MM - Would you like to start by introducing yourself
and the other members of the band to all our readers out there.
H.B Anderson - Vocals
Yüksel Unutmaz - Guitars
Markus Johansson - Bass
Rickard Johansson - Drums.
MM - When was the band first formed and how
has it evolved to its current members status?
The band was formed for almost 7 years ago by Yüksel and had some
different settings during the years until we finally got together with the
right people. And here we are: FATAL SMILE!!!!
MM - Where in the world do the band call home?
H.B: - Stockholm / Sweden.
MM - How would you best describe your music
and who would it most appeal to?
H.B: - I would say plain Rock ´n´ Roll with good harmonies and heavy
guitars. It's very much energy in our music and we put a lot of energy in
what we do to write good music and lyrics.
I think everyone who likes "classic" hardrock in the era of 70´s & 80´s
with influences from the 90´s would like our music ;-)
MM - The band have recently been booked again to play the Siljarock rock
festival after their huge success playing there last year. How do you feel
at being asked back to play such a prestigious event?
H.B: - I think it's great and it's an cool thing to do. I mean if there
are 2000 people on a boat and they are there to ROCK! It can't be anything
else but a huge success, and if you like it or not there's nowhere else to
go, you're stuck on the boat .;-
Yüksel: - Yeah, it´s just great and I think that this years line up is
even better than the last years.
There are bands like Saxon, T-Rex and Five Fifteen to mention some of the
bands that will appear on the Siljarock this year. It´s gonna be a hell of
a trip
MM - For any of your fans wanting to come along and support their heroes at
this festival can you give us a few details on where it is and how they
can obtain tickets for it?
Yüksel: - For tickets and info please go to:
www.silja.se
or go to:
www.10r0klubben.se
MM - How has the rock media in general
responded to the band and it's music?
H.B: - Great! I don't believe we've received a bad review for our promo CD
"Beyond Reality - 2000" this far.
Yüksel: That´s right. We have got some great reviews from media all over
the world, and that´s just great!!!
MM - Where did the name 'Fatal Smile' come from?
Yüksel: - The name come from a song called "Fatal Smile" and I just thought
that it was a great name for the band.
MM - What do you feel has been the bands
biggest accomplishment so far?
H.B: - I don't think the band has come to the point where we can feel
satisfaction yet, but Fatal Smile is a band with ambition and good
potential to create good music to the people and record it to be the #1
album in the world ;-)
Yüksel: - I think that the best is yet to come.
MM - What bands/artists have influenced you
the most over the years?
H.B: - I am born and raised in a jazz family where Frank Sinatra rules! I
listen to all kinds of music from jazz, soul & blues to hardrock and heavy
metal and all in between, as long as it is good music, it's good music!
;-9 But to name a few heroes it have to be: Frank Sinatra (of course!)
James Hatfield, Glenn Hughes, James Brown etc .
Yüksel: - I´m a sucker for bands from the 70´s and the 80´s. Bands like
Whitesnake, Dokken, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy.
And my main influences are: Zakk Wylde, John Sykes and George Lynch. Great
players with an attitude!!!
MM - Do you have any plans to tour in the UK
and US in the near future?
H.B: - It's always plans and we'd love to. In the nearest future it is to
create that #1 album in the world album, and after that I think we are
open to all suggestions and I don't think it's hard to get an agreement on
a tour in both UK and US ;-)
Yüksel: - Well, just have to finish our recording session during May-June
and then we´re ready to go all over the world.
MM - A favourite question for all the
musicians out there, what instruments / equipment do you use?
H.B: - My throat!!!! And for that I use Whiskey, Beer, Dr Pepper,
Fisherman's Friend and General Snus .
Yüksel: Gibson Les Paul Custom with EMG-pickups and ESP M-II Deluxe
guitars, Ernie Ball strings, Peavey 5150 top with Marshall 4x12 cabinets,
Boss digital Delay and Chorus, Morley Bad Horsie wah-wah pedal.
Markus: Samick Bass, D'addario strings, Marshall Solid State 3520
integrated Bass amp. with 4x10 cabinets, Exciter limiter.
Rickard: Yamaha PRC series, Paiste and Sabian cymbals, Yamaha and Pearl
pedals, Yamaha and Pearl stands, Remo heads and Vic Firth drumsticks.
MM - Who writes the songs that you perform?
Is it a solo or a joint effort?
H.B: - I've got the honour to write the lyrics and the harmonies to the
songs. And when it comes to the music I think we are all involved more or
less, but it usually starts with that Yuksel or Markus comes up with an
idea.
MM - Is all of the material you perform
original or do you include cover versions?
H.B: - It's about 90/10 %. 90% our own material and 10% covers.
MM - Has any of the band member featured in
any other bands before Fatal Smile?
H.B: - I was the lead-singer in a band called Scudiero between 1997-1999
and we released the album "Walking Through Mirrors" at Z-records.
MM - Do you think the rock scene is starting to rejuvenate itself and take a
more active face in the world of music than it did for much of the 90's?
H.B: - Yeah, I think that everything have it's time and it all depends on
what media focus on. It will always appear new music but the "old" music
survives through their fans and lives on but got minor attention.
MM - Has the internet influenced the way the
band project their songs and their image?
H.B: - Yeah, of course, I mean you can reach out to many people around the
world through the Internet. But in the same time it's difficult to do a
breakthrough and the competition is hard if you don't have the right back
up from a large label or other attentions on a "big" website for example
MM - What's the best piece of advice you have
ever received from someone?
H.B: - "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst" it's an ancient words of
wisdom from Russia, I think .
MM - What band(s) would you most like to tour
or do a show with?
H.B: - Metallica.
1. They are the biggest band in the hardrock scene and therefore they got
the biggest tours and the biggest crowd ;-)
2. They were the band that got me started for real back in 84´. I've seen
all their tours from the first Kill ém all gig (here in Sweden) to the
latest in 98´. They are GODS!
MM - Do you perform the same songs at every gig or do you change them
around?
H.B: - We have a couple of songs we can't do a show without, they're to
good! But if we play at the same venue two days in a row we try to change
and do different songs each night.
MM - Have you started working on a new album
yet and if so when can we expect to have a release date?
H.B: - Yeah, we have nearly 20 great rocking tunes and 10-12 of them is
gonna be recorded now in the spring for a release hopefully before summer
2001.
MM - Are the bands pessimists or optimists? Is your glass half full or half
empty?
H.B: - The glass is definitely full all the time, never empty! ;-)
MM - What short phrase best describes the band and its mood right now?
H.B: - Hungry! I mean, we are "hungry" for the world. We are very eager to
record our album and get it released. We believe in our music and we think
that many with us share our opinion that it's not enough Rock ´n´ Roll out
there!!! ;-)
MM - Lastly, is there anything you would like
to say to all your fans out there?
H.B: - Keep the faith and get ready for the music of "Heavy Fatal". Keep
your eyes open and look out for the release from the hardest rocking band
in the world, from Sweden FATAL SMILE see you out there!
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