by LORRAINE CARPENTER

"We take big pride in our music, but we don't take it too seriously," says Tarjei Strøm, drummer for Norway's dreamy dance act du jour. Since 1997, Strøm, percussionist Thomas Lønnheim and electronic maestro Erlend Sellevold have dealt in Nordic chill as Ralph Myerz & the Jack Herren Band, the name a nod to '60s director and boob-aholic Russ Meyer and his cameraman, Herren. The trio used to milk the kitsch by dressing like pimps on stage but, more recently, they've inflicted the fashion attack on their "plaid-tastic" debut LP, A Special Album, its office worker cover stars decked out in loud '70s regalia and cheap cologne - just scratch 'n' sniff the cover sticker. "We wanted to show the buyer that this is something fun," says Strøm, promising the same of their vibrant live act. Until last February's tragic Great White inferno, that act included a fiery spectacle designed by ace pyrotechnician, Per Kristian Hagen, who's had his own taste of metal concert madness. Strøm told the Mirror all about Myerz and metal.

Mirror: So, something freaky happened to your pyro guy recently.

Tarjei Strøm: Yes, it's amazing. When we released our album in Norway and were supposed to go on a big tour, sadly there was this pyrotechnics accident in the U.S., so there was loads of press about us in all the Scandinavian papers. Hagen was often interviewed, he would say that nobody will get hurt, our concerts are safe, everything's cool, but the next week he went to see Mayhem, a Norwegian black metal band, and sadly he was hit with a big sheep's head.

M: What?

TS: A real sheep's head that was cut off. They threw it into the audience and it hit him in the forehead. He fractured part of his skull and had to go to hospital, so there were big headlines about this big safety advocate being struck down. The story is so ironic and bizarre that it's been around the world, in the LA Times and the NME, so we have a pyro guy who's more famous than the band.

M: How about Mayhem?

TS: Well, they're infamous for being one of the most grotesque bands on the black metal scene. In the early '90s, these guys were burning churches and killing each other, but it's not so big in Norway now. They actually had a revival with this sheep's head incident, they were lucky to get some press. It's funny, 'cause when we do pyro, we're poking fun at the heavy scene. We twirl drumsticks and throw them in the air like the '80s drummers, we have a really tongue in cheek view of the whole thing, but these guys are completely serious. It's two worlds that collide.

M: But I read that you're also in a metal cover band.

TS: Yes, it's a fun thing I do with some friends. We put on a show about once a year where we dress up and play the '80s hits by Mötley Crüe, W.A.S.P., Iron Maiden.

M: Do you wear spandex?

TS: Luckily, I can sit behind the drum kit in regular shorts or short pants, but the guys in front dress up in spandex and leather and leopard print. Crazy!

With DJ Bjørn Torske at Club Soda
tonight, Thursday, July 3, 12am, $19.50

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