In a new interview with Elliot in the Morning, Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge lightly addressed the negative online comments the band frequently receives and explained why it’s “actually a good thing” overall.
Forge was asked whether or not he gets angry over people trying to figure out what type of stylistic identity to assign to Ghost, to which he replied (transcription via Blabbermouth), “No, definitely not angry. That is not my problem, really. I don’t have a problem with people having a problem with it.”
“If I want be the most super-positive person ever and just see everything from a half-full perspective, it’s, like, a lot of… Most things today [are] measured by activity — Spotify activity, online activity, whatever — as opposed to 30 years ago when it was sales; one record sold was one unit and that was counted. But nowadays everything is about content and activity,” he went on.
“One thing that people — especially those who aren’t really chatting about how good they think we are but how bad they think we are, that adds to the activity,” Forge explained.
On social media, comments help fuel engagement and, as a result, the posts will be seen by a greater number of people. “So it’s actually a good thing,” said Forge with a laugh, grateful for the online hate. “So keep on talking. It’s all good. It’s all fun,” he mused.
Listen to the full interview below.
Despite all the negative criticism from fans, it hasn’t stopped Ghost from becoming one of the biggest rock/metal bands over the last dozen years as they’re now a seasoned arena headliner in North America. Regarding Ghost’s arc of success, Forge recently told The Wall Street Journal, “For me, it’s always been, if you want to make it big, if you want to be a musician, you need to tour all the time. And you need to do, like, five shows in Wisconsin.”
He also credited a “very strong” merchandising strategy that has been incredibly beneficial to help building that increased level of success by enabling them to tour at a greater scale.
Ghost’s headlining North American tour with special guests Mastodon and Spiritbox ends on Sept. 23. For tickets to any of the remaining shows, head here.
Ghost’s Tobias Forge on ‘Elliot in the Morning’ – Interview
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