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 Ricard “Hux
Flux” Nettermalm (Paatos)
JT: We might as well get started. I’m wondering, first of all, do you
have any tours or concerts or any festivals or anything like that lined
up at this time? What’s in the works?
Yeah, we’re going to be touring this fall.
JT: Okay.
But, only Europe.
JT: Hmm.
So, we’ll see about the States.
JT: I recently listened to that new album. I think it’s phenomenal. I
think you guys keep taking your music to the next level.
Uh. {He chuckles}
JT: I have a few questions about that.
Aha.
JT: First of all, is that a concept album? Is there some sort of theme
that it revolves around?
Which one?
JT: The latest one that just came out, Silence Of Another Kind.
Oh, you mean the whole thing?
JT: Yeah.
Yeah, the thing we wanted to do sound-wise
was to make it more with the live feel to it. So, there’s a lot of songs
this time that’s, uh, we basically jammed together and a few ones that
are written from the start. We recorded everybody at the same time
except for vocals and some guitar dubs and stuff like that.
JT: Okay.
We decided not to, not to make it perfect.
So, we decided to keep mistakes and stuff like that.
JT: Okay, can you tell me a little more about your songwriting process?
Like, who does what? Do you put the melody before the lyrics? How do you
go about that?
It could be anybody of us starting on
something, you know, a groove or a bass line or things like that.
{There’s music in the background, it happens to be the album we’re
discussing, and he chuckles.} Sometimes someone has an idea they bring
from home.
JT: Sure.
And, we try it out together, but as I said
on this one, there’s many songs that are just jammed together, you know,
someone starts and everybody follows.
JT: Right.
About the melodies and lyrics, I think we
make the melodies first and then we make the lyrics.
JT: You’ve got a pretty unique sound and it even changes a little bit
from album to album. Who would you say are your musical influences? Who
is affecting your music from the past or even currently?
For me, I’m listening a lot to Godspeed You
Black Emperor and The Silver Mount Zion right now. So, I think, uh, for
me that’s a big influence. {He clears his throat} Of course, all of us
have very different influences. So, there’s lots of different styles.
Yeah, I think that’s all I can say about it. {He laughs under his
breath}
JT: There’s a number of bands I hear in your music actually and I’ll
just go through a couple of them and then you tell me if they are
influences or what you think, but, at least looking at the latest album,
I think your music sounds like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Enya, Bjork,
Evanescence. Are these bands that are influencing you?
Uh, No! {Again, a certain answer and it
makes me chuckle} Bjork maybe.
JT: Maybe, yeah?
Yeah.
JT: I hear a lot of Bjork in your music.
Yeah, maybe it’s the Scandinavian touch.
JT: Ohhh, yeah.
But, the other ones, I think they’re a
little more polished than we are, I think. {I laugh}
JT: I don’t know if I’d say that. {We laugh} You guys are pretty
polished. How did you get involved in music?
How?
JT: Yeah, what made you decide to get into music, start a band, that
sort of thing?
I just knew when I was like four years old.
I knew what I wanted to do. So, it was easy for me, {he laughs and then
I laugh} but I had to fight for it, you know, because my parents didn’t
like it. That’s just all natural for me.
JT: How did you choose your instrument? How did you decide you wanted to
be a drummer and how did that all originate?
I think, uh, that was so very early. I
think I liked the way the drum kit looked, so I wanted to play those
and, uh, but at first I had to play piano and then I had to play the
trumpet and then I, finally I got the drum kit. {He laughs} I don’t know
really why. I just knew that was what I wanted to do.
JT: It’s my understanding the singer is your wife.
Yeah.
JT: So, you started a band with your wife. How did you meet? How did you
decide that you wanted to start a band and how did you meet the other
members of the band?
The band came together as a result, um; it was our guitar player Reine
Fiske. He got the question to put a band together for this Swedish
singer from the seventies called Turid and after that, we decided to
just keep on playing together. The four of us and, uh, so we started as
an instrumental band, you could say.
JT: Oh, okay.
Then we felt we wanted a singer, so I
started to look around and I didn’t find anyone who really fitted in.
So, I don’t know, after a couple months, the other guys said, yeah, but
your wife, she’s a singer, right? I was kind of reluctant at first, but
then, I asked her and she was reluctant too {he laughs} at first, but
then, we tried it out and it felt good and yeah, it’s been feeling very
good ever since.
JT: I’ve got kind of an ignorant question here, but you go by the name
Hux Flux. Is that your real name or is that a nickname? How did that
name come about?
Yeah, it’s a real name from my driver’s
license. {We both laugh}
JT: What’s the origins of that? Does it have a translation?
Yeah, it means like, all of a sudden.
That’s, I think, the best {he laughs}, yeah.
JT: Talking about names and titles, how did you come up with the name
Silence of Another Kind? What does that mean, I don’t know, can you
describe it? How did it originate and what’s the idea behind it?
It’s like when something really big and sad
happens in your life and there’s kind of a vacuum you feel.
JT: Hmm.
That it’s silence, but at the same time,
it’s alarming in a way. You know what I mean?
JT: Sure.
So, yeah, that’s what it’s all about.
JT: I’ve got a fun question here. Not sure, but most musicians have seen
the movie Spinal Tap.
Yes.
JT: Is there any Spinal Tap moments you’ve
had in your career; something that was a disaster, but it was kind of
funny, or just some sort of accident, or just some odd thing that
happened on tour or while recording. Something along those lines.
Something quirky.
{He laughs}
Of course there’s things you, {he laughs some more} you go
through, what could it be? Nope. Not. I don’t know. I remember the first
gig with a new guitar player.
JT: Hmm.
He was, I don’t know, I don’t think he was
prepared really for what to expect by the audience and stuff like that.
He was kind of in shock the whole gig and at one place, he just stopped
playing.
JT: Sure.
Actually, that turned out really nice. It
didn’t matter. {We laugh} I don’t know about Spinal Tap. Not that I
could think of right now.
JT: Okay. {We laugh some more} I like to ask some favorites of yours,
just some personal favorites, because I guess that’s what fans are
interested in, and if you can’t narrow it down, whatever pops into your
head or just give me a few or whatever, but what would you say is your
favorite album, just something that’s influenced you a lot or gotten a
lot of playtime?
I would say my first album ever, I got from
my daddy and that was Deep Purple In Rock and when I go on tour and
stuff like that, I always bring that album. That’s a good one.
JT: Most people choose a different favorite band than what they choose
for the album. Would you say that you have a favorite band?
Yeah, it’s hard to say one, but I think I
will say the Silver Mount Zion.
JT: Okay.
Or maybe, there’s a Polish band that plays
this Klezmer music and they’re called Cracow.
JT: Okay.
That’s one of my favorites too. Of course,
the Junos Quartet.
JT: I’m not sure if you saw it, but there is this movie Dummy where they
play off that whole Klezmer music thing. It’s funny.
Aw, no I didn’t see that.
JT: This punk musician gets a gig to play that music. She doesn’t quite
know how to do it. It’s pretty funny, her trying to figure it out.
Yes, I can imagine.
JT: If you like that kind of music and you’re a musician, I suggest you
check that out. It’s got Adrian Brody and Mila Jovovich in it, but, um,
actually continuing with favorites, I have a few off that new album. I
like “Shame,” “Fallen,” and “Not a Sound” quite a bit. What would you
say is your favorite song off the new album?
I would say, I think, for today, {we laugh}
it would be “Misery.”
JT: Oh, okay.
Yeah.
JT: Interesting.
Yeah.
JT: Would you say you have a favorite album out of the ones that you’ve
produced?
Yeah, of course, the new one.
JT: The new one?
Yeah.
JT: I’d agree with that.
It feels like everything is coming
together. We’re finding the proper sound now, so it feels good.
JT: You’ve had some history with Steven Wilson. How did that come about
and do you plan to work with him in the future again?
It was for when we were about to mix
Kallocain. We remembered, Steven told us once that he would love to mix
our next album and we all felt that because of all the loops and, you
know, electronics and stuff like that, he would be perfect for it. So,
we told our record company that we wanted him.
JT: Hmm.
And, he came over here and mixed it here in
Stockholm and I think we will probably work with him sometime in the
future.
JT: Okay.
We’ve been talking about maybe doing a duet
with him and Petronella.
JT: Hmm.
We’ll see.
JT: Okay. {He laughs} Keeping on the track of favorites, let me ask you
a few favorites that are not exactly related to music just to kind of
expand the base. Do you have a favorite movie?
Yeah, hmm, I think I would say there’s this
Japanese movie that’s called Audition.
JT: Hmm.
It’s a horror movie. {I chuckle as there
seems to be a lot these days}
JT: Would you say you’ve got a favorite TV show?
TV?
JT: Yeah.
Oh.
JT: You don’t have time to watch it, huh?
No. I watch. I like to watch, just for fun,
I like to watch programs like Monster Garage, stuff like that.
JT: Okay, yeah.
Cause I’m into bikes, you know.
JT: Like Orange County Choppers?
Yeah, that’s fun too. I don’t like their
bikes though.
JT: Oh, you don’t?
No. {I laugh}
JT: Do you have a favorite book?
Uh, yeah, that would be Kallocain by
Charlee Boyett. {He says it as if its an obvious answer and I can
understand why.}
JT: I kind of like to ask a question, nobody else asks it, it’s pretty
goofy, but I like to ask if you have any pets?
{He laughs} No.
JT: The reason I ask is that a lot of people can identify with it. I
also find most musicians don’t have time with all their traveling for
pets.
Oh.
JT: I sometimes get some interesting responses to that question.
Oh, okay.
JT: I’ve kind of asked my list of questions here, but I’m wondering is
there anything you’d like to say to your fans at this time?
Yeah, we hope that we can come and play for them… of course… soon and
that they like the new album… of course… we really want to go there
soon. We just have to check some places to play and stuff like that.
JT: Okay.
But, we’re coming.
JT: Okay.
Yeah.
JT: I just have to say, especially in terms of the latest album, and
this is kind of why I wanted to talk to you, I thought the drumming was
the best aspect of it. I just thought you did a really great job on the
new album. I’m looking forward to what else you can come out with,
especially if you can work with Steven Wilson some more and that kind of
stuff cause I think that’s a very good collaboration, but I like where
you’re taking your music. If you do come to the States, I’ll try to come
see you guys.
Yeah, let’s have a beer. {He laughs}
Paatos Official website -
http://www.paatos.com/ |
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