You remember Sanctum, don’t you? We’re still waiting for “Let’s Eat” successor, and I’m sure we’ll live to hear it, but meanwhile let’s check how was the last year for one of the founders of Sanctum, Hakan Paulsson.
Tell us your way for a succesful or happy life. Do you think that man is able to live free from religion? What do you think is the meaning of our existence?
To go my own way and put my time on what I think is fun and important. It is easy to say but difficult to always live so, but I try to keep that in mind as often as I can. When it comes to religion, it is very easy to live without God and religion, but for most people so we pray to God only when there is crisis in the life … the last straw, I think it feels very false, but it is so humanity is. I myself have not found any meaning in the life of man in general, but is happy when I, my family and my friends feel good … that’s enough for me. But the fact is that if I and my next will be able to feel good, we have to be pleased with everything around us, everything that affects us in some way, both in society and in the world and there is much shit that sucks … there are things that we must fight. Such things can contribute to creating a meaning of life itself.
How would you sum up your musical activity in 2015?
In a way rather quiet year, but the funny thing was that we got started creating new music with both Sanctum & Mago. We also made some terrific fun gigs with both bands among others at festivals Elektroanschlag & Maschinenfest. I was also involved in the recordings of Haul ’s debut album, that will be released in the spring of 2016. I finished the year with an exclusive gig with my solo project Pale on a nice club in Gothenburg.
Is there any film / book / theatrical play / exhibition / computer game which made a particular impression on you in 2015?
”IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE” A suggestive dance performance with dancers from Sweden and Cuba. The work plays with ingrained beliefs about the world we live in and through the kaleidoscopic images, effects and dancing discovered the impossible borderlands. The work is a tribute to the imagination opportunities to transform and experience the world anew. It was nice …
Did this year change you in any way, changed your perception of the world, perhaps opened your eyes on something?
Unfortunately, it is so that I every year becomes more and more amazed and frustrated at how evil mankind truly is, and at all levels. 2015 became for me one year when I really became aware of what is happening in Syria and the bizarre war that continues there.
Any moment of 2015 you’ll remember on your death bed?
I don’t think so.
Your predictions for the world (in the political and cultural context) for 2016?
I believe that the West will try to resolve the conflict in Syria by creating new wars and it will not end well. Also believe that North Korea will be an even greater threat to the rest of the world that will try to solve this by trying to eradicate the state and I think also it will end in disaster. So I think when we celebrate the New Year 2017, the world will have two major conflict, and these will go on for long. Possitiv prophecy … right? hehe … but hatred will breed good art, so we will continue to hear good doomsday music, and it will become darker and crueler.
Your personal plans, hopes, expectations for 2016?
I hope that 2016 will be a very creative year for my own part. I will be involved in several releases. One is already underway and it is a livecassette with Sanctum from Maschinenfest 2k15.
Santa Sangre 