Liz Ramanand, Loudwire In Flames frontman Anders Friden was the guest on Full Metal Jackie’s radio show this past weekend. Friden spoke about touring all over the world, plans to write for a new album and his overall fondness for golfing and beer. Read Full Metal Jackie’s full interview with Anders Friden below: How are you? It’s great to see you again. I’m excellent. I’m good, extremely jet-lagged. We came from Japan a few days ago but I’m waking up at like seven in the morning but I’m happy. It must be crazy, your body doesn’t know what time zone that you’re in or if you’re supposed to be sleeping or awake. The thing is, we were in Japan just recently and we were there for two nights and three days and came from Sweden – just as I got adjusted to Japanese time it was time to come over here. So I’m totally f—ed in my head, more than usual. What an amazing place to play though. Yeah, I love being in Japan. I love being here as well, we play pretty much anywhere and enjoy it. What makes In Flames such a good fit on a bill with Hatebreed and Lamb of God, in your opinion? We can play with anyone, we are a metal band and we fit in with everyone. We play anywhere, with everyone – I mean we’ve known those guys for a long time. We all have history together so I think it’s really cool and a very relaxed atmosphere. Last night was the first night and there was no tension, no nothing, it was awesome. In Flames have been on and off the road, you guys have only been to the States twice this year? Yeah, we’ve been pretty busy doing Europe. We’ve been in America twice but we’ve been pretty much touring constantly – we had a month of prior to this but it’s been a busy year. Offstage, what do you think the difference is with your comradery with U.S. bands compared to other European bands? We’ve been to America so many times and we have a lot of friends over here and we have a history with them, as I said and we feel a bond somewhere. I believe we are pretty easygoing as people and hopefully they see that. We don’t pretend like we’re someone else, we are who we are and we let the music talk. You guys are on the road now and everyone’s always wondering about a band’s activities when they travel and when they’re touring. What would you say the most essential non-musical item you must have to have with you while you’re on tour? Beer. [Laughs] Well, beer you got anywhere you go. Well it is music and beer, that’s what it is – that’s my life. When I’m on the road I try to get away and play golf once in a while. I love to play golf, I didn’t bring my clubs this time because I thought the weather would be not as good but I do miss them today. It would have been great to go to a course, a golf course – a part from that just walking around a little bit and looking at the city you’re in, shopping for some vinyls, that’s what me and Niclas [Engelin] did today. It was expensive but fun. [Laughs] It’s funny because for us, you’re buying what’s considered an import for you. Yeah, but in Sweden it’s so expensive. You mentioned you were a golfer, is golfing a big deal in Sweden? I think it is, we’re like 9 million and there are a half million people golfing so I consider that a pretty big thing. I’ve never been to Sweden, I just imagine that it’s cold. Right now it’s extremely cold – it’s below zero I think. It’s nice to be here. Rather than write on the road, In Flames seems to be more interested in enjoying the romance of being on tour, good food, good beer and good company. What about such experiences do you think will affect new music once you’re back home? I highly doubt it will affect music whatsoever – I mean I guess you work better if you’re in a good music, somehow. It’s really hard to say what affects our music because I can’t really say what we have as an influence these days, anymore. When we started out it was like “We want to be like our heroes” and a few albums in – I don’t know anymore. Obviously, you guys are still working off the last record ‘Sounds of a Playground Fading.’ What’s the plan in terms of new music? Do you guys have anything new written or a timeline for when you’re going to go back? I wish we can write on the road but we can’t. We have all the time in the world but I don’t know – too much beer to drink. We’re looking into writing and recording something at the end of the next year, I think. So we’re hoping to have a release 2014 – it seems so far away but it’s not. Full Metal Jackie will welcome the legendary Henry Rollins to her program this coming weekend. She can be heard on radio stations around the country — for a full list of stations, go to fullmetaljackieradio.com .