10-12-2009Interviews - The Haunted
Music is not about competition - Rocksnail talks to The Haunted frontman Peter Dolving
The Haunted are a band that need no introduction, forged from the state of being one of the leading pioneering group of musicians of that Gothenburg sound that has infected the airways of late this is a band that have been going for years, stopping for no one other than themselves. It hasn't always been an easy ride and even Dolving has left and returned but one thing is never questioned, the bands unrelenting approach to thrash metal!
After an album like 'Versus' what's left for you guys?
Make more music, haha !
Do you ever feel pressure after putting out releases that apparently raise the bar each and every time?
No, never. Well I don't think we've raised the bar that's not our perspective we make music because we love making music and music is fun. The perception we have when we do what we do and the reason we do what we do is to enjoy ourselves. Music is not about competition, it's very easy to get focussed on the business side of things and a lot in the business is very business orientated. It's a way of kind of biting your own ass, it will do you know good. There's a reason one starts doing this. For us it's because we love the music it's a thrill and its adrenaline rush, it's addictive and very enjoyable. There's something very special about being able to play music that is so intense and being able to share it with people. And we've seen it along the way we've seen a bunch of bands come out, they're going to be big rockstars, you know give them six seven years and they're gone. We've done this since 1991 not just as The Haunted, with At The Gates, Implicator. We've done this since we were little kids and were still doing it and we'll continue doing it. We do it because we love having a good time, rocking out the Music, the music. Not the party not the music not the business because we love the music. For us that's the right reason, if the business is the right reason for you then that's fine but I probably wouldn't suggest you do rock music, hardcore or metal!
How is the personality of the new music compared to the old Haunted sound?
I think versus was more of a kind of influence by things we were doing ourselves not musically but what the live set had turned into. We kept returning to certain things in the live set that we felt this is fun to play, it seems catchy certain types of ways of doing things. So that was something, let's just not think about it, have fun with it and it turned into a pretty kick ass record, you know. Know we're looking at stuff that's still kick ass but weirder. It's got the same directness but its a bit traditionally less metal in structure it's still the haunted. Were gonna take our time with the next record. We've started writing we pretty much made our mind to finish the record before we book the studio which is something we've never done before.
And what do you listen to now then?
Right now i have this huge Jesus Lizard period where all i listen to is Jesus Lizard, Wovenhand, and Coalesce and the new Burnt By The Sun Record. It's great
When you left the band did you follow their progress?
Oh Absolutely. I really liked 'made me do it' and I didn't like 'one kill wonder' at all.
So the best of, is that something your happy with I know that when old labels put out best of CD's it can sometimes cause tensions?
No it's an amicable thing. The people who are working at earache now are people that we were friendly with. Digby has kind of understood that he should not necessarily be that guy and it's a made him a nicer person that he's not the person whose in executive power. So it seems to be working out in a good way for everyone I guess.
How did you go about choosing the songs?
I wasn't even involved in it. I said you go and Jonas and Anders kinda worked that out together with Digby so it's on good terms.
What song do you love playing live, the one that gets you going no matter what?
That is a very hard question. Erm Bury Your Dead really does it for me I love that song, there's something about it and I don't know what it is. But today was one of those days where i really enjoyed every song I really enjoyed playing the show. There's a song called 'Little Cage' that we opened the show with its great I really enjoy playing it. Maybe it's my A.D.H.D I don't know I'm like a goldfish I like doing what I do you know. I guess some people are not like that. I'm like that, I wouldn't be doing this otherwise!
So what keeps you motivated?
You know it's a general kind of passion for life, seriously, yes, I think It's that simple. You can be bummed about life and feel sorry about a bunch of stuff well fine do that if you want to. This is how I see it. I got a few years and I've been given certain gifts and I really enjoy participating in what life is and I really intend to do that because one of these days I'm going to be dead as a fucking doornail and as far as I know I can't be doing none of this fun shit when I'm dead. I really love doing what I'm doing, I love making music, doing art I love writing and getting to do that is not something that I take for granted. Most people don't ever get to do it and its taken me years and years of really hard struggle to be able to do it and not worry about anything else and now I can focus on only that and that's a gift, that's a privileged situation to be in.
So you write? What's that all about, what can we expect?
There's a book out within eight weeks. It kinda takes off in the blogs I've written that's the basis for it. I picked out the one's I felt strongest about. It's not a diary form but it has a kind of flow in it and it's about well everything under the sun. Hopefully I'll be able to do a spoken word tour to follow that.
You seem to like getting involved in those internet discussions?
Every once in a while I'll do that. If someone's a complete jack ass I think they deserve to see that I'm a human being and I don't have an urge to be an ass hole and I'll actually ass them what they mean by what they're saying.
The fact that the fans are donating for your projects how does that make you feel?
That is an absolute honour, Can you believe that?
Does it add extra pressure?
It's just a privilege, what they're saying is you go. Just do what you're doing and go do it it's taken about 20 years of hard work and in a way I guess I really worked for it and it's a trust that they give me and a trust that I'm not going to let down
And how's the summer treated you so far?
This summer's been a vacation. We've been doing weekends I've been a full time dad since we got home from the last tour so I've had my kids full time except for the weekends all this summer, really really nice. Now schools beginning again I get every second week so I'll get a whole week of work. Lack of sleep it takes a near zen like focus.
Does this get easier the older you get or is it the opposite?
I think you learn a routine after a while. You find a level where you can continuously keep a good pace and a high level of productivity but still putting out things of quality. But its not impressing or forcing yourself, try to keep it on a level that's enjoyable and good stuff comes out. That's taken a long time to understand and find.
