Truckfighters
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Truckfighters

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“The stoner scene didn’t really exist. There were a few bands playing when we first started, but not so much people actually listened to these bands up here in Sweden. Because all the bands played more in Europe than in Sweden, we did the same.”

Truckfighters have predominantly situated themselves in central Europe throughout their career, but following the release of third record Mania in 2009 their tour itinerary expanded to encompass the Americas. Contrary to popularly held opinion, Dango dismisses much of a difference between European audiences and American audiences.

“I think rock’n’roll fans, it’s basically the same wherever you are. I mean, sure, some places people are a bit more energetic or in some places they’re just chilling. I don’t think it’s that big difference like people tend to think.”

While Dango insists the type of people coming to their shows doesn’t greatly vary, it seems the Swedish market has upheld a touch of nonchalance toward Truckfighters.

“Sweden is a bit hard because we have to get past a certain level for people to actually think it’s ok to listen to you.”

It has been a much delayed reaction, but Dango believes their home country is gradually warming to their fuzz-filled frenzy.

“We’re getting bigger in Sweden, that’s something we actually noticed lately. I think we passed the point of being totally unknown in Sweden,” he says.

Truckfighters have their own studio in Örebro and have self-produced all of their records. Dango points out that they essentially manage all band affairs from the bottom up.

“We’re ‘do-it-yourself’ guys. We run the label ourselves, we record everything ourselves and we write the songs ourselves and take care of everything ourselves.”

They’ve been chipping away in the studio between tours and have almost completed recording a new album. It’s been almost four years since Mania came out and Dango explains the major factors halting studio productivity.

“Partially because we tour really hard all the time, we don’t really take time off just to sit down and ‘let’s make an album’. Also the drummer dilemma takes away lots of time, to rehearse with new drummers. Creative energy disappears when the drummer ends and we have to look for a new one.”

Truckfighters have had a string of temporary drummers over the last four years and although Dango suggests that Poncho, the man currently occupying the drum stool, is an optimum candidate, he’s reluctant to assert he’ll remain permanently.

“Let’s just say I have been through too much to think so, but I really hope so. Poncho we’ve been playing with for four months. If he stays for more than a year I think he’s going to stay for a long time. He’s really cool and a really good drummer and we get along really well and it feels good, but you never know.”

Truckfighters songs generate out of a collaboration between Dango and vocalist/bassist Ozo. Dango confirms that, despite drummer instability altering the method of song construction, they still possess a jam mentality.

“In the early days of the band we just jammed and made ideas and then tried to make songs out of it. Then as drummers have been coming and going it’s more focused on me and Ozo sitting down in the studio and composing stuff right out of the blue. Even if the two latest albums has been more me and Ozo writing the stuff, lots of the ideas come from recorded jams. We hear a part of a jam and think, ‘Woah this sounds really cool, let’s try to make something serious out of it.’”

The band’s sound is particularly indebted to gritty guitar sounds of the ‘90s and Dango admits he prefers to listen to artists of yore, rather than investigating current music happenings.

“I’m too old to be excited for music unfortunately. I really like the Soundgarden album they released last year. I like the old Soundgarden as well, but I really was impressed that they made a good album 15 years later. One of my favourite bands is Tool. They don’t release so many albums but Tool is a really big influence for me personally.”

He’s found what stimulates him and is sticking with it, but he reveals there is basically one notable exception.

“I got the new Kvelertak album. We toured with them in Europe for six weeks. That’s a good album, it’s like more of a punk-rock hardcore mixture. Their first album is also good. That’s a new band I actually listen to but mostly I listen to old bands.”

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY