Interview with Martin and Ditlev from Shotgun Revolution
Martin, me and Ditlev
Calle: How did you guys meet?
Martin: I saw Ditlev in a concert and invited him to my studio and we jammed for a while and I had a riff for a song that ended up being our song ”Dead Inside”. And basically it just took of from there.
Calle: Why did you choose the name Shotgun Revolution for the band and does it have a special meaning?
Martin: It’s basically a metaphor for a guitar being a shotgun and Shotgun Revolution just sounds good and works for the band.
Calle: What got you into music in the first place?
Ditlev: I have always been singing since I was a little boy and when I got older I found out it was an easy way to get to the girls.
Martin: And it works...laughs... I hate to admit it but I saw a Guns ’n’ Roses video back when I was eight years old and I saw the mystic guy play guitar and I just thought he looked cool doing that. Then I began playing and I picked up the electric guitar when I was twelve or something like that. I kept on playing and playing and then I got my first record deal when I was eighteen and since then I have never looked back.
Calle: Who are your biggest influences?
Ditlev: The first band I was a fan of was The Beatles and of course Elvis. When I got a little older it was actually “Appetite For Destruction” that started my interest for the heavier stuff.
Calle: Can you name 3 “older” bands and 3 “newer” bands you can recommend?
Ditlev: The Beatles for the good songs, Led Zeppelin for the heavy shit and AC/DC for the basic hard rock. And the new bands I would say Alter Bridge and Span...
Martin: It’s a Norwegian band that doesn’t excists anymore. They made one record called ”Mass Detraction”. Go buy it now!!! Let’s see, another new band would be Volbeat.
Calle: Last year you released your second self-titled EP. How was the response from the critics?
Martin: It has been very good and I’m a bit surprised that it’s actually selling. Not thousands, but it’s selling. We are also being played on the radio know, so that’s pretty good. And we are doing a new single in a month time or so.
Calle: Shotgun Revolution are based in Copenhagen. How will you describe the music scene there and in Denmark in general?
Martin: It’s most mainstream pop.
Ditlev: I read an old interview with Ken from Pretty Maids and he said, when they started they were pretty much the only band playing their kind of music so it was hard to get gigs.
Martin: What has changed, it’s still hard to get gigs.
Ditlev: Yeah it’s hard to get gigs with the kind of music we play. But in general it’s a good scene and there’s a lot going on. And there are some pretty good bands out there.
Calle: How would you describe your music to people who haven’t heard Shotgun Revolution before?
Martin: Basically we’re trying to do classic rock. We got the ballads; we got the mid-tempo and the fast songs. We got the punky stuff and the almost heavy stuff. Our music is about the riffs and the melodies.
Ditlev: Catchy melodies and strong riffs!!!
Calle: What can people expect when they go see Shotgun Revolution live?
Martin: Rock ’n’ Roll.
Ditlev: High-octane rock ’n’ roll...
Live pictures of Shotgun Revolution
High-octane rock 'n' roll
Calle: What’s the most fun experience you have had at a Shotgun Revolution concert?
Ditlev: We haven’t played that many gigs yet, but the real funny stuff happens after the gig.....Both Ditelv and Martin laughs....
Calle: If you get the chance to open for/go on tour with a ”big” rock band, who would you like that to be?
Ditlev: ohh...there’s a lot of good bands...
Martin: Let’s take AC/DC. That would be a fun tour.
Ditlev: Old guys with a lot of stories.
Calle: How would you describe each member of the band in only three words? Martin you could start with Ditlev.
Martin: Can I do three sentences? Ditlev is an amazing singer, he’s a good friends of course and he’s a lady-killer.
Calle: And Ditlev what would you say about Martin?
Ditlev: I’ll try to stick with only three words. First word is tall; second one is stubborn as hell...
Martin: Me stubborn...laughs....
Ditlev: Yeah....and the last word has got to be talented.
Calle: What about the other guys? Let’s start with Michael.
...both guys laugh....
Ditlev: ”Rubber arm”....laughs.....is that a word in English?
Martin: I would say ADHD...laughs...
Ditlev: Henrik he’s just...both guys laughs a lot again...He’s very ”jysk” (it’s a Danish expression for someone who comes from a part of Denmark called Jylland/Jutland)
Martin: Kasper is confused.
Calle: If you could put together your dream band, who would be in it (not including the guys from Shotgun Revolution)?
Ditlev: John Bonham on drums, Jimi Hendrix on guitar, Paul McCartny on bass and David Coverdale on vocals.
Martin: I would say Dave Grohl on drums, Flea on bass, Slash on guitar, James Hethfield on rhytmn guitar and Freddie Mercury on vocals.
Martin and Ditlev kickin ass live.
Calle: You recently entered a competition on the national Danish radio P4 and you have made it to the finals with only nine bands left. How do you feel about that?
Martin: We feel absolutely great and we are ready. We're playing a concert on the 25th of September that will be aired live on Danish radio P4 Copenhagen.
Calle: Some people might say or think that it's not very "rock 'n' roll" to enter a competition like that. What's your opinion on that?
Martin: Well as I just said, one of the "prizes" is that you get to play a concert live on air. If that isn't rock n' roll well, then I just don't know what is!!!
Calle: What do you hope to get out of it?
Martin: What we've already kind of accomplished, awareness! We want to spread the word out to all the rock n' roll loving people out there about Shotgun Revolution. In today’s music scene, where pretty much all the girls are butt naked, it's not easy being something as simple as an old fashioned rock n' roll band just playing their ass off every night...
Calle: Where do you see Shotgun Revolution in 10 years?
Ditlev: ...ahhh...the Bahamas.
Martin: Just after playing Madison Square Garden....
Ditlev: yeah...and tons of coke.....laughs....No serious, we’ll hopefully still be playing and have achieved some of our goals.
Martin: Maybe doing album number three and touring around the world.
Some questions outside Shotgun Revolution’s music:
Calle: What was the first CD/LP you ever purchased?
Martin: My first LP was Thunderstruck.
Ditlev: I can’t remember, but I think it was a Beatles collection. Maybe ”Rock ’n’ Roll Music vol. 1”
Calle: What was the latest CD you bought?
Ditlev: Does iTunes count...then I bought Michael Jacksons boxset.
Martin: The last CD I bought was Metallica’s ”Death Magnetic”.
Calle: What do you do when you’re not playing music?
Ditlev: I drink vodka and do coke...both guys laughs again...no, I love to travel, but don’t do it that much because I have kids. But every year I go skiing and I love to watch football/soccer. I use to play a lot but I don’t have the time to do iy anymore. Besides that I listen to music and go to concerts.
Martin: I travel when I can find the time and I have the money to go. I aslo have kids. When I can I spend time with my friends, play poker and just relax.
Ditlev: I have to say relax to. I loooove to relax.
Calle: What’s your favorite drink?
Martin: It’s pretty easy. It’s rum and coke. It’s actually tripple rom and coke.
Ditlev: I would have to say gin and tonic.
Martin and Ditlev in the studio with Peter Brander
doing pre-production on some new songs.
Calle: What was the best concert you have been to?
Martin: I think it was an Ozzy concert at Valby Hallen (Copenhagen) in the late nineties.
Ditlev: It’s maybe kind of boring, but U2 i Parken (Copenhagen) when they did the Pop Mart tour. It was my first real experience with a stadium gig and I was blown away.
Martin: I would have to say that mine is a tie between Ozzy and Slash’s Snakepit in Aarhus (Jylland/Jutland). That was an amazing concert.
Calle: What was the most disappointing concert you have been to?
Martin: I would say Smashing Pumpkins at Rosklide Festival in 1997 or 1998.
Ditlev: Mine would be Red Hot Chilli Peppers in Parken (Copenhagen).
Calle: What’s the best advice you can give to other up-coming bands?
Martin: Do it!!!
Ditlev: Yes, just do it. It’s hard work. Don’t take no for an answer.
Calle: Do you have any last words for the fans?
Ditlev: Famous last words....
Martin: Don’t just listen to us on the cd player, come see us live.
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The End