Ghost's Tobias Forge: How I Wrote 'Square Hammer' | Metal Song of the Decade
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- čas přidán 15. 12. 2019
- #Ghost mastermind #TobiasForge talks with @grahamwire about writing 'Square Hammer' and the song being selected as Loudwire's #MetalSongoftheDecade.
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#SquareHammer #Popestar #Interview #Loudwire #Metal #2010s #Decade - Hudba
we all want someone who looks at us like the way Graham looks at Tobias
Stealthor you took the words right outta my mouth lol
SERIOUSLY
Ironic that your profile pic is the playboy Papa II unmasked
Omg I came to the comments to write that myself 😂
Graham wants to be the bride.
I ship it.
Tobias Forge looks like he manages a mid-sized Hot Topic
Lmao right
That's hilarious.😆😆
Maybe so, UNTIL he starts talking and you can hear that he is really intelligent and that "Hot Topic" part is a small bit of his business sense. I WISH he'd own a Hot Topic store, maybe THEN I could get me a "Papa Emeritus 3' action figure, I NOW have 2 Eddie of Iron maiden action figures. The "trooper" and "Piece of mind" Eddies. I DO wonder, are there any Papa Emeritus dolls/ aka Action figures anywhere?
@@juliegogola4647 yes, look up Super 7 company. Or type in Super 7 Ghost
LOl ,that heretic.
Now let’s get him on a *Hot Ones* interview
Jay Woody hahaha hell yeahhhh
If that happens it will channel all the Papas inside of Tobias
𝘆 𝗲 𝘀
@@thegamingwolf371 oh god that would be interesting...
Y E S
It's astonishing how he talks about writing "Square Hammer" so matter-of-factly and business-like. Basically, "we needed a killer opening song so I wrote one". Much, like Ricky Bobby, Tobias wakes up in the morning and pisses excellence. Writing amazing music is just so routine for him that it hardly registers as a conscious act.
If you ain't first, you're last
I read "Ricky Bobby" in the French accent lol
Well, I mean, that *is* what he gets paid for y’know.
@@diggervonzipper7755 people are paid for many things and yet rarely produce such awesomeness.
It's not as if he's composing complex music, most the stuff he creates is very simplistic.
As many has said, Ghost should cover "Don't fear the reaper"
MadMaxMan the Lord check ten second songs and erock. They did that song in the style of ghost.
I think they should do burning for you by boc
I love BOC and Ghost but Tobias has said many times including in this video that BOC has little to no influence in the band, so seems very unlikely sadly.
oh, how original... To boldly go where 137 other bands have went before.
Tell me, hipster poser : what's your second favorite song of BÖC? And you're not allowed to google.
@@staalhard4044 my second godzilla? Can I name another? Flaming Telepaths and Burning for You. Now silently go piss off with your elitism.
“Are you ready to swear right here right now before the devil?” Gives me goosebumps everytime
It’s are you ready to stand right here right now before the devil. Not swear.
@@infinitedarkness9476 Are you on the square?
Are you on the level?
Are you ready to swear right here, right now
Before the devil
That you're on the square
That you're on the level
That you're ready to stand right here, right now
Right here, right now.
It’s actually ‘swear’ and then later ‘stand’
@@kaitie2128 Thx, yeah I thought the OP got the lyrics right and he did! 😎
if you're on the square... if you're on the level
Same! And it's also bcoz it's about the dedication of soul! I just love it. Everytime more.
I actually really appreciate how kinda simple (for a lack of a better term) Tobias is. He just seems like a normal dude, not trying to be overly charismatic or flashy.
That is really the point of wanting to be anonymous and establishing a separate public persona. It goes beyond being a marketing gimmick or branding exercise. Unfortunately because of the lawsuit he got outed and so here we are.
Tobias is a great singer/songwriter, a genius in Heavy Metal. I love Ghost
Dark Christian ghost is NOT HEAVY METAL. ITS SCOOBY-DOO METAL
More like Occult Rock
maybe it's not heavy metal, it's still great music
I agree with everything except for the words "heavy metal". They're not metal. They're great, but not metal. From the Pinnacle to the Pit is about as close that they come but that isn't metal either. The image an subject matter suggests metal but the music says modern 70s rock, and there's zero wrong with that.
@@jamesstaggs4160 Heavy Metal is different to everyone, I think HM is JOURNEY, QUIET RIOT, W.A.S.P ETC ETC ETC I guess it means something diferent than each other
but it all works. cheerz
Tobias looks like a dude I could sit down and have a few beers with while having really good, chill time. Very down to earth.
I love how Tobias was on the square with this guy and leveled with him.
He has such flirty eyes for Tobias in this interview...lol
Honestly, who wouldn't have? Tobias is so perfect
@@annapaula290 I second this
Mm Tobias is perfection.
Darkside 1981 dudes in LOVE it’s so funny
And who wouldn't honestly?
"Just to sort of... prolong the agony for the haters"
I love him
He is so good at that.
*6:06* "aaah very high, highly, high, high, I high, in high regard" good job
I've never heard a Swedish person speak English so perfectly. I can't hear any trace at all of his native language.
teh rasmus there’s a little bit of an accent but his voice is pleasant.
you can tell for example when he says "musicians" at around 1:19. Swedes have a hard time differentiating between the different Z and S sounds in english. It's because swedish doesn't have these specific sounds
He really plays up the accent when they’re on stage
@@christophercarnes5225It's not a Swedish accent, he uses an Italian accent when he's on stage.
Most Swedish people I know speak better than Americans, especially use of vocabulary.
All these interviews with this Tobias Forge guy talking about Ghost makes me think that somehow, in a way, this Tobias Forge fellow, is associated with the band Ghost.. I could be wrong though.
I think you're onto something
You know too much. The Council will decide your fate.
This guy knows too much 🤔
Funny how people still think this guy is Papa.. They sound nothing alike. Greatest scam that underdeveloped metalhead brains believe
I think hes their manager or something but im not sure.
"Release and EP toward the end of the tour to prolong the agony of the haters more." I love this man.
it doesn't even look like they're in the same room. lol
That's my thought too! They look in two different countries in my opinion
I confess I did read this comment with a screaming voice in my head
Neil Lolmaugh I was thinking the same, interviewer sitting in front of green screen
It’s the same room. Same walls, one is on a sofa and the other is in front of a bed.
Looks like a hotel room.
I miss the interviews with emeritus, I would love to see cardinal copia giving this kind of interviews
Special ghoul!😁
none of the papas did interviews. Tobias dressed as fire did them as 'special ghoul'
@@alien_666 yes that's is true, at the end is the same person haha, I got confused by the way thanks for the correction
@@alien_666 The outfit had *all* the symbols on the right side of the chest.
Beyond fire, Special Ghoul *is everything.*
@@TheAssassin2299 Tobias acted as the lead guitarist because he's the songwriter. And all the meliora ghouls had every symbols, but each ghoul had its symbol highlighted.
Can we all just appreciate Graham’s smile and beard.
The beard looks great on him!
Loudwire has a love affliction with Ghost (and Slipknot). So why wouldn't he smile like he is?
Negative
Graham is handsome boy, big time.
I get a younger more mellow Rob Reiner vibe
They take a lot of flak but I kinda like Ghost, progressive, smart, fun. The Imperial patch on his jacket just sealed the deal. Oh and the love for the Heep, didn't hurt either.
Yeah he's on the dark side.
Progressive?! I guess, if aping Mercyful Fate & King diamond is considered a fusion of styles that is going forward & not back.
Well, both are right imo D
Squarehammer was the first ghost song I heard on CZcams music followed by cirice (which is my favorite followed by he is).
Followed by year zero
Same. I saw that awesome looking thumbnail for square hammer. Clicked it out of curiosity
@@mrthomas7511 SAME
Mine was the same but I think Ive heard year zero intro a bit earlier, and then was he is song. I know them for like 2 weeks so can somebody recommend some more cool songs like these?
Same but the first time i heard it was actually a video of a live show, gave them a try and now i listen to every single song
*When I smoke two too many blunts and get asked: "how high are you"?*
6:06
😂😂😂💀
😂😂😂😂😂😂
*blank shocked stare "very high, highly, in high regard" 🤣🤣🤣
me rn watching this at 4am
Night Hawk LoL
The way he looks at Tobias though 😍
This is why I love him. He is not above saying, "Hey I use someone else's shit to come up with my music."
7:40
Me, yelling scoldingly: “TOBIAS!”
The question as to where the decision came from to use the Nosferatu style of horror was a really good question. Bravo interviewer
Teddrick Rhodes and mention metropolis! I also thought it derived very much from that silent film!
@@joanofheart Albeit, he did give a fore warning, I still wish Forge's response to that question could've been a bit more exciting too. .
Teddrick Rhodes well it was an honest answer. Don’t see much of that in this day and age.
"If there's one band I listen to more than Blue Öyster Cult, it's Uriah Heep."
Makes sense. Always heard the BÖC influence but I wouldn't have guessed Uriah Heep, now that he's said it I can hear it tho.
This was the song that got me into Ghost in the first place and it's one of my favourite songs by them, it's just so freaking badass
He’s just so cool!
7:40 Graham loved that
5:50 he says basically we haven’t noticed something in the video.
PAPA IS ALIVE BECAUSE THERES TWO OF HIM!!!!!!!!!
That gave me a mini heart attack
Wut?! A twin?!?
There is also a cardinal in it.
Scott Aspill I think he was talking about the cardinal (the bird) that you can see on top of a tombstone, announcing the next singer was going to be Cardinal Copia
Georges Georges yes but that is a fairly known thing. He said something we’ve yet to catch. I’m just saying at the end of the video there is 2 papa 3s and we know that one is dead
The questions are very "advanced", like he expects some super deep stuff. And Tobias is so casual. Kinda refreshing. Maybe not what people expect.
they should all be like this. nervous interviews make me SO uncomfortable....!!
Miasma was the first Ghost song I every heard. I'm really late to the game, but that sax solo snatched my heart.
Miasma snatched Nihil's heart too
@@Ailrent hol up-
I'm always amazed when you watch him, Mikael Akerfeldt or even Richard Kruspe, speak and remember this is not their native language. The Europeans, in particular the Scandinavians, speak English so well. They're writing and performance of lyrics in a complete other language is an overlooked achievement in my opinion.
zachary b Thanks to our great education system and media is all in english (with subtitles).
zachary b i mean english is taught in schools throughout much of the EU
It's English.. not Estonian.
00:08 his little hand movement is sooo cute
This was interesting af. I'm not a fan of Ghost, but this definitely makes want to check them out. More of these types of interviews, please! I love hearing how musical artists create.
0:08 this hand move is hilarious 🙊
Oh, stop it you :D
Someone make a gif!!!
@@opethinchains hahahahahahahahahah PLEASE
😂😂😂
What about 7:40 LOL
Yep. That riff is what got me hooked on ghost. I'm a guitar player, and melodies get stuck in my head. Square hammer really got me. Great song.
I can't wait for the new song, next month. And the new album, later in the year!
There’s no song next month. He’s just going into the studio to record something for a project that’s coming fall next year. My guess it’s a live album/DVD
@Michael Love czcams.com/video/8viFUu9Qtbs/video.html
He is without a doubt the best single creator living in my opinion.
How many live in your opinion?
Square hammer has an epic sound that will be a classic forever!!! Love it!!!
7:40 You can leave Onkel Kånkel but Onkel Kånkel never leaves you
Ok listening to him talk you can hear a double pitch one high and one low.. I love this dudes singing. Got hooked on he is and then it grew from there. I could tell he was closer to a composer than a musician. The way he lays music out and arranges it ... just amazing
I love Tobias' patch for the Galactic Empire
I know right? Tobias is fucking awesome
I love your profile photo. Nightmares a awesome album
Amazing patch indeed!
Gosh....he is so beautiful
Cirice was the 1st Ghost song that got me into them. Square Hammer is the reason I'm a huge fan.
This guy being into BOC and Uriah Heep automatically makes him the greatest man alive.
I wouldn't mind if Tobias would be your new Corey Taylor. I just can't get enough of this man speaking.
And Tobias seems to know so much more about music in general.
@@VNeto94 it is obvious, he is Swedish )
Metalheads always be acting like they got a PhD in metal and know exactly where one genre ends and another begins
And at the end of the day it's all subjective anyways :D
@@Homanjer Not really no. Subgenres are quantifiable, and distinguishable.
@@BeardedDanishViking how?
@@Homanjer Types of Vocals, techniques used, tempo, types of gear, tuning, lyrical themes, instruments used, emotion, the phrasing, and crap like that
@@putridabomination but who draws the lines? Its the same argument ive always heard where people say a band is that certain sub genre and then someone else comes and says thats completly wrong because of some minor detail. I think you should always look at music with the intend of the musician AND NOTHING ELSE. Genres and such are literally just a way of grouping music which is kinda destroying the purpose of music in my opinion as music is always something unique. The only logical purpose for a genre is so that you can find similar to what you already like but even that never really seems to work as many bands and musicians are so inherently different that theres no real point in comparing them to others of the same genre. I just dislike the thought of grouping music and well you can see that it only causes conflict and rarely ever has any reasonable purpose.
You would think English was his main language. I love this man, he's a genius!
"this might happen in the future, i think even more than people have noticed" ...tobias totally added a new room to his house, didn't he?
Yes I want to know more about that he just skipped right over it.
it was the cardinal on the cross in the video, foreshadowing cardinal copia
Only day before yesterday met Cardinal Copia in Zurich show. And looking at this video I‘m again and again astonished, how good Tobias play the character up! Really alterego! )))
the opening riff gives me Dio's Rainbow in the dark vibes
Bruh I was literally just thinking that
Totally agree
Yup...most likely how he figured it out.
Yeah, I can hear that
And Type O Negatives My Girlfriends Girlfriend.
0:59 It’s so funny hearing people swearing in their native languages forgetting that they’re supposed to speak English.
Seeing this after the latest imperatour was interesting. Having kaisarion as their opening, and now ending on square hammer. Now makes it seem like they're packing a punch live. Like they're coming in fast but now making sure they leave an impact on the audience. One that's truly memorable
Watching an interview with Tobias in an Iron Maiden shirt made my life!!!
You look so happy interviewing Tobias. I think it's safe to say, you admire his work 😅👍.
I think I read somewhere that Tobias saw OZZY open his set at the 1989 Moscow Music Peace Festival with "I Don't Know" and that also influenced him to want a really rocking opening song for concerts- but his take on 'I Don't Know' in the form of "Square Hammer" became so successful it turned into the band's closer and more like their "Crazy Train." Plus now they use "Rats" for the opening song which ironically sounds kinda like "I Don't Know." Plus "Rats" also has a cool drum intro like Ozzy's "Over The Mountain." 😉
A Uriah Heep fan, great! They were my favorite band in the 70's.
Bought the Vinyl release of the song at a show for $60. NO REGRETS.
I love the fact that tobias always bigs up his influences. I've seen neil young pearl jam, soundgarden, monster magnet, ACDC, Metallica, megadeth, Alice in chains, faith no more, hawkwind and motorhead loads of times and Ghost belong in that elite category of rock and metal bands in terms of an excellent show.
5:15 WOOOOEEEEIIIEOOOOOUUH
killer tofu
I would like to hear Ghost cover "two minutes to midnight". I am a Maiden fan and a Ghost fan.
I wonder how they'd handle Rhime of the Ancient Mariner?
@@Ratkill9000 I can see Tobias being able to pull off the vocals of Rhime of the Ancient Mariner. Maybe the part where Bruce hits the HIGHEST note "sinks down like lead into the sea, then ???? comes the RAAAIIINNNNN!!!! Now, THAT may be a bit hard for Tobias to pull off, BUT, MAYBE he will be able to do it. Now, The Trooper may be a too high register for Tobias to pull off.
Midnight and The Trooper? That might be a stretch.
There is no Ghost fan who isnt a Maiden fan. Facts.
Such a great song with an unforgettable chorus 🤘
1:07 you were right it was so good and I can't go with the day without listening to that particular song
If Ghost were to get the song of the decade I would have chosen Secular Haze personally. I love the song, I love how cheesy the video was and I still show that to people who have, surprisingly, never heard of Ghost before as the introduction because the humor in the video and the lyrics is just so great. Square Hammer is a good choice though.
We need a Fred Armisen impression of Tobias
Lmfao. When worlds collide
Well deserved. Congratulations.
7:37 is the moment you are looking for... 😂😂
Song changed my life I heard it live in Dallas. I never heard Ghost was there for Iron Maiden but I found myself thinking man I want more of Ghost.
Tobias Forge is a magnificent genius 🖤
amazing musician
Loved that Uriah Heep and Blue Oyester Cult shout out!
*Ghost is 1 of my favorite bands. And Square Hammer is 1 of my most favourite songs of all time!! 😆 I think I've got a bit of a crush on Tobias, now, though. 😀 He's got a lovely face and a VERY nice personality! He's quite funny, too! I'd LOVE to see Ghost live! That's 1 of my biggest ambitions at the moment! 😆*
Love Square Hammer. Just learned to play it!
🤘 B O C ! another band before it's time. Seeing them live has Always been worthwhile.🤔 as was Rainbow in the 80's 🎸🎙🎶🎹
I wish they'd also gone into the lyrical content a bit. Like: Is it about the freemasonry yay or nay?
Definately is. The "are you on the square" and "are you on the level" are common phrases for the free masons, that much is known.
He has stated in some interviews that it is not about Freemasonry, but it sure seems like it is.
@@slyfox7273 prolly cause he doesn't wanna get disappeared lol
Yes. I believe he actually already confirmed that somewhere. Also if you read all the lyrics of the song there are more references to it being about a secret society.
Yeah I think so too
Keep those interviews with Tobias coming!!!
i’m only 10 seconds in and this is already so wholesome
Two of my favorite movies rolled into one music videos is awesome
I LOVE the Maiden shirt. Square hammer was the FIRST EVER song I heard by Ghost. I heard on my cars radio and went looking for MORE songs by Ghost online, here on CZcams. Tobias mentions "Uriah Heap" here, I remember seeing their albumn in the 80's in a record store with a "creature" with a GIANT "toothy smile" on the albumn cover. In that same record store I fell in LOVE with Iron Maiden's record "Maiden Japan" just by seeing the record cover and THEN when I heard it I was SO in LOVE with Maiden's music, I remember buying the LP and having to hide it in the back of my leather jacket so my parents would NOT know about it. It was the 80's and it was ALL "devil worship" hysteria, every frickin talk show had it on OPrah, Donahue etc.
I am sure IF my mom could see my CD of "Prequel" she'd be preaching at me, and I am almost 50 years old. I do want to buy the whole Ghost CD set, but, money is tight ya know.
Is no one gonna talk about 7:40?? No??
I gasped so loud it startled my mum lol She asked what I was watching and I didn't know what to say
Tobias interviews are the best!
love this guy🔥
Ghost is dope AF. There's a lot of old Sabbath, old Doors, some Deep Purple, beautiful, melodic shit. I love them
his eyes are actually so pretty it hurts
This was the song that introduced me to Ghost. It just popped up on here on the sidebar while I was watching a Rammstein video ... and immediately fell in love. 🖤 Sometimes CZcams gets me 🤣
He brings smile on my face.
I like, not love Ghost, but the song and video for "Square Hammer" is nothing less than brilliant. My favorite part is when Tobias is leaving the theater and does a Charlie Chaplin shuffle down the row of seats. The video for "Cirice" is another great visual with the vibe of a 1970's movie.
7:40 😂
Jami T What gets me the most is the way he cradles the balls wtf 😂
@@originalren The man knows what he likes 😂
Tobias es hermoso 😍😍
How is this the song of the decade, I'd already forgot it existed. Man.
From a lore standpoint, Square Hammer is interesting. In the music video, there's a cardinal on a grave in the film they're watching, foreshadowing the death of the Emerituses and rise of Cardinal Copia. Papa Nihil also get's foreshadowed (it seems) in the grave scene. Also, you can hear a bit of "Rats" in one part. You hear the ssong and watch the video without thinking of Prequelle.
Honestly, if a Ghost song was best metal song of the decade, it would be Cirice
👍👍👍
abel sanchez secular haze
Nah too slow
the riff on cirice gives me literally ALL OF IT. ALL OF IT. UGH. PLZ MORE SIR.
When a band can sell out not 1 but 2 week nights at the Forum in Los Angeles CA without a supporting act it's safe to say that band has MADE IT...Ghost is that band!
I love Uriah Heep, have many of their albums and magazines with their pic in it(Sound Exchange in Tampa was selling old magazines)
Now I know why I like Tobias and Ghost😍
The song that got me hooked, and I mean HOOKED to ghost.
Saw them sunday in Munich and in February in Stuttgart, so much power in his performance. When you see him here and on stage, it is hard to imagine that he and the Cardinal are actually the same person.
Love the shirt. I saw them open for Iron Maiden. Awesome show!
I get what he's saying about needing an opener but how it gets inverted. I saw this happen with My Chemical Romance. Early on in Black Parade they used "Famous Last Words" primarily as a closer but by the end 2 years later, there were several shows where they opened with it. It's like the energy or meaning of the song changes or takes on new different dimensions as the shows go on.