Andy: First off, congratulations on your debut album with Tee Pee, it`s definitely a keeper. I think the first thing I`d like to throw on the table is Norrsken. It`s really exciting to see three different bands, Witch, Dead Man, and now Graveyard, emerge from that one band. Could you tell us a little bit about Norrsken, and who from Graveyard played with them?
Axel: Thanks! From Graveyard, it is Rikard (bass) and Joakim (vocals, guitar) who were in Norrsken. They were definitely the best band in �rebro at the time when they were around. I`m a couple years younger than them and I remember watching them live all the time, being totally crushed by how good they were live. An explosion. Kristoffer (Dead Man guitar, vocals) was/is an amazing drummer too. I remember wanting to be as good as him. Also remember hassling Magnus about buying demos after school... I know many labels have been interested in re-releasing all the stuff they recorded, but I don`t think anyone knows where the masters are... It`s also kinda cool to keep a bit of mystique about it. I don`t know, it`s up to those guys if that would ever happen I guess.
Andy: I understand you guys don`t just consider yourselves just a retro, throwback type of band. One of the benefits of making music with an obvious 70`s vibe is that you`ve got 30 years of music since then to also draw from. What do you consider some of your more modern influences?
Axel: I don`t know if I would say they influence us, but I really like The Black Keys. Earthless are fucking amazing live too. Those who didn`t get to see their Roadburn show will die as bitter, sorry bastards, ha ha ha. There`s a Swedish jazz pianist that I think have influenced many bands too. Jan Johansson, he`s been dead and buried for a couple of decades though. I think that we`re influenced by many different things, not only music. But as for me, I like (besides for the obvious rock preferences) early Metallica for instance and Bonnie Prince Billy, different shit. I think we all like watching other good musicians play, that can really want to make you go back and rehearse. Sometimes it makes you want to quit when they are too good haha. We saw At The Gates recently and that was awesome! [They] killed it. One band that people should check out is Horisont from Gothenburg. They are on our top friends list on MySpace. I`ve heard rumors about a debut album this fall...
Andy: Who does most of the writing in Graveyard, both musically and lyrically, or is it collaborative?
Axel: It`s very collaborative, we all contribute. But it can vary a lot, sometimes someone comes to practice with an an almost ready song and sometimes it`s all jamming from start to finish.
Andy: You did a few shows in the US recently, including South by Southwest. I saw you at the Northampton, Massachusetts show; it was a pretty stellar performance. How did the other shows go, and how was your SXSW experience?
Axel: We had a blast!! Sort of mayhem. It was fun that the dude from Rolling Stone showed up to check us out, David Fricke. None of us knew what he looked like or even knew that much about him. But it feels kind of cool that Rolling Stone writes about your first US show ever. Annihilation Time were great to see live too!
Andy: How did you all end up hooking up with Witch, and how was it playing and touring with them? Any cool stories from the road?
Axel: On the same label in the US... Dave, who plays bass in Witch, really liked our album, and Kyle`s dad too. Since it was easier for us to get around in Europe than a US band, we hooked up. We met in the States before that and had a blast with them too. The tour was cool, a lot of good gigs. But it was a logistic nightmare. Our piece of shit van died at Roadburn. We had to take it to the junkyard, got a lift to Belgium and then back to Holland. Bought a Volvo, that died on the autobahn in Germany in the middle of the night, attracting German cops and shit. It worked out though, not a serious fault. All in all, we had to cancel a four shows, rent a new van in Sweden and then get back out there... We were attacked by German kickers in Berlin, that thought all men with long hair are gay, and they were ignorant bastards who had a problem with gay people. So we got yogurt attacked at a falafel-diner and had to flee their Russian-steroid friend. Can`t be easy be gay in Germany...
Andy: When I saw you guys play, you did at least one song that wasn`t on the album, and it ruled. Do you have any plans to do more recording soon?
Axel: We`re finishing up a couple of songs at the moment, one of `em is the one we played when you saw us. We`re gonna do a split with Witch soon. Right now it looks like there will be two new unreleased studio tracks and two live tracks.
Andy: What are your plans as far as touring is concerned?
Axel: As much as we can. Right now it looks like we`re coming over to the us this fall to tour for at least a month. With whom and when is still being negotiated.
Andy: Tee Pee really has a great roster of bands going for them, how does it feel to be one of the family?
Axel: Don`t know if we`re a family, but there`s a lot of good bands on there for sure! And we`re feel very comfortable being on Tee Pee Records, no doubt about that.
Andy: Out on the road, what other bands have you played with and seen that blew your mind?
Axel: Well as I mentioned before: Horisont from Gothenburg, our friends Dead Man and Witchcraft. Another band from Gothenburg that people should check out is Uran � ice cold space punk, monotone, double-bass, demented heroes. There`s quite a few good bands here in Sweden now when I think about it... Den Stora Vilan (if you`re into The Dead), the movements (space-garage elevators), among other really good bands.
Andy: What other bands are coming out of Sweden these days that we should all keep our eyes open for?
Axel: See above...
