“For us it’s always been about constantly wanting to evolve” – interview with Andy and the Rockets

Swedish hard rock band Andy and the Rockets has just released a new album titled “Casino”. We chatted with Filip Westgärds about it, their musical path and Batman!

Hello guys, how are you doing?

Filip Westgärds: Hi there! We’re fine, thank you! We released our fourth album “Casino” a few weeks ago, and we are in full swing rehearsing for our German tour, so we’re keeping ourselves busy!

After years of relentless touring before “Casino”, how has the road shaped your identity as a band, and what did it feel like to finally hit the reset button in 2024?

Filip Westgärds: I would say a lot! We’ve been out playing for over ten years, so we’re definitely a live band. When I’m writing a song for Rockets, I need to visualize us on stage in front of me. If I can’t see us do the song, then it’s not going to be a good Rockets song. 

2024 was both good and bad in different ways. We started working with a new booking agency in the middle of the year, which led to a slightly calmer summer/autumn compared to what we are used to. There and then, we started to plan what’s was going to be the Casino album. I started to write new songs, and we decided the direction of how we wanted the album to sound like. We started recording the demos during the autumn, and we hit the studio in February 2025 to do the real recordings. 

You mentioned choosing a new producer for each album to “sharpen your artistic edge.” What have been some of the most valuable lessons or perspectives different producers have brought to your work over the years?

Filip Westgärds: That’s correct! For us it’s always been about constantly wanting to evolve, and not making the same album over and over again. We still have our little Rockets box, we try to stick to, with well-written songs with good melodies. Different producers has different angles, see things in different ways and come from different backgrounds, so if we know what kind of record we want to make, we can choose a producer based on that. The most valuable perspectives I would say is that every producer has left their mark on their respective albums.

Between writing, recording, and touring, when do you feel most alive as musicians?

Filip Westgärds: When it comes to feel alive, I would say touring for sure! The feeling right before you hit the stage, and you can hear all those people screaming and cheering, is hard to explain for someone who hans’t been there! Having the opportunity to tour like we do is a great privilege and something we take very seriously. And of course, it’s fantastic fun!

What’s been the most unexpected or surreal moment in your career so far—something that made you step back and think, “We’re actually doing this”?

Filip Westgärds: Everytime we’re hitting the stage, I would say! It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to tour and meet our fans. 

Can you share with us your families’ reaction to Andy and the Rockets?

Filip Westgärds: We all have a big support from our families. Of course, for some of us, it can be tricky sometimes to be on the road, with the wives and kids at home, but it usually always works well. When it comes to the music, they say they like it, so I guess we have to go for that, haha!

2025 brought us so many amazing things, but it also took from us Ozzy Osbourne, Ace Frehley and Sam Rivers. Were any of them an inspiration for Andy and the Rockets?

Filip Westgärds: Yeah, the real rockstars are getting old.. Ozzy was a big inspiration for Andreas, and Filip has listened a lot to Kiss through out the years.

What do you think is the most essential quality an artist has to have?

Filip Westgärds: An idea of who you want to be, and a bunch of good songs of course! Our experience is that many new artists can have a hard time finding themselves, and actually knowing what kind of artist you want to be. I think the important thing is to stay true to who you actually are, no matter what.

Let’s play a little game: if you could meet a fictional character in real life, who would him/her be?

Filip Westgärds: Hmm.. We’ve never got this question before.. Maybe Batman! He seems like a cool guy!

Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview! Is there anything else you’d like to add to our readers?

Filip Westgärds: Thanks for having us! Crack a cold one, give “Casino” a spin, and hopefully we’ll meet you guys soon!