Interview with Treat bassist Nalle Påhlsson

Coup De Grace is the latest release from the Swedish melodic rock band Treat. The band’s bassist Nalle Påhlsson was more than enthusiastic to speak with me about the band, their new release and what they have planned for the near future. It has been a long time since I have heard anything from these guys. Back in the day, they were a staple on the radio not only in Sweden but also around the globe. I enjoyed their early material and so it was with great eagerness that I dove into this new disc. I was not disappointed; this is a good, well-produced CD that is well worth checking out.

It has been almost thirteen years since the band has released anything. What have you guys been doing in all of that time?
Nalle: Well, first of all it is not really true, that we haven’t released anything in thirteen years. We released Weapons of Choice with two new songs and then the reissue of Scratch and Bite with a live DVD from FireFest, Nottingham, England. Nevertheless, okay, this is the first brand new full-length album. We have been doing a lot of other things. I have been involved with other bands and artists and it is the same thing for the others in the band. We all also have families now. We’re full-grown men you know!

Did you ever imagine you would be releasing albums almost 25 years later?
Nalle: Yeah, I really think so! You know, everything in life comes and goes and then suddenly comes back again. Closing the circle. I think the band just had to be “put on ice” for a while. Like a little rest for 13 years. Treat has always had the capacity of making great albums. We love to play and the audience wanted us to come out there again so we did in 2006 and everything just turned out naturally. When looking back, I think this was meant to be from the beginning.

Your brand new CD, Coup De Grace, is set for release on April 6th. Now that it is complete how do you feel about it? Are you satisfied with the outcome?
Nalle: I know all of us in the band are very satisfied and pleased with it. I cannot imagine any of the old fans being disappointed. In my opinion, it is the best album from Treat so far. I have been a fan of the band ever since the beginning, when I first heard “Scratch and Bite,” so I guess I can look at it from another perspective. I do not say it because I am now a member myself it is because of the songs, the production and the energy in the performance. I love it! We play as if our lives depend on it!

When you began to write Coup De Grace, did you have a preconceived idea of what you wanted the record to sound like and what you wanted it to achieve, or did that just come about naturally?
Nalle: I know Anders had the vision, and we suggested that he produce it because he has always been “the captain of the ship” and the main songwriter of the band. Patrick joined on to be the co-producer and he has also done a great job. We actually prepared the new album over a year ago, and then we decided to wait for a while for more songs and ideas to turn up. Then Anders came up with songs like “The War Is Over,” “Roar” and “We Own The Night” and that was it. We had been trying out “Papertiger” earlier, but with a different chorus. Patrick came in and changed it and it turned out to be a fantastic song. One of the best on the album.

Coup De Grace comes to us by way of Frontiers Records. Are you happy with the way they handled the record, regarding distribution, marketing and promotion? How has the label been accommodating the band’s needs?
Nalle: We all are very satisfied with Frontiers. They’re doing a great job.

Are you doing anything different to sell this album? When Treat began, your music was sold on vinyl and cassette. Now it is digital downloads and CDs.
Nalle: I don’t really think there is anything you can do about the piracy and downloading. It is 2010 you know and the Internet exists… period. Nevertheless, I know there are a lot of fans out there who want to have the real thing for their CD collections. Now, for example, at our release gig here in Stockholm on March 17th, the audience can buy both entrance to the gig and at the same time have the album for the normal price of just a gig. So that’s a good thing for us all.

What are some of the lessons you have learned since recording and touring with Scratch and Bite?
Nalle: There are only two original members left from that period; Anders and Robert. The fact is that all of us in this lineup are older and hopefully wiser so we know all the mistakes you can possibly make. Now we know exactly what we want and what is going to happen when we are out playing. Everything is more planned today.

When you compare the early days of melodic rock to the scene today what do you feel has changed for the better? What do you feel has become worse?
Nalle: I think it is much better now that there aren’t so many bands who play for this type of music anymore. In the eighties, there were too many “wannabees” playing this style, you know, bands that where really trying to write hits and wanted to do exactly what the record companies told them to do. We are doing this for real, because we love it, and with no compromises! Worse? Can’t really think about anything.

Do you have any touring plans for the immediate future, domestic or international?
Nalle: Yes, we will do both. We start here in Sweden, then Norway, then back to Sweden, and from April 22nd until May 5th then we will go on a ten day tour of Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium. It’s going to be a blast! We are really happy about it. We will have The Poodles and H.E.A.T as support acts, so it will be a “full Swede concert”!

Any closing words?
Nalle: Yeah, I have to say it like Gene Simmons of KISS did when they were up for the reunion in 1996. “We’re going to show all the new bands how the Big Boys do it!”  [ END ]