Hjarup, Sweden (Top40 Charts/ Regain Records) - Swedish act
Mustasch has been honored with the "Best Hard Rock" Grammis award, the Swedish version of the Grammy Awards, for its album "Latest Version of the Truth."
The Gothenberg-based quartet was presented with the award by Motorhead drummer Mikkey Dee at the awards ceremony on January 9 at Globen in Stockholm. Mustasch beat out tough competition in veteran bands like Candlemass, Clawfinger, Entombed, and Arch Enemy.
"It felt a lot more emotional and fantastic than we initially thought," said vocalist/lead guitarist Ralf Gyllenhammar. "Before the Grammys we thought of it more as an industry meet or a public event where it doesn't really affect us personally if we win or loose, but when Mikkey Dee announced us as winners it was almost like a blackout of joy! Can hardly remember what was said in the speech."
A clip from the event is available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuIvhsYqT94.
Evoking images of rock heavyweights like Monster Magnet, Black Sabbath, and Soundgarden with a melodic sensibility, Mustasch is as heavy as it is mainstream-accessible. "We're a four-piece band consisting of the same members since day one, and I think that reflects what we do," said Gyllenhammar. "We're a band of a certain stability, and you always know what to expect of us. We stick to our mission, which is to deliver hard and heavy riffs in a melodic package. Straight from the heart."
Mustasch's "Latest Version of the Truth" was released in Europe and North America on Regain Records after spending half a decade within the confines of a major label. "Being on EMI (Capitol) was great for business in the beginning," said Gyllenhammar. "Just the fact that a major label such as EMI signed a band like us was really surprising to the music industry in Sweden and Scandinavia. But it soon turned out that they had no clue what so ever on how to promote a band like Mustasch. Being treated like another Roxette was not what we needed. So when the deal was fulfilled we were happy to leave for Regain Records. Here we have completely free hands to do what we do best and they trust us in what we do."
The major label years had left the band battered and bitter, and on the verge of resigning after "Latest Version of the Truth." "Normally I write the songs 80 percent, then bringing them to the rehearsal room to finish them up with the rest of the guys," Gyllenhammar said. "This time it was the common understanding that this was to be our last album. I couldn't even get the lazy bastards to the rehearsal room! Our producer was anxious to get started so the guys gave us a go. Instead of taking my riffs and ideas to the band, I was doing this with the producer in the studio. In fact, not one of the other band members had heard the vocals until it was time to mix the damn stuff!" The band's new-found freedom allowed them to record this way, as well as to experiment with songs like the epic "The End" that closes out the record. "The End" was culled from bits and pieces of music that had been presented by all the members throughout the years. "The medley of songs on this record in the mid-section was an idea from our crazy drummer, and the theme in the end is something our rhythm guitarist made on a crappy acoustic guitar while I was playing the piano when we were flatmates some 10 years ago!"
