FILIPINOMETAL.COM - Leidr Skald

Hello Leidr Skald. What was the last thing you did before this interview?
Jonathan: The last thing I did before this interview was to finish writing two songs and uploading one onto my Myspace.

The most striking aspect of your music is the quality production and gloomy vocals. But what the hell are you singing about? Sorry . . .

J: Hah! I have lyrics posted for all the songs. Mostly they are about my philosophical views on life or trials I have had to overcome. They are all very personal to me, and dive deep into the depths of my being. I'm sure my shrink would love to see them as well.

So how did you learn to handle so many instruments and recording equipment? Is it all done on your computer?

J: I record through a computer. I use a drum machine to do my basic beats, which is why nothing fancy is done. When I play with others the drums are much better. I figure I should get off my ass and learn to work this program better. As far as the others go, I have played bass for about eight years, mostly on a fretless. That's my strong point but I tend to not mess with bass on the recordings. Guitar just flows from me, I can write on a guitar all night. Vocals are the part I have difficulty with as I am still learning what my voice can and cannot do.

Would you describe yourself as ‘bedroom' Black Metal or have you played your music in front of anyone? Who has given it the most positive reception so far?

J: I plan to eventually play out quite often. I have played out before. I just don't have a set group of members at the moment. Some of my recordings are done on the spot so I can't reproduce some of the original chaos, such as the ending in my tune ‘The Habitude of Sorrow.' Surprisingly, I have had a lot of positive feedback and many compliments that I don't deserve. I was certain I would get at least one hate mail by now and I continue to hope I'll get one soon. I will print it out and put it on my wall. One guy has gone to the lengths of saying I am on the top 10 list of metal that is worth a shit, which I greatly appreciate.

Are you ever going to come up with an EP or demo and reach a broader audience, or are you happy with the way Leidr Skald is right now?

J: I am never satisfied with anything. I want to reach as many people physically or electronically possible. When I get funds I am going to put together a CD of all my work and some collaborations. I am an artistic control freak so anything I put out will look good and I refuse to release something that isn't to my standards. It comes down to money basically. Which is why all my material is free for download on my Myspace site. I will eventually get a CD made, but as I said before it will have to be the quality of what you would buy in your local record store at least CD art/book wise. I already have the art drawn up.

When did your interest in music shift to actually playing and writing your own songs?

J: I was about 16 and was listening to Pantera's ‘Cemetery Gates' and got the itch to play. My interest in Black Metal started when my friend loaned me a Dark Throne CD some years back, since then I have been fascinated by a lot of other bands, my biggest Black Metal influence being Dissection. Before that I was and still am an amateur cartoonist similar to Jhonen Vasquez and Roman Dirge. I have always written poetry, or done gore dark humor comics.

Are Leidr Skald songs ever composed on the spot? Do you have any interesting stories to share about how some of your music was born?

J: About 80% of my music is done on the spot, whenever I get that ‘itch.' When I get creative I tend to zone out of the world for about 10 hours and write a couple of songs. ‘Shadows of My Thoughts' was written and completed in about 40 minutes. I already joked about my inability to work a drum machine. Well, I just put it on a loop and hit record. ‘The Habitude of Sorrow' is about a very painful time in my life and I basically surrounded myself by everything that would remind me of this moment and it helped capture the truest pain out of myself. You can't really hear it but I was actually in tears on that song, it was good to get it out of the system.

Do you actually have roots in a Scandinavian country?
J: I'm mostly Native American and Irish, but my religion and beliefs fall into Ásatrú. I have been fascinated since childhood by the stories and history of that region. I took the words from the Old Norse language in tribute to my gods.

How many books and online sources have you read to stock up on your knowledge of Norse Mythology and lore? This is the part where you give a working bibliography plus a comment or two.

J: I have multiple versions of The Edda's 'Poetic and Prose' as well as some books on Troth, runes and rune reading. I have talked with members of Asatru and some of Troth in the States gaining as much knowledge as I can. Reading every article online that I know of. It is a religion that requires homework and I must continue my never-ending quest to gain wisdom. Where I am currently living, I wear my hammer proud, but there are many ignorant racist scum dirt humans who think I am a white supremacist for wearing it. They know nothing of the runes, the gods, or Mjöllnir.

J: I try to be true at all times. I am a misanthropic mental mess, but a man of honor. I have, to this day, never fucked over anyone who didn't stab me in the back a few times first. My friends jokingly refer to me as a Viking although I dislike being called that, for I am not one. But my temper is similar to that of what you would expect a beserker to have. This world, this life, means nothing to me. I feel that it is my purpose to spread my words to those that I can, for what reasons I don't know. It is the only driving force I have. I will in a heartbeat defend anyone or anything that is dear to me with the most righteous anger.

What particular events reinforce the beliefs you carry inside of you? What makes you want to rail against Christian civilization's rotten core?

J: Observations. People watching. I do it often. I have always had a lingering interest in Norse mythology. Once I cleansed myself of the Christian disease, which isn't easy if you grow up in the bible belt of America, I was able to see with my own eyes and find myself. Christianity is a filthy religion based on fabricated lies. The bible contradicts itself far too many times, yet people preach it as THE TRUTH! I love watching evangelists on television. I have a few friends that are ‘Christian.' I have yet to see a Christian believe in their joke of a faith truthfully. They are always clinging to the ‘what-if' factor. Try it out sometimes. Ask a ‘Christian' about their religion. It comes down to the ‘I don't want to be wrong just in case there is a hell.' They fail to realize that it says in the bible, which I have read, burned, pissed on, and desecrated in various manners that they will cast down the lukewarm. I will need about 40 minutes worth of conversation to actually get out all my disgust and reasons behind that question. Not to mention the inquisition, ‘St. Olaf,' witch burnings, the list, it's so fucking large on that one.

To contrast the previous question, what makes your day?
J: I am easily pleased, and quickly pissed. A good day is when the drama is left at the door, add some liquor, or on special occasions a nice honey wine mead, and jam out some tunes with some true friends.

Is practicing still a big part of your day? When do you find the time to hone your music chops?

J: Any chance I get. I need my most work on my guitar picking technique and fret progression. I'm still trying to get down my triple finger picking technique on the bass. I can finger pick as fast as any guitarist I have jammed with on two fingers but I want to nail this triple finger shit to go 32nd note fast. The same improvement goes for my vocals as well. I'm still finding new things that I can do. Although I can see why my dog looks at me odd, it is not a style that all will find welcoming, hahahahaha!

Do you actually have an extensive music collection? Or are your vinyl's all kept in a box? Where do you keep your King Diamond records?

J: I wish I had some King Diamond vinyls! I got a huge ass record player on my back porch. I only have Danzig's first album for that and some Johnny Cash. Oh yeah, a Jimmy Swaggart vinyl evangelical album called ‘The Plague' I intend to do a song about and ‘mix in some of that.' Praiiise Jezzzus! I collect as much as I can. I have every King Diamond CD, a lot of Amon Amarth, a good bit of Dissection and Darkthrone. Other than that I have a mix and match of a shitload of bands from Morbid Angel to Rotting Christ. I've been getting into Sear Bliss lately. I just found out about these guys, I love the trombone in the music. I need to get their album and quit borrowing it from my fucking friend.

Have you ever caught the King live? What other bands have you had the pleasure of seeing live?

J: I was going to, and he had back problems. King is KING for a reason. I messaged him through Myspace and he responded to me a few days later telling me he plans to tour near my state. It is great that a man of his stature and historical significance in metal is still down to earth. I have seen a lot of bands and one of my best moments was seeing Amon Amarth, which I plan on going to see again this October 21st. I've also caught The Misfits where Jerry Only had a bad cold and let the fans sing and I got to run up and sing ‘She.' I saw Black Sabbath in the original line up, and a bunch of other bands. There are far too many I want to see compared to whom I've seen. Other than that, in a previous band we opened up and hung out with Monstrosity, Mensrea, Demiricious, and Green Jello and got them all fucked up.

Are you aware of any other potential inside of you apart from music? Do you think you would make a good producer, professor, or political analyst? I'm trying to embrace all your aspirations here, dammit. What other lifelong aspirations do you have at the moment?

J: I want to be a filmmaker. I am actually planning a movie I will shoot with a piece of shit camera. It will be 30 minutes long and have about 40 mini movies or random idiocy Such as an old man with no teeth eating a subway sandwich. At the moment I am also planning on starting college and looking into becoming a history professor. The music though, will never come second to anything. Then there's the comic strip I am trying to get going, still can't find a name for my main character.

Have you ever been persecuted because of your musical inclinations or are you the one who persecutes Christians in your hometown?

J: I stay to myself. I'm a large framed guy about 6'5 and look psychotic as fuck so most folks leave me the fuck alone. It doesn't hurt having a tattoo on your throat of the fucker being gashed out and sewn back. Although there is this one little fucking idiot Christian guy, who is in a ‘Christian Black Metal band' I do make it routine to give him as much shit as possible.

Our little conversation draws to a close Mr. Skald. What are your bigger plans for the duration of 2008? Thanks.

J: Get my shit together and make better music, I have a punk project I'm jamming in, but I want to get Leidr Skald up to being able to be played live. I want to jam with a bunch of bands that I don't match with, like hard rock, and just start wailing my irritating vocals and watch everybody's eyes pop out of their head. I want to get some shit thrown at me. Where I live, playing what I play live, I will be fortunate to find one guy out there who is even into Black Metal. I know I must escape from West Virginia. There's nothing here but old people and yuppies. Great fuel for my rage induced creations.