The new THUNDERMOTHER lineup has released its first single, “I Left My License In The Future”. Helmed again by Danish producer Søren Andersen (PRETTY MAIDS, D-A-D, Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp),the track sees founding THUNDERMOTHER guitarist Filippa Nässil joined by singer Linnéa Vikström (THERION, AT THE MOVIES),bassist Majsan Lindberg and drummer Joan Massing (HONEY CREEK).
THUNDERMOTHER says about “I Left My License In The Future”: “With this first single from the new lineup, we would like to give the fans a hard hitting no-brainer track aimed at the one in the passenger seat without a driver’s license. An anthem for those of us who never gets to be the designated driver and a love letter to the ones in the driver’s seat. Cheers and let’s party!”
The new THUNDERMOTHER lineup made its live debut on April 20 by playing a “secret” show at Pub Anchor in Stockholm, Sweden. The latest THUNDERMOTHER incarnation played its first “official” concert on April 22 at Ski & Rock in Sälen, Sweden. They then kicked off a series of European shows as the support act for the SCORPIONS.
This past February, it was announced that singer Guernica Mancini, drummer Emlee Johansson and bassist Mona Lindgren were exiting THUNDERMOTHER and were forming a new band together. At the same time, Nässilrevealed that she would continue with a new THUNDERMOTHER lineup.
In a recent interview with Bloodstream TV, Filippa opened up about the latest THUNDERMOTHER lineup changes, saying: “Well, we were together seven years — and that is Guernica, the singer, and Emlee, the drummer. And it [was] amazing; we did so much together. But in the end, we couldn’t communicate. ‘Cause you travel and you live together all the time. Not even when you say ‘hi’ to each other. I cannot live a rock and roll lifestyle like this. So I tried to solve it for a long time — like, ‘This doesn’t work. We have to communicate and be respectful,’ and whatever. And it didn’t work out. One person didn’t come to the meeting, so we had to move forward. Because this is a business as well, and a rock and roll band, and it’s supposed to be fun and good and loving also, because we need to support each other. And when that’s not the case… Well, I fired [Guernica] — that’s the first time I’m saying that now, actually — because she didn’t come to the meetings I set up to mediate. We need to talk and be able to work together. Because it’s more and more business, and then you can’t work and then you can’t do your shows. Because it’s e-mails and everything — it’s a lot of stuff.”
Nässil continued: “So friendship — okay, I can buy that; you don’t have to be friends. But I think it’s much better now anyway. And I’m very happy with… ‘Cause I took the old singer… Not the old singer, but a singer that I really loved and admired for a long time called Linnéa Vikström. I actually asked her for the job in THUNDERMOTHER seven years ago, but she wasn’t available. She had too much to do, ’cause she sang with THERION, a big metal band, around the world. And [she has] a lot of experience, but we’re also good friends. So it’s been hard for her to sort of take over something, but it’s been fantastic. And everyone says it’s really good.”
In recent months, Mancini, who joined THUNDERMOTHER in 2017, gave several interviews in which she described her time with the group as “six tough years” and “a very bumpy ride”. She also said that Filippa decided to fire her from the band without consulting the other members of THUNDERMOTHER, a move which they perceived as “very disrespectful towards them, being that they believed that we were a democracy and that we had a say in these things,” according to Guernica.
In March, Mancini, Johansson and Lindgren announced that their new band would be called THE GEMS. They have since signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records and have issued two singles, “Like A Phoenix” and “Send Me To The Wolves”.
THE GEMS made their live debut on March 22 at Pustervik in Gothenburg, Sweden as the support act for THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA.
THE GEMS‘ live performances include material from THUNDERMOTHER‘s last two albums, 2020’s “Heat Wave” and 2022’s “Black And Gold”, both of which featured songwriting contributions from Guernica and Emlee.
THUNDERMOTHER will kick off a Central European tour with LANSDOWNE on November 24 at Munich, Germany’s Backstage club. A Swedish tour will follow in early 2024.
Photo credit: Mats Vassfjord