Original interview
Norwegian hard rock has started to stir. Rebolt are one of the bands I appreciate and hope you, the reader, will give a chance. Based in Telemark, they join a fine line of musicians who have made their way beyond the local scene, leaving good tracks nationally and internationally. I talked with vocalist Frode. Here is our conversation.
When I reviewed ‘Made in Spite’ earlier this year, I used the term hard rock. Did you end up there because it felt natural, or because you found common ground that worked for everyone?
“Both, really. The common ground where all four of us could meet was AC/DC rock, and the pure energy and expression that kind of music is built on. We had one rehearsal together, learned ‘High Voltage’ and won a talent competition the next day. We could not have done that unless it felt natural to all of us. We love a clean, clear riff.”
Does the whole band share the same inspirations, or are there differences? Perhaps it is healthy for someone to mix things up and bring in flavours from elsewhere. :)
“We are fairly spread out when it comes to inspiration. Knut Eirik is the least ‘rock’ of us, having spent much of his life on jazz and funk and very little time playing rock. But he has an incredible musical ear, so he could probably play anything. Kristian and Bård, the ‘youngsters’ — hehe — are, to my mind, the most conservative. They study Zakk Wylde, Ozzy and the good old hard rock that really belongs to my and Knut Eirik’s generation, the seventies crowd. Without exaggeration, I probably have the most schizophrenic musical taste in the band. I always sat in my bedroom listening to all kinds of music, almost making it a goal to find the quality in different genres. It might sound pretentious, but it is true!”
My overall impression of the record was that it sounded big, professional and right, but also loose and free within clear song structures. How did you put it together? Was most of it done in the studio, or planned beforehand?
“Good question. We are a live band first. When writing, we jam over a riff Bård or Knut Eirik has made, or a melody and lyric I come in humming. We do not spend days dreaming up perfect arrangements; we follow our instincts and stick to them. The songs often stay close to those moments when we suddenly understood what the song was, which I think helps them keep their playfulness and spontaneity. We work on them, of course, but broadly a song stays as it was after the first half-hour.
“We thought the sound on the two earlier demos was a little thin and weak, mostly because we had very little studio time, so this time we wanted to fatten it up. The songs were ready beforehand, but we spent a lot of time adding guitars and vocal tracks and finding the big sound. We had great help from Eldar Melkvik, who owns Neslandsvatn Lydbureau and engineered the recording. Afterwards, we spent quite a lot of time mixing, which would not have been possible without Eldar’s endless patience and goodwill. We were very careful and even dropped a song because we could not agree that it was recorded well enough. We are democratic: if fifty per cent of the band refuses, that is how it is.”
Telemark has produced many bands and a strong scene over the years. What is your connection to the local scene? Did anything in particular make you want to start a band?
“Well, we do not really feel we have been part of any scene. We started because we wanted to, though I cannot answer for the others. My main connection is that I have worked at Kroa i Bø for nearly eight years, first as a volunteer and now as managing director, so that is where my introduction to playing in bands happened. Knut Eirik probably holds the record for appearances on Kroa’s stage, and I am not far behind. We played together in the hair-metal cover band The Poodles, which played to full houses at Kroa’s eighties party three years running. That inspired us to start a ‘proper’ band. It was the kick up the arse that put the idea on the table.”
How do you feel the scene works in the Telemark region today? From outside, I get the impression it weakened when Skien lost 1001 Watt, but perhaps I just miss what is happening. :)
“Telemark has felt very fragmented. Notodden has had its thing, Grenland its own, and up here in the forests of Mid-Telemark we have been somewhere between everything. But many positive things have happened in Rebolt’s two years. There is more exchange of bands, a couple of festivals investing in young local bands, and especially Rockekamp at Kroa this spring, where ten bands competed for festival gigs, studio time and a support slot at Kroa. Things like that inspire young and old rockers, and I think I can now see the outlines of a really lively scene.”
I liked Rebolt’s vocals: classic and solid. Is that a disadvantage with labels compared with the growling, screaming and howling common in today’s metal scene? :)
“First, thank you! I love clean, energetic singing. It is liberating. I do not understand where clean vocals went in recent years, but fortunately some Norwegian bands now have singers who are not afraid actually to sing a note now and then! Øyvind Osa in El Caco and Torgrim Torve in Stonegard are exceptionally good, solid vocalists who still sound very rough.
“To me, they prove that you do not have to snort your vocals to have attitude. They have carried on James Hetfield’s legacy, so to speak. Singers like them underline the importance of vocals as an independent instrument, including in hard rock and metal. With all respect to the growlers out there, I prefer to distinguish voices and admire them the way I admire a good guitarist. Listen to old Glenn Hughes: he is still wild! I do not give a damn what labels think of vocal types. Good singing is good singing, and I believe people appreciate a good singer, particularly because it is the instrument most people can relate to.”
What happens next? Have the good support slots helped your network? Are you booking gigs, or planning a full-length album?
“Damn it, we are the world’s dullest band on that front. All four of us work, at very different hours, so even finding rehearsal time is difficult. We know we can blow anyone away, and we love doing it, but we really need someone with time and a burning desire to help us get gigs. Living in rural Telemark does not help; you do not meet as many industry people. So get in touch: we will play anywhere! We are not quite ready for a full-length yet because we need to strengthen our finances. We have planned a couple of studio days this autumn. We do not know what will come of it, but a little split single is a possibility.”
Rebolt were previously Powerage, a band I heard about on the Norselander forum. Why the name change? I think it was necessary to avoid being labelled a cover band. :)
“Exactly our point. We were sick of being asked whether we played AC/DC covers. Even Asbjørn from Pyro called me not long ago and thought we were a tribute band. I was tired of explaining every time I talked about the band, so I suggested changing the name. There are other bands called Powerage too, so once everyone agreed, it was obvious. A few people who cannot handle change have been sour about it, but that is their problem. I think the name change was the little extra step that took us over the threshold to becoming an independent band.”
What shaped the production? Did you bring records you liked to the producer and say, ‘Give us that sound’?
“Exactly! That is just what happened. We all loved the big sound on Motörhead’s ‘Inferno’ and gave that album to the engineer. We are also big Danko Jones fans and tried to approach something there too. The person mastering the EP received the same brief. We thought we did pretty well, given the tiny budget and just two recording days.”
Is Rebolt a band with families and children, or single guys who work and save for gear?
“As I said, we all have different jobs, so there is plenty of hassle around that. At the time of writing I am the only single one, and Knut Eirik will become a father in February, so it will be interesting to see how that works out. We certainly save for gear. Bård has upgraded a lot over the past year, and Kristian has to live at home to afford his drumsticks! The man hits bloody hard. I am happy if someone sticks a microphone in my face.”
On stage or in the studio: where do you like being most?
“The studio process is fun, and we are still very new to it. But being on stage gives us a kick that surely adds a couple of months to our lives. We love it, and for me it might be the best thing there is. You see that if you see us on stage. We will always be a live band first, and everything else after. That is why we started. Recording is just a tool for us — a fun tool, admittedly.”
Staying on stage: what can people expect at a gig? Heads up, maximum power, foot to the floor?
“Exactly what I answered in the last question. You get a band that gives everything and clearly loves what it does. There is an energy boost I think audiences respond to very well. Plenty of bands talk about how much they give on stage and how much they love it, but I have no doubt we have what it takes to back those claims up. I am usually dazed afterwards, which says something. Or it says something about my fitness. Probably both, hehe.”
Are you doing special promotion for the EP, or using it to build credibility and move towards the next step?
“It turned into a kind of promotional stunt. Because we had so little money, we asked people to pay for the EP in advance in exchange for getting their names in the cover. Some took us up on it, which helped a lot. Beyond that, we made it to have a proper product to present, something we could stand behind. It is certainly a step onwards. Whether we get any credibility is less certain. The media and music business, which usually hand out credibility, are rather blind to our apparently ‘simple’ music. Saying we play simple music needs qualification. If someone offered us a record deal, we would be the most surprised of all. But that is not why we do this: we just want to play rock!”
Is the Norwegian hard rock scene good, in your opinion? Are there bands readers should know?
“What we should call hard rock is another question. But good things are happening. Although I think there are far too many bands trying to play at being Gluecifer or the Hellacopters, with silly pseudonyms, ridiculous macho poses and endless riffing without hooks or melodies, without properly knowing their instruments. I love alternative rock, but it has made being crap at your instrument acceptable. Too many bands play just to pick up girls and be the cool guys around town. Check Urørt and Urørt Svisj to see them. They look so damn ‘right.’ Ugh. Fools.
“But then there are bands such as Null$katte$nylterne, who sing in the Trøndelag dialect; Stonegard and El Caco, Jaqueline, Nude Pube Banglers, Sahg, Mohammed, Brut Boogaloo, racecar and Thee Mono Sapiens. Or Heroes & Zeros and Grand Island, both of whom touch on hard rock and are excellent new bands. We are very different from all of them, but what we share is an affection for the hard rock that once was and will always remain. Some call it retro, but I say it is no more retro than what various pop musicians, ‘ordinary’ rock bands or jazz people do. What matters is having a good song and being able to play it well. Then the sound can be what it wants.”
Time is valuable: thank you for sharing some of yours. Any requests or final words?
“Check out
Rebolt.no for some free music, then email us and ask us to play for you! We bring life to the party! And look past all that bloody image business. Forget what your mates think and enjoy the music you want to enjoy. There is no such thing as unoriginal or not credible enough. War against cool!!!! Thank you.”
