turn away different kinds of music, because of what it is. Like for instance the discussions what are going on in the progmetal scene. They all think of themselves as very open minded and intellectual. But then when you look at what they reject music-wise, they're just as narrow minded as a lot of the other music styles. Especially when you talk to them, asking what kind of music they listen to. They go always like: "Well you know, it's like everything. I have a very wide music taste." So I ask: "So you listen to country?" "Uh, no, not really." "Reggae?" "No." "Pop music then?" "Nope". " What about the new Limb Bizkit album?" Then they go like: "Aargh, Limb Bizkit, that just sucks!" So I'll say like: "But the sixth song on that album, did that suck too?" "Well… I haven't heard the album." But I like to give everything a change, because in all kinds of music there must be something that is good. 6. You are greatly indebted to who for his or her help? Can I mention a few? We have here a Swedish storyteller that sadly passed away a couple of years ago, Astrid Lindgren. Se was definitely one of my heroes. She had a great integrity and she was always fighting for those who could not fight for themselves in a way. In the best way possible I think that the stuff she was writing taught me a lot about morals and ethics, but not in the stiff kinda way that we tend to look at those words. More what it is to be truly a human being, to be empathic. There's also another Swedish writer that's called Tage Danielsson. He was a comedian, but with a more philosophical calibre. I think that humour and comedy is often a very good way of approaching problems, especially human and social problems. He was a very soft, laid back, intelligent and linguistic writer. I think he was criticising himself a lot, and downing himself in a lot of ways. I can truly relate to that. Also the way he was dealing with humanity and mankind. That has been very helpful to me in many ways. And I have to thank Star Wars of course! [Daniel is talking endlessly about his ideas, philosophies and enthusiasm for Star Wars and Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World', but regarding this is the female part of the interview - and the average woman doesn't like science fiction - we had to skip this part…, EDS] 7. What is your strongest point, physically speaking? This is probably not a physical thing, but I run very well on will. I can actually exceed my limits quit far, just by wanting to. You see so many people lose their ability to survive, they don't have the will to survive and somewhere in your heart I am like: "If I was in that situation, I would really fight. I would never give up!" 8. When was the last time you cried? Just a few days ago, probably. The thing is, I am very easily moved. But I also have that typical, stupid male thing of having problems with crying in public. I hate going to funerals, because I got so extremely moved by it. Yet at the same time I can't really focus on the funeral, because I'm focus on not crying. Although I love when other people are crying, I think it's a sign of strength. But it's like impossible for me to adapt that to myself. But when no one's around and I'm watching movies for instance, I get moved very easily and can cry a little bit. 9. What's your aberration, a negative aspect of your character? I can be very annoying. I can tease people far beyond the point of common decency. Especially with people I know very well I can be very, very provocative. I can really piss people off if I want to [laughs]. When I'm making a lot of quick jokes and quick associations all the time, then I can be a real pain in the ass. Like someone made a mistake. You can just shut up and not mention it, because you know it's a fuck up and the guy would want to let it pass, but… not me! Especially when something funny appears, because of that mistake. I love to make jokes on unintentional funny results of some mistake done by someone. I just have to! Fredrik and I have this saying: "It's a bad form not to sacrifice on the altar of the God of comedy." 10. Which book was too thick and terrible to read? Usually there's no book that is too thick. But I remember that there's actually one book that I have not read through, and that is Tolkien's 'Silmarillion'. You come to a point that you don't know anymore which names belong to which characters. I was pretty young when I tried reading that book, so I don't know if I'm able to read it now, but after that first try I don't really have the will to try again. 11. Did you ever lie and if so: why? No, I never lie [laughs]. Okay, the last time I lied was very recently, about five seconds ago. It's difficult, actually. I'm very reluctant to lying. If there's any way that I can avoid having to lie, I would much rather do that. Usually the lies are more about bad haircuts of friends and relatives, but even then I prefer to say that it is a bad haircut. But apart from these little lies…[thinks] I'm sure that I've made some really spectacular lies… Okay, this one could be amusing, although it's probably not very flattering for myself: when I was a young teenager, like fourteen or so, I was for a while obsessed with the idea of finally having sex with someone. And according to my preference, preferably with a girl off course [laughs]. I strictly remembered trying to convince a girl that I was seeing, that we would actually have sex together. I was blinded by testosterone. I vividly remembered trying to emphasise all the good parts about that idea, but she wasn't ready to try that. No, it was not that same girl I was in love with what I said earlier, but when I was seeing this other girl I was still in love with that girl. But I was dating this other girl, because I figured I might have better changes with her to have sex. And when I was breaking up, I said it was because I was in love with that another girl. Only, I was already in love with that girl for like five years, so that was obviously not the reason why I was breaking up. It was because of the idea of not having sex in the near future… hahaha! But it wasn't very nice of me, and I felt like a mean coward, although I never said to her that I loved her. I couldn't lie about that. 12. What kind of underwear do you wear now? Right now? I have to check… Well, I would like to be a cool girl saying: "I don't wear any." But I don't think that's a cool thing for guys. Well, it's called LTD. Nothing fancy or anything. I would like to have said something mind boggling, like I'm wearing an Ukrainian sweater or my wife's panties on or something, but unfortunately… 13. What's the worst present that someone ever gave to you? A present can never be bad. It's a present, it's for free, man! I'm very easily happy with presents. You can buy a Star Wars action figure for no money at all, and I would be thrilled. But if I have to say something, then it would probably be standard stuff like socks, or underwear. But apparently I need them, because I have so boring underwear [laughs]. 14. I can't live without… My senses. It's probably more interesting to mention a thing or something… Or a person… Oh, of course, that's a good one too! Can I change my mind? But back to my first answer. I gave that answer because lately I'm spending some time trying to figure out what sense I can survive without. And I just can't really pick one. I just need them all. At the moment I'm reading a book by Oliver Sachs again, 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat', and that is dealing with a life lacking one sense. Life without taste, smell, sight, hearing or feeling would be terrible! 15. This is what I was dreaming of when I was a child… When I was a child I was definitely dreaming about becoming this great rockstar, extremely rich and extremely liked by everyone. But unfortunately, I'm just playing music [smiles]. Wherever you go, you bring yourself. It doesn't matter how wonderful or bizarre the context is, your still yourself. I'm still the same guy that I was, when I was twelve years old dreaming about becoming a rockstar. Everything's just the same in a way, because you always bring yourself into everything. 16. Do you give money to charity? Well, as a matter of fact I do. 17. What part of you would you like to change? The gap between my teeth (thanks for helping me draw attention to it by the way). I would also like to have a more relaxed relation to human beings in general and the female body in specific. 18. What's your motto? Reach for your dreams and visions but don't step on other people on your way. Also; the world can be better than this. 19. Are you romantic or down to earth? Romantic, if that's the opposite to down to earth… 20. What do I have to do to get you pissed off? A. Say any of the following: "Well, I think it's time to go home to the old hag/bag/bitch…"; "Nigger"; "Sometimes war is the only alternative"; "It's a beautiful thought, but…"; "It's all for freedom" etc… B. Buy non-ecologic milk when the ecologic milk sitting right beside it is the same price. 21. You like to spend your money to/on…? DVDs (especially TV series in season boxes), computer equipment, music equipment and travelling with my wife. 22. What do you seek in your partner? In other words: why is your girlfriend/wife your girlfriend/wife? I seek wild originality and wisdom, a pair of eyes that tell wordless stories every time you look into them, a perfect balance between naivety and ethics. And I am a sucker for big breasts and long hair too. What? What do you mean "know when to stop"? 23. Do you believe in God, fate or horoscopes? (Please be short, otherwise people won't read it anyway… I do not believe in horoscopes. I do not think that the question of God and/or Fate can be applied to mankind. It's like asking "what shape is green"… I have a good parable but it's long. Sorry. 24. What does 'at home' mean for you? A place where I have my wife Johanna, a nice bed, a bath tub and a pile of good books. 25. What do you think of Jan Peter Balkenende? (Play fair: don't Google in the meantime if you don't know this bloke! Otherwise his pictures will scare the shit out of you… Have no idea who it is. See – no Googling! 26. If you had the opportunity and the power to say: what things you want to change in Sweden? The weather. Don't get me wrong, I think this is as good as it gets, we get around 30 degrees in the summer which is OK (even though I have this saying: "everything below 30 degrees is a semi-failure") and we get down to –20 degrees in the winter with snow every year (even though it has been thinning out a lot the last decade) but I would love to have warmer in the summer and more snow in the winter. I would also like longer summers and shorter autumns (yes they are pretty and I love the smell, but after the leaves have fallen it's really only dark, damp and cold). Politically: less money to the military and more to welfare and environmental issues – higher taxes for the rich. I would also consider forbidding alcohol and tobacco. I know it's a large part of contemporary society and has used both of them myself many times, but they are really insane. If alcohol would be discovered or invented today it would be banned in the split of a second. Hey, now I remembered another thing you could say to piss me off: "But if you forbid it, it will only go underground and out of control…" (just take that argument a few steps further and you'll probably see what I mean).