The Doits : Swedish Rocket Science!

By Jens

The first The Doits show in Copenhagen really impressed the hell out of me, and so did singer/guitarist Altay Sagesen's previous combo The Dixie Buzzards. The Danish label International Garbageman released an excellent 7", "Big Bity Blues", in 2002, so I was hellbent on hearing their debut album "This Is Rocket Science" (Wild Kingdom/Kick). And fortunately the twelve songs didn't disappoint me as I've seldom heard so classy hardrock/powerpop since the days of Cheap Trick, Real Kids and Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers. Wellcrafted hooks, melody and balls-out guitar mayhem go hand-in-hand with this young supertalented outfit, so I had a little chat with Altay about this and that. Other members are Altay's brother David (bass), Tero Hakorinne (drums) and Anders Göransson (guitar).

LC: What bands have the members of The Doits been in before?

Altay: I used to play in a hardcore band in the early 90´s called Bombshell. I also played with the Dixie Buzzards. Anders played with Ashram and David and Tero played in different bands but this is probably the first band they get to tour with and stuff.

LC: You just been on a tour in Germany, you played with Columbian Neckties?

Altay: Yeah! It was great. We just did one week but we had a lot of fun. We played with Colombian Neckties in Chemnitz and it was really cool. We had a fun night together. They did a kick ass show, very impressive to see live. We hope to play with them soon again.

LC: Congrats on the great "This Is Rocket Science" album, how has the response been so far?

Altay: Thanks! We have had good response so far. Germany has taken the album very well. The Swedish media is harder, some good reviews but the bigger magazines don't bother if its not indie pop. I think its selling ok considering we haven't released our single and video for the album.

LC: Nicke Royale mixed it?

Altay: He mixed it with Tomas Hedblom in Atlantis, which is a really good and expensive studio. If it wasen't for Nicke mixing it I don't think we would have been able to do it there, he he. It was good for us to have someone who has been in studios a lot and who understands the kind of music we want to do. And he is a nice funny guy to hang out with so we had a good time.

LC: Wild Kingdom Records is run by the guy behind White Jazz, right?

Altay: Yes. They signed bands like Hellacopters and Gluecifer back in the 90`s. They are all nice people and they now what they are doing. Wild Kingdom are doing the vinyls for the new Hellacopters album and they signed with Englands indie hype no. one last year, Johnny Boy. They seem like a cool band.

LC: I hear can the obvious Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers inspiration in some of your tunes, but there's also a kinda Cheap Trick powerpop vibe in the harmonies?

Altay: I´ve been listening to a lot of Cheap Trick, Big Star, Testors and Tom Petty lately. I have always been a sucker for harmonies and melodies and its fun to try to come up with catchy stuff. And with Anders doing a great job singing backup, it's easy to do vocal harmonies.

LC: What's "U.G.L.Y." about?

Altay: That is an old song, we recorded it once before at the same recording session as the songs from the Big City Blues ep (International Garbageman). I wrote the lyrics in the studio and don't really know, being hung over, transexual. Its not some important lyric as you probably understand.

LC: What do you do to pass the time on road, glued any furnitures on the ceiling?

Altay: I read a lot. In Germany I read Odd Ahlgrens (of The Robots) book, "Förlösaren". A very violent but funny story about a deprogrammer or exorcist. Listen to music and offend one and another. If we get time I try to see something of the cities that we are in. But most of the time it's just the car, dressing room, bar and then hotel or wherever we sleep.

LC: Describe The Doits members personalities? Is it a positive or a negative thing with two brothers in the band, haha.

Altay: Well, Tero is the responsible one and you can always trust that he´s got he´s shit together. Anders is the greatest guitarist I ever played with. Kenny (Hellacopters) once said "Every guitar is Anders guitar, the rest of us just plays on them". He is also one of my very best friends. David, that's my brother. Of course I love him. Maybe it's not so easy for him some times because I blame him whenever something goes wrong, he he. But he fixes our van and is a genuinly funny man. I'm probably the one with the double standards. I say "dont drink to much" then I get too dunk. I say "be there in time" and then I'm late, ha ha, I sound like a band gestapo.

LC: What can people expect from a show by The Doits?

Altay: A 30 min set of rock´n roll power pop frenzy. I think we are a pretty damn good live band.

LC: What's your fave r'n'r movie, and why?

Altay: Definitely "Bad News" with the guys from "The Young Ones". It's the most fun and stupid movie ever. It's more fun than "This Is Spinal Tap".

LC: You grew up in Skellefteå, have you seen "Populärmusik från Vittula"?

Altay: No. Not yet, but I heard its supposed to be good. I might rent it tonight.

LC: Anything to add?

Altay: Well thanks for the interview. I would like to say hello to Marco and Hellcat, I hope the kid is doing fine. Keep up the good work on Lowcut, I'm a big fan and read it all the time. I hope to be in Denmark soon or meet you all some where on the road. Simma lungt.

http://www.thedoits.tk