Month: April 2011

We assume most MAGNET readers are already under the magical, musical spell of the Soundtrack Of Our Lives, but if not, 2011 is the perfect time to change that. The Gothenburg, Sweden, band just released Golden Greats, No. 1 (Little W/The Orchard), a 19-track compilation of songs from throughout the group’s career. TSOOL formed in 1995 after the demise of Union Carbide Productions, a great, punk-leaning band featuring vocalist Ebbot Lundberg and guitarist Ian Persson. Since, TSOOL has released five studio albums and a handful of EPs and non-album singles, earning a Grammy nomination for 2002’s excellent Behind The Music. Lundberg will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Q&A with him.

Lundberg: As a lyricist, my biggest influence was not Shakespeare, Rimbaud or John Lennon. It was Ian MacKaye, the lead singer and songwriter of Washington D.C.-based hardcore band Minor Threat. I was 15-17 years old when I heard songs like “Filler,” “In My Eyes” and, especially, “Betray.” It saved my life at the time, and it catalysed a will to express myself in a similar way. At the time, which was 1981-1983, I think he (and maybe West Coast opposite Darby Crash from the Germs) was for me what Dylan probably was for a lot of people in the early ’60s. But to me, this felt more honest and straight from the heart than Dylan, who I admire as an intellectual comedian. Minor Threat was no bullshit at all. It was actually anti-bullshit music. Come to think of it, there was no will to outsmart anyone whatsoever, which was a total relief. And I loved the energy of it. I even tried to be straight edge for a while but failed, of course.