Again an old school Swedish band is LEUKEMIA. Lord K. nowadays plays in THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIX and GOD AMONG INSECTS and was so nice to answer to my questions. LEUKEMIA did a cool mix aus death and thrash, which was/is not that typical Swedish stuff, but still very strong! Also check out the HOUSE OF USHER interview done with him!

Hi Lord K.! What's up is Sweden. Fuckin' cold, huh?

Actually, it's not cold at the moment. We had some serious winter some week ago, but as always that ends and comes back all the time during the so-called winter. I don't fucken care, I stay in and enjoy playing music.

Ok, first of all let's start with your actual bands, which The Project Hate MCMXCIX and God Among Insects. Perhaps you can tell me something about these bands?!

Well, TPH plays death metal and beyond. The core is death metal but all the electronics and stuff we throw in makes it more than just yer average band. I'm sure you can check out a song or 3 from the net. God Among Insects is a full on classic death metal assault, formed by various superstars of the scene. www.theprojecthate.net and www.godamonginsects.se are the sites to enter for more in-depth information on these 2 killing-machines.

You were also involved in DARK FUNERAL, TOOLSHED, ROSICRUCIAN and ODYSSEY. When did you played in DARK FUNERAL and what up with O., is it more progressive metal?

I just helped out Dark Funeral with bass for live-situations, I was never a member of the band and I never wanted to be. They are one of my fave-bands so it was cool to help them out to say the least. Now I don't really have the time for that anymore but if they call me up as a last solution for a gig, I'm sure I can manage to do some bass for them again. Odyssey was just a mini-CD thing that Dan Swanö asked me to do with him and so I did.

Now it's time for some leukemia. You started the band in 1989. Who was in the band a that time and why you decided to form a band like LEUKEMIA?

Oh man! We were 2 guys who just felt to do a band and this is what it ended up being. It was fun times for sure and we pretty much sucked at times. I'm still proud of what we did anyways, you all start somewhere you know.

Did you do something before you recorded your first demo? Was there any other demo before and if not why did it took so long till the first demo "Innocence Is Bliss"?

As Leukemia we just recorded one demo, then we recorded albums. We played in another band before that and recorded a demo with that as well, but noone ever heard that one pretty much.

In 1991 you released the mentioned demo. I have to say, that I don't know the demo. So, how was the music at this time. Is it compareable to the music of your CDs?

Except for the vocals on the debutalbum being The Suck, the music is the same as on the demo. I dig some parts of it and some parts I don't dig. But that's how it goes, it's been some years since that recording and we all move on. It was fun for what it was at the time, but nothing I listen to nowadays, if I put it that way. Thrash metal with some bullshit thrown in for good measure.

Next to you and Jocke there were also to other members in Matte (g) and Fyll Rune (b). Why didn't they play on your debut and do you know what they were doing next to LEUKEMIA?

Matte continued to play with Dischange I think but what he's doing now I have no idea! He's an excellent guitarist (or was, I don't know if he plays anymore) and he was a good friend. I haven't talked to him in some 10 years or so. I have no idea where Fyll-Rune went, but I hope he did some serious drugs and became a lawyer at some point. I know that was his dream. To do drugs I mean.

The cover of the demo really rules also with the cool logo. Why did you changed the logo after the demo and who draw the cover?

I can't remember who drew the logo, but I know that I altered it a bit. The cover was done by some Ola-guy, a really talented artist to say the least. I have no idea if he's still alive but I loved his work and still do. I don't know why we changed the logo to be honest, I don't exactly think about that on a daily basis.

In 1993 your debut "Suck My Heaven" were released. I think it's not the usual Swedish style, but with some small hints to the early ninties scene. Very unique, perhaps progressive?, but also very aggressive and death metal. How did you describe your style?

It's some deathrash kind of thing I guess. With terrible hardcore-vocals to boot. But we always heard we didn't sound like everyone else, which is fine by me. I don't think we were progressive though.

The line-up were only you and Jocke, but a bunch of session musicians. Why did you choose sessions musicians instead of a real line-up? Please introduce the whole team of the recording!

I have no idea why we were only 2 but I think there weren't any people around us that could play or something. We had the whole death metal elite from Sweden on the album, doing backingvocals. LG from Entombed, Jörgen from Grave and so on. We had them all pretty much. It was fun as fuck to do that album, I remember that at least.

The bandpic in the booklet it really cool. Was it something to say "fuck you" to the evil people hanging around these time or did you think this is evil, haha?

It was a finger up people's arses. Ofcourse it was a joke. You can tell by the background of that photo and also the way it's executed. Look closely and I think you can see the can of blood, or maybe that was cut out of the photo, I don't know (it was cut out - Leif).

By the way, what is your heaven???

My guitars, my other musical equipment, my talent and my friends.

The record were released by the shitty label Black Mark. How did you get along with the label? I don't think very well, cause your second CD were released at Step One Records.

Black Mark sucked cock then and they suck cock now. I have no idea why we were with them but it was cool to have an album out that early, lemme tell you that. Step One was a real small label but they did more work than BM ever did. I say fuck them both.

Do you know how many copies you sold of the CDs and your demo?

I think the demo sold about 600 copies and the first album did around 5000 copies. I have no idea as for the second one, but definitely a lot less than 5000.

Can you tell me a little bit more about Step One Records? I only know that the MORPHEUS "Sons Of Hypnos" and FURBOWLs MCD were also released there...

I can't tell much. It was run by a weird dude, I remember that. I have no idea what happened to him, but he probably killed himself or something.

1994. It's time for the second release "Grey-Flannel Souled". This time you didn't play drums, but a little Asian fucker. Why did you choose this way and only played guitars and bass?

I got bored with playing drums. I had played for some 9 years or so and didn't really feel like doing it so I stepped over to guitar and since then I have been a guitarist. Guitar is more fun for sure and it doesn't get you as sweaty and tired as playing drums do. I'm too old to play
drums now, haha!

The sound of your music was still in the same direction, but this time a little bit more death metal and a lot of groove. Were you satisfied with your work? I think, that the programming of the drummie is also really cool and that's on the most records with this thing not cool!

I like that album, probably becoz I recorded it myself. I would love to record it again with new sounds and programmings but it is what it is and I dig it. I like drummachines, more now than before (as I use "real" drums nowadays, only programmed - if you get my point). I know I can pull off some decent programmings for sure and I guess that's thanks to being a drummer originally. I also agree that we turned a bit more death metal with that album, and I think the addition of Tobias (guitar) helped to accomplish that.

With Tobias you also got a new guitarrist. Did he also played in other bands before he joined?

I'm not sure, but he went to some music-school. He is definitely one of the best guitarists I have ever played with but unlike me, he switched to drums instead, haha! Talk about a waste of talent. I love that guy and we are still in touch on a constant basis.

Also the bandpic is still very evil and with all elements of a real black metal band, haha!

Haha! Yeah. That's a funny photo. Damn, we all look in shape.

Ok, after the release of the second CD, I only have a big question-mark. I only know, that you disbanded in the same year. Why did you decide to split up?

I don't think we ever said we should quit the band, we just drifted away. We actually did record a fantastic album that we never released for some reason. Still to this day I truly love that album. If I could re-program the drums and release it, I would. 10 years after the recording it still kicks serious fucken ass.

Did you play many gigs with LEUKEMIA? Wasn't it difficult to get a real line line-up together?

We did a few gigs and they probably sucked, but we had fun. We did it with a full line-up and a drummachine.

What did you and Jocke do, after that? Did you played in other bands after that?

He went into poetry-writing and shit, I don't really know, but he's a cool fucken guy and we talk some times.

You also wrote for or did a fanzine called Hypnosia in the early ninties. How many issues did you spread and how were also involved in the fanzine?

Yeah. I think I released 3 issues and when I was about to print the 4th there were some problems with the printing so I lost the feel for it and stopped doing it. I made a lot of good contacts during those years though and it was actually a pretty well-known magazine back then. It was a shame the 4th issue never made it out to the public becoz I really got shit right with that one. And it looked great, too (look at the ENTOMBED interview somewhere else! - Leif).

Ok, I think, that's it with LEUKEMIA. Anything you have to add?

Nah. LEUKEMIA, rest in piece.


Contact:
www.theprojecthate.net
www.godamonginsects.se


Interview: Leif (2004)

more infos about LEUKEMIA