Too Much of a Good Thing

Column by LL Cool Joab

 

Whenever I am writing for a column I am having a hard time where would I start. Thinking I have been doing this since I am making my own fanzine too. Well, I personally offered to dha-dha that I will contribute something for her fanzine. So, I will try my best to do this so that my effort will not get wasted. But I know it will not get spoiled because I am helping someone with a project that is worth supporting. I also like to take advantage of this to correct some of my bad habits. I have this kind of manner that I am not making up to the words I am giving to anyone that I know. Which obviously is bad? So, I am using this space to correct that oversight & much props to my sista dha-dha for this chance.

            There were a lot of things happen to my life these five past months. You know what in 25 years of existing here in our hostile world I’ve got the opportunity to work at 711. It was a great experience to deals with your job & my relationship between my co-workers & supervisors. Since I am new with this kind of activity I had to bestow to the nature of the work in there. To move as fast as you can while having a transaction with the customers buying corporate product on the store. How to respond with curses & sarcasm of your supervisors. Not to mention in here the degrading look the customers giving to you like you are some kind of a low life alien or something. Talk about pure attitude in here. In five months I had to trade with that without losing my sanity on there. To tell you the truth I nearly quit on the job from the pressure I am getting on it. It was also because I am on adjustment period not having any idea that’s the kind of environment on there. Thanks to my mother who really inspires me not to quit & advised to me just go with the flow.

            The most tasking part of the job at 7-11 when my schedule was on the graveyard shift. This is the time when the delivery on this store is not a joke. I can’t do this time imagine to myself how I am able to cope up with my task. Like how I managed to lift all those boxes & beer crates with my bare hands. In short the kind of work at 7-11 is very tasking you have to be “productive” with all the eight hours you have.

            I am not complaining on this. In fact I am thankful I had that kind of work with my first job experience. For that I will not have a hard time to make an adjustment whatever the nature of the work I will get in the future. It was also a real timing I’ve got the job considering the circumstances we have for having financial constraints. I am able to contribute to my parents even in a small scale only. I am not putting myself on a pedestal on here. I just like to share what is happening around me outside my “punk life”.

            My contract ended last August 14. I took a rest for a while because I was so tired with that job. But this October I have plans to find a new one. As of now I am a bum & a lazy asshole. You see how pretentious I am having guts & the nerve to criticize those radical parasites for being a bum while looking on myself I am the same just like them. Yeah, talk about irony in here. Well, I hope I can find a new job. It is boring as hell to stay always in your house reading a decade old magazine, man. So, now for the million dollar question. You ask me now, what the fuck is the relevance of this in the hardcore punk scene? You know what I am also asking this to myself. Do I have to make reasons for this? Reasons according to webster dictionary means: a statement offered in explanation or justification. So, now you are thinking why I am writing about my past job. Like you have this kind of reaction “what the hell is he trying to point in here?” So, what the hell is my reason for this? To tell you frankly I really don’t have any idea. I just feel like writing about it because this is my outlet. Now raising your voice at me saying “that is enough you have to give a part for this nonsense” with a grin in your face like you are ready to hack me with your newly sharpened jungle bolo. Ok,ok,ok I’ll try my best but first take away that kind of look in your face I may lose my concentration in here. I am having writer’s block in here. There you go that’s more like it. Let’s go now with the next paragraph.

            It’s obvious ever since we are born here in this warlike world we have our own reasons to justify our actions. For instance why I worked there & I already said that a while ago. That was my alternative for me not to be a burden to my parents & to help even in small scale only. For sure we have different reasons why we involve ourselves in this small community we called hardcore punk. Oh, oh, oh, do I hear side comments out there like “Cool Joab is not punk anymore because he worked on a multi-national company & he likes to be a slave by those greedy suckers for that he is a major sell-out.” Fell free to say that goddamn it but here is my question to you what is so punk if the time comes you don’t have anything to eat & doing nothing at all? Can you eat your ideologies & principles to ease your hungry? What is your solution about it? Oh, you say you will go dumpster diving as you solution. Oh great what a fool! For me dumpster is not applicable here in our country all you will get in here is left overs of the left overs. That’s it nothing more nothing less, men. So, I am challenging the author of evasion to try to live here in the Philippines & apply the kind of lifestyle you have there & let see what will happen to you? Don’t get me wrong in here I’ve read that book it is really a great story. The problem is that some people who read it they hold it in a wrong way & the other problem is that most Filipinos have this stigma of colonial mentality. They are like “let’s do this it is done by an American & let’s exaggerate some part of it to make it cooler.” Oh, so you say you will scab vegetables at the supermarket. Well, yeah for a couple of days people will gladly help & give away some old vegetables. But on the third day people will start to get pissed on you for begging old vegetables & they will tell you right in your face. “Hey why don’t you get a job & stop bagging us.” People have limitations most especially if they are being abuse by a stranger.

            We really cannot escape the fact that money plays a big role in our life. In order for us to survive we need money to buy the basic necessity in life. In order for us to earn money we need to get a job from the corporate world we despise so much in our life. For that we cannot hide the fact that we are still part of the capitalist system & worst of all we really cannot escape from that reality. But at least thanks for the efforts of the luddites for destroying some of machineries during their time. Unless you want to rob a bank & be a criminal. Or you want to be a radical parasite & being a bum as your job & take advantage the compassion your friends giving to you. Proudly feeling how cool you are while you are looking in the mirror. I really feel sad for you because behind your face you look like a baloney because of how you project to your self how radical you are. That’s thee said case here in our country. Even the left do not have any answer or solid solution for this. For how many long years they have talked to this in their endless debate like the dictatorship of the proletarians. But still the machines of the capitalist system had the long way to manipulate our lives with different façade. And still their debate of the dictatorship of pro

Pampanga Scene Report 2006 (Philippines)

 

History, Culture, Tradition…

 

The Province of Pampanga is located in Central Luzon bounded by Provinces such as Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan and Bulacan. It takes 1 and a half hour bus ride from Manila City. The Province has a population of about 1, 618,759 and land area of 218,068 while fifty one percent of the area is devoted to agriculture; land utilization is fast shifting to the urban mode. San Fernando is the capital town of Pampanga. Juan Capitan Fernando, a Spanish cavalry officer on August 31, 1775, founded it. He named it in the honor of the soldier-saint, King Ferdinand III of Spain. In June 1991, Mount Pinatubo volcano awakened from a five-century slumber. Devastating lahars, unleashed by heavy monsoon rains have scrambled down from the flanks of the volcano wreaked huge losses to towns like Bacolor, located in the heart of the province was among the most affected areas. Pampanga has sites of World War II like the Death March Marker, which is now the railroad station in San Fernando. The start of the horrendous train ride of Death March marchers en route to Capas, Tarlac. Kamikaze Museum located at the residence of the noted Pampango artist, Dan H. Dizon. It has World War II mementos, particularly those of Kamikaze pilots of Japan. Other interesting facets of the Museum are the different helmets used by the Axis and Allied powers of World War II. The Malaya Lolas of Mapaniqui, Candaba, victims of mass rape during World War II. The Malaya Lolas were abducted and then raped by Japanese Soldiers after witnessing the massacre of their men folk. With only 70 members remaining, they are asking the Japanese Government for public apology. The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia and people are very religious in terms of folk festivals and tradition like the Apu Iru Fluvial Procession in Apalit begins June 28 when the ivory-faced image of Saint Peter, sitting on the papal throne, is transferred by boat from its permanent shrine in Calapangan to Sulipan, and ends June 30 when it is returned. Thousands of devotees line both sides of the river shouting, waving leaves and flowers and splashing in frenzy as the layered pagoda bearing the statue passes by. The floating pagoda, which bears not only the statue but also brass band and about 70 people dancing the kuraldal, is pulled not by a tugboat but by swimmers, who call themselves the Knights of St. Peter. One incident happens when the pagoda sink into the river because of over loading of people riding on it. The Kuraldal of Sasmuan occurs during the week of the town fiesta on January 6, when Kapampangans (people of Pampanga) from neighboring towns gather in front of the Chapel of St. Lucy and dance for favors all night. As soon as the Mass ends at 8 P.M., the brass band signals the start of non-stop dancing that lasts till 3 A.M. barren women are said to get pregnant after the festival, but with all savage gyrating that the womb takes, one should not wonder anymore. The Aguman Sanduk of Minalin is celebrated in the afternoon of January 1, while the rest of the country takes a nap after the New Year’s Eve revelry, and there’s no one to catch the boys and men of this sleepy fishing town wear their mother’s lipstick and put on their wives dresses. This strange and largely secret tradition began in 1934; even mayors and parish priests are said to have also joined hundreds of men who parade annually in the street in full transvestite bloom. At the end of the day they choose the Aguman queen, who is usually the ugliest of the cross-dressers. It’s part parody of Kapampangan machismo and Pampangan pulchritude, two biases enshrined on the altar of Kapampangan values; it’s part protest against, and liberation from, gender discrimination and repression; it’s part attempt to stage their version of the Gay Parade. Biyernis Santu (Good Friday) is the holiest day in Catholic Churches, but definitely not in the puni-makeshift alternative chapels where folk Kapampangans hold their alternative Holy Week rituals. Here they read the pasyun (the bible of the masses) and welcome hundreds of flagellants who insist on mutilating themselves instead of just go to confession to ask forgiveness of their sins. The stark contrast between the pomp and pageantry of Catholic rituals in churches, and the raw, bloody folk practices in the streets. In the Madapdap Resettlement, populated by uprooted Bacolor families, there’s a shocking road show where men pursue and beat up a cross-bearer, followed by a series of crucifixions. In Magalang, penitents crawl like worms on the dirt road for several kilometers, rubbing and bruising their skin and covering their bodies with dust. 

 

Environment…

 

The Bird Sanctuary of Candaba has migratory egrets and indigenous birds like the rare salaksak and batala can be observed especially in the dry months when the fishponds in the swamp turn into rice fields. That’s the time when large numbers of egrets descend on shallow pools teeming with snails and small fish. A dust-choked side trip deep into the pinak (swamp) will lead to villages located on the demarcation line between Pampanga and Bulacan. The Agricultural Sectors are monitoring migratory birds who are believe bringing the Avian Influenza or commonly known as Bird Flu. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has decided to limit its geo-hazard study of Central Luzon to 19 municipalities exposed to landslides from the Sierra Madre Mountain ranges at the region’s eastern seaboard. The MGB identified 40 towns in Pampanga for geo-hazard assessment due to an expected rainy La Nina phenomenon this year. In its initial list, the MGB included the following places in its geo-hazard study: Masantol, Macabebe, Sasmuan, Minalin, Sto. Tomas, Apalit, Lubao, Floridablanca, Porac, Mabalacat, Magalang and the City of San Fernando, all in Pampanga. But people in the usually flood-prone plains say they are already used to flooding, and some of them even welcome floods, which provide them with rich fishing grounds. It would be alright for them to shift their concentration on the landslide prone areas. Landslides lead to more fatalities than floods.

 

Economy…

 

The minimum wage rate in Pampanga is 239.50 pesos ($4.70) per day. When the US Bases left the Country, Clark Economic Zone (one of the bases of the Americans) in Angeles City created jobs to near by towns and even near by provinces. San Fernando has gained economic growth when it was declared a City but we could not hide the fact that most of Filipinos are working abroad to support their families because this is the only chance they have to give their families back home a better living even though they’re far away from their wife and children’s. Imagine the wage rate per day while supporting 4 children’s.

 

Politics…

 

Well I guess the defeated Candidates for Mayors last 2004 in San Fernando City Elections will wait next year to run again after the Commission on Election re-counts the ballot boxes last year. The defeated Candidates said that there where mass cheating on the last May 2004 Elections. The Vice-Governor of Pampanga has accused the Governor of pay-offs from quarries in Bacolor and Porac, which should be use for the Provincial Funds. The cost of one truckload of sand is 300 pesos (if am not mistaken) while Commission on Audit gave the jurisdiction case to the Ombudsman.      

 

The Scene…

 

The first band I saw in 1992 are the Holocaust playing Anarchy in the UK and Boy’s don’t Cry at the foundation day of Pampanga High School (where I took my secondary) and they were the guest in that battle of the bands. I got in contact with them and at that time, they disbanded and other members formed Nancy’s Donut and Bihag ni Bahag. The first ever-DIY gig held in San Fernando was the Punk Reigns and I do believe that gig started a crack in history and development of our local scene here in Pampanga. Among the band’s were Bad Breaths, Smell my Brief, Mother Toix, Dead Marcos, The Unknown, Nancy’s Donut, the Istukas over Disneyland, Boredom, Frustrated Youth and Bihag ni Bahag. Nancy’s Donut, Bad Breaths and Bihag ni Bahag were given a slot to represent the province of Pampanga for the Compilation entitled “Building Bridges Breaking down Walls” under Middle Finger Production. Yeah it’s true, almost all of the bands started in schools and from there I meet the band’s of University of the Assumption like Urban Assault, Pedro’s Playground, Public System and Sisihin ang Kalbo while at Don Bosco Academy are Pope John Paul and the Addicts. I admit the scene in Pampanga (concentrated in San Fernando City and Angeles City) is musically oriented; there are no info shops, squats, radical spaces and collectives on those days. You can easily spot the local bands on schools, battle of the bands, concerts and every Saturday, band members could be seen on Mc Donald Intersection conducting meetings. They even name the Scene of Pampanga, Awakening Echo of 1994 and later change to the Pampanga Notorious Scene. In 1995-1996 new bands like Kristine and the Psychomotic Disorder, Itty Bitty Tittys, The Great Morons, Parents and the Rebel Kids, Crazy Beat are making moves but the truth is the local bands in San Fernando are divided because of pity old school mentality. I publish notorious fanzine in 1996 and the first issue was mostly interviews of local bands in Pampanga and some are clippings taken from foreign magazines, it reaches 10 issues and I stop publishing the fanzine in 2000. The 11^th issue is nearly finished but when I decided to work it out in my cousins PC, they accidentally deleted the files. My ex-band mate fanzine Middle Class has release 3 issues, Scanner Brain publish by Jaydee (ex-Robinhood Crew) only reaches 3 issues, his brother Jonah publishes Kulangot has reaches 9 issues if am not mistaken and Nerry of Marcos Cronies, Raw Meat fanzine only reaches 2 issues. As of now there is no fanzine being publish in Pampanga. In the period of 1996 to 2000, new bands are formed from the ashes of the old bands like Front Action Group, The Rejecteds, Popo and the Coots, Marcos Cronies, Chrome, Cross the Line, Robinhood Crew, Cocktones while DIY gigs were held on function halls, on our friends house but once in a blue moon because the rental of musical equipment, venues are already expensive. Most of the local bands concentrated on playing gigs in nearby provinces and cities like in Tarlac City, Bataan, Bulacan, Lucena City and Manila. Recording Studios are very rare in Pampanga, bands manage to record their demos on walk man recorder whenever they rehearsing and in the late nineties, rehearsal studios manage to offer 4 track recorders but some of the new bands travel to Manila to record their songs on a decent recording studio. Lost demos of Urban Assault, Cocktones, Kristine and the Psychomotic Disorder, the Istukas over Disneyland, Robinhood Crew, Front Action Group, the Rejecteds and the Great Morons, few of these demos are now on my hands and I hope the long proposed Pampanga Compilation will come to reality? To tell you the truth, the local bands were more interested in playing covers songs from their favorite bands rather than composing their original songs that’s why most of them didn’t had the chance to record their original songs before they disbanded. I still remember this Compilation cassette tape entitled “Tatlo laban sa Sistema” (3 against the System) from Angeles City, I haven’t got the chance to get a copy (maybe because of lack of distribution, few copies were pressed) and the only band I remember on that Compilation are Dead Hungry Species.

 

DIY bands…

 

Okay the following bands are located on the Province Cities, San Fernando and Angeles. Where most of the local contacts reside, organize gigs; distribute local and foreign records/fanzines.

 

Cross the Line plays melodic punk and was formed by Marly and Kevin (ex-the Istukas over Disneyland). Their 2003 rehearsal demo is still out including 8 original songs and I do hope they could release their debut album soon. They recently played at Club Skid Mark last December 2005 and in my opinion they should hit studio to record their beautiful songs. I know Family and School is their main reason but it will be great if they can spare an hour or two to finally record on a decent studio all of their songs. I don’t know if they will record 3 songs for the Indonesian Compilation done by a member of Straight on View? Because the guy wanted them to record their songs on a decent studio but I guess the guys are flat broke at the moment?

Kevin Salinas / #457 A. Bonifacio Street, Phase 2 Brgy. Maimpis, San Fernando 2000, Pampanga, Philippines

 

Promise End this band is a side band of Kevin (Cross the Line) and they have recorded 3 rehearsal songs and I find them similar to Emo bands with screaming voice on the chorus of the song. The last time I saw them was in September 2005 at the “DIY not EMI” gig and from then on I never heard any news from them. I think the band laid low for a while and I do hope they could manage to continue what they have started; a demo is a good start though.

 

Amanova they recently release their CD-R EP entitled “Colors” and it contains 5 songs melodic punk and Ska. My only comment with their demo is the guitars, Aljay told me that they didn’t bring with them instruments and guitar effects, as they know the studio will provide them. Well it will be better to re-record the guitar parts and bring with them effects and am sure this demo will be a stunning re-release. This band is composed of ex-members of Cold Reboot and Struggle for Survival (SFS); damn I lost the demos of these 2 defunct Punk bandsL.

Alfred James Sadeste / Gordon Street, Phase 2 St. Jude Village, City of San Fernando 2000 Pampanga, Philippines or Alfred_james16@yahoo.com 

 

Spit End their debut cassette tape entitled “Wises is he who he knows that he doesn’t know” will be release under Nervous Records (Malaysia) this summer. It will contain 12 songs including a rendition of Urban Bandits “Blood on every Heart”. I think the band will also produce a Philippine version of their debut album for local distribution, two hundred maybe and it will be produce by DIY not EMI Production and Love from Hate Distribution. They recently joined an Indonesian Compilation and they are about to hit the rehearsal studio for their new songs.

Gerald Miranda / # 476 Phase 2 Brgy. Maimpis, City of San Fernando 2000 Pampanga, Philippines or ghe_88@yahoo.com, spitend@yahoo.com, and visit www.myspace.com/spitend.

 

The Istukas over Disneyland we’ve recently recorded 12 new songs with a new line up but we run out of money for mixing the songsL. The band 2^nd album “O Guinu” (Oh Lord) was release by Cat Food Money Records (www.catfoodmoney.org) last August 2005 while the Split CD with Crashed Out (Indonesia) was release by Maloka Distro (www.malokadistro.com) and Kepala Eskorbuta Records (http://xwgfx.free.fr) in July 2005. “All been said before” was re-release by Cat Food Money with colored cover on CD-R format while Nikudan Records (Poland) re-release the songs from the band’s debut album with 7 songs from “O Guinu” CD.

Francis Jordann L. David / Blk. 6 Lot. 21 Phase 1 St. Jude Village San Fernando 2000 Pampanga, Philippines or infoi_notorious@yahoo.com, jakemaglanque@yahoo.com. 

 

Marcos Cronies they are still in the process on putting the puzzles to finish their debut album. I recently heard their new songs such as Political Man and No Solution and I say this band improved a lot. I think Shameless Records and Love from Hate Distribution will feature these 2 songs on local Compilation. Their “Skaciety” is still out under Shameless Records and recently they played in Baliuag, Bulacan organized by Ska City United. Personally I mind if their vocalist is not well singing Ska songs and normally the guys of Marcos Cronies knows that but I appreciate their effort in running their Ska combo and contribute to the DIY Scene.

Emil Pangilinan / 12-25 Chester Street, Villa Leoncia 2009 Angeles City, Philippines or marcoscronies@yahoo.com

 

Discrepancies boy this band is a copy right of At the Drive In and I’ve been seeing them for quit sometime now but I really hope they could record their songs and release a demo. I still remember when they covered “In My Eyes” by Minor Threat and lend us their instruments. I saw them last December 2005 at Club skid Mark and they still stick to At the Drive In musical style.

Alvin Condes / Narra Street corner Malipajo Street, L & S Subdivision 2009 Angeles City, Philippines or cond_s@yahoo.com

 

Chosen Rejects they didn’t played last December 2005 at Club Skid Mark and my friend told me the band is now based in Mabalacat, Pampanga. I think they still play Rancid songs and I don’t know if they will release a demo soon?

 

Ska Haze I haven’t saw this new band from Angeles City and Ricky (Marcos Cronies) told me that he help this band recorded 3 songs and they finish recording a 10 song demo. Actually I invited them to join the Pampanga Compilation but they turn it down. Well hope for the best to this new band.  

 

Productions…

 

Real McCoy responsible for the SOL and Vivisick Philippine tour 2005 in Pampanga with monetary help of course from DIY bands in Angeles City and San Fernando City. Members of Marcos Cronies are behind this production and their last project was at the Club Skid Mark in December 2005 and early January 2006, Punk/Ska/Reggae/Metal shows every Friday and Saturday of the said months but sad to say the owner of the Club wanted to increase the entrance fee and the guys of Marcos Cronies says ‘No. Yes it’s true, putting up shows in Pampanga now is impossible especially with the big lost of Nicolas Tinio Hall (the only venue who allows Punk and Metal shows with cheaper rental) in Angeles City. Almost all of the productions putting up shows where banned from the Function Hall because of the rumor of sexual indecency near the venue by unidentified gig goers on the Vivisick show according to the Security Guard of Sta. Maria Village. I want to take this opportunity to clear our side from the Gig review of Chronicore fanzine issue no. 5 regarding mandatory contribution to band members. Yes it’s true that we ask financial contribution from the Pampanga bands (including us organizers, of course) to put up the SOL and Vivisick Philippine Tour 2005 in Pampanga. All of us question the contribution and debated and some even called it “Band Fee” but in the end we all contributed 500 pesos ($10 dollars) per band to sum up the finances (venue, instruments and even property damage) but still the money isn’t enough to cover all the expenses and the organizers had to pay the remaining balance. The only mistake we’ve made is letting people come in when Vivisick are about to play. You know we don’t care about the money; we only want to precede the show and think about the problem later. I know there are a lot of problems in organizing a DIY show and single-by-single we learn from it. I could imagine the headache of other DIY Organizers here in the Philippines.

 

DIY NOT EMI the first show these guys (Spit End / The Istukas over Disneyland) put up was in September 17, 2005 at St. Jude Multi-Purpose Hall. Actually this gig entitled “DIY not EMI” was cancelled twice because of lack of venue. Yes as the title of the show, DIY as it is. We’ve rented two speakers, borrowed drums, guitars, bass, amplifiers, and extension cords while the Pampanga Bands contributed monetary help in paying expenses. We accidentally use Marcos Cronies guitar amplifier for the bass guitar, next thing we knew the amplifier broke downL and until now we haven’t still pay the guys of Marcos Cronies. It was a lot of fun even though the neighbors wanted the show to be stopped. It is really hard to find a venue to held gigs here in San Fernando and most of the time, their darn expensive. We recently finish the videos taken from SOL and Vivisick Philippine Tour 2005 here in Pampanga and are now distributed by DIY not EMI and Love from Hate on CDR.   

 

Distribution…

 

Love from Hate small record distribution and you can find them at gigs. It just started last year and we mostly distribute Fanzine, CD-R and few Original CDS. We duplicate records on CD-R, photo-copied the front cover and lay in the lyrics and information from bands like Brigada Flores Magon, Les Partisans, Bolchoi, SMZB, Autonomia, Apatia-No, Los Fastidios, Ya Basta and we still had several records we want to distribute so hoping in the future we could find time to work on them. In one CD-R we include 2 albums from bands to cover the 80 minutes space of a CD-R and sold them for 50 pesos each ($1.00) for local distribution. The first release by LFH was the Istukas over Disneyland “All been said before” in 2003 and this coming summer we will co-production with DIY not EMI Production for the Philippine release version of Spit End “Wises is he who he knows that he doesn’t know”. The proposed Pampanga Compilation is still under process and hopefully if money allows we could release it soon. It will contain rehearsal and studio recordings from defunct and active DIY bands here in Pampanga. 

Email: infoi_notorious@yahoo.com

 

Arts…

 

Kalye Lakandula Gallery this Gallery is managing by Bong, his into photography and most of his work are displayed at the gallery located in the heart of Angeles City. The Gallery is conducting a Poetry Reading every year and also Folk Singers and Acoustic Guitar groups conduct shows at the Gallery. I encourage Artist to check out this place and if you’re looking for a place to conduct projects like Film showing, meetings, exhibits please visit the Gallery. The guys of Marcos Cronies organize a gig in September 18,2004 at the Gallery entitled “This is Ska, Punk & Oi” but most of the neighbors complain the event and some throw rocks to the people at the Gallery.                    

Address: Lakandula Street, Pulungbulu, Angeles City.

 

Interview with Andy of Provoked playing dbeat/thrash…from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

Dha: How did the band get together and how long has it
been together?

 Andy: Well, Provoked has been together for about four years now. Previous to that, we had Dan from Profane Existence singing for us. That ended up not working out so we kidnapped a close friend of ours from Seattle named Scaba to do lead vocals for us. That turned out to be very successful and her vocal style somewhat carved what Provoked sounds like today. It's kinda funny since none of the members on Provoked are from Minneapolis. We just all moved from other parts of America and ended up in the same city together. Turned out to be a really good thing and we all came together like a close family.
Dha: Where did the band's name come from?

Andy: That's kind of a funny story as well. Myself, along with Andy Lutz and Joe shared a house together and when we started righting music together we obviously needed a name. So, one night while sitting at home together, we had a coffee table with stickers all over it. One sticker had a picture of a yuppie standing in from of a burning factory that said "I was Provoked". Joe looks at me and Lutz and says "what about Provoked?" and we all agreed. So that is where the name originates from.
Dha: How does the song writing process go? How does your band usually come up with the lyrics and the music?

Andy: Well, most of the time it's a group process. The majority of our writing lately has been based on the climate and structure (or lack of) of our world. The actual music writing is definitely a group effort. Usually with the us in one room and establish a particular sound.
Dha: What band influences you in this kind of music?

Andy: Well, there's quite a wide and diverse range of music that we are influenced by. I think we all can agree on the basis that we are heavy into D-beat, crust and overall thrashing mayhem. It's difficult to pin point what we are going for because we don't have any one specific band we all listen to. Amebix, anti-cimex, Health Hazard, Motorhead, Asta Kask...the list is too long to even come close to what you love and admire so much.

Dha: What pushes the band to write the music you play?
Andy: This toilet we call Earth. Of course that name comes from the man-made hell that has swept this planet and has caused irreversible damage. It also comes from the sheer love and energy that this genre of ours omits. Our love for the underground punk counter-culture is our life blood. If it was not for the loving and giving hand of our community, we would not be here...UP THE PUNKS!!!

Dha: What drives you to live the way you live and sing
the songs that you make?

Andy: All it takes is a simple look around to notice the chaos, violence, greed, hate, materialism and overall self-centeredness that blankets this world. We look around and see the blank stare and emotionless ness that ravage the faces of our fellow human beings. We will not join the countless ranks that envelope themselves in such ignorance. Fuck the consumer, fuck the material, fuck their apathy!

Dha: What are some of the other things you do to spread ideas aside from the band and music?

 

Andy: Well considering that some of us have a rather dodgy history with the law, we tend to lay low during such chaotic times. That doesn't mean we tolerate what we encounter.
The majority of our message most defiantly comes from our music. Kerri, our vocalist works with profane existence writing for the prisoner columns. The rest of us contribute our time
to social activities when time permits and when also available. As a group, we make it perfectly clear that we will not bow to the rich community that engulfs us. this, can actually mean
confronting the enemy in the street and verbally expressing how it is not welcome.
Dha: Are all of the members of the band are vegan?
What influence you guys to stop eating meat?

 Andy: There are 3 vegans and 2 veggies. It's rather clear why we choose this path. Meat is fucking wrong! If you have the opportunity to not eat it, then don't. We do not infringe this value on anyone else, because taking that route is a personal decision and we support that.
Dha: What are the plans in the near future of Provoked?
Andy: We are in the process of writing our third L.P. and possibly doing a west coast (American) tour next year. We will see what happens. We continue to play locally and thrash to the best of our ability. We love what we do and are passionate about keeping it strong...till the end!

 

Dha: Any advice for the punk/hardcore people all over the world?

Andy: Absolute and total respect for all out there. Don't ever be let down by the condition of this world. As long as we have each other, then we can accomplish anything.
Cheers and Love...UP THE FUCKIN' PUNKS!!!

PACK from Biel, Switzerland playing dbeat/crustcore with former members of hellboozer, bagger, & victors hoffnarren. This interview answered by Luis, vocalist of PACK.

 

Dha: How did the band get together and how long has it been together?

Luis: We all live together, niggu and baenz since over 15 years and domi and me since more the 15 years as well so it was very obvious to make music together because we all love music. marc joined us about 4 years ago just when we formed PACK. it came out of the ashes of BAGGER, the former band where we made a kind of madmax-performance to it. BAGGER was a group of 15 people. After we split up, the perfo-group formed a pure theater crew called elXT90. We continued as PACK.

Dha: Where did the band's name come from?

Luis:We are called PACK cos that’s what we are.

Dha: How does the song writing process go? How do you usually come up with the lyrics and the music?

Luis: Mostly one of the guitar players comes up with a cool riff as the beginning. The beat is made pretty fast mostly, cos we all have the same understanding of how our music should sound like. After the song has a certain structure i come up with my yelling grunts........

 

Dha: What band influences you in this kind of music?

Luis: We are all influenced by different bands. marc is more inspired by a lot of technical hardcore/grindcore bands like early converge, or metal bands like satyricon, red harvest or slayer. our side is very variable. it goes from old stuff like disaffect, poison idea, contropotere or sedition to newer stuff like kontrovers (by the way, for me the best band in europe nowadays) or skitsystem. Me personally i used to listen a lot of hip hop too, public enemy or early stuff like grandmaster flash..... He fuckin rocks!!!!!

Dha:  What pushes you to write the music you play?

Luis: It’s very simple: we love to play music.

Dha: What drives you to live the way you live and sing the songs that you make?

Luis: I think there are people born like this..... All this commercial bullshit and this pseudo "oh I am so different because I have my wild 2 years in a squat"; is; as fake as the whole rest of this superficial world. We are just trying to life our life free and with an own social code. We like to drink, having a party, live with many people or our kind together (we are more the 30 people in our community) sharing our opinions, work together, travel together....a kind of a volunteer tribe. I hate this human kind and what we made out of this planet. I am a total nihilist. You can maybe see it in my lyrics. But one thing is sure, if this world is falling down then not without a bunch of cool people who gave it a try! to meet this people all over the world, is it in manila, malang, montreal or ouagadougu is my point. I think if people are the same, they recognize them self. Always the dress code doesn’t mean shit anymore since fuckin offspring or rancid walk around like us, but I think that’s cool, cos it was always something superficial in one way.

 

Dha: What are some of the other things you do to spread ideas aside from the band and music?

Luis: I try to live a life away from the given options. I don’t want to function and feed this crazy machine. I decide how I entertain myself, how I feed myself, how I put myself in a community, etc. this is manifested in the way we live. To chose this way as well is not our business anymore. The decision to drop out of the society has to be done by everyone itself. I am not a missionary neither a prophet for something. I guess I speak for the whole band now.

Dha: I know that you’re a vegan, how about the other guys, do they consume meat or they prefer eating vegetables?  What influence you guys to stop eating meat?

Luis: Two of us are vegan since 11 years, the others eat meat. I think everyone should eat what he/she likes. You have to feel good after eating. it is an very basic thing and also deeply connected with the social aspect of an community. Me personally, I find the imagination horrible to eat cadavers....but we are predators. So ....whatever. I find it pretty boring to discuss veganism anyway.

Dha: I don't really hear much about Switzerland. What's the scene like?

Luis: Since the late 70ties there is sub cultural activities going on. Sometimes stronger than other times. Sometimes less. It’s very dependent to the actual politics. Like everywhere I guess. Nowadays the Swiss underground scene is very small. There is still in a lot of towns squatting going on but the movement lost its force a bit. Punk is not so popular anymore. I think the reason is that punk has not a lot to say anymore....it became pretty much repetitive. the celebration of our habits, the loss of anger (since we are all so "save") and the lack of visionary is a big part for our ( I would even say European) crisis we have. But apart from all this negative issues, I still think there is a cool underground scene. even tough very small (for d.i.y. gigs we have mostly less then 100 people) there are still people enjoying this kind of living and have a cool way to do it like in zurich, luzern, bremgarten, lausanne, geneva, biel, basel and many more small towns.....  Quiet popular events are mostly consumed oriented such as cinema, gigs, food not bombs, just regular parties with djs, bars.

Dha: You've been in the Philippines, what are your thoughts on the punk/hardcore scene here?

Luis: I have seen that the enthusiasm is pretty big. That’s great!! I have seen also that the most kids are very young. In Europe the most of the active people are close to or even past 30. I think the fire which is burning in Asia is fucking amazing. It is time to concentrate this power and focus to create a scene which is functioning well and support itself. its really important to make those kids realize that they ARE a part of the whole thing and every person makes a difference and can make this whole punk thing bigger, better and brighter.....lets get in on!!

Dha: What can you say that there is such a small minority of active women in the scene here?

Luis: I don’t know. But what I realized generally in Asia is that women don’t play a big role in the society. At least on the surface. I guess it is a cultural thing, a traditional issue. But my opinion is that punk should give a shit on those things. We create our own cultural habit and to kill the pig in our self is one aspect to approach it. It’s also an issue for men to deal with! Not only women have to break this tradition....

 

Dha: What are the plans in the near future of PACK?

Luis: We will go to Amsterdam to make new songs. We didn’t play a single gig since we were supposed to tour Asia. Now we try to get back to where we ended. Further on we just released a new 7" on rinderherz records. I hope to record some new songs before I come back to the phillies in middle of November. And some gigs are already arranged......

Dha: Any advice for the kids of the punk/hardcore scene here?

Luis: My biggest advice to the south East Asian scene (if I am allowed to give one) is: stop to copy the fuckin west! Punk culture was born under circumstances in the 60ties/70ties in the white world with white problems and white oppressions. You are in Asia in the year 2005 and you have enough traditions to destroy, and enough reasons to rage. Do it! My other request is: don’t fuck each other up. Respect your kind. We are not that many.

Hey there everyone! My zine entitled WOMYN (women’s’ perception for the underground scene) is all about diverse ideas of womyn involve in the scene.

            It contains different articles from my friends and interviews from bands like Provoked (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Schifosi (Melbourne, Australia) & PACK (Biel, Switzerland). Also, some album review included.

            I just want to imply the enormous participation of womyn in the underground scene. Large number of womyn is needed so that there is a chance to spread our ideas & help each other to speak for our perception in the underground community. Let’s make the scene strong & have equal rights for everyone… 

 I’m happy to share out this zine. I just want to express my observation about the scene. We all know that we are not too many, so we need unity to make the underground punk/hardcore scene to be strong until the end.

And just want to convey my torment, almost everyone knows that Radiation-Area was closed because of greedy money-maker & inhuman treatment.   Radiation-area serves as a place for activities, information, posting shows, good stuffs, communication for everyone, and place to hangout and sharing everyone’s ideas. Even though it’s not open anymore, the spirit of unity will be the same, hopefully!

Thanks a lot for keeping the Philippine underground scene strong and alive! Up the Punx!!! Cheers&Beers for all…