– Back to 1981!
This interview was conducted in 2012.
One of the more exciting projects we can expect to see more of in the future is STUDFAUST. A collaboration between Stud Bronson, known from bands like The Batallion, Bömbers, and formerly Old Funeral and Desekrator, and Bård “Faust” Eithun, known from Blood Tsunami, Mongo Ninja, Aborym, and formerly Emperor. The band has just released their first single at the time of writing. The single oozes rock ‘n’ roll, evoking the sound of Twisted Sister and Motörhead but in a more aggressive package. We had a chat with Stud Bronson to learn more about what’s in store for STUDFAUST.
Why did you start STUDFAUST? And what was your vision for it?
I didn’t really have that many thoughts behind it. It was simply because I wanted to and because I had some songs lying around that didn’t fit anywhere else. Then, one day, I ran into Bård Eithun while drinking at Rock-In or Elm Street, and I casually mentioned that I had some tracks. He said he was really keen to join in. So, this is one of those drunken conversations that actually turned into something – which is pretty rare. Haha! He told me we could use Blood Tsunami’s rehearsal space, so we had a few sessions there. After six or seven rehearsals, everything fell into place, and then we hit the studio.
Did you only have the two songs for the single ready, or did you have more in store?
There’s always something brewing, but those two were the only ones finished. We’ve talked about doing more, but the genius of STUDFAUST is that there’s no pressure from anywhere—no record label pushing us to hurry up and finish something. So, we can take things at a comfortable pace.
There’s a strong party vibe on these two songs, both musically and lyrically. Is that intentional?
Of course! I’m so fucking tired of bands constantly whining and complaining. We need to bring fun and mayhem back into rock ‘n’ roll! Haha! STUDFAUST will never be a whining band. If we do more STUDFAUST material, it’s not going to be some preachy, message-driven music—it’s going to be about having a damn good time all the way through!
What are the lyrics about?
Well, they’re almost autobiographical. Haha! They’re about being a hellraiser, embracing a reckless attitude, and capturing the spirit of the ‘80s. “1980s Ladies,” as the title suggests, is about the good old days—because I think the mentality of both rock ‘n’ roll and people in general was way cooler back in the ‘80s. Haha!
You have Bård “Faust” Eithun as your partner. Why him? Were others considered?
Originally, I was still living in Bergen a year ago, and back then, it was me and Armagedda—the drummer from I’s “Between Two Worlds” album and the first Immortal album—who put these songs together over three or four rehearsals just for fun. Then, I moved to Oslo, and Bård said he’d be down to play on it. I asked Armagedda if he was cool with Bård taking over on drums, and he said, “Of course, go for it! It’s your project.” He wasn’t upset at all—he just thought it was cool to hear the final result. So yeah, he was involved from the start.
“I just felt these were kickass songs that needed to get out.”
So, is this kind of a solo project for you?
Nah… Whether it’s a solo project or not doesn’t really matter to me as long as the songs get released. Haha! I just felt these were kickass songs that needed to get out. Who plays on them isn’t that important—what matters is the final result. But Bård and I have clicked really well, and we’ve had a hell of a good time in rehearsals. He played very organically and full of life, so it exceeded all expectations. I’m really glad Bård wanted to be part of this. I’ve known him since ’89, and he was actually one of the first people to order an Old Funeral demo. So, we’ve known each other for ages. The first time we hit the rehearsal space together, I told him, “Damn, after 23 years of knowing each other, it’s about time we do some rock ‘n’ roll together!” And it worked like a charm.
You released the single through Soulseller. Why them?
Originally, I had planned to release it independently, like we did with the first The Batallion EP. Just print it ourselves and not give a damn about anyone else. Then, the guy from Soulseller emailed me about Old Funeral reissues and such. I told him I didn’t have time for that right now because I was focused on STUDFAUST. He said he wanted to hear it, so I sent him the tracks. He emailed me back saying it took him twelve seconds into the first track to decide he wanted to release it. Haha! So, we got a solid deal. We’re pressing 500 copies, and I get 100 of them, which covers the studio and cover art costs—so at least we’re breaking even. That’s fine by me. If they sell out quickly—and I think they will, considering he already had over 100 pre-orders, and I have around 60-70—then there’s talk of doing a picture disc version of 250 copies as well.
It’s still early to ask, but how has the feedback been so far?
We emailed the tracks to around 30 of my closest friends, and so far, there hasn’t been a single negative response. The feedback has been fantastic. Just yesterday, I uploaded one of the songs to YouTube, and today it already has over 250 views. So there’s clearly interest, and I keep getting PMs on Facebook from people wanting to reserve a copy.
What can we expect from STUDFAUST in the future? More music? Live shows?
We’ve talked about doing something live, but we need more songs first—obviously. I’m open to it because I think these songs would work really well live. But we’d need a bassist. On the single, I play guitar, bass, and do vocals, and I’m not that schizophrenic—I can’t play both bass and guitar at the same time.
Lastly, where can people buy the STUDFAUST single?
You can grab a copy from Soulseller Records.
With that, we thank Stud Bronson for the interview!
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