After years of fronting bands including H.E.A.T and Skid Row, as well as working with guitar legend Michael Schenker, Erik Grönwall has entered a new chapter of his career with “Bad Bones” – his first solo album in sixteen years and, as he puts it himself, the first one that truly feels like his own. Ahead of the final show of his summer Scandinavian tour at Gröna Lund in Stockholm, he spoke to us about finding his own musical identity, the deeply personal stories behind the new record, his years with H.E.A.T and Skid Row, working with Michael Schenker, his relationship with his voice after illness, memories of Poland – and why, despite everything, the fans remain at the heart of it all.
Interview by Matt Sakson
“This Is My First Solo Album”
MATT: So we’re meeting on the day of the final show of your summer Scandinavian tour. How are you feeling after this run of shows, and how has the tour been for you overall?
ERIK: I feel very, very good about everything. The whole tour, the whole launch of the new album, the whole summer season, festivals – you know, it’s all been better than I expected. I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to go solo, but it’s been overwhelming and a very good summer, with some great shows. We started across the street with two sold-out shows at Cirkus. And now, you know, we get to finish the run here, just across the street at the legendary Gröna Lund.
MATT: It’s like coming full circle.
ERIK: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
MATT: So you recently released your first solo album in sixteen years, “Bad Bones”. It’s been three months since it was released. Have you already had time to settle your mind and heart about this record? How do you look at the album now, with a little distance from the release day?
ERIK: I would say, for me, this is the first album! You know, the albums I did after winning Idol – I would say they were the record label’s albums, in a way. So I didn’t really have time to figure out what I wanted to do. And then I joined H.E.A.T, and I did H.E.A.T for ten years, and then, you know, Skid Row and everything. So I feel like this is my first solo album. And I am extremely proud of this record.
And it’s fun to come out and play the songs because you notice which song is your favourite when you listen to it, and then you go out and play live and you get new favourites, like, “Oh, this is really working live!”. And then you start writing a new song based on that, like, “OK, I want to take this direction.” So I already know which direction I want to go with the new album. I have a couple of ideas and I will start writing after the show.
MATT: So, funny thing – one of my next questions was actually about those first two albums of yours. I noticed that they got the label “The Idol Years” on streaming platforms…
ERIK: Oh, you noticed that!
MATT: Yeah, sure! So is that a signal that you’re distancing yourself a little bit from those records, or just a wink to your fans, as if you wanted to say, “Now you see the real Erik Grönwall – earlier it was kind of a rehearsal!”?
ERIK: In a way, yes! I mean, if someone discovers me today, I want to say I’m not embarrassed about doing Idol. That’s what made this whole thing possible. It took longer than I expected, but it made it possible. And I like a few songs on the first album, but I feel like it’s very far from the artist I am today. It’s very far from the music I want to write and release. So it’s pretty much just a way of labelling it that. If people find me through “Hell and Back” and go on Spotify and are like, “What’s this?”, and it’s completely different, it’s just like saying, “OK, that’s in the past. It’s the Idol Years.” And that’s a cool thing too. But this is what we’re doing now.
Writing from the Heart
MATT: So, getting back to “Bad Bones”, I have to ask: knowing your biography quite well, I noticed a lot of very personal confessions in the lyrics of these songs. Was it difficult to put those thoughts and emotions down on paper and turn them into lyrics, or was it just the opposite?
ERIK: I think it’s always hard to write something personal because you’re putting your heart out there for everyone to just, you know… Yeah. But it’s easier to go like, “Hey, you wanna rock tonight?” (laughs) You know, cheesy rock lyrics are always easier than writing something that’s deeply personal and that really means something. So yeah, it took a while, but that’s actually something I think I’m most proud of with this album – the lyrics, because they tell a story, and it’s my story.
I feel good about that.
MATT: And I must admit, that story is beautiful! So what was the biggest challenge for you while making this album?
ERIK: Finding myself, I guess, because I love rock and I’ve been doing so many different things. Like, with H.E.A.T, we did one thing. It was like the ’80s rock thing. And then I did Skid Row, and I loved Skid Row, but that’s harder – it’s raw! It’s more punk rock in some ways, and it’s more hard rock in a way. And then I did Michael Schenker… You know, I love all these kinds of rock styles, but I was just trying to navigate and figure out, “OK, but who am I?”. And when I started my first band ever – I’m glad there are no demos out there – it was more like punk rock, you know? So there’s a bit of that, which is something I really like. And then, you know, I like it a bit harder. The new songs I’m working on now are actually leaning a bit more towards metal. It’s a little bit heavier. Anyway, the biggest challenge was finding myself – navigating everything I’ve been doing and finding my own sound.
The “Eriksplanations” Formula
MATT: Apart from “Bad Bones”, you’ve also recorded a lot of wonderful covers in recent years. Some of them were even released on albums under the “Eriksplanations” title. What drives you to explore other artists’ work so extensively? And where do you get the ideas to take these songs and sometimes transform them into something completely different – as you recently did, for example, with “Zombie”?
ERIK: I guess for me, it’s just, you know, I love singing! So when I was sick, I just knew I had to sing more because singing was a way for me to heal. So I just had this idea one day, you know: I’m sitting here at home, I got fucking leukemia, it’s a pandemic, I can’t go out, I can’t meet anyone, I can’t do anything, I can’t do any shows. I’m going to start a YouTube channel. So I started a YouTube channel and, for me, it was like, okay, I’m gonna sing songs. I love singing because it makes me happy. I don’t care about anything else. I’m just gonna be happy because I’m fucking miserable right now. So I’m gonna find some joy in this fucking darkness. And then, you know, I did “Headless Cross” and I was like, “Okay, this was fun. Okay, people seem to enjoy it as well!” And then I just started doing different songs that I grew up listening to, songs I love. And then Jona and I, with “House of the Rising Sun”, were like, okay, maybe we should give this a chance, but we can’t do it the way it was released by The Animals. We have to find our own sound for it. And then we started experimenting. And that’s how we found what we called the recipe. So that’s also what you hear with “Zombie” – we just take a song that we like and try to turn it into something else.
MATT: And the results are fantastic! One of the covers you recorded back in the day featured a great singer from the UK – Chez Kane. How did you guys come together to work on that song? Did you actually meet for the recording?
ERIK: No, no! We did it remotely. I think this was… yeah, I was with Skid Row and I knew Chez from before. I don’t remember the first time we met, but she was in another band…
MATT: I guess it was Kane’d, where she performed together with her sisters.
ERIK: Oh yeah, that’s her sisters! I see, okay! Yeah, that’s the first time I heard about her. And she did a cover of “A Shot at Redemption” with Kane’d. And then I guess we just stayed in touch, and at some point I was like, “Oh, she’s a great singer.” So I asked her if she was up for it, and yeah, we did it.
MATT: You guys should definitely record something together again – your take on “Alone” is really wonderful!
Looking Back at H.E.A.T
MATT: You became known internationally through your time in H.E.A.T, and many fans still consider that era a very special one, both for you and for the band. How do you look back at that chapter – quite a meaningful one, considering it lasted a decade?
ERIK: A decade – a long chapter indeed! I mean, I learned so much. I became the artist I am today. The singer I am today, the songwriter I am today. And, you know, we’re still friends. But I’m not gonna lie – it was also hard because we were touring a lot and trying to build H.E.A.T. And it wasn’t always fun. We did a tour in China and that was horrible. But, you know, looking back at it, it’s just good memories. And Jona is coming tonight – he’s gonna do a guest appearance. Jimmy is coming, too – he’s going to be in the audience. You know, we stay in touch and we’re great friends. And H.E.A.T will always be, for me, the place where I would say I mainly found myself as a frontman and singer.
MATT: Some time ago, I spoke with Kenny and Crash and suggested an idea to them. Just as Helloween has been successfully touring with two singers for a few years now, maybe it could be possible for H.E.A.T to one day make a record and tour with two singers sharing the duties?
ERIK: Maybe, yeah! I never close any doors, you know. I like to keep them open.
MATT: And you even performed with H.E.A.T recently in Madrid.
ERIK: Yeah, and Kenny joined me on stage when I played a show two weeks ago. We’re friends, so, you know – never say never!
Stepping into Skid Row
MATT: Apart from H.E.A.T, you also had the opportunity to front Skid Row, as you already mentioned. Stepping into a role previously held by the legendary Sebastian Bach – how much pressure did you feel when you first accepted that challenge?
ERIK: I think at first I didn’t feel any pressure at all. I came from my illness and wasn’t really sure if I was going to be alive, you know? But then I got that opportunity and I was like, “I’m gonna do this for myself. I don’t fucking care what anyone thinks. I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna do it!”. Because I just, you know, I felt like I owed it to the guy who fought cancer in the hospital. I’ve been wanting to do this my whole life – and now I get to do it with this amazing band. But… I think I was a bit ignorant because I didn’t even realise how much people would be stuck in the past and still want Sebastian Bach. I wasn’t aware of how much people wanted a reunion. So after a while, I was like, “Oh, okay, this is gonna be hard, you know?” But it didn’t really bother me that much because I felt like I did my own thing and I did it for me. But the truth is, it is hard to fill in for someone like Sebastian Bach because he was, back then, an icon. “Slave to the Grind” is one of the greatest vocal performances I’ve heard. You know, top 10 for me! And I used to look up to the guy as a vocalist when I was younger. So yeah, obviously it’s a weird situation. But mainly I felt like it didn’t really bother me, you know, because I also have my preferences. I would love to hear AC/DC with Bon Scott – that’s my AC/DC era. I love the Bon Scott stuff. So I totally get that from a fan perspective.
MATT: Sure! But I must admit, as a big Skid Row fan myself, I think you were the best thing that happened to that band since Sebastian left.
ERIK: Thank you so much!
MATT: And it was a shame for me that I didn’t get to see you with the guys on stage! I missed the UK tour, and then you left the band. So I was kinda pissed, but obviously I understand the reasons behind your departure. By the way, I recently spoke to Hannes Braun from Kissin’ Dynamite, who is retiring from touring with the band soon. And I told him, “Maybe you should ask Erik to fill in!”
MATT: And he said, “He would be perfect, but he’s got the same problem as me – he didn’t want to tour the world.”
ERIK: Yeah. I mean, I’ve recently realised it’s actually worked for me to do a lot of touring because I feel so much better now. But back then it was shortly after the transplant and everything. It takes a while to rebuild the system.
MATT: Obviously!
Musicians Who Left Their Mark
MATT: You’ve also worked with Michael Schenker, one of the true guitar legends. What was the most valuable thing your time with him taught you?
ERIK: Michael made me feel safe on tour again. He’s very direct. So if there’s something he doesn’t like, he will let you know. If it’s something he likes, he will also let you know, or… he won’t say anything! (laughs) But I love working with Michael because I feel like there’s trust. He knows that I will do my thing and I will do my best for him, so that collaboration is working really well. Thanks to Michael, I also got to perform in Japan at Budokan. And it was incredible!
MATT: You’ve worked with musicians from very different generations and musical backgrounds. Is there a particular artist or band you’ve worked with who changed the way you approach music and your stage presence?
ERIK: Well, it’s H.E.A.T and Skid Row! With H.E.A.T, I had time to figure out who I was on stage, and I found my stage persona. With Skid Row, it was different because I came from those years of fighting cancer. And then I had to find my way back to the person I was. And then I realised I couldn’t be the person I was because it was a different band, with a different history. So for me, with Skid Row, I learned to adapt much more and to be okay with being in a different setting.
MATT: You’ve recently had a chance to work with another Erik – Erik Mårtensson – who co-wrote and played on the song “Save Me” and also mixed part of the album. Is there any chance that this collaboration will become bigger in the future?
ERIK: I don’t think we’re going to release music together as a group, but yeah, we’re going to keep writing together. Absolutely!
“The Fans Are Always Number One”
MATT: Your voice has always been one of your biggest strengths, obviously, but you’ve also been through some demanding periods in your career – including the already mentioned time when you fought the illness. How has your relationship with your own voice and singing changed over the years?
ERIK: I think I really care about my voice now. I try to take good care of my voice. And if I’m having a bad day – like this summer, I had a show where I felt like I couldn’t really do what I normally do – I thought it was okay. You know, I was like, “OK, the voice is tired today – I will find ways to work around that!”. So I think I’m kinder to my voice today than I was when I had bad shows with H.E.A.T, for instance, when I could throw things and get frustrated about it. But now I’m more like, “OK, that’s where we’re at. I have to work from there!”.
MATT: You’ve built a very strong connection with your fans, who have followed you through some major changes in your career. How important is that relationship to you when you’re making decisions about your future as an artist?
ERIK: The fans are everything! I mean, I’ve given this a lot of thought. You know, as an artist, you have to create music that you like – it has to start with you, and you have to do it from the heart, and you have to feel what you’re doing, and you have to love what you’re doing. So it has to start with you as an artist. But you would never, ever be able to do this for a living, or even have a career, if it wasn’t for the fans. So the fans are always number one – always number one! But, you know, I’ve been in a situation where I’ve been trying to please the fans, and that ends badly. It’s bad for everyone because the fans want to hear you on stage convinced – convinced that, you know, “This is me. This is my power. I believe in this. I’m going to convince you guys. I’m going to convert you! I’m here to tell you what to like, so it has to come from you!” (laughs) Like I said, nothing would be possible without the fans.
MATT: There has to be a preacher inside of you – and the preacher must believe in what he says, right?
ERIK: Yeah, absolutely!
“You Guys Really Like Rock Music”
MATT: So you’ve performed in Poland twice, as far as I know. Once with H.E.A.T in Krakow, where we met for the first time, and once with Michael Schenker last year – coincidentally, also in the same city. And you have a strong following here. What are your memories of Polish audiences, and is there anything that makes playing in Poland different from playing elsewhere in Europe?
ERIK: I’ve only been, like you said, twice to Poland. But the audience is great. Very devoted to being in the moment. I don’t remember seeing a lot of phones. So I think you feel like you’re really in the moment. And I mean, you guys really like rock music. And I have one memory from a hotel we stayed at, and the receptionist started laughing at me because I had vodka, but she laughed at me because it wasn’t strong enough. That’s the only time I’ve been laughed at by a receptionist. So that’s my Polish memory! (laughs)
MATT: We’re unavoidably getting to the end of this interview, so it’s time for the final question. Looking ahead, what would you like the next chapter of your career to look like? You’ve already mentioned that you’re working on your next album. When can we expect it to be released?
ERIK: I’m gonna say next year! After this show, I’m going to take time to just write and produce, and I’m going to try to have it out by next summer. No promises, but it would be great to release a new album before the summer so we can tour it properly. Let’s see what the future brings, right?