This awesome Swedish crust act had me on my knees with their debut 7", and the follow-up LP sure as hell satisfied my needs for raging, political-as-hell crustcore. Plain and simple a killer-band!
We started this interview by e-mail the 21st of March, but 'cause of various circumstances we didn't finish it until December 3rd.

Well hey there� I�d like you to start this interview off with a small presentation of the band � Not a bio, but just a small presentation of who�s answering the questions and which members fills the other spots of the band�
Hutte: I�m Hutte the vocalist of Illd�d and we got Micke P on bass and vocals, Bj�rn on the skins and Walle can answer for himself...
Walle: Well...I play the guitar

It seems to me that Illd�d got off to a pretty good start, do you agree? I mean, you got a 7� released within a year after even starting the band� Do you think this was a direct result of formerly being known as M:Pati, leeching of M:Pati�s fame? Hehe�
Hutte: Hell yeah! We�re still just surfing the big success M:PATI created...
Walle: I think there is a big difference between the bands but I might be wrong. The idea of this band if you want to compare it to M:Pati is that we wanted it to be more aggressive and in your face, with more vocals and faster riffs. Since we basically broke up the band (M:Pati) in time of the recording of the 10� Misantropen and the fact that we nearly never played live I�m surprised that people know of the band.

You only have to hear just a couple of your songs before you understand that this is definitely an angered bunch of musicians, and equally as political. Is politics/social structure an important part of your creation of music, or does it just come natural with the writing of lyrics?
Hutte: Socialpolitic topics are a part of us just being humans. This fucked up world gives you no choice but to scream out your anger... I�m getting so fed up and tired of people who says they don�t give a rats arse about politics, cause it�s so fuckin easy to give a shit. Just care what you consume and try to be a nice and friendly girl/boy against other beings on this planet. Solidarity is the priority!
Walle: As Hutte writes all the lyrics it�s from his views of life. But for me personally, I couldn�t play and create songs if I didn�t agree with the lyrics. We often discuss the lyrics together so we�re all on the whole of its contents. The lyrics have a great importance in the making of new songs. But the riffs are spawned from the frustration of daily life and all the shit you see every day, how people just don�t have the time or will to care about each other. And I can see how hard it is sometimes to care about everything or something, especially when you work hard, have a family to take care of and so on. But it�s in just those moments it�s important to care and take the time to reflect about your surroundings. Never let this moneymaking society brake you down into a zombie. That�s just what the leaders want, ARISE!!!

I see� So are you politically active? And do you vote? A lot of leftwing-oriented persons don�t vote�
Hutte: The voting is really taking place in malls all over our world. As a citizen I �vote� as I�m consuming products. We, the people have more power than I think we really understand (that�s our fuckin loss)...and to answer the question...I do vote...
Walle: I vote, not so much because what the political parties wich dominates here in sweden stands for,but... It�s sometimes better to vote for something that is less bad than the other, and if leftwingers don�t wote there will be a rightwing goverment, no? I think its dangerous to think that this political system is shit and sit waiting for the �revolution�. Don�t misunderstand me, i�m not so fond of this system either but it feels like if you�re for example into the punk/anarchism movements it�s forbidden to participate in a system of today. I think it�s important to, at least, try to make people understand why you are against this system, talk to people in every day life. It�s important to see other peoples point of view and question them and yourself, because you don�t have the hole picture even if you think you do. Otherwise i�m not so politically active, going to demonstrations, think before you shop, recycle and so on is of course simple things you can do. Act in daily life is the most importannt thing you can do.

It seems like there�s a wave of �non-caring� circulating within the punk scene. A great deal of bands simply sing about how life sucks, and that they hate everything and everyone. Now I can relate to that feeling, as most of us probably can. But do you think that apathy and the simple frustration of political corruption is a threat towards the youngsters of today? The simple act of caring is too much?
Hutte: The biggest threat is that we�ve got problems uniting, and as time goes on we�re sinking deeper and deeper... gotta learn how to swim... bla bla bla... I dont know if I understand the question...Aaaagh fuck it!
Walle: I don�t think that the punk scene is less political today than before, almost the opposite. Just remember the mid nineties which were more about revolt thru clothing, hair and drunkness than political thoughts. I don�t say that you have to be political to particapate in the punk movement, and I can myself like good songs or records wich deal with the anger and mistrust I sometimes feel. You don�t always wanna hear propaganda and especially when you�re young and angry and don�t really know what you�re angry about. Of course this political system creates a money and status eager wich creates people that never can be satisfied with them self, how they look, what they own and so on. It feels like apathy and jealousness are spreading to younger levels, but I don�t think it�s about politicall corruption, rather about the whole political structure. This society is circulating around money, and how to get more. Of course this creates a competetive world, where empathy isn�t the first priority.

A lot of punk oriented bands/people have huge circle A�s drawn everywhere, but it seems like a lot of them don�t know what they�re really talking about, it�s just a style they�ve adapted. This act can piss me off, as I get mad when people talk about anarchism as an idea of not caring � �I hate everything, I don�t wanna take part of anything, and that�s why I have this (A) on my jacket�. Do you know what I mean? I�m no anarchist, and I know there are a great deal of different view points within the anarchistic movements, but I still find it annoying when the youth of today (just as of yesterday, and probably of tomorrow too) simply don�t care. Sure, maybe it�s a reaction to the ideal of short, short skirts and ripping abs, but� I don�t know� To be honest I�m not really sure where I�m going with this, I�m just rambling on about my own frustration. Can you relate to this frustration? Kids just don�t listen, and don�t want to listen to you. You might think you�re presenting your political ideas in the best possible way, but you still get the finger as a response.
Hutte: We all got to start somewhere, hopefully these kids grow into their uniforms and become what they wear (or what to say).
Walle: I can only agree to hutte�s answer. It�s better for the kids to revolt into something good, hopefully (I�m pretty sure) some of the youngsters will grow up and get more interested in politics and the underground movements. If you try to push the young they�ll maybe end up in the hands of the neo nazis, and thats not good. Of course it�s sometimes hard trying to express some kind of political topics when you just get the finger back, and it�s easy to get angry with them, but I don�t think that this ignorance can be turned around with anger.
I can say that I didn�t start listening to punk for its politically contents, that was something that I grow into. It was the music that first got my attention.

Interesting that you should mention the neo-nazi issue, as that�s something we have quite big problems with in Europe, at least from time to time. And in the very south of Sweden, where I live, we have huge problems with neo-nazis. At least half of the times I go into town I come across at least one. What�s going on in Gothenburg on that front? Do you feel the rise of the right wing in a direct manor? Maybe with confrontations on gigs, demonstration etc?
Walle: The neo nazi movement in gothenburg is quite small, when i moved here (7-8 years ago) it was much bigger and more violent and they even got their own store. But the anti fascist movement got rid of the scums and they disapeared out in the suburbs or left the movement. Nowadays I feel like its a new wave of idiots showing up in the city, and you can see one or another now and then. It feels strange and sometimes you feel really uncomfortable, i�ve heard of some fights and confrontations but in general i think the problem is, as you said, much bigger in the south of sweden than here. Just as im writing this the neo nazi movement has been on the streets with their paper motst�nd and aswell handing out info about salem, its getting really scaring and im getting really upset and frustrated. Dont relly know what to do. Last saturday they were up to 50 persons on avenyn, thats to many. Feels they�re on uprise again.
Of course the media plays a big part here as in any other issue. After the 11/9 the muslims are put in a really bad situation and when the ordinary �swedish� woman/man starts to be suspicious about almost anyone who doesn�t look lika a �swede�. Our goverment spreads the disease further with statements wich are directly and indirectly racistic. So it�s not hard to figure out where the kids get their hatred from.
On demonstrations and gigs otherwise, it has been very calm. No confrontations at all what i can recall, except when the neonazis tries to do a demonstration of course.

In what way do you think we should confront the issue of young people crossing over to the nazis? It seems to me that it�s often insecure kids that are drawn to the companionship. The nazis look �cool� and �tough�, and they have parties etc. I mean, how the hell do you fight that?
Walle: It�s really hard to figure that out , and as i�m a part of a group arranging concerts we�ve discussed this issue. Sometimes there are groups of �swede� punx on the concerts and thats not so fun, but if we throw them out where will they end up? It�s hard to keep an open mind sometimes and not get angry with them but I think thats one of the worst tings you can do. If they�re showing up its better to try and talk to them and hope that you�re pushing them in the right direction. Its the same as in the question of apolitical punx.
The other kids who are drawn to the elder neonazis its tougher to prevent. As you say it cool to hang out with elder people who buys their alcohol and protects them against other. But the punk movement, and other sub groups, has the companionship, the music and parties aswell, and i think its important to realise that the kids often just ended up with the nazis by random. They probably could have got into the punk business instead, or in other sub group, so i think that those kids have a chance to switch side, or what to say. If you try to convert them by violence they�re only gonna end up hating other more, and thats not the point. But of course i realise that violence is the only way in some situations.

And how do we fight the more aggressive and organized nazi movements? Direct action, threats, demonstrations, discussions�?
Walle: Thats harder. Direct action is the best answer i think. If they�re in the city and want to pick a fight or just makes people frightened i think that we must make them understand that they�re not welcome or safe. It�s them who should be frightened to go downtown, not regular people, punks, immigrants etc.
But as mentioned in the last question, the problem is much bigger than their political point of view. Its the structure wich this political system is built on that is the real problem, the competition between people, the threats everywhere, lock your door, dont talk to people you dont know, mistrust everyone. Immigrants are potential terrorists, create new borders, make it harder for people move to europe, right wing fanatics in goverments, if there is a problem just put in more cops, or the military, to keep people �safe�, dont lock at the real problems etc. I can go on forever with problems that the capitalist system creates but...i won�t, you know what i mean.
What i am trying to say is that the nazis who is a threat must be put down, but its important that you seethings in a wider perspective, not forget why the situation is like it is...fight first with your mind, not with your fists. Networks like Flyktingamnesti 2005 and Ingen m�nniska �r illegal is two good examples in making people realize the problems with the racistic immigration politics of today, keep up the good work!

Well, enough about politics, and on to the music� Earlier (or should I say way back, considering the huge delay here) we compared Illd�d to M:pati, a comparison you didn�t really agree with. So where do you draw influences from when composing Illd�d tunes?
Walle: I don�t really know, i just know that when we just started illd�d, we wanted it to be more aggresive and relentless, in the vain of No Security and other band like that. One of the main differences is in the use of way more vocals. Nowadays we also use more different parts in the songs than in M:pati and mixes the fast riffs with slower ones, so we�re in an always changing proces ha,ha, bupp-u-dupp-i-du. I think that the new songs we�ve done are going to more in your face than the lp, but what do i know?

And speaking of the delay, has anything of importance happened since we last spoke?
Walle: With the band nothing has happend, except that we�ve started to play live more, thats great and really fun.
hutte: it feels like nothing ever happens to our band...

What will happen within the Illd�d camp in the future? I know you have an upcoming split with Bombstrike, but that�s pretty much all I know. What else do you have coming up?
hutte: in the future we�re going to record a new LP...
walle: we dont have nothing going on except the lp, and that is going to take some time, we haven�t started to rehearse after the summer yet, only two or three times before a gig. So it�s a long way to go to put out the new record. I can say that it will probably be Rodrigo and Putrid Filth Conspiracy who will release it. About the bombstrike split its a mess. But rodrigo finally got all the material, so its up to him now. The recording is over two years old and recorded in a shitty free studio with an bastard as sound technician so it feels that its not so much up to date.

Since we last spoke you�ve also been playing a bit abroad, in Germany and Denmark if I�m not mistaken. How do you like playing overseas? Does it differ from playing here in Sweden? Do the people arranging the gigs treat you differently; is the crowd wilder, maybe?
hutte: people outside our borders are much nicer..!
walle:. I don�t think it is such a big difference. This was the first time we went abroad and we picked quite a bad time, in the summer when most of the people are away on festivals and such things. We only put up 3 gigs, the first one in Flensburg with Protestera and it was almost no people at all, a bit sad. But Timo is a wonderful person and we had a great time anyway, then we played at the K-town festival in copenhagen and it is an owerall fantastic festival, and so for us aswell. In berlin we played at K�pi with provoked, also a good time, but not so many people.
I think its easier to put up a gig in for example germany with functionally squats, many people around who can lend a helping hand and so on. In sweden you often have to rent a place, then pick all the equipment there, cook food elsewhere, bring the beer, let the bands sleep somewhere and so on, the thing i wanted to say was, thanks to all the diy folks who puts up concerts and make an effort, cheers.
In general its no big difference between the european countries and people i think.

Do you have any upcoming tours planned?
Walle: We dont have any upcoming tours, but maybe its time to start thinking of that, we�re just so lazy.

What do you think/hope will come out of Illd�d in the future? Are you happy with where you are right now, releasing records every now and then, and gigging some, or do you wish for something more?
hutte: i wish for much more. It feels like we�re on ice all the fuckin time... more gigs and more recordings!
Walle: i agree with hutte, i dont know why everything goes so slow, fucking shit, i hate it. Puting out a record every 2 year is embaresing, also more gigs, a lot more...We have decided to start rehearse for real now, if that doesn�t work i don�t know whats going to happen...

The area in and around Gothenburg has quite a strong punk scene, am I right? Otherwise Gothenburg is mostly known for it�s metal, the so-called Gothenburg-sound� Is the metal and punk scene divided, or do you have crossover gigs too?
Walle: i think its a quite strong scene, and its concerts arranged by several different groups in gothenburg, but the punk scene is quite divided aswell. And as the punk scene is quite divided its even more divided with the metal heads. The so called gothenburg sounding bands do their thing and we ours but sometimes there are politidal grindmetal bands doing gigs with punk bands. As mentioned, there are quite a big punk scene with a lot of creative people, and thats really nice. But i think its sad that the punk scene is divided, we could much more if we kept together...

And now some not-so-serious questions� Just some standard stuff I like to ask.
Latest record you bought?
hutte: lasse demian, dont remeber the title. Somethiong with jesus and elvis...?
walle: i think it was a hellshock 7�, cant remember the name but it was really good, otherwise it was something with disclose.
Latest record you listened to?
Walle-Leonard cohen-songs of love and hate
hutte: anti cimex � scandinavian jawbreaker
Latest book you read?
hutte: A political biography of Noam Chomsky
walle: hanteringen av od�da av john ajvide-lindqvist
Latest show you went to?
Hutte: our latest illd�d gig.
Walle: distress, inferno mondo & aversion, a really good gig.
Crappiest record you've bought?
Walle: Grave new world with discharge of course, ha ha, just kidding, i dont know, but that is the right answer, right?

If you could pick any band, dead or alive, to do a split with � Which would be the ultimate band for Illd�d?
Hutte: ANTI CIMEX!!!
Walle: would�ve been fun to do split with johnny cash or maybe amebix

And if you ever committed suicide, how would you go about doing so?
hutte: pick fights with big nazis so I get beaten to death...
walle: with drugs, that must be the nicest way

I think that�s the last of them. I don�t have any other questions to ask, not that I can think of at least. Is there anything I should have asked?
Walle: nope, dont think so, but as this thing has been taking some time i cant recall what the first question were about ha,ha

Thanks a lot for your time, and I�m really, really sorry for the huge delays� I hope you can bear with me! Anyway, it�s up to you to finish the interview off. Best of luck to you, and take care!
hutte: thank you!
Walle: the delays are not only your fault, we�re as mentioned quite lazy, but thanks of your interest in the band. If someone is interested in the band visit our homepage at: www.illdad.com to download our whole lp and to get in touch with us, if you�re interested in punk arrangements in gothenburg check out www.spatt.info.
Thank you for the interview and keep up the good work, DIY




Related links:
Putrid Filth Conspiracy

For a closer look at Illd�d's discography please click here