Beheaded Lamb Interview

1. Can you give us a brief history of your band?.

Everything started somewhere in the end of the 80’s when Nazgûl was playing guitar in a band making covers of the famous ‘thrash’ bands of the moment. I was used to hang around with him and annoy the rest of the guys during the rehearsals, although I was more on the noisier and more punkish kind of stuff. One day of boredom I offered them my services as a singer due to the fact that I could not afford to pay for a real instrument, but only for a microphone. They declined my offering with the argument that, according to my musical taste, I was just going to scream like a tortured pig and it would not fit with their ‘technical thrash metal’ “style”. One day, Nazgûl and I went to the rehearsal room with the intention to play some noise of our own and we did, ending the session with the smashing to pieces of the drum kit, after which we left and never appeared again. This seminal act was called Political Demise and we had a logo!. After it, we recruited another drummer, another guitarist and rented another rehearsal room. With this line-up and waiting for someone to buy for me a bass, we started playing some slow stuff with, now yes, tortured pig vocals. This second act was called Gothic Autumn and we had a logo, too!. Must to say that the term “gothic” had not the same meaning then than today it has. Actually it was related to some tribes that settled on the area after the falling of the Roman Empire and set the basis of Catalonia (yes, Switzerland had Celtic Frost, so we had Gothic Autumn!). But the guitarist had not a clue about anything and the drummer was stubborn to show his technical skills, so we left the rehearsal room one day (this time without breaking anyone else’s property) and we did not come back anymore. So then we formed Beheaded lamb. On those days I knew a guy who just bought a little 4-tracks mixer and I managed to convince him to welcome us to his flat to try to record something. I wrote some lyrics and Nazgûl some riffs and we recorded few songs without bass-guitar. We did not have drums nor rehearsal place so Nazgûl convinced some friend of him who had a big keyboard of those that can make all kind of sounds and with it we faked the drums. The result was a bunch of songs with really bad sound that people seemed to like. Then the guy got bored and told us to don’t appear anymore so we occupied the rehearsal room of some another band and found a drummer while someone else borrowed me a bass guitar. We rehearsed and wrote new songs and recorded some for what was supposed to be our debut demo but Nazgûl was never happy with the result so the demo was delayed and delayed and then never “officially” out although flyers where sent and contacts were made. It pissed me off. In my opinion the stuff was enough good for a demo. Then new drummer and new rehearsal place, new songs and no demo. Then I got really pissed. I thank the line-up was the best possible with de adding of Katu-Marus and the songs were even too good. The atmosphere during the rehearsals was worse each day ‘till one day Nazgûl and I arrived earlier to rehearse and he started to tell he wants keyboards here and there and choruses and stuff. The discussion ended with me banging the door and leaving Beheaded Lamb. Then I went to form Gorthaur with katu-Marus and an ex-member from El Kaso Urkijo who took the name of Lord Todmir. We never rehearsed together. just few times Katu-Marus and me but Lord Todmir one day called me that he recorded the demo and that I must go to put the vocals singing the lyrics he wrote (???!!!?!?!?!?!?). I did. So this and the writing of my “special thanks” was all my contribution to Gorthaur. It ended badly. After it we had Katu-Marus and I had some talking about reforming Beheaded Lamb, but nothing happened. He took his own way and I took mine, that drove me to end my studies, spend very long times in the Pyrenees and practicing mountain-climbing. Then I went to the army and when I came back I got a job and then I bought my own bass-guitar finally! Then, one day Akerbeltz and Lilith told me that if I want to make Beheaded Lamb again they are willing to help, so that was it! They have their own rehearsal room, they had the contacts and the will, and they were the perfect members for the band. Everything went really fast. Almost without rehearsing Akerbeltz received the offer to do the split with Azaghal, so we wrote the stuff in record time and just with few rehearsal sessions went to studio. Akerbeltz played the bass on this record due to the fact my skills were few rusty and I was working at 120 km from the studio. Few later we got the offer of the debut album and we did it (again in a hurry), but this time I recorded the bass (what a torment for my and the engineer..s patience!). Then it happened that I moved few thousands of km far from the place so we had to put Beheaded Lamb to sleep again ‘till the next time. But one thing is for sure, the line-up is and will always be the one with Akerbeltz and Lilith.

2. I have the split you have done with Azazghal and the full length "a Grave To The World' have you put out any other releases and where could I find those additional songs you have on the Myspace playlist.No other releases".
The ones on Myspace are from the two only official records. I don’t have myself any of the older stuff anymore and Im having problems to find it, so if you do, let me know!

3. According to your bio you have split up, are there any plans for a reunion?.The band is in “deep sleep” only.
Who knows what the future brings. Right now I’m having another project in my head, but no hurry.

4. Have you played any live shows and if so what were some of the best live shows you have played?.
Beheaded Lamb never played any show rather than rehearsal sessions for some friends. Nazgûl and I played a couple of gigs under other monikers. The first one was in the very first times in Barcelona’s pub La Dolce Vita, with Obeja from el Kaso Urkijo and another guy under the moniker Pepito Black (Obeja’s sense of humor…) on a festival featuring local bands. The second one with Katu-Marus, Lord Todmir and Adams (El Kaso Urkijo, Ork) on a central square in Barcelona in another festival of many bands under the moniker Sacrum Sacrificationis. There was a tape and photos of this one, but everything got lost...

5. I know the band members over the years have played in a variety of different bands, can you explain what those bands are and how they differ from Beheaded Lamb"?.
About the rest of the members, better ask straight from them because they’ve been really active through the years and I don’t know everything. Mostly Akerbeltz. This guy is a machine!

6. What are some of the biggest musical influences for Beheaded Lamb?.
I was afraid you were going to make this question … I prefer to don’t name bands, nowadays it sounds really cheesy, topic and repeated … sorry.

7. How would you describe the lyrical content of the band?.
On the first times it was about cheap Satanism taken from cheap books and in the same way than old Bathory, Venom, Possessed, Sodom, … Later it became more cryptic and in the end (on the two records) almost alchemistic. I’ve been thinking to put them on the page when I can get them that anyone can make its own interpretation. I can tell there’s no random lyrics, each word has a meaning and many topics are treated. Big part of them are related to the Pyrenees in many ways, many are full of hidden sarcasm, some are about traditional tales, pieces of history, certain places, … there is anagrams, double meanings, few philosophy here and there, few of prophecy… and I don’t tell more…

8. What rule does Satanism, Left Hand Path, Occult, or Anti Christianity play in the bands music and lifestyle?
In the music there are a lot of references to the Occult topics, treated from my particular point of view and used in many forms and for many meanings. Anti Christianity is a must, but its encrypted. Satanism appears in little portions as vehicle to express other kind of messages. Nothing else rules more my lifestyle than common sense. No Gods, no masters, no dogmas. About the other members, better ask from them …

9. What are you listening to today music wise and what bands would you recommend?.
Hmmmmm…. I’m listening exactly to the same stuff I was listening to 20 years ago … no progress. A must to recommend is Körgull The Exterminator, my fave right now … the perfect party-spoiler. For fans of raw black metal check Akerbeltz, for fans of “necro unholy black metal” check Harridan (Lilith’s own band). I would also recommend Força Macabra and Kuolema from Finland, for fans of crust, grind, hard core
.
10. Are there any good books or movies that you would recommend?.
I always change my opinions depending on the mood, but a good book could be “The Catalan Expedition To The East: from the Chronicle of Ramon Muntaner” Tamesis, ISBN 1 85566 131 4, for those who want to read about one of the most epic chapters of the history, ignored and silenced intentionally during long, long time. A movie? I think John Boorman’s Excalibur still stays the best. Others can be The Godfather I,II & III, Goodfellas, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Taxi Driver, Conan The Barbarian, all from Monthy Python, Brazil, Det Sjunde Inseglet, Blade Runner, Bad Lieutenant, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, Star Wars Episode IV (old version without stupid funny computer made addings), The Thing, In The Name Of The Father, The Shinning, Easy Rider, Schrei aus Stein (Cerro Torre: Schrei aus Stein), Ran, Alien (only the first one), Dawn Of The Dead, The Lord Of The Rings I, II & III (yes, I must accept it, they are good), State Of Grace, Mad Max (the first one only), Fargo, Dune, For a Fist Full Of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, Braveheart (cheesy but still good), Silverado, Dersu Uzala, Apocalypto, Apocalypse Now, Bronenósets Potyomkin, Aleksandr Nevskiy, the first Indiana Jones, Poltergeist (only the first one), This is Spinal Tap, The Omega Man, The Others, Los Sin Nombre, The Exorcist (only the first one), The Omen I,II & III, Rosemary’s Baby, … They are films I like to watch many times.

11. How would you describe the metal scene in Spain and what are some good bands that you would recommend from there?.
I’ve been for 5 years living out of Spain so I don’t know too much about the scene today, anyway I’m Catalan, so I never considered I was living in Spain. To be honest I don’t like the word ‘scene’. I think I’ve never been a member of any scene. But in my opinion Spain has arrived always really late to everything which I think is fine compared to other countries where “metal”, “punk” or other kinds of subcultures are more popular and more product of consume than any pop-star from Hollywood. Anyway to discuss about it would give enough material for a book or two, but is it worth? More products of consume? One thing is for sure, all the scenes in all countries are full of business-men ready to suck the blood of all those consumers who think they are rebellious, true or underground or whatever … So don’t trust too much in any scene, there’s no medal of honor at the end of the road for all the ones who gave everything for the ‘scene’, there’s no “paradise of the truest ones” of the ‘scene’, not even for the ones who own the biggest amount of records or know all the idiotic details of the ‘who’, ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘how’, … of the ‘scene’. Nowadays to support the scene is to spend infinite amounts of money in records, merchandising, gigs, … in the end the more money you have to spend the more “true” you are, so honestly fuck off any scene. For the bands I recommend read answer to q.8. (endogamic recommendations hahahaha).

12. Any Final words?.
Support yourself and your friends, enjoy what you like and fuck off idolatries, dogmas and scene-business. Be yourself, then you’ll be “true”.13. Thanks for the interview.Yes, thanks for the interview.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Beheaded_Lamb/3311