The Hives’ Last Day On Earth

Pelle Almqvist's final wishes

How would you spend your last day alive? Pelle Almqvist from Sweden’s the Hives will be laughing himself to death.

Where would you like to wake up?

I would like to wake up in my family summer house on the East coast of Sweden. It’s on its own island. It’s really neat, and it was my great-grandfather’s. He bought it between the wars. I would wake up there and it would be Spring, I think, because everything is ahead of you. There’d be an amazing breakfast already cooked.

What would you like to achieve on your last day?

I feel like I have done most things here on planet Earth that I have wanted to do but apart from that I think I’d have a child. It’d be a really fast pregnancy I guess. I think that’s one of the biggest parts of human experience that I have yet to go through, so if I am going to die I’d like to squeeze that in.

How would you spend the afternoon?

Maybe I would want to spend time with my child, but there are more things I want to do, so let’s hold on that. I would like to get moderately drunk walking around in a city with all my friends . I would like to be surprised by who shows up. We’d drink beer and liquor, maybe some red wine too. We’d be mixing everything, and there’d be no hangover the next day anyway!

You host a last supper. Who’s coming?

All of my friends would be there but there would only be fifteen at the table. Every time I look around the room there’d be different people there, and exactly the people I wanted to see at that time. I wouldn’t have any famous people because they’re never your image of who they are. If Jimi Hendrix was there I’d feel like I had to get to know him and talk to him.

What are you eating?

It should be a long supper so I’m eating Italian food – many portions. Iif I could be anywhere in the world for the meal I’d probably be in Italy. In Rome I think.

What would be your biggest regret?

Well if I didn’t have the kid that would probably be it. My biggest regret would be not being able to see my kid grow up I guess. This kid I just invented. I feel bad.

What is the last song you want to hear?

Well, we all get a little sentimental on our death-beds so it would be ‘What A Wonderful World’ by Louis Armstrong.

What would your deathbed confession be?

I don’t really have that much to confess. I’m pretty open about all my mistakes and all the bad things I’ve done.

What would your final words be?

‘There is nothing to be afraid of ’. Even though I don’t know that’s true I feel like that’s what people on Earth need to hear.

How are you going to die?

I would be awake and in the middle of this great big laugh. Someone tells the most amazing joke of all time and I’m old and grey.

Who would you like to meet at the Pearly Gates of Heaven?

My grandfather, because I haven’t seen him in a while, and it’s the only way to see him. Describe your vision of HeavenWell, since I’m an agnostic I don’t really have an image of Heaven. The concept is really nice but ultimately I feel like it’s something that the powers that be have invented. It’s a very good idea. Suffer through this life and there’s something great on the other side.

If you could be resurrected the next day then what would you come back as?

I would be a soaring eagle because dreams when you fly are the best dreams. I’ve dreamed of flying often and that would be a pretty good thing to do.

The Hives’ new album ‘Lex Hives’ is out now.

This feature appears in the August issue of Clash Magazine. Buy the issue via our Facebook store HERE.

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