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No Fun At All is one of the most successful Swedish punk acts. The band is signed by Burning Heart Records. That's all I knew before I did a telephone interview with their singer Ingemar. Let's go!
I haven't any informations about No Fun At All, please tell me a little bit about.
Originally the band was found in 1991. There are still two founding members in the band. The former drummer and the singer left the band in 1993. Then Kjelle and I came in.
The label Burning Heart is not very known here. Do you think that it's the best solution for you? Or do you think you could have more chances with a major company?
It's something you have to wage what's the best thing for you. I think Burning Heart has started to become a world-wide company which is well-known in the punk scene. Perhaps like the Epitaph label. But of course they haven't the commercial capacity that a major label have. Maybe we are not so interested into the commercial thing. It feels great being on a small, but independent label. Nobody tells us what to do.
Punk and kinds of punk music are getting more popular. Does it change something for you? Do you think that NFAA have more chances on the market?
Sure, it's obvious to us.
Almost the American bands have the success. The European bands which are as good as the American ones don't get as successful as these ones, especially in Germany. I don't know the music scene in Scandinavia. Is it different?
I think it's nearly the same as it is in Germany. Because Green Day and Offspring is getting big here as well. Okay, we have been struggling for 4 or 5 years and suddenly the people start to buy our records. Of course the people start looking in a different way to this kind of music. Only because it's in the hitlist.
In Germany it's a little bit different. The US bands like Bad Religion, Offspring and Green Day are successful, but you don't hear any German punk bands. Perhaps the fans in Scandinavia are a little bit more open-minded to the national scene.
It's possible. Just look at Millencolin, they are starting to get really big. We are sort of No. 2, yet. We are starting to become quite popular here.
I just heard the album Straight Angels. Is the single Stranded very different?
Stranded is a little bit softer, especially the title track. We decide to try this kind of stuff once. Beside that there are 3 cover songs. two of them are really old school hardcore from the Dead Kennedy's.
I think many of the new fans didn't know the old punk bands. I believe that it help to make the people understand the punk music of these days by discovering the old stuff, the roots.
It's fun to keep up some of the old stuff up-to-date. Now we are in the studio to record our new album. It will be a mixture of the old, but it's more technical.
Perhaps the definition of punk had to be changed. Ten years ago the punk music was just 3-chord thing.
Yeah!
When I heard Millencolin and No Fun At All the first time, I recognized that it's more technical than the "classic" punk music.
It's fun to play a 3-chord song. Anyone can do it that's what punk is. But when you been doing it for 4 or 5 years you grow with the music.
You're getting better and want to show it.
Yeah, that's it!
You write the lyrics, can you tell a little bit about it.
Oh, my God. The problem with the lyrics are that I just write them down. I write down the words which are in my head.
You don't choose a theme, you write spontaneously.
Sometimes like that. For example Believers from Straight Angels which is about religion, about sects. You get pissed off by Hare Krishna, etc. Most of the lyrics are about every day life. i don't want to interpretate them to anyone.
The scene is splitted into a fun punk section and bands which have more serious lyrics. Punk bands conquer the other musical directions. Green Day, etc. are more pop music with punk elements than true punk music.
I think that's our music as well. Even if we play it much faster as the pop punk bands. The melodies are very catchy. I try to write the lyrics in the same sort of poetic. It's not very straight forward. You have to think a little bit about.
NFAA and Millencolin have their own style. if someone listen to your albums they will remember it and know when they hear new stuff.
Hopefully it's like that. You can't deny that bands like Bad Religion is a major influence.
What are your influences?
Musically Bad Religion been it for about 12 years. On the other hand it's the old pop music like The Beatles, maybe.
It's interesting, 'cause many bands say that they were influenced by The Beatles in the beginning. But it turns out so differently.
They are still the best band ever been. I think they mean very much to the music scene.
They free themselves to do something new beside the actual sounds of rock'n'roll. Perhaps this give a chance to other bands to develop their own style. Are there some tracks which will be definitely on the new album?
Not yet. We decide after the pre-production which song will make it onto the album. It will be more variety on it.
What are your plans? Touring?
Hopefully, we get the chance to play in the States. Then Holland and Belgium, probably we will return later.
How are the reactions for you in the States?
Our last record been released in the States. It sells pretty well, about 5,000 copies.
Often the Americans are not interested in foreign bands.
We are proud that we could take a share of the American market.
The Swedish can be proud about their success. Hopefully the get a chance in other countries. This is fresh, interesting and enjoyable. Try it, but be careful it's like a drug, you can't stop!
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