The following interview with Tim of SWITCHBLADE is the longest I have ever done so far. Due to the lack of cash for just making a trip to Stockholm/Sweden or at least making a call we quickly decided to talk via mail. After two weeks of daily correspondence I got kind of used to reading Tim’s answers while sipping at my morning coffee, the next time will be very hard for me. But enough of lamantation, here’s the interview:Tim, you recently released the fifth album with your band SWITCHBLADE and drive Trust No One Recordings in addition. You seem to be kind of Doom-dependent workaholic?
"Yeah, we just released our fifth album on my own label. We started Switchblade 11 years ago and the label was started about 14 years ago. Both the band and the label is something I do in my (kind of limited) spare time. I work fulltime at a record distribution company/record store in Stockholm called Sound Pollution, who also distributes my releases. So yeah, almost all my time awake has to do with music in some way. But I do try to find some time for my wife and kids as well of course."
I thought your label was founded later just to distribute the band's releases. Why did SWITCHBLADE see the light of day then, wasn't there enough music existing around you?
"The label was founded before as a way to release my earlier band of no importance. When that band broke up I really had an urge to start a new band to make music that I really wanted to hear myself that I think was missing. I'm not saying that we have ever strived to be very "different" or anything. We just make music that we can listen to ourselves and really enjoy. It might sound stupid but it’s all an egoist thing for us."
Not at all! If you wouldn't like your own stuff, who should then. What did you miss about music in 1998, the year SWITCHBLADE was founded?
"Well, coming from a punk/hardcore background I think that I missed something a little bit different than the standard generic hardcore music. I'm not saying that we created something "new" in any way, it was just that I wanted something that sounded new to me. Explore new ground I guess."
This explains the raw and brutal punk/hardcore, almost grinding sound of your early releases, the first EP, the 10'' and the Split w/Cult Of Luna. But the music already had kind of Experimental/Post Rock hints I would say. The songs "Slowing Down" and Dying" from your first full-length album in 2000 were slowed down very much then. The 2001 and 2003 albums were straight post rocking stuff. The 2006 release marks another turning point for the sound of SWITCHBLADE, distributing just two overlong titles playing minimalist extreme doom in the vein of the mighty Khanate. Do you agree with this evolutionary description?
"Yes, I fully agree. Even though the music has evolved and changed throughout the years, there’s certainly a red thread running thru all of the records from the very start. And the evolution is also a clear sign that we have never set out to make a certain type of music and stick to that, but to keep evolving and finding new ways to keep the music interesting for ourselves and to play what we feel is "us" for the moment."
I understand, in my opinion your new album marks the momentary climax of a permanent rising curve. All three songs are a symbiosis of Doom, Drone and Post Rock core attributes, which you max out to the very pain barrier - minimalist drums, droning riff-walls, painful distortions, agonizing screams and lots of empty space. It's kind of experimental but powerful martyrdom. What could be the next step in this extreme evolution?
"It’s hard for me to predict where the next material will take us. But as it is right now, I think that we have found something that feels really good to us but as I said before, over time you get new type of ideas and take things in new directions so only time can tell where we’ll end up when a future recording is done. The plan though is to start writing material for a split 12" with our brethren in Kongh."
The actual album was recorded in Gröndal and Version studios. Why two places?
"Because Gröndal is a very expensive studio so we could only afford to spend 3 days in Gröndal for the basic tracking. Then we moved on to a small and very affordable studio called Version Studio where we recorded some more guitar overdubs and the vocals. The three days in the Version Studio cost us about as much as 1 hour in Gröndal costs."
The result is worth all money you invested. I think that it is hard work to record an album in a short time. Hope you had some fun with your band mates too. How can one imagine the recordings of a SWITCHBLADE release?"Thank you. Yeah, we really wanted to get the best possible audio result this time to really bring out all the subtle details in our music. Especially in the more atmospheric and quiet parts. Bands often put all their energy on getting the heavier parts as thick and heavy as possible but forget to make the quiet parts stand out as well. We are always very prepared when entering the studio and we record the basic tracks live as I think every band should do. On the 2006 album we hardly did any guitar dubs at all, but this time we did. It’s very hard with getting the timing right on the very slow parts when recording overdubs, and we don’t want to use a click track since the music needs to "breathe" and change in tempo. We filmed the basic tracking sessions from two angles and then synchronized that in Pro-Tools. So Johan and Anders could watch ourselves play on a monitor while recording guitar overdubs and vocals. Very hi-tech, I know."
Why not use the technical possibilities; it depends on the result you aim at. Most traditional Doom bands strictly record with analogue equipment using tube amps to get the old school fuzzy guitar sound of the 70's. I love this very much too. SWITCHBLADE stands on the other end, kind of progressive in a very minimalist way. What some people miss about your actual stuff are the song structures. In my opinion those guys don't understand your sound at all. There are no melodies and lyrics to sing along, it has more to do with extreme arrangements, experimental sounds and meditation, right?
"Exactly, but we do use Orange and Sunn tube amps without distortion pedals to get the sound we want. We do record live as a band. And we used lots of old microphones that Gröndal are kind of famous for. But instead of recording straight to 2" tape (like we did on the 2006 album) we used a modern recording device, namely a computer. So I would still say that we have more of an old school way of thinking when recording. And I’m pretty proud to say that we have not edited the drums in the computer except for one (!) drum hit.
Yeah, I personally think that our songs have very strict arrangements and nothing is left "open". Every hit and tone is planned carefully. Our songs are not built in the same way as 3 min radio hit songs. We work with moods and atmospheres and try to look beyond the usual "Verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus" type arrangements. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a lot of music that’s arranged that way as well, but it’s not for SWITCHBLADE."
I can't imagine how to compose and memorize those song monsters. How do you usually write and rehearse the songs?
"Well, the song structures are really not that complex when you break them down but it might sound complex as a whole. We usually bring a couple of riffs and ideas to band practice and play that over and over and make small changes and try to feel where the song should go from there."
I guess there is a very private and energy laden feeling when a song is growing in the practice room. What is the major difference to a live show like your gig at the Low Frequency Assault in Nuremburg last year, which I really enjoyed?
"I don’t think the difference between a band rehearsal and a live show is that big actually. Or at least we try to re-create the feeling from the practice room when we’re on stage as well. As you might have noticed, we’re not a band that interacts very much with the audience at live shows. We just focus on the music and the connection between the three of us."
Right before the new album's release you did another small club tour. Which one did you enjoy most, did you already get any reactions on the new songs?
"Yes, we did a short tour together with Kongh. The tour was good even though the turnout was not that good at the shows. But we had good shows personally and that’s what is important in the end for us. It doesn’t really matter if it’s 20 people or 200 people. I think that the latest tour was better for us feeling-wise because we played the new album more or less from the beginning to the end every night. The reviews of the new album have been really good so far. And it seems like people really enjoyed the shows on tour so..."
...you could sell many copies of the actual album after the shows hopefully. How about Kodiak from Germany with whom you played some dates of the tour, did you have the time to watch and enjoy them yourself?
"There wasn't that many people at the shows so the sales were not that high. But I'm not complaining. Yeah, we enjoyed having Kodiak on board for two shows. They played quite a lot of new material so it took me some time to get into it but they were good, and loud."
To all of you readers out there: Support SWITCHBLADE and buy there new album, it's really worth your hard earned cash! Now a couple of closing questions to be answered in short: Tim, when is your 12'' split with Kongh to expect?
"Thanks man. We are really slow when it comes to writing so don’t hold your breath. My guess is the spring 2010 maybe."
What is your favourite album actually?
"That’s a tough question. I don’t think I’ve heard a "10 out of 10" kind of album in quite a while but in the last few days I have really been enjoying the Eagle Twin album quite a lot."
What is in your opinion the most important release of Doom history?
"Oh man, that’s an even harder question. I think there has been a bunch of important albums in all sub-genres of Doom at different points in time so it’s hard to pinpoint just 1 album. But I don't think things would look and sound the same without the first Black Sabbath album."
Who's your personal hero in music business?
"No heroes really. I guess the "no gods - no masters" saying has stuck with me but of course there's alot of people in the music "business" that I respect both as musicians, persons and recordlabel-runners. No one mentioned - no one forgotten…"
What do you think about vegans?
"I think veganism is good. I was a vegan myself for a number of years. But as with a lot of other things some people become fanatic and go to extremes. And take action like burning meat-trucks etc. I do not approve of things like that."
...about the world financial crises?
"I don't really have an answer to that but I think that a lot of the crisis is in people’s mind."
…about SWITCHBLADE?
"I think that it’s something very important in my life as it has been for the last 11 years and will hopefully continue to be."
What are your last words, at least for this interview?
"Thank you for your support and interest in SWITCHBLADE. Keep up the good work and hope to see you soon!"
Thanks for your interesting answers and your honesty, the Doom community is watching you!
