Ewert and the Two Dragons was never about chasing success, says lead singer
After 16 years, Ewert and the Two Dragons is calling it quits with a farewell show in Tartu this July. Lead singer Ewert Sundja says it was never about fame or success for them; if anything, the Dragons were more focused on perfection or musical integrity.
In an appearance on ETV's "Hommik Anuga" that airs Sunday, host Anu Välba welcomed them on the show for the last time as a band.
Välba summed up Ewert and the Two Dragons' career by describing them as one of the most successful Estonian bands of all time — including in terms of making a name for themselves abroad.
"Success is one thing we truly haven't ever chased," Sundja said, wanting to leave that aspect out of the discussion altogether. Asked what it was that they pursued, he replied, "Perfection. Or musical integrity."
Over their career, the band has played in around 25 or 26 countries, including Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France — and even the U.S. and Canada.
Guitarist Erki Pärnoja added that the band was riding a high, and at some point they realized they weren't even waiting for the next weekend, because they were playing every day.
"You wouldn't play on a Saturday because you had to travel 1,000 kilometers," he recalled. "That was an experience that lasted for a few years, and it was amazing to live that kind of life."
The guitarist argued that while you could call that success, it wouldn't be fair to say they were the most successful band of all time.
"Everyone's successful in what they do," he acknowledged. "There were other bands before us that toured abroad, like Metsatöll or Vanilla Ninja. Everyone has their own success story — this was ours."
For bassist Ivo Etti, the most memorable experience in the band was performing in Southern France. "Summer, warm weather, outdoor stages with no roofs — it was idyllic," he recalled.
Drummer Kristjan Kallas, meanwhile, vividly recalled a festival gig they played in 2013, for which they drove to Slovakia, a country he had never been to, and ended up on a stage in front of 13,000 people.
"And Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds took the stage after us," he continued, and admitted they stayed to watch them play from the side of the stage. "At some point we were told to leave, because technically we weren't allowed to be there."
Catch Ewert and the Two Dragons on ETV's "Hommik Anuga" on Sunday, May 11 at 10 a.m. Estonian time.
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Editor: Kaspar Viilup, Aili Vahtla
