Interview

An Interview With DimmZ Bassist Jens

DimmZ is a gritty, no flash hard rock band out of Sweden. Their latest release, “This Is Life,” is the band’s first full-length album, and was recently released through the small label Blue Topaz Records. As a still up and coming band, DimmZ is currently working small venues and trying to get their name out in the music world. I recently spoke with DimmZ bass player Jens about the band’s beginning and future, as well as his passion for fast cars.

Nichole: First off, how did everyone meet? Is everyone originally from Sweden?

Jens: Yes, everybody is from Sweden and from the same town, Kristianstad. In the beginning it was only Sonny, Andy and Andreas that started Mizery. Sonny and Andreas were childhood friends and they met Andy with the music.

In December 2007 Sonny asked me if I would like to try out for the band DimmZ. I was a little unsure because I had never played bass before. I am at bottom a guitar player. But I bought a bass and started to train on a few songs and after that I was hooked.

The summer 2008 Andreas jumped off the band and did not want to continue any more. So we had an addition for a new guitarist and found another guy called Andreas.

Nichole: DimmZ was born out of the ashes of another band, Mizery. What happened to give DimmZ birth?

Jens: Why Mizery was put to sleep was because the music was a little too hard. So they wanted a fresh start with a new name and another kind of music.

Nichole: What’s the biggest style difference between the earlier band and DimmZ?

Jens: The biggest difference in the music is the speed. Mizery was more of a death metal band where they sang with growls.

Nichole: "This is Life" is actually your third release. What has improved or changed the most as far as production or performance since the first demo?

Jens: The biggest difference must be that we put a lot of thought into this album. We started to think about how to improve the songs with solo riffs and more effort to the songs.

Our second demo was a live recorded demo that was made by a guy who was good in recording pop music and not metal music. So when we got a record label the demands were that it had to be recorded by guys who knew metal.

Nichole: The album was released under Blue Topaz Records. How did that come about?

Jens: Blue Topaz signed us after he had heard our demo that we recorded in 2007. We were looking around after a record deal and had a couple of record labels that were willing to work with us, but we took Blue Topaz because we thought that the deal was better for us at that moment.

Nichole: You’ve gotten radio play in both the U.S. and Europe. Where can folks go to purchase or download the album?

Jens: After a long time and a few mails to our record company, we are now out on I tunes! That is the place outside Europe where they can buy the CD. In Europe we also got Mp3 store and cdon.se and ginza.se

Nichole: Speaking of digital downloads, what’s your take on music downloading?

Jens: Legal downloading is great because it is easier to get the cd home.

Nichole: Who’s responsible for writing the songs? Is it a collaboration? What about your bass parts?

Jens: It is a collaboration. But we do our own grounds on our instrument, and then we all start talking of what we can improve.

Nichole: You’ve got some performance dates coming up in the fall, at some clubs. What, if any, do you think are the advantages of playing a small venue?

Jens: I bond better with the audience in a smaller place. Then I can go down in to the audience and rock with them.

Nichole: Any performance catastrophes?

Jens: One time we played for a motorcycle club in an old airplane hanger, and the crowd were from the ages of 15 to 70 years old. And when we started to play, the sound got so loud no matter what we were doing! We even put a table in front of the drums so that we could turn down the volume on the amps. But nothing helped. So after 30 minutes or so, one of the old guys walked up to the stage and started to pull out our cables from the amps so that we should quit playing. - not a good gig!

Nichole: What about plans for a larger scale tour, and where would you be interested in playing?

Jens: We are working on a tour in the USA perhaps next year. Right now it seems far away, but we got a guy named Daniel Woehlke that does a really great job for us over there. He got the great job to try and book us in seven to eight places or more so that we can come over and play and not lose too much money on the way.

Nichole: Is playing in DimmZ a full-time gig, or do you have other jobs on the side?

Jens: No, not yet. I got a steady job as a chimney sweeper. But we are trying to get it to be a full time job.

Nichole: Other than music, what are some of your other hobbies?

Jens: My biggest hobby after the music is street racing. I love to build fast cars and drive them like I stole them.

Nichole: Ok, you piqued my curiosity with the street racing. How many and what kind of cars do you race?

Jens: I got three cars and just sold one motorcycle - one Mercedes station wagon so I can transport my family in, my girl and my three kids. Also one Volvo 940 tuned out for drifting, one Honda Del Sol tuned out to go real fast, and pimped on the outside. And I just sold my Ducati Monster.

Nichole: Ever won anything, and if so what?

Jens: I drive illegal racing so there aren´t any prizes for winning. You just know that you are faster than the other person.

Nichole: How'd you get into it, and what would be your dream car?

Jens: Cars have always been a part of my life. My father works and has always been working with cars and what do the say? The apple doesn´t fall far from the tree?

Dream car? I don’t have one, got many. But I saw in a news paper this week that Volvo has made a new version of the old P1800. If it is rear wheel drive that could be a car right now to start building on.

Nichole: What bands influenced you growing up, or even now as a performer?

Jens: Metallica of course was number one. And then there were a lot of Swedish punk bands that I listened to also.

Nichole: How would you describe DimmZ’s sound to someone who’s never heard you?

Jens: I am not good at putting music in different folders, but to my ears it would be kind of old school rock with a modern twist.

Nichole: Where do you see you and your music going in say five to ten years?

Jens: That we got a major record label and are out on world tours doing what we love, and that is to rock!

Nichole: Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Jens: Yes, visit our web site www.dimmz.com or our myspace www.myspace.com/dimmzspace and enjoy the music. I’d also like to put out a big thanks to all the radio stations in U.S and Canada that play our music. And a big thanks to you and all the other magazines that have taken an interest in us. Spread the word that a new band is coming and it is called DimmZ. Rock on everybody, because we will!