Tobias Forge is on the cover of the new issue of Rolling Stone UK . In an interview, the main songwriter and frontman of Ghost describes his work in the band as a "group effort." Forge is the creative mind that leads the other musicians, always adopting a new style of characterization for the Ghost frontman, in accordance with the artistic vision of each album.
“If you want to be super pragmatic, I’m technically a solo artist,” says Tobias. “I don’t have to think in terms of a group, but everyone needs to understand that my work is a group effort. We’re a group working together, but in practice, if the record label is asking Ghost to make a record, they don’t call a group of people—they’ll call me because it’s my responsibility. So, as a creator and writer, I don’t think there’s such a thing as a real end to the end,” he explains.
The initial idea behind Ghost was that Tobias Forge would remain anonymous. However, a lawsuit filed by one of his backing musicians, one of the so-called "Nameless Ghouls," led to his identity being revealed in 2017.
Regarding being "unmasked," Tobias comments: "It made life easier. Because, before that, we had to work much harder to avoid being seen. And that created some advantages in maintaining the image, but many practical disadvantages. It was simply uncomfortable. It made people feel uncomfortable. It caused many misunderstandings and was only making life more difficult."
New album, new tour, and a graphic novel
Ghost's new album, Skeletá , will be released on April 25th by Loma Vista Records, and pre-save is already available on audio platforms like Spotify. The first single from this new work, "Satanized," is already available on all digital platforms.
Ten days before the official album release, the band kicks off their new tour in Manchester, England. On April 22nd, the Skeletour continues in Europe, passing through countries such as Belgium, Portugal, France, and Denmark. In July and August they will be touring the United States. All confirmed dates are available on Ghost's official website .
READ ALSO: Tobias Forge reveals the reason for going on stage at the Black Sabbath show without Ghost.
