The Caesars Take The Acid Test Courtesy Of The Sam Band

07/20/05 9:00am

by David McDougall (CHARTattack)

When ChartAttack had a chance to sit down with half of Caesars during their last stop in Canada, we had one burning question — there were stories circulating that on their previous tour here, a certain Can-rock band spiked guitarist and lead songwriter Joakim Ahlund's beer during a Montreal gig. We also asked them about success and some other crap, but really it was all about the alleged actions of a certain Canadian rock star putting Joakim through his own personal Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Funny! (But entirely not endorsed by ChartAttack.)

The Caesars ChartAttack: This is your fourth album, but you're just starting to break through in some parts of the world — is it weird to be considered "new" after doing this for 10 years?
Joakim Ahlund: It's sweet to be an old geezer and still be considered fresh and new, in some parts of the world at least.

So it's a good thing?
JA: I think it's great, yeah. It's a lot more fun to come to a place you've never been before, and y'know, people actually show up to the concert, come to see you. I think that's great. It's a lot more fun than driving around in a van in Sweden all the time — I mean there's nothing wrong with Sweden, but it's just one country. After touring for 10 years in that country it's kind of like we know that by now. We've done that.

A lot of bands aren't together very long before they get success. It's thrust on them when they're not really ready for it, whereas you've got the experience to back you up. That must be helpful?
JA: Well we're one of the few bands that's managed to be together 10 years without actually gaining any experience whatsoever. [laughs] So we really don't know what we're doing.

So I read this story about a band slipping acid in your drink, in Montreal? What the hell??
David Lindqvist: We actually went to that bar yesterday...
JA: Yeah, I didn't even recognize it. Because like last time we were there it was a full-on snowstorm and yesterday it was all hot.

And last time you were also on acid...
DL: When it happened, he and the bass player from Soundtrack Of Our Lives were, like, wrestling each other over all the tables in that bar. And then Joakim was gone for like five minutes, and then he came back crying his heart out — "Where have you guys been!??" — and he's only been away for five minutes.
JA: And it was funny because our keyboard player was sitting there trying to impress some artsy intellectual Canadian girl, and was like talking to her about film and books and this and that. And he introduced me, I came like stumbling towards their table and he wanted to introduce me — "Hey, here's Joakim, he's my friend, he's a really talented guy, he writes a lot of music and lyrics and makes short films and stuff. I want you to meet my friend from Stockholm, he's great guy." And I was like "Blehawoooh — where've you beeeen!?!" [laughs] I tried to get into a taxi three times. I mean, the bus was literally right across the street and I tried to get into a taxi to take me to the bus. But it was like, "Take me to the bus, take me home," and he's like, "OK, well where do you want to go?" I'm like "I don't knowww." I got kicked out of three taxis, and then I stumbled back into the bar and that's when I found the other guys.
DL: But I think the Canadian guys slipped him acid because we were both support bands to this Swedish band and we were both fighting for attention...

Yeah, but what was the band?
JA: His name's Sam Roberts I think? They have some kind of reputation over here for being like wild and crazy party animals or something.