Can you give me the background
info to the band – how you formed, when, early experiences etc..
Tuka:
We met in 1999 at a place deep in the forest were we where locked
up for almost a year. We were put there to play rock music. We
went through the rock music history, we both read about it and played
it. We also went through a couple of hundred of booze bottles, a
ton of beers and twice as many pizza's. In early 2000 we recorded
some songs that Micke wrote. Some guy took it and mailed
it to 20 record labels & after less than a week 17 of them
had called us back!
We continued
to write and record and in the summer of 2000 we got signed
to Shark Records in Germany. The guy who runs that label is
a bit like an idiot only more stupid. Just like the guy we signed
to after we told Shark to bite themselves. That guy is Mark Alger
at Z Records. I warn all bands to have nothing to do
with that guy! He hasn't kept a promise in his whole life. You
are waiting for cash, a cd, a contract or what ever & it
never comes! And he has the most unbelievable explanations why
things aren't coming. The post office got bombed, the money
bounced or what ever. And it happened every time! Then he said
that our new songs sucked, so we told him that he sucked and
he could go fuck himself!
So we contacted
Lasse at Lion Music and did send him our new demos and he just
freaked! That's strange, that was the same songs that Mark at
Z Records thought sucked & the same songs that ended up
on our debut, The Hellbum. The very same album that got a ton
of great reviews. I guess Mark wouldn't know good music even if
it would jump up and bite him in the ass! But we are really
happy that all this shit happened. 'Cause we learned a lot and
we got a chance to develop as musicians and as a band. And the
best that came out of this is that we got signed to Lion. We
are really happy with the label & Lasse is the coolest guy
alive!!!
‘A
Night In The Gutter’ is the follow up to ‘The Hellbum’.
How long did the album take to record and what do you see as its
improvements?
Tuka:
I took about 8 months to record. We are not fast but it takes
some time to create a masterpiece! I feel we have become a much
better band than we were at the last record. We are definitely
better musicians now. And the songs are way stronger. The sound
is also a lot better even thou I really like the rougher sound
that we had on The Hellbum.
To
me the album takes what you did on the debut and raises the bar
on all levels. You have an identifiable sound, how did this
sound come about?
Tuka:
We recorded this song in the same way that we did the Hellbum.
We record everything in our own studio called "Dogsound Studios"
than our engineer Ola Sornmark mix everything in a bigger &
better studio. Doing like this we are able to take the time to
record and try all of our ideas in the studio without having to
rush things because time and money is running away. So I guess
that the better sound and the raised bar is just something that
came out of us being better at what we are doing.
How
would you describe the bands music?
Tuka:
It's just heavy but melodic hard rock. Nothing more nothing less.
Good music must have good melodies and big balls. And we got it!
The
melodic rock genre is one that has a lot of fans yet for some
reason the mainstream press chooses to ignore this genre for the
most part. Why do you think this is and what do you believe
can be done to rectify this situation?
Tuka:
Jesus, that's a hard question. I guess we in the hard rock genre
aren't as willing to give blow jobs to journalists as the guys
that play in boy bands are.
The
hooks both vocally and musically are way above any of the releases
in 2005 from the so called melodic rock legends, who comes up
with these hooks and how do you know when you have a good one?
Tuka:
I tell you, Micke does all of the melodies and he's a fucking
genius! I have no idea how he comes up with them, the melodies
are just living in this brilliant head. He is the most talented
guitar player and song writer since I don't know when.
One
of the ideas that we had right from the start was to mix heavy
music with great melodies and hooks worth killing for. And that
is a idea that we will stuck to as long as Dogpound is around.
And that will hopefully be forever.
Can
you give us your views on each track on A Night In The Gutter.
Captain Hook & Jesus
Tuka:
A great song with cool lyrics. A up-tempo verse and a half tempo
chorus. The Dogpound way!
5 Seconds Away
Tuka: A heavier song. Like
a kick in the......you know!
Still My Heart
Tuka: Like ice cream a hot
summers day. No, what is there to say about this song....A bit
more straight a head rock song maybe?
Not By Choice
Tuka: A hit! A tune with some punk influences.
Sail
On
Tuka: Probably the best ballad ever written.
A bit twisted maybe. Not the usual make out song.
In Another Lifetime
Tuka: Great song. What can
I say....Shit this is hard!
Dreamworld
Tuka: One of my favourites!
Great tune with a lovely hook!
Inside Of You
Tuka: A more straight ahead
hard rock song.
A bit heavier maybe.
Loaded My Guns
Tuka: Cool lyrics & great
vocals.
Worries Of Yesterday
Tuka: A naked tune featuring
Per Johansson on flute. Different & great.
P.P.F
Tuka: My favourite on the album.
Just a really great song to drive really fast to.
Worth The Pain
Tuka: Is it? Is it worth the
pain? Well, ask your self....
You guys
have a good sense of humour as evident on your website forum, is
this essential in the music business?
Tuka: Humour? No, we are dead
serious. Next question.
What’s next
for Dogpound?
Tuka: Just writing new songs
and hopefully start to record a new album early next year. I thing
Micke has got like 15 new song. I will be seeing him next week and
we will try to sort them out and see with ones that a Dogpound good.
The ones that are to lousy maybe we will give them to Nickelback
so that their new album will be their best ever.
Any
other parting messages for the readers of virtuosityone?
Tuka: Do you like Dogpound?
Do you want a third album? Then buy both The Hellbum and A Night
In The Gutter.
Don't download them!
