Hailing from Uppsala, Sweden, Rotten Mind delivers a melodic Punk Rock that fits perfectly with everything we love about the modern Scandinavian Punk scene. Catchy guitar hooks are tainted with Dark Wave overtones, vocal lines infect your mind and everything is delivered with Garage Rock’s urgency.
Their 4th LP, Rat City Dog Boy, came out on February 7th, on Lövely Records and it is strong addition to their discography.
Here’s our interview with guitarist/vocalist Jakob Arvidsson.
Name five songs that you consider “perfect songs” and explain why or what they mean to you.
This is really a tough one, but off the top of my head, these songs:
Oh Oh I Love Her So by the RAMONES
Love Will Tear Us Apart by JOY DIVISION
I’m Waiting For The Man by VELVET UNDERGROUND
Nervous Breakdown by BLACK FLAG
Gloria by PATTI SMITH
Just because they’re all bangers.
Which music genre do you listen to the most? List your five favorite albums in that genre.
I’d say Punk in different kinds of shapes. Sometimes Post-Punk, sometimes Hardcore Punk, sometimes ’77 Punk etc. This is really hard to answer but I’ll give it a try:
RAMONES – Leave Home
RAMONES – Rocket to Russia
THE ADVERTS – Crossing the Red Sea
EBBA GRÖN – Ebba Grön
THE GUN CLUB – Miami
It really is impossible for me to list the best albums. But this is a list at least.
Your five favorite rappers of all time? Name one song that best exemplifies what makes them great.
ICE CUBE – It Was A Good Day
NOTORIOUS B.I.G – Juicy
SIMON SUPERTI – Allt E Launa (Uppsala represent!!)
MOBB DEEP – Shook Ones
LABYRINT – Välkommen Hem (also Uppsala represent!!)
What’s the album you’ve listened to the most in your life? Do you still listen to it?
RAMONES – Leave Home. Yes I listen to it every once in a while. It’s one of those albums that I always come back to.
What are some of your favorite song lyrics? Lyrics that have been important to you or that had an impact on you?
Good question. Actually I don’t think about lyrics too much, but sometimes they can be so good it’s impossible to not think about them. I like when it’s simple, but something to think about at the same time, you know? Like “Love will tear us apart”, could mean a lot of things, but it’s a simple line. I like that kind of stuff. Or stuff that is really fucked up in some way.
Do you have an absolute all time favorite band or musical artist? What makes them so special to you?
RAMONES, for sure. I guess you could’ve guess that by now. It’s the perfect band in every way possible. Sick songs; poppy but with attitude. Lyrics are funny and serious at the same time. They look fucking cool. Perfect band.
What are your ten favourite albums of all time (all genres)? Name a standout track on each of these albums.
Who can do this!? Here’s 10 good ones:
DAVID BOWIE – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (Starman)
RAMONES – Leave Home (Oh Oh, I Love Her So)
1900 – Tekno (Melodier Med Krökta Ryggar)
THE CURE – Seventeen Seconds (A Forest)
GARBOCHOCK – Garbochock (Kroppar Möts)
ZZ TOP – Tres Hombres (Jesus Just Left Chicago)
THE HIVES – Tyrannosaurus Hives (See Through Head)
THE STOOGES – Raw Power (Gimme Danger)
PATTI SMITH – Horses (Gloria)
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND – Andy Warhol (I’m Waiting For The Man)
Do you remember the first time you really appreciated an album or a song?
Yeah I remember listening to DEEP PURPLE with my dad when I was a little kid and I thought that was the heaviest shit I’ve ever heard. Really cool. We listened to the live album Made in Japan a lot. Also listened to GRAND FUNK RAILROAD a lot too. I still think that shit rocks.
How have your musical tastes evolved since then, as you grew older?
I’ve always listened to a lot of different stuff but I think Punk has always been there like a solid ground for me. It has always been important for me that music has the heart and attitude that feels real. I’m gonna be boring here and say it’s always been pretty much the same. I discover new shit all the time but it’s hard to set a date to everything for me.
What beloved music do you share with your parents? Any specifics memories?
As I said, DEEP PURPLE and GRAND FUNK RAILROAD is me and my dad’s thing. But also METALLICA, SLAYER and stuff like that. I remember listening to Deep Purple when I was really young, sitting in the car while my dad was washing the car and I kept on playing Smoke on the Water on repeat. That’s still a tight riff.
Most memorable show you’ve ever seen? What makes it stand out?
Now that’s hard. I’ve been to some Hardcore Punk shows here in Uppsala that has been absolutely stunning. Some of these shows are hard to compete with when it comes to emotions and people just acting like animals. But that’s more an audience-and-band kind of thing, more than a band just being great. Fuck, I can’t remember what shows I’ve been to. VIAGRA BOYS in Stockholm this summer was great, HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS in Washington DC in April were sick too. I can’t go back in time more than that.
Is there any band that you’ve always wanted to see live but never had the chance to catch them? Any classic show that you wish you could have experienced?
I’d really want to be at shows in general in New York in the late 70’s or in LA in the early 80’s. Like RAMONES or JOHNNY THUNDERS AND THE HEARTBREAKERS in NYC ’77 or BLACK FLAG or X in LA ’81. But also, who cares? I wanna see relevant bands.
What is the most impressive band you’ve toured with? The one that you just had to watch every night? Did you learn anything from them/by watching them?
We’ve not toured with other bands much but I’d say HÅRDA TIDER. A Swedish Hardcore Punk band that I toured with when I was in another band. We did a tour in the UK and they were great every night. Always so much energy and I got psyched every night seeing them. Also really good people to hang with in a small van all day.
Is
there any classic / universally acclaimed artist that you missed out
on when they first came out and discovered way later? Any artist that
you didn’t like at first and learned to appreciate over time?
JOY
DIVISION. My stupid 15 year old Hardcore Punk kid-brain didn’t
understand that. It took me years to understand that they were one of
the best bands ever.
Do you have an artist that you love in a genre that you don’t usually listen to? What makes them stand out?
BILLIE EILISH. Never thought I’d be into a Pop artist like that but some of the songs are fucking sick. I blasted Xanny all day when I first heard it. She also seems to be cool.
Do you have any controversial/unpopular music related opinions that you would like to defend?
Some of my friends would say I’m stupid because I don’t like KISS that much. I used to not like them at all but I’ve come to like some of the songs now. But I used to act like I hated them just to make my friends angry.
What band or artist do you believe has achieved the most flawless sequence of 3 records in a row?
RAMONES of course. The first 3 records are flawless.
Can you think of a band or artist that put out only one fantastic release (album, EP or demo) and then disbanded? One that you really wish would have kept going?
Hmm, I don’t know. I definitely think SNUFFED BY THE YAKUZA from Uppsala has released too little records though. MASSHYSTERI is a band with 2 records, I think. But sometimes that’s all a band should do.
What albums have been on heavy rotation lately?
I’ve been spinning a lot of 1900, a Swedish instrumental band, very analog feeling to it. I’ve been listening a lot to MOLLY NILSSON as well. What else… MICHAEL ROTHER and NEU! and stuff like that. GESAFFELSTEIN, BOY HARSHER and that kind of stuff as well. I’ve been listening to a lot of different stuff lately.
What are some up and coming artists that you would recommend?
Not sure if they’re up and coming but VIAGRA BOYS is a new-ish band from Sweden who are sick. SVART KATT is also great.
Is there a band that you’ve discovered live recently that blew you away?
I saw NIGHTWATCHERS from Toulouse, France here in Uppsala a few weeks ago. They’re awesome. Check them out too!
What are you listening to right now, while answering these questions? MOLLY NILSSON – I hope you die
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