Un interview banane avec I Don’t Speak French

I Don’t Speak French is a vibrant and eclectic music collective that has been enchanting listeners for over a decade. The band was born out of a desire to create a completely free musical space among a group of uni friends with a shared passion for innovative music production. Over the years, it became a “collective with a rotating roster of incredible musicians and friends.”

Characterized by catchy hooks, big choruses, and memorable riffs, incorporating influences from psychedelic, punk, pop, indie rock, and even elements of samba, their music career includes hits like “Blow the Speakers Up,” from the BOB (2022) album. Their musical range is so vast, that it needed two full albums:  The Archives, Pt. 1 (2022) and The Archives, Pt. 2 (2022).

Their work has also been featured in various TV series, commercials (Samsung Commercial Songs), and a whole lot of Indiemono playlists, helping them gain international recognition.

Un Interview Banane avec IDSF

In this interview, we had the chance to delve a bit deeper into their early years, music evolution, and legacy.

How did the band come together?

The band actually started more than a decade ago! I was studying music production at university, I wanted to create a musical space that was completely free. I met Louise, my co-producer / co-writer, and Peter, our original drummer. Then it grew into this collective with a rotating roster of incredible musicians and friends.

What is your favorite part of the music-making process?

I’m a sucker for hooks, I just love finding a sound, sample, or vocal piece that grabs me and demands my attention. I also love the production side, tweaking, bending, and finding unusual sonic textures.

How do you find inspiration for your lyrics and melodies?

As we’ve described in our bio, “If it’s not about mental health or childhood nostalgia, it’s a post-apocalyptic anti-fascist manifesto. But don’t worry, you can still dance to it.”

The last couple of songs and the upcoming album (oops…spilled the beans) take a lot of inspiration from growing up with a parent with mental health issues, as well as reflections about becoming a father, losing my mother, and growing up in southern Sweden. It’s the most personal I’ve ever been. Melodies often come by themselves, often from a tiny idea, quick voice memo, or drumbeat.

Is there a specific place or environment that inspires your songwriting the most?

Restrictions. Louise is more into being in the studio, but I tend to prefer a bare minimum, slightly uncomfortable setting. A lot of songs are written on my mom’s old busted Levin guitar, the tiniest midi-keyboard, and one microphone.

We have our own studio but I rarely use it, to be honest, haha (Dennis). I get most of my ideas in the car, they are usually just tiny snippets, quick memos.

Can you share a quirky or interesting talent or skill that your fans might not know about you?

Well, I’m really into DND, I’ve been a dungeon master for 7 years now. I play every 3 to 4 weeks with a group of friends. I also owned a cheese shop/French bistro for a while.

If you were a type of… [fantasy creature] you’d be…

A Gelatinous cube.

❤️‍ What’s your favorite…[YouTube channel]…short answer.

Game Grumps / Good Mythical Morning.

I Don’t Speak French: Ronde épicée

What is the most embarrassing thing that you’ve ever done?

A couple of friends and I were heading to the local city festival when we passed some people from RFSU  – a Swedish organization for sexual health and enlightenment that’s been around since the 1930s – anyways, they were giving away free condoms and lube and I took one. I was a young “cool” punk and decided I didn’t need the lube, so I threw it to the side without looking.

At that moment a police van with an open window passed by, and I somehow managed to call upon all the bad luck in the world as the lube flew in slow-motion into the moving police van. The following seconds involved a policeman yelling at me, forcing me to crawl into the van, pick up the lube, and not by any means believing my story of incredibly bad luck. So from that day on I never litter, haha.

What song is 10/10, yet hardly anyone has heard of it?

• Håkan: Carlos Juan – Mi Hogar.
• Louise: Kye Kepler – Sinner.
• Dennis: Mk.gee – Candy.
• Olof: We Were Promised Jetpacks – Roll up Your Sleeves.
• Gustav: The Band – The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Orchestral version).

If you want to follow his social journey, you can find him on IG (@idsfband), TikTok (@idsfband), and YouTube (@Idontspeakfrench)

We hope he continues to push the boundaries of traditional music genres to transform the modern music scene.