Interview with Norwegian Heavy Psychedelic Rock Band Mondo Bear

April 27, 2020

Interview with Norwegian Heavy Psychedelic Rock Band Mondo Bear

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

CV: When you approach songwriting, is it a planned process or is it more of an organic thing...allowing words and music to come about on their own terms?
Mondo Bear: It can be a bit of both. Usually one of us has an idea for a riff or a chord progression that we use as a starting point. From there we often work very methodically as a group where everyone gives input on the idea, what it should lead to next, how long a certain part of song should last, should the next part build on the previous or be in contrast to it. In short, we start off very organically and then we’ll go into a very structured process of fleshing the songs out.

CV: Can songwriting be a conscious effort on the part of the artist and still be a successful process…meaning can it be planned? Or are some elements lost and the music then becomes contrived with such methods?
MB: It really depends on what you want the song to be. For some of our songs, like Buzzy or Hollywood, the parts where more or less planned from very early on, while songs like Control and Scandal are much more a result of the band improvising and jamming on different ideas. It comes down to this idea of having some songs that can feel structured, some songs that can be more fluid and loose, and songs that are a combination of both. It is important for us to have a certain expressional range in our music, meaning that we strive to make songs that can easily be set apart from each other while still maintaining the band’s sound.

CV: Do you feel having a level of inspirational connectivity to the world around you is the best tool any artist can have in their songwriting toolbox? What inspires Mondo Bear to write?
MB: It is hard to say whether or not it is the best tool, but it certainly is one of them. Every artist’s process is different, and the same goes for the members of the band. We have a very collective songwriting process, which we view as one of our greatest strengths. We are all inspired by different things…which as a group of musicians enables us to draw inspiration from many different sources. It can be books, movies, music, popular culture, world events, places…the list goes on.

CV: Mondo Bear exudes that early classical Rock, Prog, Jazz jam ensemble element to its music. Is this what you feel separates the band from so many like-sounding groups currently on the scene?
MB: Trying not to toot our own horn I think we have managed to create a musical style that to a certain degree is “ours”. We spent a lot of time jamming and trying to figure out what “our” sound was and what direction we were going in musically. As you mentioned there is definitely a lot of Classic Rock and Prog mixed in our songs, but there is also some Indie Pop and Psychedelia in the mix as well. I believe that our music might hit a nerve among listeners with a wide variety of musical tastes, because it is a good piece of music that deserves to be listened to…the whole album through and more than once. Also, our live shows send you on a trip that is definitely worth experiencing.

CV: Mondo Bear's sound and style is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Would you consider such bands as part of Mondo Bear's influences to any degree?
MB: Absolutely, though not exclusively. Every member of the band brings with them their own influences, which can be everything and anything from acts like King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard or All Them Witches to Tame Impala and Rival Sons. We also get inspired by the people we meet in our daily life, current events or basically anything that impacts us…privately or as a group. It is safe to say that you never know when you’ll get inspiration for a new lyric or riff.

CV: Do you think that listening fans today are desperately craving a return to that classic style and form of music, especially being that so many genres have now split into an array of sub and splintered groups?
MB: That is difficult to say. Maybe the reason for this sub-genre split is because music is developing every day, as it has always been. There has always been a lot of great musicians around, but in today’s globalized era, it is easier to broadcast ourselves. Due to this constant stream of music, you need to separate yourself from the rest to create an audience. Maybe one way of achieving this is by creating a sub-genre and defining an artist’s music as something new and exciting. Maybe there is too much focus on the need to define artists in a certain genre and not enough focus on the music we create?

CV: Should keeping fans happy be part of a band's songwriting consideration regardless of the band's personal musical aspirations?
MB: For Mondo Bear we think it would be more important to keep writing music that we love than writing music for the sake of our listeners. There is a certain artistic integrity in writing and playing music for its own sake, and we think people react to that and will prefer the music we make on our own terms.

CV: With so many new releases...roughly 25,000 new releases happening daily, do you feel it's even more difficult than ever before for bands to get their music heard without it getting lost in such a massive music shuffle…even though the ease of digital distribution has finally been achieved? What steps does Mondo Bear take to ensure someone will listen?
MB: It certainly is more difficult to be noticed now than it was before digital distribution took off. Nowadays anyone can release their music digitally without the support of a record label. It becomes really difficult to stand out in the crowd, no matter how good your music might be. Social media presence has become increasingly more important in order to make people aware that you even exist. Mondo Bear works very consistently with our social media presence…follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Aside from that, we believe the best way to get people to discover you is by doing shows, playing live as often as possible. There’s no better way to get people interested in our music than giving them a hell of a concert!

CV: Do you consider music to have healing qualities for both artist and listener? In the world's current state, can music still make a difference?
MB: Music is still, and will probably always be, part of our shared global culture. Music can be an incredibly powerful way to unify people across borders or cultures. Music is not language or culture specific. Anyone can feel music…everyone will have their own personal spin on a song. We believe that a good song, or a powerful piece of music, can move anyone, given the right state of mind. Music has an important role in modern society, because songs can contain lyrics critiquing current events, artists standing up for their and other peoples right or maybe just enabling the listener to escape from the stress of everyday life for a short while. Music has always been, and will always be, an invaluable part of our lives.

CV: What's next for Mondo Bear?
MB: Our main focus is playing live every chance we get, but because of COVID-19 every live event and stage is shut down until further notice. Instead of playing concerts we spend our time planning tours and writing material for our next album. We already have a couple of songs that are ready to take to the studio. Hopefully we will be going into the studio by the end of 2020, and with a bit of luck, our 2^nd album will be out sometime in early 2021. Give our debut album “H, as in Hollywood” a spin, and stay tuned for more.

CV: Thank you again for spending some time talking and sharing with
our readers. I wish you all the best and continued success.

Check out Mondo Bear at:Spotify: “H, as in Hollywood” Instagram: Mondo Bear (@mondobearband)
Facebook: Mondo Bear - Home

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.