Rob Nasty of Danger Interview

INTERVIEW WITH ROB NASTY OF DANGER
Date: September 15, 2015
Reviewer: Mark Horvath

THUNDERING IN AT #4 ON SLEAZE ROXX’S TOP TEN ALBUMS OF 2014 WAS DANGER’S SELF-TITLED ALBUM. SLEAZE ROXX CAUGHT UP WITH ROB NASTY AND PICKED HIS BRAIN ON THE BAND AND THE HISTORY OF THE SLEAZE ROCK GENRE IN SWEDEN.

Sleaze Roxx: I know your influences may be somewhat obvious but let’s hear it from you! What did you grow up listening to and who has influenced your writing style?

Rob Nasty: My first two albums, who I got from my aunt, pretty much laid the ground for what would be my influences: The Runaways and Kiss. Other bands who have made a great impact on me are Motley Crue, Ratt, Alice Cooper and Twisted Sister.

Sleaze Roxx: You know what? I think I hear all those influences on the Danger album! What was the reception like of your last band Loud ‘N’ Nasty back in the early 2000s? That style of music was still kind of “shoved under the rug” back then.

Rob Nasty: Well, I remember the first feedback we got from companies and that was “Wow! This is cool, but is it some kind of tribute to the ’80s glam and hair metal?” I just did what I like and I still do. I don’t care that much if people call it glam, hair, sleaze or metal. To me, it’s just good music.

Sleaze Roxx: Agreed. Do you think it was bands like Loud ‘N’ Nasty along with Hardcore Superstar back in the early 2000s that paved the way for bands like Crashdiet and helped revive the “sleaze” scene in Sweden to make waves globally?

Rob Nasty: Well… If it was us or if it was just that we were just doing our thing just before the other bands came with the same idea, I cannot say. But when David sent me an e-mail and told me he liked Loud ‘N’ Nasty a lot, he sent some photos from his first photo session of Crashdiet and I was like, “Man! That’s awesome cus I did not know of any other bands back then.” I asked if he could send me some songs and he told me he didn’t have any recordings yet. That was kind of funny and I loved that answer. Hardcore Superstar was at that time not seen as a sleaze band at all I think?

Sleaze Roxx: Maybe not, and I’m not even sure the term “sleaze rock” even existed back in 2000. What have you been up to in the last few years leading up to this new Danger release?

Rob Nasty: Oh , I did a record with my good friend Snowy Shaw called ‘Heaven, Hell Or Hollywood’ [under the name] XXX. Then I had my first child and took some time just recording some songs back home. But when she was like seven months old, Rob Paris contacted me and asked if I would like to come down and play with him, Jesse [Kid] and Mackey [Gee].

Sleaze Roxx: Ah, so you’re a dad too! Is there anyone you hope to tour with?

Rob Nasty: Danger!

Sleaze Roxx: (Laughs) Alrighty then. Your new band Danger released an EP in 2008. This new full length CD has one same song “California Red” re-recorded. But with this new album being self-titled, would you consider this to be a new beginning?

Rob Nasty: Yes, For me that is the first Danger album. But I love the old version as well.

Sleaze Roxx: What are your thoughts on today’s music scene, rock or otherwise?

Rob Nasty: Well, I don’t like to be negative but hey man it sucks (laughs)! No seriously, I don’t care really. If I don’t like today’s music, it’s probably not the bands’ fault; it’s probably that I am stuck in ’70s and ’80s rock. All power to today’s bands no matter. It’s a tough business. But that don’t change the thing I do. I play the music I like no matter if it’s on the radio or not.

Sleaze Roxx: The “sleaze rock” genre is so deeply rooted in Sweden. A recent comment from Crazy Lixx’s Danny Rexon during an interview with Sleaze Roxx was “When it comes to our specific genre, it has definitely reached its peak a couple of years ago and is now on the decline at least in Sweden.” Would you agree with his comments?

Rob Nasty: Well, when I did the first recordings with Loud ‘N’ Nasty, people told me that glam/sleaze was dead too. But that make’s it even more fun to bring it back again right (laughs)?

Sleaze Roxx: Well, I for one hope it never dies! How does your band write the music? Is it collectively or mainly between you and Jesse Kid?

Rob Nasty: We all write songs individually or together or as a group. On this album, me and Paris did much of the writing and we also wrote some songs with Palle Hammarlund who produced the record.

Sleaze Roxx: How did you meet Jesse and form the new band?

Rob Nasty: I got a call from Rob Paris who asked me to come play with them. I had just seen ‘Yes Man’ the movie so I checked out some songs they had on Youtube and sent him a “yes” right away. It was when we were about to rehearse the first time. I saw that they were from Växjö, far from where I was. I don’t know why but I thought they where from Gothenburg.

Sleaze Roxx: We’re glad distance didn’t stop you guys! Your new band Danger and self-titled CD have received a ton of critical acclaim. What are the plans for Danger going forward?

Rob Nasty: Only seen stunning reviews all over really and that’s great but then again as long as I can do what I like and play what I like, the good reviews are a bonus and the bad ones I don’t read. I will not change my music because of that anyway.