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Franz from Myteri was so kind and brought a
package from Danne at Halvfabrikat and then I
realized that I never interviewed Myteri. Said
and done and here is the result and it was done
in late November 2018
A little story about the group?
-We started at the end of 2013. Already in 2014
we went out on our first European tour together
with Norwegian Agenda. It was then Mattias
joined the band and replaced a guy named Joe.
Before that, we released our first ep The Silent
Death. The following year we released our first
self-titled full length. Then more touring
followed. Then split a seveni9nch with Born From
Slaughter from Macedonia. 2017 came our second
album called Ruiner. Between the records we have
toured and played as much as we can. In 2018
Mattias jumped off and in writing we are trying
new guitarists. Nobody can replace Matte but we
hope and soon we will have a new member in our
family.
Tell us a little about each member, age, job,
family, band before and band on the side?
-I'm Franz, 38 years old. Has a small family
consisting of girlfriend, bonus boy, three cats
and a dog. Job as a jeweler. I play bass in the
band.
Erik, 34, plays drums and works in home care. He
likes retro tv games, magic cards and has a
faiblesse for power violence. Dislike cats
unfortunately.
Johan, plays a guitar. 36 years old. He has a
daughter but no cats . He likes to bike,
photograph and explore abandoned places. He has
a lot of commitment to the band and puts a lot
of time, sweat and tears on keeping the boat
running. Thank you Johan.
Our singer John also has a small family with a
daughter and a partner. He also has no cats yet.
He is the youngest with his 30 years. He loves
retro tv games, hipsterbeer and slow music.
I can hear a lot of hardcore, both heavy and
fast dito, do I hear correctly?
Was it better back in time?
-This is correct, especially on the first
record. The second record is probably a little
less HC-influenced. But that's just my opinion.
Well, it was not better before, just a little
different now.
Myteri, are you satisfied with the name ?! If
the best band name had not been taken, if you
had chosen name, would you have chosen? I mean
which is the best band name? Or funniest?
-So, we are happy with the name. Otherwise we
would have changed. Best band name ... it's hard
but I've always liked Krimtänk. It is well in
the mouth and the reference to 1984 is
unbeatable.
What's the best thing about playing live?
-It's a kick. You get energy and you give
energy. We simply love it. You can come and look
around and get new friends and see bands you
might have missed.
Where is the best to play, where is the worst?
-Hard question. Worst, I do not want to say that
any place is. Everything has its charm. We have
some places that are really good to come back
to. Some personal favorites are Prague, Leipzig,
Copenhagen, Athens. Just to name a few.
How is it to play this kind of punk in Sweden
today? Is it hard to rehearse as I understand
you live in different cities?
-But as it's now, I'm the one not living in the
Gbg area. I live in Falköping, but I'll come and
reharse anyway. We have a really good
rehearsalroom in Hisingen. We enjoy it.
How would you describe your music in three
words?
-Fast, hard, melodious
What does punk mean to you, is it just a word or
is it a lifestyle?
-It's a lifestyle. It permeates everything I do
and my interests. D.I.Y think, politics, eating
habits, literature, etc. It's not just music,
it's a community outside society. A huge
community. I can go almost anywhere and be sure
I can get someone who has a sofa to sleep on and
have a meal over. You have learned solidarity
and to help and care for each other in ways that
do not exist outside the punkscene.
How do you look at downloading, mp3 and the
like?
-Great. Then people who not afford to buy a disc
can listen to us too. You can download all the
recordings for free at myteriswe.bandcamp.com
How do you think it's to live in Sweden today,
politically? So after the election
when SD got over 18%?
What do you think will happen in Sweden?
-What's going to happen, I do not know. But SD
have destroyed so much. They have paved the way
for organized Nazis. They have managed to change
the mindset of so many people. More than ever,
racists, fewer people trust the media, and do
not question conspiracytheories and pure lies.
What's written on Facebook seems to be more
reliable than public service. Even established
parties take care of their racist ideologies.
Humanity is slowly changing to egoism. SD can go
to hell and everyone who votes on them can go
there too.
Are there any good bands in Sweden today? In
your hometown, you have different cities you
live in ?
- There are a lot of bands in Sweden today!
Gothenburg is crowded by punk bands. To name a
few: Coma Asociala, Fredag den 13:e, Strul,
Contorture, Protestera and many, many more. In
Falköping there is Dystra Li who plays some kind
of pop punk, Kardborrebandet that plays
trallpunk and Mähälium who also plays trallpunk.
Do you play anything outside Sweden? You have
been on a tour a while ago?
-We do not play much in Sweden. This year we
have only made a single Swedish gig At
Fraggelberget in Gothenburg. This year we have
been touring in Greece and Germany. Then we have
done a couple of festival gig in the Czech
Republic and Germany. We have been touring at
least a couple of times a year since 2014.
Other good bands from abroad?
-A lot of them! I'm just taking a few examples.
Procrastinate from Greece, Exilent from Germany,
Äppärätus from Malaysia, Agenda from Norway,
Link (not playing anymore) from Belgium, Disease
from Macedonia ... And of course, this is just
the tip of the iceberg, I can go on all day.
These are just some of the amazing bands we've
played with.
Your lyrics, what are you influenced by? Never
in a language other than Swedish? Is it
important to have lyrics on recoreds etc when
playing a bit tougher music so people really
hear what you are singing about?
-We are influenced by the world around us. We
have songs about SD, about endometrios, about
children who are ill, about refugees who risk
their lives to get to Europe, about the
environment etc. We have a couple of songs in
English, otherwise only Swedish. Texts are
always good to bring along. We want people to
know what we are trying to say. The texts are
very important to us. We are a political band
and we have something to say.
Is there anything you will never write about?
-I do not know .. but there no damn songs about
going fishing anyway!
Politics and music, does it always belong?
-Maybe not always, but for us they do. We are
acting in a political scene. It is important to
us.
Best political band / artist?
-For me, it is clearly Conflict. Love that band.
They have learned me so much and affected me and
my whole life. For example, I have not eaten
meat for over 20 years thanks to their lyrics
and dedication!
Do you think music can change someone's life,
then I mean lyrics etc?
-Undoubtedly. As I wrote in the last question,
Conflict has had a major impact on me. And not
only of course, of course, there are many bands
that influenced my life and inspired me. Ebba
Grön, Asta Kask, Extreme Noise Terror, Doom,
Refused, Warzone just to take some examples from
my youth.
Your cover is really cool on your records, the
latest reminds me about Amebix, who has done it.
Is it important to have a cover so you
understand what kind of music you play?
-It is made by Sasha Voss, Written In Black. I
do not think it's important that the envelope
reflects the music. How a crust album looks, has
changed quite a lot over the years. There are
trends in it like everything else.
Is it important to get out physical discs? Vinyl
or CD or both and? Is there any good record
store in your vicinity? You release records
yourself on your own company tell me about it?
What have you released?
-It is good with vinyl !! I like that we have
our records both as cd and vinyl. Me and my mate
Mika give out records on our little label, Dark
Elk Vinyl. We have so far released: Society's
Decline - s / t 7 "Adrestia - The Art of Modern
Warfare LP Makabert Fynd - Systemkollaps LP
Adacta - Zlo LP Society's Decline - No More On
The Shoulder of the World LP. It´s more on it´s
way.
Please tell me something really fun that
happened during your career on stage or behind
stage etc?
-I do not know if we are so funny .. We are
quite calm of us. Certainly we can be drunk and
someone in the band likes hanging on the trams,
but we have no major scandals to tell about us.
How is your audience looking like? Which type of
people comes? Do you miss any kind of people? Or
are all those you want to come already on the
concert?
- It's usually the most crusties in the
audience. No wonder because we play crust. Of
course we want everyone who likes punk, HC and
harder music to like us. As we belong to the
D.I.Y scene, we do not get that much further
than that. We can hardly be heard on P3 if I say
so.
Please rank five favorite discs, five favorite
concerts?
-Okay. Most personal and it is also changing
from day to day. But right now it looks like
this. Five records, without order, both full
lengths and seven: Adacta - Zlo Doom - Police
Bastard Conflict - The Final Conflict Crass -
Christ, the album Asta Kask - Historien dömer
oss alla
Five concerts I remember with joy: Iron Maiden
at Ullevi 2008 (I think). Doom, Fatal Females
and Totalitär in Eldslandet 1996. The first time
I saw Tolshock on Eldslandet. Also in the late
90's. Levellers at Pustervik the latest time. A
band I listened to in the
late teens and finally I saw them! Nasum
at Hultsfred. Around 2000 I think? So damn good.
Is it boring with interviews? Will there be a
lot like this when you are on a tour?
-It's really fun! I like interviews. There are
seldom any interviews when we are on a tour. And
that's probably lucky because not always so
sober when we're out.
If you could choose five bands from history,dead
and alive to have a concert with your band, what
are the dreambands then?
-It's enough to reunite Crass, so I'm happy.
Is music a great way to get frustration and
become a nicer person? Are you angrier today
than you were as young punks?
-It's my valve. Not just to play , also to
spending time with my friends in the band. It's
fucking important! I think my friends inspire me
to try to be as good as I can, rather than the
music. I'm definitely angry now! Even more, I
would say. Life, government, politicians and
capital spit one in the face every day. You go
to work and struggle like a damn slave. We give
away most of our awake time and get small crumbs
for the inconvenience. We are so damn cheated.
It will be a lot worser every year. Of course
I'm angry! I'm stuck in the damn squirrel wheel.
But I am also a much calmer person today and can
channel my anger and do something positive with
it.
What is the strangest question you received in
an interview? Or are there no strange questions?
- Did a fun interview with a zine from Slovakia
once. There were some odd questions with a lot
of black humor. For example, if I prefer Star
Wars or Star Trek. How I answered you can guess
yourself
What is the question you never get, ask it and
answer it?
-What do you think of Per Gessle? We hate him
with all our heart. Such damn meneless, lousy
music. Everyone who likes Per Gessle should be
ashamed. He is surely a nice person, but he
should never start playing the guitar. Even less
write songs.
Future plans for the band?
-First and foremost, we will have a new
guitarist. We try with some now. Next year we
will go out and play a little. We have a couple
of bookings ready and some plans for tours.
For yourself?
-Do as much as I can for myself and my loved
ones. Try to go on more gigs.
Words of wisdom?
-Fight war not wars
Something to add?
-Thanks for the interview!
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