Interview with Sjöberg by Gabriel Lilliehöök
for G.L. Productions (website)
1998

First of all I have to say that you have done a amazing new demo, a total stormer of a tape. Since the first interview on the first demo what have Space Probe Taurus been up to since the release of Low on Karma..?
We recorded our second demo("Hallucination Generation") early 1998, and it has mostly been about spreading that tape to as many as possible. As we almost didnt send out any copy of "Low on Karma..High on Speed") it was really time with the second one, and I really believe that that tape has opened some peoples eyes to our band. Other than that, We have mostly been rehearsing new material for forthcoming demo-tapes. 

Your last demo Hallucination Generation released in earlier this year 98 was mailed out to several labels and magazines also to a American horror film director named Richard Anasky, did you felt with the response to that demo that some doors had been opened up in a recognition point of view?
Yeah, it really has. The response has been really great on that tape, and I know that there are some people around the world who knows about Space Probe Taurus. As we only are in the beginning of marketing ourselves, I think more doors will be opened in the future. 

Now to the new masterpiece Acid Worship, talking first about the title to the demo is it any significant meaning to it?
Not really, its just a cool title that goes real well with the whole Space Probe Taurus concept. The title also follows the style of our earlier demo-titles. Boder(also guitarist/songwriter) was determined that we should use "Acid" in the title, and when he read a book about Witchcraft he stumbled upon a character called "Witch Worship", so he just exchanged the word "witch" for "acid" and hey presto: a demo-title!. 

The title also reminds of those old satanic/drug movies from the late sixties/early seventies, and as we are into that stuff the title was a winner. 

Lets move into the recordings of Acid.. was it difference in the recording process of this demo compare to the 2 previos ones? 
We have recorded all three demo-tapes in the same studio (Speedball studios), and with the same guy behind the controls (Johan Carlsson - who also plays the bass on our demos) so we know each other pretty well by now, so its the usual controlled chaos. 

The biggest difference this time was the amount of time spent on finding the right guitar-sound, solo-guitar sound and the sound of the drums. And I think it was time well spent.

Now to the lyrics on the tape, do you feel that the lyrics has become more stronger on this demo compare to Hallucination.. and Low on Karma..?
Its the same shit, really…. There´s two of us who writes the lyrics ( me and Boder) and I don´t think either one of us have become better at writing lyrics. But I think I put in more work with the lyrics this time, but I cant say they´ve become stronger in any way. 

My belief is that the lyrics aren´t the most important part of a song, I believe that if the music is great, you couldn´t care less about what the singer is singing about. But I dont think our lyrics are bad, I think they fit perfect into our music.

I feel this demo includes a lot of new ways, first of all it's a much more heavy feel over the songs, its more hypnotic and more freaked out in the performance, do you agree?
The heavy feeling you mention is probably partly due to the time we spent finding a good guitar-sound, but I also think that our new songs are a little bit heavier than before, they´re still quite fast but with a new heavy touch. 

I also think that as long as we evolve as a band our music will be more freaked out for each recording ( not that we will end up sounding like Hawkwind or anything..), I think that´s due to us being more confident in ourselves and the band.

For you as a singer, do you feel more established now on this demo compare to your 2 previous performances on Low on..and Hallucination..?
Well, I certainly know my limits better now than on the "Low on Karma..High on Speed" demo. When we entered the studio to record that demo, I´ve only sung two of the songs on rehearsals, and just only a couple of times each. I wasn´t supposed to be the singer, I was only going to sing on my two songs and Boder on his, but I ended up singing on all three, and its quite obvious that I should have spent more time practicing before the recording. 

But the whole thing led to me becoming the vocalist in the band, so when we recorded "Hallucination Generation" I was more prepared of what to come. Nowdays I know what I can do or can´t do with my voice. I´m not really where I wanna be, but since the first demo I think
I've got closer.

There was especially one track on the last tape Calling cosmos that gained interest among the new fans to the band, did you felt with the response to that particular song any pressure on yourself writing the material for this new demo?
That´s my baby, and it´s probably the best song I´ve written this far, and yes I feel some pressure as I tend to compare every new song I make to Calling. 

But I think that I got more inside of me than just that song. I´m really satisfied with "Lowlife Karma" from the "Low on Karma.."demo, and the track "Fireball 500" from the latest demo is also up there I think.

Lets talk about the style of Heavy rock you are playing, you call it Fuzzrock. Have you expanded into any new territories with the new demo Acid Worship?
I think Fuzz rock is a good description of what we are doing, as we try to mix the pre-punk sound of the late sixties, hardrock from the early seventies with the heavy wound of the nineties. 

I think we´ve become more open minded on this demo, the song "Lung Dance" travels into space rock territory sometimes, I don´t mean it's a space rock song, but I think there´s elements of space rock in the song. Also the song "Burnt Butterfly" is a little different than our usual stuff, that one sounds quite a lot like the sixties pre-punk. 

I think it´s good that we´ve broadened our horizons.

On your last demo the frontcover was pretty freaked, I havent seen the new cover but I guess its even more freaked out this time,right?
I haven´t seen the end result myself when writing this, but the cover is white with a round drawing in the middle and the band name and demo title stretched out around it. 

The drawing is a mushroom drawing that Boder and I found on the internet while looking for cool drug-sites, so we took it and used it on the cover. The cover has a Blue Cheer kinda feeling over it.

Speaking more about the response to your last demo, you have recieved a small following with that one, do you feel with the new one that the interest will expand?
Those who liked our last demo will hopefully enjoy this also, I mean what´s not to like about the new demo? Hopefully some more will tune in on the Space Probe experience….

Now to the futureplans for 1998 and 1999 whats up for Space Probe Taurus?
We will spread the "Acid Worship" demo to as many as possible, and hopefully people will find it interesting enough to do something.

There has been some talk about doing a split-single and some other stuff, I hope something of those things will become reality during 1999. I also hope that our talks with Richard R.Anasky will materialise into something.. But I´m sure that whatever happens, it will be notified by the notorious Mr.Lilliehook, so those who are interested will know it when it happens. 

At last I would like to thank you Gabriel for your interest in us and all the help you´ve given us, thanks mate.