Gutgrippers comes from my old province Bohuslän
and plays a really hard type of hardcorepunk.
The interview was conducted in December 2024.
Tell us about Gutgrippers, who are you, when did
you start playing and what have you released
before this cassette?
Micke: Hey yes, we are four middle-aged men from
Bohuslän with roots in punk and metal bands who
have joined forces to create sweet sweet tones.
We have released 2-3 cassettes before, all
recorded in the same way.
Matte: We play distorted blaring music,
hopefully messy. We have recorded 2 demo
cassettes before this one with 3 songs on each.
Martin: True! The slightly longer version is
that we started somewhere in 2018-2019, I think.
We had the idea to just meet and drink beer and
coffee together with a portastudio. The first
demo was written in the rehearsal room,
rehearsed and recorded immediately without any
frills. That's how we've worked ever since, more
or less at least. It gives a rawness and nice
spontaneity. Not always so well-played or easy
to mix sound but it will have to go. It just
gets good. It have become three demos in this
way, Rodetizides 2019, Bekift, geil und
abgeschlachtet 2021(?) and Das eichhörnchen sass
in der tanne 2024. Who we are, well we are
Micke P on guitar and vocals,
Matte on guitar and vocals
P-O on bass and vocals and
Martin on drums and background roars.
Tired old men from a bunch of different
constellations over the years from both punk and
metal scene.
You release the new release on cassette, why
this format?
Micke: We would have preferred to let go of the
wax roll but it seems like it's a bit difficult
to get anyone to listen then. It's a demo and
for me a demo is a cassette, that's how it's
always been. Doesn't everyone have a tape
recorder in the kitchen?
Matte: I think we all grew up with old demo
cassettes it's a cool format. Oh I think it's a
nice live sound on cassette.
Martin: Then a cassette takes up little space
and is easy to keep in your breast pocket at a
concert and change away or stick to some poor
person who doesn't understand better.
What strikes me when I listen to the new release
is that you are heavier than you are fast, I
thought it would be grindcore or similar, have
you changed a lot musically since the first
release (I haven't heard you before)?
Micke: No, we play things we like and can,
everyone adds their part and that's what makes
it sound like it sounds. It sounds kind of the
same but there are always small tricks that
await the eager listener who spends time on the
details.
Matte: We haven't changed anything at all
really, we play music we like, sometimes really
heavy, sometimes more messy.
Gutgrippers, what does the name mean and how did
you come up with it, were any other names on the
agenda when you were going to name the band?
Martin: It was probably only me who stole it
from the band Midnight, they have a song called
groingripper and I thought GutGrippers sounded
tough, a real while in the guts vettu! The
others didn't protest so it just happened.
What types of bands do you play with when you
are out playing? What is the strangest band you
have had a concert with?
Micke: We haven't even rehearsed 10 times, I
think, but we have planned to do live in the
future. So I (MP) have to answer for previous
experiences. I always played with the weirdest
band myself, in Bestial Mockery there were often
fights and nudity on stage. In Illdåd, Hutte,
the singer, lay on the stage floor and roared
and there was always extreme drunkenness on
stage. Once we played in Knivsta, then Gary
Diskonto-Jonas stole a drum stool during a gig.
Fun!
When we talk about music, how do you see on
punk? Is it just a style of music or a
lifestyle? How has that idea changed over the
years? More punk or less punk?
Micke: Punk for me has nothing to do with
politics, punk is the freedom you feel inside
you to do what you want, not what others expect
you to do. Punk is not to conform to opinions
that a larger group considers to be what is
right, punk is to say "fuck off" when one's
group of friends has become too PK to dare to
think for themselves but follows some pretend
truth that is considered right. Punk is your
life, you just have to choose to rule yourself,
not let yourself be led. And at the same time,
be humble! The older you get, the easier you see
through the lies and falsehood in the outside
world so, yes, more punk the older you get!
Matte: For me, it's a style of music. I think I
listen more to punk nowadays actually. I like a
lot of different music styles but preferably
with distortion, I guess I'm a metal guy from
the beginning but I heard Sex Pistols and Asta
Kask already in elementary school age and like
what I heard.
Tell us a little about each member of the group,
what are your names, ages, family, bands on the
side or before and something sick about each
person?
Micke: 45, played in Bestial Mockery,
Atrocities, Zyclone System, Iron Birth etc. Had
a penchant for surfing naked at concerts (Motörhead
,Uncle Konkel, Turbonegro etc ). Been fined for
having stage-dived naked into a tent at
Hultsfred, where the owners were having a social
gathering at the time.
Matte: I'm almost 49. Lives in the countryside
no family, also plays in the thrash metal band
Protector. There are quite a few morbid drunken
scandals they have caused. Once I accidentally
pushed the ceiling fan down on a Stena line
boat, then panicked and threw it overboard and
it's not completely healthy ha ha
Martin: 50, handsome, blonde, lord of the land,
played in Mindblaster, plays in Exhausted Cocks
and Legions of War, played with Matte in
Suicidal Winds in his youth.
PO: 47(?), played in Mindblaster, plays in
Exhausted Cocks, tough, Bohuslänning.
How else is it that you play this type of music
today, what are the groups that inspire?
Micke: It's the urge to play music that makes us
mangle, we like the way it sounds, we've all
played similar broken before and always listened
to hard music. If you're not into metal, you
ain't my friend!!
Matte: Because you like straight clearing.
influences are among others Anticimex, No
Security, Hellhammer, Motörhead, Venom etc
What kind of audience do you draw? Are there any
varieties that you are missing?
Micke: None! Everyone!
You have got a different sound on your
recording, do you do everything yourself or is
there a producer involved?
Micke: All instruments recorded at porta live in
the rehearsal room, then vocal arrangements.
Then I mix. Usually it's the first take that is
the last, very rarely anything is redone or
extra guitars are added, maybe a solo somewhere.
And samples of course
Your lyrics otherwise, what are they about?
Music and politics always go together? Why or
why not?
Micke: Drugs,, drunkenness, politics, everything
that is close to your heart, so to speak. Music
can very well be about politics but of course it
doesn't have to be that way. I like Northern
Boys, they sing mostly about love and being old,
which seems to be fun!
Matte: The lyrics are mostly about
self-perceived decadent living actually. No
politics at all, actually
Martin: Except for the last song we recorded
that will be on the next demo, it's about the
bad influence of religion on our society. But
otherwise mostly morbidities in its various
morbid forms such as human aces like Jeffrey
Dahmer and Ron Jeremy.
Is there any good political bands that you like?
Micke: Rage Against the machine and Skrewdriver.
(Note: jokes)
Matte: I don't actually know, I'm not a huge fan
of either politics or religion. I probably see
myself more as an outlaw anarchist.
Is there any other bands in Sweden that you can
recommend?
Micke: Warhawk, Motörbreath, Modorra, Birdflesh,
Nekrosity, Torpedo GBG, Strul, the list goes on.
Math: Warhawk, Exhausted cocks, Germ bomb
Good bands from abroad?
Micke: Hmm, Motörhead, Ac/Dc, Funkadelic
Do you buy a lot of records yourself, are you
collectors? What is the most expensive record
you have?
Micke: I've stopped buying too much, I did that
before. Have been collecting since the age of
10. Has lots of punk and heavy metal.
Matte: I buy a lot of records, the most
expensive one I have is probably the Bathory
debut with yellow goat on. I also have Dark side
of the moon on the original press, it's
apparently also worth a few thousand. Probably
have 4000 Lps in many different styles
Martin: Still buy way too many records, the
latest was a CD with The Varukers and an LP with
Uriah Heep.
To only release music digitally, is that
something for you? Does it feel like you would
even have released an album/record if you are
only released on say Spotify?
Micke: Yes, why not? That's how everyone listens
today, you have to compromise and let go both
physically and digitally.
Matte: I buy music. Spotify I think are thieves,
you get fucking nothing from them, hope they are
banned
Martin: We are in good agreement on the issue!
How else do you think it is to live in Sweden
today, politically with the brown-blue mess etc
etc? Micke: There is no bigger difference, than
30 years ago, the focus in the media is still on
the wrong things to whip up bad moods. But I've
given up on that, I take everything on an
individual level instead, try not to be
prejudiced, etc.
Matte: I don't think about it, I actually live
isolated out in the country, never watch the
news, don't read any news. The further away you
are from society, the better, I think.
Do you play a lot live?
Micke: No, never so far
Martin: We are still tight virgins when it comes
to live with this particular band!
What's the best thing about playing live?
Micke: That's really the whole point of playing
music, to get reactions from the audience and
interact with people who like what you do.
Matte: Meeting like-minded music fanatics is the
absolute best thing
If you made a beer like many other bands do,
what would it be called and what kind would it
be?
The Gutgripper, 7.3%, Porter with hints of
anise, rum and chocolate.
Matte: Dist sly å gödsel it should be called ha
ha
PO: Sterile Badger Stout!
Please rank your five favorite records, your
five favorite concerts? The most embarrassing
record in your collection?
Micke: Motörhead - Overkill, Ac/dc - Powerage,
Macabre- Gloom, Everything with Cimex, Blue
Öyster Cult - Secret treaties. All the
Motörbreath gigs I've seen, pure pleasure!
Driller Killer at Cronan in Gothenburg -03,
Motörhead at Kåren -95, Onkel Kånkel Kåren-02,
Death Breath's first, Debaser-05?
Matte: Black Sabbath-Vol 4, Venom-Welcome to
hell, Beatles-Abbey road, Kiss-Rockn roll over,
Ac dc-Highway to hell. Martin: Anticimex -
Scandinavian jawbreaker, Motörhead - 1916, Cock
sparrer - Shock troops, Kreator - Extreme
aggression... oh too difficult question... Too
many good records in the world!
Let me hear your thoughts on the following
records and your relation to them?
-Bad Religion-No Control
-Discharge-Why
-G anx-Flashbacks
-Napalm Death – Scum
-Ebba Grön-We´re only in it for the drugs
Micke: - Bad Religion-No Control - I'm not a big
BR fan, Discharge-Why -Don't know if I've heard,
I'll have to listen in and come back, G anx-Flashbacks
- I have a few singles but don't know which ones
right now, I'm in the middle of a move. But last
time I listened I liked G-anx, I hope it holds
up. Napalm Death – Scum - One of my first grind
records, nice clean. Ebba Grön- We ́re only in
it for the drugs - an old classic, Swedish
rock'n'roll.
Matte: Bad Religion-No control I think is a
really good record maybe their best. Disharge-Why
is absolutely fucking magical clearing deluxe
love it, G-anx I only have a single with and
it's fucking good. Napalm Death-Scum is insanely
fucking good, their best. Ebba grön - Were only
is a really good album that was a long time ago
I heard may be changed
Is there a lot of interviews, is it boring?
Micke: No and No.
What is the most common and boring question?
Micke: This Martin: Well-behaved old man that...
Words of wisdom?
Micke: Communication is the way to success in
all relationships
Future plans for the band?
Micke: Maybe we'll rehearse now around Christmas
and record some song or so.
Matte: To continue making music we like,
distorted and blatantly deluxe
For yourself?
Micke: Fix me a harem of sexually frustrated
50-plus-year-olds
Something to add?
Micke: Everyone is important, there's a place
for you too.