COKE BUST

I think that's really hard to explain a feeling that a person could feel when a train's just coming in front of you. Well, when you listen to Coke Bust you can easily sense that feeling. They are fast, angry, and if you had the chance to see them live, they are that famous train.
Let's talk with Nick, the singer of the band. 

1 - Please introduce the band. Was it easy to start a band in a city like Washinghton D.C., from a lot of years a fertile place for hardcore and punk in general?

Hi Giovanni! Thanks for the interview! Hardcore and punk is alive and well in Washington, DC and the city obviously has a very rich history. The first hardcore punk band that I ever saw was called CRISPUS ATTUCKS and I saw them play in 2001 when I was 14 years old. They blew me away and inspired me to later play in a band. I joined my first group, Griptape, in 2002 and then met Chris Moore who would go on to play drums for us. My involvement in bands in the early 2000's introduced me to all the guys I started Coke Bust with. To answer your question.... yes, it was easy to start this band!

2 - Hc punk and social media now it's a pair pretty hard to break. Do you see this relation such as a good or a bad thing?

I think social media can be good and can help spread information and ideas. Facebook has helped me book shows all over the world and made it easier to tour and get music distributed everywhere. I think that as long as social media is a launching-pad and not the "end all/be all" of punk... I think it's fine!


3 - I read about the fact that there are No squats in the States;how do you explain this thing? How was for you the first time you found this reality in Europe? And what's the main difference of playing in squats and diy shows in the US?

You are correct in that we do not have squats in America. When a building is vacant, it is still private property. Anybody who enters that building is breaking the law and faces punishment. This is why we don't have squats. I first came to Europe in 2007 when I was a roadie for Magrudergrind on their long tour. We played in squats all over the continent and I had no idea that they even existed until we went over there! I loved squats. I love the history associated with them (e.g. learning that a squat used to be an old German war barracks, etc) and I think it's cool to play in places that normal people are afraid of.

Here in the US we have a lot of DIY shows in houses and basements. I love playing house shows! I've never seen one in Europe, so that is what I would say the main difference is.

4 - Where are we "confined"? Or where are confined people who realized to be in their lives?

I wrote Confined about myself and I can't speak for other people. I think that many people could probably relate. I felt confined by my job, relationships, parents' expectations, money, etc.

5 - What's the meaning of "another fucking problem"?

I wrote "Another Fucking Problem" the day that my dog was euthanized. I was so frustrated with my job, not having money, medical bills, the loss of my dog... that I had to just let everything out. That song helped me channel my frustrations at the time. To be entirely honest with you, I write all the lyrics for myself. I don't write them for other people. I can't speak for how people should take my lyrics or what they should think. I just write songs about how I'm feeling and if anyone can relate... that's cool!


6 - It has become common nowadays to hear stories about "labels" who just try to make money behind the mark of diy. I mean, trying to use the diy as a kind of excuse just for selling more records while at the end they don't follow this ethic and even don't give a shit about bands they produce etc. What do you think about it?

Coke Bust is a band that has always worked with labels that we trust and labels that we are friends with. Grave Mistake Records, who has put out a few records for my bands over the years, has always been incredibly cool and supportive. Alex is a personal friend of mine and at the end of the day he's not doing this to make money. Alex loves hardcore punk, just like we do. We work together and there are no problems. I am aware that there are ripoffs in hardcore and punk, but we have nothing to do with those people. Six Weeks, Vinyl Conflict, Grave Mistake, Third Party, Refuse, and Carry the Weight are punk operations run by legit HC warriors.


7 - Talking about straight edge, one point that i really like in your band is that, although in the band you are all sxe, i feel that you live it more as a personal choice, preferring to speak about political and social issues instead of the usual common sxe themes. Or if you talk about it, you always connect it with the issues i mentioned before. Is it true? How is following the sxe philosophy in 2013?

Straight edge is something that is different for everyone. Everyone has their own reasons and philosophies behind straight edge, and I think it is important to remember and recognize that. I don't want to speak for all straight edge people, or even everyone in my band. For me, personally, I am straight edge for a few reasons. First... I do it for health/life reasons. I think that if I drank or did drugs I would be an addict for sure. I have the personality for someone who wouldn't do well with drugs. When I find something that I like, I tend to go for it at any cost (just like hardcore, hah). Next, I am also straight edge because I don't want to support these giant industries that thrive off of human addiction/misery. The drug trade is particularly despicable and people die every day because of the trade. I don't want to support that fucking shit. Lastly, I think you have to look at the politics of the liquor/tobacco industries and who is running the show and their political affiliations.

8 - How is to work with grave mistake and refuse records?

It is awesome. I can't imagine being on better labels, honestly. Both are incredibly supportive, well organized, professional, and are run by people who truly care about the music before the business. I'm proud to call Alex and Robert personal friends.


9 - From "Fuck bar culture" 'till "Confined" what has changed musically speaking and inside the band?

We replaced our guitar player and bass player in those six years. The attitude has remained the same though. Fast, aggressive straight edge music. I think we are better on Confined!

10 - What do you think about the concept of democracy? I mean, democracy it's always used as a word with positive meaning("let's see what the majority says, we are all in a democracy") but one of the things that i think about it is that's a mere illusion and more a reflection of what the majority itself wants to let pass like good,over all the minorities. Do you have any position about it and what do you think about?

I think that a democracy is the best overall system of government. Can you think of a better alternative? I don't think that anarchy is actually a better form of government. That would leave society in a vulnerable place and could possibly give way to extremism, fascism, etc. I think there are a lot of problems with what we consider to be "democracy" in America, however.


11 - Any last words?

Cook your own food!

you can get in touch with the band following:

http://cokebust.com
http://cokebust.storenvy.com

http://cokebust.bandcamp.com

or

http://www.facebook.com/cokebust

HOLY

After more than a year of hiatus i decided to comeback for interviewing some of my favourite bands around.
I started again with HOLY from Milan (Ita). I think everyone of you already know them, mostly because they have already played (for sure) in your own hometown and even because you can only love them listening at their records (first one out for Hell Yes! rec. , second one out for Adagio830).If you don't know them, please follow the links at the end of the interview! Let's talk with the singer Stefano about what's around the band.

The first question is the usual boring one: please introduce Holy. Could you please guys stop touring in this way?

Ahahah Don't worry, I don't mind to introduce the band, mainly because there's nothing too complicated to explain. Holy is a punk band, made by four friends, we come from Milano, and we love to play. Right now is Stefano typing, I'm the one who sings. Tadzio is playing bass, Giacomo the drums, and the other guy named Stefano plays guitar.
To answer to the second part of your question, right now we're just coming out from a 3 months of hiatus, for the first time in these two years, so,  we stopped for a while.
Right now we're about to start practicing again, and plannig new shows/tours and probably start writing a new record.


When did the band begin to take form?  How did you come up with the name of the band? What bands did inspire you to play the sound that you do?

We started rehearsing in the June or July of 2011; we've been discussing about forming a band together since forever, somehow we got all stuck in Milan during the summertime, and you can imagine it could be pretty boring, so we decided to give it a chance.
The name "HOLY" came out because we were looking for something very short and catchy, but also in some way ambiguous and Ironic/sarcastic; we are all Atheist/Rationalist, and also religion is a recurring theme in our songs, so we picked up the name Holy. We were (and still we are), very aware that this name it's very easy to misunderstand; it happened more than once that we had to make ourselves clear about the fact that WE ARE NOT A RELIGIOUS BAND.
Speaking of our sound it's something we turn into during the very first afternoons we spent praticing.
I can't quote just one band that mainly influenced us, i think we put in the mix everything that we love, like classic punk, 90's hardcore, powerviolence and obviously tons of DBeat.

Making hardcore punk and touring around the world is even a way of expressing dissent ideas and being part of an "underground" culture but do you think that today just being DIY and working outside of the mainstream it’s a political act in itself or does it risk to became just a form of dissent art?

You're making a good point, I mean too often DIY, and punk in general, are mythologized and one of the biggest threat for bands and individuals is start practicing something merely self-referential, and stop looking at the big picture. On the other side we're living in a world founded on manipulation and suppression of individuality, and I don't mean only in politics, but under any aspect of our lives, how we eat, how we have fun, how we spend our free time, who we decide to have sex with, how we earn and spend money (like these two last things are absolutely essential).

I think that DIY encourages individuals to chase a more suitable lifestyle, and now I'm aware that I don't need a corporate media to spread my ideas, or to make my music listened, I don't need 2000 € to spend a week abroad, because luckly someone will let me sleep on a floor. I can live as a perfect healty human even without consuming meat or dairy and so it goes.

To preserve it for turning to something merely "arty" we have to try to keep it alive on a political level, and by "political" i mean in the easiest and primary form: interaction between people, share ideas, question things, get ready to be questioned and, most important, be opened to change our minds.
I'm not that naive to think it will always work, and I'm conscious, in first place, of my limits as a person, but i still think that this is the only way it somehow can work.


You toured around west-coast together with Punch last summer. How was this experience? What are the biggest differences you've found between touring Europe and Usa. How was tour with another band from the "new world"?

The tour was amazing, and so far, the greatest experience we've lived as a band. I really felt I was literally on the other side of the planet.
We ate tons and tons of pretty amazing vegan food, we had the chance to play with so many amazing bands, and in so many amazing places.
There are plenty of differences, just to quote one it's pretty amazing to see how the kids there have managed to "run" a DIY and political active scene even though there are no proper squats over there. 

We felt we were warmly welcomed, and everybody was so supportive and seemed so happy to have a band from abroad playing their town, and this is very different from what, in most cases, happens here in Milan with touring bands.

Punch deserves a whole chapter of this history, I mean they were the main reason why we played there, they booked all the tour, they shared with us their van and all their gear, and still got time left to carry us around, and let us act like proper tourists in Cali.

Also we were always late (not me, but the other three guys!) and they were super patient and understanting; and I can't imagine five better people to share a tour.

Do you consider Holy being a political band?

I think in part I've already answered to this, to be more specific I can say YES, Holy are a political band. A lot of people will probably disagree, because not all of our lyrics are what in punk is considered strictly political.

I take full responsibility for this, because, when I write lyrics I try not to use any slogan. I never believed in the dicotomy political lyrics vs personal lyrics, i think that in everyday life the two aspects are connected, and, as I said before, I intend the word "political" in his primary meaning; it's political being angry for another imperialist invasion of a sovereign state, as well is political being frustrated for the incapability to relate between individuals.

Also themes like veganism and atheism are themes that we try to consider under a different light, beside the two punchlines "meat is murder" and "no gods, no masters".

"This town has blew the life away from me" - Does Milan really suck in this way, and how is for Holy living as a band in this city?

Milan is not that bad, but in some ways is bad. I mean it's not a very welcoming city, and sometimes it's hard to feel some human warmth. I don't want to reinforce some of the worst stereotypes about my city, but it can be a tough city.

I must admit that after some years of struggling with the idea of living here i'm right now (for now, maybe...)in peace of mind.

The song you quoted is pretty much about a strong feeling of disillusion, and the feeling of not fitting in anymore with my peers, not only with the town, it's also about facing years of failures of and not achieved goals in politics.

For a band Milano is pretty challenging, I mean Milano is still on the map of Italian punk, but in the last years having shows in packed rooms, with a lot of people having fun, and not standing still in front of the band, has become pretty hard.

Also the lack of venues to play is the root of this problem, We're still playing shows, and booking shows for touring bands, but basically it's ups and downs.

To be fair, it seems like it's gettin better, more young kids involved e more new (good) bands.

Reading your lyrics i felt a lot of dark feelings; are we really live a life without sense? How do you try to overwhelm the bad things around you?

Obliouvsly the dark feelings are right there, where you read them, ahah. When I was writing the lyrics for "the age of collapse" I Was facing a lot of disillusion and a certain sense of impotence, among my usual trust issues, so I guess everything sounds a bit nihilist. But I don't consider this negative or, even worse self indugent. In our view of the world having consciousness of the shit that surrounds us is the first, unavoidable, step, to try to change these things. You can say "Be negative to be positive", ahahah, don't say it, I'm just joking.

Religion (every kind) into punk hardcore...are people serious about it? What do you think?

First of all, we're all atheist but we all stand for freedom of cult; in other words, I don't blame anyone for believing in some god or for being a spiritual person. 

What really depress me is how can somebody think that religion can fit into punk. Religion is by definition a static and dogmatic syste; religion is, and has always been, one of the main obstacles to social changes, free tought and self realization.

I don't know how it happens that religion and punk joined, if we're talking about the whole khrisna core thing (which is not the only example of religion into punk), i think that probably a certain way of seeing straight edge helped, like trading one set of rules with another; but honestly I don't know for sure, what I know is that for me punk will always be the black sheep LEAVING the herd, not joining it.

You are a 100% vegan band. What does this thing mean to you and how does it affect your everyday life? I'm captured by the lyric of "Old Habits" and in particular <<You're the slaughterer Repeat yourself: "at least it tastes better">>. In what terms do you think a personal choice could turn life in a good or bad way?

I think we're living in a very complicated times, it's like the causes to fight for are getting more and more, and bigger, but everybody feels powerless and feels let down and disenchanted.

What really encouraged me to be vegan is that by being that I'm not delegating the change to anyone else, I'm not givin away anything of my power of choose and do things, I think that eating and consuming other living beings is wrong, and so I do something about it, I'm not voting for a law to reduce the consume of meat, or to enlarge chicken cages.

I quit contribuiting with my money to this system, and try to be as much communicative as I can about it, with the people around me, so maybe someone else will start considering to became vegan. 

Just to discourage some Anti-vegan enthusiast, who maybe is reading, I'm aware veganism is only a small thing, and that it's not enough per se, and I'm in no way saying that I care not of human animals.

I choose to became vegan maybe later than my bandmates (I Was like 22 yo, or something), it was a well thought out choice, and I was not passing through some phase, and after these years I realize it is more challenging explain the reason of my diet, than the diet itself.

I mean, being vegan is pretty easy for everyone to me, so everybody should considered it, but earing EVERYTIME justifications like: "meat tastes good", "meat is healty", or "eating animals is natural" is pretty depressing, mainly because distract from the main point about veganism; eating/exploiting animals means to kill living being not different from your cats and dogs and yourself, this what "Old habits" is about.

What do you do outside the band? Any other big passion?

Punk is a big part of our lives, even outside Holy, and probably playing is what we love the most. Besides Holy Tadzio and Giacomo plays in Komplott, Giacomo also started a new band with some friends from the US, it's called TORSO, Stefano Has also a new hardcore band named CLASS, they just recorded some songs which you're going to ear probably at very beginning of 2014. Giacomo and Tadzio set up shows here in Milano. I'm thinking myself to start a new band where i can play the bass and not singing at all, and I'm about to print my first zine. We all have other passions but probably nothing so intersting to read in an interview; i spend most of my time reading, watching movies or cooking stuff.

I was hoping you could comment on some of the writers, artists,bands and thinkers that you currently find inspiring in your life and work.

I'm a voracious reader, sometimes too much, and maybe it doesn't help. Right now I'm reading stuff from Henry David Thoreau, and watching lot of documentaries by Werner Herzog, and I'm in general very interested in the relationship between humans, society and wild nature.

I hope that somehow I can make it fit in some lyrics. I'm also a lot into Edward Bunker, and in general prison novels. 

Speaking of band lyrics, i really love the approach of classic italian punk bands like Indigesti, Wretched, or Sottopressione. His is hero is gone are between my all time favourites, nowadays I Particularly like the lyrics of Dangers and Punch, and the (early) Ceremony.

Is there any more you can tell us about further Holy plans?

Tomorrow we're gonna have our first rehearsing time in almost 7 months, and next saturday we're gonna play our first show after 3 months, so things are starting to roll again, we're gonna write new stuff, and the we'll decide what to do with it.

We're planning a european tour around February/March, and whenever all the shows are booked we will start the usual spam.

Wanna add anything?

Thank You so much for the interview, and the space you gave us, I hope my answers aren't boring, because I really loved the questions.

If anybody is interested in animal rights issues please check out and support animalequality.net, or just write us.

Hey you out there! you should listen to CAINO!

Bye

You can get in touch with the band visiting:

http://holyvegan.bandcamp.com

http://holyvegan.tumblr.com

http://holyvegan.bigcartel.com

or

https://www.facebook.com/holyvegan

ALL PIGS MUST DIE

When I've read the first statement of APMD "Members of Hope Conspiracy, Converge, Bloodhorse..." the first thing I said was:

this is gonna be legen(wait for it)dary! so it is. Personally I consider All Pigs Must Die as one of the best bands around. After a 5 tracks 12" ep out for Nonbeliever records in late 2011 it was out their first LP for Southern Lord; in my opinion a top 5 records of the last year.

Let's have a talk with Kevin, singer of the band.

How and when started all pigs must die project?

Pigs was formed while the four of us were drinking together at a christmas party. it really was as simple as that. We started writing and liked what we were doing enough to self finance and release our first record. We originally had no aspirations to ever play live, but I'm happy we changed our minds about that because we really enjoy doing it.

Listening to your records I've found a lot of "old" influences; first bands that came into my mind are Discharge, Slayer, 

Ripcord and a lot of swedish d-bet...Which are the bands that most have influenced apmd music and sounds?

We draw influence and inspiration from a lot of different places. Some of the bands and styles you mentioned are influential but we also love stuff that is not metal, punk or hard-core. Anything that connects with our collective interests or ideas be it music, movies, books or artwork of any kind. It all plays a part in how we approach writing for this band.

How should you "define" the music you play?

The last 15 minutes of Rambo IV.

I've read your lyrics; the first differences that I've found between APMD lyrics and Hope conspiracy lyrics (I'm writing this because you are the writer of both) is maybe about the fact that hopecon lyrics are more personal, while apmd are more about negativity of humankind. is it correct and How start the "process" of writing different lyrics for 2 different bands, trying to not write the same subjects?

Lyrically both bands are dark but APMD is much less personal than the Hope Conspiracy. This band is not about politics or opinions. It is an expression and reflection of mans true nature and the horrible things we are capable of doing whatever the reason or justification might be.

What's your position about veganism and animal liberation?

We have no position.


Who are the really pigs that must die in this modern society?


As I said before the music and lyrics are an expression of mans true nature. That is why we chose the name. It is the title track off a Death In June record that references the Manson Family and the Tate - LaBianca murders. I suppose if you are looking for a more tangible answer of who or what the "pig" is I personally would say the takers and thieves out there in the world. I would also say the powerful few that enslave, exploit and manipulate the human herd through their institutions and laws. Those institutions and laws are built upon a foundation of antiquated and modern lies. Its all just an illusion. Ultimately in the end its nature that writes the true laws and balances the books not some man in the sky.

What do you expect and what we should expect from apmd? new records? a full time commitment? world tour?


This band will never be a full time commitment for us but we are in the process of writing new material. We hope to record the new lp in December. Hopefully if everything goes right it will be out this time next year. We have no plans for a world tour but if our personal schedules allow it we will get out there and play shows where ever and when ever possible.


What do you do out of the band? family? children?


At the moment no one has any children but a few of us are engaged or married. Everyone in the band either works a full time job or has some other full time commitment. Ben as you know is in Converge and on tour right now. I manage a screen printing company. Adam is a graphic designer and Matt is usually out doors with a chainsaw cutting down trees.

What are the last books you have read? and movies?

I love classic and underground rock from the late 60's and early 70's so the last book I read was Ian Hunter's "Diary of a Rock & Roll Star". He was in Mott The Hoople which is one of my favorite bands of that era. As for movies I recently experienced Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Salo". What an amazing trip that was. Totally uncompromising and out of control. I highly recommend it.

This is a really hard question: what is the record that changed your life?


Honestly I would have to go all the way back to the 80's when I heard Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast" for the first time. That was the gateway to everything "heavy" I have discovered since then. From there I found Slayer, Anthrax, Metallica and thrash metal which then lead to the discovery of the Misfits, Black Flag, Minor Threat and hard-core. Everything branched off from there.


Do you wanna add any other thing? thank you a lot.


Thanks for the interview and thanks to everyone that has supported the band.

cheers!

Kevin


you can get in touch with the band visiting:
http://www.myspace.com/allpigsmustdie
or
http://www.facebook.com/apmdband

ANCHOR

Anchor is a vegan sxe band coming from Sweden / Norway. After 2 great 7" they have released their first LP "the quiet dance" in 2008. I had the chance to see them live, playing an angry moshin'hardcore. What I really like of Anchor are of course the lyrics and the message that they share with their music. Let's have  a (very) little talk with them after that their last LP "Recovery" came out.

Could you please introduce your band?

Anchor is five indivuals spread all across Sweden/Norway. We have;  been a band since early 2007, released a whole bunch of records and toured a bit. All of the members of the band are vegan and straight edge.

I'm listening right now your new LP "Recovery"; I really like it a lot for both music and lyrics. Are you satisfied with this work? What do you expect from it?

Thanks alot for the kind words. Glad you dig it! I actually haven't listened to the record in quite a while so I don't know exactly how I feel about it. I enjoy playing the songs live though. Should be a good sign, I guess! I'm hoping this record will bring us everywhere on this planet.

I think that everyone looks at Sweden or nordic countries as a kind of "paradise". But how is the political and social situation there?

We hear that alot. It's been changing alot over the years though, especially the last couple of years. I realize when I say it's been changing what I mean is we're moving more towards where most western countries already are at. It's depressing.

why have you called one of your last songs Hemingway?

Because Ernest Hemingway ended up committing suicide during a writer's block. That song is about being emo so we figured it was a cool title.

What do you think about religion in hardcore? Do you think it'll be something reconciliable with the idea of revolution and refusal of the original concept?

Religion is about power and control. Two things of which there is enough in this world and hardcore needs to be an alternative to all of that.

do you usually watch tv? what do you think about all the media in general and about the message that they are trying to transmit?

I rarely watch tv. It's all about bullshit I can do without, like American idol and So you think you can dance. I've got better things to do.

During these days here in Italy there are some riots and massive demonstrations against the TAV  (high speed /rail network capacity) line Turin-Lyon; what's your idea about this new infrastructures and about the idea of progress in general? useless or usefull?

I feel like I'd need to know way more about the entire project to have an opinion.

what are the most important differences between "The quiet dance" and "Recovery"?

More than anything I'd say the main dirrerence is three years of touring. Another important factor is that I played drums on our previous recordings, I'm now one of the guitarists. In addition to that we also got Ulf into the band. I've always admired his riffmaking so I'm absolutely stoked to have him be my wingman.

Are you happy with your lastest productions and labels?

Yes. It's a privilege to have people you admire like your band enough to wanna invest time  and money into promoting it. We're thankful!

top 5 records of your life? (hard question)!

Very tough question! Top 50 would've been ok. Anyway...

Refused - Songs to fan the flames of discontent, Embrace - S/T, Earth crisis - Gomorrah's season ends, Texas is the reason - Do you know who you are and Snapcase - Progression through unlearning are some of my all-time favourite records.

straight edge isn't cool anymore...isn't it?

It ebbs and flows. Action and reaction. We see alot of X's on hands on tour though so it seems like we're far from the only ones not giving a shit about what's cool then.

what do you wanna add to this interview?

Be nice.

you can get in touch with the band visiting:
http://xanchorx.bandcamp.com/
or writing to: xanchorx@hotmail.com

LINK

Link is a band coming from Belgium; They started playing in 1998 but focused my attention only in a couple of years when they have released "Chapter I", a really great records.

With the release of "Chapter II" (their new LP) I've immediately made this interview. Let's talk with Michael and Lampe.


AS I read in your bio "Link started in 1998"; I think this is a really good thing for a band to play for a lot of years trying to  bring always the same passion. What has been changed into the band during these 13 years?

Michael : A lot of things changed, first of all we had different line up’s during the years. We even got no drummer for a while and we started playing with a drummachine. Over these 13 years I’ve seen many people come and go, some left their mark and others did not. It was not  always easy to lose bandmembers but everybody got to do what is best for them in their lives. At some point you really don’t want to be part of something and then you have to move on. I have been in the band since the beginning and since our vocalist left the band last year I am the only original member.

what do you think it's changed from 1998 to 2011 inside the punk-hc european scene?

Michael : I have been around in the ‘scene’ since ’91, I have seen many people come and go, seen many great bands and bad one’s too J. The difference with the scene now and the scene back then is that it is becoming a fashion thing and people don’t seem to care that much anymore.

Lampe : I spent most of my time in the hardcore scene since ’96 and grew up with that music. Back then bands still had had something to say on stage (about animal liberation, politics,…). Right now it’s, like Michael said, all about fashion and being the coolest guy around the block. There are no values anymore so that’s why I lost my attention in that scene. I think there are still more values and ethics in the crust-scene.

what does diy ethic mean to you?

Michael : A lot of things! Everything starts with the diy mentality, from making a fanzine to playing in a band. With LINK we try to do everything ourselves from recording our music to printing our shirts, organizing our tours and gigs….from building or rebuilding our home’s to growing our own vegetables. Without the diy mentality there would be no scene at all.

what's your position about veganism, animal liberation?

Michael : I am a vegetarian for more than 18 years. Animals are not to consume nor to breed to feed! Everybody should look around them and see the beauty of the animal kingdom! Animals are not here to be eaten by us.

Lampe : I’ve been a vegetarian for 14 years now. For me it’s just a logical thing. If you know that by being a vegetarian, you can reduce the risk of heart attacks by 50%, that’s enough for me to skip eating meat.

what are the most subjects of your lyrics?

Michael : They speak about everyday life and situations we come across, we try to put our feelings and emotions in our lyrics. Some songs are a direct answer to what we see in our society others speak of the struggles we all have to deal within our life.

how is the political situation in Belgium?

Lampe: Actually it’s funny and pathetic at the same time. Over a year ago we had elections who had a right-wing party as the winner. But Belgium has 3 regions (Flanders, Brussels and the French speaking part) it also has 3 different parliaments, next to the national parliament. So negotiations to form a government started between 9 different political parties. As there were huge differences in demands between the Flemish parties and the French parties, the negotiations got stuck. After many different persons who were assigned to rule the negotiations, things are still the same. No government…

What are the most important differences between chapter 1 and chapter II?

Michael : First of all these are the first recordings without our female vocalist so that is a big difference. Apart from that, the songs are more direct and there is a bigger mix of slow stuff and some crusty riffs, with down-tuned guitars who will make your ears bleed.

One of the songs of you last album is called Martyr; for you, who are the real martyrs of the modern society?

Lampe : The lyrics of Martyr deal about persons who give their life for certain goals or beliefs, but in the end it was worth nothing. They all believe it is for the good cause, but they are blind to the things they do wrong. After doing all the effort, they are just fucked in the end. For example all those radical religious extrimists. Do they really think by blowing theirself up and killing a lot of people, they will earn their 40 virgins? Hell no. No gods, no master.
Sure, people need goals in their life, but it may never do harm to other people of animals. So everyone is a martyr in their own world, but just make sure it’s worth the effort.

One of the biggest discussion in Italy is about CIE (identification and expulsion centers) made by the governments for embarking the "problem" (this is their Idea) of mass immigration. In few words people inside these places are waiting for verifications about their identities and a possible expulsion; here politicians say that they are a kind of guests, while in reality they are prisoners. What do you think, and what is your position about it? Does it exist a same thing in Belgium?

Lampe : We heard about the problems on Lampedusa (?) with all the immigrants arriving on the island. Actually, we have this kind of problem in Belgium too. Belgium is the center of Europe and has tons of nationalities living here. Too many people think Belgium is a financial and social paradise to live in and in certain ways it is (health system, work,…). A lot of immigrants are coming over but eventually end up in an immigration center where they have to wait to be sent back to their home country. Some of them are in a ‘closed’ immigration center (call it a prison), others got away and live their life without any papers or jobs and eventually end up in criminality. Immigration is a very difficult subject and honestly, I have no clear answer to that.

what are the future plans of the band?

Michael: A few festivals are booked for the end of this year. Also a small tour to Ireland in November, next year we are planning a tour to Scandinavia. Apart from that working on a new album and maybe playing Italy? ;-)

Lampe :  Yeah, we got the final masters of Chapter II in and everything is at the pressing plant right now. We finally hope to release this album and play tons of gigs to support this album.

do you wanna add any other thing?

Michael : First of all thanks a lot for the interview! And for everyone who are involved in the diy punk hc scene don’t give up, we are not alone!

Lampe : Yes, thanks for the interview and good luck with your zine. Check us out and buy our album!



To get in touch with the band visit: http://linkbelgium.com/
or write to: contact@linkbelgium.com

HELLO BASTARDS

Some months ago I was surfing on the net, searching for some good things to listen.   I discovered Hello Bastards and I was immediately stocked the first time I heard about them  for both music (really great crust/hardcore) and lyrics. A Vegan straight edge band based in London but with members coming from different countries. Here we have an interview I made few months ago with Maxxx.

how started "hello bastards" project? I see that everyone involved in the band is from a different country; how do you live this thing?

Maxxx: Hello Bastards started back in early 2006 as a collective with mainly people from South America (Argentina and Brazil) with the purpose to bring back the importance of the message over the music. With the time, and due to different issues like visas and restrictions to stay in England affecting some of the previous members, we ended up having people from different parts of the world such as Israel, Poland England and Germany playing in the band. We don't believe in flags, countries and borders so for us, what matters is who you are, much more than from where you are from so it was almost a natural progression that the band ended up by having people from different countries. Also, as a side note, I believe that it’s a bit like London, the city where we live, which is a melting pot of different nationalities.

everyone in the band is vegan straight edge, right? what does it mean this choice to you nowadays? do you feel this choice in some way different compared with the same made some years ago in your life?

Maxxx: Indeed, we are and have always been a vegan straight edge band. From my personal point of view, I believe that it’s a much needed stance nowadays, where we are in a constant hazard of pollution, either mental or physical and by this, I mean that we live in a world where the commercialisation of our lives it’s at one of the highest points in the history of humanity. In general, we are pushed to consume unnecessary things in order to keep us controlled and not to think by ourselves and on the other hand, we still take as a standard that the systematic murder and slavery of animals is necessary for our subsistence. All this, it is NOT necessary and actually damaging. By being vegan and straight edge, we are already taking a political stance against society that it’s much needed nowadays. Of course, being vegan and straight edge is not the end goal but just the beginning of the path to attain our complete freedom as individuals and as a liberated society as a whole.

What would you answering to a person who's asking you "why are you vegan"?
   

Maxxx: For me, there is not ONE reason on why you should be vegan. I believe that there are several reasons: political, social, economic and personal reasons on why to be a vegan.

Political, because it is utterly necessary to have a stand against the actual status quo on where we live, animals are no commodities and by being vegan you are refusing to enter into this world in decay. Traditions are here to be broken and the consumption of animals is one of the first that needs to be broken.

Social and economic, because our actual culture related to food is unsustainable, we are destroying the seas, jungles and forests. We are using cereals and vegetables that could feed us to feed cattle raised for the madness of the slaughterhouses. All this needs to stop; we are converting humanity in the biggest plague that ever existed in this world.

 

in this period in Italy, but maybe in the rest of the world, we see an approach of the right-fascist wings to some questions such as veganism, animalism and antispeciesism too, using the same symbology of A.L.F. and antispeciesists around the world.

I really hate this thing personally, but what do you think about it? and what do you think about all the people who say "it doesn't matter! it's a great thing for the animals because the more we are, the better it is!"?

Maxxx: Fascism and conservative ideas can't be linked or supported by people fighting for animal liberation, either organisations or even at a personal level. Fascism goes against real freedom, either human or animal.

And let's not forget that the right chooses to talk about the past because it prefers dead people: a quiet world, a quiet time. The powerful who legitimise their privileges by heredity cultivate nostalgia and that past is not one that had room for liberated animals or non slave humans.

 

what does it mean to you D.I.Y. attitude?

The right way to answer this question, is in fact, what does D.I.Y doesn't mean for us: the lack of union between the different so-called scenes (punks, hardcore, AR, etc), "corporativism" in a scene that should be fighting that, and with this, I mean bands selling themselves like goods, talking about "revolution" but playing in mainstream venues and dealing with booking agencies, the eye on the personal profit because for us, music is not to make money but to put across a message, open minds and create a constructive discussion. And I believe that this is a key point, discussion and criticism, because no one has the right answers and to be challenged and to challenge your ideas is something incredible that needs to remain as part of the D.I.Y.

What does D.I.Y. means? Starting with the basic notion that Hardcore/Punk is much more than just music, D.I.Y. means collectivism, not waiting for anyone to do it for you, there is always certain laziness when you to get to the point that something needs to happen, either putting a show or just going to it or more important situations like taking actions, political actions, or at least to take a political position and be conscious and sincere about it. Spreading a message, because music with a message is like an empty package, without substance.

We consider Hello Bastards as a collective more than a music group, where ideas are more important than how you look or how good you play. At our shows we always have a info stall with several anarcho/political, AR/veganism booklets that we give for free. With Hello Bastards, we believe that sometimes bands can go to the stage, play their music, sing their songs but maybe the message will not come across to the people and that's why we also like to have this free info stall because if at least one person picks up a booklet/leaflet and this changes his approach to this world, that will be more important than anything else.

 

In these months we observed to all the riots around the middle est of the world; to how people from anger and rage destroyed the old and stupid governments based on fear and oppression...what do you think about all this situation? what about the situation in Libya where foreign governments and NATO are giving support to the people which want to destroy Gheddafi's system?

Maxxx: Well, this a delicate topic to discuss because we still don't have a complete and clear picture of the situations that started the uprising in some of the countries in the North of Africa and the Middles East and the results out of this. Also, each country had a different socio-political situation, even if they were similar; the situations that lead to the uprisings in, for example, Tunisia and Egypt were different.

Of course, it is invigorating and inspiring to see that the union of people can make a difference and that can lead to a change. From a euro perspective (even though, I'm not European), I believe that we can take some lessons and start to be much more active to try to bring a real change and literally overthrow the capitalist world in which we are exploited, and Greece is an example on how people can resist and try to refuse economic initiatives created with the only purpose to suck as many resources as possible.

In the case of Libya, there is another ingredient on why there is such a vast media coverage and interest from Western Powers, which is their oil. I can't see the same situation and in a way, urgency, in some other parts of the world where people is facing oppression, Palestine, Yemen, Burma, etc.

War is business and business is good!

 

"straight edge is dead you are next; hardcore is dead born to expire; rebellion is dead, it's all a cliché"

could you explain us why do you think these things?

Maxxx: The so called "sXe scene" but also the hardcore/punk scene in general has grown to be apolitical, a commodity of the mercantilism invading our lives, creating "ready made rebellion" to be bough and available 24 hours per day.

There is a lack of urgency and a dose of reality and a long road to exchange words by actions.

Being drug free/sXe is a political statement, by refusing auto-forced control and unnecessarily created ways of blocking our actions but at the end, all this evaporates once you start to see that people is more interested on how to look and how many records you get from eBay other than to use this political tool that you have in your hands.

I mentioned before the long road to exchange words by actions and by this, I refer to the situations where words are easily used; revolution and rebellion is freely used as part of the basic dictionary but in contrast, actions seems to be purely restricted to a "fairy tale".

 

musically speaking, what are the bands  which are inspiring hello bastards? who does write the lyrics of the band?

Maxxx: Personally, any band with an interesting and politically orientated message will inspire me. Musically, from Dropdead to Infest, Amebix to Warcollapse. Mostly power violence, anarko punk or crust.

Even though, I wrote most of the lyrics, we all contribute in one way or another to the lyrics and overall message of the band.
 

what are your future plans as band?

Maxxx: The plan is to release a 12" during 2011, maybe a 7" split and then go on tour as much as we can!

any final word?

Maxxx: Thanks for the space to express our ideas!
To get in touch with the band visit: www.myspace.com/hellobastardsxxx
or write to: xhellobastardsx@hotmail.com