Interview | Army Of Lovers: “Our disgust for Putin’s crappy treatment towards gay people in Russia, led to the Army-Of-Lovers Re-union!”

Millions sales of albums & singles, many eccentric performances, provocative mottos, legendary & avant garde videos far ahead from their era, but most of all… endless hours of sweat and ecstatic dance all over the globe’s dancefloors, through their innumerous and catchy club anthems for all of us, coming from a different group among all the rest of the existing boybands & girlbands and everything else included inside a world-music industry’s catalogue, an industry that still tries – many times in vain – to thrill, to mesmerize and to origin its existence… All the above in a wonderful package, made of illustrated wrapping, with much glitter and gold dust on it, but eventually full of substance, for an army of lovers that has achieved to redefine the pop culture, by conquering with her originality and guts – believe it or not – many rock figures as well, who never stop collecting and picking up musical variations senses shades and experiences… Ladies & Gentlemen, These are the “Glory, Glamour and always Gold” Army of Lovers… because at the bottom line, whatever shines, might be gold after all!

Army Of Lovers, thanks in advance for this interview you are giving us. Your Greek fans are going to be very excited! Well, let’s start with your beloved Greece. I know for fact that you have been here in the past so I would like you to share with us some great memories of yours. Have you ever been to any of our Greek islands?

Alexander is just about to go Greece to perform with Gravitonas on Mad TV. So we go to Greece all the time. You can never eat too much hummus and feta cheese.

Before we start talking about your recent and much anticipated re-union, let’s get back for a while, as I would like you to tell us how the fabulous group Of Army Of Lovers did come out in the first place.

OK, here we go.

…we never liked Roxette, they are so boring. We don’t even talk to them!

Too many smash hits all around the globe, too many record sales, all the extravaganza in AOL’S videos, what was the main reason you did put a stop to this (your popularity was extremely high and still is) back in 1995?

We started to repeat ourselves and got tired, and wanted to pursue other things in our lives too. Plus we love the idea of retirement. We love places like Spain, Florida, and Thailand. And golf courses, and old castles. There is nothing wrong with retirement.

And we are getting now to the year 2013 and tell us, how did you decide to have a re-union after all these years (we are actually really excited about this!). Did actually your participation in the Swedish Melodifestivalen in hopes of representing your country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, was the real target, or was it a clever marketing tool just for you to say: ‘’hey, we’re…back!’’?

We reunited because we are fed up with how crappy Vladimir Putin is treating gay people in Russia and this madness has to stop. And Army Of Lovers can have an influence on this issue. So politics made us reunite. Then we decided to stage the comeback as a scandalous performance at Melodifestivalen. Needless to say, we were interested in the scandal, we never wanted to participate at Eurovision. Eurovision is not for Army Of Lovers.

We reunited because we are fed up with how crappy Vladimir Putin is treating gay people in Russia and this madness has to stop. And Army Of Lovers can have an influence on this issue.

Shortly after your fabulous performance at the semi-final in Malmö, Camilla Henemark was (again) kicked out from the group. Your management went on publishing a public letter explaining the reasons for doing so. Would you like to tell us a few things about this?

Everything is in that letter. We have since moved on and see no reason to repeat the message. La Dominika, Jean-Pierre, and Alexander are the ultimate Army Of Lovers anyway and very happy to be a trio.

Your new video and 2nd single of your latest brilliant release ‘’Big Battle Of Egos’’ has just been came out in the market! I’m talking of course about “Signed On My Tatoo’’ (I work from time to time as a DJ as well and this is one of my favorite tracks for the time being)! This brand new release is actually a collaboration with the newcomers… Gravitonas, another interesting project of Alexander Bard (their latest track “Brighter” is already a smash hit here in Greece!). Would you like to tell us a few things about your ‘’fellows’’ and how did this collaboration came out?

Gravitonas have already had hit singles in Greece with “Lucky Star” and “Call Your Name” and recently also with “Brighter”. Since Alexander plays with Gravitonas and sings with Army Of Lovers, it made perfect sense for the two bands to make a duet together, and this duet is our new hit single and video “Signed On My Tattoo”.

You recently participated with a glorious performance at the Copenhagen Pride in Sweden. Well, it’s a great honor of yours, isn’t it? What exactly this institution means to you?

Copenhagen Pride is actually in Denmark. Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark (while Stockholm is the capital of Sweden). We performed to an audience of 50,000 people and enjoyed it immensely. They were so sweet. But this was also the first proper Army Of Lovers concert since 1996.

Back in the past, apart from you, there was also another Swedish group that was being much in the spotlight, that one of ‘’Ace Of base’’, with whom there were rumors of you being in a conflict with. Is that actually true, or is it just a rumor?

There was never any conflict with Ace Of Base. We love them and co-wrote our own hit single “King Midas” with them. But we never liked Roxette, they are so boring. We don’t even talk to them.

Wealthy Greeks should pay taxes. Wealthy Swedes do, and this is why Sweden does not have a crisis like Greece.

Well the Swedish music industry has given us so many successful brand names (apart from your own) in the past (Abba, Roxette, Cardigans, etc…). Is there someone else out there that you really distinguish and that you would like to collaborate with?

Well, Gravitonas are one of the most popular Swedish bands in Europe now and we already collaborate with them. And we suppose we love Icona Pop since they love Army Of Lovers.

Which is your favorite studio album of yours up to now (“Glory, Glamour And Gold’’ is mine…). Are you already recording the new AOL full length studio album?

Never asked a mother which is her favorite child… Unfortunately, the album is a dead idea. We don’t believe in albums, It is much better to make more unpredictable releases these days.

Any plans for a new worldwide tour of yours, including Greece of course?

We are on tour right now. Across Europe and especially Eastern Europe this fall. We just performed in Poland to 60,000 people and Kazakhstan to 50,000 people, and will go to Serbia next.

Have more sex. Sex does not cost anything. And Greeks are good at sex.

With the economic crisis taking place all over the world but mostly here in Greece, what do you think is happening right now in our country and who’s to blame?

Wealthy Greeks should pay taxes. Wealthy Swedes do, and this is why Sweden does not have a crisis like Greece.

A message to your fans worldwide but especially to your Greek ones, who happen to survive mostly the effects of the economic crisis?

Have more sex. Sex does not cost anything. And Greeks are good at sex.

Army Of Lovers…welcome back to the charts, welcome back to our hearts…welcome back to our lives!”

Welcome back to our bed!

Army Of Lovers

Interview and translation: Vasilis Stathelakis

Editing: Thodoris Kolliopoulos

Photos: Official Army of Lovers