Classic Spins with Max Ternebring, Bottom End Lord of The Riven

The Riven

The Riven has just dropped their stunning debut record, The Riven. If you've got 80 Swedish Kroners just jangling around in your pocket, or whatever those Kroners normally do, hit up the BANDCAMP, but if you're feeling a bit more adventurous, you can get it on sweet vinyl HERE.

Getting it on the sweet vinyl will cost you a few extra Kroners, but in the end, what's a few kroners more right? Or if you're looking a slightly less adventurous purchase....

There's always AMAZON.

Now, we could spend hours fighting each other over what way to purchase this album is the best way, but $17.99 (+tax and no shipping) is a better price than 129 Swedish Korners.

But in the mean, time, Max Ternebring told me all about what classic records he's into.

1. My favorite kind of album is the concept album. The Wall is my absolute favorite. Beyond the amazing songs, it has spectacular nostalgia for me. What's your favorite one and why?

I also love concept albums and my favourite one is Quadrophenia by The Who. John Entwistle was one of the best rock bass players to have ever held down a grove, and I like that they really let him shine through on that album.

The semi-solo parts in Real Me are so tasty! I also think that Roger Daltrey has never sounded as good on any other Who-album, and it was probably due to Pete Townsend standing there with a big whip, making him do retakes after retakes to get the best ever possible takes.

You get to follow this young working class guy called Jimmy and his struggles with himself, his family and the people that he hangs around with. The concepts of the album touches interesting themes such as that of the fight between mods and rockers, which I think is quite forgotten now these days,, as well as the relationship within a family, the relationship you have with friends and friends that hardly notice that you are around, as well as idolatry.

I always run with the motto of never meeting your idols.

2. My very first album was Live Evil b Black Sabbath. Since then I've had a strong affinity for the live record, even if they're a bit fake. KISS set the bar with Alive!. Surely, it was fake, but it's got the best concert feel of any one. Tell me about your favorite live record? 

My favorite live record is Live and Dangerous by Thin Lizzy.

They were at the top of their career, the set list is amazing and the filming of the gigs shows you that it wasn’t just smoke and mirrors - the band really was one of the coolest bands out there!

One of my favorite moments of that album is the unreleased song called “are you ready”. I think Brian Robertson is smoking a cigarette on stage whilst playing and you can see small puffs of smoke rising as he rips away on the fretboard.

3. There are a great number of records I've turned to for my moods. What do you listen to when you're angry? Sad? 

 Whenever I feel a bit moody I go to Pantera. Far Beyond Driven is an amazing album and listening to that really lets you get out all of your frustration. “I’m brooookeeeeen - look at me nooooow!!”

4. One of my friends laughs at me, routinely, for loving the Misfit Toys of albums by major bands. Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed, Carnival of Souls by Kiss, Diabolous En Musica by Slayer, etc. What's the strange one that you love? 

Iron Maidens The X-factor is generally viewed as one of their worst album. I do not think it deserves all the bad rep it’s been given and there are some really good ones on that album.

Sign of the cross, Lord of the flies, Fortunes of war and Look for the Truth are, along with most of the songs on this particular album, really great songs! I really like that album and I do as well not think, as I know some do, that they all sound better with Bruce on vocals.

Blaze had a special depth to his voice which I think many Maiden fans found weird since it was quite the opposite from Bruce's voice.

5. It's almost fashionable to release live versions of albums or re-record the old ones. King Diamond is releasing a concert with Abigail front to back. Roger Waters has done The Wall twice. Which ones do you have in your collection? 

I generally do not like re-releases or re-recordings of old material, I feel that it most of the time is just a money-thing and that the artist should try to focus more on coming up with new material.

But I kinda like Uriah Heep’s Celebration. Favorite song from that one is of course Lady in Black. But it lacks the dynamics that the original song has.