tORPEDO::interview
    Some of you may have heard about torpedo...?! a scandinavian band just making good 
    music... catchy tunes, pop melodies with some indie rock. they just did some shows here 
    with tiger lou and his wife. the so called scandinavian bombination... we stepped by to 
    ask some questions` but we forgot who did the explicit answers, however who cares?!
    haha, we do not... so go for it and read! 
 

torpedo is:     puntus levahn (guit, vox)     andreas hogby (vox)     erik welén (bass)     jimmy ottosson (drums)

    fRk: the first question I have is how did torpedo arise?

    it started out with me and andreas,the singer.we have been playing together in different 
    bands when we were younger.we both had written some songs and we just decided form 
    a new band. I wanted to start a band where I can play guitar.we'd recorded these 3 songs 
    at a friends studio and so we did and then it turned out really well and we just asked our 
    friends to join the band...that's how it started. 

    fRk: since when is it?

    last summer.we recorded the songs in july 2004 and then eric,the bassplayer came to the
    band like right after the recording and then we started looking for drummers and then 
    suddenly we met jimmy so we formed the band in august maybe.

    fRk: do u write each song together or does there exist one specialist?

    no...well...me and puntus do the most of the material but now we started working more 
    together I think thats probably the best thing to do,I guess,because everyone gets to do their 
    own part and the songs is so much better when we are doing all together from the beginning 
    I think.thats how it works ussually.

    fRk: where I mean in which countries did u already play and where did u get the most 
    feedback? Sweden?

    germany is the best! we played one gig in france and weve done austria and in sweden but
    in germany that is the best.

    germany is always the best. I mean it is really weird,cause...playing in sweden is really nice 
    but I like the audience in germany better.

    they're a bit stiff in sweden.

    fRk: why dont u like it when someone is responsing u to bloc party?

    I can understand why people do that.But it is still a big wave and people start like comparing 
    all bands to these bands that are big. I mean,you dont want to be compared to another bands 
    of course!It doesnt matter if it is "oh,you guys sound like metallica."it is not because of bloc 
    party,I mean bloc party is great band. 

    Personally I think its like making it a little to easy for yourself with comparing it to bloc party.
    It is a great band we love them but it is more to torpedo than just to be compared to bloc 
    party.you have to go deeper.OK,you can say we sound like bloc party and you can make 
    people understand what kind of music it is.But there is more in torpedo than just saying we 
    are sounding like bloc party or interpol or this big wave,you know? 

    fRk: can you tell me some secrets clues of music bands which arent very famous?

    there are a lot of good bands in sweden.It sounds a bit weird but I think sweden is the 
    best country with making music.Sorry to say it (loughs) but I really think so.And I dont 
    know...mmmhhh...well....oh yeah jimmy,our drummer  has another band called "the je ne 
    sais quoi",they are awsome!!so everyone who reads this has to check them out.and 
    otherwise I would say some small upcoming bands from sweden.one band is called 
    "convoj" ,they are really good.(pause)what else,what else....oh yeah,"alarmerman" 
    and "cut city". 

    fRk: Do you know a homepage where someone can get a lot of links to these bands?

    Yeah, you go to www.itsatrap.com.its an american side.it is a side of a guy who knows 
    everything about scandinavian music.he knows more about scandinavian music than anyone 
    from sweden does.just go there and go to the link-section.

    fRk: do you know any german bands?

    yes,but I am not in the new bands but I like older german bands.there was a huge wave in 
    the early 70s in düsseldorf around the krautrock-thing.there was a band called "neu" and 
    called "laut düsseldorf" and "can" and then of course "kraftwerk".

    I would say the same thing!

    fRk: why did you take the name "torpedo"?is it a different meaning than the submarinearm?

    me and andreas we were into a lot of submarine u boats.we were living together,we shared 
    an apartment together.we rented a lot of movies.submarine movies are so cool!and then we 
    decided to rent all submarine movies they had.and we started looking them.so we were 
    watching submarine movies every night for about one week.and then were supposed to 
    watch the grande finale "das boot".

     but we  haven't done that yet.

    but we bought the dvd and when we come home we gonna see it.
    I guess our strong fascination of submarines defenatly contribute to the name torpedo.

    fRk: ok my last question would be what is the future of torpedo?will there be any breaks 
    or stops with your other bands? 

    I am not in any other band!so hopefully we will work more and more with torpedo but it 
    hasnt been any problem with any other band sor far.so I hope it will stay like this.and also 
    we are doing tours together.the last one we did together was with tiger lou.we started 
    working on new material and hopefully we'll have an album finished in like a year or 
    something, I dont know!But I think there won't be any problems.

    we try to make more time for the band.we all play in different bands but like to get 
    a tour-offer you just have to make time.you tell the other people in the other bands:
    "these 2 weeks I am going to work with topedo" or " these 3 weeks I am going to record 
    with topedo" you have to work that way.I mean me for exampe I will go out and tour 
    with tiger lou this fall but then soon that I come home we'll start working with torpedo. 

    we share the rehearsal room with the je ne sais quoi.and thats making it a lot easier like 
    having the same place.we can share equipment and time.It is like we are a big family of bands.

    text: daniela