SW: Why do you think they never got as big as the other bands on Factory?
Darnielle: Well, I think they happened along Factory at a time when the money was getting a little weird, and the appeal was limited for them, and they were sent on some weird places to tour; they wound up doing television in Guam or the Falklands or something like that. They never came to the U.S. They didn't tour a whole lot. And apparently they weren't pleasant people to hang out with a lot of the time, like a lot of Factory bands were. There's not a lot of ready appeal to the Stockholm Monsters. That said, I don't understand why everybody doesn't love them more than anything in the world.
Courtesy of 4AD
Peter Hughes, left, and John Darnielle.
Courtesy of 4AD
Peter Hughes, left, and John Darnielle.
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Entombed: "Premature Autopsy" (1990) from Left Hand Path (Earache)
Darnielle: Morbid Angel? Cannibal Corpse? Deicide? Vital Remains?
SW: You're getting closer.
Darnielle: Exhumed? No, Entombed!
SW: Yes.
Darnielle: This is Entombed, really? Wow, they used to sound a lot poppier than that. My main thing is American death metal from South Florida, and North American death metal from Quebec, which is like the hotbed of death metal, which I find exciting, that musical styles pick these random places to become prevalent. I don't know what to say about it except that I like it because it's sui generis—it's its own thing, unbelievably committed to its own craft. I have some punk-rock romance about people who I believe are not doing stuff to make money, you know. When Glenn Benton of Deicide branded an upside-down crucifix on his forehead, that was kind of a cool statement, kind of like saying, "I don't care if I never get a day job, I'm just gonna play death metal." I've gotta respect that. And Trey Azagthoth of Morbid Angel's desire to play the most from-space guitar leads in the whole history of the world. That's dedication.
Spandau Ballet: "Gold" (1983) from True (Chrysalis)
Darnielle: I don't know if I can gear my Spandau Ballet shtick from memory anymore. I think they're great in a very awful way. They were awful at the time. If anyone liked Spandau Ballet when they were new, I would question their judgment. But history has done a curious thing to Spandau Ballet. It's made them more interesting. I think that's a valid way to listen to music, by the way. I think lots of things get more interesting when you add some time to them. To hate something now and like it three years from now isn't so much hypocritical as it is critical.
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