Artist: Dr. Livingdead
Album: Dr. Livingdead
Genre: Thrash Metal
Label: High Roller Records
Link: http://drlivingdead.bandcamp.com/
Bandmitglieder
Gesang – Dr. Ape
Gitarre – Dr. Toxic
Bass – Dr. Rad
Schlagzeug – Dr. Dawn
Time For Metal / Rene:
Hello Dr. Living Dead,
I’m glad you found some time for an interview with our magazine!
First of all: Could you please introduce yourself to our readers, who do not know you already?
When did you found Dr. Living Dead, what are you doing exactly, et cetera?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
All right, we’re Dr. Living Dead from Sweden! We’re based in Stockholm/Uppsala and we’ve been together since 2007. I am the bass player and the rest of the band consists of Ape (vocals), Toxic (guitar) and Dawn (drums). The band was founded by Ape and Toxic who basically started it cause they were tired of their old band and wanted to do something that was 100% their own thing. In the beginning it was more of a project but after gaining a lot of attention they quickly decided to make it a full time band. They released the first demo and shortly after that I joined the band and we started auditioning drummers and so on.
Time For Metal / Rene:
There’s no title on the cover of your new album – will the album be released nameless?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD: We didn’t feel that the album needed a title. Our previous demos had titles but with this release we sort of felt that it was the real beginning for the band and it felt natural to name it after the band. I think the album cover speaks for itself.
Time For Metal / Rene:
Your album consists of 16 tracks but the playing time is only a little bit more than half an hour. Was this planned or did it just happen during the studio recordings?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
Well, first of all we don’t really write long songs because we want to keep it simple but still intense. That kind of explains the length of the album as well. On the other hand some of the best albums in this kind of music aren’t very long so we felt that it was a good thing nonetheless.
Time For Metal / Rene:
Maybe you could tell our readers something about the process from basic idea to the finished songs?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
That is very different from each song actually. Some were put together in 30 minutes or so like a few of the tracks from the first demo. Very spontaneous and improvised but some of the songs on the album required a bit more thought and we worked on them while rehearsing a few times before we came up with something we liked. Yet some of the songs are a mix out of old and new ideas that we wanted to use but didn’t feel complete before. The most important thing for us when writing is not to loose the catchy and spontaneous feel of the older songs but still make them interesting and sometimes a bit more complex. Currently we are working on a lot of new material for another album.
Time For Metal / Rene:
After finishing the recording an album is usually given to the international press to get first
feedbacks and reviews. Were you rather nervous or did you just envisage positive and negative criticism?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
No, I wouldn’t say we were nervous. It’s really rewarding though to so see so many positive reviews of the album. It makes it easier to keep doing this stuff. But if everyone hated us we wouldn’t give a shit about it. We do this cause we like it ourselves.
Time For Metal / Rene:
Our magazine already checked out your new album. It was striking that your songs are – in spite of the Thrash Metal concept – very versatile and include some elements of established bands. Is this versatility an important point in your music?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
Cool man! Yeah, we like to try different stuff and not follow a certain formula too strictly. We get inspired by a lot of various stuff and maybe it shines through in that aspect. But what also makes it feel versatile I think is the fact that the songs are fairly simple and therefore quite memorable.
Time For Metal / Rene:
What are your aims after finishing the album? Will there be a tour or didn’t you waste a thought about this?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
We definitely want to get out and do some shows to support it! No tour is planned right now but we have some loose ends to follow up. Some one-off gigs and a few festival-things probably. We also want to go back to South America soon! Other than that we plan to go in the studio early next year and record the next album.
Time For Metal / Rene:
Certainly you can’t live on your music. What significance has Living Dead for you? Is it only a hobby or do you want to start a professional music career?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
That isn’t really important for us. As long as we enjoy creating this music together we’re going to do it. Right now we’re all really into it and not a day goes by that I don’t think about the band and everything about it. It’s a huge part of my life and we all feel like that. We have a good chemistry within the band and we are proud of what we are doing.
Time For Metal / Rene:
With High Roller Records you receive professional assistance. How did this collaboration come about? And what do you expect of High Roller Records?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
We knew about them before but basically we just sent out a promo and they responded that they really liked it and wanted to release it. So far it’s been great! They are really easy to work with and I have a lot of respect for what they are doing in times like these. I hope they keep growing as a company and gain more attention in the future.
Time For Metal / Rene:
Like most bands you can be found in the internet. What platforms do you use and did you already had some positive experiences?
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
We have a myspace page and a bandcamp where you can listen to us. We are also on facebook now. Our old homepage is not being used at the moment but check out the bandcamp page (http://drlivingdead.bandcamp.com) for samples and a free song!
Time For Metal / Rene:
Thank you for the interview and all the best to you
Dr. Living Dead / RAD:
Thanks for the support and…STAY DEAD!/ Dr. RAD