GUNNAR HALLIN
Interview

If we take it all from the beginning; How did you get in contact with the members of Neon ?

Benno and I went to school together in the same class at Adolf Fredriks, Dalagatan, Stockholm, so I knew all the members of "Spider" which was the name of the band prior to Neon Rose.

Your best memories of Neon Rose from the 70´s ?

There are many good memories, but one of the best is my second gig with the band in Oslo, Norway, at the Ragnarock festival in front of 70 000 cheering people !

And your worst memory from that time ?

The most sad memory, I think, is when the band split.

Who were your influences as a guitarist ?

I was raised with Hendrix and Santana, but Ritchie Blackmore and Jimmy Page were the ones I listened to during this specific period.

Which album are you most proud of with Neon ?

Reload, of course.

Which solos are you most satisfied with ?

The song Reload and maybe Dead Eyes...

You started as a roadie for the band. How did you become a member..?

Roger wanted to get someone else in for his guitar parts to concentrate more on the singing......

When did you start playing live with Neon ?

I started somewhere in between the first and the second album, I can´t recall exactly when....

How did you experience yours and Pieros roles as guitarists
in the band ?

Piero and I have always worked well together inspiring each other...

What guitars and amplifiers did you use ?

I used a black Gibson les Paul Custom and a Fender Stratocaster, 100W Marchall with two black and white Löfving speakers, 4 x 12" celestion in each one.

Which album was most fun to record ?

"Two" I guess, because it was my first recording with the band.

Any specific gigs you remember well ?

Olympen in Lund, where we jumped in as support act for Nazareth was really great. We got an enormous response both from the audience and the press.

When Roger quit, were you thinking of a replacement for him ?

We tried some singers out, but we couldn´t find anyone to fill Rogers shoes...

Is there anything of the material recorded with Neon that you´re NOT satisfied with ?

To mention something I´m discontented with is the arrangement of the vocals and the lack of choirs. We put so much energy in working on the guitars and the drumsound, but Rogers singing sort of came in the background. And I´m not satisfied with the sound and mix of "Two" which I think is out of distinctness and "bottom".

How did you feel about the split of the band ?

It´s always sad when bands split up...Neon sort of phased out, and in the end Piero and Benno were the only remaining members.

What do you feel when I say that there are many today that are having Neon Rose as one of their biggest influence in rock music ?

Of course it´s flattering that Neon Rose is still remembered and that many still like what we did. It means a lot to me and the others in the band to have contributed to the history of Swedish rock music.

Do you sometimes still listen to the albums of Neon Rose ?

Now and then I listen to the albums. Foremost Reload.

What do you want to happen with Neon Rose these forthcoming years ?

I really hope there will be a fourth album. That would be great !

Interview by Nalle Påhlsson

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