Doing some time in a Foreign Resort

The Foreign Resort is a shiny post punk sonic ear-worm. Relentless, self assured and hailing from Copenhagen, they are fierce and you need them in your life. I sat down with one of three. Singer, Guitarist and possible madman Mikkel Jakobsen about all things foreign and domestic.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Thanks for taking the timeout to talk with me about all things Foreign Resort. I guess it is always best to start from the beginning and so with that, let me ask you, how did The Foreign Resort come into existence?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: How did we start? It actually started with me just writing some songs and recording them at home. If you listen to The Starlit Sea off the album "Offshore", that's from those bedroom sessions from back in 2003 - 2004. Then, in 2006 I wanted to turn the project into a band and Morten and Henrik joined. We were a 4-piece for several years until 2013 when we realized we would be better off at a trio. We're more like old friends than actual band mates in this band. Back from the death metal days where I (Mikkel) was also a drummer and Morten was drumming in a different death metal band. We played some shows together and that's how we got to know each other.

SEAN TEMPLAR: That is a huge musical departure. From Death Metal to Post-Punk what was your influences for The Foreign Resort? Why did it not come out sounding like Cannibal Corpse?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: I don’t think the difference is that big. Listen to some of the bass riffs on our new album. For TFR, I was trying to make some shoegazey stuff, but it always turned out more new- wave sounding. I guess it was meant to be that way.

SEAN TEMPLAR: The stone directs the sculptor.

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Our influences change all the time. Back then, it was more like My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and the Mary Chain. Not that we sounded like that. And yes, we had no choice but to go post-punk.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Do your Death Metal friends enjoy TFR or do they think you went crazy? I know when Nergal from Behemoth released his Nick Cavesque side project ‘Me and the man’ there were a lot of groans from the Death Metal community.

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: As far as I know all my death metal friends changed their taste in music too. Or at least started listening to other stuff. I guess none of us were true death metal.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I can only speak for New York, but the scenes here do somewhat cross pollinate. You will see similar faces at both types of shows. Which I feel is totally healthy. Is it the same in Denmark? Or do you have to wear fake beards and stuff?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Ha! I’m not sure since I’m not familiar with the metal scene here. I would say, in my impression the metal scene is a little more colorful / trashed than the more clean-cut goths. But the metal scene has more “regular” people who dress up for the occasion (concert). Goths seem to be depressed for real and all the time.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Oh no those poor Danish Goths. I have to come over there and cheer them up. It will be a sacred gothic duty! I know some bands prefer the studio to playing live and there are those who prefer the live experience, which would you say you prefer?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Definitely live. I do this to get out there and meet people. I do like the writing process, but recording is the thing I like the least about being a musician. It also depends on how the recording process goes. Our latest album was recorded and mixed in our practice space which we share with a guy running his studio. Very convenient! There was good chemistry and we didn’t have to record everything at once. I hate the 10 days in the studio, get the shit done thing.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Yes, and we need to talk about that sonic masterpiece named “Outnumbered”. That was going to be my first question about the album. Was it created over a long period of time or did the pieces fall into place quickly?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: It actually took quite a while due to touring and life in general. We recorded first half of the album in 2017 and the second half a year later. Mixing was done in December 2018. The song “Send Your Heart to the Riot” is from 2012 or something like that. It just never fit into the albums we released.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Which begs the question, how does this album compare musically to the previous New Frontiers?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: I’m my opinion: “New Frontiers” feels to me more like an album in one piece whereas “Outnumbered” is more like several pieces that don’t necessarily fit together. Does that make sense? NF is more unified. Written over a much shorter time span.

SEAN TEMPLAR: It absolutely does, each song is its own environment, its own cell structure.

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Each album has its own strengths. I think “Outnumbered” is more diverse.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I think it’s your strongest album to date. It’s more self-assured, a more confident record in some ways.

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Thanks! I’m glad that’s how it appears out there. I’m never confident when it comes to our music. I hate releasing new music and having people give us thumbs up or down. But reviews are a necessary evil.

SEAN TEMPLAR: You’re welcome. I don’t think any artist is ever 100% ok with the final product, let alone throwing it up in the air and seeing if it can fly on its own. Lucky for you, the album was very well received. Speaking of well received. I was lucky to catch you at Wave Gotik Treffen and you really played an unforgettable set. How was it for you to play amongst all those great bands?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: I love WGT! It was the second time we played there, and the first time was the show that opened doors for us all over Germany. This time we arrived two days prior to our show and got wrecked while watching other bands perform. It was awesome! Come the day of the show, last day of the festival, and I had a massive hangover - I thought. In reality, it was me being nervous about appearing in front on 1200 people. But everything went beyond expectation. The WGT crew were super friendly. The stage manager was the same we had the first time at WGT and the audience was amazing! A definitive musical career highlight!

About the other bands. What was cool was to be able to meet up and hang out with the bands you only meet briefly when occasionally playing shows together. That’s the great thing about festivals! Everyone has a little more time.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I dragged a bunch of my friends to see you at Haus Leipzig and everyone had such a fun time - and yes, all that alcohol helped. Are you going to come through this year? I know you can’t play but you can drink?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Not going to WGT this year. Touring as much as we do and having day jobs and family, we don't do much once we're not on tour. Of course, we attend shows in Copenhagen, but traveling to other countries for music is a luxury we can only afford when we're touring.

SEAN TEMPLAR: So how did the whole SXSW thing come about. That has to be a really big deal for you?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: This will be our 5th SXSW this year. It is always great to be in Austin during the festival although pretty chaotic. Every time we go, we never want to go back, but then we met Mike and Poul who let us stay at their place, which saved us a shit load of money in hotel expenses. SXSW is really just a big money machine, draining both the musicians and the music fans coming to Austin. Capitalism at its finest. This year however, our label Artoffact Records is doing an official showcase which is the main reason for us going. Of course, we'll play plenty of unofficial showcases, knowing that any showcase could be a shit show, even the official. So, the more gigs that week, the better the chances of catching a good opportunity and meeting new fans!

As you can see, we take it pretty easy. I don't get excited until I see a clear result. I want to see that beautiful audience or meet that person who can set us up with a national booking agency. Until then, I just keep working on new opportunities. Nothing comes for free.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Well we are excited to have you back at The Red Party. It’s no SXSW but we have fun. What is your opinion of New York?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: After having played The Red Party once before, I am certain that it will be more fun than any of the SX shows. That doesn’t mean SX is not exciting; it means The Red Party kicks fucking ass!

New York? I need to see more of it. Right now, I see it as the culmination of American desperation. People don’t really have time for anything because there’s too much to do including working all the time to pay the sky-high rent. I’ve had some great times in NY, but I think I’m more a west coast person. Sorry .

That said, you and Mandana showed us around and for the first time we felt like we could spend a little quality time in the city.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I was born here in New York and it is so much different from LA and the lifestyle couldn’t be farther apart. That being said, I love LA. I just couldn’t see myself living there but it’s so much fun to visit. Are you playing in Cali this year as well?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Unfortunately not. It will be a while before we do a full US tour again. Europe is simply going too well right now. But we’re playing 9-10 shows in connection with SXSW. Better than nothing. And we really enjoy visiting the States.

SEAN TEMPLAR: At the moment, where in Europe does The Foreign Resort go over the best?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Germany. Without question. But our French and Italian shows in September 2019 went beyond expectation so we’re doing another tour of France, Italy and maybe Spain later this year.

SEAN TEMPLAR: How do the three of you get along on tour? Who is the trouble maker and who is the ‘adult’?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: There are no adults in the band. No, seriously we kinda take turns. I’m good at planning at logistics. Morten is good at executing, i.e., getting shit done when we arrive at venues when Steffan and I are only looking to get drinks. And Steffan is sort of in between everything, not too fooling but also not too serious. Sometimes, we bring a friend to handle merch and kick our asses to bed when needed. We’re a good team.

SEAN TEMPLAR: A couple of more questions and then you are free. Who are your favorite bands at the moment? Anyone new that you are stanning?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: I’ve been listening quite a lot to Angel Olsen’s “All Mirrors”. It has some amazing songs on it! Also, the new album from Fleeting Joys, “Speeding Away to Someday” is the album I listened to the most in 2019. Melted Mirror from Calgary made an excellent post-punk album called “Past Life” and the latest album from Trentemøller is also really good! Other bands that I have been listening a lot to are Creux Lies, Film School, Heaven, No Swoon, Silent Runners and Hapax. There’s more but I think I’ll stop here.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Haven’t heard Angel Olsen before. I will check her out. So then, outside of music what are some of your hobbies?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: I have no hobbies outside music. Kinda scary. I love my day job as teacher though.

SEAN TEMPLAR: And what is it you teach?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Danish to foreigners.

SEAN TEMPLAR: You are going to have to teach me some when you get to New York. THE FOREIGN

RESORT//Mikkel: Sure!

SEAN TEMPLAR: And a final question that I like to ask, what is your favorite horror movie of all time?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: The Shining had a pretty big impact.

SEAN TEMPLAR: The Shining is a great one. How old were you when you first saw it?

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Hmmm. I think I was 16. More than a decade after the movie came out. I had to read the Stephen King novel first. Although the movie is better than the book.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I have read a lot of Stephan King but never The Shining. My faves were Salem’s Lot, Needful Things and The Stand. Funny thing is that Stephan King hated the Kubrick version, called it the worst adaptation of one of his books to screen.

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Yeah, The Stand. That’s a good one! And Needful Things. SEAN

TEMPLAR: So that’s it with the third degree. We all can’t wait to see you in action soon.

THE FOREIGN RESORT//Mikkel: Yesss! I can’t wait to come back to the States! And to spend some time in NY without jet lag!

TEMPLAR: Thank You so much for your time, and New York can not wait to see you in March!

Check out Foreign Resort Now & Watch them live at The Red party on Saturday, March 14

Lost in the dark with The Long Losts

For our first interview, I thought, given the change of season, this band would do quite nicely. I first experienced The Long Losts almost 5 years ago at Aurelio Voltaire’s ‘Necronomicon’. I was spinning right after their way too brief set. As I was setting up and trying to be ever so careful and considerate, I kept pausing and looking over. I was captivated. I was the moth to their orange-colored flame. As I get older, few bands catch me right away. I will be impressed and curious but I won’t lend out my heart so easily. They had it and I chased them down or rather up (we were in the basement) cash in hand and demanded a CD and a shirt and I promised them on the spot that I was going to book the hell out of them. That was my first interaction with Patrick from The Long Losts. Here is my latest.


SEAN TEMPLAR: I really wanted to have a proper interview at A Murder of Crows, but time was very much against us, so I hope we can salvage something and maybe get some good hindsight now that the smoke has cleared. 

THE LONG LOSTS: Yeah, I got you. We tried to do the interview after our set but everyone was pretty scattered. 

SEAN TEMPLAR: So, first question would be then, how did your performance go over at Crows this year, were you happy?

THE LONG LOSTS: We were very happy. We decided to add a drummer to the show after so many years as a duo. We put in a lot of practice. We had a great crowd there. It made it all worth it.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I think a lot of people made the effort to get there early to see you.

THE LONG LOSTS: It definitely felt like that. Sometimes it can be rough being the first band of the night. But we were so honored to be part of the event and share the stage with the bands that came from all over the country and the world.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Having watched you perform over these last 5 years or so, you have acquired a very loyal following. What do you attribute that too?

THE LONG LOSTS: I guess we could attribute it to people really identifying with our music and lyrics and us personally as well. Our music has always been sort of a celebration of who we are and what we love instead of it being about the external world.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I have noticed that you are very approachable both before and after the concert. What was the nicest compliment you received?

THE LONG LOSTS: We try to be. It’s always harder for me since I’m so wrapped up in all the logistics of getting set up and broken down. Sometimes I could be inside my own head to much. At this moment I can’t think of a specific compliment, but I’m always flattered to know how one or more of our songs resonated with something in someone else’s life and that it transcended what it meant for us when we wrote the song. 

Somebody wrote to us last year, a gentleman who asked us to record a video for his girlfriend, wishing her a happy birthday (or anniversary?) because we were her favorite band. That was really touching.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I have to ask, did you make the video?

THE LONG LOSTS: Yes we did.

SEAN TEMPLAR: That’s great, and are you still her favorite band?

THE LONG LOSTS: Hopefully :) 

SEAN TEMPLAR: Is there one song of yours in particular that seems to connect with your fans or is across the board?

THE LONG LOSTS: I’d say either October Country or The Girl with the Haunted House Tattoo.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Neither you nor Anka were necessarily into Goth music but mostly Punk, is that correct?

THE LONG LOSTS: Well, we were into both. As far as me, I was definitely into Goth music before I got into Punk. When I was in junior high in high school during the 90s, I was listening to Metal and Goth music. I got more into Punk when I started playing music as a teenager. 

SEAN TEMPLAR: When you started The Long Losts did you have a sound in mind, or was it something that grew organically?

THE LONG LOSTS: It grew organically. Believe it or not, we wanted to have a sound that was more in line with The Velvet Underground. When we sat down to write our first songs though, which were If Only Boris Karloff Was My Dad which was more along the Punk route, and the other song we wrote was Bishops Grave, which has a more classic gothy sound. We thought we were going to be experimental and artsy, LOL. What it ended up being is what we sound like now. It came naturally so we embraced it.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I think you are in your own right. We all can’t be sucking at the teat of Andy Warhol.

THE LONG LOSTS: For sure. I think in the best of cases you have that spark that gets you going.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I know you are both dedicated horror and Halloween fanatics, and I think it is very much evident in your songs. Have you ever been worried about being typecast as such?

THE LONG LOSTS: A little bit. But we also knew that was because the only record we had out at the time, Scary Songs to Play in the Dark, was a horror and Halloween record. The subject matter mostly changed on our second album To night... That wasn’t on purpose it was just the direction we were going. We really wanted to be personal with our music.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I heard that you have started work on your third album, how far along are you?

THE LONG LOSTS: We are in the midst of it yes! We have 11 songs. Drums and keyboards are done, I’m in the process of recording the guitar now. We are taking our time with this record. I feel like it’s definitely us.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I am a big fan of To Night… Will it be a continuation in that direction or can we expect something different?

THE LONG LOSTS: I feel like we were trying to nail down our sound over the past two records and this third album will be the culmination of that. I think it will be in the vein of To night... with a couple of songs that harken back to Scary Songs.

SEAN TEMPLAR: You do a fantastic cover of The Sister of Mercy's Neverland, I was just curious if you were playing with idea of another cover this time?

THE LONG LOSTS: We toss ideas for covers back-and-forth all the time. We don’t have one definitively planned at the moment. It will probably happen spontaneously. It’s not about doing a cover as much as it is about us coming up with our version of it.

SEAN TEMPLAR: I completely understand the logic behind that. Ok, let me wrap this mummy up. We are coming into the Autumn season and with it comes Halloween. Do you have anything special planned for the holiday. 

THE LONG LOSTS: Next week we’re going to Salem, Massachusetts which we do every year. This year we’re bringing along our 8-month-old son. He will get to experience his first autumn in New England. We have an acoustic performance we will be doing there as well. It’s so quintessentially autumn up there. 

SEAN TEMPLAR: I need to find the time to get back again this year. I love it up there. Where is the acoustic performance being held?

THE LONG LOSTS: It will be held at Die with Your Boots On. It’s a Goth and dark alternative clothing shop that opened not too long ago.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Love the name. I know, we tried to go, but they were closed for a photo shoot. It’s a shame because we had so much money to burn. Ok, 2 more questions both Halloween related. Ok then, what was the first Horror movie that really scared you and how old were you at the time.

THE LONG LOSTS: E.T. The Extraterrestrial, I was probably five. LOL. Then a few years later Ghostbusters. 

SEAN TEMPLAR: Really, and what was it that scared you?

THE LONG LOSTS: ET was just really scary looking. 

SEAN TEMPLAR: He really was not the cutest of extraterrestrials. But Ghostbusters, thank god you didn’t start with Friday the 13th.

THE LONG LOSTS: I was too scared to watch them. I remember when the commercials for those movies came on around Halloween, like movie marathons of Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street. Like on WWOR Channel 9. All I needed to see were the commercials to know that I didn’t want to have nightmares. It was only years later when I finally saw the movies that I realized what I imagined was a hell of a lot scarier. 

SEAN TEMPLAR: I was going to say when I was young, I enjoyed being scared. May imagination would just get ahead of me and I found that really thrilling

THE LONG LOSTS: My room was the only one upstairs in my parents’ house. It was easy to feel alone and prone to your imagination. My room had all Wood paneling. It had knots all over it that look like eyes. 

SEAN TEMPLAR: Mine was in the basement with no windows! My door was like that, I always saw a long face in the knot work. Very sinister. 

THE LONG LOSTS: Exactly, that experience is what inspired me to write big dark room.

SEAN TEMPLAR: That makes for sloppy hand writing.

THE LONG LOSTS: LOL. I hope everything I said makes sense. It’s not easy writing it out as I’m thinking of it, ha-ha.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Well, you have one last question. 

THE LONG LOSTS: Ok.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Ok, wait, 2 more questions. First to last, what would be the all-time best Dracula?

THE LONG LOSTS: Christopher Lee, as the classic (Bella Lugosi type) Dracula.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Solid choice. As promised, the last question, can you name one country where you would love to play that you haven’t played yet?

THE LONG LOSTS: Ooooo, Ireland  

SEAN TEMPLAR: Let's see if we can make it happen next year then!

THE LONG LOSTS: Yay! We’d love to play WGT to for the experience of it.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Thank You so much for your time. I know you are a busy man. Please give a hug to the missus and child.

THE LONG LOSTS: Well, she’s here now, answering these questions with me.

SEAN TEMPLAR: Oh really, just lurking in the shadows. Now how am I supposed to format all this.