Entrevista a Dan Swanö

Este nome devia dizer algo a toda a gente. Mas se calhar dizem-vos mais os nomes das bandas a que este senhor está ligado, directa ou indirectamente: Diabolical Masquerade, Edge Of Sanity, Pan Thy Monium, Shadowsphere, Opeth, Katatonia, Bloodbath e tantas outras...
O Música de Peso pôs algumas questões e Dan acedeu a respondê-las. De forma directa e clara, levantando o véu a algumas dúvidas. E também deixou alguns conselhos para quem estiver a começar no mundo da música.

Música de Peso - Which was you first contact with metal and death metal?

Dan Swanö - My first contact with metal was thru my brothers. I got into Kiss and Judas Priest really early and followed their evolution. I also liked WASP and Mercyful Fate really early. The Death Metal stuff is something that grew out of the crossover into Thrash into Death/Thrash then to pure Death Metal. Almost like an addiction!! When I heard the 1st Obituary record something snapped in me and since then only the deadliest was good enough!!

MP - You've done and been doing a lot of stuff in music: you had the Ghost project, you played with Katatonia, you have some old-school death metal projects (like Infestdead) and a hard-rock band, Nightingale. Are you looking for some kind of musical fullfilment or you are an hyperactive person who loves music?

DS - I don´t know. I just like to play music. I have always had one helluva problem to focus on one thing for too long. It feels great to possess the ability to jump from scene to scene and do something (hopefully) good in each situation, and not always play the guitar for a bluesband or whatever other horrible situations there might be in the world ;)

MP - Some years ago, you founded Pan-Thy-Monium with your brother, which is everything but traditional death-metal. What did you want to do or obtain with Pan-Thy-Monium?

DS - PTM was founded in 1990 by me and three friends. We did 1 demo 1 EP without the inclusion of my brother. Around the time of the 1st LP we needed an extra spice and his leadguitar and saxophones were just the spice we needed. He sticked around for additional overdubs on the 2 next coming LP´s and cannot be considered a member. Only a Guest in PTM. Our main goal was to piss people off!!!!

MP - You've been credited in about 100000 records that came out of Sweden in the last 15 years. Do you feel like a generous Godfather to swedish death metal?

DS - Not really. I might be one of the backbones in the 2nd wave of slightly more melodic death metal, still performed today. I did a lot of clean singing on brutal records really early on, and that is really in-fashion today!!

MP - Why did you abandon such projects as Edge Of Sanity? People say that you can't do death grunts anymore...Is that true?

DS - I tried to take over EOS to make the project go one step further. But the plan backfired and I was fired out of the band. About the growling: yes and no. I cannot do a livegig to save my life. I have a timespan of about 10 lines of grunts before my voice and breathing is fucked up. I have no desire to train it up again, so I think my growling days on a stage is over, but I can still do some stuff for the studioproject if I wish.

MP - A question about the legendary Sorskogen: why did you and Mikael Akerfeldt never took it forward and recorded a whole album?

DS - It was only a testproject for my new studio. I was lost in Stockholm after a UK trip and called Mike and he drove me home, stayed a few nights and one of those nights we recorded the "Mordet i grotten" track just for fun. Some guys sit and watch football and drink beer. We made history!!! I think Mike will make a fullenght, but I doubt I will be on it.

MP - Most recently you've been working as producer and doing some studio work. Why did you decide to do that instead of keep playing only?

DS - It´s a gutfeeling. I get a much bigger kick out of finishing a perfect mix/mastering than to write a song. I don´t know why, but it is so. So I follow my gutfeeling!

MP - In 2006 you mastered "Hellbound Heart", a record from the portuguese band Shadowsphere. How did that opportunity came along?

DS - I actually mixed and mastered the whole thing. It was really cool. The music was great and I think my work turned out pretty cool too!!! Hi guys!!!

MP - Tell us a little bit about your Unisound project.

DS - It is not really a project. Unisound is my company and I mix and master records for a living. I have a simple homepage at unisound.se (will be a cooler one very soon). If you want your record to sound kick ass...let me work on it!! I am cheaper than most of the other mix/mastering guys in the business.

MP - What are your projects for the present and for the near future? I've heard that a "Moontower II" might see the daylight sometime soon...

DS - Moontower II was stillborn. I never wrote a single riff worthy of release and threw it all away. Sorry. I will focus on my mixingcareer and be the new Chris Lord-Alge.

MP - Do you have any advice for new bands that are starting now?

DS - Try to find your own style. If you wish to sound like At The Gates or In Flames or even Opeth, form a tribute or cover band...it will give you more cred, chicks and knowledge. Then you can form your own band and try to break away from the sound of your favebands. Nobody needs a copy. It´s hard times in the recordbusiness today. Only the strong survive, and to copy another successful band is not strong. It is weak!!

MP - Some recommendations, both musical and literary for our listeners?'

DS - Anything that will make your heart beat faster. Let it by pop, punk....whatever. A good book is Martin Popoffs book about Judas Priest. really important reading!!

MP - Thanks a lot for your time Dan, really.

DS - Thanx to you too!!