Interview With F.I.S.T.

questions answered by Mike and Mac

Interview conducted by Steve Helmer

1. What does F.I.S.T. stand for and what's in the name? How did you arrive at that name for your band?

Mike, Mac: The name is thought to be subjective and you can take it as you like. The name as itself can seem to be aggressive, but we just see the F.I.S.T as a vital part of the human body. (laughter)

2. Is this the year that metal takes over the charts? Every other kind of music has seen the spotlight in the past. How is your kind of music gaining respect, better or worse?


MAC: Although bands like Korn and Deftones are making it into the charts and bringing metal to more people, I don't think that this year is the year. This is definitely not the year that our kind of music will hit the charts.
MIKE: We are seeing a development where hip-hop, a former underground music-style, has more or less become mainstream, and metal in many cases has taken it's place as an underground art form
MAC: Underground is more fun since mainstream contains more wannabees.
MIKE: Receiving credits from the states among others ofcourse means a lot.

3. Where do you see F.I.S.T in the year 2000?

MIKE: Well, That's in less than a year, but it's always hard to say. With me, it's hard to say what I'm doing tomorrow. Life has a funny way of surprising you.
MAC: Hopefully out playing our music to people who love our kind of music.

4. What is in your cd collection that is not metal ? It seems even the most devout metalheads have something that influences them that is not metal. Tell us your favorite non-metal cd, if there is such a thing!

Mike: I am influenced by all kinds of music and hopefully this will show in my music. Bands like Dave Mathews Band and Primus, music like maxwell and TLC. I'm an all-eater. The last records I bought were TLC's "Fanmail" (great record) and Tom Jones. He kicks (laugh)
MAC: I'm a blues and punk rock fan. People like John Lee Hooker and Ramones are among my favorites. In my way of playing, I'm influenced by a bit of Jazz, blues and 60's rock and some funk. When I want to relax and unwind I turn on music like the Ramones, Jerry Lewis, Elvis or Stanley Clarke. My favorite non-metal cd is "Rhinoplasty" by Primus.

5. Where are you from and what’s the scene like there for the style of music you play?

MAC/ MIKE The whole band is from a suburb near Stockholm, which has alot of young musicians, there's not alot of rehearsal space left. The mainstream here is pop and shit like that, so there`s not a big crowd for metal bands.

6. What would you most like to be remembered for 50 years from now ?

MAC:I wanna be rememberd as a guy who said what he meant and meant what he said.
MIKE: I wanna be rememberd by my children, loved ones and friends as a good father, friend and person.
MAC : I also wanna be rememberd as the man who married Jenny McCarthy.(laughter)

7. What kills your freedom to create music? What is the biggest downer in the music business for you?

MIKE: Ignorence and the cost of everything.
MAC :The lack of support from people.

8. Tell our readers the story behind the formation of the group. How did you all meet and what keeps you together as a band?

MIKE: Well i guess it all started when me and Mats left a band we had formed as kids called DESCENTION. We went off and asked Rikard and James to come and kick it with us and they did. We started rehearsing and soon recorded a demo called "In silence I speak". It contained four songs and has not been released more than the clips on our homepage and a song on a local album. Later Markus joined us on the bass guitar and we have had that formation since then. As individuals we are very different and I see that as a good thing and a factor that strengthens us as a band.

9. Got any comments for somone who hates metal and has a tiny mind about music as a whole? How about a comment for someone who who loves metal and hates everybody else?

F.I.S.T: Ignorance is the cause of war in this world.

F.I.S.T