
It has been two decades since Nasum began turning the Grindcore scene on it's head. Now in 2012 they come to Australia for the first time in what will also mark their final tour as a band. After the unfortunate death of their frontman during the tragic tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004, the band is here to to bid farewell and put a dignified end to the Nasum story. Pete had a chance to discuss all this including their imminent arrival and a show that promises "Mental Colapse".
Guys thanks for joining us here at the AU review
You have been granted audience with Lord Nasum. Now claim your business, mongrel.
So it will be your first trip here to Australia. Are you guys looking forward to it and what are your expectations of our country?
This part of the tour is really the one most of us has been looking forward to the most. I have no idea what you people do when you hear grindcore or what will happen to you when we start obliterate the concert stages of your nation.
We will be playing the bigger cities, but I would love if we also got to see some of the country outside the cities, but unfortunately I don’t think we have the time. As far as the gigs go I am sure they will be awesome – they have been so far on this tour. You ozzies better deliver.
This farewell tour obviously came after some deliberation. You're now well and truly on the final stretch how does it all feel and how does it feel up on stage?
It is over two years now since we started talking about doing this. Anders was the one who brought it up and to be honest I hadn’t thought it would ever happen. It took a few weeks to get used to the idea, but once I started thinking about it I realized why I personally thought it would be a good idea to do it I have been were psyched about the tour. Obviously it is problematic doing the tour having lost the bands vocalist and front man and we really didn’t want to make this some kind of “In memory of Mieszko” or anything – that would just feel weird and awkward, so for me I the whole thing is about the band and the music and about giving the band a proper ending. And of course it is also about us really having a blast playing these songs again – I realized when we started rehearsing how much I had missed playing this music. The final reason for this whole thing is just the opportunity to do this together with the rest of the members of the band and having a great time together. And so far the shows have been really great – we have so much fun on stage and I think the audience feels that. For me personally a bunch of the shows so far are at the top of my “greatest gigs of my life” list.
Will this tour give most of you some closure when it comes to the Nasum story? Has it been a fitting tour so far?
Yes, I think so. After losing Mieszko it was decided that we just put the band to rest and we pretty much lost contact with each other after that, which is a really sad way to end the band. Doing this final tour feels like a more fitting way for us to end the Nasum saga, so to say. And our hope was that the fans would feel the same way about it. The idea was to try and reach as many countries as possible without this tour turning is to a mammoth tour all over the world. We still wanted it to feel like we did a stretch of well selected and exclusive shows. Not sure if we succeeded though…
Back to Australia what should fans expect from the set list and the shows?
Well, expect trauma, discomfort and mental collapse. The tinnitus that show attendees will experience will be wrought from a selection of songs from the entire Nasum history and songs from all our albums. We have also checked what songs seem to be most requested and of course we try to play personal favorites as well. So we try to mix old and new and mix fast songs with some of the heavier to keep things interesting. Our main intention however is just to make it an intense experience for the audience and to blast shit to bits.
The final show will be in October and back home is it something you're looking forward to or will you guys struggle to deal with it?
Well I think it will be a very emotional show for sure. We know it is the last show we will ever do together and since we had so much fun together, both on stage and off stage, it will be sad to know it is over after that show. At the same time I know it will be a great show for sure and it will also be a great feeling knowing we pulled this thing of and did it in such a spectacular way – because that is how it has been feeling so far. What will the end be like? I guess we’ll smash guitars The Clash-style and get fucked up.
So after Nasum what's on the agenda for the rest of the year?
Opposition, indulgence, recreation and stone-throwing at authorities. And lots of listening to Bolt Thrower.
We can't wait for the dates any last messages or your fans who have been waiting 20 years to see you?
You shall be blasted.
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Nasum are here later this week.
Here are the dates.
Wednesday 15 August - Amplifier, Perth
Thursday 16 August - Fowlers Live, Adelaide
Friday 17 August - Hi Fi, Brisbane
Saturday 18 August - Hi Fi, Sydney
Sunday 19 August - Hi Fi, Melbourne