miércoles, 19 de enero de 2011

FRAMFERD Interview (English)

......::::FRAMFERD (Norway)::::......
Date: 21.08.2010
Answered by: Langbach y  Nødset: 
1. Greetings, and welcome to us here at THE PAIN FUCKTORY! How do you feel, are you excited about answering these bullshit questions? What are you doing at this days?
Langbach: Hey there! We are always excited to do interviews, always fun to see all the different questions you guys can come up with, hehe. These days we are working as hell on getting the songs for our upcoming album ready for studio this autumn, så a lot to do:) Otherwise, its summer here in Norway, so a lot of ice cold beers, barbeques and good parties.
2. What stands behind the Framferd name? I found that it means something like “morality” in english? It´s not a pretty weird name for a black metal band? Is there any special meaning behind it? Who has the idea to use that name for the band?
Langbach: The Framferd name came to us through a bassist we once had, Sønnesyn. He is from the west in norway and there they have this "saying" that "Framferd" means seeing something before it happens. Kinda like a farsight. It was used a lot for people who believed they had witnessed their own death in a dream. But it can also mean something similar to the translation of "morality" or just "behaviour". We kind of settled for that name after we decided to get rid of our old name "Morbid Symphony", hehe.
3. FRAMFERD has been described somehow as viking black metal, but your subject matter is quite different from the typical viking black metal band. How would you describe your music?
Langbach: Its always difficult to describe our music. Since Djevelskap, where Jordmundgand wrote most of the music and lyrics, we kind of had to develop something new for Landgang. And now we have a  ne lineup as well and this time we are writing a bit different from Landgang. We will always have our roots in Norwegian black metal, never loose the nerve of aggression in the songs, but I believe since we have changed lineups quite a bit Framferd is in constant change. The music and lyrics for our new stuff probably touches the nerve of what you can call "viking", but not neccesarily typical viking. We will always have a connection with the antireligious themes, but the philosophical and constant changes both in lineup and us as persons will contribute largely to a change in both music, setting and lyrics. But it will hopefully always sound "Framferd", hehe.
4. You have already 2 albums, however the last one was released on 2009, why reason you have nothing new at date? Any words on newer songs? Will you keep under BLACK LOTUS label??
Langbach: We released "Landgang" Winter 2009, and it has been a fun ride. We are currently working hard on getting new material done, and we are going in studio this october to record our 3rd album.
We are also trying to get some gigs, hopefully outside of Norway as well. We`re not sure if we will stick under the Black Lotus label, We have been happy as with the agreements we had with the label with digital distributions, but we`ll have to see how the album turns out. If we get a chance for a bigger deal, who knows:) But we have been real happy with the way Black Lotus has treated us, even though they are not such a big label. 
5. Artworks… how important is this to you? Do you buy a record just because the artwork is great? Give us some words about your latest album cover and who did it?
Langbach: The Artworks for Landgang was done by Einar Engrønningen, who is our guitarist, Kvist`s, father. Langbach and Kvist put a lot of effort into explaining and talking to the Engrønningen about what we hoped to achieve with the album artwork and we are really happy about the result. I believe that with our digital world, it is much more important for those few who buy the physical product, that they get a "package" our good artwork, a good booklet and something cool to hold in your hands. For the next album we will use quite a bit of time getting the artwork how we want it. We are thinking of a digital distribution mostly, but we also want a product for those who want the real "physical" album. If we use Engrønningen again, we dont know, but good artwork is important to us.   
6. One question about the Norse mythology :  I guess You have studied it quite intensive, so what do you think about this Viking – Boom everywhere ? It seems that this trend is rather superficially dealt with by some.....  
Langbach: We have also seen this "viking-boom" all over. Guess it is like with pirates and ninjas, some people get hooked on it and its a big thing for a short while. As with the viking-boom, we just hope that people dont believe in the traditional hollywood-helms-with - horns viking. For us the mythology goes a bit deeper than plundering and raping virgins in need, hehe. As long as the traditions are not mocked, people can do whatever they want with it. Good to see that people are interested in our heritage!  
7. I think viking metal and history has a very strong connect. Do you prefer history or legends, myths? Which is your favourite age? To which age would you like to travel back in time?
Langbach: We prefer a good mixture of both history and myths. The mythical aspect was important in the old world, and I dont think the history would be as it is without it. People have always had a need for myth, legends and superstition, and I believe this has shaped history all over the world in all cultures. Guess we would like to do a gig in pre-christian Norway, around 5-800 AD, hehe. Would be fun to see how people really lived, what is correct and not from the history books.
8. Let´s concentrate abit on the songwriting panorama, how is the entire process? Can you explain the method of songwriting employed by FRAMFERD? Is the writing process generally collective or does one member often craft the song on his own?
Langbach: The songwriting for the new album is a bit different from earlier. Now one in the band comes up with more or less a finished song, and we brake it down and build it up again as a band. Its important when someone has an idea for a song that the "nerve" of the song gets through, and doesnt get lost in someone elses idea. But off course someone elses idea can richen in and make it even better. So the writing is done both collective and separatly. We are really happy with the way we write music now! cant wait to show you our new stuff! The lyrics are written with the music. 
9.Does your music evolve while you're in the studio, or is everything 100% done by the time you go and record?
Nødset: We are pretty accurate when we are in the progress of making new songs, every song is completely done before entering the studio. That means also with click tracks ready for recording. But as you may have noticed that we have some session musicians on our records, usually they just learn the song in the studio, but this time we need to prepare for them as well before entering the studio, Writing note sheet's and all that jazz:)It's a long prosess to record an album. Personally I love it:)
10.So speaking of your record label, what made you decide to sign with BLACK LOTUS? Are you satisfied with the work and promotion they hade made fo FRAMFERD?
Nødset: Well we thougt that it was the time to try out a label, In earlier days we did everything our self. We shipped some promotion pack around and we made Some contact with Companys,but   they didn't agree to make the right choice for Framferd.Anyway, when we came in contact with  BLACK LOTUS PRODUCTION we talked about what he could do for us with  network in the music buisness and actually we thougt he had some good arguments for making the deal.About promotion and stuff.we have to deal with that our self,but that's okey.Hopefully Framferd and The painfucktory  can make some stuff happening.
11.  Tell us please a few words about your early rehearsals, about your rehearse room? How often did you rehearse? Did you take the rehearses serious or was it a fun for you? Drunken jammings, girls, beer and thrash metal ha-ha!
Nødset: He he..Oh man our rehearse room looks like a room from the 80's! tons of poster on the walls,but it's definitely a nice room, we like it. I guess we use to rehearse about 2-3 days a week in earlier days, but now we only have time for 2 days a week max. Framferd has always been serious about the rehearse. To rehearse when you are drunk, It's just like drunk driving, it doesn't work....  
12.And how are you guys getting alone in private life? Do you hang out as a band or also as friends? Do you think its important to always be friends first and then a band mates?
Nødset: I think we are pretty good mates in the private life as well,but we dont't actually hang out togheter,of course if there's a party or something we hang out.I don't think it's important to be freinds before start playing in a band.I think it's more important to find the musical «feeling» togheter.
13. What are the disadvantages and advantages of the internet? What do you think about the downloading of music? I have noticed you have your music also  being purchased in digital form through internet resources (itunes, spotify, itunes..etc).
Nødset: The disadvantages of selling music online is the sound (Mp3) and you don't get the inlay so you read all the stuff,even the lyrics is gone,the positive side have to be that it's easy to get hold of a copy, I also think the advertising is better.
14. What are you most proud of achieving as a band, and have there been any defining moments that stand out in your memories? If you were not a musician, what would you be ?
Nødset: Hmm..I think it have to be the hole concept of being in a band,to make something fun with our life. If we make a killer song that i realy like, just that gives me a proud moment!I would like to be a owner of a big music store:):)!
15. Norway´s black metal scene is quite big and has a lot of many great bands. Do you think that the fact you are coming from there helps you in a way or is it bad because of the big circle of good bands?
Nødset: You can say it's big!!I guess Norway have the higest export value in Blackmetal genre.No doubt:)Well sometimes i guess.I have a feeling that:If there's a «new» band in town everybody(almost)Have already made up their mind about the band.They usually say like: This band sounds like every other band out there, and what's special about them. If you understand? But yeah, there are a lot of good bands in Norway, so we need to be aware of how we want to express our self.
16. What do you think about bands like IMMORTAL, DIMMU BORGIR, SATYRICON, EMPEROR etc. who all started out very angry and dedicated, but over the years changed towards a more and more easy accessible attitude and musical direction?
Nødset: Personally i don't think Emperor have done that, if i understand your question right:)and i don't think we shall forget that they started realy young so people evolve(or grow up):):) they Don't need to be angry about everything. In the 90's it was also a big influence in norway to be a «satanist»(antichrist).Burning churches and all that shit.
17. Most of the bands also dropped their corpsepaint after a while, calling it a “natural progression” or a process of “growing up”. How important is corpsepaint and the whole visual side for you? Could you imagine to present yourselves without all that as well sometime in the future? 
Nødset: He he... i'm sorry to say the paint is of:):) Why we choose to remove the paint?Well.. Our last album «Djevelskap» was appropriate for corpspaint.Now we are telling stories about Vikings and how it was to live in the year 700-900 i don't think it's a good match to use corpspaint.  
18. For you, what are the differences between today´s black metal scene and the old school Norwegian legions ?
Nødset: In short terms:I think «today's» black metal is a 100% different than for 10 years ago.The sound,image,lifestyle etc. Now it feels like a trend to play black metal.If you search black metal on Myspace you will find ton's of «home made» black metal.We call them one man's band in Norway.I understand why, i think!I guess it's easier to make music at home when there's so much good and cheap recording equipment.Don't get me wrong,but i feel that black metal has a new meaning.It's also so terrible that people have started christian black metal, they call it «white metal»!!!!
19. Let´s talk about your “Landgang” album, what can you tell us about the songs and the sound on it? Did they surpassed your expectations?
Nødset: »Landgang» has a «raw» sound,un-polished i would say!Does it meet our expectations...?We Have to say no...When we started making the songs, we decided that we wanted  the sound to be a bit «raw», so we are happy about that part,but we also wanted the hole sound «picture» to be a bit smoother,not so cold and «tiny».I feel that the sound soothes the album. The songs are great...He he!
20. What do you think that is most important criterion for you assessing the value of the album? Is it your personal feeling and knowledge about the album, the press, the response of the audience etc?
Langbach: I think the important thing for us, is how we feel about the album, after the audience and fans have had their say about it. Press is also important, but most of all we write for ourselves and for those who enjoy our music, and what single negative individuals might think is not that important to us. We take the critique we get and try to work with it without loosing whats "Framferd". But we do listen to people when they say what they like and not, and try to shape that into something we are happy with, but mostly we write for ourselves.
21. Ehmm… could you please provide us detail about your lyrical writing? What sorts of subjects do you guys singing about? How important is each of your lyrics? Does it contain good messages to upgrade human life to say the least? Tell us how do you cater such ideas when it comes to write a lyric?
Langbach: For Landgang the lyrics was written by 3 different members of the band, which might be a bit confusing when listening to the album, but the general nerve of themes is there. For our new stuff Langbach tries to write lyrics that, with the help of the band, can be a bit more conceptual. The lyrical themes is a mixture between history, mythology and legends, but we try to get it "down on the ground" so it doesnt get to personal and introvert and "philosophical". We get our ideas for lyrics from looking at the world, our own ideas and thoughts, and mixed with a bit of history. We hope that our lyrics makes you think a bit further, as well as them being entertaining "stories". 
22.  Tours are normally good occasions for getting drunk and retarded. Any fun stories, band fights, stage fuckups? Which bands that you toured with have been the coolest, which ones the stupidest? Spill some shit, it’s all good press, you know?                  
Nødset: He he..It's not right to tell bad stories about other bands:)Band fights ,what!?Framferd is not the coolest band when it comes to the party and stuff,i guess that's why we rather want to play as best as we can every time and want to be killer on stage:) We have some stage fuck up's in the years but nothing big.
23.  What music format do you prefer the most; vinyl, CD, or cassettes? Do you think it is really good to release one album in these three mentioned formats?
Nødset: Definitely CD.I think cd's are the best,good sound quality.
24. How would you describe FRAMFERD live? Where does FRAMFERD feels the best to you, in rehearsal, studio or live?! How do you figure out your live shows setlists? Are you bored with playing certain older tracks?
Nødset: I would say it sounds better when we perform live, then you feel the bass and the big wall of sound just pushing out the speaker!but i also feel the sound when you record in studio is very good when we everything is set right.Some songs isn't as cool to play as some new ones,but when the crowd want to heare some old songs and realy get mental in front of the stage then it's great:)
25. What is your opinion about satanism in black metal? Should all black metal bands be at least somehow connected with the devil?
Langbach: Satan, or evil, has always had a connection with black metal. We believe that extreme music can have connections with anything or anyone. Politics, Satan, Mythology, whatever you feel like writing about. I dont think extreme music should be only about "Satan".  
26.OK, please define Black metal with your own words, and if Black metal was a beer, which one would it be?
Langbach: If Black Metal would be a beer, I guess it would be your localy brewn beer, wherever in the world you are. 
28.  As we near the end of this interview, might you have anything else that you'd like to mention that mayhaps I may have overlooked?
Thanks for the questions,nothing is overlooked:)The only think we want to say is:KEEP SUPPORTING MUSIC,NOT RUMORS!!!!

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More infos about FRAMFERD
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