INTERVIEW WITH SEIGMEN – SVERRE ØKSHOFF & NORALF RONTHI
«SEIGMEN is not a band who makes Music and shows just to sell music or get bigger. We make Music for the sake of it.»
SEIGMEN are back with a new album after an eighteen years studio hiatus. We couldn’t miss the chance to chat with them:
Eighteen years without an studio release are a lot of years, how did it felt to get back into the studio and record this album?
Sverre: I felt delight walking into the studio we have been so many hours together. Athletic sound With this greyhaired smiling man-Kay. It was like comming home.
Noralf: Before we got there, enticipasion, nervesness and pressure, -just the way I like it. When we got going, I just wanted to stay there. Heaven and hell, elements of what a Seigmen unity is built up on.
How was the vibe in there? Any annecdotes?
Sverre: It was the same Wibe as before. The band goes into a workmode concentrating, dividing us into the different areas in the studioroom, finding old Equipment we like to try out on the album.
Then try to economize time by writing down all my parts on the album, sort out all crazy ideas to try out and start thinking Music. Leave the world of everydaylife, switch of the phone and just be With old friends, laugh and have fun and do all the Things we did before. Studiolife can be quite joyful and i am thankful for have done that again. If conserts is the action and letting everything out, then studio is meditating and gathering every song in.
Noralf: Yeah, all kind of effect boxes, perc.things, sounds. Inside your headaches, you think: yeah, just the way I remembered it and you start smiling when the noise start to get structured and the sound is there. Homecoming. By the way, some of these instruments are exhibited at popsenteret in Oslo. And pictures by Bjørn Opsahl who did the photos on “Enola”. You find their page on Facebook. So if fans visit Oslo, Popsenteret is a great place to go.
The new album is called “Enola” and it was just released, what can you tell us about it?
Sverre: For me “Enola” stands for alone. Every human is alone. No one can change me if I do not want to. I can only change myself. No one can force me to think othervice than i do because i have my own thoughts. And no one can make me belive in something i do not argree With. I am my own responsability. I can not blame anyone for my actions. Therefor we are all alone. Enola.
How would you compare it to your previous “Radiowave?
Sverre– Radiowaves is an album of change. Seigmen went into something New at that time while bringing the seigmen sound and ideas With us. I think Kim wanted really bad getting out over the Norwegian border. Not get away, but just try to grow little bit more.
But one must not forget that Seigmen is not a band who makes Music and shows just to sell music or get bigger. We make Music for the sake of it. We enjoy making songs for Our selves. Each act is a small victory for us. Kim has an idea of a song. Often the hole song. We try it out, and then it startes, the creative prosess. We argue, laugh, make New turns and cooperating. Sometimes a song can take weeks. And sometimes we just put it away. It is not easy to make a seigmen song.
Noralf: Kind of back to the answer in the previous question, Seigmen has the ability to stand strong alone as a unity. Fortunately in the 90´s , the way we liked to create music for ourselves, with the creative freedom we stuck to, made our music kind of unique and made an impact with the audience, creating a strong fanbase. They are, in fact, the reason we desided to make new music again.
How would you describe the band’s current sound?
Sverre: I have increased the Power of my distortion amp, but mu sound is pretty much the same since -94. I used to have a Marshall jcm 900 50 w witch was ajusted to the limit on distrortion. Now i am using a blackstar 100. On cleansound i use Vox ac 30 1990mod. The same as 1994. And the same effects. 80s delay and mixing With different strange pedals. I love pedals and can buy one just to use it in one song. I thik i am more playful now, and that makes the current sound more different. But it is still the same. Why change a winning team?
The band’s 25th aniversary is really near, are you planning anything special? Perhaps this album is a celebration itself?
Sverre: No plans. Seigmenpicnic With the wives and kids maybe? Any suggestions?
Noralf: Klisne Seigmenn formed in 1989 and developed into Seigmen with the first EP out in 1992 «Pluto». No plans yet, but who knows.. 2 years to go.
I really like the cover artwork, how was it made? What message where you trying to express with it?
Sverre: Some of the Pictures is taken of the prosess of me making the seigmensign. I make Pictures With aquarell and started early ninetees taking artfoto. I have hade several Exhibitions over the years. This was an idea witch came from Bjørn Opsahl. He called me and asked if iIcould make the seigmen beast in metal or some kind of material, attatch bugs on it and he could photograf it. I enjoyed making the beast, and used a technique I often use on my other Pictures. (Check out www.okshoff.com <http://www.okshoff.com/> ). But attatching bugs was difficult. I hung up the seigmen sign(beast) outside my shed and painted of som greasy oily sweet stuff, and the reault you see in the cd. Bjørn made the main Picture and I have the book.
What are the main changes you’ve notice in music industry since your last recording?
Noralf: There are always changes when it comes to music, there are waves, some bigger than others, but I see a lot of creativity, new ways of putting old tones together. When it comes to physical experience, there is a whole new digital world, personally I love having the physical album in my hand, reading the lyrics, looking at the pictures and the artwork, giving me a feeling for the music. Another thing I love is that the audiences are there to see the artists perform. I love that.
And what about yourselves, have your approach to music change significantly since your last album?
Noralf: I guess we are more mature and knows more of what works between the individuals in our band. Still hard to do the work, but we feel more where the songs are heading in the creative prosess. We don´t really approach to trends and what is popular at any time. On the other hand, we try to give back to our hard core fans, after all, they are the reason we´re here now.
The Internet has become a big factor in music industry, what are in your opinon the pros and cons of the Internet for a band like you?
Noralf: If you want to make an impact today, you can no longer depend on paper, radio or tv alone. You have to make an impact on the net. That´s where the people are. That´s where the people talk.
Finally, here I let you this space to say whatever you feel to your fans:
Sverre: I hope you enjoy Our New record. Looking foreward to see you in gigs.
Noralf: You awoke the beast.
