...
BIOGRAPHY
1. Where are you at the moment? Where do you live?
F: Gothenburg. Close to the ferry that heads for Kiel
T: In Stockholm
2. When and were were you born?
F: South of Gothenburg, february 1973.
T: East of Gothenburg, 1971.
3. Did you go to university or did you do an apprenticeship? Or nothing?
T: Mostly nothing but also computer science, comparative literature,
law studies...
F: Been to university a few times but never paid any attention. I like
it, though. I like the environment
THE EMBASSY
4. How did you get to know Carl
T: I went to see a Thomas Demand exhibition, talked to Ola about it
and he mentioned Carl Hammoud as a reference. Carl is also into
creating a tension between the fabricated and the real. We asked him
to do covers/paintings for Embassy stuff. Carl is furthermore art school
class mate with Dan, our producer at the moment.
5. How did you get to know Ola?
F: Always changed a few words when we met during the nineties. Used to
visit and enjoy his clubs and so. Then he heard our first recordings
and at the same time had this new label with a brilliant name, so we
like decided to get to know eachother a little better
6. What do you at The Embassy? Do both of you do the same?
F: We do the same things as day one. Never rotate or switch
instruments or anything. Easily said - T's electronic, I'm
acoustic
7. Do you make your living with The Embassy? If not - with what do you
make your living?
F: T sometimes walks dogs, I go home to people and do their
dishes and stuff. Sit down and have a chat if they want to. It's Ola's
idea.
T: We have a website called http://orkarinte.se. We do anything and
everything for cash.
YOU TEND TO FORGET
8. What is the song about?
F: Take a step back and think it over. Dont be fooled, you're better than
that
9. What does Carl's artwork represent to you?
T: He gets a vague instruction for every song. Last single, State'08,
it was "everything you destroy we'll create it again" and the newest,
the title. The result is his interpretation of our representation.
10. Will there ever be a digital release of the song?
F: Yes. Soon.
LIMITED EDITION
11. Why will there only be 6 records? Why not 10, 30 or 300?
F: No special reason. 3 for us, 3 for sale. Seemed fair
12. Why do you offer an engraving?
F: To make it even more personal
13. Were you happy with the first auction / with the 280 USD?
T: We don't care, Ola takes all the money, we're in debt.
14. What do you like about limited editions?
F: Used to dislike it a lot. Never understood the point. Nowadays i
have no special opinion. Our release this time is like a piece of art
so it's kind of normal that it is limited
15. Don't you find it elitist? Exclusive instead of inclusive?
T: Not at all, the song will soon be at an Internet close to you.
16. Are you imitating the art world with such a concept?
T: It's not a concept, it's a happening, a stunt.
PACKAGING
17. Do you think the packaging should somehow represent the content,
i.e. the music? Or can both exist in their own worlds?
F: Yes, but what is representing? It's mostly a construction. Now we
feel that that Andy Warhol-sleeve fits the music perfectly, but it's
hard to say Velvet Underground sounds like a banana. The ultimate is
of course when they exist very well in they own worlds but together
they're bigger than the parts. Like The Embassy
18. Are you sad that the digital (r)evolution has made record sleeves
and artworks less important? Or do you think that it's the opposite:
Will record sleeves and packagings become (again) much more important
in the future?
F: No, dont find it less important really. It's just as interresting
to present the music with art and pictures on the web. Not as much
details nowadays, though - no labels, no inner sleeves etc to design. The
real loss was when it changed from vinyl to cd I think
FUTURE
19. Will you continue releasing music in such a limited way?
F: No, think we've limitated this idea to 1
20. The press info on The Embassy says: "The band is currently working
to relese a flow of tracks in a cooperation with Swedish visual artist
Carl Hammoud" - what can we expect in the future? More limited
editions?
T: Every edition is limited to 1 original painting by Carl. Everything
else is reproduction.
/ April 2009
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