Refused frontman and punk icon Dennis Lyxzén stops by Inside Music to share his journey through the entertainment industry.
Every musician living today can learn from the Swedish hardcore punk band Refused. For the better part of the three decades, the band has served as an inspiration to artists everywhere for their fearless lyricism and foreword thinking sound. Their album The Shape Of Punk To Come literally shaped the future of the genre, and despite taking an extended hiatus they remain one of the most respected bands in music.
What separates Refused from many of the groups that return from hiatus is how the band approached their second coming. Once the initial, nostalgia-fueled touring came to a closer the group chose to focus their efforts on new material that now fills their setlist. The band has no interest in being a legacy act that makes its living because songs they wrote twenty years ago. Instead, Refused wants to use their platform to speak their minds the way they always have, with no concern for whether or not it’s what the industry wants them to deliver.
At the end of February 2020, just weeks before the novel coronavirus would bring the touring world to a standstill, Refused tour through the midwest in support of their 2019 album War Music. While in West Michigan, vocalist Dennis Lyxzén sat down with Inside Music host James Shotwell to discuss the state of the world and Refused’s place within it. Dennis told James of the lessons he’s learned from his time in music, as well as the things that inspire the band in the present. He spoke of the responsibility he feels, both towards fans and himself, to continue moving forward rather than looking back. You can stream that conversation below.
Refused had plans to perform through summer 2020, but whether or not those plans move forward will depend on how we as a species respond to COVID-19. Please do your part by staying home, washing your hands, practicing social distancing, and supporting the artists you love.
