CHRISTIAN RABB Global Rockstar United: Representing Europe

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To represent Europe in Global Rockstar United we invited Christian Rabb, mastermind of No Sleep for Lucy. The band was second in the Swedish national pre-selections of Global Rockstar 2014. We think they could have done better, as in Christian’s own words “a pity our focus was elsewhere at the moment”. After releasing three singles, all of which received very high ratings and a lot of airplay, No Sleep for Lucy was one of five nominees in the category “This Years Breakthrough” at Bandit Rock Awards 2015. The bands latest single, Closure, is written by Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper, Daughtry) and Mark Holman (Grammy nominee RED, Disney’s Airplanes). They have also collaborated on unreleased tracks. Christian has recently been in Los Angeles and co-written with Stevie Aiello (Thirty Seconds To Mars). The band is looking forward to showing the outcome of all these great collaborations with their new album Until The End that will hit the shelves in October 2015.

Christian Rabb, in spite of his young age, is a multi-instrumental musician with the finest musical education and years of experience as performer, composer and producer. Coming from Stockholm, a city famous for being a music hotspot with a well-developed music industry, Christian took with him a huge understanding of how the music industry works. Christian was of inestimable value to Global Rockstar United.

When and why did you start making music?
As a little kid I saw Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk and immediately decided I wanted to dance! My big sister is a huge music fan and when I was 7 or 8 years old her boyfriend taught me to play Smoke on the Water on his guitar… bam! That was my thing! I taught myself how to play and completely skipped the phase where you learn one cover after the other. I started creating my own music from the very beginning. Proper composing came later, I remember a friend lent me a tape recorder you could plug your guitar into and that was the start. Then I attended a music high school and I had access to the school’s recording studio. And things really took off!

What was your first ever job?
I was 18 years old and my dad, who works in the steel industry, got me a summer job at the steel factory. Although I really enjoyed sharing that experience with my dad, I must confess that I hated the job! The experience made it very clear to me that I had to work in the music industry in order to be happy in the future.

How did you earn your first money as a musician?
It was actually the advance from the label that signed me as songwriter and composer straight after school! I was 25 and I felt privileged. I must thank the excellent music school I attended, Music Production Academy Musikmakarna in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.

Live or studio, what suits you best?
Live. As a musician who defines his music as stage rock it is self-explanatory that I love big stages, huge speakers and a big crowd cheering. Boy, I love the feeling on stage!

Your favorite part of a music production
Composing.

The lowest moment of your career
It’s not a moment, but somehow a bitter aftertaste… I make my money producing other artists and I would love to be able to make it with my own music alone.

The highest moment of your career so far
Getting signed straight after school.

Where would you like to live, musically speaking?
Are you kidding me? I already live in music paradise Stockholm!

Where would you like to play a gig?
I’d love to play at Grönalund, an amusement park in Stockholm and the biggest stage in town. In summer they have one or two concerts a week, both big names and up-and-coming artists. I’d definitely love that.

Your idea of a perfect gig
A huge stage and everybody is dancing and singing along. The perfect gig is when I see the audience having a good time.

Your idea of a disastrous gig
The opposite. Nobody cares and while playing you have the strange feeling you’re disturbing them!

Your favorite outfit for a gig
My favorite Marlon Brando leather jacket, a long hoodie underneath and biker boots. Btw, it’s the outfit you see in the video of To the Moon!

Your favorite music instrument besides yours
Strings.

The most musical natural sound
Birds singing. I grew up in the countryside!

The perfect foreign language to sing
French and Italian. I love their mellow sound.

Which works are you most proud of?
The score of Labyrint, a children’s fantasy show on Swedish TV on its 5th season now. All children in Sweden know my music, how cute is that?!

What is the most important skill required, besides talent, to become a successful musician?
The ability to stay focused. I get my strength from my friends, who are also musicians. It would be more difficult to stay concentrated if I was surrounded by people with “normal jobs”.

What keeps you up at night with regard to your music career?
I can’t decide if I should take a step back from producing in order to have more time for my own music. The producing jobs are growing and growing in my hands and getting more time consuming. Sometimes I think if I had a clerk part-time job I could switch off as soon as I leave the office and I could focus on my real passion.

The best concert you’ve seen in the audience
Thirty Seconds to Mars.

The most beautiful album cover ever?
Michael Jackson’s Dangerous.

The last track you listened to?
Shut up and dance, by Walk the Moon.

Describe your music
Energetic modern rock with epic melodies.