Date: 12/01/1988
Questions by: ?
Appeared in: AMOBAHTO (GRC) #? - 1988
01. How is the scene in Belgium ? Do you have a
very active
scene ?
02. What do you think about the ecological, anti-nuclear movements ?
Are the punkgroups helping in anyway those movements ?
03. What’s your opinion on communism, socialism, anarchism ? Do you
promote in your lyrics any of the above ?
04. What’s your opinion on Greenpeace ? Do you think that
non-violent actions can change the world of today ?
05. What’s your opinion on terrorism ? Do you think that is the best
way to react against the system ?
06. Do you have any metalbangers on your gigs ? What’s your opinion
on crossover ? Do you think crossover can change some attitudes from the
punx ?
07. What’s your opinion on groups who change their sound and
lyrics ?
08. Future plans ?
01. How is the scene in Belgium ? Do you have a very active scene ?
The scene in Belgim nowadays is a bit in the grip of metal and crossover. We are one of the last bands that still play punkmusic but this is not with a certain purpose but only because we like that kind of music the most. Another thing that has changed is the fact that bands are making records now. + 3 years ago there were no bands which had a record (except Zyklome A) but now there are a lot of bands which have one or more e.g. Eardamage, Heibel, Xcreta, Capital Scum, Sponky Business, Hate Crew, The Dirty Scums (being the first after Zyklome A), etc. There are also a lot of 'zines and almost every week there are gigs with Belgian bands but also with foreign bands from England, France, Germany, Italy, U.S.A., Brazil, … Our scene is small but active. The only thing we like to see otherwise/different is the fact that metal/crossover bands and freaks look down (sometimes) on people and bands which love and play other music.
02. What do you think about the ecological, anti-nuclear movements ? Are the punkgroups helping in anyway those movements ?
Those kinds of movements are good and should have more attention and power. In Belgium we have an anti-nuclear and anti-military movement called V.A.K.A.. There is also an action-camp in Florennes and that’s a place in Belgium where there are sixteen American nuclear missiles. V.A.K.A. also organises mass demonstrations for peace. There is a political party too that stands up for the amelioration of the environment. The punkbands in Belgium support that kind of movements by making lyrix about those problems and joining the demonstrations or by writing about it in fanzines. Some people may be active member of those movements.
03. What’s your opinion on communism, socialism, anarchism ? Do you promote in your lyrics any of the above ?
Communism as we know it in the U.S.S.R. and other communist countries we don't like very much because it is too authoritative and that system has too much power over the people who live there. In Belgium that kind of political groups are small and do not have much power. The socialist party, in contradixion, is a big party and is the only one who can do something against the right wing and who can do something for the working class. When there are elexions (national), we support that party. Anarchism, we like very much and it would be great to live in such a society but we think that something like that can’t be reached because most of the people don’t know what anarchism is, and they aren’t ready for it. However anarchism on a small level is possible, e.g. the punkbands and the punkscene. We have one song that promotes anarchism, namely "ANARCHY AND PEACE", on our first album.
04. What’s your opinion on Greenpeace ? Do you think that non-violent actions can change the world of today ?
It’s good that there is something like Greenpeace because they are trying to give the world a conscience by their axions which are sometimes very risky and courageous. Non-violent axions give attention to things that are wrong in our world without taking the risk that people turn their back to it because that happens when it becomes violent. When that kind (non-violent) actions are taken in mass, they can change something and Ghandi prooved it.
05. What’s your opinion on terrorism ? Do you think that is the best way to react against the system ?
In Europe terrorism doesn’t solve anything and is sometimes more a cry of dispair of a small group of people who want to change the world. What they forget is that one cannot change something without the support of the people, except for the terrorists who just want to take the power and kill everyone who doesn’t agree, they can go to hell. But sometimes one cannot do otherwise than to take weapons and fight against the system e.g. South-Africa, South-America, but that’s something else. European terrorists are isolated and cause more bad things than good ones.
06. Do you have any metalbangers on your gigs ? What’s your opinion on crossover ? Do you think crossover can change some attitudes from the punx ?
As we already said, answering the first question, Belgium is overwhelmed by crossover and metal. So when we play somewhere, there are a lot of metalfreaks but not the traditional ones who always make trouble and fight. Crossover brings something new (metal influences in punkmusic) and it unites people who were opposite in the past. That’s the good thing in crossover. The bad thing is that there is almost no space left for bands who play traditional punkmusic. In Belgium when you don’t add metal to your music, you’re second class. Metal becomes a norm. For us, that problem isn’t that big because we already play for six years and so everyone knows us, but we can imagine that a young band has serious problems whith that. We don’t think punx wanna/are going to change their attitudes because of crossover. Maybe straight-edgers are going to start to drink beer because of the punx. Who knows ?
07. What’s your opinion on groups who change their sound and lyrics ?
We think everyone is free to choose what kind of music he plays and what he sings about. It’s up to them. Of course, changing your mind and attitudes in the opposite way is more than doubtful.
08. Future plans ?
In February we are going to the studio again to record a single (two tracks) and three tracks for our next album. Later on we record the rest of the album when the songs are ready. We hope to release our new album at the end of 1988. Also someone has offered us some gigs in Spain and when they are organised and the organizer agrees with our terms, we go on tour in summer. And further we hope to play a lot in Belgium.