Christofer Johnsson: "I just heard inner music in my head"
Christofer Johnsson is the visionary founder, guitarist, and composer behind the iconic symphonic metal band Therion. Born in Sweden, he began his musical journey in the 1980s and became a pioneering force in blending operatic and classical elements with heavy metal. Since founding Therion in 1987, Christofer has spearheaded an ever-evolving sound, crafting concept albums and theatrical live performances that have redefined the genre. Known for his bold creativity and collaborations with diverse vocalists, choirs, and orchestras, he continues to push artistic boundaries, solidifying his legacy as one of metal's most innovative artists.
Name: Christofer Johnsson
DOB: 10th of August
Place of birth: Sweden
Occupation: Musician
How has your definition of success evolved throughout your career, and how does that influence your music today?
Back in the early days in the underground death metal scene, you were one of the biggest bands in the scene if you sold 50k and pulled 600 people a show. If you would tour internationally and pay your bills with money from music, it was considered success.
Later things like headlining a stage at the Dynamo festival would be a landmark. Selling a million CD’s became another one. In 2018 our concert in Moscow was streamed into space up to the international space station, which was an insane experience. And early this year we sold out an 11.000 ticket arena, which was also totally crazy for a band like us.
Once you have a level of success, you get used to it and it’s just the new normal. It’s when you make some new kind of big achievement that you get aware of it.
In the beginning, success was mainly of a practical nature. You had a record deal so you could share your music with people all over the planet and to earn enough to pay your bills and put food on the table meant you could do it full time professionally.
Lately I am economically independent and don’t have to make records or play live anymore to earn my living. I think that is the ultimate success to me, to not have to worry about anything and just write what I like, play when and where I like + I can even move pretty much where I like on the planet if I need a new environment to be inspired. This for example enabled me to pause touring for 5 years and record 4 albums with side projects that may not sell much meanwhile.
How do you approach the creation of your music, and is there a consistent starting point, or does it evolve with each new project?
Historically, most of the time I just heard inner music in my head and tried to capture it. But with Beloved Antichrist I had to start writing in a directed way, as there were scenes in a music theatre play that had to be composed. This was new for me. I kept this new technique and combined it with the old spontaneos writing for the Leviathan writing sessions, were we decided to challenge our selves by trying to give the fans what they want for a change after all those years.
Has the rise of digital technology changed the way you compose, or the way you think about music overall?
A big difference is that it’s now easy to make decent demos. You have software keyboard sounds, drum samples, effects and a mixing desk in your computer. Not only is it quicker, so you can record stuff fast (before you forget the ideas in your head), you also have the chance to experiment with arrangements and make a demo to show other band members at no cost. Back in the days it was very limited what you could do with those 4 track porta studio tape recorders. If you wanted to make a proper demo, you had to book some studio time, which was both a time pressure and it also required money.
Something I love about digital recording is that you can SEE the music via the wave files. When recording to tape it was all time codes and you would waste a lot of time winding the tape, trying to find certain places, not always being sure where in the song you are. You now have a very practical overview of everything and having MIDI on a different track next to the audio track is also great.
The modern programs with unlimited MIDI channels is another thing I love. This means I can write the orchestral arrangements like it’s supposed to be performed, with one track for each instrument/section. Back in the days, I was tied up with the 16 MIDI-channels that a keyboard had and a bunch would be taken by drums, regular keyboard sounds and piano (which I always used to illustrate classical and clean vocals with on demos) before I even got to the orchestration.
All in all it has for sure made me more creative and more productive. I still prefer the analogue sound, but I could never go back to record analogue. Not with Therion, it’s too complex and we need too many recording tracks.
What is one personal habit or skill you’ve cultivated that’s had the most significant impact on your growth as both an artist and an individual?
Learning to figure things out by my self and learn new things in general. There has always been new devices and new programs to learn and when music started to become digital also new systems. You can either rely on others or you can figure things out by your self, I was always the latter. I was the first among my friends to have a computer (because I realised I could use it for music), I was also the first one to have internet. I am the only one among my colleagues that I know of that now earns MORE money with streaming than from CD’s (because I figured things out in good time) etc. Money is not everything, I also have total creative control over almost all my works, which is equally important. I’ve run companies in 6 countries and I’ve lived in 3 countries. I am never scared of the unknown, I rather see it as a challenge.
How do you view the role of failure or creative struggle in your process? Can you share a time when it led to something unexpectedly valuable?
I never felt I failed and I never had any creative struggles per se either. But when we made Theli, at an insane recording cost for a band selling very little, I thought that was the end of the road for Therion. I didn’t know how we would perform that music live and I thought we might be dropped by the label after not selling and just costing them money. So I was planning to end Therion and start a new 70’s retro type of band where I could fulfil my musical dreams in a simpler way. It was also hard for Therion to get tours, as we didn’t quite fit in with any other band. But the album sold, and we were offered to tour with Amorphis, which was probably the only band at the time that made sense to tour with. So I had to pull my self together and try to figure out how to perform that kind of music live - with no money, no experience of it and with everyone being fucking drunk all the time. But I did it and that tour changed everything for me forever. And it also changed the concept of Therion forever, it became the new normal to have a lot of hired session singers on stage.
Mythology and spirituality are recurring themes in your music. How have these ideas shaped your personal worldview over time?
Spiritual ideas have made me a generally more openminded and experimental person in most regards.
If you could live in any time period or place in history, where and when would it be, and why?
I would have loved to be born 22 years earlier, in 1960. Then I would have been in the perfect age to start making music 1967 instead of 1987. Which was when the hard rock (which later would transform into metal) was born with the first album of Jimi Hendrix being released.
What would make music feel uninspiring or boring to you?
If I was forced to make it in a certain style to pay my bills. Or if I was forced to write in a certain time frame. I want to write whatever I like and when I feel natural inspiration.
Are there any unconventional instruments or sounds that you would like to explore in future compositions?
No, I think I’ve tried all I was interested in.
Looking back on your discography, is there a specific album or song that marked a pivotal moment of self-discovery or change for you?
I guess when I wrote ”Symphony of the dead” in 1991, it was a big change in how I wrote music and I discovered a more melodic side of my writing.
What do you think is the greatest internal battle an artist faces, and how do you overcome it?
Probably the conflict between artistic fulfilment and trying to become successful. It is always very tempting to go more ear friendly for the sake of becoming more famous, pull more people and earn more money. Especially as there are often record labels who want to sell more of your records who encourage you.
For me it was never a difficult battle though, my musical heroes at the time of starting to play were all very experimental artists full of integrity. Thus I made 4 albums that didn’t sell much and was still happy and proud of what I had. Then finally, with the 5:th album I was finally rewarded and we started to sell a lot of records. This made me even more convinced that in the long run it pays off sticking to your guns, so I continued to experiment rather than trying to copy the successful formula.
What does the concept of 'victory' mean to you, both in life and in your music career?
Having a big, but still somehow not too unrealistic goal and achieving it.
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