A short while ago, RockUrLife was invited to meet up with the Swedish guys from Truckfighters. A stoner rock band that shows that you don’t have to be from the desert to rock the hell out. This interview took place in a Bastille’s hotel lobby, an encounter with Dango the hyper active guitar slinger and Poncho the new guy behind the kit.
Hi guys, thanks for having us around. You are on a promo tour right now for the new album “Universe” which is full of surprises. We can notice a real turn compared to your first edit “Gravity X” (2005). How did that evolution occur? From high gain amplification to something darker but still organic and solid.
Dango (guitar): I guess we’re more into laid-back/groovy things now…
Poncho (drums): And more melody now too I would say…
D: Yeah, more of the good stuff you know, “Gravity X” was nine years ago now, and we can’t do the same stuff nine years later. We’re getting older, and by that getting better and more efficient, we try to push our limits. So by doing that we try to do stuff that is going to make us think that it’s interesting music, both for studio and live. So it’s a bit more introspective composing. But not all the time, we still love the big groovy parts. The groove is the most important thing. You know you can play something very technical, but if there is no groove, it just doesn’t work. We don’t wanna be like Dream Theater… And we’re not good enough to do that either. (laughs) We are getting more mature and it is a conscious thing to try no to do what we’ve done before.
So this evolution in the writing throughout the albums gave you this evolution on stage too? Is there a crossover between you live acts and the studio?
P: Yeah, I’ve only been recording two times as I am the new guy, so I’m gonna let Dango answer that one…
D: Ok, well I guess in the studio we seek perfection and on stage we seek the vibe and the transition of energy between the crowed and us. When we play live it’s more adrenaline whereas in the studio we’re more focused on listening and enjoying music a different way. A live show is a special experience, I think that even if you don’t like the albums you can enjoy the live show.
Would that be your advice to a Truckfighters virgin: Come to the show, have a good time and catch up with the albums?
Poncho and Dango: YEAH!
Agreed! Totally off track, which were your influences guys, those gave you the music virus?
P: Personally, I started listening to KISS back in the days, and nowadays, it’s different types of mixtures, classic rock, hip hop, hard stuff, jazz… I don’t know, whatever comes to mind. And I don’t know for the guys at the beginning of the band.
D: At the beginning of the band, personally, as a musician, my first big influence was Nirvana and my first guitar player influence was Jay Mascis from Dinosaur Jr. I’ve listened a lot to that during the 90’s. Tool, of course, now I think it’s my favourite band. And some heavier stuff too, more progressive… I still like the bands that I listened to when I was a kid, but I don’t know if I’d like them as much if I discovered them now.
A recent review of “Universe” stated that it was Kyuss inspired, do you agree with that?
D: I don’t. Personally I just love Kyuss, I think they are a really good band, but I haven’t listened to it on a regular basis for years. We don’t do things one way or the other on purpose, it just happens.
Alright, throwing a new one in, since the beginning of the band, you’ve been through quite a number of new members. There’s actually a new one right now. How do you recruit or select guys you want to play with?
D: You know, the first year we’ve been touring so much, we didn’t have time to hang out with people. And when we get home, we spend some time with our families and have time to work on the album. So it’s not like it’s people we know all the time. We just throw out the word that we’re looking for a drummer for instance, and then we get recommendations. Pancho was found through a music fan and one of our old teachers in our hometown. I mean, I’d love to have only my best friends to become the drummer, but I don’t have so many best friends (laughs) and I don’t know that many drummers either. I mean it’s hard, all the guys we’ve had on the drums through the years were really good and everybody has to be really good at what they do to make the things work.
Ok, good ol’ power trio recipe. You guys will be on stage at the Divan Du Monde on the 28th of February, you’ve had a few shows in France and in Paris, how are you expecting this event?
D: Yeah, our show at Les Combustibles, it was fucking insane and fucking hot. Everybody in the room was soaked. I’m confident that the Parisians will show up an s participate. I don’t see a show where the crowd comes, we’re playing and they’re watching. We have to do something together, experience something. I feel like people in Paris get that, so we’re really looking forward to the gig.
Speaking about the crowd, you guys tour so much you must have met some pretty insane audience. Where did you have the best one?
D: I don’t know, it’s good all the time…
P: Russia was crazy.
D: Oh yeah, that show in Moscow, people were insane, stage diving and all…
P: And the last time in Sweden, a girl stage dived and no one took her… (laughs) Poor girl, and she was very pretty as well, so…
D: It was a bit scary, you know if she’d hurt herself or something…
After the Hellfest last year, do you have any festivals planned for the summer? Any in France?
D: Yeah, but we’re still waiting on the big one to confirm before setting our full list. We only have three confirmed in Europe. We would like to get Sonisphere UK or Download, Hurricane in Germany and maybe another one.
What can we wish for you guys in the future?
D: I would like to have a nice sold out tour. It doesn’t matter the size of the venues as long as we have a good vibe.
P: We’d be very happy to keep on doing what we do.
D: Yeah, I don’t need to have a fancy car and a 18 bedroom house. I guess we’re grateful to be able to live off our music. I have 14 guitars though… (laughs)
The time has come for our last question here. Our website is called “RockUrLife. What does rock your lives guys?
D: A good record!
P: Yeah something you can play on your vinyl table.
Without thinking: Name one vinyl!
D: Jimi Hendrix!
Thanks again guys for having us, see you on the 28th!
Dango and Poncho: Thank you. Keep rocking.
Website : truckfighters.com
