Helvetsmaskinen is a new but still old punkband with members from many well-known punk bands. They are now releasing their debut LP and it is really good so therefore an interview had to be performed. October-2024

Tell us a little about how you met and came up with a band called Helvetesmaskinen? What were your thoughts when you took the name?

-Me and Henrik (bass) have known each other almost since we were children and we played together in Sixten Redlös. During the pandemic of 20/21, I sat at home and experienced enormous boredom. Decided to buy a guitar, a synth and a bass and started making some songs. Wrote lyrics and then I sent some to Henrik. He wondered if I should make a solo career or start a band. I hadn't thought that far, but he said that when the pandemic is over, he wants to be part of it if I start a new band. I knew Matte (guitar) a little bit from before and we talked some music when we were on tour with KSMB in 2017. When he quit playing with them, I wrote and said that maybe our paths meet. And so it was - and he's really good at playing rocknroll guitar. Magnus (keyboards) is a skateboard buddy of mine and we played together with Fas 3 a few years ago. After a gig we drank beer and sang karaoke at a suburban pub and then I think we both felt that we can have a hell of a lot of fun together. Felt like a given choice since Magnus owns a lot of synths and releases songs every now and then.  We found Danne (drums) through an ad when the drummer we tested with in the beginning dropped out. Or if we kicked him. Or something. And we tested a handful of drummers and Danne felt like he fit in partly because he is superb at playing but he is also engaged in the HELVETSMASKINEN because we want to get a fucking big bang just like the historical weapon Hell Machine. Not as then physically, but emotionally on our audience.

Tell us a little about each member, age, work, family, previous bands and if you have any bands on the side?

-I have played in Sixten Redlös, Loose, Bates Motel and Swedish scars. Last spring I put my professional career (media) on the shelf and am now a full-time musician. Living with my husband since over 30 years back.

Henrik - bass. Is married and has two adult children. Works as a photographer and editor in the TV world, has played in among other things. G-Anx, Sixten Redlös and MopTops.

Matte plays guitar and has previously played with Stockholms negrer and KSMB. He played in the late 70's in various punk bands in Linköping where he comes from. He have two adult children and a wife and work with the internet.

Magnus plays synth and keyboards and has previously been a singer in Skeleton. He´smarried and have two children and the world's smallest dog named Bobbo. Magnus releases songs under his own name and is now attending a course at the Swedish electronic music studio. On a daily basis, he works at Fryshuset and he is a skateboarding legend who has worked with Edge TV on ZTV, among other things.

Danne was born with drumsticks in his hands because his father is a drummer. Danne has played in Hyper Actives, among others. He is a mid-level manager at a newspaper when he is not playing with his children and wife. Originally from Örebro.

Now you have released your debut LP, how is the feeling?

-It feels great that the album is out. We have all released singles, EP's and LP's before but I have never before released an album where I felt that every single track is good. There is always some song that went along just by the speed but with Slacker Superstar I feel that every song is actually damn good. Of course we could have played a little better in a few places. My singing might have been cleaner sometimes. We could have remixed some more song etc but right now it feels solid from track 1 to track 10.

It became Mocko records, why that particular label?

-We contacted several different companies but Mocko felt good as our comrades from DödsBabs are also on that label. We got a deal that suited us and then it was just a matter of pressing the button. At the moment I don't know how we would be helped by a big record company. If so, it's for distribution.

-The release party was in our opinion a real success. It was sold out and people were happy and we got an extremely good response from the audience. There were many afterwards who had seen us before live who said that they thought this was the best gig. It was hot, crowded and sweaty. Just like it should be at a punk gig. It was also fun that The Factory Smokers Street Revue were our special guests. We played with them a year ago and it's a cool band. I had an idea that we should have something completely different as a special guest so I contacted the poet Elis Monteverde-Burrau, who I think is really cool, to hear if he could come and read some poems. He was very happy but unfortunately he was busy performing at a poetry festival.

What kind of people do you draw when you play live? Is it only old men or what about younger ones etc?

-Our audience is probably 75/25 when it comes to male/female and most of them are probably over 35. We would like to reach out to a younger audience but it might be difficult for them to absorb our lyrics which are pretty much about adult life. But there were actually some girls in the age of 14-15 at the release party. They danced wildly and sang along to the chorus of, among other things, Sten I mina sneakers. It was fun.

When you play live, do you play any songs from your other bands or how is it? If so, which songs? -We only play HELVETESMASKINEN songs.

What is strength when you play live?

-What is our great strength as a live act is probably that we have played out so much before. We have all toured both in Sweden and abroad. We have stage experience but we have only done a little more than a handful of gigs with the HELVETESMASKINEN so we might not be 100% with each other yet. And then we're a little older now so we'll skip some stagedives or acrobatic tricks. In that case, Magnus who is the youngest in the band will have to do that. He is 49 and chairman of the Swedish Skateboard Association so he has significantly softer than the rest of us stiff guys.

How do you think punk has changed from the first time you came into it? What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it just music? Or lifestyle?

-The first time I came in contact with punk was in 1977 when I heard the Sex Pistols and it knocked me out completely. Then I was 12 years old and thought they looked cool and the music was rock hard. Much tougher than KISS who have been my house gods before. Then it was safety pin and hair dye. Then I was drawn into the whole punk movement for a number of years and then thought that punk became watered down and sleepy. And when we split up Sixten Redlös I was extremely tired of punk. We were going on a tour of England with New Model Army but I just didn't have the energy. I was tired of friction in Sixten and we had made an album we were dissatisfied with. We didn't make any money and all our energy was spent trying to move on, but we were stuck like in a chewing gum factory. Trallpunk and large parts of the 90's punk therefore passed me by without a trace but there is a lot of punk now which is good but I get influences from many different music styles. What is punk is a ten million dollar question. That's what you want it to be. For me, it's a lot to go against the flow and not do what "you should do just because it's expected". And during my time in music and the skateboarding world, I come from, I have always struggled against the wind. No one does it for you. Do it yourself. I have learned a lot from that. In retrospect, I can think that it is quite extraordinary that I as an 18-19 year old arranged concerts and music festivals in Jönköping when I was chairman of a music association. At the time, I thought it was a matter of course and not at all strange. Now I'm thinking "how the hell did I dare?".

Is there any really good new punkbands?

-I don ́t know if the band "Intensiven" counts as punk but I like them. "DödsBabs" is Stockholm's second best band (we are No 1) and "Djävulen möblerar om" has a number of swinging songs. I haven't seen them live but hope to see them soon.

There was never any question of just releasing the album digitally? Is it important to get it out in a physical edition?

-Seven of the ten songs from the album are released digitally and we will release the other three also a little later this fall. But right now there are three songs that are exclusive to those who buy the vinyl record. It felt important to get it out analogue since there are many who don't like digital platforms and then it's actually something completely different with a vinyl LP. It's great to hold an LP cover and lyrics. And our logo that the artist Martin Ander made is so insanely nice that you want to see it in a large format.

You had a release party for the record a few days ago, how was it?, A lot of people?... No scandals?

Do you buy a lot of records yourself? What was the last thing you bought?

-I buy records every now and then but it is significantly fewer than in the past. I try to buy when I go to concerts but when I visit a record store it becomes easy for me to browse through something old from the 70's. We were recently in the Czech Republic and then we went to a concert and saw a Czech band called The Valentines. Good songs. Good stage show. Then I bought their album because they had a release party for it. And a t-shirt. And then I became friends with the singer Honza who I talked to after the concert. I think you should give your support to cultural people who are creative. If you can afford and have the opportunity. It can be a book, a magazine, a record, a painting or something else. Without culture, a society dies. And I'd rather buy a record for 150kr than two more beers for the same amount. But one does not have to exclude the other. Last week I bought GOLD's vinyl LP Psychedelic days when I saw them play at Melody box in Stockholm.

Do you notice that younger people also buy records nowadays?

-Can't say anything about it. I think that many people who buy records today buy them as an interior detail. A friend of mine bought our record but his record player is packed in the basement but he just said "The cover is so nice so I just have to have it anyway".

Tell me a little about the following songs -En sten i mina sneakers -Packa ner din kofta -Dom kommer tillbaka

"En sten i mina Sneakers" is about how the adult world sometimes sucks and that you are not as unique as you thought when you were 17 years old. The stone in the shoe is probably a metaphor for something chafing. It is in many ways useless to get older. The body squeaks every day and sometimes it's boring to be an adult and proper. To be a bit of a cog in the big wheel. I personally felt this spring that it had to be the end of "get up, go to work, work, work, eat lunch-life" so I decided to stop paid work and only do things that I really want to do. Like playing music. It's about the song "Delete". Alt Ctrl and then Del. Life is far too short to waste on unimportant things. I think few people are on their deathbed and say "I regret that I worked too little".
The song "Packa ned din kofta" is about people in general who blame others for things turning out the way they do. Throw off your sacrificial cardigan. Come down from the stands and take charge of your life. It is perhaps a slightly odd text where I have been lazing around with animal words such as "poodle", "elephant", "eel" etc that are used in poodle, the elephant in the room, being slippery as an eel etc. It is cold in society but we live in a democracy and you who vote are involved and decide. Sometimes things don't turn out the way you want, but that's the very essence of democracy. And so far, no one has come up with a better social system. I dislike it when people don't stick to the rules of democracy because what they do is for "something good". All groups, regardless of political color, think that they carry out certain actions because it is for the good. Their best. This applies regardless of whether you carry out an illegal Koran burning or if you throw tomatoes inside the parliament.
When it comes to "Dom kommer tillbaka", it is a classic pretty straightforward text that is about extremism. We may hear the boot stomping again in 2024 but now you might have to open your ears in a different way. There are many groups in society from different extremist sides that we should be vigilant about. For many years, I had a colleague who is Jewish. We used to joke, but with a sour aftertaste, that we are the ones who will go to the prison camp first. The gay and the Jewess. Goodbye.

Who writes the lyrics? -I have written all the lyrics. I make songs in my home studio and then I send them to the others and then we put the songs together after that. Everyone contributes to the music but the lyrics are 100% mine.

There was never any talk about singing in English instead of Swedish? (Luckily it's in Swedish)

-It was never relevant to have foreign lyrics.

What is the strangest thing that has happened during your music career, I mean when you have played live, backstage or on your way to a gig or similar?

-Wow. There are probably a plethora of craziness. When we were on tour in Norway with Sixten, we smashed our tour bus into a rock wall. We played at a festival outside Stockholm once and then I jumped from a drum podium and the stage broke and I fell right through the stage. In Linköping once I pulled a mic stand in the head of someone in the audience because he pulled on my shoes and the stand all the time. Finally I got tired and hit the tripod on his head. He pulled one more time and then I fell down from the stage and broke my leg. Lay the rest of the concert with my leg in a high position and after the gig we went home to Jönköping and there I went to the emergency room. When I played with Bates Motel we were in Malmö and when we were going to get the gage out, the organizer asked if we wanted a gun as part payment. There are probably hundreds of wacky things that have happened over the years.

If that is an advantage, you think that you are "old" experienced musicians when you go out and play. What is the biggest difference to play live if you compare to when you were younger and had your first concerts?

-It is probably an advantage to be experienced when you have experience. How you want the sound on stage, how to behave etc towards staff and other bands. But maybe you also get more worried that things are not really good. In the past, you could rehearse a song twice and then you did it in concert. That is not the case now. The downside is that we don't rehearse five times a week and my brain is so much worse at programming lyrics. Sometimes I wonder if I'm stupid in my head that can't learn a few simple lines by heart.

If you had to describe yourself in three words... What would it be?

-Punk. Rock. Pop.

How do you see the political situation in Sweden right now with Tidö parties and on the world situation with the American elections and wars that are going on?

-The whole world feels right now like it is on a sloping plane. There is war in our immediate area. There are children shooting and blasting on our streets. It is an environment that is about to capsize and we have a democracy that is in turmoil in many countries. I said when we were in California in 1995 that I thought the United States would not survive any longer than I do. I still think so. All these despots to men who rule around the world make me afraid of the dark. I grope for the light and can't find it. 

If you were allowed to become prime minister for a week, what were the first things you would change in Sweden then?

-In a week you don't have much time and it would almost be a bit Trumpian to think that I could make a change quickly. It is only dictators who can. But there is considerable potential for improvement in society. Education is essential for the development of society. That some people in some countries forbid women to go to school is completely unbelievable. Knowledge is power. Knowledge also hopefully provides understanding and the opportunity to familiarize oneself with other people's life choices.

To do political songs, is it obvious or can you have lyrics that are about almost nothing?

-Most of what you do has a political basis. I've written many socially critical songs. It is easy to become a populist and it is not easy to write constructive solutions. Texts that are only funny are also needed. In a dark world, it might not be better to write additional songs that only aim to make everything go wrong. But maybe it's healthy to have lyrics that make you think and then decide for yourself what to do. Sometimes it's quite nice with lyrics that are a bit meaningless. I love documentaries but sometimes I want to watch entertainment so as not to drown in misery.

Which is the best political band and which band is best at doing blaha-blaha lyrics?

-When I write lyrics myself I think they are important but when I listen to other people's songs it is more a combination of music and lyrics. There are artists who have great lyrics but the music sucks and vice versa. But I think the attitude and energy in the music is usually more important than the lyrics.

Interviews is there anything you like? Is there too much of that commodity or too little?

-Since we are a newly started band so will not be so many interviews. Go for it!

If you have a question you never get that you want, ask it and answer it?

-No

The weirdest question you've ever been asked? (except for this one)

-We don't get any strange questions. Those who interview us ask good questions.

Futureplans for the band?

-Now we have a few more gigs that are booked. Among other places, in Sundbyberg, Stockholm and Karlstad. We are actively looking for more gigs and organizers are welcome to get in touch. We are willing and cheap. Then we're going to rehearse some new material and hopefully go into the studio again. We'll see if Mocko Records is eager again to bring out the wallet.

For yourself?

-I'm going to write more songs in my home studio that I have at home in our maiden chamber. Then I will probably release some of my own material I recorded. It's not punk but more synth and keyboard based. Since I don't have a traditional job to go to, it's going to be a trip to the warmth this winter and then we're going to fix some things in our allotment cottage we bought a few months ago. And it's incredibly nice to wake up at 9 o'clock in the morning and think that you don't have to go to a workplace or sit in front of the computer and take part in a long Teams meeting. Been there done that.

Words of wisdom?

-There are many worn out but unfortunately you realize with age that they are somehow correct. Listen to your heart and Carpe diem. I don't believe in a life after this so why wait to do what you really like. Tomorrow it may be too late. But for God's sake, don't tattoo any such statements on your forehead.

Something to add?

-If you can't afford to buy our vinyl record then we think you can give us a chance to listen to the songs on some digital platform. We also have three stylish videos out on Youtube and seven songs are available where all the other music is. Skip them and listen to us for a little while. It's a bit like turning back time to the 70s when you had to stand with headphones on in the store and listen to a record and look down at the sticker that said "Test listening max 5 minutes". But now you can listen as much and as often as you want.