Questions: Joana

Answers: Lasse Ulvën

1. Lasse, it is a pleasure to have you in my Column, since I admire you as much as a musician and a great friend. Tell us about your life here in Brazil, the bands and projects that you had played. How long did you stay here? How did you learn to speak Portuguese so well?

I'm embarrassed by praise that I don’t deserve but thanks anyway...I’d lived there for about 5 years and had learned Portuguese listening and trying to talk, no classes, no dictionary. A band from the south of the country in the state of Rio Grande do Sul called No Rest was needing a tour bass-player in 2004 and since I was hanging around with them a lot, I had joined. Other band that I used to play in is called Permanente Estado de Conflito.

2. Actually living in Tampere, Finland and as a crazy maniac for Internacional (a Brazilian soccer team), how can you be in touch with the soccer plays and with Brazil when you miss them?

I always listen to Radio Gaúcha when”Inter” is playing. This year again 'Colorado' (nick name to call the team) will paint America with red!! I talk with my friends sometimes by e-mail, but not as often as I should. Sorry folks!!

3. What bands did you play and is still playing in Finland? Tell us a little bit about their projects. Which instruments do you play in each one?

In here I scream in a band called Kyklooppien Skupuutto and we play kind of noisy hardcore. A new 12" EP is out now, march 2010 (Labels: Tuska & Ahdistus, Primitive Air-raid)..This is the only band that anyone would know... I'm starting a new project called kirottu ääni, noise and paranoia once again. But it is still early to talk about that, some recordings were made already. Hopefully I'll get a tape out during springtime. So, here you go the  Kyklooppien Sukupuutto Hypernation Chainsaw Exorcism' Tour 2010:

06 05 Montreal, QC @ Death Church W/ ABYSSED, ACCIDENT, DISKONECTED   
07 05 Montreal, QC @ TBC W/TBC.... OR CAMPING (fukkin local hirvis)!!          
08 05 Toronto, ON @ 460 Café W/SAKHALIN, SICK ERROR, MOLESTED YOUTH, ILLEGAL
09 05 buffalo, NY @ THE FUNERAL HOME W/ BROWN SUGAR, RESIST CONTROL, VESSEL, NEUTRON RATS    
10 05 Rochester, NY @ THE BUGJAR W/ ASSBEER, NARCS, DEATH CAMP           
11 05 Albany, NY @ ODD FELLOWS HALL W/ RESIST CONTROL, ACID REFLUX, THE GRABOIDS
12 05 Boston, MA W/ BRAIN KILLER, CONFINES, WASTE MANAGEMENT
13 05 western mass, MA @ REBEL SOUND RECORDS        
14 05 Brooklyn, NY @ THE CHARLESTON W/ DRY SPELL, THE OMINOUS ORDER OF FILTHY MONGRELS, POLLUTION    
15 05 New York, NY @ ABC NO RIO W/ACID REFLUX, STARING PROBLEM, CRAZY SPIRIT          
16 05 Baltimore, MD @ CELEBRATED SUMMER RECORDS           
17 05 Bethlehem, PA @ SECRET ART SPACE W/ FLORENCE AND LIBBY, JOHN FONDA   
18 05 Pittsburgh, PA @ 3030 POLISH HELL W/ DO CRIMES, RATFACE      
19 05 Cleveland, OH @ NOW THAT’S CLASS W/ CIDER, PIGSTICKER, SPORTS BRA         
20 05 Detroit, MI @ COMET BAR W/ LIVE TO KILL, TAISTO          
21 05 Milwaukee, WI @ GROUND ZERO W/ LA URSS (Esp.), BORED STRAIGHT, DEEP SHIT       
22 05 Chicago, ILL W/ LA RUSS (Spain)        
23 05 Minneapolis, MN @ RATHOLE W/ QUESTION, ANIMALS, BEAST    
24 05 Kansas City, MO @ STUDDED BIRD W/ DARK AGED            
25 05 Oklahoma City, OK     
26 05 Fort Worth, TX @ 1919 HEMPHILL W/ UNIT 21, LA URSS (Esp.), NEVERSKADE, ROTUNDUS         
27 05 Austin, TX @ CAOS IN TEJAS
28 05 LOST IN
29 05 CAOTIKK TJEJAS          
30 05 New Orleans, LA @ HIHO LOUNGE W/ TWIN STUMPS, KIM PHUC
31 05 Sarasota, FL @ JOINT COLLECTIVE W/ MURDER-SUICIDE PACT     
01 06 Gainesville, FL W/ WORLDS   
02 06 Atlanta, GA @ 585 WELLS W/ BUKKAKE BOYS, RALPH & CURMUDGEON
03 06 Raleigh, NC     
04 06 Richmond, VA  
05 06 Philadelphia, PA @ TERRORDOME W/ BALLISTIK    
06 06 Providence, RI @ 201 W/ WHITE LOAD, LIFERS

4. Which countries have you been? Which one did you like most and why?

No Rest has played in many countries in South America and almost everywhere in Europe. But to travel touring is different, you never stay for too long in one place, you arrive, play, party, sleep a bit and then you have to travel again. So I don’t know the places well enough to say anything about them, there are only impressions. I'd like to go back to Valparaiso, Chile, that place gave me a good impression. If I'd have to choose between Finland and Brazil it would be quite difficult. Here in Finland we are safe, safe from violence, safe financially. But something is missing like spirituality, feeling, we are in away too comfortable, and in Brazil nothing is safe, but people complain less even though they have less and maybe it's a more honest that way. I don´t know, it's like choosing between being shot or stabbed in some street corner or die slowly of boredom. But even though I'm here in Finland now I think I'd prefer to leave the decadence of the west.

5. What is your favorite festival? Which one of them was the best and with which band? And let us know the one you did not play yet and that you wishes to.

Puntala Rock for sure!! This trophy I'll have to bring home... Actually Puntala isn’t much more than a bunch of crazy bastards drinking in the middle of nowhere.. Afterwards no one remembers which bands played or if they saw any of them because they were so drunk, but it's a blast.. Last year Ratos de Porão and Lobotomia played and it was pretty insane if I remember correctly.. The best festival gig that I played wasn't there though, it was in Czech Republic with No Rest but I can´t remember the name of the place or the festival.. They say Caos in Tejas is a pretty crazy festival in Austin, USA. I never been there, but this year we are going to play there, it should be good. We will be playing with: Bastard, Crow, Inquisition, X, Subhumans, Poison Idea, Leatherface, Toxic Holocaust etc.
 

6. Your favorite music, book, movie, lyrics, food and drink.

You are asking too much!! I would have to choose only one of each?? Can’t be done!!
Movie, hmm, of the Hollywood stuff my favorite director must be Polanski, not all of his films are great but some of them like ”Repulsion”, ”Rosemary’s Baby”, ”The Tenant” and ”Chinatown” have a special feeling related to them that makes me put him before great directors like Kubrick, Scorsese, Coppola and others.. But I prefer European films from directors like: Herzog, Bela Tarr, Fassbinder, Haneke.. From Brazilian cinema "Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol" by Glauber Rocha.. My tips for Finnish films are "Kahdeksan Surmanluotia", "Maa on Syntinen Laulu" and "Katsastus".
Music is even worse to choose from, I cannot even decide which my favorite style of music is, I'll choose among my noisy favorites then, hmm, Neurosis, Discharge, Darkthrone..
Cannot be done, too many to choose from, SORTO!!!
I cannot choose a certain text either but my favorite writer of lyrics is without a doubt is Ian Curtis. Dostoyevsky. Becherovka, Ice Cream.

7. I had the opportunity to bring to Brazil some Permanente Estado de Conflito´s LPs. I could notice that you did the ” side A” and ”side B” arts of each vinyls. I think this is a very important part of the “Do it Yourself” that should never be forgotten. Tell us more about this activity there in Finland.
 
The truth about that is that I didn’t have an art for the center labels and this was the only one thing causing a delay on the pressing of the record. So I thought 'what the hell I'll worry about that later'.. It wasn’t a bad idea I guess, it’s work to paint 500 records but at least each one becomes unique..Too bad I don’t have any talent on graphics, so most of the labels are pretty ugly, but so is the music..

8. A quick note for the Brazilian friends that are waiting for your return.

I have to organize myself, but I am crazy to go there.. Being stuck sucks!!

9. A dream. A struggle.  A truth.

Dream: to stop thinking. Fight: constant. Truth: doesn't exist.

10. Lasse Ulvën by himself.

I am a humble megalomaniac.