Racket Damara: So, it’s very nice to meet you first, first of all. You guys are all from Sweden, right?
In Flames Peter: Yeah.
RD: How did you guys escape the Arctic Circle?
IFP: Do you mean how we came abroad?
RD: Well, I’m just saying, there are so many polar bears there. How did you escape them?
IFP: *chuckles* We don’t have any polar bears in Sweden.
RD: Too bad. How far north have you been?
IFP: Uhhh… I’ve been all the way up. Kinda of where, you know, the three countries cross. I’ve been there.
RD: Do you guys have castles?
IFP: Yeah, I guess we do.
RD: Do you guys have LOTS of castles?
IFP: We have some.
RD: Do you have a castle?
IFP: Nope, I have a place… a normal place.
RD: Do any of you have castles?
IFP: Nope.
RD: Really?
IFP: None of us.
RD: I want to go to a Swedish castle.
IFP: Well, they’re pretty much like any castle, I guess.
RD: Do all of you guys have long hair right now?
IFP: No, only three of us. They cut their hair.
RD: So you guys hook up with a lot of chicks on your tours?
IFP: No, we’re all married. We’re not teenagers, so not really.
RD: All married, hmm? How old are you guys?
IFP: I’m 33, and I’m in the middle. Two older and two younger. But Bjorn is the same age as me, so only one younger. Anders is 35 and Jesper is 36.
RD: How long have you been with the band?
IFP: About 12 years, since about ’96.
RD: Do you think that girls from metal bands hook up with random guys on their tours? Do you think they have guy groupies?
IFP: Most, probably. I mean, same as guys.
RD: Do you have a guy groupie?
IFP: Well, not that I know of. I’m sure I have one out there…
RD: Do you bring your wives on the tours?
IFP: Sometimes, yeah. I mean, since we’re out so much, they can’t come. They have to live their lives at home, as well. But sometimes, when they have time off of work they can come out.
RD: Do any of you have children?
IFP: Yeah, all of us, except for Jesper.
RD: Do they all have Mohawks, long hair, and dreds?
IFP: Yeah, basically.
RD: What kind of video games do you guys play?
IFP: Me and Danny like to play the Pro-Evolution Soccer games. That’s a definite hook-up. I love that. We call it football. You call it soccer. I don’t want to say what we call your guys’ football.
RD: Isn’t it just American football?
IFP: Yeah, we’ll call it American football.
RD: Do you guys have any bad addictions to games? Like Cannibal Corpse’s singer’s addiction to World of Warcraft?
IFP: Yeah, yeah! Bjorn and Jesper play that one, as well. I know George from Cannibal Corpse is a huge World of Warcraft guy. It’s a very addicting game.
RD: Do you dream in English or Swedish?
IFP: In Swedish, I guess.
RD: How many languages do you speak?
IFP: Only two. I have picked up some German and stuff like that when I was younger, but I speak English and Swedish.
RD: As far as I can tell, all of your lyrics are in English. Do you have any lyrics in Swedish, at all?
IFP: No. It’s easier to reach out to a larger crowd when you’re writing in English.
RD: What’s the craziest thing a fan has ever done?
IFP: I don’t know. People are really nice. I mean, there’s been some weird stuff going on, but nothing that really comes to mind right now. No more than people coming up to the bus and dressing room. Stuff like that. I’ve had a couple people knock on my door at home, but it’s nothing crazy. They’re always pretty nice. They just want to get close to you.
RD: Have any of them followed you into the bathroom?
IFP: No, they’ve never gotten that close.
RD: How many times have you seen your band members naked?
IFP: I guess, pretty much every day since we share a dressing room where everyone’s showering.
RD: How many vehicles do you have with your equipment and everything?
IFP: Our band alone with the crew has two buses, and then we have a truck. And then the other guys have covered buses and a camper, I think.
RD: Well, thank you very much. I really appreciate it!
IFP: You’re welcome! It was a different interview.