Beckmörkt became the first group out on Danne
Paulsson's newly started record label Sockiplast
Records. I was very pleasantly surprised by
their record so I had to interview them and this
was done in February 2022.
A little history of the group?
In 2016, Anders and Peter started playing
together. Did mostly covers of Asta Kask and
Strebers and bassist Palle hung on for a while.
Due to lack of time, Micke took over the bass
and participated in a few gigs and on the first
album "och sen". After a while, Micke couldn't
participate and like 2 weeks before Punkfesten
in Klippan we borrowed Mike on bass instead. It
turned out that he wanted to stay later and that
was welcome! We recorded album no. 2 "BCKMRKT"
and there somewhere the idea was that we wanted
another guitarist. We also sound live the way we
want it to. David hung on, put his guitar on all
the songs on "BCKMRKT", and we still have that
set to this day. In 2021, we started talking to
Danne on Sockiplast records which resulted in "Övertramp"
which will be released on LP and CD now in
February 2022. Then we have had a hell of a
fluency with gigs when we managed to share the
stage with Asta kask, Strebers and Dia Psalma,
Lastkaj 14, The Casualties, Charta 77, Slaveriet,
Björnarna, Vet Hut, Järncell, Sardo Numspa,
Rövsvett,, etc.
Tell us a little about each member, age, job,
family, band before and band on the side? I
understood you have another group too because
you were wondering if it was Beckmörkt I wanted
to interview.
Which group is it?
I, Anders turns 49 this summer and is a few
years older than the others, drumming with David
in Kamelritt for 20 years. I also play in
Selfish and at the moment quite sleeping Kurbits
IR. Works at Studiefrämjandet and has a house,
Volvo, wife and 2 children and 1 fur daughter
(cat).
David also plays in Kamelritt and the rather
fell asleep Krüger. He works at Ecophon and
lives on his farm with his wife and 2 children,
cat, chickens and barn rats.
Mike lives with girlfriend and 2 cats and makes
sure people get mail and packages early in the
morning. He's also in Future Idiots.
Peter lives in Ängelholm and works as a student
assistant. He's the support house for three
cats.
I can hear a lot of punk, both trallpunk and a
little tougher too? Was it better before?
We play what we want and that inspired us. But
in common are the Swedish punk type Mimikry,
Lastkaj 14, Dia Psalma and such.... But we put a
little everything in our own package and then it
sounds like it sounds like it sounds. There were
a lot of good bands before, but it's also
appeared very well lately.
Are you happy with the name? Were you surprised
that no other band was called this before? If
the best band name hadn't been occupied, what
name would you have chosen? What's the best band
name?
We were going to be called Becksvart after
Lastkaj 14's record – but Beckmörkt felt better.
It's not all black. (Listen to the song "En
strimma"). But we are happy with the name. 😊
There are so many good band names, so we don't
even get into rattling everyone up. Choosing one
doesn't work...
What's the best thing about playing live?
Have you started playing live after covid yet?
We have played a little live during covid as
well. In connection with the release of "Övertramp"
we did a live stream (Feb 11, 22). Then we don't
have anything booked until the summer (Hugo
Fjäderben). Playing live just feels too damn
good in body and soul. But also terrible. It's
nerve-wracking and self-confidence can be at
rock bottom. But afterwards, that storage has
usually been filled properly!
Where is the best to play, where is the worst?
Every gig has its charm.
What's it like to play this kind of punk in
Sweden today? Does it feel like a better market
given the troubled political times?
There has been a bit of a resurgence in recent
years.
How would you describe your music in three
words?
Good. Better. Best.
What does punk mean to you, is it just a word or
is it a lifestyle? Do you call yourself a
punks or aren't you so fussy about labels?
Labels are not fussy but punk culture has meant
an incredible amount to me, Anders. (Listen to
"Om det gick"). Everything from starting to want
to play when I couldn't, to forming a band,
getting a rehearsal room, forming a music club,
learning PA and light, learning how to arrange
concerts myself, making cassette tapes/CDs,
learning how to record my own music videos,
etc,,, this whole "do it yourself even though
you're not very good at it but it doesn't matter
what others say"....
How do you see on downloading, mp3 and the like?
Does it benefit less band?
As long as we get our music out and that it's
available, it benefits us, we think.
How is with the records from 2018 and 2020, are
they only available digitally? If not, how do
you get them physically?
Unfortunately, they only exist digitally. Some
of the songs from BCKMRKT come as a bonus on the
CD "Övertramp" though. The first album "och sen"
we printed up in 50 copies that we gave away at
gigs.
To be the first band on Danne Paulsson's new
record label Sockiplast... How does it feel?
We are so grateful and happy for that! He's
great to deal with and an interesting person.
Then it will be smooth because he makes sure
that records / shirts can be bought at
Punkrockstore and Grönpeppar.
How do you think it's like to live in Sweden
today, politically?
M-SD-KD....
We're damn good. But of course it is nasty that
many people think that it has gone to hell and
that the only solution is to be angry and vote
for people and parties with a wrong view of
humanity.
Are there any good bands in Sweden today?
In your hometown?
In Klippan there are currently about 25 bands
and it is steadily increasing now that the
corona is starting to release. There are
everything from 12-year-olds who play hard
rock/punk to 70-year-olds who play blues. In
Sweden there are lots of good bands and to
rattle them up takes their own book.....
Do you play anything outside of Sweden? If
so, where have you played?
No. Nothing has happened to this band.
Other good bands from abroad?
There are a lot of bands, and as I said, we
listen to a lot of different things.
Your lyrics, what are you influenced by?
Only in Swedish? You didn't have a text
sheet in your record, why not?
Life. How people behave towards others, mental
illness and other tricky things. Yep, only in
Swedish... or yes... different as southswedish
dialect(skånska) and middle Swedish(östgötska)...
We have text sheets in half of the records – the
ones we have and sell ourselves. We decided to
print up and it turned out the way it did. have
someone ordered the LP on Grönpeppar or
Punkrockstore and want the text paper – get in
touch and we can send or something.... We will
try to post so all the texts are on our Facebook
as well.
Is there anything you will never write about? Or
is there nothing sacred?
We write about what we want or need to write
about.
Politics and music, does it always go together?
Or should you not mix them? What are your most
political songs?
No, it doesn't have to. One writes about it, and
if it becomes political, it will be. The most
political song we have is probably "Taggarna
utåt". It's about SD and their unpleasant
rampage.
Best political band/artist?
The ones we're coming up with right away... -
Lastkaj 14, Clash, Björnarna...
And many more...
Do you think music can change someone's life, I
mean lyrics etc?
Do you have an example of that?
Oh yes!! Your own playing, but listen to others.
I, Anders, have personally gained and gained a
lot of strength from it, which has clearly
affected my life – for the better.
😊
Your cover is really cool on your LP, who did
it? Is it important to have a cover so that you
understand the type of music you play?
What's your favorite cover of all time?...
Thanks! It's Mike who fixed the "forbidden to
step on..." picture and then we've together
fiddled the rest together. Yes, we have been
pretty careful that the cover should fit our
music. Favorite cover... Hmmm?
Is it important to get out physical records?
Vinyl or CD or both? Is there a good
record store in your vicinity left?
It's too damn fun to make them. And at gigs
there is always demand for vinyl and/or CD.
Important... well.. It's a little more
"real" to let go physically. We have Electric
mud in Ängelholm. Otherwise, it is a bit sparse
with record stores nearby.
Please tell me something really funny that
happened during your career on stage or
backstage etc?
We drank Lastkaj 14's beer in the dressing room
at KB in Malmö. When they were on stage.
Hahahaha! In Halmstad they didn't have
electricity in the lodge so we had to cuddle
with Asta Kask with candles instead. (Very
romantic, especially in the bathroom. When we
got home, it turned out that there was
electricity. Very strange... .... Peter was
nicknamed Krampen after a gig in Motala. Looks
hysterically funny. Available on Youtube...
How does your audience look like? What kind of
people is coming? Are you missing any kind of
people?
It seems to be just about all sorts of ages.
Please rank five favorite records, five favorite
concerts? The most embarrassing album in the
collection?
David: Record:The Hellacopters - Supershitty to
the max, Concert: Foo fighters - Ullevi 2015
(when Dave falls off stage and breaks his leg)
Has no embarrassing record.
Mike: Record: Mimikry – Alderland, Concert: Same
as David, Embarrassing record: U2's Greatest
Hits?
Peter: Record: Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (Lastkaj
14 - Storms Deluxe edition if it's going to be
punk). Concert: Difficult... Asta Kask + Mimikry
in Köping 2003 perhaps? Embarrassing album: I
don't have one.
Anders: Record: Strebers-I fädrens spår,
Concert: Punkfesten i Klippan 2019, Embarrassing
record: Eddie Meduza – fruntimmer ska en ha och
k****a med.
Are interviews boring?
No, it's fun and fun to think a little.
If you could choose five bands from history,
dead and alive to have a concert with your band,
what are the dream bands?
Asta Kask, Dia Psalma, Mimikry, Bad religion,
Nofx, Millencolin, 2 ton satan, oh,,, it turned
out to be 7. There are many more we would love
to share the scene with!
Is music a great way to get out frustration and
become a kinder person?
Are you angrier today than you were young punks?
Yes, definitely get a lot of shit out of it by
playing (and even listening to) music.
What's the strangest question you've been asked
in an interview? (Except for this one)
This is the first time Beckmörkt has been in an
interview.
Future plans for the band?
Keep making songs we like and rehearse, record
and perform them live. Hopefully Sockiplast
wants to do more collaborations with us.
For yourself?
(Anders) Continue playing in different bands,
arrange concerts (among other things Punkfesten
i Klippan), be with my family, pet the cat,
build on the house, record something new with my
one-man band "Lillpunkaren", work with
population education, learn singing techniques,
renovate electric guitars, do more tattoos and a
little more.
Words of wisdom?
"If you're wondering, it should sound like
this."
Anything to add?
Many thanks for a nice interview! Thank you to
those of you who read!
If you're the little punk(lillpunkaren), who's
the big punk?
I got that nickname when I was 13 years old.
I'll be 50 next year, so I'll be the big punk. 😊
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