Q&A with Teddy Millmoor from Saivu - July 27, 2009

I bet you've been dying to hear more about Richard's collaboraton with Saivu and about this interesting new band, so here's an interview with Teddy Millmoor from Saivu!:

Please tell me a little bit about Saivu since you will be a new band to most of the Appetite for Discussion fan forum members. Who are your members, what do they play in the band and how long have you been together?

Saivu originated as Paranoaidi a few years ago, the band was Teddy Millmoor, Jon Iver Eira Tellefsen and Nils Ailu Sara.
Jon Iver and Nils Ailu don't tour with the band, but occasionally work with the band. We've had great help from Matt Tecu and Michael McManus on drums in the studio, and Richard Fortus on guitars.

As of today there is no touring lineup, but I guess you could say Fortus and Tecu are the core of the Saivu sound.


You've been called a Norwegian band, but you are located in Los Angeles and all members (according to Facebook) have English sounding names? Why is that? Is Kåre and Kjetil too foreign for your international audience?

We've never been a Norwegian band, that's a misunderstanding and I don't know why people assumed it's a norwegian band either. As I said before, a couple of the guys from the Paranoaidi project were from Norway, but this time around it's only me who has any ties to Norway. But I gotta say, I'm sami (samisk) and so are Nils Ailu and Jon Iver, and I would lie if I said that I said we are norwegian. We are a Sami American rock band. Simple as that.
And as far as I'm concerned, Richard and Matt are american, atleast the last time I checked.


How did you get in contact with Richard Fortus and how has this collaboration been so far?

We've known each other for a while, it was just one of those things bound to happen I guess. Lots of mutual friends.
The collaboration has been great, Richard is an awesome guitar player and a great guy. He's very cool to work with and he has a very interesting sound and style of playing. His parts are very unique and he added a new dimension to the music and the band. Without him the guitars would've sounded very different.


When is your debut record coming out and is there possible to hear more from you than the two songs on MySpace ((http://www.myspace.com/saivumusic)? Which, by the way, are really great!

We're hoping to release the record this fall or late fall, that of course depends on a few things. We're not quite done recording yet, but a single should be out in a few weeks. There is some stuff out on www.thesixtyone.com/saivumuic that won't be featured on myspace. sign up and listen, and vote for us there

Is there any chance I may have jammed with one or more of you at a party at Steinan student campus in Trondheim some years ago (you look so familiar from your Facebook photo)?

I don't recall being to Steinan student campus.... But then again, who knows?


What are you listening to right now on your music player?

Last thing was Back Round by Wolftmother. And also, Anna Ternheim, stunningly talented swedish artist, and it's been some David Bowie, A-Ha's song Mother Nature and the rock version of a new Chris Cornell song called Long Gone (rock version)


Do you have plan for any concerts soon?

Not as of now, we're trying to finish up the album. You can follow us on twitter on www.twitter.com/saivumusic and we'll post tour dates there eventually. I imagine that we'll do a few shows in Norway this winter.


"Wars do not determine who is right or wrong, only who is left", do you agree with this quote from Bertrand Russell?

NO, cus those who win the war get to write the story, or the history to come. As we all know, history isn't always as dead on as your History Teacher might believe.....


Can you tell us a little bit about your musical influences?

I can only speak for myself, but A-Ha is a huge influence for me. It might sound strange, but their music has ALWAYS influenced me one way or the other. Soundgarden, GNR, Ozzy, NIN, David Bowie and Mari Boine have also influenced me one way or the other.


What the main barrier for a new group to "make it"? Lack of money, lack of promotion, limited experience?

Lack of desire and hard work.


If you were to pick a single concert from history, which would you have paid most to attend?

Any Zeppelin concert with Jon Bonham behind the kit.


Which concert did you attend last as part of the audience?

The Young Royals at the dragonfly a couple of weeks ago.


Have we had too much indie music now?

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've had it with the concept of Indie for a long time!!!


We are more than 6 billion humans on this planet and as a result thousands of species go extinct each year, the climate is increasing, people are dying from malnutrition, undernutrition, wars are raging, etc -- should we on a long term scale attempt to control the population growth and perhaps stabilize it at a lower number?

Humans will never be able to control other humans. I believe in mother nature. when she says enough is enough, she'll just shake us off her back.

Please feel free to ask questions on twitter, there will always be someone to reply to you guys directly.

Thanks, and take care!
TM