Mikael Åkerfeldt, vocalist/rhythm guitarist of Swedish progressive death metal veterans OPETH has stated in an interview with RADIO METAL that ex OPETH keyboardist Per Wilberg was fired as in creative differences.
FROM RADIO METAL:
On the departure of keyboard player Per Wiberg:
"He was fired. But he was going to leave anyways, because he wasn't happy with us. It's not like we weren't friends, but I don't think he felt comfortable playing keyboards with this style of music. If you don't give of your own — and he didn't — then you don't belong with us. It's as simple as that. The difference is that [current OPETH touring keyboardist]Joakim [Svalberg] is a keyboard player while Per wants to play guitar, sing and he wants to take care of the business side of things. He wants to run the ship, so to speak. There was no place to do that in OPETH. He wasn't confortable just playing my songs, I guess. I don't think he ever connected with the music that we do to the point where he felt that he belonged with us. He was always more interested in doing other things. I'm happy for him if he's happy, but he's not with us anymore, and I'm happy that he's not with us anymore, based on the fact that he didn't want to be with us. (laughs)"
"He was fired. But he was going to leave anyways, because he wasn't happy with us. It's not like we weren't friends, but I don't think he felt comfortable playing keyboards with this style of music. If you don't give of your own — and he didn't — then you don't belong with us. It's as simple as that. The difference is that [current OPETH touring keyboardist]Joakim [Svalberg] is a keyboard player while Per wants to play guitar, sing and he wants to take care of the business side of things. He wants to run the ship, so to speak. There was no place to do that in OPETH. He wasn't confortable just playing my songs, I guess. I don't think he ever connected with the music that we do to the point where he felt that he belonged with us. He was always more interested in doing other things. I'm happy for him if he's happy, but he's not with us anymore, and I'm happy that he's not with us anymore, based on the fact that he didn't want to be with us. (laughs)"
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-