Fresh from their tour with the legendary Wildhearts we catch up with
the hottest new band to come out of Iceland in a long time. Ladies
and Gentlemen lock up your daughters and hide the stereo, we give you
Sign.
MM - Hi there, first off thanks for taking the time out to talk to us
today, we really do appreciate it.
Zolberg -
Pleasure is all mine
love.
MM - Would you like to give us a brief history on how the band came
about, did you know each other before or did you advertise for like
minded musicians?
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Zolberg - Umh, well me (Zolberg) and Eagle
(drummer) are brothers and have been playing together for 14 years so it
was pretty obvious that we would be in a band together.
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Sign originally started as a different idea back in 2000 but we’ve come
a pretty long way since then and had various line-ups through the years.
A.D. (guitar) joined in 2004, now he had been my friend since way back
from school, and we used to be in this 3 piece Slipknot vs. Korn band
together but when I asked him to join Sign he hadn’t played his guitar
in some years, he was only hired cause he’s a crazy fuck and had long
hair! Haha and then he just practised up in a couple of months. And
don’t get me started on bass players…. |
MM -
Where does the bands name come from and what does it represent to you?
Can you remember any of the other names that were considered at the
time?
Zolberg - Sign came from the skies that’s how simple that is, it fell from the
skies into Eagles mouth while he was driving home one day. What it means
to us is this: we are a sign, we are (one of many) the face of a
revelation that’s slowly forming in our world, people are totally fucked
up and lost and someday we will find our path and music is one of the
best help to realise what we feel and what we are, and also a perfect
way to spread the word … and we make sure to have one hell of a time
through the whole thing.
MM -
How do you feel the bands sound has developed since you first started
out?
Zolberg - How? Well it has developed a lot! I was only 14 years old when we
released our first album mind you. I’m not gonna shoot that album down,
it has some great moments but you can hear how I’m struggling to
transform my fucked teenage feelings into sound. Whilst now we have a
lot more control of what we do and we’ve made closer friends with music
in every aspect.
MM -
At what age did you become interested in being a performer and who/what
inspired you to join a band?
Zolberg -
When I was 1 years old I would just love to stand on top of our living
room table, shaking my ass to the music my dad used to play…And it only
got worse as years went by, I got my first guitar when I was 2 and I
used to just walk around all the time singing and playing. It wasn’t so
much that I chose to be a performer … I’m destined to be.
MM -
The band have recently returned from touring with The Wildhearts. Were
you apprehensive at all before the tour considering the difference in
style between you guys and The Wildhearts? What was the general reaction
of the fans to Sign at the shows?
Zolberg
-
Nah we’re very aware of what we can do, and even though Sign and the
Wildhearts don’t sound the same it’s still a part of the same family you
know? And most of the Wildhearts fans took |
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| us
really well, people who attend a rock gig usually just wanna enjoy good music and have a great
time, it’s as simple as that. |
MM -
Was any towns or venues that particularly stood out to you, for good or
bad reasons, if so where and why?
Zolberg
-
I think Norwich was probably one of the best for us, ‘cause we have a
lot of devoted fans who live there that came out and sang along with
every song, now that’s one of the best reactions you get if you’re in a
band.
MM -
Very often the curse of a support band lies in a lack of audience.
People do not bother showing up before the headliner band hits the
stage. Was that any different on your tour?
Zolberg -
A bit yeah, it depends on towns though which is weird but I think that
the guys from G.U. Medicine suffered more for this since they were first
on. They would sometimes go on 15 minutes after the doors and you can’t
expect a big venue to fill up in that time (unless you’re The Beatles of
course :)
MM -
What song(s) do the audiences react to the most from your current
setlist?
Zolberg -
We were actually doing Skid Row’s 'Youth Gone Wild' on this tour. As a
part of promotion for the Kerrang! tribute album that will be out this
summer. Everybody knows that song so we usually got people to shout
along, it was just great.
MM -
Is there a downside on touring or is it all “Happy Rock’n Roll life”?
Zolberg - Touring is a weird way of living your life and a lot of people can’t
stand it. I love every minute of it though. It’s just the perfect dose
of routine that a free spirited rocker needs. You have to show up on
time and do your job but still get to travel, meet new people and just
go crazy.
Every once in a while you get these days when it feels like it’s raining
though (when it isn’t), but once you hit the stage you forget about all the shit you don’t wanna
think about.
The downside to it (to get back to the subject) is to go home and not
having that gig waiting for you, that really sucks!
MM -
The Wildhearts have always been known as a ‘fiery’ band with regular
fall-outs between the band members, how did you get on with the band and
were they cool to you as the support act?
Zolberg
-
Hell these guys are (almost) angels in human flesh, they were so kind to
us all the time and we really hit it on and made good friends for life
with everybody, there was no bullshit going on at all.
MM -
I believe the band have been asked to headline the prestigious
Trashstock 2007 festival, how did that come about?
Zolberg -
I don’t really know the whole story behind that actually but I think our
good friends Donna & Rob (bitchinrockphotos.com) forced Sign upon Jamie
Riot (responsible for Trashstock) and he saw what we’re about.
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MM -
The band recently released their new album ‘Thank God For Silence’,
perhaps a strange name for a hard rock band given that you make plenty
of noise! Would you like to tell us a bit about the songs that feature
on the album?
Zolberg
-
TGFS is a good balance between partying and facing the seriousness of
life. It features sleazy subjects (in an un-sleazy way) like
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dipsomania and good times. But then again also focuses on Life, love
and death.
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MM -
How does the song writing process work within the band? Is it down to
one particular person or do you all get involved?
Zolberg -
Let me put it this way: if I have a vision of a song then I can’t expect
someone else to know how to make it into reality. But then again magic
can occur when great minds come together so we often jam together and
come up with something but it’s just hard when you have 3 or 4 people
doing their thing all at the same time.
MM -
Your sound, image and lyrics have a strong identity to them. Is this
something you've strived to achieve or something more organic?
Zolberg -
Sign is sorta blessed and I was born with something really strong, I
have a big vision and even if I tried I couldn’t be “normal”.
MM -
There are countless numbers of rock bands trying to get their names out
there. How do you avoid being another band that someone listens to once
and forgets? What do you do to stay unique and remembered?
Zolberg -
That’s easy, You be yourself, do what comes natural ‘cause people can
tell if you’re a fake or trying to hard. Either you have it or you
don’t, if you’re in band and have nothing special to offer and no-one
remembers you … You’re in the wrong business!!!
MM -
Sign have a great stage show, but who was the first band you saw in
concert?
Zolberg -
Probably some shitty Icelandic garage band, when I was a kid and saw
those pustule pupils do their cover versions of Smoke on the water I
thought: Ah! so this is how you’re NOT supposed to do it, I’ll show them
when I grow up.
MM -
I would like to ask you some personal questions. What are your deepest
fears and desires?
Zolberg
-
I’ve always been afraid of changes. I know they are what makes the world
go around so I try to welcome them. I also fear the situation in general
when people use their power for an evil deed. My desire is to make music
that reflects life, get out there and play it and make a difference.
MM -
Now for a couple of fun questions, you’re on your way to a festival and
suddenly your plan crashes and you’re stranded on a desert island with
just your band members for company. Who are you going to eat first once
the food runs out and why?
Zolberg -
I’d eat myself ‘cause I have the least hair and also the guys wouldn’t
be pissed at me haha.
MM -
Being in a rock band you’re bound to like a drink or two, so who’s the
party animal of the band and what’s their poison?
Zolberg -
A.D. is the party lion of this bunch, he’s always up for it. He claims
that his poison is JD in Coke but I think that he just had some bad
mushrooms when he was an infant.
MM -
Tell us something that most people don't know, never have known, and
probably never would know about you if they don't read this.
Zolberg -
A.D. has licked my cock … and Eagles too! Seriously |
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MM -
Thanks again for agreeing to take part in this interview, for making
such cool music and for keeping the scene fresh. Best of luck with the
new album and touring. Finally is there anything else you’d like to say
to all your fans out there?
Zolberg -
Love to all……..
MM - We'd like
to thank Zolberg for taking to the time out to chat with us today and
look forward to catching the band again on their forthcoming UK tour.
If you haven't caught them live yet then check them out, they're wicked
;) |
