From Metal Maniacs Magazine, Poland, August 2008.
1. When you recorded the concert did you anticipate a media firestorm or were you just looking to do something different for your fans?
- Since this concert was being recorded for a DVD release, the production budget was bigger than usual, something which allowed us to incorporate various stage effects which we had used in previous gigs, but on a bigger scale and within a more professional framework. It also gave us a chance to include some previously unused elements. But, all in all, the change to the production design was more of a quantitative character, something which again did not give us any reason to suspect such a strong reaction from the media and others. That some people, out of greed and economical motivations, try to exploit the situation and take such a thing to court, is timeless and universal, and is something which, in hindsight, we should have had in mind.
2. Why did it take so long to release the DVD? Were Polish authorities refusing to hand over the tape? Did the fight over the band's name have anything to do with it?
- After the first media reaction the tapes were immediately confiscated by the Polish police, and some District Attorney decided to investigate whether we had violated the Polish blasphemy laws. In addition I believe we were suspected of cruelty to animals and of not treating the crucified models in a proper way. The tapes were only recently released to Metal Mind Productions, and as far as I know the delay had nothing to do with the band name conflict.
3. Any mixed feelings looking at the concert now considering you were still friendly with Gaahl and King four years ago?
- No, not really. When I first got to see the recording again I was pleasantly surprised, as my recollection of the quality of our performance that night was that I felt we could have done way better. The situation of the band today does not affect my views on what was done four years ago. I try to maintain a certain professional attitude concerning my views on ex-colleagues. Therefore, my feelings on the present situation and on whether I have been or am friendly with those two guys is not relevant to the public.
4. Have you incorporated elements of the Krakow show into your live performances now?
- After the split I have chosen not to do any live performances, concentrating instead on rehearsing with my new bandmates, Tomas Asklund and Frank Watkins, and on finishing the material for the next album, Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt. This is not the right time to speculate on the visual elements of future live performances. The focus now is on creating a good studio album.
5. Are you surprised that this concert continues to generate attention four years later?
- Not really, considering the controversy which arose in the wake of the concert. Also, the fans and the media have kept it alive by their curiosity and eagerness to view the finished DVD - of a gig which caused Catholic Poland to cross themselves and demand that someone be held responsible for this so-called insult to their religious sensitivities. To me, this is just another case of much ado about nothing, but it certainly has been entertaining.
6. Do you have any particular memories of the show? Were you confronted by authorites that night or did the problems happen after you left Poland?
- I feel the production went smoothly, and that Metal Mind Productions did a good job with enabling us to put on our intended show. The only thing I recall as a potential problem was that at the gig the night before, in Warsaw, probably 30% of the crowd were Nazi skinheads - but of course, there weren't any police around then. Personally, I did not experience any more problems until returning to Norway and being asked to give a statement in court about the matter, which really did not pose any problem for me either.
7. Do you feel at any point that the band's future was in jeopardy after the concert?
- No, that was never an issue.
8. It seems like a lot of what went on during the show was part of the normal black metal aesthetic. Did the people who were going after Gorgoroth not understand the imagery or black metal?
- I cannot speculate on what other people understand or not. Like I have said earlier, a lot of what can be seen on stage in that gig is stuff we had already used in previous gigs. An analysis of the subjective experience of the viewer of such a psycho-dramatic event would easily turn out either plain ridiculous or without any substance. I am only concerned with my own band, and so what constitutes "normal" black metal aesthetic is of no interest to me.
9. Were you surprised that the DVD is a best seller in Norway?
- Not really, concidering the hype created by the media.
10. Where did the sheep's heads come from used on stage?
-They were bought from a local butcher's shop, it's as simple as that. Any allegations of animal abuse were completely unsubstantiated and untrue. I am a misanthrope and, were it up to me, I would have much preferred having human heads on the stakes, but that's another story.