UNLEASHED

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Thomas... trying to look grim (but the truth is, he's a handsome guy! ;-)

After the Unleashed gig in Munich on November 15, 2006 we caught Thomas for a little talk. He turned out to be a really nice guy ... believe me, the grim face expressions on the photos are faked! :-)  Even though there wasn't much time (some friends of him were already waiting for him) he anyway took out "10 minutes" for us ... thanks a lot for it (and for your lanyard)! Twi. 

((Comments in double brackets are additional explanations of Twilightheart)) 

Sheol > What were the highlights of the tour so far?

Thomas > I think one of the highlights was tonight. And yesterday was pretty good too, in Vienna. Paris was good, we had some good shows, also Essen. It was a good tour. We had some downs, but that was probably up to the guy who booked the touring in the wrong places.

Sheol > Where did you have most visitors, do you know?

Thomas > I think that was in Essen. 

Sheol > I think it’s a cool idea to change headliner position every day. Do you mix it differently every day, or is there a fixed system?

Thomas > On the first day we had 4 notes, so every band took one. And then it just rolled on after that. The first band is playing first on an evening, next evening that band plays second, and so on. 

Sheol > So you always play after Grave…

Thomas > Basically, yeah. And it’s good.

Sheol > Why did the other guys wear those masks on stage tonight? Carneval? 

((Some members of Dismember and Entombed did wear strange masks on stage for some minutes, or during the soundcheck.))

Thomas > No no, on this tour we’re only Swedish guys. And we’re having a great party all the time. All the guys are at the same level, crazy humour, and we have a lot of fun. And things like those masks are the things we have the fun with. 

Sheol > Why did YOU not wear one then?

Thomas > I don’t know really.

Sheol > Are they doing it every night?

Thomas > No, tonight was one of those special nights.

Sheol > You produced your new album in your own studio. Why not also have your own label and have full control?

Thomas > No, we don’t do everything ourselves. Like our management, we don’t do that because the guy who is managing us right now, who has been doing that for 12 or 13 years, is doing a good job, making us succeed in the way we do it. And the same thing with the record label, we just moved from Century Media to SPV, a much bigger company. And they will promote us to make more money out of it than if we would do it ourselves. 

Sheol > You wanted to do a live DVD, filmed at any German festival in summer 2006?

Thomas > Yeah, we already made the live DVD stuff, so I think it’s coming out in March or something like that. 

Sheol > Will there be footage of this tour as well?

Thomas > Might be on the second DVD, yes. There will be a surprise for you all. 

Sheol > You cancelled the X-mas tour and many bands then cancelled as well after you cancelled.

Thomas > Maybe they were scared of the new package!? But we had to cancel it to be able to do this tour right now. 

Sheol > There are some strange rumours going around lately, that you cancelled some festivals because they didn’t pay you enough money. Means, they didn’t wanna pay you the enormous big amount you asked for. 

Thomas > I can tell the following: If we would have booked a festival, we wouldn’t have cancelled it after we were booked. But as I said, we work with a management, an agency  and all that, and if they see that the money is too low to do the whole procedure, then we won’t do the whole show. 

Sheol > Is Anders actually completely healthy again?

Thomas > Yes, on and off. But we have to keep him on a short leash. No smoking, you know. A lot of drinking, but no smoking. 

Sheol > I’m just afraid that drumming (which is extremely hard work, of course) is dangerous for his body now somehow. 

Thomas > Yeah, but as long as he is okay with his lungs, he will be fine with drumming, too. But we had 2 shows with a different drummer. (One of it was the Hellflame festival for instance.) But he’s doing a good job. As long as he’s okay with his lungs, he’s fine. 

Sheol > So you hopefully never considered to kick him out of the band?

Thomas > No no no no no! No way! That’s not gonna happen!

((Some fans crossing, asking Thomas for autographs, taking photos of him… and this gives us the idea for the next question.))

Sheol > Does it disturb you during a gig, when the flashes of the cameras go all the time?

Thomas > No. I see the flash, but I don’t care. 

Sheol > Isn’t it that you can’t see anything anymore for a second when the flash hits you?

Thomas > No no. When you’re on stage there’s so much happening. You have the lights, the flashes and so on. 

Sheol > Does it disturb you when (like today) 6 or 7 photographers stand in the first row, NOT headbanging but just photographing?

Thomas > Of course not. No no no. If someone wants to take pictures: Thank you very much!

Sheol > Are you disturbed by the lots of stagedivers?

Thomas > Well, if they come up on stage like standing there in your way, there’s no problem, it’s just for fun. But if they come up and touch you, trying to headbang with you, then it’s not so funny. Because I already had people jumping on stage really fast, knocking me over into my hand and make me fall over. Then I kick their asses fucking back down again. 

Sheol > What should a fan never do to you? Where’s the limit?

Thomas > There are no limits. 

Sheol > What about camping in front of your house? ;-)

Thomas > If they wanna do that: fine! I would invite them in for a beer. 

Sheol > Oh, okay… next year, summer… us camping in front of your house! ;-)

Thomas > Ah, it’s not nice. I live in a weird suburb of Stockholm. But you can come and live in the camper! That would be fun. But I have to call the local press: “There’s someone sitting in front of my door”! ;-)

Sheol > You have to cook for us, as we have holiday then. 

Thomas > No no, you must cook for me then and bring me breakfast and coffee! ;-)

Sheol > Okay, but you must eat what we will cook! 

Thomas > Okay, I’ll try to! ;-)

Sheol > Let’s get serious! Do you like living in Stockholm? 

Thomas > I like living in SWEDEN for sure. Because that’s the country No. 1. Sorry, but that’s the way I see it. I’m not from Stockholm actually, I’m originally from up north in Sweden, from Orsa. Or do you know Dalarna? It’s in that area. 

Sheol > Are there other bands from that area?

Thomas > Yeah, there are a few bands, like Centinex from Hedemora, and Hypocrisy are from Ludvika… that’s the Dalarna area, too. 

Sheol > Some fans call you the Godfathers of Death Metal. How do you see the status of yourself nowadays?

Thomas > We’ve been around for 15 years and I think we’re up there, fighting for Death Metal as we should. Defining our status, that’s something that’s up to the people that come to our shows and buy the records. There’s no status as I see it. I hope we’re still up there for shows. I don’t wanna sit against the wall and see myself as a Godfather of Death Metal, that would be stupid. We do the best we can, spreading our message: Death Metal Victory!

Claudia and Thomas

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