Between past, present and future, waiting the new full-lenght "Split Vision", out in February 2004, we have exchange some words with Urrke, bass-player of the swedish rockers Maryslim.

Hi Urrke, for who maybe doesn’t still know you, when and how were Maryslim born?
I first met Kent and Mats at a concert in Stockholm with The Dictators, The Nomads, The Hellacopters and The Powder Monkeys, R.I.P. Tim Hemensley! It was in 1999. I used to play the drums in a Glamrock-band called King Size and a Rhythm N Blues-band called Texas Arsenal. I also played the bass and sang in a Punkrockband called Fosgen long before that. When we started Maryslim I sold my drums and switched back to the bass. Kent (guitar) was together with Boba Lee Fett (Hellacopters) one of the founding members of the band Diamond Dogs. Boba is still with them sometimes, but Kent quit a couple of years ago. Mats (lead singer/guitar) has been in various bands I don´t remember the names of. Patrik once played progressive metal (!) in a band called Arcana Major. Also he once made a record with a progrockband called Hagen, which also consisted of members from Kaipa and New Clear Daze. Patrik plays a lot of Jazz and Blues in different constellations to this day. Mats, me and Kent does not have any sideprojects right now. I have been talking to Hanna Engström, one of my best friends and also the drummer in the band Satirnine, about doing something together for years. We will see..

Why have you changed from the White Jazz to the Wild Kingdom Records? Has Calle Schewens maybe taken the name of his label from the legendary Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom? He is maybe a fan of them?
Since Calle Schewen sold his White Jazz-label to the MNW-company and quit there nothing has been the same there. We did not feel comfortable there any more. So we simply asked them to let us go, which they amazingly enough did! Then we were free to sign a new contract with Calles newly started Wild Kingdom label instead, which is of course great. And, yes you are right. He “borrowed” the name from Handsome Dicks band. He is both a fan and a friend of theirs. He knows everybody worth knowing.

You have supported Nomads on stage and you even recorded the cover of “The good stuff” for their tribute recentely published by Wild Kingdom, why did you choose that song? What emotions did you feel in sharing the stage with theese sacred monsters of rock?
It was great to go touring with the Nomads. They are some of the most lovable guys I know. And one of the best bands I know as well. I have listened to them since I was a young kid. I saw them supporting The Ramones on the “Brain drain”-tour, so it was really cool to have the opportunity to open up for them on some gigs! Actually we chose the song “Good Stuff” for the tribute because it´s one of the guys at Wild Kingdoms favourite-song and we like it a lot to! Actually (as an anecdote) I had to borrow the Nomads-bassist Björne Fröbergs bass-guitar to record that song, because my bass was fucked at that time. As I said, they are a bunch of great guys!

During your European tour in 2001 you even performed in Italy, in the cities of Padova and Rome. What do you remember about those gigs? How was the Italian audience’s welcome?
Yeah, I remember some. It was at our European tour as support for Marky Ramone. I broke my foot a week before we should go on that tour! Everybody thaught that it would cause us to cancel the whole tour, but no no! Not me! We went with my foot in plaster and I was zonked out of my mind on Morfin-painkillers during that whole time. However. The promotor in Rome was something like the “head of the Ramones fanclub” in Italy and you know what? The motherfucker did not allow Maryslim to play! Marky Ramone “knew” this guy for some years, but he got so upset with him that he told him to fuck-off and I don’t think he has talked to him ever since. Marky is a great guy to! In Padova though it was just wonderful! The best and most fun gig at the whole tour. So much people and so nice to! The guys there learned me how to say “Bela chorcha” (or something like that) and I indeed met a lot of charming, beautiful, young Italian ladies there with dark hair and brown eyes. I can not wait until we can go back to play in Italy again. It has been to long!

On The Rock Explosion we also had Satirnine and Sweetbacks. I know you have shared the stage with theese two bands, how did they seem to you? Naturally speaking about music or, I think, Satirnine would certainly win...
We only played with the Sweetbacks once, in their native city (Karlstad) where they live and they were a bunch of real nice guys. That night I also met a wonderful young woman who became my girlfriend for over a year. I fell in love deeply, head over heels. It has never happened either before or after. That was the best thing with that gig. I still talk to and see her sometimes. Satirnine has been one of my favourite-bands for a long time and they also later became some of my best friends Actually it was me who told White Jazz about them in the first place and convinced them to sign them.

Urrke, what can you tell me about Marky Ramone?
As I also told you before, Marky is a very nice bloke. A bit shy, but very nice and entertaining when you get to know him. He told me a lot of interesting and funny stories and anecdotes on the tour with him about his various friends, like Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Jerry Nolan, Johnny Thunders, Dee Dee Ramone, Sid Vicious, Wayne/Jayne County, etc. Unfortunately, as he remarked himself, most of them are already dead…

You even went to New York and to the great CBGB. What can you tell us about this and more in general which do you think is your best gig of all times?
It was a thrilling experience to hit the stage at the legendary CBGBs. Especially since it used to be like the playground for the early Ramones and their likes. Joey had recently and tragically passed away and we were on this tribute-CD to him called “The Song Ramones The Same” together with Jesse Malin, The Hellacopters, Sahara Hotnights, Satirnine, Danko Jones, Dictators, Backyard Babies, etc. etc. We did “I Believe In Miracles” and decided to make an exeption at CBGBs and do something we don´t do usually – play a cover. When I introduced “Miracles” with the words -“Whereever you are Joey, this ones for you” and the crowd cheered, I felt deeply touched by that moment. Also it felt a bit of a miracle to me that I was standing at the CBGB-stage in NYC. Arturo Vega, The Ramones old art-director who did their famous eagle-logo and everytrhing, still lives just around the corner from CB´s, so we were at his place and said hello as well. Very cool times.

Ok, let’s leave what concerns lives. Did you record your debut full-lenght and the song “High’n’loaded” at the Sunlight Studio of Tomas Skogsberg (The Hellacoptes, The Nomads, Backyard Babies)? How much has this choice helped the great final product?
Yeah, that is correct. I think Thomas did put his personal spices to the sound on the recordings he did with us and that did probably help. Im very satisfied with the work he did with us on these recordings.

Which is the compositive process that you use to write your songs? Who write the lyrics and who the music? Is it a “team work” or an “individual work”?
Usually Mats or Kent have an initial idea of a song that we work out together. Sometimes Mats writes the lyrics, sometimes I do. All in all it is definitely a team work! Everybody is contributing their part, but it is the ones that have the main ideas that gets the credit for a song.

Is there a song among those you have written that you feel particularly important for you? I adore “Nothing in common”...
A couple of songs I personally feel very strong for are “Princess Without A Crown” (from the forthcoming album) and “You Got An Attitude” from the previous.

Urrke, now I will list all the covers you have recorded other than the already told “Good Stuff” and I ask you to tell us what are these bands and these songs for you...

Kiss with “C’mon and love me” and “Comin’home”:
Kiss will always be The #1 band for me, since they were the first band to open my eyes to the whole rock & roll thing when I was a small kid. They were controversial, looked totally outrageous and crazy and acted wild. Exactly the way it should be. These songs are taken from two of the best Kiss-records ever, “Dressed To Kill” and “Hotter Than Hell”. By the way, I have a portrait of the band and the Kiss Army logo tattooed on my back.

Hanoi Rocks with “Malibu beach nightmare”:
If it wasn´t for Hanoi Rocks there would never have been a Guns N Roses, who stole the whole concept! One of the best, if not THE best Finnish band ever.

Turbonegro with “No beast so fierce”:
Turbonegro is a unique band from Norway, who I don´t think anybody including themselves thought that they would be as big as they are today, until maybe when they released “Apocalypse Dudes”. Like the Hellacopters here in Sweden they were “just a bunch of wild punks, out raising hell”. This is an early song, that showed their potential already then.

GG Allin with “Gimme Some Head”:
The first 7” on Orange records with GG is a perfect rock n roll/punkrock-anthem and one of my favourite songs all time. GG was great in the beginning on his first 5-6 singles and first album. Then he unfortunately freaked out and it was highway to hell for him. Most of his later works is not possible to take seriously. Its just a bunch of dirty words, fuck, shit, piss, cunt, etc. It´s just rediciluous. He made a bad freakshow out of himself. Quite tragic really.

Are there any other bands that influenced you and that you want to mention?
I would like to mention some early Swedish punkrock-bands that has influenced me personally. PF Commando, Warheads, Bugs, The Pain, Ebba Grön, stuff like that. Also a psychedelic late 60´s band called Elmer Gantry´s Velvet Opera. I could probably mention 1000 bands if I wanted to. AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, The Sex Pistols, New York Dolls, early Alice Cooper, early Aerosmith, The Cult…

Urrke, what do you think about Turbonegro’s reunion and “Scandinavian leather”?
I think it´s great and I think that they finally gets what they deserve. Success!

I’ve seen you have a new album scheduled for February 2004 and the single “B.T.L.” for October 2003! How will the new work be talking about sound, will there be important changes? I’ve seen that you recorded at the Abyss studios with Peter Tagtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain). How was this experience and what would you like to tell about this personality?
Peter has taken our sound to new heights. Also his production suits our new songs. We have also developed as a band and songwritingwise. The first album sounds quite “limited” compared to the new one in retrospect. It is a “big sound” kind of production. Something between The Cult´s “Sonic Temple” and Foo Fighters later stuff maybe. As a personality Peter have many sides to his spectrum. He is to begin with very professional and serious when it comes to recording. He is also a very playful and funny caracter. You feel relaxed with him even if you just got to know him. Of course it helped me to feel comfortable in his studio that he has like 50 gold and platinum awards for Kiss-records, which he collects, on the walls

Ok, let’s change a little the topic, what’s your favourite porn star?
Well, that´s quite a change. My favourite pornstar is definitely myself! You should see me in action! Gene Simmons would be in awe of my tongue, ha ha.

Urrke what’s is better: “sex, drug and rock’n’roll” or “sex, alcohol and rock’n’roll”? Maybe both of them...
I think that is up to each and every individual to decide. You can abuse all four of these subjects, and I think it´s up to you to decide when it gets unhealthy. As long as it´s fun it´s ok for me that people have a party. If they are happy about it. As long as it is not getting destructive. Heroin is never constructive I guess. I like sex the best of these things. Rock N Roll is just a way to get there, ha ha! Kind of “the soundtrack of our sex” y´know.

What’s the crazyest thing you have done in your life?
I tried to kill myself when I was a young teenager. That if something was crazy! Not only crazy, but stupid! Afterwords I swore to myself I would never do that again, how unhappy I ever got in life.

Urrke, we are at the Rock’n’Roll Celebrity Death Match, elect the winners of the following matches:

Motley Crue Vs Poison
Motley Crue of course. I mean, what is Poison but a bunch of pussies compared to them.

Backyard Babies Vs The Hives
I like both, but I´d say B.B. however, since I´m not very comfortable with people in suits

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Vs The Donnas
Joan Jett. I had a crush on her when I was 10 years old. I´m gonna see a Donnas-show here in Stockholm tomorrow though. They rock!

Alice Cooper Vs Ozzy Osbourne
It feels like a very hard decision. Both were great in the 70´s. Ozzy was way better than Alice during the 80´s and then it´s like not very much to say about them I think. Two legends in their own time.

The Dictators Vs The Stooges
The Stooges win. They have made another kind of impact on the musical history. BUT the Stooges do not exist now, The Dictators does. Also Andy Shernoff is my best friend in New York. Changed my mind. He wins!

Sex Pistols Vs New York Dolls
I thought they were the same band. When the Dolls cut their hair and moved to London they changed their name to the Sex Pistols and started to sing about politics. It´s almost true anyway. Two of the best bands in the world. That made far to few records.

Ok, the interview is over! Now Urrke you have free space to say what you like to Italian fans: bad words, compliments, threats and whatever…thanks for your cooperation!
We love Italy and the Italian fans! We are looking forward to play in your wonderful country again soon and see all of you beautiful girls and cool guys! In the meantime, buy our records and keep the rocking Maryslim-spirit alive!

Intervista realizzata da Bruno Rossi.
Traduzione realizzata da Tony Aramini.