#prison bard

just some other quotes i liked :3

They don't know him. They can't understand that my husband [Samoth] is an honorable Viking man.

Faust bursts through the visiting-room door with the intensity of a fly finally let out of its glass cage...

Even with his broad shoulders, Faust has the same childlike grasp on reality I noticed in Hellhammer, but he's less good-natured...

"In American Psycho he gets it down perfectly," Faust tells me enthusiastically. "One minute you're looking at a man's clothes and the next you're sticking a knife in his eye."

In his [Ihsahn] tailored black pants and silk shirt, his dyed hair held in a braid down his back, he's an Armani vampire.

When I ask why [Ihsahn] didn't go with Samoth and Grishnackh the night they burned down Skjold Church, he explains that he wasn't home when they looked for him but that he definitely would have joined in.

Really?? Bc in another interview he said he wasn't interested in it and wouldn't want to face the consequences iirc

brother of mine! Let’s start our journey into the world of Thorns with several including questions. How do you do at the moment? How nearly everybody knows, you are imprisoned since over two years now. I want to know the reason for the custody, and I will not ask any questions about your deed, because if anybody is still uninformed about that, then he shall stay without knowledge. Please try to describe the first days behind the walls. Did you think that your whole life got a drastical change and did you already have some imaginations concerning your further future? I guess you can share my thoughts when I say that during the first time behind the walls my mind was somehow empty and I had no clear imagination concerning the things which would happen to me.

Ave Hendrik. Well, I'm doing ok really, at least concerning the circumstances. I have at this time (March 1996) been over 2.5 years in prison, so time’s going. Well, the first days behind the walls, I actually spent on the main police-station in Oslo where I was the first 5 days. I was left in a completely naked cell and its pretty safe to say my mind was as naked as the cell, I think. I was in some sort of coma and I don’t remember much from those 5 days, staring at the wall 24 hours a day. After those days had passed, I was transferred to a prison called Ila where my situation was turning towards the better I would say. I got a real bed and also real food and they had a library as well which could supply me with books, so that made things look better really. 

Today, few years after the time of your first days in custody, what do you think about the time that is gone and  the time which has to come? Could you describe in few words the daily life behind the walls? A lot of people outside the jail have wrong imaginations about the things that happen behind the walls. Many people have seen “Lock Up” with Sly Stallone and carry over these circumstances to European jails, but I have to admit that we don’t have such hard time in jail like Stallone had in the mentioned movie. Nevertheless, there are a lot of things which we dislike on our momentary “homes”… I just think about things like “brain-washing”… can you mention some things which you dislike on “your” jail (apart from the detention), and what do you think about the influence these circumstances will have for yourself?

Looking back on my life, I usually look on the things I’ve done as great memories. I’m quite a nostalgic guy and I live pretty much in the past, so my memories are as worthful for me today as when I experienced them. So I often “escape” from here by dreaming about adventures from my pre-prison-life. A normal day inside here? I think we are at the core of the matter here; there are no normal days inside here. Sure, the same routines go on day by day, but you never know when or where the guards have got shock-raids, you never know what argues are gonna end up with, or you never know  if your mail is disappeared or confiscated. Each day brings always something new, but mostly this “something new” is bad news, so that creates a quite much negative atmosphere. But an average day inside here is that I’m attending school from 8 to 3 and after that I don’t do much, except some training, reading, or writing letters. Life is boring inside here. Naturally there is a big difference between American and European prisons, but honestly I don’t think American prison-movies are that exaggerated, because those places are really some of the most violent places you can get. But sometimes I’m convinced that psychological warfare is just as bad as physical warfare, so in that case European prisons are no better than the American ones (at least not Ullersmo). That’s actually what I dislike inside here, the psychological warfare (as I call it). It seems like they use every opportunity to fuck you up, be it related to your visits, your mail, your behaviour inside here, what you’re convicted of, what you have in your cell etc. etc. etc. I try not to think too much about these things, but sometimes it’s hard not to do. It will eventually make me distolerant for authorities in general and I won’t say it’s a successful rehabilitation if this is what they accomplish with inmates. 

Tell me something about the public opinion concerning your person and your deed, short time after your arresting and today. Do you think the public opinion did change during the time, or is it more the way the people/media let their interest in your deed and your person? If yes, does it make the custody easier for you? Well, by the way, can you tell me in short all Norwegian “Blackstars” who are imprisoned at the moment? Is anybody of them imprisoned in the same jail like you, and if yes, are you in touch with him?

I can’t say that I know too much about the public opinion about me or my deed. As I take it, the public was more than shocked when the news broke out in Norway in August 1993 about the murders, the burning and so on, but from that point I guess it has calmed down a little bit by now. There have been made some contacts by magazines and newspapers around for interviews but I prefer not to promote myself too much in the average media, simply because I felt no need to. My time inside here is easiest when the medias leave me alone I’d say. People from the scene who are imprisoned (whom I know of) are Snorre, Samoth, Vikernes and a guy called Grim Lindberg. There is also a guy here at Ullersmo who’s in for the burning of a church, but I doubt he’s that much into it. It was more a fashion-thing for him I believe. I know there are some other imprisoned guys around as well, but none I know. 

Ok, let’s come to Thorns… you founded the band together with Blackthorne (if I am informed right) many years ago. Why did you have the idea to found a band, and what was the intention behind Thorns in those days? I know that Thorns already released a kind of rehearsal-demo that is still very famous, can you tell me about the conception for the demo? How do you view it today, are you still satisfied?

The truth is that Thorns was formed in 1989 by Snorre and another guy. I didn’t join before early 1990. Back then the band was called Stigma Diabolicum and the intention was to make something different than the usual type of band. This was when the big Death Metal-boom came (in 1989) and the need to create something different was of course present. The same year, a demo called “Luna de Nocturnus” was released in 25 copies only. I must admit that the demo is very obscure, but it doesn’t mean much today I think. It was just a sort of beginning for the band. 

I think it’s a very hard thing to keep a band alive inside the jail. Do you have the possibility to rehearse, and if yes, does something like a censorship what you can play and what is forbidden to play exist (for the reader such thought might be strange, but for a captive it’s reality)?

As Snorre is in another prison than me now, it means we can’t rehearse of course, but we will see if we take it up again one day. We never rehearsed steadily here either so to speak…

[And unfortunately that's it. There was a few more answers and questions, I don't have the rest. But in the same zine, here's a part of the Burzum interview lmao:]

I was somewhat surprised to see that Samoth was credited for playing the bass on "Aske". Was it your intent to complete the line-up at that time?

[Varg:] No. Burzum is a one-man band. Samoth will never be let close to any of my doings again.

Why?

Samoth wimped out when the storm got too heavy.

I believe Bård was on a prison leave in those pictures but I can't remember exactly. And I found the interview here (originally in portuguese) he did while in prison less than a year from his release date.

Talking about Bård Eithun, the famous ex-drummer of Emperor, Faust, is talking directly about Norwegian black metal. Here he tells us a brief history about everything that happened in those frozen lands.

First of all, I would like to say that I am sure you do not know how important and influential you were and still are for what we today worldwide call Black Metal. Well, tell us how you started listening to and playing Black Metal…

My involvement with Black Metal is the result of a long process. I have always looked for extremism in music and in the late 80s it was in bands like Voivod, Celtic Frost, Sanctuary, Warfare, Napalm Death, Venom, Bathory, Hobbs Angel of Death etc. Some of them were considered Black Metal, others were not, but the essence is that extremism has always been part of my musical interest, no matter what.

Black Metal has grown a lot over the years, everything has changed drastically. Nowadays the style has many types of media available and many new fans. What is your opinion about the current Black Metal. Is there a comparison between the old and the new Black Metal?

Black Metal, especially Norwegian Black Metal is worn out and extremely clichéd, a terminology I never use. I saw the trend coming, and hopefully I can see it going too. But that doesn't worry me, I don't care. I'm not part of this new movement anyway.

Emperor has just finished its activities. What is your opinion about this Emperor at the end of its career? They have changed their style drastically and almost everyone thinks that their best phase was when you were part of the line-up. What do you think of Trym Torson (now ex-Emperor, ex-Enslaved and currently Zyklon) as a drummer?

This latest album was very well done by them. It encompasses a bit of every era of Emperor. I appreciate that people like the Emperor phase that I was part of, but the band has always been in progression, and it would be senseless for them not to progress. Trym is a great drummer and I remember being happy to hear that he was going to get my job.

A lot of people have said a thousand things about your personality type, so I would like you to talk about yourself. Are you the same person who was arrested in 93, or have you changed your personality?

The events happened 9-10 years ago and obviously I have changed during all those years in prison. I'm still fascinated by the dark and the obscure, but more as a balance to a nonconformist and continuous life than anything else.

Where is your current residence? You still live in Oslo prison in your Krestfengsel residence. Do you have any routine in your life?

Hehe, that Oslo prison is my address from 1993. I've been to a lot of prisons since then. Now I'm living in a kind of apartment with facilities in Oslo, which is supposedly the last step for someone who is about to be released. Yes, my routines are always present although now I am more free and open to choose what to do during the day than in previous years.

How is the progress of your process? Do you already know when you will be released from prison?

I will be released on December 28, 2002, in about 7 months.

Well I know this is a bit of a boring question to answer and not very creative at all, but actually Norway is really far from here and everyone would definitely like to know the truth about the costumes that happened to you (pretty much all of South America , I learned about these events through magazines and newspapers). Is it true that some guys cheated on you by talking a lot of shit back then? Could you explain it to us better? I heard it took the authorities more than a year to catch him. This is hilarious…

Well, the story is long and complicated. I was caught more than a year late, but because of many events. I've been asked about this story many times. You better check some website with the full story, please.

About the Norwegians after many stories we have heard. Who were the main leaders of the famous "Inner Circle", because many people claim that many fights and disputes happened internally. What were your main goals?

The Inner Circle was a vague term we came up with to label the people who frequented Euronymous's Helvete store. They were the people who were capable of committing criminal activities. It wasn't really organized at all.

You could, if you want of course, say what your opinions are about these people: Euronymous (RIP), Dead (RIP), Varg Vikernes, Satyr, Fenriz, Jorn, Ihsahn, Samoth, Tchort, Snorre, Mortiis and Hellhammer.

These are the people I know/knew. Samoth, Ihsahn and Mortiis are my former bandmates. Euronymous and Dead are my dead friends. Hellhammer is an old friend. Jorn? Which? I know several, like Jorn-Inge from Hades Almighty and Jorn from Ulver, but I think you're referring to Jorn from Mayhem?! Also an old friend. Fenriz and Satyr, other people I met years ago. Snorre and Varg committed shit, something they can never change.

Let's stop talking about the past. What are your plans for the future? I heard that you will be participating in the latest album by the Italian band Aborym, is that true?

I wrote 3 lyrics for Aborym, which will be on their third album. I joined a cult classic metal band, but that will be official only in the summer. I should start playing with Samoth again soon, in some project band. Besides that, I write lyrics for Zyklon. I just wrote some lyrics for their second album. I have also written lyrics for Sigh, Wurdulack and the aforementioned Aborym. I have also appeared as a guest on albums by Cadaver Inc, Ulver and Sirius.

You heard that some bands are planning to make a tribute album called "Tribute to Faust". What do you think about that?

No, absolutely nothing.

Have you recorded anything in prison, because Varg Vikernes has recored three albums while in prison.

No, I didn't record anything. Not because I didn't have the musical ability to form a one-man band.

Out of curiosity, do you know any Brazilian bands?

Many, like the classics Sarcófago, Holocausto, Vulcano, Sepultura and probably more.

Finally, tell us your playlist.

Difficult, because I prefer to talk about my favorite songs than my favorite albums, but good albums are:

"Darkness" - Poison Idea

"The Sham Mirrors" - Arcturus

"Man & Machine" - UDO

"Destroy the Opposition" - Dying Fetus

"Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ra" - Nile

"Fire Walk With Us!" - Aborym

"Oceanmachine" - Devin Townsend and probably a few more.

just some quotes from the interview

In these open prison you can regularly apply for leaves, like I do now, and it`s usually every 4-5-6th weeks.

Hell, I even got a car (Volvo – Swedish panzer), cell-phone, girlfriend, computer, internet, so I have it as good as one could possibly be.

I have said in earlier interviews that the act in itself was like standing outside myself, looking at one guy stabbing another.

I would never put myself in a situation again where I intentionally wants to hurt people physically.

to not bow down for anyone, and not let anyone find your weak spot so therefore I maintained an aggressive mask, even though I knew that if it would result in a fight, I would probably lose

I was at one time confined to 5 days on solitary after threatening a guard, but it wasn`t anything serious really. Just letting out some steam.

To say it short, the victim had to take upon himself all the hate and violent tendencies I had build up in all my life. Sad but true.

Luckily, my girlfriend`s parents really likes me and that is all I could ever ask for

[About Varg] Early after our arrests we threw a lot of shit at each other, utilizing every opportunity to bad-talk the other, but as the years have passed we have settled the matter straight and we no longer bear hostile feelings.

I don’t want to think about what kind of person I had been like if I never were arrested… a skinny black metaler, with bullet belts and a snotty attitude perhaps.

Then they turned into mediocre, standardized quasi death metal with an overwhelmingly “we are happy” attitude, and in my opinion that ruined everything what Napalm Death had meant for me

As for the incident with Vikernes and Euronymous´ I think it is fair to say that the whole thing started more or less with an unnecessary disagreement between the two, which escalated towards a peak that no one could foresee [...] At least it wasn’t over a girl, I can say that for sure.

The US mainstream magazine Spin made an extremely off-reality hype about it [Samoth said something similar]