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TftH: For those who are unaware of Regulations, give us a little insight into you guys and the band.
Marcus: We’re a hardcore punk band from a town in the north of Sweden, Umeå. Regulations was formed back in late 2002 because we wanted to play the music we love, and that’s hardcore punk. It was me (Marcus), Otto and Jens who formed the band tighter with Robert, and we’ve been the same members since then. It’s me on guitar, Otto on vocals, Jens on drums and Robert on bass-guitar. Our goal with Regulations is to do whatever we want and do that all the way. Since we started, we’ve recorded a couple of records: Regulations 7” on Putrid Filth; Destroy 7” on Busted Heads; Regulations LP/CD on Havoc/Ny Våg/K.N.P/Missing Link; Electric Guitar 12” on Havoc/Ny Våg/CMF. We’ve been out touring a bunch of times in Sweden, Europe, USA, Canada and Australia.TftH: Word. Speaking of touring, I understand you just finished up the Australian tour. How was that, and how did it compare to other countries you dudes have played in?
M: The Australian tour was really fun but not our best tour, show-wise. We toured with Straight Jacket Nation from Melbourne, and they were totally cool people. The feeling I got from playing in Australia is that people down there are really into fast and screamy hardcore, more thrash stuff than we play, but most shows where well attended. We got good reactions, and we sold a fair amount of merchandise. Compared to bigger cities in North America and Europe the scene is kinda small. I mean, in NYC, San Francisco, Toronto, Berlin or Copenhagen we played in front of way bigger crowds, but their hardcore punk scenes are way bigger. Even if Australia is a big country, there are only a few places to play. I mean, we feel kinda isolated up here in the north of Sweden, but it’s nothing compared to Australia. We can play like 10 shows in Sweden and drive down to Denmark or Germany in a couple of days. Australian bands can play like five or six towns, and then they have to fly for a couple of days to go anywhere. It’s crazy. Anyway, big thanks to Pete at Missing Link Records, Em, Dan, Al and Dave from Straight Jacket and, not to forget, the fantastic band, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, that we played a couple of shows with. Amazing stuff.TftH: That sounds awesome. Out of the 4 records you guys have put out, which do you feel has truly portrayed what Regulations is all about based on its sound, attitude and overall outcome?
M: I think that all our records portray us, but in different ways. The first S/T 7” is really a good documentation of the first months of Regulations. Everything’s really basic and fast – the recording, the artwork, the songs and the lyrics. The Destroy EP is the record that I personally think turned out best out of everything we have recorded so far. It’s a great recording and great songs. On the S/T LP I think that we did the best music and lyrics so far. The only problem is that the recording’s a little bit lame, it didn’t turn out exactly as we wanted it - something’s missing. And on the Electric Guitar 12”, we tried to do something else. More rock n’ roll influences and other influences, and that’s probably something we’ll keep on doing; trying different stuff, that is. That doesn’t mean that our next record will sound more like Electric Guitar than the other records, though.TftH: Well, it's cool that you don't really regret any of the albums. Shit's done for a reason. hah. Which of those do you think your fans have liked more, through conversation with them or their reactions at shows, etc.
M: It depends. On the record collector/hard core nerd kinda webpages/forms they always write about the first S/T 7" being the best one and that we're only doing worse and worse records after that one. But when we play live it mostly the songs from the S/T LP or the Electric Guitar 12" that people are singing along and dancing like manicas to. And for me that means more than what some bald four-eyed record collector nerd's wring on the Internet.TftH: hahaha, fuck yeah. You played in ExTxA, too, correct? If so, why did you guys stop doing that band, and start with Regulations? If I'm not mistaken, the only difference, member-wise, is Robert.
M: Yes, that's correct. We quit ExTxA because we were sick of everything that band was, and we felt that we'd done everything we could with that band. Me, Otto and Jens wanted to do something else. We wanted a new start, so we started Regulations. We jammed for a while and then asked Robert to join us on bass. So with Regulations we've been trying to do eveything the way we want it to be done.TftH: Well at least you're playing in the band and enjoying it, instead of continuing something you don't even want to do anymore. So when can we expect a new album, and what can we expect from that release?
M: That's true. The main reason we play with Regulations is because we fucking love playing this music together.
Anyway, I guess you can expect a new album in the future. Right now, we're working on some new stuff, and we have some songs that we recorded in Toronto, Canada. We're gonna do a couple of 7" EP's before we do another album, since it was a while since our last release. You can expext a mix of the usual straight ahead punk rock stuff with some more melodic and experimental influences, but it's still gonna sound like Regulations. We're just trying some new approaches to songwriting.TftH: Awesome. I can't wait to hear what you guys put out in the future. When can we, over here in the US, expect to have you guys come on tour again?
M: We'll come later this year. Late summer or early fall, I think. Nothing's booked or anything, but we've been talking about it. Havoc is helping us again.
TftH: Sounds good. Well, it was good talking to you. I can't wait to hear what you dudes put out next, and hopefully I'll catch you guys while on tour over here.
http://www.myspace.com/regulationshc
http://www.havocrex.com/
http://www.nyvag.com/
Hope you enjoyed it. Keep on keepin' on.
Some reviews coming soon. I promise.
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