WHO (OR WHAT) ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES AND INSPIRATIONS?
Influences vary depending on which member you ask. But we all share a common ground in the DIY/Hardcore/SxE-scene. The DIY-scene is probably our biggest, common influence, and reaches throughout a wide spectra of cultural expressions such as music, art, photography etcetera. DIY or die!
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT DOWNLOADING, FILE SHARING AND IN GENERAL THE WAY THAT TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERNET HAVE IMPACTED THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
The internet and sites like Myspace have been very important to us. It makes the world smaller and you are able to discover and listen to music that in the 90´s your local record dealer probably wouldn’t have distributed. But still, this is a difficult question. File Sharing is great and the spreading of music, at least in our DIY-world often results in buying (and selling) more albums than before. On the other hand it does mean that a lot of artists are facing the reality of not getting paid for their music. But still, somehow this seems to be of more importance for bands signed to big labels rather than small bands like us. It does mean though, that it is more and more important that you have to find creative solutions if you want to make any money off of your records and music. And frankly, live gigs don’t pay the bills either.
TELL US ABOUT THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS. BEING SUCH A STRONG PROPONENT OF THE DIY ETHIC, HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR BAND/SHOWS AND SELL YOUR MERCH?
You know, we live in a small town in the north of Sweden, we have only one record store, a record store that we all like and we sell our records there but we looooove the internet and we sell our records (only cd and vinyl) via Ny Våg (the record company that we are signed to). We also sell records at gigs, on tour and when people contact us through e-mail. It is working for us. We rarely promote our gigs other than on Myspace, Facebook and Twitter. Our gigs are mostly promoted by the clubs we play at. Posters are great!
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THE WORD “SUCCESS” WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR MUSIC?
Success is difficult. What is success? It is easier to talk about succeeding. We have never aimed at the stars. At first doing a gig was our goal, then releasing a demo, then playing more and more gigs… then making an ep and releasing it on a “real” label… and then it just grew. Now we have played France, Spain and Germany, are recording a full length album and are looking at the possibilities of going to the USA. Playing together, traveling together, having fun together - that is success!
WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT YOU SPECIFICALLY FACE BEING AN ALL GIRL GROUP IN THIS DAY AND AGE? ON THE FLIPSIDE, WHAT BENEFITS HAVE YOU REAPED THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN BESTOWED ON YOUR MALE PEERS?
The biggest challenge is constantly having to answer questions like this. We feel that we do not have to discuss the same old all girl band questions time and time again. That is not important! But the fact that we, as women, claim our place on a stage is.
TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS OF CREATING A BOMBETTES TUNE.
We are all a part of the creative process of making songs. Someone introduces an idea, just a simple bass line or some guitar chords. Then we start playing it, feeling it together and after a while something takes shape. Elin (who writes the lyrics) then starts making a song melody. And then it’s done! We have understood that this is a rare way of making songs but it has always worked for us. Any other way would feel weird. I guess we are a very democratic band or maybe we’re just great at collaborating.
WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE EVENT (ASIDE FROM THE MUSIC) THAT EVER HAPPENED DURING ONE OF YOUR SHOWS, GOOD OR BAD?
Haha, we have a lot of stories. Good and bad. But hey, what happens on tour, stays on tour right?
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT MAKING MUSIC?
We often joke about us being the world’s most well educated punk rock band. We all have university degrees and have interesting day jobs. Maria is a librarian and works with public relations questions at a high school, Ellen is a nurse and has specialized in anesthesia, Jenka is a photographer and also works at a café, Chrystal works at a state government dealing with crime victims and Elin is an coordinator/producer at the Opera house in Umeå. I guess we all consider the Bombettes as being a hobby even though in fact it is more than just that. Other hobbies vary of course but music, going to shows, literature, art, nature - all of those things are important in our lives.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM MUSICAL GOALS FOR THE GROUP?
Right now we are finishing our first full length album. We are working on the album cover and trying to get it released sometime during march 2010. After that we are planning some more tours and trying to fill our summer vacation with some fun fun fun. As we’ve said before, we don’t set up future goals, we just see were it all takes us.
WHAT’S THE COOLEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE AS A GROUP?
Just being a Bombette is cool!
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE CONCEPT THAT ART CAN UNIFY PEOPLE, WHO MAY HAVE DIFFERENT FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS? DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOUR MUSIC COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THAT INNATE POWER?
Music is a very powerful media. It can and has been used in the most horrific ways - just look at the white power movement. All music is political even though it may or may not have an explicit political agenda. This is an interesting question that could become an essay so let’s narrow it down:
In many ways being a part of the DIY-scene makes you understand how small the world is. We have connections throughout the whole world. And are welcome in the DIY-community everywhere. That’s a fantastic feeling. When it comes to our music it is in this question that our gender is of importance. We feel that we do not have to discuss the same old all girl band questions time and time again. That is not important! But the fact that we, as women, claim our place on a stage is.