Page 125 - ION Indie Magazine SeptOct 2018

Stepping on the COMBICHRIST tour bus, ANDY LAPLEGUA (born Ole Anders Olsen) greeted ION Indie
Magazine warmly with a smile and a handshake. Despite what the lyrics to his music may lead you to assume,
the Norwegian industrial metal singer/song writer is extremely personable and approachable.

“I can’t remember not doing music,” Andy explained. “I was five-years-old, taking my dad’s cassette tapes. I
would pause the music and record over it, saying the same phrase the same way the artist did. Obviously, I
messed up all my dad’s cassettes,” Andy said with a laugh.

His mom’s side of the family are all musicians in the style of traditional Norwegian Folk. Andy’s uncles on his
dad’s side of the family love German speed metal and hair metal. One of his uncles would buy two copies of
every album, giving Andy one to keep for himself. When LaPlegua was nine-years-old, his uncle let him
choose which album to buy. “I picked it out just based on the cover alone. It was The Dead Kennedys album
“Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death.” LaPlegua fell in love with punk rock.

As the years went by, Andy stayed strongly connected to music and also got into competitive Motocross and
skateboarding. Several injuries resulted in eight fractured discs in his back, which took Andy away from
racing. LaPlegua channeled all his energy into his music.

Andy formed and contributed to several bands: Icon of Coil, Panzer, and Scandinavian Cock, to name a few
of his projects. “Some songs weren’t meant for a particular project. Songs begin in a different way and then
I would put them in the archive, edit them, or use them for something else,” LaPlegua said when asked about
his writing process. “Inspiration for my music comes naturally. I make a note of an idea, but certain times of
the year, I won’t tour. I write.”