Ten questions to ... Jonas Fransson of Then Comes Silence

The epithet “goth drummer” could almost be viewed as an oxymoron, so ubiquitous has the drum machine become in the genre over the past four decades since Andrew Eldritch fumbled his sticks during the recording of The Sisters of Mercy’s debut single Damage Done back in 1980, deciding to opt instead for a drum machine which he and Gary Marx christened Doktor Avalanche.

Since then bands from first generation contemporaries such as The Three Johns and The March Violets to current scene darlings She Past Away, Ground Nero and Sonsombre have dispensed with the extra expense of a human drummer and entrusted their backbeat to an electronic box that never misses a (metronomic) beat.

However, the post-punk revolution of the late 1970’s was based around introducing more complex rhythms into the simple four-to-the-bar three-chord speeded-up pub rock that was punk. Innovative drummers like Jim Walker (PIL), Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus), Budgie (The Slits then the Banshees) and Hugo Burnham (Gang of Four) along with the likes of (Big) Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke), Rob Stroud (Sex Gang Children), Paul Gilmartin (The Danse Society) and Steve Harle (UK Decay) as the movement gathered pace in the early 1980’s, became key figures in their bands’ distinctive sound, forging complex, syncopated rhythms using time signatures more often found in the jazz sphere than the traditional rock world, whilst retaining the energy and excitement of punk. Back in 2011, veteran and well-respected scene commentator John Robb made an excellent case on Louder Than War for Jet Black to be included in such lists as a pioneer of the new sound on The Stranglers’ seminal third album Black And White in 1978, as the band spearheaded the move to a more complex and enduring sound.

Fast forward four decades, and the dominance of the drum machine continues to be challenged by innovative drummers such as scene veterans Mick Reed (1919) and Simon Rippin (Grooving In Green), alongside newer artists such as Mayflower Madame’s Ola J Kyrkjeeide and Whispering Sons’ Sander Pelsmaekers.

Jonas Fransson on stage with Then Comes Silence, Edinburgh 2019 (pic: NVL)

Then Comes Silence’s Jonas Fransson epitomises the new generation of dynamic drummers helping to take the post-punk genre to a new level. One of the key members of the Klubb Död team, responsible for one of Europe’s most influential goth club nights with their inspired gig promotions and DJ sets, Fransson joined Sweden's "post-punk captains" Then Comes Silence shortly after the release of their breakthrough 2015 album Nyctophilian, and his crisp, dynamic rhythms can be heard on 2017’s seminal Blood as well as on the new album Machine, for which he also provided the cover photography.

From the subtle Bela-esque patterns in the introductory sections of the former’s Warm Like Blood to the pounding syncopation of the latter’s Devil, Fransson drives the TCS juggernaut forward with a human sensitivity that a mere machine could never imitate, a factor which is particularly prevalent in a live setting: renowned as one of the most exciting bands on the circuit, Then Comes Silence’s performances are punctuated with improvised extended passages in songs such as The Rest Will Follow and Slowly Dragging You Down where Fransson works closely with bassist/singer/sole original member Alex Svenson to create a solid yet dynamic basis for guitarists Hugo Zombie and Mattias Ruejas Jonson to weave their unique guitar stylings. With his distinctive appearance, Fransson is also a focal point of the band’s visual image, with each member’s unique stylings giving a clear hint as to the musical synergy on offer.

I am therefore delighted when Jonas agreed to be the latest post-punk star to answer ten questions for this feature of the blog, and I thank him for his detailed and interesting answers.


_________________________________________________________________________________

1.         The first generation of post-punk bands had incredibly inventive drummers such as Jim Walker (PIL), Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus), Budgie (Siouxsie and the Banshees) and Nigel Preston (Sex Gang Children etc). Who were your drumming heroes when you were growing up?

I'm a bit embarrassed but I haven't had any music heroes really. I don't work that way I guess. I love the drums on most songs with Killing Joke so if I have to name one I guess it would be Paul Ferguson.

2.         Were you in any bands before Then Comes Silence? What kind of music did they play?

I started to play drums when I was 14 or 15 when me and some friends got into the punk scene. I played in punk bands for many years and even in a black metal band. Before Then Comes Silence I played in a rockabilly/psychobilly band. 

3.         How did you come to join the band when the previous drummer Karl Nilsson left the group?

I work with KLUBB DÖD which is a goth club in Stockholm and we booked TCS in 2014 (I think), I still have photos from that show. When Kalle left TCS, Alex asked the club if we knew any drummers and the rest is history =).

4.         You joined the band after Nyctophilian and play on the most recent two albums, Blood and Machine. Which songs of the first three albums do you enjoy playing the most live?

It's a tricky question because it normally shifts back and forth, it's often most fun to play songs we have not played for a long time, or new songs. We picked up Feed The Beast a while ago and I love to play it, it's so simple and strange haha xD. I have always loved Spinning Faster, it has a great beat... And all the songs with 16/8… And the ones with a lot of toms… Haha I guess I like them all.

5.         Your energetic drumming is a real focal point of the band live, which in my view helps TCS stand out amongst their contemporaries who have stuck with the post-punk convention of the drum machine. Which other modern drummers do you most admire?

As mentioned earlier I don't have any drum heroes, but sometimes you hear a song where the beat is just perfect, it does not have to be super complex, often it is the opposite. Just a smart and perfect beat for that particular song. Our friends in True Moon have a song like that… Guns, check it out!

6.         On recent tours you’ve played on a drumkit that lights up, which for me adds to the atmosphere of the live show. Where did you get the idea from?

I actually stole the idea from The Foreign Resort haha. When we toured together the first time, Mårten had a strobe behind his kit which he monitored by a foot switch. It looked so cool so I did the same for the following years. I loved it and wanted to develop it even further and then I found this gorgeous white acrylic kit and here we are. It's still not perfect, quite far from it, but it also works quite well as it is.

7.         You’re an accomplished photographer (for example you took promo shots of the band before you joined them and the distinctive cover shot on the new album, and I’ve also seen some amazing photos of Wayne Hussey’s recent appearance in Stockholm for example). Is music or art your first love?

Definitely music! But I have many hobbies, and all of them are about expression and music in some way. I started to take live photos for KLUBB DÖD and fell in love with it. It's really hard to take good ones, it's often dark with strong backlights and the best shots when the musicians are moving are always a struggle. My camera (Fujifilm XT-1) has a really crappy autofocus, so I learned to shoot in full manual setting which I think was a good thing in the end, when you know exactly how your camera works you will be a better photographer. 

8.         Since you joined The Comes Silence, the band’s visual image has changed dramatically, from a shoegaze type image (beards, old hoodies etc) to a more stunning and unified modern post-punk look. How important is the visual aesthetic to you personally?

It is very important to me, I have been a punk or a goth since I was a kid. I liked their old style with hoodies, but It's more fun to play around with the looks and try to match it to your music. The energy and visuals are almost as important as the music. For some bands it could be absolutely perfect with an I-don't-care-look but it would not work for our music.

9.         You worked with Alex on the aborted album Then Comes Silence album between Blood and Machine. Did you enjoy the song-writing process, and as now one of the longest-serving members of the band, do you feel that you have a greater influence?

I love trying out new songs but it was very stressful for us with the aborted album, especially for Alex. Alex writes the songs but we finnish them together and he writes the drums with me in mind, and the guitars with Mattias and Hugo in mind. Then we work with the songs until everyone is happy. Sometimes the song is perfect as Alex wrote it, and sometimes it has changed completely in the end. I really enjoy the way we work with music, we are a great team.

10.       The new album has again received great critical acclaim. Which songs on Machine are your favourites, and which are you most proud of from a drumming perspective?

I like them all to be honest, but Kill It and Glass have great beats.

Thanks to Jonas for these interesting answers – Then Comes Silence are due to tour the UK in July and Germany and other countries in the autumn. Machine and their other highly-recommended albums can be purchased here.