I got contact with Norwegian Pale Kids last week, and yesterday their CD arrived and today I did the interview….august 2014

Please tell me a little about the groups history?
-It all started in 1998 under the name Garbage Pail Kids (taken from thetrading cards). Over the years both members and genres has been changed.
Pale Kids has been a hybrid of the following genres; punk-rock, pop-punk,rock n roll, hard rock, heavy metal, screamo and ballads.
Since around 2011 or so, the band has been on hiatus.
Since the band has been around for so long, there’s of course a history;concerts, studios, labels, radio, TV and other medias. It would take a long time to tell the whole story.
But I can say that the band was a pioneer for the Screamo-movement in
Norway back when that was a hype. And we got some attention for that.
 
Please tell me a little about every member, age, family, interests, work and something bad about everyone?
-There’s been only two consistant members all the way from the beginning,and that is; Kim Andersen (Drums) and myself; Thomas Eriksen (Guitar andvocals). We included the bassist Robin Sakseter during the last year, but sadly never performed live with him.
Both myself and Kim has now turned thirty years and we are into making a living and living life, I guess. I think the same can be said about all the members that has been in and out of our band. Making the best of life and play music.
A bad thing.. Hmm. Well, we are all guilty of giving up to easily on Pale Kids
 
The record I got was 8 years old...your music today is it in the same way?
-Like mentioned; the band is on hiatus and has been for a long time. I have been the main songwriter and can say that the last stuff I wrote for the band was melodic-metal. So we have taken the hard and melodic element from the EP and moved further into metal, I guess.
 
How would you describe your music in three words?
-Hard, melancholic and beautiful.
 
You have never thought about singing in Norwegian?
-We did actually have a few songs in Norwegian back in 1998 and until the millenium.
 
Is there any good band sin Norway now who sings in Norwegian?
-I can only speak for myself when I answering this question. I am now and have been for many years into Black Metal. And in that genre the Norwegian language works very well for the atmosphere.
I can't say much about anything else, though I'm sure Kim has some bands he likes.
 
Is there any good bands around at all?
-As the previous answer, I can only speak for myself. I am pretty much
absent from all commercial music these days, and can't really name any
bands outside my metal-interests.
 
Do you play gigs often? Where is the best place to play?
-We played alot between the inception in '98 until '12. Most gigs around in Norway, though. We did one short tour of Sweden in 2006 along with the Swedes; Chemical Vocation, Kid Down and Adept.
Personally, the best place would be the huge festivals. We also enjoyed
playing smaller clubs, but not when they were half empty.
 
Which is the biggest band you have played together with?
-That would be; My Chemical Romance, Billy Talent and other headliners at festivals.
 
Which type of people comes to your concerts?
-Back in the "glorydays" around 2005-2008 there would mostly be what today is known as Emo-kids.
 
Which type of people do you miss at your concerts?
-Anyone, everyone should support music.
 
Is there any good bands from Sweden you like?
-My personal opinion; theres been many good metal-acts from sweden and you like Norway even have your own sub-genre; Gothenburg Death Metal.
 
What does punk mean to you: 1.Nothing 2.Lifestyle 3.Word?
-Punk to me is nostalgic as of today. It was my first brush of music that got me into buying a guitar. I really loved The Sex Pistols and those oldies. I was very young so I guess I couldn’t call it a lifestyle.. But I have always dressed like the music I've been into. Always.
 
How is it to live in Norway today? I mean politically?

-I am not a political active person. But as I see it, it's a great place to live.
 
Politics and music, does it goes hand in hand?

-Sure it does. I guess I have had some opinions tucked into some songs,
but far from the intellectual level. But I know that there is political
charged acts, yes.
 
Best political artist/band you know?
-Haha. This might be dorky, but; I love Megadeth.
 
Your most political song?
-I can't recall every single song right now, but from the top of my head; The Reality Of Ignorance and The Elimination Theory (from the album that never got released)
 
What influences you to do lyrics?
-I get influenced by my everyday; stuff I see and stuff I think. Most Pale Kids lyrics has been about darker things like; depression, rape, revenge, murder, passion and loss of direction. Not that I necessarily go through those things but I like to tinker with those subjects.
 

When you do a song, how do you do, is it someone who comes up with an
idea or do you do them together?
-I have always been somewhat of a controlfreak, so I have written
everything myself. Some may see it as egotistic, but I do have pretty
strong visions of what I want.
Before I evolved into being a songwriter, other members used to write
songs as well. But that was way back in the early days.
 
A question why do you think that the norwegian people celebrates the
17th of may so much when we don´t celebrate the 6th of june in Sweden?
-I don't know. I guess we are proud of our country and celebrate how good it is to be part of it. This year was a bit extra because it was the 200th anniversary.

 

Please rank your five favourite records, five favourite concerts and
five most important things in life?
 -This is hard. I’ve got many influential albums and seen many concerts.
 
AC/DC - Back In Black
Megadeth - Countdown To Extinction
Darkthrone - Transylvanian Hunger
From First To Last - Dear Diary..
Led Zeppelin - 4
 
AC/DC - Oslo 2000
From First To Last - London 2005
Tony Martin - Halden 2013
Megadeth - Oslo 2005
Glen Matlock - Halden 2012
 
In life, there's;
Love, friends, family, music and alcohol.
 
First, last and most expensive record ever bought?
-Oh. I cant remember any expensive records. But I once bought a shitty
bootleg VHS of the Norwegian Black Metal band Mayhem.. For a redicilous
price, haha.
 

What do you think about downloading and mp3 and that stuff?
-It has become a part of things, I'm sorry to say. The industry will never be the same as the old days. Sure many people do buy vinyls and stuff, but those are hardcore fans. Recordsales are dead.
 
Is it good or bad for a band like your?
-Any income taken away is bad.
 
Pale Kids , where does the name came from, is it only a name or is it
having a history?
-It was taken from the old tradingcards; Garbage Pail Kids. During the next couple of years it became Pail Kids and then Pale Kids. I did'nt come up with the name but made my own meaning when we went into darker songs; Pale Kids as in a frightened child that’s seen something horrific.
 
Futureplans for the band?
-There is no future plans. But there’s plenty of material laying around, so maybe a release or some "reunion" at one point?
 
For yourself
-I am currently in the process of releasing my second album with my Black Metal band; Mork (www.morkisebakke.no)
And I run a studio where I make, engineer and produce different music.
 
Wisdomword?
-I don't know how wise this is, but;
If you enjoy music of any kind, support it! Buy records, merch, go to
shows and help promote it to your friends.
 
Something to add?
-Both myself, Kim and Robin thank you for the attention. And I am sorry to say that the band has been on hiatus for some time.