Interview with Freddie Wizzp from Baby Jane 30. July 2008
Freddie Wizzp (photo by Linda Bylund) Baby Jane
Calle: Baby Jane started out in 2006 and you joined the band in early 2007. Mickey, Matt and Rikk knew each other from their childhood. How did you get involved with the band?
Freddie: Yeah, after 8 years with different members in different bands from my hometown, I wanted to search around the country to get more serious guys who wanted to do it the same as way as I wanted. I knew Matt (drums) before Baby Jane started and heard from a friend that they needed a singer. I called ´em up and we met to test the chemistry between us both musical and personal…and here we’re, best time in my life.
Manx Matt
Freddie Rikk Mikey
(All these five photos by: Micke (2008))
Calle: How did the band come up with the name “Baby Jane” and why did they choose that name?
Freddie: Baby Jane it’s a name for a witch, can it be cooler?? And a witch haunt, we surprise. Personal I like the name cause it’s easy to say, easy to remember and match our style….and that’s why. I remember Rikk (guitar) watched an Alice Cooper DVD and heard him talk about Baby Jane and paint a cool fucking logotype with BJ and told us that we sucked if we didn’t like his proposal.
Baby Jane Star Logo
Calle: What got you into music in the first place?
Freddie: Always lived around music, my brother play drums and when I was a little stupid kid I used to strike for life on it. He also had a guitar and in loneliness I played for myself and thought that I was Kurt Cobain. Yeah, Kurt Cobain took me to the serious sight of music. We were like 5 friends who really got our own ways in school; no one had the same vision on music like us. No one could imagine how much we burned for Kurt Cobain and we had the dream to achieve success; everyone looked like anyone else while we build up a new vogue. Later the five of us started a band, which rocked together for 6 years.
Calle: Who are your biggest influences?
Freddie: From the beginning Baby Jane’s motto was “to do our “own” category and not sound like other sleaze bands do today”…which is more about looking like to their idols. Of course we think the same, but we try hard to mix the 80´s with 21’st century. And if we listen to Baby Jane today we hear probably some Mötley Crue mixed with the streets of Gothenburg and Velvet Revolver. Tell me people, what do you hear!?
Calle: Name 3 “older” bands and 3 “newer” bands you can recommend?
Freddie: OLD: Faster Pussycat, Wildside, Danger Danger.
NEW: Buckcherry, Crashdiet, Nervous Nellie
Calle: You have also recorded some songs, which can be heard, on your own MySpace site (check out the link at the bottom). Did you write those songs before joining Baby Jane? And who are the musicians on those songs?
Freddie: For the last two years I’ve written and recorded up to 25 songs just on my own. I’ve received helped with the piano, but the rest of the instruments I’ve done myself and succeeded with it...and I’m proud of it. As a musician I need to do this, so I don’t forget who I am and what I want with different things. Everyone in the band needs some time off and some of us spend it like I do, before we return to the band with a new fresh mind.
A few artworks for Freddie's own songs
Calle: I can see on your My Space that your song “This Is War” has become a Baby Jane song. Besides that how do Baby Jane write the songs? Does each of you come up with ideas or do you all write together?
Freddie: I think it’s unusual to write/make a song together from the beginning as a band. Someone always some comes up with a riff and thoughts about how we can sound, and we stand up for it. Then we use to scream at each other and tell who’s wrong or who’s right. But in the end everyone is obviously satisfied with the result….in most cases that is...ha-ha.
Calle: Where do you find the inspiration for the songs?
Freddie: The inspiration is so personal that it can be difficult to answer. But I think in special ways and that’s my biggest influence. You know...like how to deal with new feelings...bad or good, anger or happiness, love or hate etc.
Wizzp Recording and playing acoustic guitar
Calle: When can we expect the Baby Jane cd to come out?
Freddie: Our own recording in August or September…but the CD from the label you have to talk to them about.
Calle: You were a member of another Swedish band “Smash Alley” (check out the link at the bottom) with Nicki Kin and Jacki Stone (now both on Vains Of Jenna) and I believe Ben Banks (now in Innocent Rosie) was in that band too. Why did that band break up?
Freddie: Oh you talk about 3 different bands. I sang for Smash Alley before joining Baby Jane, and before that I sang in The Hairspray Queens with Nicki Kin and Jacki Stone. (They’re 2 of the 5 guys I talked about earlier), Ben Banks was just a classmate in school with Nicki Kin and me.
The Hairspray Queens (1999-2005) Smash Alley (2005-2007)
Calle: They rock/sleaze scene seems to be “big” in Sweden at the moment. What’s your opinion on that?
Freddie: Absolutely, especially in my little hometown on the west coast of Sweden. I think it’s so fucking fun and just right in time! I’ve seen most of the bands in Sweden who succeed and think they deserved it from my heart. The Swedish bands have something that no other contries in this world have. I think we do our own game very good and simply have a high quality of singers, guitarists, drummers and bass-players. In some weird way we get the rawness, the fills that make people want to put on the rock-dress again. And I think we “dare” to do something with the music and we like to take some risks.
Calle: Didn’t you audition as a singer for CrashDïet when Dave died and they decided to go on as a band? If so, do you want to try out again or are you concentrating 100% on Baby Jane?
Freddie: Ha-ha who’ve said that? Yes I auditioned in late 2007 and yeah I’ve heard about Olli….but they hopefully find a more serious guy.
I personally have high goals and know where I want to stand.
Wizzp with blonde hair
Calle: Besides playing with bands like Mustasch, Innocent Rosie, The Black Halos and CrashDïet. What other bands would you really like to play with or maybe support on a big tour?
Freddie: …eh….Buckcherry maybe? And I know the guitarist from Hardcore Superstar a little a bit so next my choice would be them.
Calle: What’s the most fun experience your have witnessed on the road or at a gig?
Freddie: Ha-ha good question! In April 2007 we were in England and a weird guy came up to me and said that the gig were awesome and I was just like “yeah thanks”. Next up he took like 50 Baby Jane t-shirts up that he had made by his own right before he knew that we should storm England. It was a fucked up print.
Right before a Swedish gig this pretty girl came to me and wanted an autograph on her SHOES.
And to finish your question I’ll never forget the moment with The Hairspray Queens, when 100s of people sang our song at a gig and we just stood there looking at them.
Calle: Do you or the band have a “special thing” you do before going on stage?
Freddie: Yes, important!! On my own I usually do some exercises, both with my voice and physical. And right before the gig the band hold each other’s hands and stand in a circle. Then we talk about how we gonna do the show and what we’re hoping for...and then we screeeeeeeeam!!!
Calle. Where do you see Baby Jane in 5 years?
Freddie: I see myself on a big stage and the crowd like it. Baby Jane has probably built a name as band and the tours flow.
Calle: If you could put together a dream band of your own heroes (not including anyone from Baby Jane). Who would be in that band?
Freddie: Ohoh, I’ve seriously thought about it already. Hmm…
Dave Grohl (Foo fighters) - drums
Joe Perry (Aerosmith) - lead guitar
Slash (Velvet revolver) - back guitar
Tim Commerford (Rage Against The Machine) - bass
Josh Todd (Buckcherry) or Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) -Vocals
Calle: What’s the best advice you can give to other up-coming bands?
Freddie: Don’t be afraid to trip, don’t be afraid to be unusual, just see yourself as one of the biggest and create a respect.
And now some questions outside music:
Calle: What was the first CD you ever purchased?
Freddie: Nirvana - Nevermind I suppose.
Calle: What do you do when you’re not playing music? What’s your other interest?
Freddie: Watch football, drink Coffee with my friends, going on trips to other cities and drink...and of course date nice girls.
Calle: Being in a rock band you probably have a drink or two before the gigs (and after). What’s your favorite drink?
Freddie: Beers it the best and will forever be!! I like to drink some white wine, sometimes Red Bull/vodka or Jack ´n Coke.
Calle: Any last words for the fans?
Freddie: We shall overcome! Love, see around soon.
Wizzp fighting the rock world
Photo by: Linda Bylund
Baby Jane's MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/babyjaneofficial
Freddie Wizzp's MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/freddiewizzprock
Smash Alley MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/smashalleyrock
The End