A few weeks ago I received Urban Savage's debut LP "Let Thunder Roar", didn't really know what to expect of it but the mix of UK'82, Oi! and hardcore kicked my ass! After the review it was time to contact these Swedes for a little Q&A and Viktor was kind enough to send me the following answers back!
Hi Viktor, thanks a lot for doing this interview! How have you been doing?
Thank you! I´m fine, just got back from the post office after sending off a few packages.
You released your debut LP, “Let Thunder Roar”, with Urban Savage about two weeks or so ago, are you satisfied with the final result?
Yes, pretty much satisfied with what we did then but of course there are a few of things that we might have done a bit different. But all in all we´re satisfied with it.
If I am correct the album was already recorded about 10 months ago right? How come it took so long to get it pressed on wax?
Yes, the album was recorded on the first weekend in January 2014 and we were expecting it to be pressed and released around May/June 2014. The twists and turns are too numerous to be written down, but basically we had all sorts of problems during the process- most of them due to our own mess.
After sorting all of them we thought we would have it out quickly – but when we got the test press it sounded terrible. A few angry emails back and forth between the pressing plant and us then we got a new test press – that sounded just like the original we sent them – and then we finally got it a few weeks back. So now we´re just trying our best to get it out to people who thought it never would turn up.
You guys self-released it on your own label Savage Records, why did you decide to release “Let Thunder Roar” on your own instead of a label with a proper distribution network?
The main reason was probably stubbornness and just being used to that way of doing things as both Svart Städhjälp and Hårda Tider have done things on their own. It was the work of the four of us and we didn´t want to take any short cuts or get free rides.
As for distribution, maybe we were naïve but we thought that if a record is decent enough it will sell itself. So far it actually works fine, we´ve gotten a lot help from friends and contacts from all over who helped us out and we´re really grateful for that.
As you might have read in my review, I fuckin’ love the record! How have the reactions been on the album so far?
So far the reactions have been really good and we have gotten some very positive reviews from different places. More so than we ever thought we would anyway and of course we appreciate it. The record haven´t been out for that long but hopefully more people will pick it up and have a listen for themselves.
Can you tell what influences Urban Savage when it comes down to the lyrics?
Everyday reality and life in general is the best answer. The world is quite a cold and grim place at times and we try to tell stories about what´s happening all around us.
Defining what genre you guys ‘belong’ into seems a lot tougher to describe with Urban Savage drawing influences from various genres within our subcultures, in the end it’s all punk if you ask me! But what bands influenced you guys the most?
Yes, we all got different stuff that we´re into but I think we all agree on Blitz, Discharge, Negative Approach at least. We haven´t really thought about what genre we should be stuck in, but rather did our best to play whatever came out when the four of us got together. I think bands like Dead stop, Camera Silens, Hoist a few, The Templars somehow have influenced a bit. That and a load of old rock and metal bands we grew up listening to.
Urban Savage has been around for nearly three years now, but it wasn’t until more recently you guys started playing live as well. Why did it took you guys so long to finally start gigging?
The reason for not playing that many gigs have been mainly because we never really talked about doing it in the first place so we just hung out and rehearsed for about two years. But after we recorded the album, we talked about it and decided to at least try to play live once – just to show people that we actually existed. We had a blast and people seemed to be into it so since then we have played a handful of gigs. The gigs have been very well received so we are getting a bit more comfortable with playing live.
Last October (2014) you guys recorded another four songs for an upcoming EP, can you tell a bit about the new recordings and what we can expect of it?
We recorded the album in a very small room in a bunker-like complex in a “lively” part of town. It was claustrophobic and perfect in one way. And the new songs for the 7” were recorded at our friends house out in the countryside, far away from everyone and everything. A bit of a different experience, but I don´t know if it really had an impact on the sound, maybe the new songs have a bit more thickness to them? We´re in the last stages of the mixing and hopefully getting it finished in a week or two, then we´ll see what we will do.
Besides Urban Savage some of you guys play in other Swedish hardcore-punk bands such as Hårda Tider and Svart Städhjälp. Hårda Tider just released a split LP with Night Fever and Svart Städhjälp released their self-titled debut album this summer. Can you tell a bit about those releases?
I´m actually the only one who doesn´t play in any other bands but the others are busy bees.
Hårda Tiders latest release is a split 12” with Night Fever from Denmark on Adult crash records, it´s some of the best stuff around at the moment. Hårda Tider mix old and new hardcore and crossover to a lot of scenes.
Svart Städhjälp has finally recorded an LP after putting out three great 7”s and it´s brilliant. It´s not the usual d-beat style we´re used to from Sweden, but raging fast 80´s hardcorepunk and you can get it from Punks Only Records.
Is it easy to combine bands? Urban Savage hasn’t been that busy yet with live shows, but I can imagine you guys will be more active now the LP is out. Thoughts?
We never had any major problems. We try to prioritize – who ever has a gig or something else planned goes first. We might double book things and need some time to schedule a date for gigs due to people being on tour, recording, working or whatever – but generally it works fine.
As for playing gigs, it´s depends on getting time off work and if anyone offers us gigs- we got a handful of gigs planned so far. We´ll definitely will try to play more often than we´ve done in the past anyway. Three times in 3 years is not that hard to beat.
I am about to round things up here, I just wanted to ask one last thing about Malmö, or Sweden in general, how is the scene over there these days? Any bands you recommend to listen to and where are the must-go’s when on holiday in Malmö?
Malmö scene is great and doing even better and the rest of Sweden delivers a lot of new good bands and places to play. A few months back there was “Malmö hardcore fest” with a blend of what this town has to offer from the underground scene. It was 20+ bands and 3 days all in all. All styles and genres of punk/oi/hardcore. A few bands from Malmö are Bäddat för trubbel, Oldfashioned Ideas, Slöa Knivar, Vindicate this!, Knaegt and Revenge.
As for holidays in Malmö…it´s a laid back town, but with a great buzz to it. It´s known for its nice parks, small cafés and rowdy nightlife. For tourists, the only safe card all year round is the sauna at Ribersborgs beach with a great view across the strait between Sweden and Denmark. Have a few expensive beers, get naked, swim in ice cold water, then go for a hot steam sauna. It´s an quick way to get a bit of everything Sweden and swedes are known for – drinking, nudity and being awkwardly silent together in large groups.
Okay that’s it! Thanks a lot for your time! If there’s anything you’d like to add to this interview, feel free to do so!
Nothing to add really besides a big thank you for taking interest in what we´re doing and letting us get the time of day. Anyone interested in picking up a copy or more – get in touch with us through our email: urbansavagemalmo (at) gmail.com and we´ll do our best. Skål!
