Getting to Know… The Chuck Norris Experiment | Interview

In the 438^th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from the Swedish rock band, The Chuck Norris Experiment.

“Take the attitude of the 90’s Scandirock era, Turbonegro and Gluecifer, and all those bands, and combine it with some classic hard rock and bake in the oven with Motorhead and viola out comes The Chuck Norris Experiment!” Word! Chuck the Ripper, who answers our burning questions about the Gothenburg, Sweden rock band, adds, “Live is where the CNE should be experienced; it is quite an energy bomb with members being all over the place literally.” Norris gives us the inside scoop on the band’s genesis, goals, musical influences, and current and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump into Getting to Know… The Chuck Norris Experiment: Interview No. 438!

For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes The Chuck Norris Experiment distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

Hey, Chuck the Ripper from The Chuck Norris Experiment here. Take the attitude of the 90’s Scandirock era, Turbonegro and Gluecifer, and all those bands, and combine it with some classic hard rock and bake in the oven with Motorhead and viola out comes The Chuck Norris Experiment! Live is where the CNE should be experienced; it is quite an energy bomb with members being all over the place literally. For example, bass players should not spend time on stage, they should be in the crowd whipping up a frenzy!

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did The Chuck Norris Experiment form, and what were some of your goals or visions early?

The band was formed 20 years ago as a ‘get together’ by musicians from other bands. The idea was not to make something lasting but rather to do 10 rehearsals and record 10 songs while having some time off from the other bands. But the whole thing kind of snowballed and here we are 20 years later with 11 albums, go figure!

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since you first started? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

I think we put more effort into songwriting these days really trying to push ourselves forward and not remaining in the same tracks trying to give people something new with every album. That said, I think we have a quite strong DNA and people usually hear quite early on that they are listening to Chuck Norris Experiment. Going forward, I think this is the main aspiration for us, to make the greatest record of all time.

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Whom would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?

I would say a big influence is the Scandirock scene with Gluecifer, Turbonegro, and Hellacopters.
But as for the last couple of records, we have kind of drifted more towards more of a hard rock sound with AC/DC and Danko Jones kind of vibe.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

Wow, how to only pick one… One fun story is getting stopped by the German police one morning. We were driving out of Cologne and out of nowhere the police stops us and claims we made an illegal left turn. We answer no, we came from the right, to which he replies, “Are you sure?”. We say yes and he answers “Ok, I wasn’t”. Next up he checks the back of the van, and sees all our gear, and asks, “Are you in a band?” Next up, and remember, this is Germany, so, it is an officer in a brown shirt with a gun, he says “you’re gonna die young!” There is an awkward silence for a few seconds. Then the officer says, “The pistol died young!” and he gives us the metal horns and leaves. The whole band sits in the van wondering what the hell just happened…

To this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

We have not really had the opportunity to test the new stuff from the new record called 20 yet. I believe there are some golden live songs there.  But for now, I would say “Kill the Night” or “Turning Me Inside Out” from our record This Will Leave A Mark are great tunes to play live, they always get the audience going!

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left-of-center we should know about The Chuck Norris Experiment? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

Well, we are still quite good-looking despite our age! That’s surprising, I guess!

What is The Chuck Norris Experiment currently working on or promoting that you can share? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

As touched upon we have just released our latest record called 20, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band as well. We will be doing some shows during the spring in the UK and Spain to promote the record. Other than that, we of course have a bunch of other stuff in the pipeline. Hopefully, we can get a new record with B-sides and other rarities out next year as well. And the songwriting for our next album is in progress! We are keeping busy!!

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward. 

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Getting to Know… The Chuck Norris Experiment: Interview No. 438 [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; The Chuck Norris Experiment]