Manes

                                      Interview with  Rune   23.1018

 

MM:Hi congratulations on your Album "Slow Motion Death Sequence" how pleased are you with the finished product and the response from Media and fans 
 
RH: We`re very pleased with the album, and the response from media and fans has been very good. Lots of great reviews for our record. 
 

MM: The Band has evolved and changed so much from your early days and even called it quits once, how important for the Band was it to resurrect Manes and deliver something different and unexpected with "Slow Motion Death Sequence" 
 
RH: The Band always tries to do something different each time we release a new record. Go a new path. This is important because we would be uninspired if not. The manes essence is there on all the albums though. I guess we felt we were ready to compose some new music after the break the band had. I had a longer break from the band though. 
 MM - Tell us about the song writing for the Album, and what experiences / ideas inspired the songs behind this album?   RH: We started the first studio session working with some pre-created and partly demo recorded ideas in late 2015. At that session we jammed over lots of stuff trying out and discussing different angels to the instrumentation of the songs. How should the song/material sound within the big picture, and how to get there? That´s how we start writing/producing our material as a band. Painting with the big brush at first, getting the main lines, and then, over time we narrow it down to smaller details and getting the exact musically expression we want from the song. The material on "Slow Motion Death Sequence" has been through many stages and variations before we released it. What we wanted for this album was to create an album with an overall darker vibe to it. That was our main goal. Even though the album has many musically moods and different angels to it that may not be perceived as darker, the overall brushstroke is so. About experiences and ideas that inspired us to create the songs and the album, I guess we all have different ones, and it does not have to be a specific experience manifesting in musically ideas, even though it could. It´s more like how we interpreted our surroundings in life at that time in a wider sense, and how we as different contributors/composers “paint” the “darker mood” in the creation of the songs. Our music and lyrics don’t necessarily have a specific meaning, it could point in a direction, as it also could not.
 MM: Which is your favorite track on the album today and why?
 
RH: I don´t have a permanent favorite track but yesterday I listened to “Last Resort” and that´s my favorite track today. It has an analog feel to it, and the song builds up nicely and evolves in a strong way. More and more layers with sounds, instruments and vocals. Tomorrow I might have a new favorite track.    

 

MM: The Video for "Endetidstegn" is your first ever video and its kinda  intense did you all have an involvement in the ideas for the Video 
 
RH: Yes, it is kind of intense. It´s more like a short movie than a music video. We did discuss this theme for the video after Torstein Parelius presented us the idea. The
story in this video is his brainchild. We´re very pleased with it, and I guess it stands out from lots of other music videos, not necessarily because of it`s content but because of the cinematically format. It is strongly associated with the genre “short movie”.     MM:Which two tracks would you play me from the new release to introduce me to Manes
 
RH: “Ater” and “Endetidstegn”
 

MM:Can you give us details on tours / festivals fort he rest of the year and going into 2019
 
RH: We are rehearsing for gigs this fall and the place for us doing so is at Spiren Studio. They have a gymnasium/concert hall there with a stage and full PA system that is perfect for rehearsing. By the way, that´s where we recorded all the acoustic drums for the album. The plan is to do gigs next year. Nothing specific yet, but we have plans. We´ll never be a touring band with lots of gigs in a row, but we´re definitely going to present our music for a live audience in the future.  
 MM:What can we expect from Manes Live
 
RH: Different musicians for different gigs. The main core will be Tor Helge, Eivind, Torstein and myself at all of them I guess (or maybe not?), but since we work with lots of different musicians the additional contributors will vary depending of what type of concert we do. Is it a huge festival, or is it at an art exhibition with Manes as a live soundtrack with less musicians and the songs presented in an alternative way? 
MM : can u tell me what do you like best about touring
 
RH: See new places, meet new people, and of course, the great feeling we have on stage when playing our instruments and you can tell the audience having a good time and digging the music we present them as a band. 
 
 MM: And worst? 
 
RH: Technically problems related to the gig, so we cannot present in the way we planned (This seldom happens though). No cold beer after the gig.   

 

MM: how do you rate the importance of being seen live and meeting fans whenever possible?
 
RH: For us it´s not possible to do long tour´s, but we see the importance in doing gigs and meeting fans. We also like doing so. We will definitely do concerts next year. For us it´s important to do all “four main stages” of an album. 1. The ideas and the early composing/discussing and demos. 2. The creation/studio recordings (still composing/discussing) 3. The rehearsals for different concerts, adapting the songs for the different gigs (still composing) and 4. Presenting our stuff on stage where the
music isn’t necessarily written down to the smallest detail, and parts may be presented in a “free/jamming” style (still composing).        MM:Can you remember your first time you ever played live and how it felt to have people watching you?
 
RH: Yes, the first time I played drums live was at the age of 12 at an arrangement at school. I really like playing live and it has always been so.    MM: Which Metal / Rock legend alive or dead would you like to meet and why?
 
RH: Oh, lots of interesting composers, musicians and artist both live and dead that I would like to meet. If I should point out one today, it would be David Bowie. Not a metal legend though. He was a chameleon musically. Innovative composing/writing and did not stick to a specific genre throughout his career. A bit like Manes I guess, although many bands work and compose like this. I remember listening to the album “1. Outside” when it was released in 95´, (Brian Eno co. producing also). Highly acclaimed, even though old fans did not necessarily applaud it at the time. Maybe like Manes and Vilosophe?  
 MM : Does music dominate your life or do you get time to relax in between?  If so how do you like to chill?
 
RH: It dominates my life. Has always done so. The same goes for the rest of the Manes members. If I need a break from music I usually go up to the mountains. As I write this I´m up at a cabin in the mountains watching winter arise.    

 

MM:  Which are your Two favorite albums of all time and what they have meant to you personally.
 
RH: Difficult question. All those great albums from different bands/genres! I would say Metallica´s Master of Puppets and Bowie´s 1. Outside. I listen to all sorts of music and have always done so. For me personally it is important to check out different versions/genres of music. This will broaden your understanding of what music is and how it set us in different moods, and this is not genre based. Metal music with lots of distorted guitars is not necessarily dark and brutal, but music from other genres could be.  
 MM: What one possession could you not live without right now?
 
RH: My recording studio with all its bits and pieces.  

MM: Can you tell me why we should buy "Slow Motion Death Sequence"
 
RH: If you like music that have elements of different genres within, and a band that try to compose in different ways on all albums you should check this one out. You´ll need to listen to some of the other Manes albums also to see how we don’t like to repeat ourselves musically in a wider sense.
  
MM: Three Words to describe Manes
 
RH: Hard working, Innovative, openminded.   Quick Fire round: MM: Quick Fire Round 1.Festival or Small intimate gig 
 RH: Small intimate gig
 2.Vinyl or Digital
 
RH: Vinyl
 3.Elk or Bear
 
RH: Bear
 4. Skiing or Football
 
RH: Both
 5. Aha or Turbonegro
 
RH: A-ha 

  Final Words
 
RH: Learn from yesterday but never stand still, go further, always!