66Crusher
March 6th 2008 00:15
Interview with
Håkon Obdsaija Bergstad
from
Håkon Obdsaija Bergstad
from
Tell us a little about yourself…
The band started out sometime in 1999 or 2000. There’s no accurate founding date for this band. In reality it has been a band since way before any of the current members joined. I joined a band Jarle played in back in 1999, but then the music was quite different than what we play now. The name appeared sometime in 2000, but still the right feel wasn’t there. I guess the first true 66crusher song written was Unmasking the Truth, which saw its early stages in 2001. After that the snowball started to roll, and after Jonny joined the forces in 2001, the band’s direction became clearer.
Jarle Olsvoll - Guitar / Vocals
I guess it all started with Kiss when I was 6 or 7 years old. I picked up the guitar at age 11, around the same time I started hanging out with Jonny. Metallica and Megadeth was the only thing in my CD player at that time. It was all about learning how to play Master of Puppets and trying to sing like James Hetfield. Some years later I started listening to progressive metal bands such as Dream Theater and Pain of Salvation. Other bands I enjoy are Queensrÿche, A.R.K., Opeth, Symphony X, Beyond Twilight, Slayer and Deep Purple. The vocalists I like the most usually have a powerful voice and a good range like Paul Stanley, Russel Allen, Jørn Lande and Sissel Kjykjebø.
Håkon Obdsaija Bergstad - Drums
Co-founder of the band. Influences range from classic bands like Jethro Tull, Yes, Rush and Kansas, metal bands like Maiden, Megadeth and Slayer, new progressive bands like Dream Theater, Symphony X and A.R.K to more extreme bands like Emperor, Mayhem, Death, Enslaved, Nile and Morbid Angel. And I’ve been a Kiss-fan since I can remember.
Øystein Kummen - Bass
Played in the band since the start of 2003 when I moved to the city of Bergen. I have played in different bands back in my home town Stavanger, including a death metal band called Deathfare. My influences is not easy to point out, but bands like Porcupine Tree, Anathema, Opeth, Tool have at least influenced my view on the bass players role in the band, and how to make both melodic and aggressive music sound well. I also like more extreme bands like Decapitated, Pantera, Sepultura, Slayer and Metadeath.
Jonny Wolf - Guitar
Played in the band since 2001. My band influences are mainly progressive metal bands like Symphony X, Pain of Salvation, Ark, Pagans Mind, bands like Metallica, Pantera and Megadeth
(which is my foundation wall), and fusion jazz, artists like Allan Holdsworth, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Dennis Chambers, Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl.
Tell us about the band name…
We wanted a name that didn’t pidgeon hole us as a band, and that also stood apart from all other band names. It’s taken from a line in the 80’s horror 'classic' Trick or Treat.
So far we’ve only released one album, 'Truth Unmasked', which was released through Misanthropica Enterprises. We’ve started the recording of the follow-up, but there isn’t a set title nor any release date for that one yet.
How would you describe your music?
Our music combines aggressive elements from thrash with progressive elements, but always based on strong, melodic riffs. We never set out to write the most complex songs possible, our focus is to write good, strong songs.
What one thing do you feel sets you apart from the rest in this genre?
I don’t think we belong in a specific genre. I think we’re more extreme metal oriented compared to most other progressive metal bands. But I guess what surprises people most, is that we’ve powerful melodic vocals instead of the more standard thrash metal vocals.
How long did it take to record your latest material?
Truth Unmasked took us a fairly long time to record. The studio we recorded the album in was also recording two other albums at the time, so we could only record sporadically between them, which cost us a lot of time. We ended up spending over six months finishing the recordings, instead of the four weeks we had predicted.
What is the inspiration behind your latest material?
We didn’t have a specific inspiration for this album. The songs were created over a three year period, so I feel that some songs have a different vibe than others. Lyrically there are a few different topics on the album; the main piece, Faith 27.02.68 is based upon a true story about a woman who tries to deal with her traumas of being raped as a child by religious therapy. After a while she finds the ‘therapy’ is not helping at all, since the priest tries to heal her wounds by repeating the act, but replacing the pain with Jesus’ love.
The inspiration behind the music both guitarists write is probably from all the different bands they listen to. I guess they have picked up the different styles they like and mixed it into their own thing. Our material contains elements from all kinds of genres, and makes it difficult to give a full detailed description of our entire inspirational range. It usually turns out pretty dark.
Any plans for a music video?
No plans for a music video now. I reckon we’ll make something when we release our second album, but that’s way up in the future. We did make a low-budget video when we recorded the demo version of Mindtrapped back in 2004, I think.
View It HERE
When you go into recording mode, do you find it easy or challenging?
I personally find it most of all different. It’s definitely not easy. The focus is very different than say a rehearsal studio or a live situation where it’s all about team play and adrenaline. Where-as studio work is extremely organised and detail orientated.
Is there a particular market or country you are trying to reach?
We haven’t tried to reach any markets specifically, but we’ve noticed that Germans seems to be into what we’re doing.
What kind of message are you trying to relay to your audience?
I don’t think we’re trying to tell our audience anything really, but we’re trying to give them music that endures. So they can enjoy and find new elements after numerous listens.
What have you got in store for 2008?
Firstly, we’re booking a German tour for April. We’ll also finish recording our second album, probably sometime around summer and hopefully know a release date for it. Other than that we’ll play some more live shows and write more cool songs. And drink beer!
Who’s responsible for the bands artwork?
Our artwork designer, Maja Markegård, generally read a little more anti-religion out of the lyrics for Truth Unmasked than we intended, so that’s why the album cover has a priest with a bleeding crucifix on his chest. The front cover artwork and the booklet artwork is really cool and modern looking, and we’re all very pleased with the effort she pulled for us. She’s also responsible for the logo. The meaning, besides to be a cool logo, is I don’t know what!
How hard has it been to get to this point?
It took us forever to get to the point where we are today, and some of the
problems were to find the current line-up. We were a three-piece for a long
time. First missing a second guitarist, and when we found Jonny, the old bass player quit. Finding a new bass player which was good enough took us a really long time.
Where does your main fan base / support tend to lie?
We haven’t played too much outside our hometown Bergen, so exactly where we have more fans than other places is kinda hard to determine for us. We’re in the starting phase of becoming a live band, so it’s more important for us to grab every chance we have to play live, so that we can establish ourself as a great live-act.
What would be your most memorable gig / performance to date?
Our best gig so far was our release party for Truth Unmasked, which we had here in Bergen at a place called Hulen. We did a two part set, first an acoustic set with a couple of our songs that are doable acoustic and added a few covers. Second set was our regular live set with a few surprises. So far, that night is the only time I’ve felt like a genuine rock star.
Have you got a favourite song you like to play? And is there one in particular you've noticed your fans have started asking for?
I guess we all have songs that we favour over others, but I don’t think that there is any songs that are requested more by our fans than others. But what the hell do I know. I’m only the drummer!
If you were playing at a metal festival, who would you prefer was playing alongside you and where would that be?
We’d like to play at the Wacken Festival, Germany, Inferno Festival, Norway, Prog Power Festival, Sweden and USA, Roskilde Festival, Denmark and any outdoor summer festival with lots of festive people. With bands like Symphony X, Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation, Jørn Lande, Meshuggah.
What kind of instruments do you use? And have you done the ‘Rock Star’ thing yet and smashed any equipment?
We’re not endorsed, so we play our instruments until they break down by themselves. Jarle mainly uses an ESP guitar and line6 live xt pod. Jonny uses an Ibanez RG370DX and Line6 PODxt Live Guitar Amp Modeling Pedal. Øystein uses a Jackson 5 string bass, an Ibanez Fretless 5 string Gary Willis Signature bass, and line6 bass POD xt. I use a standard Pearl Export kit, which I’ve added an 8” and a 10” tom. I use all different kinds of cymbals, usually Pro-Mark sticks and DW 9000 double bass drum pedals.
Have you had many chances for signings?
At our release party we signed all sorts of things; CD’s, t-shirts, drumsticks, tits and male asses. No one can say that we’re not dedicated to our fans!
Have you ever had any ‘Mystical’ experiences?
The only extraterrestrial activities that goes on in our rehearsal place must be Jarles inhumane farts!
Where can people purchase your music and merchandise from?
The album can be found at CD-Baby - HERE
It’s also available in iTunes - HERE
All kinds of different merchandise is available at Cafepress - HERE
Fame, fun or finance?
Most of all we do it because we all have an extreme passion for music. And we also wouldn’t do it unless we had enormous amounts of fun with it. If we played for fame and finances, we’re certainly playing the wrong type of music.
What words of advice can you offer anyone looking to enter the music industry?
I don’t feel that we’re too much involved in the music industry, so I don’t think that we’re the best persons to ask for advice about that. The best advice I’ve heard is that there’s no one that your music is more important to than yourselves. So make it your own responsibility, and don’t blame others when things don’t go your way.
Anything you'd like to add or say to your fans?
We’d love to play wherever, whenever, so if you know any promoters or club-owners, make them book us!
Check out our homepage - HERE
Myspace site - HERE
And buy our album! Or at least a 66crusher coffee mug!
‘Interview with 66Crusher’ by Déa di Morté © 06 March 2008
Hails! to Håkon Obdsaija Bergstad of 66Crusher for agreeing to participate
and taking the time to the complete this interview.
All pictures courtesy of ‘66Crusher’.
Hails! to Håkon Obdsaija Bergstad of 66Crusher for agreeing to participate
and taking the time to the complete this interview.
All pictures courtesy of ‘66Crusher’.
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