MICHAEL PUGGAARD-MÜLLER - 2008 Q & A

February 19th, 2008 – www.panrobertlelievre.com 'Q & A' with Michael Puggaard-Müller

Here is yet another new Q & A piece, this time with Pan's drummer: Michael Puggaard-Müller. Michael kindly agreed to answer my short list of questions, which were conducted via email, only just a few days ago. Many thanks to Michael, like Arne, Henning, and Thomas for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer such questions regarding Pan and Robert Lelievre – it is, like the rest of the help so far, very much appreciated. To learn more about Michael's musical career, visit the "Michael Puggaard-Müller" page here on this site. Michael, along with brother Thomas, Henning Verner, Jens Rugsted (Savage Rose), and Roy Richards are currently playing shows here and there as the group – Survivors. The group look set for another gig soon, details of which will be added to the "News/Updates" section on this site when available. I wish them all the best with any further shows. Thank you also to Claus Rasmussen for translating Michael's answers into English for me.

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: What did the band Pan mean to you as a musician, and what are your thoughts on the lack of success the band eventually ended with. From what I gather, Pan were well received by the press and on several occasions were featured on successful radio programmes such as "Dansk Beat" and "Radio Beat", so why then did the self-titled Pan record not sell too well?

MICHAEL: "I was only 18 at the time and it meant a lot to me. I did not really know what success was – but we were successful in Denmark at the time. There was not really anyone who saw it as commercial. The music was too complex to sell very much – there was zero hit list songs."

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: What was your honest opinion of Pan's singer Robert Lelievre? And do you have any particular stories or memories of Robert to share with the site?

MICHAEL: "I think he was a really good folk musician and a fantastic one as such, but as an electric musician, not quite, or at least not the type of "beat music" that was popular at the time. He was much better on his own with an acoustic guitar. He was a very nervous person, just like myself. He was about 30 then."

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: I have acquired the following information about your music career from the web, can you please elaborate on any other facts that I have no doubt missed. Here is what I have found out so far:

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: - In 1968, you took up playing drums in order to play in the Delta Blues Band with older brother, guitarist Thomas Puggaard-Müller.

MICHAEL: "Yes".

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: - You have apparently also worked with Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and were in the following bands at some point: My Ship, Culpeper's Orchard, Survivors, Rugsted & Kreutzfeldt (albums "1", "2", and "3"), and All Stars.

MICHAEL: "Yes".

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: - In 1979, you apparently had a bit part in the Danish film "Charly & Steffen".

MICHAEL: "Yes, as drummer in the band. The music was by Jacob Groth, with whom I recorded the drums on the record for.

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: - After playing drums in various different groups for over 15 years, you retired from music for 10 years, working instead as a theatre set designer.

MICHAEL: "Yes".

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: - In 2003, you returned to the music scene where you joined Troels Jensen & The Healers band, and continue to play with them to this day.

MICHAEL: "Yes, and Survivors, Soulfood and some Jazzgroup is on its way. I now again have a great drum teacher and am practising after many many years. It is great."

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: Do you remember playing on an unreleased Robert Lelievre solo album for Sonet in 1971? Apparently Robert, you, and your brother Thomas played on this album, though it never got released for some reason.

MICHAEL: "I don't remember".

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: Somewhere in 1971, Pan recorded music for a Swedish/Danish film directed by Stellan Olsson called "Sidste Frist" aka "Deadline", and also apparently the band contributed music to an unknown short film of the time. Do you recall recording music for either films, and if so, do you remember what songs were recorded, or were they just songs from the 1970 self-titled LP.

MICHAEL: "I think we recorded music for the film, but also used pieces from the LP."

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: After the demise of Pan in 1971, did you keep in contact with Robert Lelievre, and also, what were your thoughts upon hearing the tragic news about his death?

MICHAEL: "I knew it was coming. He went back to France on visit a couple times and each time he came back, he had changed a little."

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM: Pan's self-titled debut has been re-released by at least three different music-reissuing labels, the last being a 2005 reissue with 7 bonus tracks by the label Karma Music. What are your thoughts regarding these reissues?

MICHAEL: "None. They can do what they will."

PANROBERTLELIEVRE.COM:Lastly, if there is anything else you wish to say about your time in Pan, or about the Danish music scene of the time, please do so as I would very much like to hear any thoughts you may have regarding these things.

MICHAEL: "With Pan we worked hard practising every day. Back then it was common that people would smoke a lot of dope where we would play and they would usually be unable or too tired to help carrying the heavy equipment we brought with us. We never drank or smoked in the group; but the audience would not believe us. Back then the music we played had to be inspired by spirits or some higher elements that came to us while on stage. (The stoned audience believed) it could not be through hard daily practise from 11am to 5pm. If you read music, it was not real music. The whole period is the most closed period in modern Danish history… it was stupid and one-sided to smoke dope and do drugs, while trying to change the world around you. It was well seen to be unable to do anything. For me as a young person it was depressing to see how little acceptance it was to work hard. We still suffer under this perception, but I am glad that things changed away from that, and left these childish misconceptions behind, so that more and more diverse people can get a chance to realize themselves, now knowing, that this freedom can be very frustrating."