 "Wicked Cool."Nickelback Storms In To the States With the state. Talking with Ryan Vikedal and Mike Kroeger is like chatting over coffee with two old friends - they're more than personable and completely genuine. Soft-spoken drummer Vikedal provides the perfect counterbalance to the talkative bassist Kroeger…they make a good team, like every rhythm section should. Their Canadian heritage shines through in their speech and in their personas, with the requisite "eh" thrown in liberally and the relaxed manner is which they conduct themselves. They definitely haven't taken on rock star attitudes. What's definite is that Nickelback's star is on the rise. With a line up of Mike, Ryan, Mike's brother Chad Kroeger on vocals and Ryan Peake on guitar, Nickelback have surprised many - label, radio, press and maybe even themselves - with their success. It shouldn't have been much of a shock - their Roadrunner debut the state is rock in its purest form, begging to be cranked up for maximum stereo pleasure. Starting with the classically formed "Breathe," on through the hit "Leader of Men" and ending with "Worthy to Say," the state takes you on a journey through many places, many times and the full range of emotions. And don't expect all sorts of hidden meanings and secrets in the lyrics, either. Chad Kroeger's lyrics are pretty up-front about what's going on. "Leader of Men" is pretty clear. "That's closely based on the boy's experience with hallucinogens," explains Mike, "Mushrooms to be specific." We had the opportunity to chat with Ryan and Mike before their latest Los Angeles appearance, then follow them around on to the tour bus to meet the rest of the crew. Great times were had by all. Here's what they had to say, eh. |
