Considering the 1991 suicide of singer Per "Dead" Ohlin and the murder of guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth in 1993 at the hands of former member Varg Vikernes, not to mention Vikernes's church-lighting arson spree, the religious set doesn't tend to approve of Norwegian black metal pioneers Mayhem. That said, an American evangelist is willing to save founding bassist Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud's soul next week via exorcism.
Blabbermouth reports that Bob Larson, a televangelist, has arranged to meet up with the metal musician next week in Phoenix, AZ to perform a spirit-cleansing exorcism. Larson is believed to be one of the leading practitioners of the ceremony in North America.
The event is apparently a pretty big deal, as it will be filmed in full and broadcast by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.
For his part, Stubberud is excited for the exorcism as well, but not because he wants to be saved. He thinks the whole ordeal is a crock.
"There's this famous preacher. I'm not a believer, so I think he's a quack," he explained to Metal Hammer. "A very religious guy. He's an exorcist – that's what he does. I'm just there for the fun of it. He's gonna perform an exorcism on me on national TV. So it's gonna be wild as fuck and, of course, I don't expect to suddenly be free from some demons or whatever. I'm just there for the fun of it and for the hell of it."
Considering Mayhem's long anti-authoritative stance, it's no surprise that Stubberud is just taking the trip to take the piss.
"All religious people, when they talk about [how] they talked to God or God talked to them, stuff like that, I know it's a lie," he continued. "Because they look at all the people, they speak in tongues, it's a mass, they get into that stuff, they think, 'If I behave like that guy, all the people will think that I truly have an open connection straight to God' or whatever.
"But for us enlightened people, we know that it's all bullshit, that they're full of fucking lies and shit. And that's why I'm there -- to give a little punch and a kick in the ass to this little quack and people saying that they have direct contact with God and shit like that."
Blabbermouth reports that Bob Larson, a televangelist, has arranged to meet up with the metal musician next week in Phoenix, AZ to perform a spirit-cleansing exorcism. Larson is believed to be one of the leading practitioners of the ceremony in North America.
The event is apparently a pretty big deal, as it will be filmed in full and broadcast by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.
For his part, Stubberud is excited for the exorcism as well, but not because he wants to be saved. He thinks the whole ordeal is a crock.
"There's this famous preacher. I'm not a believer, so I think he's a quack," he explained to Metal Hammer. "A very religious guy. He's an exorcist – that's what he does. I'm just there for the fun of it. He's gonna perform an exorcism on me on national TV. So it's gonna be wild as fuck and, of course, I don't expect to suddenly be free from some demons or whatever. I'm just there for the fun of it and for the hell of it."
Considering Mayhem's long anti-authoritative stance, it's no surprise that Stubberud is just taking the trip to take the piss.
"All religious people, when they talk about [how] they talked to God or God talked to them, stuff like that, I know it's a lie," he continued. "Because they look at all the people, they speak in tongues, it's a mass, they get into that stuff, they think, 'If I behave like that guy, all the people will think that I truly have an open connection straight to God' or whatever.
"But for us enlightened people, we know that it's all bullshit, that they're full of fucking lies and shit. And that's why I'm there -- to give a little punch and a kick in the ass to this little quack and people saying that they have direct contact with God and shit like that."