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Autopulver

Since the last couple of years there has been a small invasion with promising bands from the land of the fjords bringing you Motorpsycho, Gluecifer and Autopulver. This last band debuted about a year ago with their album 'f-words' and did the sunday morning wake-up call in the Charlie tent at the 1998 Lowlands Festival. Next week AUTOPULVER are performing at 2 freedom festivals in Holland, so KindaMuzik thought this was the right moment to fire some Qs at Frode Famøy, the band's songwriter and drummer.

Tekst: Niels van der Tang

Publicatiedatum: 17 mei 1999

Can you tell us something about the place you guys come from and how the music-scene is over there?
"Well, Oslo, the capitol of Norway is a small (500.000 people) and beautiful (but expensive) city. The music scene is growing more and more interesting every year now, I think. The big (and boring) record companies are getting scared of the competition and the independent labels and bands are growing massive. Overall, I think Norwegian musicians are getting more confident every day now and really believe in what they're doing. You know, Motorpsycho did break the ice and everybody (in the rock'n roll business at least) are really proud of them. Some other Norwegian bands you've might heard of: Siegmen, Turbonegro, Gluecifer and Poor Rich Ones."

Does the surrounding have any influence on the sound you have produced on the album 'f-words'?
"I'm not sure. Both yes and no, really. I mean if we had moved to, let's say, London 6 months prior to f-words, I'm sure it wouldn't be that different. A lot of people think that if you live in Norway, you'd live on a small farm up in the mountains, breeding ice-bears, climbing down to the fjord then row your boat 3 hours just to buy the newspaper. Oslo is just like another European city. Mostly nice people, some bad people, some nice buildings, mostly ugly buildings, some trees and grass and a lot of concrete and asphalt. On the other hand, as Zappa so brilliantly put it: "You are what you is". We don't deny that we're Scandinavians, but we sing in English because everything we listened to as kids were either English or American. In the end, the sound that makes a record, are a result of a very complex and everlasting process. We are five people with different experiences and visions, grown into something weird that's really hard to describe."

What is the message Autopulver wants to pass on to its listeners?
"Enjoy life. Have fun. Be kind. Make love. Cry, if you want to. Walk your dog every day. Be gay. Be straight. Or both. Remember to visit your family once in a while (if you have one). Believe in yourself. Believe in any god of your choice or none at all. Let loose. Don't lie too much. Be naked now and then. Laugh. Don't be too serious about everything. Fuck censorship."

What's the ultimate Autopulver dream?
"To wake up one day and realise that it wasn't just a dream..."

Are there any new releases planned for the near future?
"We have done a version of "Being Boring" by Pet Shop Boys. This single is (as far as I know) available in Holland and Belgium now and also contains an extra song which didn't make it on the album. This summer we will record our next album, titled "Supercar...what's the hurry?" It will be released this fall, with a single first."

How does Autopulver look upon MPEG3 distribution of it's songs across the Internet?
"We're 100% positive to this, record-companies are overreacting"

What's your opinion about festivals (both playing and visiting)?
"We really enjoy playing festivals, and are exited about the 5th of May, when we're doing both Haarlem and Groningen. As far as visiting is concerned, I can only speak for myself, but I can only stand one day at a time. It can be too much people for me. The Quart-festival in Kristiansand here in Norway last year was very good. I wont ever forget the gigs from Tori Amos or John Spencer Blues Explotion. I also enjoyed the last day of Lowlands last year, were we attended ourselves."

What's been spinning in the Autopulver cd-players lately?
For me it has been:
dEUS "The ideal crash"
Underworld: "Beaucoup Fish"
Placebo "Without you I'm nothing"
Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach "Painted from memory"
P.J. Harvey "Is this desire"

If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?
"Sneak-assassin Milosevic and his generals to end the war. Alternatively, how does your wife/girlfriend look like?"

What have you most regretted doing while drunk?
"Drinking even more..."

In which foreign country or city would you like to live in for a while?
"Definitely New York. Have never been there, but everybody seems to love the city."

http://www.kindamuzik.net/interview/autopulver/autopulver/353/
Meer Autopulver op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/autopulver