The Defectors, strange name... The story behind it?
To defect is kind of escaping from where you come from. We all sort of defected from other bands when we formed the Defectors. We also wanted a name that was connected with the world of agents and in some languages it means that something is broken – which was the case for many of our instruments – and we love noise from broken instruments, ha ha... Almost ten years since your first album? Is that what you are celebrating and plan to release an anniversary album? Any words about it?
Yes, we are celebrating by releasing an album with tracks that never made it for the albums. Some tracks just didn’t fit in at the time and others we had to skip cause we had too many for an album. The plan is to give it away for free as download, maybe for a short period of time only. Then release it as hardcopy after that.
What influences you most from the everyday life?
Love, he he – and the bad love in particular – for the lyrics I mean. As for the music it’s a combination of the music we listen to and at the same time wanting to make it our way. We don’t think we live in the sixties and don’t want to sound pure sixties – we are inspired by the old classics of course – like everybody else are inspired by the music they like – but we hope to bring something different to the scene.
When I first listened to “Turn me On” I was moved by the “Excellent music for driving” label and tried it on my own. I must say the speed limit was exceeded shortly after the disc started…… Was this what it was all about after all?
We don’t’ make our music to tell the world something deep felt. We make it because it’s cool and a lot of fun. In the beginning we took our demos for a ride in the old Ford Anglia our drummer had – and if it sounded fine in that car and it felt great to drive to, it was approved. Actually I still use that formula in my own car.
You seem like a band you like going on stage and hitting the road a lot. How crucial do you believe is for a band’s breeding to have often communication with the audience?
Unfortunately it’s been two years since we really toured. Only a few gigs here and there and that’s not good. Right now we are working on new material and hopefully ready to hit the road soon again. We really miss being out there. That gives us a lot – new friends and new inspiration from all the bands we play with at festivals or local support acts.
What has been your biggest challenge as a band in becoming famous in Scandinavia and around Europe?
Ha ha, actually the biggest challenge has been to having enough time to tour and make new records. We have to make money to live one way or another, and our music don’t pay enough to live from a 100%. Also it has been hard to get good distribution in some countries. A lot of good labels has passed away – it has been a struggle for them too, because of all the new platforms they have to work with.
I always had the question. How it comes and Denmark of 5 million people has so many bands? A phenomenon for the rest of Scandinavia as well. How do you explain it?
Like Seattle, the weather is not too god in Scandinavia. It could be part of the explanation. Maybe the fact that Denmark is so small, a band has to go abroad to play if they want to do something about it.
What happened and what have changed for garage punk music during the past decade from your point of view?
When we started rehearsing late 1997, there were not many new bands playing garage punk. We played with the Hives once, back then, before they got huge – and for me it was around the time when they had their first hit, it really changed. Maybe not because of them, but there was a hunger for music with balls. Since then almost all new rock bands called themselves ’garage bands’. Maybe they were, but the real garage for us is the one with roots in the 60’s snotty garage .
I have read that you have your own recording studio and that’s where you recorded “Bruised and Satisfied”. Why did you choose that way?
That’s right, we built the Cairo HiFi studio some years ago and tried to record our 3rd. album there (Turn Me On). However it didn’t turn out to our satisfaction and seeked help elsewhere. A well know producer in Denmark found it interesting to work with our sound and we re-recorded the whole album in his studio instead. For the latest album we tried again in Cairo HiFi, now with more success thanks to better (older) microphones and another good producer. The material we make now for the next album, we probably also will record at Cairo HiFi.
What can you tell me about your instruments, gear and way of recording? Do you stick with the old fashion way?
All instruments are pretty old. Especially the old Farfisa Compact Duo from the sixties. As mentioned before, we are not purists, but like the old analogue sound best. We used to record on tape. Now we record on hard disc but through an old mixing desk which gives the right sound for us. Normally we record all together in one room and then dub the vocals. We try to make it as simple as possible
. You participate in Fuzztone’s tribute album “Illegitimate Spawn” covering “It came in the Mail”. Did you choose that song?
We were given some songs to choose from and this was one we thought we could give our own interpretation of.
What are you listening to at these days?
Cramps (Lux: R.I.P.), The Monsters and all the usual stuff from Sonics to Stomach Mouths. Of new discoveries for me, Crystal Antlers, more psychedelic but still noisy, Great!!!
What’s your stage trademark?
Must be our tall singer and knifes.
The most bizarre incident on the road or at a show?
Homeless kids in Sao Paulo – that’s really sad. And girlyboys in Argentina. It’s not directly something to do with our music but some of the most bizarre things I’ve seen on tours. I guess all the flat tires, naked women on stage and nasty food will always stand in the shadow of that.
What’s with Riccardonna Vermouth?
During the making of 3rd. album we drank a lot of Riccardonna instead of beer etc. Just to try another kind of inspiration for the music – we actually felt drunk in a different way. We don’t drink it that much anymore. Absinthe took over ;)
What are the top of the list three things you plan to do as a band during 2009?
1. Making of the next album.
2) To tour more. Hopefully fall 2009 to tour Europe again.
3. Releasing our anniversary album.
(martin budde, the defectors).
Interview by Zombie Fuzz
|