Read about what the artists think.
Interview with Dust Wagon's bass player, MikInterview with Maahir from August Sky
Interview with Christoffer Lundblattson
Interview with Lars Slaug and John Tegl from Trajve
Interview with Dust Wagon's bass player, Mik:
Q: For how long have you guys been playing music?
A: You mean together?
Q: Yes.
A: Since the fall of 1999.
Q: What got you started?
A: Well, we were some guys in Aarhus in Denmark, who liked to rock out the heavy way, Chris our vocalist played the guitar, and I had been
playing the bass for a while, so it was pretty obvious to make a band.
Q: So you are only two in your band?
A: Yeah. We use a drum machine as drums and then we lay the guitar in two tracks when we record so it sounds like to people are playing guitar.
Q: Alright...So who are your inspirations:
A: We are both into Fu Manchu, Nebula and that sorta rock... And Marylin Manson. We also like twisted shit like Shellac and Melvins and that sorta noise.
Q: What are your songs about?
A: Thick untranslability and words that are cool.
Q: okay...?
A: Yeah... We are not so deeply into cryptic poetry. It's the riffs that make you wanna hear the song over and over again, man. It's not the lyrics. So we tend to focus more on the music.
Q: What in heavy rock makes your mojo ship go by the speed og light right now?
A: Uuh...well...I don't know...Melvins just made new record with Jello Biafra, but I haven't heard it yet, so...The last record I really had a mojo going on for
was the Eagles of Death Metal.
Q: What is the suckiest thing in heavy rock now?
A: Hmm...Still Nu Metal, I guess. But that's the same ol'.
Q: Ok, thanQ, Mik
A: You are welcome.
Q: What's the story of the band?
A: Two years ago my brother and I started writing songs and made a band together and six months ago we found ourselves a drummer, we practiced
and then we made an album.
Q: What are your inspirations?
A: My parents listened to alot of Beatles and stuff like that so that's what I grew up with. Apart from that my inspirations are Radiohead, The Darkness Elbow, Ryan Adams, Oasis... a lot of British music.
Q: How does the music scene in Cape Town look like:
A: Noone really supports the local music. Everyone is into Britney Spears and MTV stuff like that.
Q: But there is a underground scene going on?
A: Yeah, deffenetely. All Sorts of music is going on. A lot of Alternative music. Not really African folk music, but a lot of bands are mixing jazz
With African sounds and elements. But I'm not really into that.
Q: So what thing rocks the most for you right now?
A: Uuh...I don't know...tough to say....My toast machine.
Q: And what thing rocks the least, then?
A: Comunal Showers.
Q: OK, thank you Maahir.
A: No, thank you.
Interview with Christoffer Lundblattson:
Q: For how long have you been playing music, Christoffer?
A: Oh... since I was 17, I guess.
Q: Have you always known that music was gonna be the freeway your life was gonna drive at?
A: Well...no... Actually I never had that much interest in music 'till I turned 15 or so.
Q: Who are your inspirations?
A: Uuh, well...Lotsa different stuff...I grew up listening to a lot of swedish folk...Now I listen to rock like Jon Spencer, Meat Puppets, punk like the Pixies, the Slits, Flipper, 60's stuff like Cream, Velvet Underground, and alotta blues. I like R.L. burnside, Big Bill Broonzy, Lightnin' Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, Bukka White, Howlin' Wolf. Yeah, I listen to alotta blues.
Q: What are your songs about and what inspires you to write?
A: Mostly whatever sorrounds me, whatever i experience...I live in northern Sweden near the islands of Üpsala. The nature inspires me alot.
Q: Your next record was suppose to come out next week, but the plans have been changed, what is up with that?
A: Yeah, well...I have some material ready, I... haven't felt like doing it...there have also been some technical problems with my recorder...And if I don't have the right energy for it the right energy won't translate into the music...but I guess I'll record it within the next year or so.
Q: Good thing you're on a independent label, huh?
A: Yes... No time pressure...yeah...
Q: well, thanks for the interview, Chris.
A: Thanks for listenin'.
Interview with Lars Slaug and John Tegl from Trajve:
Q: When and why did you start to make music?
A: Lars: That must've been when I was 14-16 years old or so. I had experienced the amazing noise Tegl made with his band, and I thought maybe I could do the same...
Tegl: I've always been singing. I started playing guitar when I was 9. Two years later I discovered AC/DC and D:A:D and my world was changed. In 6th grade I started a band called Low Down Deeper. in 1997 I decided to do some Punk and then Trajve was made. Songs like "Poptøs" and "psykisk Ustabil" is from back then.
Q: How is the music scene in Horsens, Denmark?
A: Lars: It's like a triangle. The stage of Det Gule Pakhus and Kulisselageret are the corner stones of the scene. And then there is a sorta retro 60's psychedelic vibe going on right now. But I suppose some people like that sort of music.
Tegl: There's alot going on right now. We practice in Det Gule Hus, which is a place for unadjusted kids if you are gonna be rude. But they are nice. There's a lot of Metal goin' on. But also Funk and then us.
Q: How big are you in Horsens. Are you gigging alot?
A: Lars: We don't gig that often. And we don't practice a lot. It's a sort of difficult 'cause Tegl lives two train rides away. But we know our stuff well enough to quickly jam a set together for a gig.
Tegl: We are not big but people know who we are. I'm also spending a lot of time on Low Down Deeper. It's hard to yell and scream so much.
Q: Why are you called Trajve? (trajve means 30).
A: Tegl: That's a damn good question. It's an old Linie 3 joke. A man goes to the bakery and asks how much a cake costs. The baker says "Trajve". It just sounds good.
Q: What album did you last rock out to?
A: Lars: The new live album from Red Warsawa I think. Apart from that I warm up before concerts to Megadeth and Cornerstone.
Tegl: Of the newer stuff I like QOTSA's Songs for the Deaf and Darkness' Permission to land. But I'm mostly into the Who, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, King’s X, Thin Lizzy and that sort of classic rock.
Q: Besides that who are your inspirations?
A: Lars: Spinal Tap, Dirty Angel, Black Sabbath.
Tegl: Minor Threat, Ramones (we steal from them), Napalm Death, Kloak (hehe). Melodically we are closer to Dansk Top and Ibens.
Q: What guitars and amplifiers are you doing?
A: Lars: We'll play on anything, anywhere. Personally I've got a Handmade Marlin bas, en B.C. Rich Warlock guitar and Vic Firth Steve Gadd drum sticks. (because they are black!!!)
Tegl: Yeah, we play on anything. I throw alot with my bass so I like it to be solid. I love the sound of Marshall. That's the way a guitar should sound.
Q: What is the biggest upper right now in the rock world?
A: Tegl: Not much is an upper. People get ugly hair and Pop T-shirts on. They call themselves retro. It sells more. Retro! I hate that word. Luckily we are way too ugly in Trajve to be hip. We will rather rock than look like darlings with colored glasses. We are as styled as Neil Young. And who rocks the most when we sum it all up? Neil Young or some hip Synthn'guitar boys?
But what is most up? Nice people who respect the music and don't take it for more than it is. I think we gettin' away from navel fumbling and back into Rockn'roll.
Q: And what is the biggest downer?
Tegl: I could write a list so long. But even though there is a bunch of bands ruining my good mood, they haven't done anything to me. So I will just say: Smartness.