In the latest episode of the 80's Glam Metalcast, host Metal Mike talks with Europe drummer Ian Haughland. He reveals what the band has been up to and  revisits Europe's classic albums. 

On what the band has been up to 

Haugland: "We just did two festivals in Finland and those were the first shows we had done in like a year and a half. It was a little like trying to walk again, but I think we did great and the audience was supportive. The Finnish people love their rock music. For new music -I know that the guys have been writing new songs, but we haven’t worked on them as a unit. Joey said he just started getting in the mood again to write new music. It’s all about getting the forces together again and getting creative. So we’re talking about it and I think next year should be really busy for us if everything goes the right way with the pandemic." 

On his favorite Europe album

Haugland: "It’s hard to say because there are great songs on all the albums. I tend to gravitate toward Prisoners In Paradise. I think it’s because that album was shoved away, it was released right around the time Nirvana came around. Despite of grunge, that album sold quite well in Sweden and Scandinavia. I think the album sold around 1 million worldwide. That’s pretty good compared to today’s standards. The problem was the label didn’t want to push it. It was kinda unfair, but it happened to most bands like us at that time. We were just burnt out that time as well. We had problems with the management and we had been touring non-stop for so many years. So we needed that break after Prisoners In Paradise." 

On breaking big with The Final Countdown

Haugland: "It just happened so fast. It was like a bomb going off. We didn’t have any time to reflect on it as it was happening. We became big all over the world at the same time. If Prisoners In Paradise was the worst timing, then The Final Countdown was the best timing. We had the right people working for us and we had MTV booming. We were young and handsome and we had a video director that could expose that. We had a lot to thank MTV for during that period." 

On auditioning for Yngwie Malmsteen in 1982

Haugland: "I was looking for a gig and I saw a flyer that Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force was looking for a drummer. I went there for a jam and it was just Yngwie and Marcel Jacob on bass. It was this shitty rehearsal area, there was trash and stuff everywhere. There were two Marshall stacks and a tiny little shitty drum set in the corner. We jammed on a couple of Rainbow songs. When we were done, Yngwie said I was great and we wanted me to join the band. But during this jam, Marcel and Yngwie had been fighting and screaming, trying to play louder and faster than each other. They were fighting like a cat and a dog! I didn’t take the gig. Yngwie got really pissed off about it. Years later in 1987, I saw him at a bar and he was totally fucked up. I asked if he remembered me and he was like 'It’s you, the coward that didn’t want to play with us.' 5 years later, he was still mad about it!