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Featuring Richard from spektralized Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl | 16 januari 2010 15:59

Thanks Richard that you have found time to give answers to these questions,

1- For the first question will be - do you know the netherland?

I have playd in the Netherlands ones,great people and good beer.Hehe

2- Do you follow the electronic music scene, do you have any other favourite bands?

I trye to do my one thing,experementing with different styles and genre's,so that i dont repeat my selfe to much.

question 3 and 4.

Greetings Richard could you please shortly introduce our readers your music project spektralized Please fill also a biographical resume about how,when and where...give us a more background information? - How did you start to make Industrial / Pop / Electro and what is gothic for you?

It all started back in 1994, when three guys from Kråkerøy in Fredrikstad wanted to start a band.At that time the synth scene in Fredrikstad was at it's best. So they got geared up and made some songs.The name Spektralized came to life. Then a lot of gigs followed. Mostly in the south of Norway.The band got quite good response and good reviews by the local press. Later in 1994, Spektralized released a demo-tape called "Genetic".100 limited copies were sold within a few days, witch was quite good for that time. In 1997 Spektralized suffered from a lot of tension within the band. The band members disagreed on how to evolve the music.The result was a split. Richard Bjørklund decided to keep the Spektralized name and continued on his own. That was the start of the band as it is today.New songs were born and soon after Spektralized appeared on the Norwegian compilation "Sex Goth and Electronics" with the track "Truth".mixd by Stephan L. Groth.The track got alott of good feedback from DJ..s around the world. The label Cinetic Response showed some interest, but after a few mails, the whole thing seemed unserious.In the beginning of 2000 a promo cd called "Love May Be Blind" was about to be released, but due to an error in the cd creation process, the band decided to recall the cd..s.Then Spektralized took a break from creating new tracks, due to some changes in Richard..s personal life. But ideas kept on coming, and new tracks came to life.Some time after,Spektralized played with Icon Of Coil in Stockholm, and The Swedish audience gave them a night to remember. Then soon after a new promo followed.It was given to, among otheres, DJ Rexx Arcana from New York. And also to various promoters and labels around Europe. Time passed and at the end of February,Hard:Drive became interested in Spektralized. A few weeks later, Hard: Drive decided to sign the band. Richard Bjørklund hooked up with Sebastian R. Komor(to help with the production,and they started working on the debut album. Spektralized joined Icon Of Coil on their european tour in January 2003, with Assemblage 23. They had 10 very successfull gigs,with amazing response from the german audience. Then Hard: Drive licensed Spektralized to Accession Records in Germany. Mastering and coverdesign was the next step,towards the release of their single "Allied" and the debut album "Elements Of Truth". But due to some delays, the releases were postponed for a while, but finally it..s all released.Their debut album ELEMENTS OF TRUTH went the right way and did a great sucesse in the synth sceen all over. The bands next plan was to releas a singel nr two calld MY NEEDS,This singel was allso going to contain a APB remix of the track calld STOP AND REWIND,Icon of Coil remix of MY NEEDS and an extended live wersion of MY NEEDS.But right when this was suposed to hapen,Hard Drive desided to put the record lable buissniss on ice.So the singel wasent going to be released after all.As this coused SPEKTRALIZED alott of unnwanted problems the guis would have to make new plans.First of all thei would have to lock fore a new record lable Thei contacted the German record lable that thei had lisensed their first album to calld ACCESSION RECORDS and askd if thei were interested in signing them.Accession Records were more than interested to make a contract whit the guis,so thei signed upp and started to work on their new plans. So after alot of delays and hard work,the band was was finaly ready to releas their second album calld CAPTURE THE MOMENT.The album was released under ACCESSION RECORDS Mai 2006. CAPTURE THE MOMENT has became a susesse as well!! even if the band had a lot of unnwanted problems and long delays before their second album could be released.After the album was released Spektralized got problems finding a bocking agency because of the Circus that was made between the shange of the record lables.This was realy an unekspekted and depressiv news to get for the band after all the hard work that they had put down to make this album.So this gave spektralized even more problems, and has made deep scars in the band.Bjørn H (live keys/Backing vokals) has left the band after 10 years as a member. Spektralized is not giving up, they are still going strong.Then sudanly some happy news! CAPTURE THE MOMENT made it all the way to the top 5 ranking list for best albums 2007 at the scandinavian alternative musik avards,together whit band as Apoptygma Berzerk and Covenant.Spektralized has now left Accession, to look for a new record lable to releas theyr next album.

5- What and who are some of your influences in Industrial / Pop / Electro?

Everything started when i was around 11-12 years old,and A friend and neighbour of mine gave me a casett tape with Nitzer ebb,Kraftverk,skinny Puppy,invinsible Spirit,Front 242 and menny more.I was sold at ones,and fell in love whit the EBM/Industrial and synth pop sceen.I wanted more of this,and started to studdy this kind of music.It diddent take a long time before i gott my ears on Depeche Mode,Einsturzende Neubauten,Laibach and the rest of the great ones.The folowing years, i grow deeper in to the synth sceen and after some years i belive i had heard allmost every band in the sceen and i had found my favorites.Here is some of the bands that has bean great influences for me duringb the years POP: Depeche Mode,New Order,Erasure,Tears for fears,Alphaville.EBM/Industrial: Nitzer EBB,Front 242,Dance Ore Die,Invinsible spirit,And One.Einsturzende Neubauten,laibach,Skinny Puppy,Frontline Assembely,G.G.F.H.

6- What are your top ten favorite Industrial / Pop / Electro Club Songs of all time? Who are you influenced by? What would you consider your favorite cd's?

Hmmm lets see,best club tracks;

Getting kloser - Nitzer Ebb

Head Hunter - Front 242

Techno Man - And one

True faith - New Order

Who needs love like that - Erasure

Shout - Tears For Fears

Big in japan - Alphaville

Personal jesus - Depeche Mode

Bitch - Apoptygma Berzerk

Take on Me - A-HA

Euritmics - sweet Dreems

Desireless - Voiach voiach

Nine inch Nails - Head like a hole

7- Do you have a favourite track and album?

Some of the best albums:

Depeche Mode - Sounds of faith and devotion.

New order - (The Best of) New Order

Erasure - pop 20

Tears For Fears - Sounds from the big chair

Euritmics - The Greatest Hits.

And ofcours many many more.All of this artists have bean great influences to my music.

8- So tell me a bit more about yourself, such as musical?

OK! My name is Richard Bjørklund I am 31 years old.Born and raisd in Fredrikstad Norway.

I started getting the interest of making music when i was around 12-13 years old.My first synth was a Korg Poly 800 that i bought for around 70 EURO.I started playing around with my synthesizer,trying to learn how to make a sound and so on.After a wile i slowly started to learn how to play.

9- By the way do you like my questions? tell me what you think about it! ;-)

Your questions ar ok!

10- What is the main idea, the message you want to leave to people who listens to you? What is your motto?

Be your selfe,belive in who you are,and what you stand fore.

11- What’s the name of your band? What’s the origin of that name? Have you changed the band’s name before?

The name of our band is Spektralized.We came up with the name spektralized wile we were locking true a medical book, trying to find something cool that we could use. Sudanly we came over a site that had some info about spectragrams and spectral analysers,Witch is a box who analyses the perfect frequenzy in a waveform.There are menny ways of deskribing what it means,but we fellt that this was a cool name to call an electronic band sinns we are allways locking for the perfect frequenzy in our sound so that we could make the perfect electronic sound wave.Thats allso the idea of the logo,with the spectral graf and so on.But we had to make the name our onem,so that it would lock cooler,so we shanged out the C with a K and the s with a Z to shange the lock of the name,and then we putted a D in the end so that every one could know when they have bin SPEKTRALIZED.HAHAHA!

12- "capture the moment" 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,"capture the moment" Tell us a few words about the concept of this?

"Capture The Moment"Take care of the moments in life that is worth taking care of.Sooner ore later you wil need to know ore remember "a spesial moment" to solve a problem,get the ansvers,ore just a spesial feeling that your locking fore.Humens have menny ways of saving "Capturing The Moments",we can take a photo,make a video,Record the sound,wright it down, ore just take care of it all in our heads.To day we take every thing forgranted and we are way to lacy to understand how inportant it is to take care of our memories,so that we ore others after us can take advantage of the ansvers that is hidden in our memory.

13- When's the new album coming out?

The upcoming album is called "THE PUZZLE" we havent gotten enny exakt releas date for the Puzzle jet,but as soon as we know more,you wil know more to.

The thoughts behind the name of the album is:Sins the releas of our last album "Capture The Moment", so many things has happend in my life,both negative and positive.So i fellt that my music making and production stoppd,I couldent seam to find out what to do to make things work as it should again.So, after making a lott of songs that i fellt diddent work at all,i tock a long brake from the music making,so that i could solve "THE PUZZLE" and gett on with my work.When i fellt that my problems were solved and the time was right,i went back in my studio to make the right tracks,with the right sound that i wanted.Then, sloly things started to happen,it was allmost like picking the right peaces Peac by peac,the puzzle was coming together.So thats the story behind the title of our next album THE PUZZLE.

14-How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?

Now, i actualy dont know.yesterday i was in contact whit Accession witch is/was our Recordlabel.They have desided to lett us go on and find a new recordlabel for our next releas.So right now our plans have stoppd for a moment,But we are working on plans and furter happenings whit Spektralized,And we hope we wil be able too perform and do mor conserts this year,that was the plan.

15- What do you think of a modern gothic and about Industrial / Pop / Electro scene?

I am not to much in to the Gothic sceen,so i am not sure what happens in their sceen. But i feal that the Electronic/pop sceen has repeated it self over and over again a long time now,but this time it has allmost stopt completely,and is not developing at all.

16- Our usual question - what is music for you?

Music is and has allways bin everything to me.So we can say that i eat,sleep and shitt music.hahaha!

17- What was your best live experience so far?

I think, øøøøh!i am not sure,maybe Arvikafestivalen in sweden 2005? ore when we playd together with Icon of Coil and assemblage 23 in Heidelberg at the club schwimbath in 2002.legendary club,and there is alots of cool bands that have playd there in the earlyer days.

18- Please list the name, age, school, and respective instrument of each band member

Richard Bjørkjlund - 31 years old,songwrighter, vox, production.

Ken A Nilsen _ 36 years old,plays Guitar's and do live secondvoice.

Tird person - 25-40 years old,keys and programming live.

Bjørn H Bjørnli who used to play synth's live for Spektralized, has left the band for good.so that is now a open space,until we have found the right one.

19-What are your views on the current state of this Industrial / Pop / Electro scene in Østfold,Noorwegen in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?

If i understood your question right: the synth sceen in Østfold and Norway is more comersial based i think,than it is in some other contrys .What i mean whit that is: In Norway the hardcore synth comunity is wery small,so those who listen to electronic/synth music, allso like to listen to other types of music like Rock ore techno.Take an exampl: In Sweden,the synth fans are more hardcore like they are in Germany,When we play in norway,we often se people that are dressd in "normal clotes",no make up,no leather and spikes,ore the typical black clotes like they do in menny other countrys.

20- 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?

Thank you! Sometimes i start with the lyrics,some times the music.it depends on what idea, that shows up first.Often when i am making a hard track i start with the baseline ore the drumms.When its a mor pop sounding ore slower songs, the idea often comes from a melodi ore a lyrical idea that is spinning around in my head.

21-What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?

I like to call our music: Electronic pop with an edge.

22-Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?

I actualy dont know if it makes enny sennce ore nott.

23-So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?

Every thing around me inspires me,the things i hear,see,read and bread, both positive and negative.Some liks: Movies,good music,tv,newspapers and people in my comunety.

24-What is currently inspiring your material as an artist? tell me all about the Industrial / Pop / Electro scene of Østfold,Noorwegen?

There is not much that inspires me in fredrikstad-østfold-Norway,that i can tell you.There is not mutch of a synth sceen in fredrikstad this days,the onely bands that are still up and going is Apoptygma and Spektralized that i know of.Both sebastian Komor,Andy and christian fro ICON OF COIL has moved out of town.Echo Image and Sweep i am not sure about.So the old Electronicstad is in the past,thats my opinion.

25-Do you think that people from the music press didn't expect you to grow up musically?

Have i grown up?:) I dont know what they expected actualy,did they expect enny thing??? But i can say this mutch,i think that the music press in this sceen is amasingly good when it comes to focusing on negative things.In my opinion, i feal that the press is doing everything in their power to break a newcomer down,instead of helping them positively.But it is not strange,when some of the biggest magazines use blackmetall and goth rockers to wright rewus of electronic artists.

26-what is the key to making music from spektralized and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?

Make the music that you like,not the music that others like.By that i mean: you have to follow your one hart, and make the musik that you think is good.Dont make your music after what other people think ore mean.This is the main problem in the synth/EBM/industrial sceen i think,every body trye to sound the same as the band that is playing in thew club this month, instead of trying to develop their one style/thing that wil shock the world like a fire storm.

27-How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Industrial / Pop / Electro music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?

The downlode thing is both positive and negative in my mind.The negative things is that people keep on steeling,even if they have the money to buy.The positive thing Is that everyone has the opertunety to find and buy the music they like in some downlode musicshop on internett, if they dont find the cd in theyr lokal music store.

The music bussniss wil find a solution to the problems around the copying and steeling of copyrighted music some time in the near future,that i am sure of.The onely thing that is bad about some of their solutions is,that they are the ones that earn the big buck of it,and the musichians stil get no money.So,to be honest, i am not sure what a solution wil be.

28-If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?

One Thing i want people to know about SPEKTRALIZED:

HMMMM! What could that be?

We wil allways be fathfull and honest to you all! STAY WITH US,AND WE WIL ALLWAYS STAY WITH YOU.!!!!

29-Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here

very soon we wil releas our tird album called THE PUZZLE.The allbum is ready to go,but we are just locking for the right lable to releas it.We have just ended our contract with ACCESSION RECORDS,so we hope that we can find A lable witch is able to do the job that we want to be done fore this releas.We believe that this album can make new gates open for Spektralized,So we wil do everything to get the right promotion,distribution and lable for this album,we wil let you know as soon as we have it all on track.

30-It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?

We love you all!!! we want to thank you all,for listening to our music!!! Keep your eyes and ears open! and you wil soon have our new album in your hands!

If you want to follow spektralized on their rode to sucesse.you can wesite http://www.myspace.com/spektralized there you can find sound clips from some of the tracks on the new album,and the info you need to know.We are at the moment working on a brand new homepage for spektralized so you wil soon find more info at.WWW.SPEKTRALIZED.COM