THE REAL TEARS from Uppsala, Sweden are the rock'n'roll best kept secret with the best guitar sound in years. And they write songs like no one else.
Just listen to "Bad Girl", that's an anthem for generations to come and a lesson in songwriting. Simple and memorable at the same time!
This blog HAD to interview those 4 crazy dudes from way up North!
A: Real Tears is a bunch of rock n roll pleasure avoiders trying to enjoy the void. We’ve got Victor from Horbo city spankin’ skin. Gasse is knocking up the bass like a refrigerator turning into a nuclear reactor. Behind the curtains of Burt Cocaine, Jöge is rubbing his six string dagger across the eternal crime scene. Singing like a near extinct castrated electric eel in the muddy Fyris river is, Rune.
It all started when Rune and Jöge were living on Finnish brown leather sofas in our rehearsal space called the beavers alley. We had different bands going but figured it was time to start one together. We never thought that respected journalists would ask us to be in their well knows magazine.
Anyway, riffs and melodies we’re scattered all over the place like silverfishes waiting to be recognised. We caught a few, killed a few.
A: Before this we had made a lot of dirty recordings on an 8-track tape recorder, the machine was a total wreck. All we had beside that was a cheap 8 input soundcard, some weird external preamps and a bunch of basic microphones. We had a pretty clear idea how the songs should sound like but understood we couldn’t do it live. The room was probably big enough but there we’re too many beer cans lying around. Back then we were only a three piece. Jöge, Rune and Rotten Mind-singer Jakob on drums. We tracked drums together with one guitar played by Rune. The basic melody was there but most lyrics were missing (from our memory). We lived by the concept that everything is forgotten, we only had to remember it. After that we added bass, a second guitar and bongo drums on the song Beersday (can you hear them?). We headed straight to the pub. When we woke up in our designated sleepingstations, we used the next six months to remember the lyrics and record vocals. We headed straight to the pub.
3) What are your favorite topics to write about or the topics that come easily when you write a new song?
A: Girls…and some good ol nights when we had a few beerzzZZZzz…
4) THE REAL TEARS have an undeniable Scandinavian approach of power pop/punk that could lead to compare you to The Yum Yums, The Basement Brats, etc. Do you agree with this comparison or do you consider there is way more than that?
A: The Yum Yums and the Basement Brats sound like they could be two killer bands man, but we’re sorry to say we actually never heard them. Thanks for the tip though!The Scandinavian sound is hard to define for us. We listen to everything that comes our way, some times the worse the better. Btw, as for swedish bands, we wouldn’t mind being compared to a powerpop band called Rottweiler from the 70s.
5) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody composing his own songs (words and music)?
A: Singer Rune and Guitarist Jöge writes all the songs. It usually starts with one of us trying to fool the other one they have a good riff going. It always sucks in the beginning, but the counterpart is too nice to say something negative about it. Add some mojo and some attitude. Play it twenty times. Then there you have it. Some times it’s just as easy to fool someone else as it is to fool yourself. In the rehearsal space or at the pub. Hey! I left my wallet at home.
6) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.A: Rune: I listened to Manowar, but they had no influence on me, maybe just miserable.
Jöge: I always listened to Kiss, still my favorite band.
Gasse is a total ragger. He’s an encyclopaedia of old american cars and reatarded punkbands.
Victor played peoples pants off since he was 10 years old. No need for influences.
If there’s one band we all would agree influenced us all, it would be the GIZMOS.
7) Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release?
A: Yes. The first track on the LP is also the first song we made. It’s called ”Can’t Get You Outta My Head”. We don’t really know what it’s about, but it is some kinda love song. It’s recorded in the beavers alley with an old VHS camera. We bought the camera from an old guy called Börje, including his rather exotic tapes. The outcome is inspired of what we saw.
8) What can concert goers expect at a gig of THE REAL TEARS? Are you playing any famous cover songs?
A: Expect to see us struggle, but the struggle is rejuvenating. We’re always thankful to get a chance to play, so we bring a good mood. We give it all, never leaving a glass empty, or full. We have not yet played any cover song. Our songs are total rip-offs anyway…HAH! Gasse is a total ragger.
A: So far we’ve played a few shows in Finland, Germany and Italy. All highlights for sure. Would love to do it all over again. Invite us please!The plan is to make another record. And we will play a few shows in Scandinavia. But we suck at organising stuff. Also, every time a new Real Tears record is made a baby is born, literally speaking. So let’s hope for the best!
10) Anything you would like to say to the viewers of this blog?
A: We want to meet you all. Play for you all. Drenched in foam, beers all the way home. Hope to see you around!
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