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           Are you aware that there are other bands calling themselves “Despite?” and what makes you different from all of them?

            Well, the only band I know is an indi-pop band from middle Europe I think, but they are the only ones I know I think and us.

            I know that the band is from Gothenburg and over the past 15 years there has been a dozen or so bands that from there like Dark Tranquillity, The Haunted, In Flames, Soilwork ect. What makes Gothenburg such a breeding ground for metal?

            That is a hard question because, with my first band back in 88 or 89’ the Gothenburg scene had started and I don’t know why. I think it’s because it’s a good environment, there’s a lot of recording studios back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, there were lots of small clubs where you could get gigs, so it was a good environment for that type of music.

            Could you compare it to Seattle of Los Angeles in terms of a metal scene?

            Yeah something like that I think, especially with that distinct Gothenburg sound. I mean Seattle had a great sound in the early 90’s and so did Gothenburg.

            Is the whole band from Gothenburg?

            No, I am from a small town about 160 km from Gothenburg and our drummer is from 900 km from Gothenburg. The bass player and the guitar player are from Gothenburg.

            Where were you guys when you found out you were signed?

            We were in the studio recording a demo and instead of making a demo; we then decided to make an album instead.

            Although the band started in the late 90’s and were inactive for an earlier part of the 2000’s and back again in 2006, do you guys still feel like you’re starting out?

            Well, I came in the band in late 2006 or early 2007, for me when we started there were two songs. So yeah, I think of it as a new band. There have been a number of member changes, line-up changes. Timmy, the guitarist, was the drummer in the beginning and since 2007, Despite is a new band with two original members.

            Would you ever consider mixing politics with your music whether it’d be World Politics or Swedish politics at all?

            Yeah, if I find it interesting then I’ll write about it. My lyrics, well if I find it interesting. If I read an article on a mass murderer politician then yeah. I can write about politics.

            Do you guys have a ritual before a live performance?

            Yeah! Hahaha! It’s kind of an embarrassing ritual actually. I’m always, live always I am wearing girl’s panties.

            Are you kidding!?

            No that’s the truth!

            That’s awesome.

            Timmy, the guitar player, has to pull my beard before we go on stage.

            Oh, and by the way, love the beard by the way, it’s quite distinct!

            Thanks! It’s quite fun because sometimes, we read the reviews and people always make comments about the beard.

            Does Despite have feuds with other bands or are metal bands from Gothenburg one big happy family?

            Oh, were pretty cool with each other especially around Gothenburg, it’s a scene where all the bands stick together. Of course on occasion a guitar player from a death band might be an asshole or something, but in general it’s a good-healthy environment and everyone is friends. [feuds] it’s not really the case here in Sweden; all the bands help each other out.

            That’s cool. Now are there any legendary club you guys would like to play?

            Well, all the legendary clubs are gone now. But there is one club left in Gothenburg called “Sticky Fingers” but it’s not the same as it was 10 years ago.

            Really? What’s different about it?

            The suits and ties. They had made some changes to the interior but it’s not the same. 10 or 15 years ago it was like an old saloon, but now it’s like a modern rock club.

            I’ve heard of it, I’ve just have never been there.

            Just recently, we just had played there, and I had just broke my leg.

            What?

            Yeah, I played on stage in a wheelchair too. The show must go on. Some people bail out but, we had to play and we never cancel a gig. We love what we do and I don’t think the fans should suffer because I was stupid and broke my leg. What’s cool too, is that I got one of these old wheel chairs kind of like the one from King Diamond’s “Them” CD.

            That’s really cool! This is the hardest question yet.

            Would Despite ever consider going with a producer that would change the band’s sound for the sake of selling more CD’s? Even if it meant alienating your original fanbase?

            Well no…well of course every band is interested in selling more albums but I don’t think that would be the case with Despite because the old singer for the band, is now in a band called, “Dead by April” and he wanted to sell more CDs and he quit Despite to do that and to work with a great producer. But that’s not the way Despite does it we write our own music and have been since the late 80’s. I don’t think we’ll ever change our sound or our music to sell more albums. I was in a band like that once in the late 90’s and it was a group put together of other musicians from other Swedish metal bands by a record label but we got tired of it because it wasn’t our band it was the record company’s band and that’s not the way to go.

            I have one final question. It’s called the game of the tower. On this tower there are three bands and you can choose only one of these bands to tour with, the other bands…well. Too bad. There are no right or wrong answers and it’s just for fun. Out of the three bands, you have to choose which bands you don’t want to tour with. Which do you decide? Metallica, Iron Maiden, or Black Sabbath?

            Black Sabbath. Definitely Black Sabbath. Love Toni Iommi.

Matthew Haumschild is a staff writer/editor for gryphonmetal.ch since 2002

He is based out of Minneapolis Minnesota USA he can be reached at matthaumschild@yahoo.com and  on facebook.com