Burzum: "I was freer in prison than most people outside"
Interview with Varg Vikernes
"Pro-Rock" Magazine (#78, 2011)
Anton Andonov

Hardly anyone can imagine the face of the modern extreme metal scene without the controversial personality of Varg Vikernes. And while Black Metal becomes political, religiously bound, symphonic or avant-garde, a free spirit behind four walls patiently bides its time. Nearly a year after "Belus" return album, the Norwegian is ready to show once again that his song has not yet been sung. And as you will see from the lines below, the first interview of Burzum for Bulgarian media revealed a polite, intelligent but firmly standing behind his ideals person...

Good afternoon, Varg!

Good afternoon, Sir!

In contrast to the situation with "Belus", where the whole world was watching the recording and the release of the album, the work on "Fallen" went unnoticed by the masses. Why? Are you tired of all the attention?

Yes, and I am particularly tired of the wrong form of attention that most members of the press give me. Their focus is always on the "bad" things and never on the music, which obviously means they want to boycott what I do in general. So much for "freedom of speech". In fact, it's not even about it, because there's nothing political in the albums of Burzum.

Don't you think this lack of promotion for your latest releases would make your albums less accessible to metal fans?

I don't worry about things like that. If an album is good, it will eventually reach those interested. Less promotion just means a slower start, it all comes down to that.

"Belus" carried an incredible atmosphere with its dark and hypnotic riffs, while "Fallen" was somewhat harsher, but with clean vocal passages and recitatives. And yet you manage to keep the sound of Burzum alive. How?

Well, I'm still me, whether we like it or not... One part of me is truly resilient and will remain so until I die. In most bands, there are several musicians who influence the music in one way or another, even if there is only one composer in the lineup. That leaves room for more variation (which often leads to quality changes), but the way I see it, it's also about more compromises. I will always be myself, so I don't have to make any compromises. That's why all my albums have the same feel, even if they don't repeat each other. Some are happy with it, some are not, but things will not change...

You seem to be actively fighting to break the Black Metal cliché – with compositions such as the all-folk "Til Hel og tilbake igjen" and the cover with a painting from romanticism. Is that right?

It is clear to many of you that I tried to break the Black Metal clichés back in 1993 when I recorded "Filosofem". It was supposed to be a rebellion against Black Metal – just as the Burzum début album was a rebellion against Death Metal. Everything I did in it was absurd from a Black Metal point of view – I used a cheap microphone with headphones for the vocals, I recorded the guitars with my brother's stereo amplifier, I included a 23-minute track with electronics; the cover showed a Norwegian woman in traditional clothing, the lyrics of the album were more folkloric and fabulous than anything, etc. It was completely different from anything that had been done before, and deliberately to show disrespect to the followers of the newly created Black Metal movement and to "copy" the mentality of the growing number of "Black Metal". And instead of taking "Filosofem" as a kick in their own ass, those same Black Metal guys embraced it, and then the big surprise! - they started doing the same thing themselves. I'm sorry, but I gave up this genre many years ago. I don't even try to enlighten them or rebel against them anymore. I just do my own thing and I don't care what anyone else does.

Is it possible to describe the direction your music has taken, its mission?

The direction and mission of my music? This is my occupation, it makes my living and keeps me alive. I try to make my own path under the shadow of an oak forest, long gone and forgotten. The further away I am from the meaningless modern world, the better. The further away I am from the people in the cave who only look at the shadows and perceive them as reality, the better. (Most likely, Varg quotes the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who likened earthly life to a cave in which we see only the shadows of real objects, personalities, and events. - ed.)

You probably have an idea what's going on in the Norwegian black metal scene? People like Fenriz claim that most musicians have forgotten the basic idea of the genre. What do you think, are there real Black Metal bands today?

No, at least I've never heard of one. However, I stopped following the scene around 1995. From the information I gathered (although I didn't bother to look for anything on the subject), the style has become just another posturing Heavy Metal subculture consisting of individuals who are perceived as more special than others. It's okay for me – they can do whatever they want. I had nothing to do with it.

And do you think that people like Gaahl have condemned the whole scene to ridicule?

Probably. To be honest, I don't know much about this guy. Nevertheless, I think Immortal have done a perfect job of making a mockery of the scene. Have you seen their videos at YouTube? I mean, how absurd can you get? I really feel ashamed that these gentlemen are of the same biological species as we are. Why didn't some dog breeder or rodent exterminator collect these creatures from the street and put them to sleep long ago?

Then do you see black clothes, paint and weapons as an important part of Black Metal? It all seems like a big parody…

The funny part is that it is impossible to make a parody of Immortal, because it is impossible to show anything more absurd than this... it all turned into a parody, and that is exactly what I said in 2009, when the specialized press in Norway and England went crazy at the fact that I spoke so negatively about these people in my press release. In addition, things were prominent even in late 1992 and early 1993, and that was the reason why I made "Filosofem" so anti-Black Metal. No one on the stage understood that, but... what else can you expect from someone who can't even spell their name right? I'm not interested in that kind of thing anymore. Let them act like idiots if they want to. Who cares? Don't get me wrong, I still like medieval weapons, clothes and armor. But to me, this is in some ways a romantic, boyish and pathetic attempt to recreate the long-lost. Then we had the idea of a golden age that never existed and never will. C'est la vie.

Do you consider yourself an important figure in Metal History, and do you not think that if it were not for your actions in the early 1990s, the genre would not have gained such popularity and commercial success?

I'm probably important to the history of the scene, but I haven't seen myself as a part of it since the beginning of 1993, when I took the first steps in a different direction. I think the commercial success was mainly due to the fact that many were tired of the direction that extreme (Death) Metal took in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Black Metal bands have filled a vacuum, and I'm convinced – although I haven't listened to them since 1995 - that many of them make good music, too.

What are the differences between the Varg the media knows and the real Varg?

I could not identify myself in the image created by the media. Those who manage to see me live seem pleasantly surprised, but I don't need to describe to the world who I really am. Again, who cares? I don't think we should. I think it should only be about my music, not about me.

Then all those people who speculate about your personal life are probably freaking you out?

No. I don't pay attention to them. I feel sorry for them from time to time. They need to pay a little attention to themselves and live their own lives. Don't try to live through others, whether you like them or not.

In recent years we have had the opportunity to see you in several documentary films, among which seemed to gain the most popularity "Until the Light Takes Us". Are you into these things and are they able to convey the essence of this music and culture?

You know, my friend, I wish I had never been part of this project. Not because the movie is bad – I don't know if it is because I haven't had the chance to see it yet. The creators and their team were really nice gentlemen, but since I don't want to talk about this topic, I will just repeat that the scene today is anything but interesting. I want to make this clear so that I don't come across such questions in the future. Black Metal is a waste of my time as well as your time, and we really shouldn't waste any more of it.

Okay. You know how many people would love to see you play your music live. Why do you keep saying no?

The only reason I would do that is money. On the other hand, I think money is not a good motivation. The whole process of playing with other musicians, rehearsing for concerts and so on is so much... nightmare. I'd rather spend my time clearing minefields and defusing bombs than mingle with metal musicians. Maybe if they were all women...

When I watch your video interviews, I am impressed by how high your spirit is – you are often in a good mood and even joking. How did you manage to do that when you weren't free?

The years in prison weren't that traumatic. Almost everyone there was positive about me for several reasons. One of them is the fact that I kept my mouth shut every time I was asked about the crimes of the others on stage. The other reason is that I was in prison mainly because of false testimonies submitted by other "colleagues" of mine. Many sympathized with me. Even the Muslims (and there were many of them) liked me. I remember one time I was allowed to go to the gym with an Algerian. He was not only skeptical, but even hostile when he asked me what I was in prison for. "I killed a man", - I told him, and he asked me if I killed him with a gun. He still looked at me with hostility. "No", I replied "I killed this man with a knife". Suddenly he changed his attitude, showed me his sly Arab smile, gave me a thumbs-up and said, "Great!" So if you shoot a man from a distance, you are a coward to them, but if you kill someone face to face, you become a damned hero in their eyes. Welcome to the Middle Ages!... And we allow these people into our parliaments. Go find out. The guards were also on my side because I openly admitted that I was racist (and certainly the majority of them were too – they were tired of dealing all the time with these Muslims, who were between 20% and 90% of the prison population, depending on which I was in), but first of all it was the simple reason that I behaved well, did not complain and did not cause them problems... The shit that the media was shooting at me also helped, as did the particularly unfair treatment of the authorities – it made everyone, guards and prisoners, sympathize with me and think well of me. In that sense, they helped me a lot... Freedom is such a broad concept... You have freedom to do something, but you also have freedom from something. Often the first determines the second and vice versa. Oh, and whether the walls around us are made of concrete and bricks or laws, the difference is not great. I was freer in prison, I dare say, than most people outside. No one can close your mind and spirit, and they can only break you if you let them.

How did time change you as a person?

Hmm. What can I say about that? I spent six years in partial (23 hours a day) or total (24 hours) seclusion, simply because I turned out to be a dissident in the last Soviet state in Europe (i.e. Norway), and I'm sure I became more self-centered, less tolerant of other people's mistakes and more antisocial. I don't think I'm very different as a person. As I mentioned earlier, I preferred to defuse mines rather than mingle with metal musicians... I believe that normal aging has changed me more than any other factor, and if I am different now, it will be for this simple reason.

Over the years, you have written several books and short stories. If you have to compare writing books to composing music, where are the commonalities? What books and authors can you name as inspiring your style?

Sir James Fraser, the author of "The Golden Bough", is a strong inspiration to me, but I learned about his book relatively recently. He was a major influence in the writing of the "Sorcery And Religion In Ancient Scandinavia", which I am trying to publish these days. What about writing music and books? Both are creative processes and you need to have a sense of order when putting together compositions or words. Besides that... I guess you do both on your own. At least I do...

Do you still share the pagan beliefs of your youth?

Yes and no. I have European (I mean pagan!) ideals and a traditionally European circular vision of the world, if I may say so – as opposed to the Judeo-Christian linear vision with a definite beginning and end. However, I recognize the fact that there are no gods or spirits in our world, whether Jewish or Christian, so I cannot define myself as religious. When I was young, I wanted them even though I knew they didn't exist. Now I don't even want them. Now I'm more of a stoic or epicurean, if you prefer, and those things don't bother me so much.

You're known for your extreme right-wing political views. Many nationalists around the world associate Burzum music with this. Do you think art should be tied to politics, or would that kill it?

Look, if music or any other art is used for good purposes, I have two hands for it. But this is not necessarily necessary. You don't have to be a nationalist to understand Burzum music, just as you don't have to dress up as "I have no-idea-what" to listen to the Cure.

What do you think of kids who break the law or engage in anti-social activities inspired by you? Do you think they understand your point of view?

I don't think about kids like that... But if I have to share my opinion, I think they can still understand my views and have the courage to take the consequences. Young people are often braver than old people (perhaps often because they are more ignorant than them), and while rebelling and breaking the law is a bad thing, I think we shouldn't stigmatize them as "stupid", "losers", "in need of help", or anything like that. We live in a decaying world ruled by greedy pigs steering our ship straight into the abyss. Why not rebel in every possible way? We, the rest of us, do not rise because we are too well fed, too entertained and too cowardly, because we think we have a lot to lose, or simply because we are brainwashed and cannot think clearly. Some cannot even because of their limited intellectual resources or because they are physically handicapped (for example, under lock and key).

That was it! Thank you for this interview!

Thank you very much for your interest. I hope my answers give you as much pleasure as your questions gave me.

Author: Anton Andonov (© 2011 "Pro-Rock" Magazine , Bulgaria)

In other languages: Български