Interview: Billy Geary
We caught up with MESHUGGAH guitarist Mårten Hagström just ahead of the bands arrival in Australia for Soundwave 2012
LMM: Soundwave 2012 will be the second time you’ve toured with the festival, what made you want to come back and do it again?
MESHUGGAH : Australia has been a real good experience for us so it was a no brainer actually. The perfect way to get away from the Swedish winter.
LMM: Your new album will be coming out around the same time you’re playing at Soundwave. Do you plan to include any of the new songs in your set?
>MESHUGGAH: Don’t know yet. We are still debating that issue.
LMM: What are you most looking forward to about doing Soundwave 2012?
MESHUGGAH: The crowds. It’s always great to get to play in front of a good festival crowd. And Australia has that!
LMM: What’s your favourite/least favourite festival experience?
MESHUGGAH: Port-a-pottys. If you mean what festivals have been the worst/best they are just too many to mention. At both ends of the scale.
LMM: What’s your favourite Australian stereotype?
MESHUGGAH: I don’t know if I have any to be honest.
LMM: Have you got any pre-show routines/superstitions?
MESHUGGAH: No, not really. Maybe I should get one. But honestly we’ve never been like that. It’s very disorganized before going on stage. Waiting around I guess he,he
LMM: What other bands are you excited about touring around Australia and sharing the stage with?
MESHUGGAH: Devin Townsend. There are alot of cool bands on this Soundwave. Mastodon, Machine Head…
LMM: What is the most important thing you bring when your on tour?
MESHUGGAH: Guitars. I mean apart from clothes and our gear there really isn’t anything apart from maybe my Mac that I just can’t do without.
LMM: Does the band have anything special planned for Soundwave 2012 in particular?
MESHUGGAH: Not apart from bringing a good live-set back to Australia. We are switching the set-list up a little bit from the last two times and like I said we MIGHT do a new track from Koloss.
LMM: Is there anything you’d really like to do whilst you’re in Australia?
MESHUGGAH: Yeah. And here comes the sterotypes. I’d love to go snorkeling off the Great Barrier Reef. I haven’t had the opportunity to go fishing and I’d love to do that.
I’m a snake guy and used to keep a shitload of snakes so I’d like to go look for snakes and stuff….theres more too but…you know.
LMM: Everyone knows it takes forever to get to Australia, what are you going to do to pass the time on the flight over?
MESHUGGAH: Trying not to kill myself. Its just the ususal. Catch a film. Read a book. Sleep if I can. I have a real hard time sleeping sitting up though, so long flights are really a bitch.
LMM: What does the band have planned for the rest of the year after Soundwave 2012 finishes up?
MESHUGGAH: Touring. And more touring.
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SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL VENUES AND DATES – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
SATURDAY 25 – BRISBANE, RNA SHOWGROUNDS
SUNDAY 26 – SYDNEY, SHOWGROUND
FRIDAY 2 – MELBOURNE, SHOWGROUNDS – SOLD OUT!
SATURDAY 3 – ADELAIDE, BONYTHON PARK
MONDAY 5 – PERTH, CLAREMONT SHOWGROUNDS
General Public tickets on sale now through www.soundwavefestival.com www.oztix.com.au & Oztix outlets & www.ticketek.com.au 132 849
*All shows are licensed and all ages
*Venue and lineup subject to change
For all information and Soundwave updates, head to www.soundwavefestival.com
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