_{When  you are a big fan with an artist or band, sure you think about this at least once in your life: If you have the chance to interviewing your “heros”,  what would you ask??  We´ve been thinking the same and since some time ago we were trying to get an interview via e mail with a member of Europe.  After a few mails,  finally we`ve got the first interview for our blog in Argentina with Mic.  We want to express our biggest thank to Linda Holmgren y Sofia Granstrom from Hagenburg  Managment  for making this possible and to Mic Michaeli of course.  A big “thank you” to all the fans for helping us to make the questions. Enjoy the interview!!!}

1. After 30 years of career, is there any goal to achieve yet?

MIC: WE’RE ALWAYS AIMING TO GET  BETTER ON STAGE  AND TO MAKE THE PERFECT ALBUM AND I HAVE A FELLING IT WILL BE LIKE THAT FOREVER…

2. A lot of people distinguish several "Europe's"according to the chronological era. However, you always have described a parallel between the new records and the older once, more like a "sound evolution".Which are the elements or the common thread that stays intact beyond the production style?

MIC: THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE NICE GUITAR RIFFS AND SOME GOOD MELODIES...

3. Europe (as many other bands) had problems and suffered a big pressure from the record company in the 80´s. But nowadays, the band works in a very different way. What is the best and the worst part about working without a "big monster" on your back?

MIC: THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE REALLY,IT'S ALL GOOD.

4. It's been six years since your comeback and you've been working so hard to give Europe the place it deserves within the hard rock scene. Are you pleased with the results? Will you continue doing things that way or will you try to gain more recognition doing some promotion  through "massive" media?

MIC: WE WILL GO ON DOING WHAT WE’ VE  BEEN DOING. WE TAKE THINGS STEP BY STEP.
 

5. The "Almost Unplugged" gig (a hell of a gig by the way!) was an amazing experience for all those fans who never had the chance to see you in concert. How did the idea of the webcast come about? Is the webcast something you would like to repeat?

MIC: WE HAD TALKED ABOUT DOING A SPECIAL SHOW AT A NICE SMALLER VENUE, ADDING A FEW COVERS FOM BANDS THAT HAD INFLUENCED US OVER THE YEARS AND WITH THE SONGS PRESENTED IN A MORE ”NAKED”WAY.
BUT SINCE THE VENUE HELD SO FEW PEOPLE WE WANTED TO GIVE THOSE WHO COULDN’T GO A CHANCE TO TAKE PART OF THE EVENT. THAT’S HOW THE IDEA OF A WEBCAST CAME ABOUT.
IT’S POSSIBLE THAT WE WILL DO A SIMILAR THING IN THE FUTURE, OR MAYBE DO AS MALL TOUR IN A SIMILAR WAY.
 
6. You have performed some great covers in special gigs (Nalen and London). How was the selection of those covers? Are there any other songs that you would like to play in a future show?

MIC: THE SELECTION CAME ABOUT BY ALL OF US SITTING AROUND A TABLE AT A HOTEL SOMEWHERE DISCUSSING AND ARGUING OUR WAY THROUGH…

 
7. Europe updates the Tour Blog (after every show) so that we fans can be permanently in touch with the band, which is highly appreciated, thank you!!! Do you plan to release a future DVD with all the footage and backstage stuff taken during the tour? By the way, I must tell  you that the band´s performances in these shows are excellent. You're doing it very well.

MIC: THANK YOU!! WE ARE CONSTANTLY FILMING STUFF ON AND OFF STAGE AND THE IDEA IS TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR OUR  FANS IN THE FUTURE.

 8. The albums you've made since the reunion seems to arouse positive feelings, even among the fans. Some people love the new once and some  doesn't like them at all. What do you think about that?

MIC: I THINK THERE IS ROOM FOR  EVERYONE. PEOPLE CAN LISTEN TO WHATEVER ALBUM THEY LIKE AND IF YOU GO TO SEE US LIVE YOU WILL GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.

9. I've read that when you recorded "Secret Society", you were consciously trying to find a specific sound or style. Is it the album the Europe was looking for or, in retrospective, would you change something about it?

MIC:  YOU CAN ALWAYS LOOK BACK ON THINGS YOU HAVE DONE AND THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY.  BUT IF SECRET SOCIETY HADN’T SOUNDED THE WAY IT DID I DON’T THINK WE WOULD HAVE MADE THE SAME  CHANGES IN SOUND AS WE DID FOR LAST LOOK AT EDEN.
SO WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY HERE IS THAT ONE THING THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE 100%SATISFIED WITH IN RETROPERSPECT MIGHT LEAD TO SOMETHING MUCH BETTER IN THE FUTURE.

 
10. "LLAE" Has some reflective elements as the two previous albums but has things that we've never heard before: a kind of vibe unworried ,ironic, even "eccentric", immersed within the sound grandiosity,which id pretty obvious since the very first track, "Prelude". About that special atmosphere: Was that something that the band had in mind before getting into the studio or was it just a spontaneous result? Fate maybe?

MIC: COULD’VE BEEN FATE… OR COINCIDENCE AND THE COMBINATION OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF ALWAYS TAKING THINGS A STEP FURTHER.
 
11. Which album/song would you recommend for someone who doesn't know anything about the band? The best way to start with Europe...

MIC: IT WOULD BE “LAST LOOK AT EDEN”...
 
12. And finally... Could you describe what Europe means to you? It has to be in one word...

MIC: “AVERYBIGPARTOFMYLIFE”

Thank you very much, this really means a lot to us! We hope to see you touring South America soon.

MIC: WE REALLY HOPE WE CAN COME BACK VERY SOON!