Much has happened to the Hives since breaking out of the punk underground in 2001 with Your New Favourite Band and 2000’s Veni Vidi Vicious. The Swedish band’s incendiary gigs have earned them a reputation as “the best live band on the planet” and they are two album deep into a major label deal with Universal. While maintaining their punk/garage rock swagger throughout, their latest release, The Black and White Album, also reflects the band’s love of everything from hip-hop and new wave to electronic pop and heavy metal.
In a rare interview, the band’s enigmatic bass player, Dr. Matt Destruction, spoke by phone with Punknews.org’s JEndo during their current US tour to talk about his musical beginnings, the band’s new album, and how playing live is “like makeup sex.”
Source Much has happened to the Hives since breaking out of the punk underground in 2001 with Your New Favourite Band and 2000’s Veni Vidi Vicious. The Swedish band’s incendiary gigs have earned them a reputation as “the best live band on the planet” and they are two album deep into a major label deal with Universal. While maintaining their punk/garage rock swagger throughout, their latest release, The Black and White Album, also reflects the band’s love of everything from hip-hop and new wave to electronic pop and heavy metal.
In a rare interview, the band’s enigmatic bass player, Dr. Matt Destruction, spoke by phone with Punknews.org’s JEndo during their current US tour to talk about his musical beginnings, the band’s new album, and how playing live is “like makeup sex.”