"Our
album is very varied
due to our different tastes
in music. We get inspiration from indie as well as from goth"
Read an interview with PH Petersson written
by Kristoffer Elofsson (Propaganda no. 3), back in 1994.
The mediators of thoughts in Kiethevez from Gothenburg have
just released their "Three Empty Words" album on October. It´s
their first album after their successful "Replenish My Mind"
single. The synthiepop band have also made a video to be shown
on Z-TV and MTV. Kristoffer Elofsson from Propaganda called them
up to find out some more.
Right now Kiethevez are on a "October Tour" together with
Children Within and Sombre View. But it all started back in
1990. Four young men from Gothenburg were tired of all the
synthiepop bands that named themselves after something related
to electronics. Therefore they chose an odd name for their band,
that´s also hard to pronounce.
- Kie is a mediator and Vez are thoughts, Per-Henrik Petersson
(Keyboards) explains. Mediator of thoughts. We thought it was a
good name, and if you´ve seen it once you´ll remember it. (But
you won´t be able to spell it! Red.)
The four members of the band all contribute material.
- Our album is very varied due to our different tastes in music,
Per-Henrik tells us. We get inspiration from indie as well as
from goth. If something sounds good we try to make something of
our own out of it. We don´t want our songs to sound alike and I
think we´ve managed to do so. The best thing about "Three Empty
Words" is the variation, he adds.The lyrics reflect their lives.
- We put a lot of effort into them. The inspiration might come
from something we´ve seen or heard. The lyrics are often
melancholic and sad, but that´s the way we like it. Jörgen
Falmer (keyboards) writes most of them.
Since the start in 1990, Kiethevez have played quite a lot live.
No tours and nothing abroad, but almost everywhere in Sweden. It
was harder to get live gigs before the "Replenish My Mind"
single, which by the way has sold quite well. The first pressing
is sold out and the second pressing was released at the same
time as the "Three Empty Words" album. However, new
complications have emerged. About a month ago, Jörgen started
his time in the army. So now they´ll have to try to manage
without him.
- If we can do the live gigs on the weekends perhaps he can
attend as well, says Per-Henrik.
Tomas Amneskog (keyboards) runs his own company and Jesper
Palmqvist (vocals) have different jobs. Per-Henrik works full
time with Kiethevez
We´ve been working on a project for a year now, he says. It´s a
video for "Anything Higher" that´s been edited by the same man
who´s done a video for Ace Of Base. So we´ve really got some
expert help, Per-Henrik laughs. It´s important the video is
good. MTV are very selective. Kiethevez have also made a live
video which includes "Anything Higher".
About a month after the album they´ll release a new single,
"Nothing I can Do/Anything Higher". The single also includes the
recurrent theme of the film "Violent Relations". It got awards
for best script and second best soundtrack at a Swedish film
festival in 1993.
EBM (Electronic Body Music) is on the way out. The harder bands
of the genre are starting to go Ministry while the melodious
ones go synthiepop.
-Pop music today is very electronic. That has made it easier for
people to listen to synthiepop and therefore the genre is
growing.
The synthiepop label October contacted Kiethevez and this
resulted in their participation on the "Sounds Of October"
compilation with three songs. Dennis Berggren from October liked
the songs and since then they´ve cooperated.
- We were offered to contribute one song for a Memento Materia
compilation, but we went with three songs on October.
The recording of "Three Empty Words" was made at Studioljudet
outside Gothenburg and they are really happy with the result.
- We wanted to try something different for one of the songs, so
on the last track Jonas Franke-Blom played the cello. We got the
real feeling and the right sound. My favorite song on the album
is "With The Frights Inside". Perhaps it´s not a hit song, but
the lyrics are very memorable.
Anyhow, "Three Empty Words" is a brilliant piece of work.
Probably the synthiepop album of the year.
Written by: Kristoffer Elofsson / Propaganda no.3 1994