Can you give me some background on the name? I know it means “Arrow and Bow.” How did you guys come up with it?

It was a good friend of ours who came up with the name long before me and Aleksander met. You know those typical band name contests/conversations in a van between gigs? hehe. We agreed that it was a good band name. When me and Aleksander met I had to ask my friend if it was okay for him that we used it. Yes was the answer!

For a duo, you have a full sound that doesn’t use many overdubs. How do you guys manage to get such a full sound, especially in a live setting?

I think when there are few sources coming in to the mixing desk you are free to make what’s there bigger. There is no battle of the frequencies. I’m using two amps, and I’m always considering a third. I split the signal from the guitar so that it can go through different effects. So that the signal that goes to the bass rig goes through a octave pedal that gives me more bass, and the one going to the guitar amp, there are delays, reverb and a different distortion. Aleksander uses big drums, and fills in what’s needed (imo) with his percussive way of playing.

Do you guys have a favorite track on “Forget the Past…”?

Mine is Fire. Also love to play that song live. Have to ask Aleksander (hold on) ..

Photo: Carsten Aniksdal

Can you tell me some of your influences on the album and in general?

We started this band because both of us wanted to go back to our roots. I have a solo project that has been the main ship in the recent years, and Aleksander has done different things as a session drummer mostly. Back in the days we both began within the rock genre, Aleksander with hardcore in his hometown Bodø, he played drums in a band called Sinnsyk Ugle (Insane Owl) and I was blown away by Metallica’s Ride the Lightning album, and started a band with some class mates called Burger Heads (!!). The foundation for Pil & Bue is that we jam out the song ideas and drift away, and then record. All of the music we make together in the rehearsal room is a combination of who we are and what we have listened to since we were kids. There are a lot of influences in that sense. However we can mention some important ones; Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Mars Volta, Placebo, Michael Jackson, Metallica, Gojira, Anathema

When I wrote the review of the album, I had a heck of a time putting Pil & Bue in a specific genre. How would you describe your sound?

Difficult. I guess difficult because of what I mentioned above. There are lots of different influences from different genres, but we are definitely in the rock genre, with a twist of metal and prog and pop, with a twist of uplifting melancholy.

Aleksander’s percussion is very unique as far as choice of type of percussion and how much he plays it. Have you ever had to reign in how much percussion is used or is it anything goes?

That’s very much up to him, I feel it’s easy for him and us to decide how it’s gonna be and sound.

Congrats to you on joining Long Distance Calling, a favorite band of mine. How does that impact Pil & Bue?

Thanks. Good friends of mine, and I became a fan instantly when we toured together in 2010 with Anathema. Was a pleasure being invited to work with LDC on their forthcoming album. Pil & Bue is my main priority, we’re in this together now. This spring we will open for LDC on an extensive european tour. Looking forward. And afterwards I will join LDC on stage. That was a nice way to solve this as both bands got a new album out to present to the world.

What’s next for you guys?

Next is by:Larm (festival and conference) in Oslo, this weekend. Some festivals here and there. We are doing a split tour with El Caco in Norway and with LDC in Europe, so the spring has much to bring us. We will do some festivals this summer too. And we are also making space in our calendars to create new songs.

Thanks, Petter for answering my questions and congrats on a great album!

A pleasure, thanks for asking and for the nice feedback!

Website: www.namemusic.no/pilogbue