INTERVIEWS
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==== INTERVIEW FOR HELLRIDE MUSIC ==== The Spancer experience is one of pure Doomed heaviness mixed with groove-ridden interludes and inhuman vokills. There is enough all out low end to cause spontaneous bowel movements across continents. Hellride Music talks to the lads in Spancer who are a surprisingly happy lot considering the evil volume spewing forth from their first full length opus, Countdown to Victory. HELLRIDE MUSIC: The Spancer musical experience is like being hit in the head with a brick....slowly. You guys combine a crushing brand of Doom with a bit of groove every now and then, combined with some of the most disturbing Acid-vocals I've ever heard... How has Spancer been accepted in your native Germany and beyond? YORK: Well, actually we sell most of the CDs in the US, and we also managed to get a fistful of them to Japan which is really great. In Germany the interest is rather small, but we're working on it -- there have been few reviews, but some of them were really amazing! Especially from the international doom scene we got fantastic feedback. However, going beyond some freaks the music is probably too extreme -- I mean, we're a doom band after all... HELLRIDE MUSIC: Give us a little history on the band...where did you guys meet, who's in the band? YORK: Kaptain and me met in the local hardcore scene in the mid 90s and Markus was hanging around there as well. KAPTAIN: And then we got along that well that we started some hot triple relationship!!! YORK: Yeah, kinda...Jan and Kappe are from the same area as Kaptain, close to Braunschweig, and since most people move here after some time and there are lots of parties with people coming from the whole area we got to know each other, finding out we share a common worship of Saint Vitus and doom in general and so we started playing. MARKUS: But I joined in later. YORK: Yeah, first Kappe tried to sing, but it didn't turn out that cool, which is good 'cause it's the best thing that could happen to get the line up like it's now, which is Markus / voice, Kaptain & Kappe / Bass, me who is the coolest on guitar... KAPTAIN: Well, more or less... YORK: And Jan on drums... MARKUS: He is the coolest !! YORK: Yeah, actually Jan is the coolest. KAPTAIN: He is a really cute one, you can take him by the ass from time to time, haha !! YORK: Yeah, he's really cute and also made the greatest progress of all of us on a musical level. HELLRIDE MUSIC: Nice. I'm glad you guys get on so well... *cough*. Speaking of assholes, who have you guys played with that stands out in your mind? Who were the cool bands and which ones were the assholes? YORK: Well, Spirit Caravan were the most outstanding of course -- after we saw them on their first European tour we thought if we'd ever got to play with them we could break up, haha, however, we had to decide different now. But we played with a couple of cool bands -- Groinchurn, Hard To Swallow, and there were also Dukes Of Nothing on the Spirit Caravan - tour. KAPTAIN: Dukes Of Nothing, drunken English bastards! MARKUS: The Brazilian guys! YORK: Oh yeah, Gangrena Gasosa -- an amazing band ! They mix extreme hardcore/grind/metal with South American percussion. They've been doing this for ten years and influenced Sepultura! But we actually didn't play with assholes... HELLRIDE MUSIC: Give us a little bit on the making of Countdown to Victory... Where did you guys record the album and how long did it take? YORK: The songs were born like all the others, too. We were standing in our rehearsal room and have been jamming... KAPTAIN: And drinking beer!! YORK: Then we entered the cheapest studio in town and spend eight days there, recording our four best songs to date. Unfortunately the studio wasn't that good, but we all are pretty poor doom dudes without a label and money ! HELLRIDE MUSIC: Countdown to Victory has four songs in 36 minutes...that's an average time of about 9 minutes a song. Do most of your songs come out of jam sessions? Many of the tunes on the album seem to stem from long jams which turned into songs. Even though the sound is heavy as fuck, there's a loose vibe in 'em.... would you agree? MARKUS: Wow, they really realize it! YORK: Yeah, I guess that kinda fits. KAPTAIN: The music doesn't develop out of jamming exclusively, but many parts do. MARKUS: We try to do something original, something of our own, more than just rocking. KAPTAIN: I think we got something quite original in the doom scene even though many bands are similar to each other, like EyeHateGod and Cavity for instance, but we also got lot's of other influences. YORK: Due to the many influences it turns out a bit different than other bands. And we also think about what we are playing, we think about the arrangements even though we usually let the songs write themselves! Of course we don't create a new style, I mean there definitely are bands around who are much more original, but I don't think we're copycats and the way we play is our own. KAPTAIN: See, we're also listening to Chris Isaac! MARKUS: And Neurosis! YORK: Yeah, what amazing artists!! We try to create something special, but let it happen the way it turns out. KAPTAIN: Also the songs aren't arranged the same way. On the new Down album, for instance, there are lot's of classic rock structures. We got those as well, but we also arrange differently. YORK: Most of the time it's different, the classic rock arrangements are just short parts within a whole song. HELLRIDE MUSIC: Germany has quite a doom scene with bands like Mirror of Deception, Dawn of Winter, Well of Souls, etc. But nobody really combines the death/doom thing like you guys.... what made you guys want to get into this vein of music? YORK: That's just the way it turned out to be, due to our various influences. KAPTAIN: I think, since we first played some Saint Vitus covers it kept close to this vein, but in general there's is a personal style in our own songs. And since the vocalist joined in later, the songs got a different approach after that. YORK: Unlike these bands you mentioned we got less Power Metal influences, but I also don't think we combine doom and death, even though we listen to grindcore and death metal, but I don't see any parallels to Winter, for instance, who combined these styles perfectly. We're rather rock and this is just the way it turned out to be; it has just become much more heavy and dark because we listen to lots of extreme music, I guess. Also because of the vocals -- it could've been a melodic voice as well, and it then would've sounded completely different. But we like it the way it is! MARKUS: The important aspect is the intensity! YORK: Yeah, and this is not necessarily bound to extreme, heavy music. KAPTAIN: It's not an aim to be as hard and extreme as possible or to say "there is no doom, so we play some". YORK: We don't try to be heavy, we just are. Of course we think it's cool when we realize something turned out really fat, but that's not our aim, we just play like we feel. HELLRIDE MUSIC: Who the hell writes the lyrics?! That some pretty intense shit....I mean on "Master File God" the deal is that you are "kissing God with your steel"...steel in this case meaning your sword. Other lyrics are centered on how war and hate and the doom of mankind... do you guys really feel this or is it something that you only express in your music? KAPTAIN: We've been listening to Manowar too much! MARKUS: Master File god is very ironic, of course. KAPTAIN: No, I don't think so -- if Markus was standing on some holy mountain he'd definitely get out his sword immediately! YORK: This is something you gotta realize, the lyrics are pretty obviously ironic. Usually Markus writes them, especially the apocalyptic, mystic ones. KAPTAIN: Why the lyrics are so dark ? Because Markus grew up in Salzgitter, which is a totally fucked up shit place!! YORK: Actually we are very humorous people, got lots of fun and don't run around melancholically all day long... KAPTAIN: Yeah, and it's you whose girlfriend didn't run away 3 weeks ago! YORK: Right, I got none at all ! MARKUS: There's not everything cool in the world, but it's also not without a way out. KAPTAIN: To get to these philosophical aspects -- if you grow up somewhere and it's not that good, or even if it is, you somehow ask yourself what you actually are doing there. And with all these things happening being related to philosophical questions you can assimilate them. These can be political or social occurrences, for instance -- when I want to become a teacher and see what's happening in Erfurt (a school massacre) I ask myself what's going on there and why. And this feeling becomes a part of the songs, when playing them in the rehearsing room or live, it becomes a part of yourself. And sometimes I'm just into feeling depressed. YORK: But that's a catharsis and these emotions get discharged through playing, something new is created. I personally experience the music as very positive, I'm happy most of the time, if not before, then after playing and I also consider the lyrics as positive even though they deal with dark topics. On the surface they're ironic and at the same time, but on a different level, they're philosophical. We got lots of fun with them and that's the way it's supposed to be, we are not into crying all day long -- when being together we want to have a good time, which definitely is the case and the lyrics reflect this. The topics are dark because there's a lot of shit happening around us, but you gotta take this with a big, fat grin in your face!! HELLRIDE MUSIC: What role do drugs and alcohol play in Spancer if any? KAPTAIN: (Pointing at his can of good ol' Beck's beer) : Since I live in Bremen now it's pretty easy for me (laughter) -- here, it says 1876, over there at you guys in Philadelphia. YORK: Yeah, but I suppose the Yankee version is piss! Sorry to say, but we're used to the best beer in the world, aren't we!? But I guess for a doom band we're nearly straight edge. KAPTAIN: During the last weeks I've actually been partying the whole time. YORK: I'm saying for a doom band, compared to most other ones we're pretty easy going. KAPTAIN: We got nothing in our veins! YORK: Yeah well, THC gets into your blood as well, haha ! Partly we smoke weed or eat mushrooms, partly we get drunk, but usually it's beer, not whiskey! KAPTAIN: Partly? YORK: There's even one who stays clean -- at least we don't do any chemical stuff! Drugs play in this way a role in Spancer that we partly do write songs under the influence of them (but then it's just beer and weed), but we also like to stay sober here and there. KAPTAIN: I like to drink beer during my leisure time...or maybe more, as well! HELLRIDE MUSIC: What are you guys currently listening to? YORK: Wu Chien Lien, that's Chinese canto-pop... KAPTAIN: Oh, fuck you! MARKUS: He gets us rid in shit again! KAPTAIN: OK, first, something known in the US as well -- Dimple Minds ! (laughter -- that's a German drunk punk band) YORK: I think we're supposed to tell what we're currently listening to -- the new Blind Guardian... KAPTAIN: Oh shit ! The new Down and soccer scores. MARKUS: High On Fire, Neurosis, Isis. YORK: Colosseum live and the new Cavity. KAPTAIN: Chris Isaac, the new Motorhead and the latest Johnny Cash. MARKUS: Old Man Gloom and Hawg Jaw. KAPTAIN: I've been listening to Electric Wizard again, and N.W.A. YORK: Hey, if can listen to these hip hop ghetto dudes I can also listen to beautiful women from China! I've also been listening to Japanese percussion a lot. MARKUS: Yeah, me too. KAPTAIN: And Jimmy Smith, that's a jazz dude. YORK: Yeah, some jazz, Cecil Taylor and John Zorn. MARKUS: Warhorse! How could we forget them ?! KAPTAIN: The latest Spancer of course ! (laughter) YORK: Yeah, Spancer, and Hellblazer of course, a great grind band! (laughter, it's York's other band) Fantomas, Genocide SuperStars, Skit System, Fuck On The Beach and Spazz. Kappe listens to 80s metal, especially Exciter, Jan to lots of shit, especially Punk'n'roll and Mike Patton's entire career. HELLRIDE MSUIC: Any plans to record or live gigs coming up? YORK: Live gigs ? We'll play at some garden party in two months, haha! KAPTAIN: And maybe in our rehearsing room in a week, together with Morser! YORK: We're working on a new LP, maybe it's gonna be released some day, if we find someone who's willing to finance and release it. We'll record a demo for it soon, so get in touch if you're interested to hear it! However, we don't have that many gigs, nobody wants to see us here... HELLRIDE MUSIC: Well that's all I have to ask. Thanks for the interview. Any last words? YORK: Yeah, it looks like Bayern Muenchen won't be German soccer champion, which is fine, but I guess people in the US don't know that much about it... KAPTAIN: I think it really sucks, that some Belgium piss brewery bought Beck's and now there are no taxes being paid to Bremen, which is a really poor city now and the beer somehow tastes different now. YORK: I think it still tastes the same! KAPTAIN: Yeah, they got different types now, the old one and a new which is supposed to be liked outside the Northern part of Germany as well. YORK: The more you go down South the worse the beer, but as long as they still got the original one everything is fine !! Interview by Chris Barnes, 5/9/02 |
==== INTERVIEW FOR PSYCHEDELIC FANZINE ====
PSYCHEDELIC: When did the band start playing under the name of Spancer, and who’s in the recent line-up of the band? YORK: We started in early '99, with Kaptain & Kappe on dual bass attack, Jan on drums and me playing guitar, had no name at this time though. For the first gig 1/2 a year later we wrote Chandler on the flyer, but back then our vocalist Markus wasn't in the band yet -- we played two Saint Vitus covers sung by Kappe and instrumental versions of our very first two songs. We didn't keep the name though as we thought we couldn't play any show with Wino then, haha, and agreed on Spancer shortly after that. PSYCHEDELIC: What kind of musical past do the members of the band have? YORK: We are rooted in the underground hardcore scene, Ingo played in an emo band, haha ! KAPTAIN: Correct, but that was something different back then. YORK: Yeah, the d.i.y. hardcore scene of the mid 90s -- lots of bands were crying back then, but still it wasn't that sad college rock that it is today. MARKUS: We had a band as well -- Los Alamos. KAPTAIN: We played crusty hardcorepunk -- and then also another band, kinda like older Neurosis, still having this hardcore touch. MARKUS: ...which has developed into Blackspring now. YORK: That's Markus' other band. I played in Satan Youth 3000, a powerviolence/crustpunk band and now I'm in Hellblazer -- that's seppuku weedgrind ! Jan played in Brutal Killing Bastards, punkrock... KAPTAIN: And now in Francesco, they play retro punk'n'roll. YORK: In former times he played Death Metal. PSYCHEDELIC: Please tell us a few words about the band’s first musical offering entitled "Countdown To Victory". KAPTAIN: Yeah, it's just a fact that the samples are a class of their own ! YORK: That's what I really regret about the record -- the samples are in German and most people don't understand them, but they are so fucking cool ! KAPTAIN: However, they are not of any interest to anyone like this -- people just think there's someone blabbing, but actually those are the coolest samples from movies like Das Boot, Bang Boom Bang and... YORK: A Better Tomorrow. KAPTAIN: These movies really should not be missed -- watch them all in a row ! YORK: About the cd you could say that we recorded our best four songs to date to get going with some proper stuff and enrich the world with fat rocking apocalypsedoom. We also received some fantastic reviews and so we got a solid debut which created a foundation to develop on and more cool shit to come. KAPTAIN: Yeah, and then there'll be the next record some day which, I think we can tell this now, will be called Slow Down, Pleasure Up ! PSYCHEDELIC: What does motivate Spancer, not only as a band, but as individuals? Who would you cite as influences, both current and past? YORK: Fucking life ! MARKUS: Stories written by life. KAPTAIN: The motivation why everything is like it is ? Because we're totally thrilled by this shit !! YORK: We just feel like it, that's what enriches our lives with good moments. KAPTAIN: There're lots of aspects -- spending your time in such a cool way in the rehearsal room that you go outside afterwards and think, yeah, we achieved something. And also playing such extreme music that while playing it you actually don't even consider extreme, but utterly natural. Others might say, what are you guys playing there, but to me it's totally normal. MARKUS: And everything around you; when experiencing something you assimilate it, especially in the lyrics, but also in the music. YORK: What's really important is to live one's life fully, to use your potential which definetely is good for your mental state. And of course the desire just to write some cool music that we enjoy. KAPTAIN: The common time we share, drinking some beers, going out in the evening and getting to know some beautiful woman who is also listening to this kind of music. (laughter) YORK: Musical influences of course are all these crappy doom bands like Saint Vitus, EyeHateGod, Sleep...they fucking rule ! KAPTAIN: Cavity, Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard, High On Fire. MARKUS: Warhorse, Hawg Jaw. KAPTAIN: Chris Isaac, Black Sabbath. YORK: Church Of Misery, Black Sabbath. KAPTAIN: Black Sabbath. YORK: Wino !!! KAPTAIN: Led Zeppelin. YORK: And beyond that we all listen to lotsa different stuff, extreme hardcore and metal... KAPTAIN: What are these Death Metal dudes from Poland called, average age 19 ? YORK: Decapitated. KAPTAIN: Yeah, write that down -- but on the opposite also...Johnny Cash. YORK: There really is lots of stuff, everyone listens to different bands, Jimi Hendrix as well as Neurosis, classic Chinese and Japanese music, hip hop etc. Kappe mainly listens to 80s metal though, especially Exciter. MARKUS: A reason to suffer for the rest ! YORK: No no, they're pretty cool. And he also asked me to list Cirith Ungol, who -- I'd like to mention this -- had pretty much the greatest guitar solos in the classic metal scene, Savage Grace, Griffin, Manilla Road, Kryst The Conqueror, who he says fuckin' rule etc. Jan listens to lots of rock, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Melt-Banana -- I totally love the last three as well ! All these different aspects influence and motivate us in our daily lives and thus Spancer. KAPTAIN: However, the direct influences are not rooted in these far-reaching musical tastes, at least not in my case, I guess I'm rather conservative when it's come to this. YORK: But it still broadens your horizon and musical understanding and we don't primarily try to fulfill a certain genre, but play what's in our minds, even though we got different bands to play in for our different thoughts 'cause sometimes it's better to avoid mixing all styles of music as the single one can loose its own energy, especially doom. PSYCHEDELIC: What is Spancer all about? Any message you’re trying to convey? What’s your goal with the band? KAPTAIN: We want to rule the whole world, like Wu Tang -- we'll start the Spancer Cooperation ! YORK: We actually want to establish the doom version of Wu Tang. KAPTAIN: Exactly ! Rule the whole world and then move to another planet where pink penguins are running around who say nothing, but... YORK: Spancer, Spancer !!! (laughter) KAPTAIN: And they drink nothing but Beck's ! YORK: We don't have a certain obvious message, it's just about using your time and potential and having a good time doing so. KAPTAIN: That life actually is a total loss, but becomes much greater through music. MARKUS: That pretty much is the only significant part -- making music. YORK: At least for us as a whole. It's just that you take care of the things that mean something to you and use them. That doesn't necessarily need to be music and I also get lots of energy and improve my psyche from martial arts, like Markus does as well. What we try to reach actually is just having a good time and write some cool songs. KAPTAIN: Turn around people's brains ! YORK: Yeah, and having fun while doing it ! And that once in a while there are people who think, oh my god, what's that, like our rehearsal room landlord... KAPTAIN (with a squeaky voice): "What kind of infernal noise is that !?!" YORK: I mean, of course I want to tour Japan and play in the Mexican desert, but if it never happens, I had a fucking great time just by hanging out with my friends, celebrating doom -- I think that already is a lot, more than many people ever experience ! PSYCHEDELIC: Could you give us a synopsis of the lyrical content? Where do you draw inspiration from, and do you think that lyrics are an important part of the music? KAPTAIN: Of course the lyrics fit the music, harmonize with it and are pretty important. MARKUS: They are personal, partly from my own experiences, but still it's hidden, so that you don't really get the real meaning since they're very ironic. YORK: They're in a way as important as the music since we definetely think about them and they also support the sound, but of course the band doesn't exist to write lyrics, but music. KAPTAIN: The vocals are an instrument as well and if we wrote lyrics about the green lawn of Werder (that's the soccer club of Bremen) or some other shit it just wouldn't fit. Apart from that our thoughts are somehow like the lyrics are, that's a reason why we play this music. YORK: We try to digest our thoughts in the lyrics. These are philosophical, about life, contemplating and analyzing what's happening around us. MARKUS: Exactly, the influences are daily life and what you see and experience. KAPTAIN: And also the music, you gotta say that. If I wasn't listening to all this shit I probably wouldn't play it. I don't mean to copy anything, but if I hadn't heard Iron Monkey some day I maybe wouldn't have got into this stuff. Then I could also play acoustic rock at the camp-fire : (singing) Hey, I'm so down, everything around me is so bad...(laughter) YORK: On the surface the lyrics are totally ironic and differ from their actual meaning. We prefer writing lyrics about what we think is cool and that's stuff like kicking god in the ass and waving your sword through the air... KAPTAIN: And how you get along on the wild sea ! YORK: And how you are a Chinese swordsman... KAPTAIN: Smoking a fat jolly... YORK: Getting fucking stoned while developing a new martial arts technique... KAPTAIN: A new type of rice. PSYCHEDELIC: How does a rehearsal of Spancer look like? What kind of concept do you have for songwriting? KAPTAIN: Long !!! Long distance runner from Iron Maiden. YORK: The rehearsals are like this -- we get together, some smoke weed, some drink beer... MARKUS: Some nothing ! YORK: Some nothing, and then someone starts playing, comes up with a new riff, the rest joins in and so the songs develop. KAPTAIN: One way being that someone comes up with certain ideas, another being that we just jam, sometimes that we don't know what to do and drink another beer and ask the drummer. YORK: Exactly, cause he plays guitar and bass better than the actual bassists and guitarist. KAPTAIN: Our last aid ! YORK: We don't have a certain concept, but let the songs write themselves -- a good song must fit to itself and not fulfill some schema, even though we think about what we're playing and try out several ways of arrangement. But after all it comes down to what we feel. KAPTAIN: Having a boner all the time. PSYCHEDELIC: What kind of equipment and instruments do the members of the band play? YORK: Drums, guitar, bass... KAPTAIN: Wooden instruments ! (laughter) Warwick amplification, 400 watts, 4*10 and 1*15 speakers. YORK: Kappe got an old Peavey amp, the same as Paul Speckman. KAPTAIN: By the way, also the guy from Minor Threat. YORK: And the same Ibanez bass as Sexy T, which he was endorsing -- he is Sexy K now ! Actually we just need stuff to get a low and fat sound. KAPTAIN: It's just about getting our guitarist down on his knees ! YORK: I got a POD now, set on the FuzzFace. KAPTAIN: Big Muff ! YORK: Some pedals, but we don't have the big money to buy some nice Sunn amps, Gibson guitars and the best vintage effects. We just play...rock instruments. KAPTAIN: Which drum set does Jan have ? YORK: Tama -- yeah, he got some nice kit now, but second hand of course. KAPTAIN: Zildjian, only thick cymbals. YORK: Yeah, he uses a ride as a crash now, pretty loud and noisy. MARKUS: I got a Shure SM 58. KAPTAIN: Ibanez Roadster bass. YORK: I actually have a nice Hamer Special, but in Spancer I play a Flying V (by Epiphone of course) 'cause it's a definite bluesrock guitar and symbolizes Saint Vitus !!! PSYCHEDELIC: What were your most memorable concerts as Spancer, and why? YORK: Spirit Caravan ! KAPTAIN: Yeah, that was the coolest. MARKUS: It also was quite intimate, pleasently friendly. I wasn't that much involved in it before, but I thought there is this old bloke who has been playing somewhere sometime, but if you get to know him he's a really cool person, got his feet on the ground ! YORK: Yeah, on a personal level this probably was kinda the coolest show, I mean, playing with your hero and he isn't an arrogant fuck up, what more could you ask for -- by the way, sorry to Sherman and Gary for just talking about Wino, but I guess they're used to it...Hard To Swallow and Groinchurn were really cool as well. On the other hand I think the coolest experiences were driving to another town together, Leipzig for instance, hanging around all day long and do some hot rocking in the evening. But unforetunately we don't have that many gigs, so there isn't that much to tell. PSYCHEDELIC: What are your plans for the next 6 months with Spancer? YORK: We'll play at some garden party ! MARKUS: To write more songs. KAPTAIN: We need longer songs, drink more beer, getting even more extreme and rock even more ! YORK: Completing the new songs for the new lp, and hopefully find someone who's willing to finance it, 'cause we can't do it again -- we're fucking broke. Oh yeah, and I'd also like to play in the desert of Mexico... KAPTAIN: With Brujeria ! MARKUS: Meeting Carlos Castaneda ! YORK: Is he still alive actually ? PSYCHEDELIC: What would you like to tell the readers, if you got the possibility to tell them anything? YORK: Not a lot, do we ? ALL: Oh yes -- Spancer fucking kick your ass !! YORK: Seriously, what could we say ? MARKUS: Something ingenious ! YORK: That's the problem... KAPTAIN (moaning): Oh, we'd love to get some gigs so much...the important aspect, when someone reads the lyrics or watches us, is that you have to save your ass, getting out of all the shit. YORK: That you get up your ass and do something. KAPTAIN: Exactly, getting energy out of it. By playing music for instance, like we do, or other people play...chess (laughter) or something else. That even though there is all this depressive shit around you, and that's true, just have a look at the weather, that you still are courageous enough to do something, that's really important. MARKUS: Yeah, getting something going. Not only following others, but starting something of your own. YORK: To use your potential. KAPTAIN: And combine all these things that you do, like we do with the music, thoughts, riffing, so that something special turns out, like Spancer. To create something out of what you think and feel. This can be art, music, certain movements of the body like tai chi, also basketball or football (soccer), whatever. MARKUS: And you all should be reading much more ! YORK: Exactly ! You gotta try to find out about all these different things in the whole wide world. There's so much you can do, explore and learn from that it's really sad when you don't try to broaden your horizon, but listen to the same music all day long, playing Playstation and staying mentally limited and deadlocked. KAPTAIN: You just gotta get up your ass and that's why we do all this shit. I personally also draw power out of depression, therefore I play music. If I'm really down I listen to Neurosis and when I'm totally fucked up Iron Monkey 'cause they're not that sad, but reflect this mood and then I get my ass up again. YORK: Yeah, that's a real kick and this motivates and then you can create something new. MARKUS: And if we maybe do this for other people as well, that's something really special of course ! KAPTAIN: But if people kill themselves that ain't too bad either. YORK: There are too many anyway ! (laughter) PSYCHEDELIC: How can the fans reach you (please list both contact addresses!), and what kind of merchandise do you have for sale? YORK: Well, we planned to do some t-shirts, already got a design, but we couldn't get them manufactured as we got no money. KAPTAIN: Yeah, but we'll definetely do it...ok, we got cups, socks, can openers... YORK: Condoms... KAPTAIN: Condoms, underwear, vibrators... YORK: Martial arts sticks, short and long, plectrums, I got my own series that I endorse... KAPTAIN: Yeah, and especially weapons -- the new Smith&Wesson is called Spancer ! MARKUS: Double-barrelled !!! YORK: You best write to me as the others are fuck ups ! I'm as well, but I have to take care of everything...York Wiese / Schubertstr. 3 / 38114 Braunschweig / Germany...preparetodoom@tiscalinet.de... I'll be moving in october, but I'll still get letters, however, it's probably better if you use e-mail. If I don't answer I didn't receive it. You can also reach Kaptain through spancer@gmx.at...thanx a lot !!! Long live the slow !!!
INTERVIEW by Hegedus Mark, 2002 |
==== NONPUBLISHED INTERVIEW==== Sascha: Seit wann gibt es denn die Band, wie alt seid Ihr so und wie hat sich das (Wir sitzen vor'm Radio und hoeren Meisterschaftskonferenzschaltung. Anwesend YORK: Das Ganze fing damit an, dass Kappe (unser einer Basser) und ich uns KAPTAIN: Bethlehem, 53 Minuten lang !! YORK: Ja, wir hatten bloss keinen Gesang dafuer und mussten dann dummerweise KAPTAIN: Kappe wollte ja singen. YORK: Stimmt, der hat die Saint Vitus - Songs gesungen, auch ganz MARKUS: Ja, mir wurde da so'n verranztes Tape auf 'ner Party gegeben... YORK: ...und das war Dir zu langsam. MARKUS: Das war mir eindeutig zu langsam ! YORK: Aber mittlerweile sind wir Dir fast schon zu schnell. MARKUS: Naja, aber ich dachte, da kann man Einiges mit machen. YORK: Hat sich halt etwas schneller entwickelt... MARKUS: Ganz schoen schnell, aber dreckig gut ! Sascha: Doom, wie Ihr ihn spielt, ist sicherlich eine sehr amerikanische YORK: Naja, wir haben hier ungefaehr so'n knappes Dutzend Fans. KAPTAIN: Außer uns selber ! YORK: Ja, ausser uns... MARKUS: Ein Dutzend nur ? YORK: Ja, so etwa -- ein Dutzend ist doch gut ! KAPTAIN: Das liegt daran, wenn die die Musik hoeren, fallen sie alle tot um, MARKUS: Und weil die alle tot umfallen, ist hier in der Gegend auch nix KAPTAIN: Richtig, das ist alles Schutt und Asche, und wir ernaehren uns nur YORK: Ja, aber wir spielen wohl schon recht amerikanische Musik, aber es KAPTAIN: Ich denke mal, es ist eigentlich egal, ob amerikanisch oder ... (Radiosprecher: Roque Santa Cruz blablabla...) YORK: Oh scheisse, Bayern hat ein Tor erzielt... KAPTAIN: Ja, aber wichtig ist eigentlich der Stil und die Musik, die YORK: Ja genau, aber es macht halt Spaß, sie zu spielen und zu hören. KAPTAIN: Die Leute, die es hoeren, finden 's vielleicht nicht alle gut, aber YORK: Bis auf dieses Dutzend, die 's richtig geil finden, aber darueber Sascha: Was ich bei Euch recht faszinierend finde ist, daß Ihr trotz derber KAPTAIN: Einfluesse ? Michael Jackson, Depeche Mode. YORK: Tja, also ich hoere halt seit vorgestern eigentlich nur noch KAPTAIN: Das ist echt schlecht -- Du frisst auch nur noch Reis und MARKUS: York ist auch bald draussen ! KAPTAIN: Ich denk mal, dass wir eigentlich alle mit HardcorePunk angefangen YORK: Ja, bis auf Kappe, der ist unser Metaller... KAPTAIN: Der hört True Metal, dass einem die Eier abfallen... MARKUS: Schrecklich ! YORK: Der Rest hat HardcorePunk - Roots. Wobei ich noch anmerken muss, KAPTAIN: Aber wer Punk und Hardcore hoert, der kommt auch nicht an Saint YORK: Genau, und dann findet man auch EyeHateGod gut, und Iron Monkey und KAPTAIN: Cavity ! Und dann muss man da weiter nachforschen und findet auch YORK: Und dann stellt man fest, dass bei Muttern zu Hause Iron Butterfly steht. KAPTAIN: Oder Uriah Heep, Led Zeppelin -- die findet man dann auf einmal YORK: Ja, das ist das Lustige, weil man einige Jahre vorher dann doch KAPTAIN: Abgesehen davon, sind wir auf jeden Fall total abgehoben ! YORK: Ja, wir sind voellig abgehoben -- also, wir klingen wahrscheinlich MARKUS (zu Ingo): Jetzt musst Du aber auch Deinen Satz sagen ! KAPTAIN: Haeh, was fuer'n Satz ? MARKUS: Na, dass Spancer alle aufbocken ! YORK: Jaaa ! KAPTAIN: Oh, Spancer bocken auch alle auf !! YORK: Das haben wir mal beim Websurfen im Vollsuff an Soulpreacher Sascha: Gibt es da ueberhaupt eine Szene? Regional? Ueberregional? YORK: Welche Szene ? KAPTAIN: Ich denke mal, dass wir in Deutschland eigentlich mit keiner Band YORK: Eben, hier bei uns sind wir eh nur mit DeathGrindern zusammen, und KAPTAIN: Das ist wie so'n Stinktier, das sein Revier hat. Wir sind hier fuer MARKUS: Wir scheissen 'nen Haufen, aber keiner sieht's. YORK: Naja, vielleicht ergibt es sich ja, dass wir mal hier und da noch KAPTAIN: Unser Sound ist wie scharfer Urin...wie Spargelpisse !! YORK: Das waere halt schon geil, auch mal mit anderen Doombands zu spielen, (Radiosprecher: Otto Addo trifft den Pfosten, es bleibt hier beim 1:1...) ALLE: Ohh, naja gut... Sascha: Wie sehen bei Euch die Konzerte aus? Habt Ihr viele Gigs? Wie ist der KAPTAIN: Gigs ? Was für gigs ? YORK: Wir haben leider kaum gigs -- eigentlich war bisher fast jeder KAPTAIN: Wie viele Auftritte hatten wir denn eigentlich ? YORK: Oohh, frag doch nicht so was Schwieriges -- ich glaube, so ca. KAPTAIN: Unmengen ! YORK: Joey DeMaio hat auch mal erklaert, bei Manowar seinen so viele Frauen MARKUS: Aber um die Frauenfrage zu heben, haben wir halt Jan in der Band ! YORK: Ja, das ist unser...aeh, suesser Boy, fuer 'nen Doommusiker viel zu MARKUS: Engelchen ! YORK: Mittlerweile ja leider nicht mehr, die Haare sind ab...einfach ab. KAPTAIN: Aber mit dieser Frage werden wir hier doch beschissen ! YORK: Neh, ich glaube es ging mehr um Fanzuspruch, nicht um Frauen. KAPTAIN: Achso, haben wir auch keine ! YORK: Wir sind eigentlich selber unsere groessten Fans... KAPTAIN: Es geht aber auch nicht darum, Musik zu machen, um Fans zu MARKUS: Genau !! YORK: Bei Konzerten haben wir bisher eigentlich ziemlich wenige Leute Sascha: Was sind denn Eure Lieblingsbands? Saint Vitus ist nicht schwer zu YORK: Saint Vitus ? Die mag keiner von uns...also ich mag halt Wu Chien KAPTAIN: Oh Mann, der Japanscheiss wieder... YORK: Nehneh, das ist 'ne Chinesin ! Die Einfluesse haben wir ja vorhin KAPTAIN: Black Sabbath hoeren wir natürlich auch ! YORK: Und dann so'ne Sachen wie Brutal Truth, Discordance Axis... MARKUS: Neurosis ! YORK: Jaaa, die natuerlich -- das waere fast sowas wie meine absolute KAPTAIN: Da habe ich heute nacht von getraeumt, dass die die neue Platte YORK: Die findet sogar Kappe gut, was sehr ungewoehnlich ist -- er hoert KAPTAIN: Und den Koenig ! MARKUS: Also, EyeHateGod, Isis, Iron Monkey... ALLE: Oh ja, Iron Monkey ! YORK: Jetzt darf Ingo mal ! KAPTAIN: Ja, den Eisenaffen natürlich, dann Motorhead und aeh, Dimple Minds YORK: Man koennte halt sagen, alles Moegliche aus'm extremen Hardcore und KAPTAIN: Black Flag, die sind auch gut, aber das ist ja fast wie Dimple YORK: Das ist ja klar -- wir hoeren halt alle sehr viele unterschiedliche KAPTAIN: Ja, Du vielleicht ! YORK: Ja, ich, jeder halt was anderes ! Gibt's noch irgendwas anderes, dass KAPTAIN: Aeh, Johnny Flash, neh, Cash ! Chris Isaac und Sade... YORK: Yep, Chris Isaac...und die James Bond Soundtracks ! Jan hoert viel Sascha: Was erlebt man denn so als Doommusiker für Dinge im Laufe der Zeit? YORK: Naja, man ist ja die ganze Zeit besoffen und bekifft... MARKUS: Ich nicht ! KAPTAIN: Was haben wir denn für 'ne lustige Begebenheit ? Also vielleicht, MARKUS: Also ich fand Leipzig toll ! YORK: Ja, wegen des Essens -- die haben da ein wahnsinns veganes KAPTAIN: Auswaertssieg ! (Gelaechter) MARKUS: Wir haben in Halle gespielt ? YORK: Das war das letzt Konzert, das wir gepielt haben, du Penner ! MARKUS: Ach das, ja, da gab's lecker Kekse und so ! KAPTAIN: Was haben wir denn so Geiles erlebt ? Wir hatten 'nen Igel bei uns YORK: Stimmt, den haben wir rausgesetzt, und der kam voll nicht mehr klar. KAPTAIN: War das gerade ein Tor ? YORK: Das war doch Wolfsburg -- scheiße, Schalke verliert schon wieder ! KAPTAIN: Stuttgart -- die muessen gewinnen, dann kommt Werder in 'n Uefa YORK: Als wir dann unseren aktuellen Proberaum bezogen haben, kam dann KAPTAIN: Der Typ, also der Vermieter, sieht aus wie Oliver Bierhoff und YORK: Aber so viel passiert da eigentlich nicht, ausser dass wir immer aus MARKUS: Ist alles viel zu langsam. YORK: Ja eben, das fliesst alles an uns vorbei... Sascha: Was sind Eure naechsten Plaene? KAPTAIN: Auf jeden Fall Haus bauen ! YORK: Ja, Familie, Kinder...'nen sicheren Job... KAPTAIN: 'Ne geile Alte ! Den Arsch retten wuerde ich sagen, und MARKUS: Erleuchtet ! YORK: Ja, ich moechte auch gerne mal...aeh, erleuchtet werden ! (Gelaechter) KAPTAIN: Ich denke, auf musikalischer Ebene sollten die Songs viel laenger YORK: Ich moechte eigentlich nach der naechsten Platte 'ne Doppel LP, 100 KAPTAIN: Ich halte ja nicht viel von pulverigen Drogen, aber ich haette YORK: Stimmt ! Und es waere natürlich geil, wenn mal 'ne coole amerikanische KAPTAIN: Ja, 'ne Japan Tour waere geil, mit Ralf Richter spoken words. YORK: Ich wuerde gerne auf Japan Tour und da mit allen geilen Bands zusammen KAPTAIN: Mit Corrupted auf jeden Fall, da koennen wir mal 'ne ordentliche Sascha: Wie geht bei Euch denn das Songwriting vonstatten? Ich kann mir KAPTAIN: Naja, die letzten Proben waren eher nuechtern, da muessen wir mal YORK: Die Anfangsproben mit Saint Vitus - Songs waren eigentlich viel KAPTAIN: Stellen wir die Frage mal um: " Was haltet ihr von Drogen ?" MARKUS: Gar nix ! YORK: Kommt drauf an... KAPTAIN: Der eine hier nicht, aber die anderen schon ! YORK: Ja, aber er wird mittlerweile neugierig, was so spirituelles Zeugs KAPTAIN: Ach deswegen bringst Du immer so'n Quatsch an, oder was !? YORK: Also einer von uns bringt immer ein Riff an... MARKUS: York bringt immer die Toene... YORK: ...und die anderen machen 'nen richtigen Rhythmus draus ! Irgendwer KAPTAIN: Es gibt eigentlich auch nie so'n Loch, dass wir da rumhaengen, uns YORK: Wenn das mal der Fall ist, greift Jan zur Gitarre und schreibt in MARKUS: Es wird halt schon gejammt. YORK: Es wird auf jeden Fall gejammt, wir stehen da so im Proberaum und je MARKUS: Was ? YORK: In andere Sphaeren abdriften. MARKUS: Ja, aber ohne Drogen ! (Gelaechter) Sascha: Eure Texte sind ja wahnsinnig duester, verbreiten eine fuerchterliche KAPTAIN: In erster Linie geht's ja um Gott, Seefahrt und die Zerstoerung der YORK: Aber mit Schwertern ! MARKUS: Ja, der Inhalt der Texte ist halt duester, aber nicht auswegslos ! KAPTAIN: Tor ? (Radiosprecher: Der 1.FC Kaiserslautern ist zurueck...) KAPTAIN: Nein...aehh, 3:3 schon ! YORK: 3:3 ? Das heisst, Werder ist draussen. KAPTAIN: Neh, wenn sie verlieren. MARKUS: Es geht halt nicht um einen Gott, sondern um mich. Es ist schwer zu KAPTAIN: Also es geht eigentlich auch darum, dass wir mit Religion nicht YORK: Naja, wir wollen halt auch unseren Spaß haben, die Texte sind auf KAPTAIN: Erotisch ! YORK: Erotisch sind sie sowieso, und wir lachen uns auch immer voellig KAPTAIN: Ich denke, jeder kann da auch was eigenes rausziehen...die Texte MARKUS: Das i-Tuepfelchen zur Musik, die untermalen das noch. (Radiosprecher: Tor in Stuttgart, 4:3 fuer den VFB) KAPTAIN: Geil, Werder ist drin ! YORK: Es sind eben so lebensphilosophische Fragen und Angelegenheiten, die KAPTAIN: Neh, ueberhaupt nicht, finde ich total scheisse ! YORK: Es gibt natuerlich so diese ueblichen existenziellen Fragen... KAPTAIN: Das ist ja logisch ! YORK: ...aber religioes im Sinne von organisierter Religion, wie z.B. dem MARKUS: Sowas koennte man auch mal lesen, die Literatur darueber. (Radiosprecher: Tooooor) YORK: Tor ? Wo denn nun ? Dortmund ! KAPTAIN: Scheisse ! YORK: Werder...aber Kaiserslautern liegt ja auch hinten, von daher ist es KAPTAIN: Sind das schon wieder irgendwelche Schlitzaugen ? YORK: Ja klar ! MARKUS: Aber Laozi kennt man ! YORK: Aber wirklich... Sascha: Ok, any final words? KAPTAIN: Ja, Werder, voll Scheisse, Mann ! (Gelaechter) ALLE: Spancer bocken alle auf ! YORK: Ja, und Hauptsache Bayern gewinnt nicht, waehrend die anderen verlieren ! KAPTAIN: Und bei unserem Schlagzeuger gibt's gleich 'ne geile Feier und da Interview by Sascha Maurer, May or June 2002 |
==== Interview for In Extremis Radio Show & Freezine ====
JEAN: To begin this interview, let's talk about the Spancer history.
Interview by Jean Pazola, December 2002 |