EMQ’s with Bakelit
EMQ’s With Bakelit
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Swedish Prog/ Art Rockers, Bakelit. Huge thanks to multi-instrumentalist and founder member Carl Westholm for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Carl Westholm and I am the founder of Bakelit. I play keyboards, bass and do some backing vocals. I also did all the programming of some weird electronic equipment that I’ve used lately. I had a lot of songs as sketches, not sure in what setting I wanted to record them. In the summer of 2023, I took a long trip on my motorcycle across Sweden, and thought about this and came to the conclusion that I needed to record some of them with a band, but keep the electronics in the background. I contacted some good, reliable friends and soon we had recorded the first album “Asleep or Insane”, which came out in 2024… and then it turned out I had even more songs.
How did you come up with your band name?
It’s just the Swedish spelling of the old plastic material from the previous century, a word that I like somehow but can’t actually say why, but it does sound cool in Swedish. I understand however that it might sound weird for native English speakers.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
I’m Swedish and I suppose you are more oriented with the rock scene here than I am? I have played with Krux, Candlemass, Avatarium and others over the years, and as far as I can tell we have a strong and healthy rock/metal scene.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Before this, if you refer to Bakelit, it was the previous album as mentioned above, “Asleep or Insane”, but the new Bakelit album is released on September 26th, titled “No Fear of Drowning”. I also released an album with Hollingshead, another Swedish act, last year as well, and also an instrumental album with a project called Håbrand in early 2025.
Who have been your greatest influences?
I need to tell you I get uncomfortable with that question. If you want me to name-drop artists, it varies over time and I might say that it’s not always music that influences me, so I pass on that one.
What first got you into music?
As a kid I was a classical piano player… then I heard Don Airey’s solo on “Spotlight Kid” with Rainbow…
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Hmm, I am quite happy as it is actually.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I am not sufficiently updated with what festivals still exist and what don’t, so I need to pass on that question.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I wouldn’t say so weird, but about 20 years ago I was in contact with a Norwegian fan and musician as well (a great piano player) and he sent me a CD, “Genesis for two grand pianos”, a very good CD actually but a weird thing to do, don’t you think?
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Listen to our new album “No Fear of Drowning” when it’s out, and if you like it, spread the word!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Oh, too difficult a question. I would rather bring back a specific period in time and a good band being in their prime, and let me re-live some great moments of music history instead.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I feel rewarded every time I finish a song, alone or with others, regardless of what other people might think about the result. I need it, just like I need oxygen. Music has also given me a lot of friends over the years, almost all of my friends come from somewhere in the world around music.
I wouldn’t say I hate anything. I do not play music for a living, so I can easily just don’t do things I don’t like, but if anything, I don’t like selling, or trying to please people with my music which they perhaps does not like. I play the music I play, I don’t get sad if not everyone loves it, but I get sad by trying to convince people to like it.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Oh, that’s also a tricky one. The industry has changed so much lately so it’s hard to say what’s good and what’s not. Of course I miss when I could sell albums physically and run a small label that way, but I’m not sure the recent changes are only bad. Today I am in the middle of it, and just don’t have the correct perspective, but I will not just state: “everything has turned bad”. The future will tell us.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Once again… I get uncomfortable with listing both albums and influences.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
I love both CD and vinyl. I listen almost exclusively to vinyl at home these days, but still get a good feeling from my old CD’s. I don’t miss cassettes at all actually. I hardly ever download music but I stream when I’m away from my stereo at home.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Probably when we played with Carptree at Spirit Of 66 in Belgium in 2008 (or was it 2007?) Not at all the biggest gig, but I think that gave me the best feeling afterwards.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I am not a full-time musician these days, and haven’t been for many years, but if I wouldn’t play at all I’d probably be an underwater photographer… Isn’t that a nice fantasy? I actually have a Youtube channel called “Lake Tanganyika according to Carl” with exclusively underwater footage from Lake Tanganyika in Africa.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
My wife, Paul McCartney, and then let them decide…
What’s next for the band?
The new album will be released in September, and before that two singles, and I really hope we’ll be contacted for some live gigs. Then, as always, planning the next album…
There’s a long-standing food-based debate here in the UK. And we’d like your help. So… A Jaffa cake – is it a cake or a biscuit? Discuss!
Haha! Sorry! I am Swedish, have nothing to contribute to this debate, but I can see it’s important.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thanks for listening! Hope you like our music.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
web https://www.bakelitband.com
facebook https://www.facebook.com/bakelitband
instagram https://www.instagram.com/bakelitband
youtube https://www.youtube.com/@FOSFORcreation/shorts
spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/36U0qgQsxTutoe9mt4AZ4U?si=ObAlPrWERKGpMKX6s3AMyA
bandcamp https://bakelit.bandcamp.com
apple music https://music.apple.com/se/artist/bakelit/294262639
deezer https://www.deezer.com/sv/artist/278046
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