Death By Horse is a really good Swedish punk
band with female vocals and I'm weak for it. In
August 2016 designed this interview, so it's
just to read and enjoy ...
A little history about the group?
-Death By Horse members Tommy, Jim and Fredrik
are childhood friends and have played together
with different configurations for more than ten
years. 2015 they met Jahna who had the same need
to express themselves through music. It clicked
immediately and shortly after they became Death
By Horse and officially a band. During an
intense period band wrote the songs that would
become their debut album "This Too Shall Pass"
which was recorded in late 2015 and released
April 1, 2016.
I can hear a lot of old punk like Vice Squad,
Action Pact and some newer ones like Baboon Show
and even a bit Ska in Burning The Witches, I
hear right? You are not so old why these
influences? Was it better before?
-No bands we know, but we'll definitely check
them out now. Haha! Regarding Baboon Show, it's
actually a little funny that you mention it,
because we heard them the first time when a
friend of ours just heard our album and said;
you sound a little like Baboonshow. So then we
had to check them out. Faster Faster Harder
Harder was a good song. Otherwise, we have well
little different influences. Skate punk is in
all our hearts, then Courtney Love is a cool
rock chick. SKA is something that is in my (Jahna)
heart. When we did the Burning The Witches, I
knew immediately that it would be a SKA song. If
it was better before? I do not think so. Now is
now and all times has its good and bad aspects,
both in terms of the music itself, as well as
the music industry.
-.Jo We are happy with the name. It was the
first and only proposal that we actually had.
The fact is, horses are something you should
have respect for. It is something you may think
you have control over. Man can believe that she
is invincible but under the horse's hooves, she
is quite small.
How is it to play this sort of punk in Sweden
today?
-I do not know, nothing we have reflected upon.
It's not the classic punk blatant outright that
we are doing, so I have an idea of the
audience is a bit wider. We just play what we
feel, then we will be happy if other people like
it!
How would you describe your music in three
words?
-Straight, Honest and strong.
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle?
-So se see there is a big difference between
punk music and punk mentality. Punk mentality
for us is to do what you believe in despite what
others think. It can sting the eyes of others,
but as long as you do what you believe in and
feels right for you, it's punk.
Punk is honest and
genuine.
Punk is not just to play in the d-beat, and to
dress in a certain way, punk is the courage to
follow your own path.
How do you see on downloading, MP3 and the like?
-Well, in a way, I want music to be available to
everyone, poor or rich, I believe in it. But
then on the other hand, it is tiring to be able
to earn a living as an artist. Many times
smaller bands even pay to play in places, so
it's not as glamorous as a musician as you might
think. You do it because you love it, but you
have to be really damn big to be able to live on
your music.
How do you think it is to live in Sweden today,
politically?
-To live in Sweden today politically, well, what
can I say, we are a socialist country pretend to
say that they believe people are equal, but we
can put a stop to immigration, which is only
about a person's survival. I would rather have
lived in a tent in a secure country than in my
bombed-out house in an unstable country waiting
to be shot. I understand the problem also where
Sweden has a certain standard and would get shit
in case we put people in tents while the rich
gloating with champagne in their five mansions
that they still can not be in the same time.
There are the buildings that could be used,
nevertheless, I think generally that people have
done much to help, many have shared shelter and
huge amounts of clothing has been submitted. We
have done well. But the elite could have done
more.
-There are plenty of bands! Many people have a
strong urge to express themselves with music and
it will always be so. We have not found any
similar to us in the neighborhood, which had
been fun, it's always fun to play together with
like-minded. One should not see each other as a
threat or rivals. We musicians must help each
other, we're here together!
Do you play anything outside Sweden?
-So far have DBH not played outside the Swedish
realm borders. But it will happen, be sure of
that!
Your lyrics, what influenced you? Never in
Swedish?
-We are influenced for the most part of our
lives and our feelings. But even the lives of
others and feelings. DBH will not write in
Swedish. Swedish music can certainly be good,
but it's nothing for DBH.
Is there something you are never going to write
about?
-IDONTKNOW. As long as it is something we stand
for or believe in and someone out there can find
the power or comfort so can we write about it.
But if you mean more provocative things that you
might not account for but want to obtain one for
a reaction with, so certain.
We do what we
believe.
Politics and music, does it always goes hand in
hand?
-No.
-Totalt Jävla Mörker, Refused, Gojira, Röda
Kapellet, are some good examples. But there are
many.
Do you think music can change someone's life, I
mean lyrics etc.?
-I'm convinced. Many people have come up to me
after hearing "Little girl" and said that it
felt so liberating to hear it, when they have
been through similar things. I will be
incredibly influenced by both the music and
lyrics that are good, really! There will we all
be. The music is deep in man, it is part of us
and we feel a lot through it.
Your cover is really cool on your CD, who has
done it. Is it important to have a cover that
you understand what kind of music you play?
Which is your favorite cover all time?
-The cover is done by two artists and old
friends of mine (Jahna)
(Åkervinda design). They got poles to go
by then had they a free hand. And we were very
pleased. We all in the band appreciate stylish
wrapping. Then what is a neat or less neat you
can argue about. But a cover should say
something. Create any kind of emotion or
reaction, I think in any case.
Is it important to get out physical discs? Is
there any good record store near you
-Physical discs, well, at first we felt that it
was just pollution. Who listens even longer on
CD? Then it had been fun to do do vinyl, but
most of them new vinyl collectors not open the
records and they hanging them on the wall and
listening to the music on Spotify or similar.
Therefore, we chose to begin to put in money and
resources to get out and play live and deliver
the music as it should be delivered. With blood,
sweat and tears! But when we have more money we
will support the environmental degradation and
pressing some records, we have understood that
it was desirable.
-DBH Is still new and fresh so we cannot answer
how our audience looks. Probably they looks
pretty damn cool!
Please rank your five favorite records, five
favorite concerts?
-It depends so very much on the mood you have,
so it can oscillate very much! But to give an
example, I can think that these are good:
Alkaline Trio: Goddamnit, Nirvana: Unplugged in
New York, Bright Eyes: I'm wide awake, It's
morning. ????
Is it boring with interviews?
-No the opposite!
If you could choose five bands from history,
dead and alive to have a concert together with
your band, what are the bands you dream about?
-Hmmm ... hard...but living is probably the band
Fucking werewolf, they seems funny.
-Absolutely we
get out frustration by music if desired.
You can certainly be a nicer person too. Now
what kindness means. (Listen to the song "Om
snällhet" by Turid you will understand what I
mean) It may also be an angrier and more vibrant
person with the help of the music? I do not know
if you have to be angry to make things happen.
Of course you must have a burning sense of what
feels right, but somehow it feels like you have
lost while you´re
sitting and be angry. Rest assured that
it will work out, and it will be solved!
Future plans for the band?
-We want out, we want more, we want it all! We
love this!
Words of wisdom?
-Do what you love! And if for some reason you
can not, love what you do!
But ... honestly,
do what you love! Do it! Now! |