Interview with Samuel / SEED OF PAIN

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Seed Of Pain are awesome, one of my favourite bands blablabla, they recently released a two song 7" on Cobra Records which is kind of a teaser for the new LP that is coming up. In the beginning they played music in the vain of "New School"/Post-Hardcore bands like BURN, 108 etc., from release to release they developed more and more into some kind of Post-Punk-Post-Hardcore-Post-Rock-Wave-Industrial kind of thing, which is very unique and: awesome. So here's an interview I did with Samuel, their guitarist.

Would you describe Seed of Pain as a pessimistic band?

I don't know. I mean, I can understand, if people see us that way. Especially, when they catch us live. We don't feel that it's neccesarily to thank the promoter on stage, speak out for certain values etc. The lyrics are mostly about personal and sociological problems, but they speak for themselves. And yes, we like dark music. Life - at least for me - is pretty boring and most humans I don't like neither. But on the other hand, you can have quite a fun time with us. We're not some Graveyard Goths. I sent some of the unmastered tracks from our upcoming release to some friends to ask them, what they think of it. One of the reviews we got is that the dark aspect of the music sometimes is a bit over-the-top. And even though, I normally couldn't care less about what other people think about our music, I can somehow understand this. Because, after all, it all just has to fit together the right way. And I really don't want to sound like a clichee.
We all know enough bands, trying too hard. Especially in the Hardcore scene. Upside-down crosses, some Illuminati-bullshit as well as one or two "Doom" bands, they came across on some messageboard. This pretty much seems to be all you need to start a new zeitgeisty band. Fuck that. Hopefully, we never get there...
So, bottom line: We may be a pessimistic band, I don't know, but we definitely don't want to force that image in any way.

Do you have an idea where this trend during the last years comes from? I mean, six oder seven years back it was hip to be into Nike Airmax und PMA and all this, now it kind of completely changed to a bunch of middle/upper class kids pretending to be as evil as possible.

I mean, I kinda lost track with a lot of new stuff. So I can't really say what's in and what's out. I just figured out, that playing Belgium or Germany, you almost every time play with the same kind of band, having the same image, topics and shirt designs. But I don't want to judge anyone. Six or seven years back, I've listened to BOLD and JUDGE as well. So, I think to change and evolt is something natural, especially while growing up. The only thing I ask myself is, why so many of them all change towards the same new style at the same time. It could all be a little more diverse.

Since the first time I've seen you, you've always done things different than other bands in that whole Hardcore-context. Your latest recordings can hardly be described as Hardcore anymore. Do you even feel yourself still as a part of the scene? Do you think that there is even anything like that?

Of course there is a scene, a network, a community. I can only speak for myself, but I'm really happy that I got to know some nice people through Punk music. On the other hand, I guess it's just the same with everything in life: You get bored, feel annoyed and begin to realise, that there is "something more". Like other music, other people, different points of view and so on. I don't see Seed of Pain as a Hardcore band. Still, most of the people listening to us, know us because of our Hardcore/Punk background. And it would be ridiculous to deny this. I don't really care, what kind of music people think we play, and I also have no problems if some Oi! Skin likes us. Though, matter of fact is: You will meet a lot of people during life without any clue about music. EVEN IN THE UNDERGROUNDxSCENE (I shit you not!)...

Are there people who are upset by your musical development?

Some! There could be more, though. But, we try our best. I reccently stumbled across a swiss Gothic/Industrial messageboard, where they were arguing about wether "true batcavers" might listen to us or not, since we also have some hard parts and after all, for them we are still a Hardcore band and not "real goths". Same with some Oldschool Hardcore Nerds. In they're eyes we're some sell-out-hipsters and whatnot. There are times, when we are frustrated about it, but mostly we enjoy our status. Or at least, that is what I do. Don't know about the others, since we hardly talk with eachothers about such stuff.

How can I imagine the typical SOP song writing process? Do drugs of any kind influence your song writing?

No drugs. A lot of songs are just ideas we get from listening to other music. All kind of music. Someone comes up with an interesting drum-beat or guitar effect. Mostly the outcome then sounds completely different than the initial idea. Sometimes we just fool around and something good comes to life. In the beginning of the band, it was mostly me who came up with an almost finished song and then tried to explain to everyone what they have to do. Luckily, this isn't the case anymore. By now, we're with six people. And who knows... maybe there are still more members to come. A lot of times, some of us just hang around in the rehearsal room and try out something. Then, it gets recorded on some shitty dictaphone and sent to all the comrades. Some other band member then may think, it sounds like crap, and then we start all over again. There is no classic way of songwriting in Seed of Pain, but most stuff gets put together in a very democratic way.
Drugs are bad. Stop the madness. Okay, maybe there were certain sessions....

Have some of you ever considered to play certain musical preferences in side projects/bands? Why did you choose to incorporate all these influences into one band, SOP?

Actually, there are other projects with Seed of Pain members like Evje, Youth+Laughter or Hollow Bone. As well as some more without names. The point with SOP is, once we started, we said to ourselves, that we would like to make constant progress. Even though, we didn't know in what way we would drift, it was an unspoken rule, that everything is allowed. Maybe we would have gotten more attention, if we would have changed the name with every release. There are people around who might like our new stuff but they won't even give it a try, since they think, we're a common Hardcore band. Or maybe we should have stuck with "new school 90ies hardcore", so at least we could get some shows... But nevermind, we like messing around with all this. I'm proud of my fellows, that we're still enthusiastic about music and that nobody of us is stuck in his niche. I'm pretty sure, that we will continue to make music for a long time. Without anyone noticing us. Just because we can, haha!



Why is it so hip these days to be into Joy Division?

Because, "classics never go out of style". I'm too young to say this, but still: Thinking of it, I can imagine, that the late seventies/early eighties had a similiar vibe in society comparing to the times we're living in. But yeah, it's obviously chic nowadays. I'm a big fan of Joy Division, and I think everyone who is interested in Punk music should at least know about the band. So, I don't think it's a bad thing. All those fancy boys and girls claiming to be huge fans probably don't even own records of 'em. They also won't know about other bands in the same vein. But that's okay. I don't exept people to be as enthusiastic about music as I am.

When did your enthusiasm about music start? Could you describe your personal musical development? What do you think is the reason that some people like you and me are kind of obsessed with music and everything behind and around, and others are just happy with listeing to the radio?

How should I know, why other people (don't) listen to music? I for example don't care about Soccer or video games. Why? I don't know and don't care. Music has just always been the biggest fascination in life for me. My father let me know about good music when I was still fairly young. A bit later I got to know some older dudes here in the area, who told me a lot about Punk, Hardcore and Metal music. I came in touch with bands such as SxTx, BL'AST or 7 Seconds. Later on I discovered all the good Revelation Records bands as well as the at the time almost dead New School Florida Mosh stuff. Besides that, I always had an open ear for other music styles, though most of the music didn't have an impact nearly as big as Hardcore and Punk music did.
The most music I listen to mostly today I still relate to the Punk-movement somehow (considering it's attitude and ethics). But some might see this different.

Next plans?

We got two records planned. One will be our second full length called "Red Suns". Two of the songs you can already listen to on our bandcamp page or on our 7" "Ruins of Men" out on Cobra Records. We recorded 10 songs for the album in January and are now busy with mixing/mastering as well as the artwork.
Then there will most likely be another - yet untitled - record with five songs we recorded just a week ago. However, we will have to rearrange some of the tracks, so we're yet far from finished. The five Songs definitely don't have anything to do with Hardcore or guitar music at all. I'd say it has a Industrial/Ambient feel to it. Personally, I've never been as exited about any of my own music as with this. Hopefully, it'll turn out the way we want it to sound.
We're currently without any record label and we're not really sure about this whole issue. Maybe we are going to release the new stuff on our own, since we're no "good selling" or touring band. Besides that, we have tons of ideas for the layout and most labels don't want to pay for all those great ideas we have, haha. I don't blame them.
And then, last but not least we might try to tour Europe, once the records are done.

What's the best thing about being in a band for you?

There are two things about it. For one, I just enjoy making music. There is no other thing in life that I've yet discovered, which gives me the same feeling. Currently, I pretty much work the least I need to, so I can spend the rest of the days and nights for jamming, recording or rehearsing with different projects and people. I know, this is basically a pretty hopeless cause and I don't feel like I may once earn a living off it, but I don't care.
Then second: I just have the best people around me for a band like Seed of Pain. I couldn't imagine anyone better. It's a pack of six idiots, all middlefingers up in the air and that's pretty much it.

A new dawn rising: six new bands

When you're in a band that plays shows on a quite regular basis it's probably unavoidable that you get to know loads of new bands. Most of the time local ones that are opening, and more often than not those bands aren't that great - probably the reason why most of them never leave ther "local band" status. However, sometimes it happens that those new bands leave a good impression, may it be because they are totally rad people or the music and performance is really inspiring. Within the last few months we played with a couple of new/young bands that appealed to me in a way or another - so I decided to feature six new bands on this blog. The rules are easy: six bands, the same five questions to each band. Enjoy this and support the bands!

The bands are:
Lightbearer
Juggernaut
Infected
Coldburn
Mind Trap
Soultrader

Lightbearer are from Essen, Ruhrpott, Germany. We played their first show with them, and as far as I remember it was the best first show I've ever seen. In addition, their bass player Ansgar is one of the raddest persons I know.


When have you startet the band and what is your motivation?
Our drummer Marcel and I (bass) started the band almost one year ago. It took us a few months to find a singer and the guitarplayers. We started the band because we wanted to play heavy music that fits our taste and we needed an excuse to have some beers during normal weekdays.

Name three bands that influenced your music and/or attitude...
Speaking for the whole band I would say that Pantera is definitely number one. Next is Down and at the moment The Sword for one half of the band and High on Fire for the other half.

...and now tell what makes you unique.
We have really nothing that makes us unique. We are just a bunch of guys who like to play heavy music and drinking beer.

Your lyrics usually deal with...
Anger, Frustration, Destruction, and Death... keep it metal... haha. But I think we´re going in for Satan next time... hahahaha

Your next plans as a band?
Honestly speaking, there is no real plan at the moment. We just want to play some good shows and hang out with friends. Hopefully, we´ll find a label soon and have a 7" produced. We are also talking to some friends to have a split 7" in a few month and if we are lucky we can play a tour next year and have enough money to hit the studio again.

Download "Ready To Fall" by Lightbearer via mediafire
Lightbearer on myspace

A wild band from Vienna, Austria. Hard partying whiskey drinkers and hell raisers with the heart in the right place. Love 'em.


When have you startet the band and what is your motivation?
I think our first practice was some time around December 2008. We never had a certain goal in mind or anything, we just wanted to write some songs, have some kinda outlet, you know.. and yeah, that's still what it's about.

Name three bands that influenced your music and/or attitude...
I hate such questions, they're always pretty hard to answer as there are usually a billion of influences and they change on a daily basis. However, there are of course some constants, recently including mainly Cleveland/Holy Terror style bands, and a lot of Thrash and Death Metal classics, such as Kreator or Bolt Thrower.

...and now tell what makes you unique.
Well, we're still trying to find what you could call our own sound. As we develop as human beings throughout the years, so do our creations, and the more music we write and play, the more distinct our ideas become. In the last time, we tried to break out of that generic hardcore song structure our demo songs still had. I don't know if that makes us unique, but we actually just want to create music that we ourselves like at the very moment, the song comes into existence. Everything else would be kinda strange anyway, I think.

Your lyrics usually deal with...
The usual stuff: feeling confused, disoriented and misplaced in this world. This is of course very generalized but sums up everything quite well, haha.

Your next plans as a band?
As mentioned before, we're still working on finding a unique sound. Something that doesn't feel like the music we write actually came from someone else. This is our music, so we want it to sound that way. Of course we also want to do everything every band wants to do like releasing a lot of records, getting rich and never having to work again.

Download "Néant" by Juggernaut via mediafire
Juggernaut on myspace

Infected are from Saxony, Germany. We shared the stage twice. They instantly got my attention with their super heavy, no bullshit attitude. There are many bands doing the super-fast-meets-super-slow-thing right now, but Infected are able to scare you


When have you startet the band and what is your motivation?
We startet in fall 2007 as a side project, with honestly no expectations, but in early 2009 Infected became our main band. The only motivation was just to hang out, having a great time together and creating a beast that contains powerviolence, doom, metal and punk.

Name three bands that influenced your music and/or attitude...
Eyehategod, Mind Eraser and some 80's stuff like Depeche Mode, Phill Collins etc.

...and now tell what makes you unique.
Uhhh, hard question, don't know, we're just a band playing the music we like. The people who listen to our shit should decide if we're unique or not. We don't care.

Your lyrics usually deal with...
Disbelief & SATAN!

Your next plans as a band?
Artwork and master for the split with Mind Trap are finally done. Hopefully it will be released in November. Also in November or December we will recording a few new songs for another split with our mates from Dresden in Equality, if you're into Botch or Converge, check them out. And of course, playing shows as often as we can.

Download "Glamour and Gloom" by Infected via mediafire
Infected on myspace

To be honest, we've never played with Coldburn so far. A fact that sucks, because they're great. As easy as that. I know Christian, one of their guitarists, when we were touring together with his old band The Realness. If Coldburn can get their shit together, they could get big.


When have you startet the band and what is your motivation?
We started the band in autumn 2009 and our motivation was to play hardcore music the way we like it. I guess theres nothing more to say about it.

Name three bands that influenced your music and/or attitude...
Terror, HopeCon and Biohazard.

...and now tell what makes you unique.
I think its hard to say what makes a band unique in times, when there are so many bands around. Were definitely doing our own thing, but were also influenced a lot by music we‘ve heard, shows we‘ve seen and the lives we‘ve lived. We dont know if we are really unique and in the end its up to the listeners and show-visitors to decide if we are.

Your lyrics usually deal with...
Situations and experiences we had, made and learned from. Since most of the stuff which had huge impact on us were feelings like anger, letdown and hard times we shout out about that. However, we dont like to be considered as a negative hardcore band cause in the end were all pretty nice guys and our message definitely has a positive outlook. But to sing about being in love and partying wouldn‘t fit the musical idea.

Your next plans as a band?
We recorded songs for a 7inch which is coming out this winter on Worship Records. Apart from that we wanna play as many shows as possible, meet more great people on the road and hopefully go on our first tour next year.

Download "Catcher in the Rye" by Coldburn via mediafire
Coldburn on myspace

In a review of their demo I wrote that they remind me of a glue sniffing version of Infest. Well, they still do. Playing with them is always cool, and just like their friends of Juggernaut they like to have a nip of liquor now and then.


When have you startet the band and what is your motivation?
We started with Mind Trap in early 2009! Our motivation? It’s the best feeling when we see people going nuts and singalong to our music.

Name three bands that influenced your music and/or attitude...
Infest, Neanderthal and Mind Eraser.

...and now tell what makes you unique.
Well, each of us has a stunning, beautiful, cute and intelligent girlfriend. Be jealous!

Your lyrics usually deal with...
This fucked up place we call earth and these fucked up things we call humanity and religion.

Your next plans as a band?
At the moment we are playing a game. It’s called “Who in the band can be the laziest?”. But in the next few weeks a split 7” with Infected from Germany will come to life on Power Trip Records. Our plans for the next year are simple, release the first LP and play as much shows as we can. Thanks for your support. All of you should listen to Avalanche!

Download "20080509" by Mind Trap via mediafire
Mind Trap on myspace

My first impression of Soultrader, when we played with them a few months ago, was: "Damn, their intro sounds kinda like SOD." All in all, Souldtrader doesn't sound like SOD, but they're a good band anyway haha. They recently released a 7" called "Inner Universe", so check that out!

First of all we have to say that it's difficult to entirely answer these questions without neglecting some personal aspects because subordinating five individuals in one group never engenders an unmitigated result. Nevertheless, here we go...

When have you startet the band and what is your motivation?
We started around May 2009 after different other projects with the intention to create a personal escape out of reality and just beeing creativ. As a band and as five individuals we try to slip through the daily torture while making music and writing lyrics which just reflects the liaison of all of us.

Name three bands that influenced your music and/or attitude...
Hard to choose only three from tons of stunning bands out of over 30 years “hardcore/punk history”. We would say that we are influenced by many different genres which are mainly based in the hardcore/punk/metal movement. Especially the 90s took our fancy. Naming only three bands would cause a misrepresentation, so this has to be enough.

...and now tell what makes you unique.
Listen to our records and tell us.

Your lyrics usually deal with...
...personal emotions, problems, experiences and/or politics; both packed up in a garment out of metaphers and destined to make you think.

Your next plans as a band?
We try to play as many shows as possible. Furthermore SOULTRADER will write and record some new songs for a planned 10”. Therefore we search for supplementary labels (next to Demon Spawn Records). So hit us up.

Download "Inner Universe I" by Soultrader via mediafire
Soultrader on myspace

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Old Integrity Interview on xStuck in the pastx

Just a short notice: besides tons of other great stuff related to 90ies Hardcore there is an old Integrity interview from the 90ies on xStuck in the pastx. Dwid's spitting hate towards new wave douche bags wearing Smiths shirts, which hasn't lost any of its relevance hahaha. Check that out here.

Interview with A389 Records

If there's one label at the moment, where I could buy blindly nearly every release, knowing that it will be good, it's A389 Records from Baltimore. The label's basically done by Dom, who's probably best known for his guitar playing in Pulling Teeth. I wanted to do an interview, and the first thing that came on my mind was A389, so I asked, and here it is. Enjoy. 

To start, could you please tell me a little bit about the beginnings of A389 Records? I came across the label shortly after the release of the first Pulling Teeth 10", was that the first release? What was your basic idea behind the label at the beginning?

The label started in 2004 as an avenue to put out records I liked by my friend's bands.  My band at the time Slumlords was playing a lot, and it was a good way to introduce people to a lot of bands from home that didn't get to make it out as much. Our first release was by a 7" by a baltimore band called Bring It On.  Kinda sounds like Sheer Terror/Breakdown type stuff.  I remember the artwork on that one being pretty cool.

Are you doing everything completely on your own or are there other persons involved in A389?

I handle the majority of everything label related while a revolving door of people pop in and out to help whenever they can with mailorder, assembly, PR work, whatever.  The longest standing other person involved with the label would be Dwid.  He's been involved on the design end of the records pretty much since the beginning and is still a huge help with every release.

Ok, jack-ass question: where does the name A389 come from? What does it mean?

Once again going back to the time I was playing in Slumlords, we all used to work for this eviction company which is how the idea for the band first came about.  When performing an eviction in Baltimore, if you are securing an abandoned property with a padlock, they keycode we had to use at the time was A389.  I always thought that sounded cool, and was a funny nod to all the people I worked with by day.

How hard is it to manage playing in an busy band like Pulling Teeth, doing a well running label and doing a "real" job besides that? (I assume you have to do so?) Do you even have any time left for anything else?

Days go by really quickly that's for sure. 2009 went by in the blink of an eye.  I pick up random p/t jobs when things are slow, but feel like I'm wasting time.  I could be doing so much more.  So right now I'm just doing the label and bands f/t.  It gives me time to spend with my girlfriend and my cats...aaaaaaand work on side projects.

So are there any side projects you want the world to know about or is it more like top secret?

Virgin Witch has a record out on Free Cake.  Hatewaves just recorded it's 'Taste The Beast' Demo, a few others with no names yet ...

Could there be an A389 Records without Pulling Teeth and reverse?

There was an A389 before PT was even a band, and there will probably be one after PT is done.  But PT is definitely the flagship band on A389.  I like to think they go hand in hand to an extent though.  I love the way all the first press PT records turned out.

Are there any labels that are role models for A389?

I always admired Back Ta Basics records growing up.  The records were nothing fancy but you got to check out a bunch of cool bands that Rick would come across on tour.  I loved that it was so barebones and all that mattered was the music, not the layout.  On the other side of the coin, I admire labels like Deathwish and Robotic Empire for stepping up and doing the exact opposite and presenting more of a complete package with artwork and music.  Throw in the mysterious nature of the Dark Empire Record Co. and you've got a recipe for awesome.

Would you say that music and artwork are equally important? Or what counts more in your opinion?

I'd say music more than artwork, obvious if you're in a situation where someone is playing you a song or you're listening to an MP3, you can focus on the song and nothing else.  But if you have a physical record in your hand and it looks bad, it kinda cheapens the experience.

What do you expect from a band you release? Is there a typical "A389 deal"?

It's always nice when a band takes initiative and plays shows and hustles records on their own. Touring or at least being an active band doesn't hurt either.  The two newest bands I've picked up Seraphim (from MS) and The Love Below (from CA) are both really enthusiastic new bands and I'm stoked to be working with them.  As far as a typical A389 deal there really isn't one, it varies on the project.

Besides releasing records by new(er) bands A389 also rereleases records that have been long out of print or never had a release on vinyl, I wonder how that happens? I mean for example the Gehenna or Ringworm 12"s, did the bands come to you and asked if it would be possible and so on or did you ask the bands? Have there ever been any problems with the labels that released those records in the first place?

I usually approach the bands in situations like that.  There hasn't been any licensing issues with any of that stuff.  I do my best to make sure no one is being left out.

So far A389 only released vinyl, do you think that there'll be CD releases in the future as well?

Probably not.  I think the Gut Instinct discog will be our only CD release.  Maybe the Day of Mourning discog if I ever get around to it.

You've released a lot of records by bands that are/were somehow linked to the Holy Terror/Clevo Hardcore thing, what's your connection to that scene and what makes that music so fascinating in your opinion? Do you see any chance to rerelease records by the more obscure bands of that era like Pale Creation, Asphalt or Mayday?

It's been my favorite style of hardcore for as long as I can remember.  Hearing Systems Overload for the first time in my life when I was just out of high school was a life changing experience for me.  I grew up listening and going to see those bands as often as possible and just became friends with a lot of them.  I would love to do a Mayday discography.  I've tried a few times but had a hard time getting it together.  PT was going to cover Staplegun at one point, but that never ended up happening.  That Asphalt CD was pretty neat from what I remember, it's been years.  And Pale Creation is so much more than a band.

What's exactly the problem with the Mayday discography, is it just hard to get the master tapes?

Pretty much yes.  Last time I tried it was just too hard to pull together, but you never know what can happen...

If you could choose whatever band you'd like to release on A389, which one would it be and why?

An unreleased Haymaker record would be the ultimate for me.  

Most bands on A389 are located between Hardcore and Metal, could you imagine to release records by, lets say a post-punk or indie band for example?

Sure.  I just put out whatever I think is cool.  I think there is somewhat of a typical A389 sound, but  there have been some random offshoots in the catalog that may not make sense against most of the releases (Supreme Commander, Pala etc).  I like those bands and those records so whatever.  We're doing a Roses Never Fade LP next year and they're like a neo-folk group.  Good music is good music.

Which A389 release makes you proud the most and why?

Well the PT 'Paranoid Delusions' 12" was definitely the coolest looking record I've ever been involved with.  Getting a 12x12 lenticular hologram cover made is as big of a pain as it sounds.  I love all every release for different reasons.  The Everyday Dollars pre-order 7" that came with a 3-D cover and glasses was pretty rad....The invisible ink on the Rot In Hell LP....I guess just getting to release records by my favorite bands of all time still blows my mind.  Integrity, Ringworm, Gehenna...Bottom line is I'm stoked.  Across the board.

What are the future plans for A389 Records?

Seraphim from MS.  They sound like Mastodon/Baroness and are awesome.  Love Below from California sound like Left For Dead/Haymaker.  That lost Millennial Reign recording will finally see the light of day.  Roses Never Fade.  New Integrity + Pulling Teeth jams.  Oh and more Gehenna.

Thank you!

A389 Records

A389 Records on myspace.com

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Lost in: The Facts

After consuming quite some decent red wine and quite some decent Iron Maiden records I've finally decided to do the world's first and only special about an infamous and notorious band called: The Facts. The Facts were a Hardcore band from Münster/Oelde (Germany), which only released a demo and split 7". So you may ask, there are thousands of bands that only release a demo and 7", what's the fucking deal? To explain that, I have to tell you a little bit about myself. After graduating from school I moved from the small village I grew up and lived in to Münster, which is about 800kms from where my parents still live. Of course Münster isn't a huge city, but it had (and still has) a quite vivid Hardcore (or more general: music) scene going on, mainly due to the fact that a lot of students live here. So one of the first bands I could get in touch with on a personal level was The Facts. Another interesting fact (LOL) about The Facts is, that the other band on the split 7" was a band called The Swords, which featured members of Ritual, a band every single Hardcore kid on the planet knows, or should, at least. The Facts basically broke up after their first real tour; their bass player Lars left the band shortly before, one of their guitarists, Manuel, during that tour. They finished that tour with Ritual's guitar player on bass if I remember that right. The bass player went to sing in my band, Goldust, The Facts' singer Marc had (and maybe has) various Hardcore bands, Manuel became a roadie for German's transitory indie band Madsen and later played a short time in a band called The FA, but that's already years ago. Ebbing and Waddim (drums and guitar) are still around, chances are good you've already saw them when they where on the road with Ritual.
What can I tell you about The Facts' music? Obviously it was heavily influenced by Some Girls and Unbroken; further influences probably were American Nightmare and Daughters. Their style of Hardcore definitely was fast. I mean, really fast, fucking pissed and it had that weirdo attitude bands like Some Girls had. But I'd say you download the one and only The Facts discography to get the picture yourself. Contained are the demo tracks, the songs from the split 7" with The Swords, five unreleased songs from the same recording session and the promo recordings they did 2006 after their disastrous tour, which weren't released as well. I'm not sure about the line up they had then, I guess Mark, Ebbing and Waddim still were in the band, but I don't know anything in detail. Thanks to Christoph for giving me those promo recordings, I think those are the best songs The Facts ever did. Another interesting fact about the pictures in this post: they were taken by Robert, who later played (and still plays) guitar in Goldust. The interview posted here was done for Final Expression Fanzine #2 by myself after the show where the pictures were taken, which took place at 3/11/05 at a show where The Facts supported Sex Positions at the Baracke in Münster.

Who still doesn’t know The Facts from Münster/Oelde should remedy this ASAP. At least if you’re into fast, true, emotional and modern Hardcore. I’m into it, how couldn’t you like a band that covers Limp Wrist?! So we did this interview after a Sex Positions show in the Baracke in Münster where The Facts were opening. The interview was done with Mark (M), Lars (L) and Manuel (MA) by Robert (R) and me (C). Shit talking galore, check it out:

C: Ok, what do you think of Sex Positions that played just before? (laughing)
L: I think we have the same opinion.
M: Well, I enjoyed watching them, but it didn’t knock me out or something.
R: Perhaps they still were a little bit tired.
M: Yeah they had a long flight and everything. (Manuel’s joining)
L: Hey dude, what do think of the Sex Positions show?
MA: Quite alright, but not like on the records. But I guess it’s hard to play it live like on the records.
R: The sound was a little thin I think.
M: Usually they have two guitarists, but one of them stayed at home.
L: I think there’s only one founding member left.
M: Who’s that?
L: The singer… no the guitar player… I don’t know. Well two days before the tour the second guitar player said he wouldn’t do it, he wouldn’t be into it anymore or something like that. Anyway, we wanted to talk about the show. I thought the dancing style of the singer was quite funny.
R: Would have fit to Righteous Jams as well.
L: Yeah but also to…
M: David Bowie. (laughing)
MA: David Bowie is cool!
M: He’s awesome!
L: Well, it was ok, but they’ll have to come up with little bit more.
M: They have another chance in Bremen; there they’ll play as well. I’ll check them out there for sure, too.
C: Ok, so if you’d tell me who everybody is and what he’s doing in The Facts?
L: I’m Lars, I play the bass and… I’m into the thoughts of the band as well.
MA: Manuel, guitar.
M: I’m Mark, the singer.
C: Manuel, you haven’t played in the band from the beginning, have you?
MA: No we started to rehearse together around January the first, because they needed a second guitar player. Because the song writing should evolve.
L: I think we’ve done that quite well. And we played our first show with you in Münster as well I think.
MA: No our first show was in Recklinghausen.
L: Yeah with the complete new line-up with Sidetracked and The Swords. Anyway, Manuel is a very good addition to the band… no, he’s even more, he’s really doing much more for the band.
M: And he looks good doing this.
C: That’s important as well.
R: For the appearance of the band at least.
L: A little bit of slutiness is definitely ok… (laughing)
C: And how have The Facts been running before Manuel joined?
M: At the very beginning The Facts only were two people, me and Waddim, I also played drums on the demo. Of course we needed someone to play the drums live, so Ebbing joined us, because he also plays in my other band Dead Man Walking, then I asked Lars if he’d be into it, and later Manuel joined us as well. Now we’re a complete band, we want to rock this year [he really said that…], get something done.
C: Yeah you’ve mentioned a 7”…?
L: We’re going to release a split 7” with The Swords, which is basically people of Lotus [which was pre-Ritual] playing some kind of Swing Kids–vegan mosh you could say, the record should be released by the end of April.
MA: More like May.
L: Yeah May, on Goodboys Records.
C: Who’s writing the lyrics, you? (to Mark)
M: Yes I wrote all the lyrics for the new 7”, at least of the three new ones, I wrote all the demo songs and five new lyrics have been written by Lars.
L: Basically we’re sharing that. If one of us has a cool idea we’re looking at it together, work on it, add something or erase something. I think Mark and I complement pretty good. I guess what we put down to the paper is worth a look.
C: The lyrics are quite emotional and personal, is that something you do intentional, that you want to write about stuff like that exclusively, or could you imagine to write about different things as well, politics for example?
M: We even have a political song on the new record; I think it’s really important to have political content in the lyrics. One song always has to be a little bit different.
L: The basic ideals are anti-homophobia, so you could say we’re homophile, go veg, v-e-g, vegetarianism definitely, the opinion about straight edge differs a little bit. Oh and although it’s no part of the lyrics we’re definitely anti-sexism. But the question was about emotions. It’s like that, I deliver a big part of the lyrics and… I couldn’t write about something else but things that affect me. I always try to keep it as complex and abstract as possible, so everybody can get something out of it, and I hint things pretty often. You wouldn’t find that latest suicide-chic trend openly in our lyrics. That’s nothing we want to support as a band. But in general the mood we want to get across is quite desperate.
MA: But I think we’re always getting put into that pigeonhole, suicide-scarify-core or something like that.
L: Yeah I even read the definition lately “…at the next arterial-cutting club” or something like that. I think that was in the latest Green Hell catalogue, for the new Suicide File record, “if you don’t have all the 7”s you can buy the LP and impress everybody at the next arterial-cutting club”, something like that. But that’s really not cool. Suicide isn’t something cool and shouldn’t be glorified.
C: Another question, your influences are quite obvious, you can tell by listening, the cover songs you’re playing are speaking for themselves I guess?
MA: What do you think our influences are?
C: Well stuff like American Nightmare, Some Girls definitely, Unbroken, bands like that. Am I right or completely wrong?
MA: Waddim and I are writing most of the music now, before that there also was a lot of Trash influences. The new songs are heavily influenced by American Nightmare and Frostbite, Some Girls, too, but good Rock music as well. I also listen to good Rock music and that influences me, too.
C: Ok, now a quite generic question, what bands have been the most important for you the last few years?
L: Dude…
MA: I’ve been waiting for that question my whole fucking life!
C: Ok, go on then!
R: In the last five to ten years maybe.
L: I’m about to say Atomic Kitten, their break-up hit me quite hard…
(nobody’s talking anymore for a while)
MA: I won‘t begin, you’ll have to, I’m still thinking.
M: Should we do a top 5?
MA: Everybody a top 5.
L: Top 5… dude how long will that tape keep running?
C: Like half an hour or something.
L: Ok, let’s think about it some more…
MA: American Nightmare is definitely on top, I listened to a lot of Refused, hm, now I have to think again… Foo Fighters were quite influential, and besides that… at the moment I’d say… no I won’t say that. Please, you should go on, I’ll name two more afterwards.
M: Straight on top Guns’n’Roses, no contest. I grew up on their music.
L: Within the last five years?!
M: Oh, the last five years? Come on, let it be a little longer. Then, AN definitely, but to be honest that didn’t hit me that hard, I mean, was about time wasn’t it?
MA: It’s not about breaking up, isn’t it? Just about bands in general.
M: Anyway… Suicide File was hard, Panic… I don’t know. Got the records too late to see them live. Whereas Panic never even were here. [I don’t think Mark really got the question]
L: Yet!
M: Yeah they’re coming, so I can check them out. And besides that Some Girls most definitely, awesome.
L: So it’s my turn I guess, first: Genesis. I love Phil Collins, Phil Collins is God.
R: You know you’re about getting stigmatised as a yuppie?
L: I don’t care! Phil Collins because Genesis was my very first CD on my very first CD-player. Second, pretty cliché, American Nightmare. Unbroken really blew me away when I first heard Absentee Debate around 2000 or something. Count Me Out was very influential for me, at least the last two years. And Texas Is The Reason.
MA: Ok, I still have Highscore to mention, I can’t forget them, because I love Highscore. And… hm…, I want something really old… it’s between Chain Of Strength and Judge, can I take both?
C: Yeah.
MA: Fits anyway.
C: OK, last question, what do you want to reach with The Facts?
L: We’ve been to the studio lately to record nine songs, three of them will appear on the split 7”, three or four, that’s not so sure yet, we don’t know yet what will happen with the rest of them.
MA: We’re also on a sampler on Horrorbiz records.
L: Oh yeah, three songs right? [I don’t think that sampler ever got released. If so nobody bought it]
MA: Exactly. And then we want to release all those songs including the demo on a proper release. We’re looking for a label to do that right now.[Never happened]
L: Then we want to play lots of shows, not only regional ones, and to go on tour.
MA: Yeah, touring, I’ve got nothing else to do anyway.
M: We really wish to play a lot, to do a small tour for 10 to 14 days this winter, and we hope to get support from labels or booking stuff.
L: Hey we have a myspace profile, that will happen all on its own.
MA: Yeah, the world goes myspace. [those were the times…]
C: How did your connection to The Swords happen by the way? Because you’ve also shared the stage here in Münster a while ago.
MA: And before that in Recklinghausen. Well, they’re cool guys, we talked with them, Mark spoke to their singer in the parking lot, we said we’ll do a split 7” and that’s the way it was.
L: I know the guys from The Swords a little bit longer because of their other band Lotus, which is pretty cool, in the meantime they’ve become really good. The new songs are sooo good. I’m in contact with Phillip, their drummer, and he told me he had a new band, sent me a demo, and I think it’s incredible.
MA: The demo’s amazing. I’m curious about the 7” songs, they’ll be hard, those guys are amazing.
C: OK, if you have any shout outs, go!
MA: Be sure to check out Some Came Running [another breeding ground; their guitar player is now Goldust’s bass player, their bass player Nico did Blacktop Records and now plays bass in Storm and Stress, just to give you two examples], check out Short Fuse from Münster, who else needs to get checked out… November 13th from Hannover, cool guys definitely.
L: I think you always should take a close look at a band, what kind of people you have there.
MA: Support your own scene, not only US bands. Although we’ve just played for an US band haha. Support local bands not only hyped ones.
L: A little less Metalcore would be good, too.
MA: More Old School and Punkrock. More Reggae haha.
C: You’ve just mentioned hyped bands, which bands are overrated in your opinion?
MA: Justice. Just can’t understand that. Righteous Jams as well. I can understand the hype around Dead Stop and Restless Youth, they’re really good. And Short Fuse is good as well.
C: Ok, thanks a lot for the interview!
M: We have to thank you! L: How did you like the show today?
C: I think it was really good, no shit, one of the best shows the last months.
L: I was afraid nobody would show up because of Converge.
MA: I don’t know Converge, I only listen to Hardcore… THE BEATLES! I FORGOT THE FUCKING BEATLES!!! Fucking shit man, I’m waiting my whole life for that chance…
L: Just erase Chain of Strength. Or better, Chain Of Strength-Slash-Beatles.
MA: There’s no band that’s better than the Beatles, everybody who says something against the Beatles can fuck off out of my whatever fucking something.
C: So we’re done? Thanks, good night!
L: Thanks

Interview with Even Worse

I did this interview for the now disfunct German skateboard magazine Boardstein, but since I don't know if the interview got really released in the last issue they did, and if so it was a very shortened version anyway, I decided to post the unshortened version here. Of course they haven't released a new record until now, and the split with my band is still on hold, but they recently did a Europe tour with At Half Mast, which was cool, as far as I've heard.

Chris: OK, I’m sitting here with Daniel and Benni, may you please introduce yourself, who you are and what are you guys doing in Even Worse.
Daniel: (laughs) That’s so fucking stupid!
C: Do it!
D: I am Daniel… hmmm… (laughs again)
C: And you do the vocals.
D: …am 22 and do the vocals.
Benni: I’m Benni and I play the guitar.
C: Cool.
D: Delete that with the age if Benni isn’t doing it as well.
C: It was planned to have Brandon here with us, too, but he’s at work right now. And you (to Daniel) and Brandon are the two guys who are left from the very first line-up, if I got that right. But now you’ve been playing with the current line-up quite a long time, so who’s in and do you still like each other?
D: In the band’s also Danny on drums.
C: Who’s sticking drum sticks in his eyes.
D: Who’s sticking drum sticks in his eyes, but we’ll come back on that issue later if you like. Next to me is Benni and Brandon is playing bass. Should I start to list ex-members? Wouldn’t make much sense I guess…
C: No, that would take too long. But the line-up’s solid the way it is?
D: The foundation’s done, yeah.
C: If I compare your first Demo to the recordings for the split LP (with The F.A.) I realize sound-wise quite a big progression. How would you describe that progression?
D: I’d say, from shitty to awesome. The demo - we still were quite young at that time and more influenced by trashy Hardcore stuff. We just thought the main thing is playing fast, nagging vocals and stuff like that. And now, well, you grow older and we wanted to carry other influences in, not only speed. That’s it basically. We wanted to stay fast, but at the same time progress, because everybody listens to more than fast stuff only.
B: But of course we’re still fast.
D: Yeah!
C: And which new influences came?
D: (thinks for a while) Vader!
B: Our music definitely became darker. And harder.
D: Yeah definitely. During the song writing process for the split we found ourselves in a real development phase, and brought a little bit of everything into those new songs. The new songs have more breaks, and are more pissed. I think “pissed” fits better than “dark”, because “dark” is more this cry-baby-hardcore-stuff, we’re more like “no, everything sucks”.
C: Would you say that your motivation to create music and go on tour has changed over the last years?
B: I feel way more motivated in general. Also at rehearsals for example, there’s just much more going on now. When we write a new song now, it just flows faster than earlier on.
D: Yeah definitely. Earlier on we often fucked around on one single riff without getting a song.
B: A riff with three chords!
D: Haha, yeah exactly. But now we’re all totally productive. I think, because of motivation and playing shows and stuff like that, that’s a thing that has definitely changed. In the past we played just everywhere, it didn’t matter where, and were completely fine with it. I mean, basically we’re still fine with that, but when you start to compare yourself to other bands, which are up for maybe a year, and those bands can play where there want and get hyped everywhere, and we’re still creeping around and still have to really work hard to get our tour dates complete and fixed, that’s when I realise that I really do care about it all, and that it is more than just “well, whatever, I don’t care”. I mean we’re putting time and money in it as well.
C: Well, there will always be bands that get quite a big dose of hype, primarily due to the internet. The question remains, if you like that or not.
D: So so. Most of the time it’s justified I guess, sometimes not, I don’t want to name any bands now.
C: What do you think about the fact that there are bands, mostly from the USA, that just have a demo out, and go on a full Europe tour with that? Do you think that this is a good thing, that also small bands get the chance to play big tours, or do you think that the quality of touring bands suffers because of that?
B: I think it fucking sucks. Big time. We, as a band, haven’t had the chance until now to see a lot of Europe, only Germany. But those bands… I don’t even know where they get the money from, do you know that Daniel?!
D: (laughs) No, I don’t know that.
B: Do they pay everything themselves? I think it sucks.
D: I think it’s mainly because of hype. A lot of bands only play standard music, there are copies of copies of copies, and those bands still get hyped, that’s so fucking lame to some extend. Then there are these kids who say “yeah, that’s the new shit”, and you just think that all this stuff was already done in the 80ies or 90ies, and get bored by everything.
B: Of course it also depends on how long you’re into that certain type of music. Because the kids that start to get into that shit by now really get into it by listening to the current bands. And only because of that many of those bands are successful.
D: So, to get back to your question, it all depends on the band. There are some where I think it’s really justified, and others where you just get turned off by.
B: But there’s definitely more bullshit coming over that sucks, then bands I like.
D: It’s all a question of taste.
B: Yeah, of course.
D: If it would be a new Death Metal band you’d like it.
B: No, probably not. The scene’s getting completely polluted by all that myspace crap.
D: When you start to occupy yourself with all that stuff you start to realise how meaningless most of it is. Most of the new bands are done by young kids, they hop on a rolling train and do exactly the same, write some songs with “positive” and “yeah” and “we have this and that inside”, I mean that gets boring pretty fast.
C: I think it’s even worse (ha-ha) if a band is always doing what’s hip at the moment, always hop onto the latest trend and modifies its sound that way.
B: (enraged) That’s the reason why I hate Schweinfurt! Because of that I hate all the local kids here, I mean, those kind of kids are probably in other cities as well, probably even more than here, but that’s exactly their thing. They only rip others off, have no own opinion about nothing, they don’t deserve to live, no shit.
C: Another thing that totally sucks these days is that there are rarely US-bands touring Europe on their own and maybe take a smaller European band as support with them. Most of the time there are packages now with three or even more bands that nobody can pay anymore. The only ones who can afford those packages are bigger promoters, who also have to raise the entrance. In addition to that, I don’t want to watch five “main acts” at a show.
D: Yeah and the bad thing about this is for example what happened at the Have Heart/Bane/Ceremony tour last year. Have Heart was the shit on that tour, and although Bane is doing that shit for whatever more years, they got kinda ignored on most dates, as far as I’ve heard, and everybody was just sucking Have Heart’s asses. And basically it’s just lame when you have to pay 15 Euros for a show with three US-bands, when you only want to see one of them.
C: On many of your shirts, stickers and stuff like that you have the slogan “the strongest of the strange”, is there any connection to that skate video?
D: Yeah, for sure. Basically, there is this skate video called “The strongest of the strange” by Pontus Alv, that guy’s just incredible, and the video is maybe one of the best I’ve ever seen. And at the end of that video there are spoken words by Charles Bukowski, which are sooo good. And we just took it from that, because it fits so well. We even called a song after that, and after the release people kept telling us how good that song is, and the intro of it (where there are some of the spoken words as well). So I begun to use that phrase everywhere in designs and stuff like that. And it just fits. I mean, it fits us especially.
C: Topic skateboarding, are there any further connections to skateboarding?
D: Three of us still skate. Danny has tried it, but he always tries everything and stops soon afterwards. Brandon is the one who skates the most and hardest of us. He’s our mini ramp ripper, who destroys everybody and himself. When we’re on tour we’re always afraid because of him, ‘cause he always tries new tricks, and of course he slams from time to time. But he just keeps skating all the time, until he’s just a bloody mess, but he keeps skating anyway. He’s pretty tough.
C: So when you’re on tour you always have your decks with you?
D: Yes, definitely. Everybody except Danny.
B: Yeah he always “forgets” it.
D: Exactly, he always “forgets” it. He’s more into sticking drum sticks in his eye.
C: Daniel you have designed skate decks for Little Wheels, haven’t you?
D: Yeah, Little Wheels, that’s a skate shop ran by Bernhard Küppel, he also has a homepage http://www.litte-wheels.com. And he just asked me to do a few designs for him. And I just agreed with him, I didn’t like the old designs anyway, so I just thought about doing some good ones. I asked him what he wanted to have, and he was into skulls and some crazy shit, and since I can draw skulls while sleeping, I did it. And now there’s a series out, limited to 250 pieces, and it looks awesome.
C: Yeah, that’s true.
D: And of course it’s good wood as well.
C: Are there any cool spots in Schweinfurt you should check out when you come here?
D: Well, we got a new skate park last year. Actually it’s a funny story; all the kids permanently complained at the mayor’s office that there is no proper skate park. And the city was complaining all the time about skating kids, because they would destroy everything and shit like that. Then all the kids started to get active, collecting signatures and so on. Finally, a skate park was built by IOU Ramps under the Max-bridge. The problem is, and I am not the only one who’s saying that, that the park is really boring. I mean, there are enough kids riding it anyway, but a lot of kids keep their distance. There are mainly banks, and a mini ramp. The mini ramp is pretty good, actually. It’s quite a street park, quite smooth, but it gets boring pretty fast. Besides that we have a Plaza here, which is quite cool for street skating, with a lot of flat, a small set of stairs, really cool. And for some people the Stattbahnhof is still the spot to skate. It’s really small, just a small quarter and a real lousy funbox, but people like to skate it anyway. And around the city, in all those small suburb towns, there are loads of parks, but nobody rides them, besides maybe some small rollerblading kids who fall on their asses and can’t breathe afterwards.
C: What are your upcoming plans with the band?
D: We had planned to prerecord a full album this summer.
B: Of course we haven’t done that until now.
D: Right now we’re writing the songs for an album, maybe around 14 songs, and we’ll try to get at least the prerecording done until winter. And then we want to get it released as soon as possible.
C: Do you already know who’s going to release it?
D: No. We’re looking for labels. Good labels. Not those kind of slacker-labels. So if anybody… (stops talking for a while)
B: Just shut up.
D: No, we don’t have a label yet. This time we definitely want CD and vinyl, because a lot of people keep asking us for CD’s. Besides that we plan to release a split EP with Goldust. Like I said, if there are labels that like us just drop us a line, we’re nice.
B: Sometimes.
C: Ok, so would you please tell the story of Danny and the drum stick?
D: One second, I’ll just get the bag. (Leaves the room and comes back with a brown paper bag). This is the “Bag of Dullness”. We played with our side project DetöNation in Nuremberg and in the backstage area there was this brown paper bag lying around. And that fit the head really good. But of course there weren’t holes for the eyes. And usually, if you are a normal thinking human, you would mark the spots for the eyes, pull the bag off your head, put in some holes and put it up on your head again. Danny had a different opinion about that, he just left the bag on his head and applied a drum stick, right where one of his eyes was beneath. And we just watched that, completely fascinated and just thought, “no, he wouldn’t do that”. But he sat there, with the drum stick, applied it to his eye, and rams it in. You could see how the stick dipped in the bag, than dipped even a little bit deeper, and a hundredth of a second later you’d see the head yielding and jerking back. Of course everybody laughed his ass off, Danny lifts the bag from his head, and his eyeball was blood red, because the idiot just rammed a drum stick in his eye without even thinking about it. I kept the bag, just as memorial for humanity. That’s just “the strongest of the strange”. Although you could say “strongest of the lame” as well.
C: Ok, is there anything left you want to tell us?
B: Yeah, lock Niederwern (a small town near Schweinfurt) up, surround it with a wall!
D: Niederwern must burn!
(Now there’s a 5 minute monologue from Benni about the coffee drinking kids from Niederwern and why they deserve to die)
D: Well, thanks for the interview, check out the bands Goldust from Münster, Grace from Kassel, Tackleberry from Kiel and Deny Everything from Cologne, Germany has good bands, check them out, they’re good.
C: And Vader.
D: Vader!
B: Vader from Poland dude…

Even Worse on myspace.com

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No Comment #1

Here's a pdf-file of the first issue of No Comment. If you're interested in getting one of the few printed issues (I have a few left), just drop me line at nocommentfanzine@arcor.de and we'll work something out. My favourite page is the one with the Terrorizer quote, definetly a song that hasn't lost any of its relevance. Get the pdf here

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Interview with Magrudergrind

Done over a year ago, too. The band's still very active, and they have released a few records in the meantime. Worth your time!

I picked up Magrudergrind's latest LP „Rehashed“ at the record store and was literally blown to pieces by the merciless Grindcore that came out of my speakers. I did the Interview via email with Avi, the vocalist, in September 07. Short and fast, how it's supposed to be.

Magrudergrind is up for some years now, if you could just tell me which were the most important steps in the history of the band for introduction, that'll be cool.

Avi: I would have to say the most important steps for us was touring in Europe and being able to put out a record on such a great DIY label as Six Weeks Records.

You've toured the US and Europe, next year you'll even tour Japan, South East Asia and Australia, is it the first time in those countries for you? In comparison: Touring Europe or touring the USA?

Avi: Yes, it will be my first time and our first time as a band in Japan, SE Asia and Australia. As far as comparing Europe to the US for touring, in Europe promoters and people involved in DIY ethical punk/hc/grind whatever take it much more seriously. In the US it is rare to even get a meal, yet in Europe its almost a mandatory requirement for a band, small things like that make it a lot easier on the road, when your touring for months at a time.

Are the lyrics from "The final pollution" about a real incident? Is physical violence against nazi scum an appropriate way to deal with those shitheads, even if it doesn't make oneself better than the nazis itself?

Avi: Yes, the lyrics from that song are about a true incident which happened at a show at my old house, when I lived in a group punk house. I don't see physical violence as a means of solving problems, usually, but being the third generation descendent of 4 Holocaust survivors (all 4 of my grandparents), I DO NOT take neo-Nazism jokingly, and as it says in my lyrics, "seeing the insignia" (the swastika) tattooed on the back of this guy's neck could have led to his death, had we beaten him any worse. With intellectual people, you could have a discussion, maybe change one's point of view, but with ignorant persons, uneducated enough to have a tattoo of hate in this day in age just needs to be dealt with in a more serious manner, by any means.

What importance has vegetarianism/veganism for you as persons and as a band?

Avi: For my self, I was vegetarian for 6-7 years, but I had given it up this past summer, my personal choice. The other guys in the band are vegans.

A lot of your lyrics are about two faced people, the scene and stuff like that, I'd like to know if the scene in your hometown Washington DC is that fucked up? Or is it more like the hardcore/punk/grind whatever scene(s) is in general in such a bad state in your eyes?

Avi: The scene in DC is decent. The lyrics referring to two faced people have to do with "friends" who turned their backs. I love hc/punk/grind scene but there is SO MUCH bullshit which exists, it's a great outlet. Before it was a place where no one judged you and you could be yourself, today personal opinions about others overwhelm everything, whether it be someones politically correctness or simply dietary choices, people judge you on stupid choices like that, instead of respecting your opinions and beliefs (besides prejudices and hate) which you have.

Quite many people that are somehow related to the punk and hardcore scene have like really fucked up problems with their lifes, personal problems or suffer from psychic illness, and that's not a new phenomenon at all. Can you imagine what the reason for that is? What is it that attracts those kids or persons to hardcore/punk?

Avi: I see many fucked up people, either from drug abuse or personal issues turn to this type of music as an outlet. I see nerdy ass people who turn to punk because it's the only community that will accept them. As for myself, I see these people with no other interests in life, people need to look to more ways of expression and hobbies to help progress their life in a positive direction, not just dwell around being angry at society and the main stream. Don't try to put down the world because you're angry or depressed, fix your own life and try to become a better person by looking at the positive aspects of this world.

How do you think it's possible that bands like Converge for example are able to sell thousands of records and that death/grind bands attract hordes of black haired tight pants eyeliner scumbags (yeah I know, most of the time those bands don't look any better...)? What's the reason that the mainstream media shows such a big interest in a genre which intention was at one time to react against the mainstream?

Avi: It's all about the marketing tactics. Big labels and businesses see these bands as an outlet of revenue and profit. You could take the shittiest metal band in the world, market them correctly and give them hype in many media outlets and they will be an instant hit. Look at all the shitty music people actually listen to on the radio as a perfect example, people will listen to what's put in their face.

You'll release a split with Yacopsae next year, how came that you team up with them?

Avi: We're great friends with these guys, have done a couple tours with them and decided a split would be a good idea.

Please finish the following sentences:

Terrorizer's World Downfall is...
...one of the greatest and influential grindcore albums in the history of grindcore along with Scum.

Playing without bass guitar rules because...
...it's easier touring with three people and less equipment.

The worst band I ever saw live was...
...many bands.

Work sucks because...
...it's something you don't enjoy doing.

DIY for me is...
...people working together.

Infest rules more than any other band because...
...they we're one of the originators of fastcore/powerviolence.

I don't know how...
...come I'm still answering these questions because I have to wake up for class in 6 hours.

I wish I could...
...have spent more time at the beach in Europe last summer.

Ok last question, it's for a survey I'm doing, where is the best place to read fanzines? If you wish to add anything, take the chance. Thanks for giving me the chance for this interview, I really appreciate it!

AVI: I guess on the toilet when your taking a shit or in the van on long rides. MRR and Short, Fast and Loud. Thanks for the interview, check out our tour dates at

Magrudergrind on myspace.com

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Toxic Revolution

Done 2008 as well. The band just released a new split 12", but due to the fact that all of its members play in countless other bands as well not really active anymore. Anyway one of the best bands from this area.

It’s about 10 pm, Toxic Revolution just finished their set at the last show that’s ever going to happen at the Luna Bar in Münster, a former brothel turned into some kind of a club which is about to close its doors forever. Toxic Revolution played a short but brutal set, very tight and veeeeery fast, even though the bass sound seemed to make some problems in the beginning. Anyway the band ripped through about 20 songs in about 20 minutes and then left the stage for Alpinist, who are also from Muenster and should be interesting for fans of His Hero Is Gone or From Ashes Rise and bands alike. Since the interview was planed a long time before I was quite happy I finally got the opportunity to talk to at least two guys of this three piece...

„Who has influenced us?!“ That’s all Jan from Toxic Revolution has to say besides “Don’t even know them” if you ask him if the band Sigur Ros were an influence for them, because they also invented an own kind of secret language. But if you listen to Toxic Revolution it’s pretty obvious that they were influenced by 90’s Powerviolence and Grindcore bands, not artsy pop outfits. Although Toxic Rev have in fact no real lyrics in some parts of their songs. “I have to say, what I scream or shout, has at least a certain kind of meaning. I scream words that make sense. Christian is just screaming what’s on his mind somehow.” But if you have some phantasy left in your head you can come up with your own interpretation of the “lyrics”. “I listened to it at home when we were done with it (the recordings) and thought like ‘wait, what could that mean?’ And so I came up with I think one or two verses afterwards. They also fit to the song titles, I had to come up with them too, because Christian was too lazy.” So you may ask who is in that band, that plays blistering, raging Powerviolence and has no lyrics for the most part. Jan says “I am the drums”, then we have “…Christoph and I play bass and try to sing” and last but not least but not taking part at the interview "Christian Chaco plays the guitar and also tries to sing, that’s our Brüllwürfel“ (that’s impossible to translate...). So back to the lyrical content, Christoph explains “Well I have thought about at least some parts”, whereas Jan has a slightly different opinion what the lyrics are about: “We do it like German Punk bands, just about boozing, beating the shit out of nazis...” - “that’s not true at all”, Christoph interrupts, “I also have lyrics about the media, about how they pollute our minds.” Later he also states that “...maybe I’m too much into Hardcore and Punkrock, so I think that, what I scream, even if nobody understands anything, has to have a certain meaning.” But this band has to say way more, not only about the media. At one point during the interview, Ollie, a friend just hanging out there with us and reading stuff about mice with incredible big penises, asks the band what they think about the fact that the Giant Hogweed is the poisonous plant of the year 2008. “I would take it home with me” Christoph answers without hesitating, Jan needs a little bit more detailed information before he wants to give a statement about that topic “I have to ask if you can smoke it”. Well, you can’t, that’s at least what Ollie says about it, but you’ll have a bad rash breaking out from touching it. “My mother has that in her garden to scare little children” Jan recalls. Good to know. So what releases can you get from that band that shows such an interest in toxic plants? There is of course the demo, which is awesome, and then there’s the split CD with Androphagous “On F.D.A. Rekotz by Ricö. He’s from Berlin and it’s basically a noise label, only Grindcore stuff. And I think Christian, who’s not here now, who’s not into doing this right now, they knew each other, because in this scene it seems like you know each other anyway, and he also likes the music.” By the way, Androphagous is another band Christian plays in, but there are quite a few more: “He plays in Keitzer, then he’s playing in Bruno Henry Gonzales, but that’s more some kind of an Amos rip-off. Do you know Amos? He’s awesome. But that’s more like a two men show with keyboards and changing clothes during the set and stuff. At one show they put cream in ballons and then threw them onto the crowd, who didn’t think that was funny, understandbale if you ask me, and another time somebody with a chainsaw ran through the crowd. Musically he’s very diverse, I think he also has a surfband” Christoph explains. “Los Makacos and Sandokhan”, Jan adds. “Yeah, Los Makakos is the surf band, and Sandokhan is basically the same as Toxic Revolution and Androphagous, just plain blasting.” “But shorter” Jan knows, “Yeah, and I think they’re only two guys”. So what holds the future in store for Toxic Rev? “Quite a few things”, explains Jan, “next thing that’s planed is a split LP, if we’d hit the studio sometime.” “Nonono” Christoph interrupts, “you have to explain that different. Jan is soon going on tour with Alpinist for two weeks. We have seven new songs now, we’re going to write two or three more when he’s back again - that works pretty fast in that Powerviolence genre – and we’re going to record them where we’ve also recorded the split CD.” That’s going to happen at “...Werner Wiese Studios in Werne, where also Krautbomber, NeinNeinNein, Sidetracked, Sniffing Glue and The Italian Stallion recorded their stuff. And those seven + ? songs are going to be released on a split LP with Magnicide from Malaysia, on TVG Records, that’s some old guy who also released stuff by Bloody Phoenix or Yacoepsae.” “And we’ll carry on that tradition” expresses Jan maybe a little bit proud. So can we hope for some kind of tour or something? Unfortunatly this will not happen in the nearer future with Toxic Rev. “It’s hard to do, I’m working in shifts, also at the weekend, and Christian is doing quite a lot with Keitzer now, because they have just released a new record on Yellowdog, and they recently were on tour in the USA and have many shows booked in the near future. We’d love to do more then what we’re able to. I mean, we would have the opportunities, but it’s so hard to work it all out, even though we’re only three guys in the band.” Well, Jan makes it plain to me that he’s not the problem “I could do it anytime. I’m the only one in the band who’s not guilty.” Not surprisingly, somebody this dedicated can tell a few words about the foundation of the band: “That was while having a few beers in the USA. We were drunk in the USA and just said ‘come on, let’s just make some noise’, and that was that.” Of course, that’s not the whole story, at that point Toxic Rev only were Jan and Christian. Christoph describes how he joined forces with them: “The story is, that you guys posted two songs cut from a rehearsal on myspace, where there were only you two guys in the band, and I simply asked ‘yo, do you need a bass player?’ And they were like ‘yeah, cool’, and I was in.” So what’s left unsaid, after media terror, beers, Grindcore and neophytic tall herbs? “Work is overemphasized” (Jan). Support those guys.

Toxic Revolution on myspace.com
TVG Records
FDA Records

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