Featuring asfalt | Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl | 23 januari 2010 16:08
Thanks asfalt that you have found time to give answers to these questions,
B = Beppe Betong (aka Bong)
J = Johnny Fleez (aka Filt)
For the first question will be - do you know the netherland?
B: Oh yes, I have been there a couple of times, in Amsterdam, Zwolle and a couple of other places. My brother did some of his studying in Zwolle. I think netherland is a very nice place.
J: Yes, also called "Holland" in Sweden.
Do you follow the electronic music scene, do you have any other favourite bands?
B: I must admit, I don't follow the electronic scene so much anymore that I did in the 80's. I think most of the electronic music of today is quite boring. My favourites are still the old band from the 80's like Yazoo, Nitzer Ebb, Depeche Mode, Human League, A Split Second. Front 242, OMD, Ultravox and so on. Actually there is a new interesting brittish band called Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
J: I agree with Mr Bong...
Greetings Asfalt could you please shortly introduce our readers your music project asfalt Please fill also a biographical resume about how,when and where...give us a more background information?
B: Greetings! Our project has been on the road since 1986, and I still enjoy it very much.
J: In the autumn 1986 we started in a cold dark basement in the city of Ljungby with a bunch of zynths and drummachines.
How did you start to make Electro,Experimental,Industrial and what is Electro,Experimental,Industrial for you?
B: We started one late night back in 1986, I were a member of a synthpopband called Candide and Johnny were a good friend of ours. That evening Johnny and I did some strange noise on tape and "Likvatten" were born. After that we kept on doing our thing. What is Electro Experimental Industrial for me? I guess "Likvatten" :)
J: Mr Bong has got the answer above.
What are your top ten favorite Electro,Experimental,Industrial Club Songs of all time? Who are you influenced by? What would you consider your favorite cd's?
B: My 10 favourite songs, and I guess I am influenced by these bands.
A Split Second - Flesh
SPK - Metal dance (12 inch version)
Nitzer Ebb - Let your body learn
Front 242 - Quite unusual
DAF - Der mussolini
Poesie Noir - Timber
Liasons Dangerouses - Los ninos del parque
Skinny Puppy - Assemblage
Kraftwerk - Computer love
Fad Gadget - Ricky's hand
J: Everything between The Normal and Depeche Mode. No specific album.
Do you have a favourite track and album?
B: Hard question! I think it would be Depeche Mode's "A broken frame" and the song "The sun and the rainfall"
J: Visage - Fade to grey
So tell me a bit more about yourself, such as musical?
B: It's the hardest thing, to write about youself
J: I have no comment.
By the way do you like my questions? tell me what you think about it! ;-)
B. I like your questions, they are challenging :)
J: Me too, ;-)
What is the main idea, the message you want to leave to people who listens to you? What is your motto?
B: Our original idea was to have an wacky, unique sound I guess. Now we like to spread the sound of 80's with a touch of EBM, synthpop and darkwave.
J: The sound of the 80's will always remain in our hearts.
What’s the name of your band? What’s the origin of that name? Have you changed the band’s name before?
B: The name is Asfalt, it's the original name and we have and will never change it :)
J: That's the fact...
Tell me about Promotionvideo Likvatten [VIDEO] "Krematorium Production"1986-87 where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album is finished? or anything else you're working on? Tell me why this title, "Likvatten". Tell us a few words about the concept of this?
B: I can't recall the reason for the titel "Likvatten". The concept of the video comes from the word Likvatten (or in english corpsewater) which I refers to as darkness and death.
J: We have dark minds. That's the way we live...
When's the new album coming out?
B: I hope "I'm still in rigor mortis" will be out 10 jan 2010.
J: It was released exactly that day.
How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?
B: We don't do that much promotion, only on our Myspace and a two or three musicforums. No tour yet.
J: A tour is planned in our minds. We start with Europe. ;-)
What do you think of a modern Electro,Experimental,Industrial and about Electro,Experimental,Industrial scene?
B: I don't know, I think the modern scene is all the same, the same sound. I don't listen to much new music. Well, except for Mesh, very nice guys!
J: I agree, Mesh is the best there is today...
Our usual question - what is Electro,Experimental,Industrial for you?
B: For me it's the beginning of my music interest and my youth.
J: So it is. A part of our souls...
What was your best live experience so far?
B: Yazoo in London 2008 and Depeche Mode in Lund 1984
J: Yazoo in London 2008 and Kraftwerk in Lund (Sweden) back in the 1990's...
Please list the name, age, school, and respective instrument of each band member
B: Beppe Betong; 41; sunnerboskolan; synth, programming, razor and electronic drums
J: Johnny Fleez, 42, swedish "groundschool", electrical items and different sounds.
What are your views on the current state of this Electro,Experimental,Industrial scene in Zweden .in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
B: I have no clue, sorry. I am stuck in the 80's and I have very little knowledge of the scene today :)
J: Well, Mr Bong has got the answer again...
you have very nice numbers`.............. tell me about lyrical compositions what you can tell about the done work? How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song?
B: I can't tell that much of the lyrical compostions. I have tried once to write lyrics. I write music, and so does Johnny and then Johnny put some vocals on the song. When I creates a song, I usually starts with some kind of feeling and a drumsound/pattern or a bass.
J: I write the lyrics around a certain feeling or something else taken from the real world inside and/or outside my head.
What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
B: ERM, Electric Road Music :)
J: Yepp, true.
Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?
B: No I don't think so. The number of prople who plays music is much more today due to computers and musicsoftwares, that makes the "competition" harder. In the 80's you had to have an pure interest and make music a priority (instruments were not cheap).
J: Yes, that is a well known fact (see Mr Bong's answer).
So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
B: The 80's
J: New music wrapped in the feelings of the 80's.
What is currently inspiring your material as an artist? tell me all about the Electro,Experimental,Industrial scene of Sweden?
B: still... the 80's :)
J: Don't know really...
Do you think that people from the music press didn't expect you to grow up musically?
B: Yes I think so
J: Perhaps, nor did we.
what is the key to making music from Asfalt and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?
B: The key is the big interest of music and sounds I guess, and the friendship with Johnny, both as a Asfalt-members, but also as a good friend outside Asfalt. Any feedback helps us grow as musicians I think.
J: Me and Mr Bong have the similar musical roots and we fully understands each other, both as musicians and persons.
How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Electro,Experimental,Industrial music? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind?
B: I think the possibilities of free download catches more listeners. I think it possible to combine both free download and to sell albums.
J: Yeah, that true Mr Bong.
If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?
B: Gice us a chance, we're not too old yet :)
J: We do great music, the world haven't discovered that yet.
Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
B: We are still working on the slighty delayed release "I'm still in rigor mortis" and our first DVD (called "First visual contact" including an liverecording from gothenburg back in 91 and the Likvatten-video. There will be 30 copies each of these releases.
It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?
B: Watch out for the old men!
J: See ya' in da cyberspace.
and what is next on Sweden agenda?
B: First of all, we will try to survive Christmas. Then....? I guess we'll keep Asfalt going, new material and searching for gigs
J: 2010 will be the year of Asfalt.
thanks for your time! Great work on the albums and good luck with everything.any How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
J: Take care.
Were you asked to play or did you have to ask for a slot?
B: in the late 80's we were asked to play, now I guess we have to ask
J: :-)
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