Interview with Mats & Urrke of Maryslim

May 2nd in Stockholm, Sweden

MT: How would you describe your music to someone not familiar with it?

Mats: That is a hard question. It is always difficult to describe it yourself. It is really good rock music with really good harmonies. I think it is so much mixed together, I mean you’ve got rock and heavy metal and pop rock and things like that, but the main thing I think is it is melodic. Isn’t that right?

Urrke: Yea and it is full of action and substance.

MT: How did you come up with the name of the band?

Urrke: Actually it was a package of cigarettes that I bought when I was quite a small kid actually and I had never seen those cigarettes even before or after that.

MT: Really?

Urrke: I kept the package though. I have it framed in my home.

MT: That’s cool.

Urrke: It sounded like a good band name. I thought that already back then, but it took like many, many, many years before it actually got used.

MT: It was a sign.

Urrke: Yea, yea…

MT: Give me one word to describe each of you in the band.

Urrke: Oh, that’s an unusual question, but we did that in Germany.

Mats: Do you mean like one word…

MT: One word for each of you.

Mats: It’s a good thing that we got that question. We can use that answer! 

Urrke: We are prepared! Mats is fair, Kent is uncomplicated, Patrik is a riddle…

Mats: And Urrke is good-hearted.

MT: How about one word to describe your music?

Urrke: Good.

*laughter*

MT: What do you want your fans to get out of your music?

Mats: Whatever they want. Because they can feel whatever they want.

Urrke: They should relate to it. They should feel familiar with the words and the sounds and get them to feel good.

MT:  If you could meet anyone dead or alive who would it be and why?

Urrke: Hmmm, that’s tricky. (silence for a few moments) Sid Vicious I would say. It would be interesting to see if he was such a nice guy that everybody used to know him.

Mats: I don’t think it matters what I am saying because I am going to regret it.

*laughter*

Mats: Anyways, I will say the first thing that popped into my mind and that was Bruce Dickenson in Iron Maiden because I have always wanted to shake his hand. It has been my…

Urrke: I went to a party with him.

Mats: Yea, I know! I am jealous about it.

*laughter*

Urrke: We’re friends.

Mats: I would like to tell him I bought the first album. It would make my day I think.

MT:  Ok back to the band. Any strange habits, phobias or obsessions?

*laughter*

Urrke: Why does everybody want to know about our obsessions?

*laughter*

Mats: Secret obsessions stay secret.

MT: Ok, any strange habits? Anything you do before a show?

Mats: Personally?

MT: Yea.

Mats: Kent used to do sit ups.

Urrke: I think that is kind of odd.

Mats: I think it is pretty common actually, but…I don’t know, but I think for myself I usually do certain things in the same order, but it is just to make me comfortable.

MT: How about you?

Urrke: Smoking cigarettes, trying to relax.

MT:  What do you get most out of being a musician? 

Mats: Standing on stage with a good crowd. I mean that is what you are reaching for all the time. It is fun to record an album and making songs, but in the end standing there with a good crowd giving you direct feedback that is always what you are after.

Urrke: Yea, I think it is quite simple. I wanna have fun. One question once in an interview was what is the last thing you think about before you go on stage and that is let’s have fun.

Mats: I think that is important to show that you actually have fun while you are on stage. Not trying to do everything right. I think the audience is realizing we are having a really good time up there and it makes the show even better.

MT:  Walk me through the song writing process of the band.

Mats: Now-a-days it has been like more me…on this last album anyway. But before, I mean it goes like, either me or Kent did the music and then you present it in rehearsal to the other guys and everybody do their part. Urkke plays bass…

Urrke: At the rehearsal place, everyone is arranging stuff together. Patrik is doing his drum fills, I do my bass lines…Sometimes people think, can you do it like that…We work together in the rehearsal place. But now-a-days Mats does most parts of the basic music and lyrics.

MT: What bands are you listening to now?

Urrke: Wow. Anything.

MT: Nothing in particular?

Urrke: I wouldn’t say so.

Mats: I think it is pretty hard to find something new to listen to, but in my CD player at the moment…what have I been listening to?

Urrke: Today I listened to Johnny Cash and Motorhead. Yesterday I might have listened to Bob Marley, so…

Mats: Yea, I was listening to Bad Reputation yesterday.

MT:  What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t a musician?

Urrke: Woohaa…Ah, I used to be a baker, but I wouldn’t go back to that.

*laughter*

Urrke: I am one hell of a man making cakes!

Mats: I actually don’t know. I have been doing so much before, so of course I would be doing something, but I actually don’t know. I always wanted this.

MT: If you could be invisible, fly or stop time, which would you pick and why?

Urrke: Hmmmm…

Mats: I think I would actually choose fly because I could get anywhere, anytime. That would be the coolest thing. I actually dream a lot about flying. Pretty often, I don’t know why. It goes well for awhile, but then I always drop (slaps table) and wake up. I don’t know if you could analyze it.  

MT: Sure I could look it up on the internet.

Mats: I don’t think I would like to know.

MT: How about you?

Urrke: Ahh. Probably pick to be invisible for awhile because it would be interesting to be in some spaces and rooms and see what people are saying about me when I am not there.

MT: That is exactly what I said.

Mats: That’s exactly why I wouldn’t pick it.

**laughter**

MT: How about worst habits and best qualities of each of you?

Mats: Well, I think it is easier to just answer the question for just Urrke and me. So…ohhh these are tricky questions!

Urrke: Yea why can’t you ask some easy ones.

Mats: These are good questions, but we can’t answer just like that. *snaps fingers* Umm….What was it again?

**laughter**

MT: Your worst habit. Your best quality.

Urrke: Whew….

Mats: But actually now that sounds like I am trying to get out of this easily. Urkke is a good-hearted man. That is one of his best qualities and biggest problems. I would say that, but bad habits, I don’t know. You tend to be really confused and not know up or down (to Urrke).

Urrke: I am getting better.

Mats: Yea, he is really getting better. That is the only thing I can say I think.

Urrke: You tend to have things in good order then. That is a good habit. Bad habit…hmmmm, I don’t know.

MT: That is good if you can’t think of anything.

Mats: Yea, but you always have a bad habit. That is weird if you don’t have it, but ah…

Urrke: Maybe I don’t know it because you hide it so well.

Mats: I think you know. You just don’t dare to tell it.

Urrke: About your bad habits?

*laughter*

Mats: I think maybe I force you to have order at times. Makes you feel…

Urrke: No, It should be order.

Mats: Oh. Oh well!

MT: You are perfect!

Urrke: Yea we are so good. We don’t have any problems in this band.

MT: Here is a real easy one for the girls. Boxers, or maybe boxer briefs, briefs or nothing at all?

Urrke: Not boxers.

Mats: I don’t know what you call it. What’s like boxers? Is that?

MT: Boxers are loose.

Mats: Yea it’s loose. That’s loose…no, no, no, I don’t have that. That is like having shorts and I have too tight jeans for that.

MT: Boxer briefs are long and tight. Briefs are…

Urrke: Small stuff that fits into my tight pants.

Mats:  Yea, they go down on your thigh…

MT: That’s boxer briefs.

Mats: I am sorry girls, but it can find it’s way out anyway.

MT: If you were a movie villain who would you be?

*Silence*

Urrke: Hmmm…

*Silence* 

MT: I am a pain in the ass with my questions.

Urrke: Yea, they are tricky.

Mats: I am too nice to be a villain.

Urrke: Nice boys don’t play rock and roll.

*laughter*

MT: Ok let’s make this an easy one. Put the ultimate tour together.

Urrke: I heard from the Helacopters that Foo Fighters was really nice guys to tour with. If you tour with the Foo Fighters you get paid even if you shouldn’t.

Mats: I wouldn’t cry if we went on tour with Iron Maiden either. Probably be too big and the crowd wouldn’t care, but I think that would be cool.

Urrke: KISS. Childhood dream.

MT: Message for your fans? You are getting a lot more fans in the US now that are dying to see you.

Mats: We are dying to come over. Hope to see you soon!

Urrke: Keep rockin’. Be patient.

Mats: Don’t do anything that you don’t want to…follow your heart or your stomach.

Urrke: Live young die hard.