interview by: Roberto Martinelli

Peter Beste is an American photographer who became interested in the visuals of black metal. He went to Norway to take pictures of some of the genre's most famous musicians. His first exposition of this work will take place on May 26th, 2003 from 6Pm-1Am at the Notting Hill Arts Club in London. Beste’s work has appeared in publications such as Mass Appeal, Vice, GO (Spain), Hell Awaits (Spain) and Metal Hammer (UK). We contacted Beste to talk to him about his experiences. You can check out his entire body of work at www.peterbeste.com.

Maelstrom: Please start by telling us how you got involved in photography in the first place. What do you like most about what you do?

Peter Beste (at left): I started photographing in 1996 when I would borrow my mother’s camera and photograph at punk rock shows, so my photography has always been connected to music. I love many things about this trade, but most importantly, I love the feeling of going overseas and coming back with 100 rolls of film documenting a fascinating culture that the average American has never heard of, but is intrigued by.

Maelstrom: Tell us about your project to photograph Scandinavian black metal musicians. Where did you go to do this and how long did you stay?

Peter Beste: I started when I lived in Austin, Texas about two years ago. It originally started as a film idea but mutated into a photo project. I went to a few shows in Texas (Dimmu borgir, Marduk, etc) and then to the Milwaukee Metal fest, which is where I met Gorgoroth, who has been one of the strongest parts of my project. I decided to become serious about this project the following year. I moved my stuff into my parent’s house, saved money, and spent five weeks in Norway last spring. I’m returning again this month.

Maelstrom: Did your idea to photograph black metal musicians come from a prior appreciation of the music? How did you first come across these people?

Peter Beste: I grew up on metal, but I was first introduced to Black Metal around 1997. I was instantly drawn to the overall aesthetic - the record art, the names and look of the band members, everything. Over the next couple years I read more about the genre and my interest grew. It’s an ideal project for me because the subject matter is visually interesting, but more importantly, there is substance behind it all. Most of it is very relevant culturally.

Maelstrom: As you may realize, these black metal guys, especially the ones from Norway, exist as sort of mythical figures, deified by the cult fans from around the
world. What was your impression of the musicians you photographed? Could you please tell us about the most interesting of them, and maybe share a story or two?

Peter Beste: I wasn’t sure what to expect from these guys. Almost all of them turned out to be very friendly. I hate to disappoint, but most of them were very normal. I was
surprised by many of their education levels. Most of Gorgoroth has Masters degrees, and so do many other band members. A few of them are teachers, and Fenriz works for the postal service. Yep, he still has a day job. (below, Fenriz at left, members of Gorgoroth at right)

Maelstrom: I think I'm especially interested in hearing about Gaahl of Gorgoroth, mainly considering that he has been convicted of some heinous crime ("torture-like violence"). I've heard stories but don't know what to believe. Do you know anything about this?

Peter Beste: I’ve heard many stories about him, and even though I’ve become pretty friendly with the rest of the band, they are still vague in the specifics of the crime. What I have learned is that he has violent tendencies, and if he gets messed with, especially while drunk, he’s ruthless. A friend of mine over there told me that they were at the pub one night and some guy said something rude my friend’s girlfriend, not Gaahl’s. Gaahl (bottom left) chased the guy a mile through town and when he caught up to him, he picked him up by the throat, headbutted him, and knocked him out. They say he’s been certified insane by the government. I think there’s a level of truth to it, but hey, it makes great publicity!

Maelstrom: What do you think these black metallers' impression of you was?

Peter Beste: I got along with most of them great. Fenriz was a bit out of his mind, but we got along partly because we’re into a lot of the same music outside of metal. He’s into a lot of hip-hop, some electronic and indie, which is rare for that scene. I got weird vibes from Frost of Satryicon, I’m not sure if he liked me, but overall, they were as friendly as my neighbors. (Carpathian Forest's sink, below)

Maelstrom: Do you exist amongst a circle of artists with whom you share each others' work? If so, what are these people's impressions of your black metal work? Have you exhibited your work? What was the reaction?

Peter Beste: Yes, I have had good feedback, but I plan to get much more in depth with this project and eventually put out a book. The only thing that has been really public about this project is a 7 page feature in a NYC magazine called Mass Appeal. I am having a small
exhibition in London in May, and there are talks of one in Brooklyn this summer.

Maelstrom: I'd like to also talk about your photography work outside the black metal project. On your website, www.peterbeste.com, you've got a couple other series
of photographs.

Peter Beste: The other bodies of work are URBAN PORTRAITS, RURAL AMERICA, MUSIC, and COLOR. As for the first one, I like to take candid portraits of people on the streets in the cities I visit. I am a big fan of early- to mid- century photographers like Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand, Helen Leavitt, etc, who popularized this style. Basically my goal is to create a perfectly balanced, and interesting photograph in the midst of a chaotic urban environment with no preparation or staging.

The RURAL AMERICA work is actually a college project. I photographed people (mostly truckers) from truck stops and diners around America. I plan to continue this project. (A diner patron, below)

The MUSIC section is made up of photos from concerts and a few proper bands shoots (Dougie Payne of Travis, below).

COLOR is basically a miscellaneous section with everything from abstract color work to a couple landscapes. (The Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik, Iceland, below)

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