In a couple of weeks, The Vegetarians will be performing at Zappanale. The Vegetarians feature Hans Annéllsson on guitar and vocals, so I just had to ask him some questions.
UniMuta : Hello Hans. Zappanale is only about three weeks away. Are you familiar with the festival?
Hans Annéllsson : Yes. I've never been there but I know musicians that have performed there, such as Mats & Morgan Band and Zapway.
UniMuta : You've recorded a number of solo albums, and more recently you've founded The Vegetarians. Can you tell us a bit about how this happened? And is there a big difference between recording under your own name and recording as a band?
Hans Annéllsson : On some of my solo albums I've been doing a lot of covers, mostly sung by John Marshall Gibbs. When we decided to do original material we needed a name and The Vegetarians was born. The Vegetarians is not really a band, it's more of a moniker for my songs in English. Recently I've also collaborated with another American singer, Marc Mollan, and he will be the lead singer at the Zappanale gig.
UniMuta : Everybody knows (or should know) that you have recorded quite a number of Zappa compositions on your albums. Both solo and with The Vegetarians. How did you pick the tunes?
Hans Annéllsson : As with all of my cover songs they're songs I really like and when I get an idea for a different arrangement I try to do a recording of the song.
I also find it quite inspiring to mess around with other peoples music every once in a while, it sort of puts my own composing in a new light.
UniMuta : German band "The Yellow Snow Crystals" will be performing Zappa in German. Is there a chance that we will get Zappa songs with Swedish lyrics? What can we expect from the concert?
Hans Annéllsson : First, I hope they've got the necessary permission to perform the songs. The only song that I've received permission to perform (on record or public) is 'Penis Dimension', 'Penisens Storlek' in Swedish.
We won't perform any FZ songs in Swedish. Our setlist will be a mixture of FZ songs (focusing on some not so often performed), some prog covers (Crimson, Genesis etc.) and original material.
UniMuta : You'll be playing on Saturday at the festival. Do you plan to stay for the entire festival? Do you know any of the other bands that will be playing at the festival? Do you want to see any of them?
Hans Annéllsson : We will arrive late Friday evening and stay until Sunday afternoon. I've heard Project/Object (at BB Kings in NY), I know Colosseum and some of the other bands/performers. I would love to hear the Eddie Jobson Band, but we have to get back to Sweden Sunday evening.
UniMuta : I've been enjoying your records and your contributions to Andrew Greenaway's "20 Extraordinary Renditions" and "21 Burnt Weeny Sandwiches" a lot. I'm really looking forward to catch you live at Zappanale.
Thank you for the interview & see you soon.
The Vegetarians will be playing at Zappanale on Saturday August 20, 2011.
They'll be the first band on Saturday, so make sure to be there on time!!
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