Getting to Know… Comprehending | Interview 🎤

In the 347^th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from one-person Swedish band, Comprehending.

So, what makes 🎙 Comprehending (John Pettersson), unique? “I would say just the overall writing style. There are lot of math-rock and instrumental bands out there, but I feel like my guitar playing has a distinct tone that sticks out from the rest.”  Cool 😎.  What else is cool about the Swedish collective is that it is a one-person band (“I have to find available musicians to play with me during gigs, and the last gig got pretty hectic because of this”). Like our many other Getting to Know Q&As, we get the inside scoop on Comprehending’s genesis, goals, musical influences, and of course, current, and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into 🎤 Getting to Know… Comprehending: Interview No. 347!

For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Comprehending distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

I would say just the overall writing style. There are lot of math-rock and instrumental bands out there, but I feel like my guitar playing has a distinct tone that sticks out from the rest. Also, the kind of combination between synth and guitar parts that I use are kind of typical and unique to Comprehending. I really like to write kind of chill music, but I tend to throw in some parts that gets the blood pumping as well!

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Comprehending form and what were some of the goals or visions you had early on?

Comprehending started kind of coincidently back in 2019. I had written my first song, 🎵 “Spring”, and wanted to record it properly just to have for myself, so I contacted my friend Richard Stöök who helped me with recording and mixing the song. After that he told me that I should make it a real project and to release my music, so I did. The goals for the project was to simply record stuff and release it to see if other people enjoyed it as much as I did.

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

They both have and haven’t. I still have this project pretty much for my own gratification and don’t really stress with the music writing. But one goal I have set up for myself is to be able to fund this project entirely off of the band itself. I think that would be pretty cool! I also have a goal of learning more about different instruments and music in general, which I think is going pretty well.

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Whom would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?

It changes a lot for me, but some constants that I’ve had since starting this band is Enter Shikari, TTNG and Delta Sleep. Those are some really great bands, and I don’t ever think I’ll get tired of their music.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.  

Well, being a one-person band, I have to find available musicians to play with me during gigs, and the last gig got pretty hectic because of this. I had booked the venue and another band to play the show with us, but due to some complications I was a drummer short really close to the date of the gig. I managed to get hold of a friend of mine who could fill in as a live drummer finally though, so everything turned out great in the end. It was a pretty stressful situation!

Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

I’d have to say 🎵 “Spring” just because it’s the song that started it all. It was really fun to record it with my friend who also ended up producing a music video for it. Live I really enjoy playing 🎵 “Polarity”. I wrote that song with the Italian artist 🎙️ Naoise Méabh and it has a really good, chill vibe to it.

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?  

Outside of being a musician I also work as an arborist, so I climb trees for a living which is kind of sick! I really enjoy it and love my coworkers who I run the company with. I also play in a metalcore band called 🎙️ Scent of Surface, so I get to both play super chill music with Comprehending and go total ape shit with my other band. The best of two worlds!

Closing out, what is Comprehending currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

I just released my latest single, 🎵 “Try”, which is available on all major platforms. I really enjoyed making this song, so I’ve been looking forward to this release for a long time! It’s instrumental math-rock with a kind of jazzy vibe. Please feel free to have a listen. I’ve also got some sick new merch over at my Bandcamp I think everyone should check out!

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Getting to Know…Comprehending: Interview No. 347 [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Comprehending; Tumisu via Pixabay]