MOGIPBOB
Q: Like a Viking feels deeply connected to everyday working life. What inspired you to turn ordinary struggles into something almost mythic throughout the album?
A: I’ve always felt there is something inherently heroic about the “everyday.” I genuinely enjoy experiencing life’s less important or mundane moments and providing stories for them. We tend to reserve the word “epic” for grand battles, but getting up every morning to provide for a family and face the same professional grind requires its own kind of warrior spirit. I wanted to give that quiet perseverance the soundtrack it deserves.
Q: ASAP captures modern stress in such a relatable way. Did that song come from personal experiences with work pressure and constant urgency?
A: Absolutely. In my professional life, I deal with “urgent” requests constantly. We live in a world where everyone wants everything yesterday. ASAP was my way of venting that pressure. It’s a reminder that while the world is spinning faster, we’re still just human beings trying to keep up.
Q: The title track turns blue-collar perseverance into a kind of heroic identity. What does “living like a Viking” personally mean to you?
A: To me, “living like a Viking” isn’t about the raiding; it’s about the resilience. It’s the idea that no matter how hard the wind blows or how messy life gets, you keep your hand on the tiller and you keep moving forward. It’s about facing the storm with a bit of a grin.
The “Memory & Character” Questions
Q: Life in Limpo feels both hilarious and strangely emotional. Was the car in that song inspired by a real vehicle or a real memory?
A: It was inspired by a very real, very pathetic car my brother once owned. It was so underpowered that he jokingly referred to it as his “Limpo” instead of a Tempo. That car was a character in itself.
Q: Creepy Ice Cream Truck feels almost like a campfire story. What inspired that darker and more surreal side of the album?
A: Every neighborhood has that one thing that feels slightly “off,” and for me, it was always the jingle of an ice cream truck at dusk. As a kid, the truck was certainly creepy, but you might still get to enjoy an ice cream despite that creepiness. I wanted to explore that childhood feeling where something familiar suddenly feels a little bit sinister but remains strangely alluring.
Q: Okie-Doke turns such a simple phrase into something deeply moving. Was that song connected to a real person or memory in your life?
A: This song allows me to reflect on the memory of my father, as “Okie-Doke” is a throwback saying he used to say often. It is such a humble, unassuming way of saying everything is going to be alright, and I wanted to write a song that treated that phrase with the weight of a prayer. This took on an even deeper meaning for me recently after I was in a scary car accident. While thankfully no one was hurt, it was a frightening experience, and the very next time I drove past that specific site, “Okie-Doke” randomly began playing on my radio. It felt as if my Dad was telling me that I wasn’t alone and that he was looking out for me.
The “Philosophy & Art” Questions
Q: I Know a Guy captures a very specific kind of community spirit. How important is that sense of local connection in your own life?
A: We all seem to “know a guy” who can do specific tasks or jobs, and it is truly great to know them. Living in a place like Hythe Alberta, those connections are a survival skill. Whether it’s parts for a tractor or help with a project, the community is built on those informal handshakes. That sense of looking out for your neighbor is something I value deeply.
Q: Odds and Sods almost feels like a philosophy about life itself. Do you personally collect strange objects and sentimental items?
A: I do. This song reminds me of that “junk drawer” in the kitchen that houses a bounty of unusual things. Occasionally viewing that drawer makes me say, “That’s where that is!” about something I may have looked for on another occasion but couldn’t locate. I think our lives are made up of these “odds and sods”—tiny, seemingly insignificant moments and objects that actually tell the whole story of who we are.
Q: After making a 20-track album so focused on resilience, memory, and humanity, what do you feel Like a Viking says about who MOGIPBOB is as an artist today?
A: I think it shows that I’m an artist who finds the most beauty in the imperfections. I’m not interested in “glossy” stories. I want to write about the person who is tired, the person who is laughing at a bad situation, and the person who is still standing after a long week. MOGIPBOB is about finding the song in the struggle and celebrating the stories hidden within the mundane experiences we all share.
