More than 10 years ago, when I started Brutallica Magazine, DERANGED was one of the first bands which I interviewed. There was no internet; the phone calls were damn expensive for a poor student like me so I did it in the good old way: I simply put my handwritten questions in a letter and some weeks later I got the answers of Rikard Wermen. Now the times are different, the communications are different, even our postman is not the same guy. But DERANGED remained the same furious and extreme outfit, they remained true to their numerous fans, true to their trademark sound and true to the Underground scene. But let’s see what the situation now, 10 years later…is. Chavdar Tzachkov
Without a doubt now we have the best DERANGED line up ever! Hails Rikard. Man, 10 years have passed since the first interview that I did with you. How can you describe these 10 years, were they good for you and for DERANGED? It’s been 10 years? Oh… man, to start with, being in a band like DERANGED is rather weird… On one hand you’ll get people telling you that “you can demand this and that coz you’re in fucking DERANGED, the next big thing after the internet” you know. And on the other hand you’ll get people telling you “who the fuck do you think you are? You are not even worth the shit under my boot. You are nothing” so… But, yeah… It’s been a couple of good years you know. A lot of changes in the line up, but they have always been to the better anyway… What’s going on with DERANGED now? I heard you had some line-up changes!? Yeah… Not the first time… Basically we gave Calle Fäldt the boot like a good year ago and have since been jamming with Martin Schönherr on vocals and Thomas Ahlgren on bass. As mentioned earlier, we’ve had LOTS of changes in the line up, but they have always been to the better. This is no exception. Without a doubt this is the best DERANGED line up ever. On the Listenable Records web site I read a very funny DERANGED line up: Rickard Wermen – Drums; Johan Axelsson – guitars; some guy – vocals. Logically it means that you have problems
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with the vocalists?! Really? I haven’t seen it… I’ll check it out. “Some guy-vocals”? And that’s on our label’s site? Ha, ha, ha… If you have plans to tour in 2007 you will definitely need more musicians, at least a guitarist and a bass player. Do you already have an idea of who you will invite in DERANGED for the upcoming live shows/tours? As mentioned, we have a complete line up so… Man, you’re a killer drummer, so let’s speak about drums, your favorite drum kit, you favorite drummer, the best drummer in Death Metal, the best drummer whom you have played with on tours?! Pour your soul here… I have never seen myself as a “great drummer” nor “great musician”. I know what I can do and… It’s not what you play; it’s how you play it. I use a rather small kit, for being a “death metal drummer” that is. 3 toms, 2 bass drums, snare… 1 hi-hat, 2 china, 1 crash and 1 ride. That’s it. Instead of adding shit to my set up, I’ll remove. I have two complete drum kits. One Pearl Master Custom and one good ol’ Sonor kit from the early 80´s. I usually play the Sonor kit. The shells are thick as hell and deep but it sounds so good damn Metal you’ll freak. Ha, ha, ha… My all time fave drummer is Ian Paice and what he did during the 70´s.
When it comes to Death Metal it just got to be Brandon Thomas, the drummer from DIM MAK. He’s without a doubt the best Death Metal drummer ever. I also like the guy from THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN. You know I will put DERANGED on the front cover page of this issue of Brutallica and there is quite a big number of people asking me who they are? Maybe you need a better promotion, I think?
Yes. Ha ha ha… Who wrote the music and the lyrics for the tracks included in “Obscenities In B-Flat”? It’s been pretty much the same since day one. Johan and I are doing the music down the rehearsal room and I’ll later on take care of the lyrics and the vocal patterns. It usually works this way whenever we’re working on new material. We’ll do the actual music down the rehearsal room and after that do a rough demo recording so I’ll have something to work with when doing the lyrics and vocal patterns. What do you prefer mostly: hard-baked chicken + cold dark beer or fat pork-chop with a good bottle of red wine? Give me the receipt of some typical Swedish dish! Ehm… I’m a junk food addict. I like burgers, pizza, fries… A typical Swedish dish? Kebab pizza with béarnaise sauce. According to a lot of people Sweden is one of