Anatomi-71

INTERVJU FRÅN MAXIMUM ROCK N' ROLL #275

1, Well to start off the interview could you give us a brief introduction to Anatomi-71 and tell us some bit of background stories on the band? What is the purpose of Anatomi-71? By the way, Anatomi-71, what kind of name is that?

Limpan: Ok, we're Anatomi-71, a swedish d-beat hardcoreband that has existed since 1999, when Ulf, Pärra and me started the band. Back then we were a not-that-serious noisecore band with a drum machine, but after a couple of shitty demorecordings, we recruited Patrik Hultin from Burst to play the drums. Since then the music has progressed into what we're playing now, pretty straight-on aggressive scandinavian hardcore rockn'roll. We're just doing this for fun and for our personal satisfaction. We're not a career band.

Ulf: The name derive from the early days... It doesn't mean anything in particular...it´s just a name.

2, How would you (musically) describe your band and which bands/singers inspire you, on a musical and/or personal level? What other things (apart from music) influence your writing?

Ulf: We play straight on scandinavian hardcore with some slower and more melodic/gloomy drug stuff, though I don't feel very comfortable with labelling or inventing new genres. It´s just "käng".

Limpan: I guess that the most obvious musical influences are classic swedish hardcore bands like Avskum and Totalitär, but also 70's heavy rock like Black Sabbath and so on. We listen to a lot of non-punk music too, but it's hard for me to say if you can hear that in Anatomi-71. Apart from music? Well, everything I guess. Reading books, meeting people... Sex, drugs and rock and roll... The same things that inspire everyone else.

3, Why should I listen to Anatomi-71? Do you know that there´s thousands of Discharge worshipping bastards out there who claim to be "the shit"!? What do you guys have that they lack?
Ulf: It's not up to us to decide why people should listen to our music instead of some other bands.

Limpan: If you walk around claiming to be "the new shit", you're probably just a self-righteous asshole. Of course we're aware that this is a very narrow genre, with too many bands already, but we really try to keep the music interesting instead of just copying bands that are popular at the moment. As I said earlier, we're not a career band.

4, When I heard "Hej Kom och Hjälp Mig Ep" it struck me that the song writing was more focused than your earlier stuff. Was that a part of your "plan" while writing for this record?

Limpan: Maybe. We didn't really have a plan so to speak, but if you compare it to our older stuff, yeah, it's more focused.

Ulf: I guess it´s just a result of our natural development.

5, Are the lyrics important to you? What makes lyrics good or bad? In your early days you wrote lyrics that was considered, well "funny", but with the last few releases that´s pretty much gone, why is that?!

Limpan: For me, lyrics are a big part of Anatomi-71. Many punkbands just have stupid "war is bad"-lyrics and I guess that's ok if they're just using the vocals as another instrument. Our ambition is however to keep some kind of relevance to them, without just repeating the same old clichees. For example I don't see the reason for me to write a song about George Bush and his foreign policy, it's not like he's going to hear it. I like smart lyrics, but on the other hand it's boring when bands are trying to show off with as many academic terms as possible, so I try to write in a more spontaneuos way. The reason why we don't write that many "funny" lyrics anymore, is that we don't want to be considered a "joke"-band, like Anal Cunt or some other post-ironic-pseudo-grind-bullshit. I like lyrics that gets you thinking. They can be about a certain topic or completely fictional, as long as they're good, it doesn't matter.

Ulf: I don't think it´s a matter of us not wanting to be considered a "joke" band. It´s more that we don´t get that much out of writing funny lyrics about the local drunks and such anymore... I think we still have a humouristic element in many of the lyrics even though the topics is more serious nowadays. Humour can be a good way to approach heavy subjects and bring them to light.

6, You´ve put out 2 releases, a split 7" with fellow swedes Radioskugga on the Halvfabrikat label and a 7"/Mcd on Putrid Filth Conspiracy / Halvfabrikat. Tell me a little about them and that´s the difference between them. Do people seem to like them?

Limpan: I'm not very fond of the split w/ Radioskugga. It has a strange sound, the guitars are way to low in the mix and I still think it should've been funnier to make a record of our own. The split thing was Halvfabrikat's idea. The "Hej kom..." EP is better, I still like the songs, the lyrics and the cover art. It has a better production too and according to the reviews I've read, people seem to like it.

Pärra: The songs on the Radioskugga split aren't really that good, but the record would definitly sound better with a different mix, as Limpan already mentioned. Hopefully, we'll find the original recording and do a remix someday.

7, Your record covers isn´t really what you should expect from a d-beat hardcore band, they´re pretty artistic and "progrock". You design 'em yourself, right? Tell us a little about your ideas. Where´s the  skulls, the barb wire, the war images and the suffering children?

Limpan: Well, I like 70's record covers as well as psychedelic posters and paintings from the early 20th century. What can I say, I'm a pretentious art-fag. It's the same thing with covers as with everything else, it's funnier to get an outlet for one's own creativity, than just copying others. I don't know if they look that much "progrock" though, do they?

8, There's tons of new raw-punk bands in Sweden right now, Tragedy/Portland crust or Discharge clones with self pitying and suicidal lyrics. Personally, im quite fed up with it, what´s your opinion on this matter?

Ulf: None...It´s not my business to decide whats right or wrong when it comes to other peoples songwriting. If it feels relevant for them I guess its a good thing. On the other hand, I might not buy their records.

Limpan: I can't speak for those bands, but most of all this suicidal stuff is probably just an image thing, like when everyone where supposed to be straight edge and so on (look what happened to that scene). At least I hope it's a pose, for their own sake. The problem with the so called punk-scene is that it is way too many bands and all the shitty ones makes you lose patience to look up the good ones. Most of them are just clones imitating clones. I'm not saying we're the most original band (we're certainly not) but I don't see the enjoyment in just trying to sound as your "idols" at all.

9, Is there anything special you should listen for or think off while listening to you music? Is there any vibe of feeling you want the listener to experience?

Limpan: Just sit back, relax and listen with an open mind. Play it loud and if you speak swedish, read the lyrics. I hope people feel either enlightened or ashamed. Maybe a bit of both...

Ulf: I don't know about that "sit back and relax" thing. I would like the listeners to get more of a kick from both the music and the lyrics... Dance around the apartment in their underwear singing along... That's what I do when I get excited about intense music... But then again, there is no rights and wrongs when it comes to listening to music I guess. Any way to enjoy A-71 is a good way!

Pärra: I'll have to quote Twisted Sister on that one: "Play it loud mutha!"

Limpan: I'm grateful as long as anyone cares at all...

10, Do everyone in A-71 have the same goals with the band or do you strive in different directions? How would the ultimate A-71 record sound like if you were to decide?

Limpan: There's no plan, we're just going with the flow... I just hope we can keep developing in some way. It's boring when bands stagnate and start to write songs after a pre-made pattern. In some ways we're a very traditional scandinavian kangpunk-band, but we will probably broaden our sound with each release, simply because it's funnier and more rewarding. Many bands in this genre that try to do so, end up sounding like His hero is gone or maybe Neurosis, which is boring, because there's so many other ways to go.

Ulf: The primary goal with A-71 has always been to have a good time together. We always try to be open for new ideas and as limpan said keep developing.
The ultimate A-71 record??? - Probably one we had some time to rehearse for... an eclectic d-beat/space rock- oddessy maybe... Tricky question.

11, It´s been a while since you recorded the Ep. What have you been up to since then? Is there a new release in the works?

Limpan: Yes, we have just recorded 14 new songs that will turn out as our first proper full lenght LP. The working title for the album is "Mot nya höjder" (meaning something like "Towards new heights" in english) As always everything is really unorganized and chaotic, but we're starting to get used to it by now. The songs are in the same style as our last EP, maybe a bit rawer and more dynamic. We don't know yet who will release it or when, but keep your eyes open!

Ulf: Since we live in different parts of Sweden (Malmö, Gothenburg and Kristinehamn), we have been busy with our own, Putte has been touring alot with his side project Burst. Pärra is unemployed and has been spending his time playing yatzy. Linus is a full time factory worker, and I´ve had a year off, living like an onion. OK!?

Limpan: That's a swedish expression...

12, People may not know that you released a 21 song (early demos) split Cd with the electrogrinders Nemo on the UK label Rage of Achilles (now Code Breaker Records) back in 2002. What´s your view on that release today?

Limpan: It sucks. It's just rubbish. It's just a big joke. Strangely enough, it got many great reviews back when it was released. Some of the lyrics are a little funny though.

Pärra: Yeah, it really sucks, but I remember having a great time recording it in Limpan's parents house. We consumed a lot of bananas and Julmust (swedish christmas soda) during the recording sessions to get the phlegm going.

Ulf: Did you have to bring that up??

13, Well, that´s all i think! Any closing comments?!

Limpan: Thanks a lot for the interview. Stay aware.

Ulf: See you at onioncamp!