Albums of Purgatory Interview Red Harvest's TurboNatas

Albums of Purgatory: thanks for the interview

TurbaNatas: No probs, just a pleasure.

AoP: Firstly, What's the band up to?

TN: Right now we are busy rehearsing for the releaseparty gig. I guess many people will show up, so it better be a good gig. The last three weeks have also been filled up with photosessions and interviews more or less every
day, and we have finished the TV version of the AEP video.

AoP: How would you describe the Red Harvest sound?

TN: Totally cold, inhuman and full-on nuclear-warheads-in-your-face music that contains more than enough energy to burn down churches by its sonic impact alone.

AoP: How did the band start in '89?

TN: Well, it was a guitarist and a drummer that needed a bassplayer. The bassplayer replied to the guitarists add in a Norwegian metal fanzine. The rest is history. It slowly grew into what we know is Red Harvest today. Red
Harvest started out playing thrash metal. We got a record deal after two demo tapes (via the phone!!!) with Black Mark for one record. It was released in 1991. Then we signed with Voices of Wonder, released four CDs:
"There's Beauty in the Purity of Sadness", "The Maztür Nation"(MCD), "Hybreed" and "NewRage World Music"(MCD). I guess we developed from one CD to another, mixing styles, and became the most hard hitting industrial/metal band coming from Norway. Samoth of Zyklon (and Emperor) contacted us, and wanted us on his
label. Besides of that we have been touring and playing to keep the band going. We have just become more and more extreme during the years...

AoP: How did you come to be in Red Harvest in '94?

TN:  I played in an industrial band called DunkelHeit with LRZ and Ofu Kahn at that time, and I believe they felt it was a natural thing that I continued playing with them when the original guitarist in Red Harvest left the band
in  1994.

AoP: You recently toured with Mayhem.  What were they like to work with?

TN:  We toured Europe with Mayhem in the fall 2000. It was great fun and we all had a great time. I canīt recall anything bad except for the food in Madrid.

AoP: Of the other bands you have toured with, who have you enjoyed playing with the most?

TN: TYPE-O-NEGATIVE.

AoP: Do you have any tours planned?

TN: People are working on it.... nothing is confirmed yet. Secrets, you know.

AoP: What are your favourite red Harvest tracks?

TN: Itīs a bit difficult. I think the song that made me wanna join the band was the track "Sadness". I find it hard to evaluate the music that I am a part of creating. You see, I have been living with some of the songs for ages (within my head). I really donīt listen a lot to "my own" CDs when they are finished. But if I must choose one, probably the titletrack of the new album - itīs the most honest song I have ever written.

AoP: What are your favourite all time songs?

TN: "Raining blood", Slayer. Still makes me wanna bang the head until it falls off.

AoP: What was the first record you bought?

TN: Probably KISS or something. My father was a hippie, so I grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Beatles.

AoP: What would be your dream band line-up?

TN: I am kind of happy playing with the dudes in Red Harvest. They are my soulmates. But I think it would be really cool to trick the wimps in i.e Nīsync or another crap-boy-band into a band with me. Then I could kick their
gay asses so bad they wouldnīt understand what hit them.

AoP: Do you have any funny stories you can share with us about the band?

TN: I guess I have, but Iīm afraid some of them might be too hot - even for the Internet. But I like the story about Ofu Kahn doing a radio interview with that national broadcasting company here in Norway. On the phone while
doing a tour in Germany some years ago. He was so wasted, and was not sure what city we played in - Ofu thought we played in Hamburg, but the city was actually called Bamberg. Ofu called it  something in the middle - Bamburg! He did the entire intie, talking about how great it was in Bamburg and shit like that.

AoP: What do you think of the position of metal and music in general today?

TN: There are so many kinds of metal, so many kinds of music. I think music that hits peoples feelings and is able to create some kind of reaction - hate, sadness, sorrow, anger, happiness and so on - is the music that will
survive in the long run. The posers are gone.... those who stay true to what they believe in will remain.

AoP: and finally, what do you see in the future for Red Harvest?

TN: The bands goal has always been develpment of our sound and music and to not stand still. We struggle to develop and push our limits on each album we make. Red Harvest is a band in constant progression, and we will try to be that way in the years to come.

AoP: Thanks for your time and good luck

TN: Cheers! And thanx for your support.