Statement

We had a band once, in Umeå. We would pile in a van, like every other punkband, and thunder off in pursuit of friends and glory in some basement in front of 20 people, 50 people, in towns 4-5 hours away. Sometimes there would be more than a hundred people and we would later in the week refer to that as a "big show". We were ambitious, but we didn't think of it as a career. We never made any fiscal sense whatsoever during 7 years of touring. Like most punkbands, it never occured to us to even try. We had a scene, we had some politics and we had just a hint of artistic ambition. True to our swedish roots we got very serious very fast. And then suddenly we got good. It's a delicate path to tread for precocious twentysomethings anywhere on the planet, but this particular bunch didn't make it. And that was fine. Most enterprises in life are unrelated to incredibly violent rock music.
It's been a motley 14 years since our band came apart. We've all kept busy in our respective endeavors but we've all remained friends and kept in touch. There have been offers, and lots of jokes about these offers. We've sort of looked down from our high horses and made fun of people who've just wanted to share the psychopathic intensity that we would deliver on a nightly basis in our post-pubescent prime. A reunion has just seemed irrelevant to us. Too much other shit to do.
But then Kristofer got his degree from the Swedish opera academy, Jons medical studies began drawing to a close and Dennis and David started a new hardcore band together. Finally, after a decade and a half hiatus, Kristofer picked up the guitar again. Which made David want to play the drums again. Which in turn led to all four of us suddenly making new music in assorted constellations. As all this was brewing, Coachella got in touch. There were a couple of phone-calls, lots of skepticism, some hesitant enthusiasm before one of us basically said: "– This is ridiculous. There are friends of ours who would murder close relatives just to go see bands there. Let's just do it, one last time." And with that, socialist ***-loving pc scumbags were on the road again.
We never did "The shape of punk to come" justice back when it came out, too tangled up in petty internal bickering to really focus on the job. And suddenly there's this possibility to do it like it was intended. We wanna do it over, do it right. For the people who've kept the music alive through the years, but also for our own sakes.
We feel that you deserve it and we hope the feeling is mutual.

See you in the pit.

//Refused

Well, guess I'm going to California one weekend in April, appears they're playing both

This may well be the thing to get me off my ass and to Coachella for the first time.

It sure as hell won't be for the dozens of interchangeable EDM acts on display this year.

will fly cross country for this if i can

No. Way.

Quote:

We never did "The shape of punk to come" justice back when it came out, too tangled up in petty internal bickering to really focus on the job. And suddenly there's this possibility to do it like it was intended. We wanna do it over, do it right. For the people who've kept the music alive through the years, but also for our own sakes.

Sounds like more than just a one-off to me. I guess we'll see.

Originally Posted by uglystar03

Sounds like more than just a one-off to me. I guess we'll see.

I agree. One show wouldn't really be "[doing] it right."

Originally Posted by uglystar03

Sounds like more than just a one-off to me. I guess we'll see.

I was going off the "one last time", but who knows!

AtthedriveinRefusedTourPlease.

They say it's a one-off, but they'll probably change their mind once they actually play the show.

The wording of it could go both ways honestly. I doubt the band would just do one performance on a huge stage at a massive indie festival and not do some kind of smaller venue tour. I guess we'll have to see.

God, are you guys trying to give us a heart attack?

There's quotes in that statement that would suggest both being a one off and also being more than that. Great statement though, reads very heartfelt and truthful.

It's not a one off. This was posted on facebook.

Exklusivt: Refused kommer lira Monster Bash festival i Berlin 27 april och Groezrock in Belgien!

I don't speak that language, but I assume that means they're playing at the festival on April 27th,