Welcome to SIFF and the Battle of the Bands. It's awesome to have you here. Jana: You’re welcome! We’re glad to be here as well.
Just like one or two other bands that have joined us this year, you guys have broke up, gotten back together and started over. Is that why you joined SIFF? Is this a way to reintroduce the band? Blackie: SIFF wasn’t the only reason because we’ve gotten back together for a couple years, but we must admit that it is a way to make things really serious again. Lenowe: What are you saying? It’s already serious anyway. SIFF could also be a good springboard for us. How did the four of you meet and get together to form The Untruthful? Jana: Blackie and I met at high school, so we’ve been friends for a long time. Lenowe became one of my friends something like fifteen years ago, and when we learned that he played the drums quite well, we thought about creating a real band, ‘cause before we met him, Blackie and I were just jamming around. With a guitar and a bass you can’t do many things… Our story isn’t original at all as you can see! But all the good stories start like that, right? And about Hauni, that is to say he has been with us for only two years. Our former guitarist, one of my closest friends ever, left one day without saying anything. That’s the main reason why we broke up and since I still haven’t heard from him.
During the time that band was "on hiatus", what did each of you do? Did you pursue individual music projects or did you stay away from music all together?
Jana: Personally I went on practicing the guitar and writing songs and I took some singing lessons. But it was just for me, as I wasn't expecting reforming the band. Blackie: During all this time, I left my guitar in a dusty corner of my room and I didn’t touch it. I had some other occupations, but I kept in touch with Jana, of course. Lenowe: It’s like I had never been in a band, and I started a new life. I hadn’t played the drums for an eternity, but you know, playing an instrument is like learning how to ride a bike, you never forget it. Hauni: I have nothing to say, and anyway, my friends never let me say anything because I’m the little rookie. I’m not concerned by this.
Where did the band name come from? I mean, with a name like The Untruthful how do I know I can trust any of the answers you give me in this interview? Jana: Oh, no worries dude, you can trust us. I don’t say you should, but you can. Uh… This name has a particular meaning especially for me. I have learned despite myself that people are always liars. They pretend being your friends, and one day… They betray you.
The members of untruthful putting on a show for their loyal fans
Who are your influences? How do those influences reflect in your music? Blackie: You know all these old and great bands such as Black Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest… As we’ve said, we’re trying to mix old things with new things. When I mean old stuff, we’re looking for that old guitar sound, you see what I mean, that’s hard to explain...And we’re only doing authentic music; we refuse using computer generated stuff and we barely retouch our records. And the most important thing for us is making concerts as good as our studio records (or even better). That’s what we mostly admire in these bands.
Jana, how does one go from psychology to being a metal singer? When I really got into music and started playing the guitar, I was going through a lot of troubles. With myself, and my parents as well. I mean, I really loved my studies, learning how the human brain works is fascinating, but something was going wrong, I never knew what. Some people told me that giving up bright studies for music is absolutely stupid, and my parents never forgave me, but I have no regrets.
Blackie, I have to ask, since we have some real vampires participating this year, what's with your vampire persona? What ? Okay guys, this is just a joke. People were making fun of my red eyes (yep, they’re real) and I decided to wear vampire claws, but I kinda regretted it after… I have nothing to do with vampires. They scare me.
Hauni, your bio states that you are a bad guitarist. Are you really or is this just the haters talking? I agree, I know I’m not that good and that I’m not Jimi Hendrix. I have only been playing the guitar for six years and I have never been in a band before, I can still improve. And to all the haters: I’m sure half of you, who are saying I suck, can’t even play the guitar.
Left: (left to right) Hauni, Blackie, Jana and Lenowe hanging out
What we see around us is everything but the truth
Some of them pretend to be people they aren’t
People that actually care and love others are one in a few
To impress the people who are who they are
Lenowe, there's nothing interesting in your bio for me to ask you about so tell us something unusual about yourself. Something unusual? I used to be a cop. Yeah, I’m serious. Oh and my girlfriend never knew that I was in a metal band until a few weeks ago when I told her I was going on a world tour which will last six months.
How does that band dynamic work? First there are equal amounts of estrogen and testosterone and then your bios claim that you are all, how to put this? A bit unhinged… Jana: I don’t authorize you to say we’re unhinged! Even if we are… Blackie: Being two girls and two guys isn’t a problem, we’re just friends (but not what you could see as friends though *laughs*). So first, we don’t have any producer or manager, so we do what we want, when we want, and that doesn’t make things easier. We’re always arguing about pointless things such as “No we’ll play that song and not this one!” or “But who the hell unplugged the amps? I’m gonna kill her/him”, then we finish hating each other and everyone goes back home. When we’re in Jana’s garage we’re always doing trash, sometimes someone’s missing, but on stage we’re serious. Just on stage. Because I would never give you a backstage pass. What you’d see would traumatize you… What do you want The Untruthful to be remembered for? Lenowe: Good music, yet different from the others. Ain’t that enough? Your first studio album is out. Can you tell us something about it? What is your favorite song on it and why? Jana: So, this album is a kind of compilation of all the songs we’ve written since the beginning, plus the ones which I’ve written during our hiatus. Some of these songs are older and you can hear it, but that’s what you call moving on. Personally my favorite song is The Deadline. I wrote it
after our former guitarist left us; it has a deep meaning for me. Blackie: My favorite song is Forsaken Souls, because there’s a freaking bass solo in that one! Lenowe: They’re all my favorites. Hauni: I love Until the End, that bonus live track. It was my very first concert, and apparently it was good enough to be put in that album, so… I’m kinda proud of myself!
Where you think the band will be in 5 years? Do you think that Hauni will become a better guitarist in that time? Blackie: In five years? First, we need to finish our world tour alive. Then, we’ll see… Jana: I’m hoping for a second album. And of course Hauni will improve! Otherwise we’ll kick him out and bash him with his guitar!
I have some random questions here sent in by our fans, but first, I want to ask, can you name three differences between N'Sync and The Backstreet Boys? Jana: Backstreet what? I know that name, but I don’t know more. Same for the other band, I have only heard of them in an episode of the Simpsons. Hauni: To the fan who asked that: I hate you. (*laughs*). I only know their name. Lenowe: Joker? Blackie: May I ask Google instead?
If you could be immortalized in a video game what would it be and why? Blackie: If I could have my Pokemon, I would be happy. Hauni: And what if we had our own Guitar Hero game ? Jana: Hauni, if you have learned how to play the guitar with that game, this may explain a lot of things. Whatever. I’m not into video games. Lenowe: I wanna be a zombie in Call of Duty. But a zombie that you can never kill, hahaha! Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock or American Psycho? Jana: American Psycho. Definitely. When I read that book for the first time I couldn’t sleep for weeks. Lenowe: Psycho. I’m a huge fan of classical movies like that one. Blackie: Psycho! That movie is a masterpiece. Hauni: I have heard of these, but I have neither read the book nor seen the movie. Don’t hit me please. If you were a cannibal what part of the body do you think would taste the best? Who asks these kind of questions? I mean really? Someone wants to know though...which part of the body would taste the best? Jana: Are you freakin’ serious? Who asks these questions? I’m a vegan (no, that’s not true, but… Oh my God I’m gonna throw up…) Blackie: The thigh, I think there’s a lot of meat up there. Would be nice with some BBQ sauce then. Lenowe: The brain maybe ? Hauni: Why wouldn’t human ribs taste like pork ribs? If I had nothing else to eat, I would surely eat human meat. If you were to do a cover of a pop song what would it be and why? Jana: I have no idea. A Michael Jackson song maybe ? Hauni: I don’t care as long as you don’t want me to play some Justin Bieber or One Direction. I would kill myself.