Within Temptation are one of the rock & metal world’s most enduring forces. For 3 decades now they have blazed their own trail and ascended up the metal hierarchy, leaving a lasting and unshakable impression on the world. We were lucky enough to catch up with guitarist Rudd Jolie and Stefan Helleblad to discuss Headlining the Opus Stage at this year’s Download Festival, 30 years of the band, songwriting, touring and lots more in between.
Within Temptation, back at Download Festival. This time headlining the Opus Stage. You have played the festival many times before. So how does it feel for you to be invited back numerous times and how does it feel for you every time you play here?
Ruud: It’s great, I think our position keeps getting better as well, we’re stepping up to a headliner now which I think is a pretty big deal for a mainly Dutch band. There are not that many Dutch bands that are that successful abroad, and to headline this legendary festival is great.
Stefan: I remember last time it was windy but it was a great show because the crowd was great, so it will be fun to do that again tonight..
One of the things I love about Within Temptation is you are constantly evolving, the music is constantly changing. I personally love that I never know what I’m going to get with a Within Temptation album, and when you pick a setlist for a headline set, especially one at a festival, how do you go about that? Obviously this is not your audience, do you try to stick more to one thing you think people will know, do you go heavier? Do you try to cater for yourselves? What is the process there?
Stefan: We usually have a batch of songs that we rehearse, which is around 20, then we tend to get to a point where we basically have the same set but we might switch out one or two songs. For a place like this maybe one heavier song can go in.
As a band that is constantly changing their style, when you write some of those heavier songs or you take some of those symphonic elements out to play the more straightforward metal like you have adopted on the last couple of albums, are you constantly thinking about how your audience is going to receive those songs, and are you surprised by how the audience has evolved with you and have you seen much of a change in your audience over the years?
Rudd: That’s a very good question. I don’t know if we have seen a lot of change, but what I like about our audience, is I call them from fetus to fossil (laughs) because we tend to have 3 generations, young kids, but also old people and we have these die hard fans that are usually in the front so we recognise those people, but yeah to be honest It’s Sharon and Robert, they are the ones who are the most involved with the planning the next style for the band to go in, but lately there haven’t been many thoughts on how it’s going to be received, but mainly we just do what we feel like doing.
I don’t know if it’s too early to ask this question or if there are any plans in motion, but next year 2026 is the 30th anniversary of Within Temptation as a band, have you got anything sleeve for that?
Ruud: No, or at least not anything that we are involved in yet, we might get that memo later (laughs)
It’s a huge milestone to see a band reach 30 years, especially in today’s climate. I know you both joined the band at different times, so how does it feel for you to be a part of that 30 year legacy?
Ruud: It’s incredible.
Stefan: Yeah, it’s really incredible
Ruud: In fact, here is a little bit of self promotion. I’m writing a book at this moment. I’m finishing it, it’s full of anecdotes about 24 years in Within Temptation. In the process of writing I’ve looked back and it’s a lot of “we did this..” or “we experienced that..” I’ve been in the band for 24 years, I didn’t even start with them, I joined them later, so it’s incredible that the band has been around for 30 years, so it’s going to be a cool book when it comes out. We’ve been doing a lot of sitting backstage and remembering things.
For you personally how does it feel for you to be reliving that history of the band as this anniversary approaches. How has it felt going back and discussing those things that you have been through as a band in the process of writing this book and rediscovering these things that you have collectively been through and achieved together?
Stefan: It’s a bit confusing at times, it’s hard to track. Sometimes it feels like it’s been a really short time, as if time flew by, but others it’s such a long time ago.
Ruud: I usually remember like back when I still had hair (laughs)
I know you mentioned that Sharon and Robert are the main driving forces for what the next chapter of Within Temptation will be, and I know that Bleed Out is still pretty fresh in people’s minds. Have you started having those internal discussions yet about what the next thing is going to be for you as a band?
Stefan: No. They are trying to work on finding a direction, that’s all I know for now. There is a plan to work on something new and release something next year maybe, it depends on how the writing goes. We are on a need to know basis (laughs)
It’s always fascinating to me to hear how bands write and what their individual process is or isn’t. In this case if you aren’t directly involved in that writing process do you still write things for yourself for fun, or do you write pieces away from what is going on and then bring them to the group to be considered.
Stefan: I’ve done it a little bit, I had one song, two albums ago. I haven’t had that much time to do it, or that much feedback, so it’s difficult. I have been trying to write just for myself for a little bit. When I have the time, I have a huge library of voice memos, which keeps growing.
As creatives, how does it feel for you guys to not be involved in that process? Obviously you are very cohesive when you are onstage, so is it something that suits you or do you wish you were more involved in the creative process and the writing side of things?
Stefan: I used to wish that I were, now I’m ok with how it is now. When it comes time to record guitars and we get the demo ideas…
Ruud: We do get a lot of freedom, we play it how we want to play it. Basically, we’re not writing the songs, but we get to do our guitar parts and arranging of the parts, the leads and the solos, they totally leave that up to us and that is where we get to shine.
Stefan: They know that is how it is going to come out the best. (laughs)
I think if you can all work in that space, I know it works for some people and not for others. It is something that clearly works for Within Temptation and it’s good to have that collaboration and comradery in the band without anyone feeling left out or pushed out.
Ruud: It feels good, it feels great. This festival season, this is our 4th so far and the vibe has been really great, really relaxed, it sounds cliche, but it really is the case, otherwise we wouldn’t have been around for 30 years. Obviously there have been some lineup changes, but that was never because of fights.
Stefan: It’s like more of a vacation for me now at times, a weekend away with friends, we watch movies, play music, drink beer.
It’s like an adult summer camp. That’s the way I describe festival season. It’s a summer camp for adults where we are all allowed to run around unsupervised having a great time. You see an event like this where everyone is having a great time and just enjoying themselves. It’s awesome. For yourselves when you play a festival like this and you are headlining a stage and you are going after bands and artists you would always normally play with, does that create a different sense of pressure in you or do you treat it as you would a normal show?
Ruud: The thing with headlining a festival is that the people that are there, are there to see you, because they are not there waiting for a band to come on after you. If they don’t like it, they would probably leave, but as long as they are staying then they like what they are hearing. My philosophy is you can only do your best, if that’s not good enough for those people, then it is what it is, but if you earn your shows then it’s better when you win people over. We toured with Maiden. There were a lot of people who didn’t know who we were and we had to really try hard to win them over, sometimes you do and other times you don’t.
In closing, is there anything you would like to say to all the Within Temptation fans around the world.
Stefan: Just thank you.
Ruud: Yes, thank you for sticking with us, it sounds cliche, but it really isnt. Without the fans, we wouldn’t be able to do this. Also bring beer (laughs)
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