THOUGHTS FROM AN IMPROPER BOSTONIAN!  (Open Up And Say..., 17 nov 1996)

Well folks here's a first for me an 'e'nterview with Tim Skold. The whole thing came together via e-mail. No phones, no pen and paper, or tape recorders. Tim has a new album out 'Skold' and a very cool website at http://www.skold.com. I suggest you check both of them out.

OU: Tim, for everybody at Open Up I say welcome. As a frustrated bass player I say fuck you for 'Dirt Talk'. I punched the wall and kicked more things trying to get that song down.

TS: I remember writing that song in the shover room at the army base (mandatory in Sweden) at like 3 in the morning. I wasn't even allowed to have a bass, but then again, you're not supposed to have the safety pin that goes to fully automatic on your AK-47 either.

OU: The first thing I notice about the Skold cd is that it seems like you were all over the place recording it. Did you rack up some serious flyer miles?

TS: Nope. I'm like the biggest loser with stuff like that. Someone at the label or management probably got a free trip to where ever out of it though. Please note that none of the recordings from Seattle with Mark Walk or Chicago with Howie Beno ended up on the album. With that said, I also have to say that they are both incredibly talented guys and I am very grateful for the experience of working with them both.

OU: I couldn't drink enough to get on the dance floor. Would I be right or wrong to assume that you could "rock out" one minute, then jump on the floor and dance the next?

TS: I'm not sure I understand the question. How about "rocking out" on the dance floor?

OU: There's a certain darkness to some of the songs. I bet you'd be pissa in a horror flick. (pissa is Bostonese for good)

TS: The stereotypical freakazoid psycopunk on acid, man! I'll do "Anything" and I'll do it with a big gun/icepick/axe/meatcleaver/powertool/hammer/syringe/
flametrower/rock/ducttape/bat/pantyhose/chainsaw...!

OU: I see 'major props' went to Taime Downe, Harry Cody, and Tommy Lee.What was their input?

TS: After completing the album I needed somewhere to work/rehearse and keep my gear so I butted in on Taime's studio. Together we had a pretty fuckin cool setup and a big room to rehearse in. Me and Harry Cody are still on very good terms and talk frequently. I use Harry as a "reality check" sometimes cuz I know I can get an honest opinion out of him. Tommy was kind enough to let me use his 24 track Studer tape machine for months without charging me a dime.

OU: You said you were "lucky" to get your deal with RCA. Were you doubting yourself or the music industry?

TS: Not sure I understand the question again. Of course I doubt myself at times and as far as the "Industry" goes, I'd say it's certified evil. Artists are a commodity for the money making machine and can be replaced at any given point. I just wanna make enough money to start a terrorist group with the perogative of killing a bunch of CEO's for crimes against humanity.

OU: Very cool website.[www.skold.com] There's some interesting links (can never know enough about the sphincter muscle). Tell us about the website and your thoughts on "cyberspace".

TS: skold.com! When I first started to bitch about a website (like 2 years ago) I was thinking I was gonna do all the programming myself. After thinking about it for awhile I realized I should probably stick to audio/video and let someone like Emeraldnet do the labour of html. They did an amazing job and take direction/sugestion really well, besides I could care less about database management. Todays "cyberspace thought" would be: Be afraid of the Cable Companies, very afraid.

OU: I belong to a listserve or two, and by far the most popular thread is "what's in the CD player?" What 5-10 discs are in your CD changer ?

TS: What's a CD changer? A little slave that loads your caddy with another disk? The 5 most loaded CD's are:

#1 Underworld "Second Toughest In The Infants"
#2 Prodigy "Breath" single
#3 Manowar "Louder Than Hell"
#4 Hardfloor "Homerun"
#5 Manowar "Into Glory Ride"

Do I have some problems or what?

OU: I saw a mini-run of tour dates on the website. Whats happening in 1997 for you?

TS: We're pretty open to suggestions. I hope we're putting out "Anything" as a single, with a bunch of remixes and get on another tour.

OU: Thanx dude. Say hi to Ann for me.

TS: Thank you. Hi Ann!

Brian McLean