Exclusive Interview with 'KOALA BAR'

Koala Bar, a Swedish indie rock band, makes music that has a deep emotional resonance. Their music has an atmospheric and contemplative quality that is reminiscent of the sounds of Big Red Machine and The National.
The members of Koala Bar reflect on how they developed the project as a concept rather than an identity, saying, “We think of Koala Bar as more of a ‘sound’ than a band.” “Our initial intention with the name was to establish a community (a bar) where people could congregate and become a part of.” The band has worked on a number of projects addressing various social issues while embracing an inclusive mindset that is ingrained in their core values. “In some ways, the image of the bar where you want to hang out still exists metaphorically.”

Koala Bar, a duo that formed in 2015, became well-known after their 2018 debut album “Di Sorte” earned them a nomination in the Best New Artist category of the music magazine Gaffa. “Ethos Pathos Locos,” their second full-length album, was released in 2020. The band recently expanded to a quartet with the addition of two new members.
The Gothenburg-based band signed a deal with Rexius Records in June 2022, and they’re getting ready to drop their third album soon. Danger is a feel-good Americana song from their upcoming album. The song is about unhealthy relationships that you don’t want to end. Check out the song and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

KOALA BAR: Jonatan and Axel got to know each other when they studied music together and in 2015 they started the band ‘Koala Bar’ as a duo, both singing and playing guitar. 5 years later they met Petter who also had played guitar in a lot of bands, they asked him if he would consider playing the bass – it turned out that he definitely could! So now we were no longer a duo and with a third member playing bass, why not a fourth playing drums? Axel knew Olof from before, but he had no idea he was a drummer. One day he accidentally opened the door to the rehearsal room next door and there Olof was sitting behind the drum kit, playing alone, without a band. Axel told him that they were looking for a drummer for his band and ten minutes later they were all playing in the same rehearsal room. This was about two years ago and has really influenced the sound of the band a lot transforming into a quartet.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

KOALA BAR: Some of us have formal training, but all the hours in different rehearsal spaces playing together is the real formal training for all four of us, we believe. We’re all used to learning songs by ear. That’s probably why we have so much fun playing together.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘KOALA BAR’?

KOALA BAR: The first one.. Maybe The National or Bon Iver. They’re both still a big inspiration, although we all listen to a lot of different music and genres which we also tend to bring into our own work.

Our original plan with the name was to create a community (a bar) that people could gather round and join into. Embracing an inclusive mindset that is embedded in our core values, we’ve worked with several projects concerning various social issues. In some way we still have this metaphorical picture of a bar where you just wanna hang out.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

KOALA BAR: Our sound is fluent and it changes a lot between the albums. It even changes between every time we meet and rehearse to be honest. We are trying to make it sound genuine and honest. And what that sounds like, changes all the time. I think our music often is about “fragility”, and maybe that is the core of our sound. And of course Jonatan’s and Axel’s voices. Especially when they sing in harmony. A fragile folk-indie rockband.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as FOLK?

KOALA BAR:

(Olof Yassin, drummer):I was 12 when I played in my first band. We wrote a song about the color yellow, ”Yellow is Ugly”, that was a strong message. We had one gig, at the school. And a couple of years later I played the bass in a reggae band. We were making songs about mother earth and how to fight capitalism. And now I forgot my point telling you about this. But I guess music and being a musician is like most things, you change, get better and more confident. Or unconfident, but you know how to use that feeling and to create something out of it. You focus less on how to make something that you think is right, and start to produce what really feels right. And is it FOLK? Sometimes I think we’re really folk:ish. Sometimes we’re indie rock, or maybe even indie pop? Well..It’s not reggae for sure!

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

KOALA BAR:

Music is all of that, and Koala Bar is all of that. When we play together just the four of us without an audience I think Koala Bar becomes our church, without the religious part though. We create something together and us as individuals are no longer important – the music is the only thing left in the room.

We talk a lot about politics and we know that we’re all on the same page when it comes to ideology. Sometimes we use Koala Bar as our common voice to send out a statement or such as. On our live shows we have this idea of Koala Bar coming to part together with the audience and that everyone has to do their part to contribute to the show, we just play the instruments.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

KOALA BAR:

The amount of work we’re putting into making people listen to Koala Bar is the only work that feels like work. Of course we want people to hear our music.. And of course we want to play on big stages. And of course we want to go up to our bosses and say ”we quit” (we would all go together). But even if someone told us, “I’ve looked into the future and that’s not going to happen”, we’d still definitely make music together, no doubt.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

KOALA BAR:

It often starts with a chord progression or a melody of some kind. Or sometimes a feeling, a thought or a meaning. And sometimes that’s it. For a very long time. And weeks, months, years later you can find something recorded on the phone or written somewhere and then you know instantly exactly how that song is going to be written. And sometimes it’s just hard work, playing it, changing it, changing it again, rehearsing it, leaving it. And then pick it up again and transform it into something totally different, and then, finally it’s a song. Then you record it, and afterwards you want to change it again.

9. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

KOALA BAR: (Olof, drummer): I think if you make a song or you play a song there is no right or wrong in how to react or how to understand that song. I know for instance how I myself consume music, one song can mean something one day and then something completely different a week later.

10. What would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

KOALA BAR: This moment right now! We just released our second single Pas de Bourreé and the album ‘Ingest ≈ Digest’ will be released in early december. We actually feel really proud this time, a rare feeling! One year ago we went back and forth between Malmö and Göteborg (3,5 hour drive) every weekend to record in the legendary Stigbergsstudion. We couldn’t dream of something as beautiful, honest, diverse and atmospheric as what this album became, with the help of our demon producer Petter Lithvall.

11. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

KOALA BAR: The music industry has a lot of issues to deal with and adding social media to that pile of dirt says itself, It’s dirtier and uglier than ever I believe. We try to be nice to everyone and if people disrespect you they probably have some issues themselves to deal with. To hide behind a screen is an effective way to block the mirror you’re standing in front of.

12. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

KOALA BAR: This is a tough one. Spontaneously you wanna say a perfect live gig with an engaged audience who sings along to all the songs and all of that. But as you know that’s not always the case. I think that all of us really thrive in the studio environment where everything boils down to concentration, mood, feelings and performance. You share something very special in the studio and that kind of intensity is hard to find anywhere else. With that said, a live gig is a live gig, It’s why we do this.