Opeth mainman Mikael Akerfeldt has admitted he suffers doubts about his musical ability on a daily basis – but he couldn’t live without the feelings.
His band are currently touring in support of 11th album Pale Communion, launched last year. Their schedule includes a set at Bloodstock Open Air in August and London’s Palladium on October 18.
Asked what’s the closest he’s come to quitting music, Akerfeldt tells MusicRadar: “Every day. Not listening to music, but playing. Sometimes I don’t want to do it any more.
“It’s not that I don’t love it, because I do. It’s because I love it. It’s hard to explain.
“I have confidence issues and sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t be doing this. But on the other hand, it’s what makes me me. It’s a weird feeling, to be honest.”
He also remembers his embarrassment over his first guitars, because they was acoustic rather than electric. “To have an acoustic guitar was wimpy,” he laughs. “I felt ashamed.
“It was like not having a guitar, because it was not electric. I remember painting knobs on it.”
Earlier this month Akerfeldt discussed how Pale Communion had helped some Opeth fans come to terms with 2011 release Heritage – a departure from their previous work.
