  Pist.On interview (1997) by Arnoud "Mjollnir" Helmantel Taken from The Inferno Zine reprinted with permission During their first European headlining tour I got the chance to talk to the band and ask Henry Font (guitar/vocals) and Val Ium (bass) a few questions. The album has been out now for a couple of months, how have been the reactions so far? Good, very good. We're happy with the reactions from people and especially in Europe. Yeah, it's been great. It's the first time we've been here, breaking new grounds, but it's been great. Not really surprised, but we're happy.Why not surprised? It's a good album. It's produced really well, strong material, it's just a matter of time until people heard it, they'll like it and they'll buy it...This being your first European tour, and already doing a headlining tour, did you have doubt in front whether this was a good idea? Yeah, we kinda had doubts, but we could have gotten a couple of support tours, but our management decided that we could do it and we'll just see what happens. And so far so good...For this tour, the Kerrang! magazine is 'presenting' the tour in the UK, do you think this will have a positive influence on the number of people that will show up? Yes, I think it does ...But do you also see a bad side of being hyped in such a way? Yeah, it can be a kiss of death sometimes... But Kerrang have been great, and they have been supporting us for quite some time now. Of course it helps when the media likes you, it's a great plus... Of course there is pressure of being pushed as 'the next big thing', but we have confidence in ourselves. We have a good show, and perform well live, and it's been great so far...On the album there are four band members, on the bio there's only two, and here in front of me are four again, but differently this time. What's the story? These two guys are Burton and Jeff... We lost Danny and Paul after the recording of the album. Danny decided to work selling drumsticks and Paul wanted to be a waiter...The cover of the album is not your typical metal cover, with the big smiley face and the peeing puppet, was that deliberate? We did it on purpose. I think the people expected something like that [points at my In Flames shirt, mj] and we didn't want to do that. We wanted to do the opposite of what was expected of us. So we chose that, because it is confusing.But didn't you get a message from you record company saying ... Yes! Yes, they did, but we don't care. We do what we want to do. It's a good record and that's what matters the most. Not what's on the cover, but what's inside. It's our record and we have the final say in it. And if the album sucked that would have been a problem, but ...On the backcover there is a quote from Nietzsche, is that only in relationship to the bandname? Yes, only that. It's just irony.I am asking because a lot of people might go thinking "Hmmm ... why do they use a quote from Nietzsche? Something political?" No, basically it was used because the word 'piss' ['urine' actually, mj] is in it. Nothing more, nothing less.What are your plans after this tour? Hmmm ... What are we going to do next? ... Well, go back to the US in April, tour there, coming back here at the end of May, and maybe do a couple of festivals. That would be cool. [Actually, they have been confirmed for the 1997 Dynamo Open Air, mj]. Just go touring and have the next album out next year.Interviewer: Mjollnir
Original location: http://www.dse.nl/inferno/issue10/pistonin.html
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