Ghost’s Tobias Forge on the misconception that “rock is dead”: “We are living proof that it’s not true”

nme.com:

Ghost’s Tobias Forge has told NME that the band are “living proof” that the concept that “rock is dead” is not true.The metal frontman was speaking ahead of the band’s highly anticipated sixth studio album ‘Skeletá’, which is due to be released on April 25.

It has been previewed with its anthemic lead single ‘Satanized’, and it is the first to feature Forge’s new persona Papa Perpetua.During the interview, he was asked what goals remain on his radar, and it was the lazy cliche that heavy guitar music is incapable of producing new ideas that he turned his attention to.“For the last decade or so, there’s been this ongoing chatter in the music business – especially in the rock business – of ‘rock is dead’ or ‘no new bands can become big’,” he said. “Ghost, as well as a few others, are living proof that that is not true.”“I’m not saying that you can become a new AC/DC, but we are living proof that you still can do it.

There are more recent bands around, like Sleep Token, who are succeeding, so obviously, you can become a bigger band.”Pointing at where Ghost’s ambitions lay, he continued: “Rammstein, for a long, long time, were just an arena band.

They were well known for their big shows, but they were only playing arenas. Then they decided to do a stadium tour, and all of a sudden, they went from 15,000 people every night to 55,000, three nights in a row!