Djerv – 29-09-2011

Interview with: Djerv
By: Sabine van Gameren

One of the biggest surprises from Norway this year is Djerv. The band did a small tour through Europe and took time to sit down with Tempelores to chat up.

When starting with Djerv, what was the original idea of the music to be made ?
STIAN: I think we based it a little bit around our background. We wanted to do it hard. I think a little more Metal than we are today. I think we were more into the Black Metal influences. Now we are more going into a hard rock thing.

ERLEND: When we started writing we wanted the Black Metal influence there, but combining it with Agnete’s voice. When you throw such a melodic voice into basically anything it can only get that hard. There are limits to how hard it can get. When we started writing it were more Rock oriented songs that were working out better. So by nature it evolved into a more rock thing. When we started talking we had our ideas of let’s do this and that and naturally it evolved into what it is today.
Songs like “Immortal” are the first songs written.

STIAN: But also “Headstone”. The EP with it was mainly the first thing we did. It was a bit harder than what it is now. It is wider now. At least, Black Metal harmonies. That was what I had in mind, but that is also kind of funny when you start talking about it. I thought something different. Everyone has his own idea of what he wanted to do.

AGNETE: We all wanted to do things we had not done before.

AGNETE: It all started with me and Erlend’s band disbanding at the same time. We thought of who we wanted to work with and we though Stian his background was very interesting. We knew of him and thought the combination of us would be cool.

Tell me a bit about “Djerv”, How did you work on it during the songwriting?
AGNETE: We start with Stian doing riffs and sketch to a song. He sends it over to us. And He got a lot of ideas. It starts somewhere and it might end at a total different place. Or, we can also keep a lot of it. Cut and paste, going to the rehearsing studio.

ERLEND: We try to find a good melody that really works with the vocals.

AGNETE: When Stian has made these riffs, we start to do the melodies and see what works. If we don’t feel it works we have to cut and paste.

ERLEND: It was different on the different songs. On some songs he could write a basic sketch; the verse, the chorus and sometimes we kept it as it was and sometimes we cut in it. Maybe Stian had a different start of the riff, so we cut in the middle and it turns out different. Cut it out and paste it together and then we did some vocals and send it back to Stian and he would be like ‘This is all wrong, this is not the way it was intended, but it works…’

STIAN: We are always juggling around, like a normal band. You need to start with a riff to get the ball rolling, but the importance is to get good melody lines.

AGNETE: We have never started with a melody, yet. I don’t think if we will ever do it. When I make a melody the feeling you get with it is very important and I can’t get the feeling without the riffs.

What does inspire you, for the lyrics?
AGNETE: Horror, thriller movies and series. I never watched so many series as I have done in the past two years. Maybe it is because I have a very good life, I don’t know why I am inspired by them.

What do you consider the main theme of the album, we found many different views on that?
STIAN: That’s hard, every song is so different. And together they fill the whole spectrum of our style. Since we used “Headstone” on the EP, I think “Madman” would represents it best.

AGNETE: We wanted to be a band that people could think of that came from Norway when they listen to it. We wanted the coldness and the creepiness. The mountains, the winter, the wind and the snow. But also lyric wise it are different stories. Trying to survive the situation you are in and always doing it.

ERLEND: The last one we had to finish was “The Bowling Pin”. I don’t thinkt here is a main theme to the album. Lyrically, the closest that would be is Agnete coming out of whatever trouble she is in during that specific story.

How do you feel about the response you got on it so far?
AGNETE: overwhelming actually. The cool thing is when you can read that a journalist understood something that is not really easy to understand.

The album also got released as 12”? was that your idea?
STIAN: the vinyl? That’s another way to release the album. It was important for us, it was a special thing. A vinyl is a much more symbolic thing.

ERLEND: If you hold the artwork at specific angles you can see hidden messages on the cover art and the vinyl is white. It is 180 grams. It is important that it is good quality. It is not the most economical way, but definitely the coolest way.

You made a video for Madman, are there more to come?
ERLEND: We are going to do one more. We are going to do “Headstone”. We are going to release the album in the US and then we need another video.

STIAN: It is the most catch song, most suitable for making a video and release as a single. It’s a song that is easy to catch, other songs might be a bit harder, I think.

ERLEND: Although it is an easy song, it may be confused with not so cool, but easy can also be a quality sign because it can be very well composed.

STIAN: We talk about it all the time, but I don’t think we have a proper idea for it.

ERLEND: We are so busy now, getting all the touring stuff done. We are going abroad, these were the first shows we did abroad. So much stuff to do and we don’t have a management, we do everything ourselves. We have spent more time in organizing tickets and booking cars. But hopefully when we are back home we can find some time.

STIAN: The work is not finished when you release the album.

How important is the visible aspect for Djerv?
STIAN: It is necessary of course, it are hard times. There are many bands and everyone has the same opportunity to put it out. Still, a video is a good thing. It’s maybe on another format (red: than TV) seeing it on youtube and facebook but it is of course necessary. People need to see something while listening, it is a good way of reaching a new audience.

What do you consider the main differences between a live and recorded experience?
ERLEND: We tried to find the ones come as close as possible to the guitar and bass on the album. That was hard. Some of the songs like “Blind The Heat” is more aggressive live even though it is in the same tempo.

STIAN: We are growing when playing the songs live. It is already recorded, but every time you play them it changes a little bit.

ERLEND: that’s cool when seeing it live, you don’t want to see someone just play the cd. You want a little extra that makes it a good live experience.

What else can we expect from you in the future, as you spoke about US earlier?
ERLEND: We are releasing the album and hopefully do some shows there. Now we are trying to as much touring as possible in Europe as well. This year, later in the fall. And early next year. Just get out and play live as much as we can.

Many have found Djerv via the Dimmu Borgir collaboration. Would you see a guest vocalist in a future Djerv release?
AGNETE: Dimmu Borgir has been doing what they have done for a very long time. And we have only started, so not yet I think.

STIAN: We don’t find it necessary to do it. You never know.

AGNETE: If you are a party and suddenly get a really good idea. That’s how it starts.

STIAN: Maybe if we need some violin or instrument we can’t play ourselves than we need a session member.

What is the biggest musical tip that you can give us?
STIAN: Oh then you get three different answers I guess. Can I mention some Norwegian stuff. Shining, Kvelertak of course. Did I mention Shining and Kvelertak?

ERLEND: Animals as Leaders.

STIAN: Listen to ACDC!

AGNETE: If you know what you like, you just keep it.

Is there something you want to spread to the world?
STIAN: See us live. It is different from the record.
AGNETE: A lot of the reviews have said that the album is growing on you when listening it. So put it on a couple of times!

Links:
Djerv Facebook
Djerv Official