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Ahead of the release of their stomping electro-rock behemoth of a single, 'Built To Fail', on March 16, Gigwise caught up with Veto frontman Troels Abrahamsen to fire ten quick questions his way.
1. You hail from Denmark, tell us one interesting or surprising fact about your home nation that we might not know.
Troels: "We are not that frightened of foreigners as you might think judging us by our immigrant politics. It's just the parties in control of our parliament and the 51% of the population who keep voting for them, that are."
2. If you could 'veto' one piece of political legislation from over the years, what would it be?
"The Patriot Act, that allows the US to arrest any citizen of the world and detain him or her indefinitely without pressing charges. That's kind of wrong."
3. What differentiates yourselves from the other electronic-rock bands flooding the scene?
"I don't think I am the one to answer that. I don't know if we're different, and honestly I don't care. It's not that important to be different as it is to be honest."
4. What are the biggest plus points and drawbacks of being in a band?
"I think the biggest pro and at the same time the biggest con about being in a band, are the compromises you have to make. You get really good at working with other people and at being diplomatic about your own ideas. It's so irritating when you make the compromise, but in the long run it's good for you. Just like spinach."
5. Tell us about your greatest and most disastrous live shows to date.
The most disastrous was in Helsingborg, Sweden. It was the last show of a one and a half month tour and we all just wanted to go home. The place was like a tavern built in to a cliff, like it a big tumor that served drinks. Afterwards some local idiots wanted to beat us up. The morning after our bus had been graffitied. Oh, how we wanted to go home.
The best one must have been The Roskilde Festival last year. A lot of people and a very good energy.
6. You're just about to embark on a string of European shows, including a three London dates. Tell our readers why they need to come and see you!
Just to check us out I suppose. If you like us it's worth coming out and if you don't, we'll let you verbally abuse us for one full minute. Either way, you've won.
7. You've won a couple of awards in your native Denmark. Are you hoping to emulate this success around the globe?
Well we don't care much about awards and that. Of course we hope to have the same succes with the audience as we have in Denmark, but people are different in different countries so we are just excited to see what happens when we get out there. But yes, we hope.
8. 'Crushing Digits' was released some months back now. Have you started work on a new album yet?
Not yet. In our heads we have. We talk a lot before going to the studio and we don't really write anything on beforehand. I guess we talk about what want to do, and then we book a studio and just try to do it. We aim at starting recordings during the fall, and then have something new next year.
9. If you could support one band – past or present – who would it be?
I think maybe Soulwax. We're big fans of Nite Versions. It really changed a lot for us.
10. Where do you see yourselves in 10 years time?
Driving big cars, smoking big cigars. I don't know. The same as now only we can make decent living. We aim at making this band sustainable, not to be rich and famous. If we can do what we would have done anyway and live of it, then that's enough.
