Sunday, January 2, 2011

FESTER INTERVIEW (old one from myspace re-posted)



Welcome to Transylvanian Forest E-zine! How the hell you guys been?
All fine Danny, all fine

1)When did your band start, why, and where?

FESTER were founded in Askim ( Norway) back in '89. Started up with a bit different line up, but soon to emerge as the lineup we've seen on the records. We were just 4 teenagers who were into hard and extreme music, and wanted to play it ourselves.

2)How is it you guys got so many record labels after you guys to join? and I read their was a few problems with a few labels along the way? please explain...

Record labels has the tendency to either get broke or screw bands around.. No fashion records got broke, then we signed to Lethal Records in '93, and then they got broke before we did the 3rd album.. Kyrck contacted us for the demo compilation a year ago, as you might know they specialize on releasing old , unreleased cult demo material on cd/vinyl. For the new re-releases I chose two small labels, one for the cd release, and one for the LP release, where I knew they did cool releases, and did a hell of a job promoting it! We'll see what happenes next... Plenty!


3)Who plays what in the band, and how is the recording process go for you guys?

As you might know FESTER split up in 1994, and has been asleep for many years..
But we used to have this lineup ; Drums-Jan Helge Skjolden, Bass-Jørgen Skjolden (RIP), gutars/vocals-Rolf Tommy Simonsen and guitar/vocals-Bjørn "Tiger" Mathisen. We were supposed to get the band back together in 2000, but Jørgen died of a drug overdose the same year... FESTER has resurrected this year after 16 years of sleep, and new material is currently being written...

We've always been a band specialize in what is best. Doing live shows, or be in the studio.. The recording process itself has , personally, been the best. I guess it's exhausting, but a real satisfaction when the album is finished!

4)Have you ever gigged before? and what do you prefer, a live setting or in the studio setting?

We did several gigs in the old days with bands as Cadaver, Balvaz, Algol, Taake,Strid ++

Just as we split up we were offered a tour with At the Gates, but turned it down.. I guess I was tired of playing live, and hated all the conformists who entered shows for all the wrong reasons. As mentioned before, some of the other members loved playing live, so we were always kind of split on that! Ha ha





5)How has the fan reaction been to your music? positive or negative?

The fans reactions was always good! That being said:- In the end FESTER never cared about what people's reaction was, of course it's nice when fans love what you do, but we always meant that music shall not be made for people to like, but to be a channel to express your aggression, hate, loss, or whatever. I have noticed that "true" believers does not like the Silence album as good as Winter of Sin, but then again others like Silence better..

6)How many albums/demos have you guys done?

Fester did our first demo " The introduction" in '91, the "Winter of Sin" demo in 92, the "Winter of Sin " album in '92 , the "Silence" album in '94, a demo compilation / live this summer - "The commitments that shattered 1991-1992". Both of the first two albums will be re-released soon, and a new album will see the light of day next year

7)What current label are you guys on now?

Right now we are doing the mentioned releases on two labels: Gatefold vinyls on the German "Ironebonehead Production" and different delux digi versions on the us based " Abyss records". A project I have played in called Sincera will release a full lenght on Abyss next year called "Cursed and Proud". It'll be a killer

8)How does the enviroment in Norway effect the way you make music? and what do you think of the legendary black metal bands that are from there???

Of course the Norwegian enviroment has alot to say. In winter there are only light for like 6 hours per day, cold, windy, snowy.. Mountains and fjords.. The four seasons are very distinct as well, and is superb for taking in all kinds of different moods... Old Norwegian history of course with vikings and trolls and so on has a lot to say. There is a reason why many genres in the bm scene has its origin from our land. Being as old as we are, we were a part of the scene back when it all started, and of course many of the bands are still very good. I have some personal favorites among them, but lets just say that some of them deserves to be legends, and others do not.





9)You guys have been around for awhile, how is it you are not as well known as the black metal bands of today? and do you prefer to stay underground???

When we released our demo's we always did it very limited... We didn't want to sell out, or be looked upon as trendy or something. But one also has to reckon the fact that FESTER never played pure black metal, and I can assure you that in 91-92-93 nothing else mattered. I was personally part of the scene, and hung out with amo Euronyomous and stuff, but as a band I feel that it wasn't the right time... It just was not evil enough to play black/death...I would never have done like Dimmu does now, and I think this music were never meant to be that big, and there is a reason why the forthcoming releases are done (still..) very limited

10)What do you think of the metal scene today?

Just too many bands, too many bands.. Some bands are real
great, but others stink so bad..The scene as a whole is getting BIG, and as mentioned earlier I am not sure if this music were ever meant to be for everyone.. But that is just the way things have become. The metal scene as a whole is good.. Metal can never be wrong.. Metal up your ass!


11)Who would you like to tour with?
I would not go on tour with anyone


12)Do you guys have hobbies or other enjoyable things you do in your own personal lives besides music?

I can only speak for myself. I prefer to spend time with the family and friends, trips in the woods, paint, write and just cool down in the sofa with a good movie.. Quit ordinary ..he he

13)Does your band interfere with the way things go with your personal life outside of the music?

Being a father to three, married for ten years and so on ( I got to be a grand dad in january!) for me the family is the most important thing, and my bands etc is my own personal space where I can expose another part of myself


14)How much longer do you think you will be making music for?

I wish I could have said forever, but I guess until the inspiration is gone... When I do not get something out of sitting with my guitar its all over...

15)Do you believe in the end of the world in 2012?
No

16)What is your songs about and how does the writing process go for you guys?

Our songs are about anti christianity, warriors, the dark side, nature, loss of will to live, hate, despair, sorrow... The tunes are mostly being written by the guitarist who make a base, take the songs to the rehearsal place, and then we arrange the song together with the other instruments, adding , cutting riffs, and so on

17)What do you think next year will bring for FESTER?

In december the "Winter of Sin" release will take place. The "Silence" album will be released in february 2011. My side project, Sincera, will release a studio/live split sometime next year, and.... having 6-8 songs written by FESTER will probably record a brand new album as well. Not with the original line up, but the same name and same kind of FESTERing tunes! A lot going on as you reckon !

18) I really like your music, and enjoy your style, I am glad to have interviewed you, and thanks for participating for the Transylvanian Forest Zine war brother! Thanks & cheers! -D -l-



Thanx alot for the interview Danny, and horns up !!! ("Winter of Sin" DIGI will be released on christmas eve.... Gatefold LP out NOW!!!)
FESTER -“ Death the way it was meant to be”
FESTER was founded back in ’89 and hails from Askim in Norway. This quartet of teenagers had a wish of playing hard, extreme music which described their inner self. It didn’t matter if it was called black, death ,doom , thrash metal, or what ever. FESTER never liked being labeled and being open to whatever came into their mind and hands, FESTER made original dark music which no other band to this date has made anything similar to.. The band themselves describes their music as Heavy, dark, atmospheric, gloomy extreme music with touches of Death, Black and Thrash metal. Or as an old flyer said : “ Death the way it was meant to be”.
The band , especially Tiger, was heavy into the Norwegian scene from ’91. Many claimed the band being part of the “Inner circle”, though the band never got the recognition they deserved due to the music style they played. It was only black metal who counted, and lots of great Death/Thrash bands got lost because of this.
Despite of this, FESTER’s two demos – “The Introduction” (’91) and “Winter of Sin” ( ’92) sold out fast, and the band received over 20 record deals. The band ended up releasing their debut album on the infamous “ No Fashion Records” in mid ’92. The album sold well, but due to several reasons the band made a new contract with “Lethal Records” in ’93. The band released their follow up album.

WATCH THESE YOUTUBE VIDEOS!!!!!!!! -D -l-
http://www.myspace.com/festernorway


 



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