Norwegian Musicians Discuss Their Day Jobs at Seminar

"You are so gentlemanly and [Fenriz] is so -- direct," Patrizia Mazzuoccolo -- who carefully chose her words -- said to Darkthrone frontman Nocturno Culto.

"Well people would say that we are a bit too direct now ... we just want to be unpopular," he replied.

"Even now, Ted?"

"Yes."

On April 29, music journalist Patrizia Mazzuoccolo interviewed four popular Norwegian musicians in a radio talk show-type setting. The guests -- Harald Fosserg (ex-Turbonegro), Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone), Havard Ellefsen (Mortiis, ex-Emperor) and Gaahl (ex-Gorgoroth) -- digitally visited the Scandinavia House in Manhattan via Skype.

The seminar, called 'A Blaze in the Northern Sky,' was an overview of the Norwegian black metal scene and "the culture that spawned it." Mazzuoccolo, also known as Misspee, talked to us about the Norwegian government, Vikings and the basic history of the second wave of black metal.

"Most of them thought that Venom was crap," she said of the Norwegian black metal forefathers. For anyone who is as obsessed with extreme music as this writer -- as in you have read 'Lords of Chaos', 'Choosing Death' several times and have seen almost every documentary on the genre -- the discussions could have felt a bit like Black Metal 101.

That's not a bad thing, considering how many people found a lot of the topics to be new information. I didn't realize that until a Darkthrone fan asked Nocturno Culto (otherwise known as Ted) what his day job was. Really? I thought everyone knew that drummer Fenriz worked at the post office and that frontman Ted worked as a school teacher.

The vocalist and guitarist had no problem answering this question, even though it is probably the millionth time he has discussed it. (He was also pretty wasted on his bus ride to Germany -- so nothing bothered him.) The second part of the fan's question was, "What do your co-workers think of you being in a black metal band?" As it turns out, his co-workers think "it's quite awesome" that he's a metal musician.

Before going to bed -- it was 2:30 AM in Norway -- Ted wished us good luck and to drink beers.

The other musicians interviewed also discussed their 'day' jobs. Fosserg is an entertainment journalist for Aftenposten and Gaahl is pursuing an acting career in Norwegian theater.

Darkthrone's 'Circle the Wagons' is out now via Peaceville Records. Mortiis just wrapped up recording for 'The Great Deceiver'. There is no set date for release, yet.