I’m really glad to present you one of the delayed interviews from 2013/2014 winter season. Started in late 2013, the BROOKS WAS HERE interview is finally ready, translated into 2 languages, the same way I try to treat every Polish band promoted here on IDIOTEQ. This time we’re dealing with a relatively young post hardcore / emo band from Warsaw called BROOKS WAS HERE. Named after a powerful scene from Shawshank Redemption, these guys create a nice blend of emotive, discordant and rockish post hardcore in the vein of 90s sentimental emo/punk bands and have received loads of well-deserved, positive reviews from all over the world. Their second EP called “High Violence” was released on October 5th, 2013 via Jagged Kid recordsΒ andΒ they are now at work on a full-length album, with details to be unveiled quite soon.
Oh, and their vocalist (second from the right) is neither Wade McNeil of GALLOWS, norΒ Jonny O’Callaghan of LIFERUINER :) Scroll down to reveal who he and his band mates really are.
[EN] Hey guys! Finally, we meet! The post hardcore sensation of the year meets the least quoted alternative medium, haha ;) Whatβs up? Are you ready to face the winter? :)
[PL] Hej Panowie! W koΕcu rozmawiamy! Post hardcore’owa sensacja roku i najrzadziej cytowane medium alternatywne ;) Co sΕychaΔ? Przygotowani do zimy? :)
[EN] Majkel: Hey, Hey. Quoting the title of our first song from High Violence everything is βUnder Controlβ. We’re doing rehearsals, we’re making new songs and we’re planning some shows. We’re not afraid of winter cause it seems that it’s not gonna come.
Roman: At this moment I am personally content with the progress of work on our new record and the fact how quickly we managed to reach the collective flow with our new drummer.
[PL] Majkel: Hej, hej! ParafrazujΔ c pierwszy numer z High Violence u nas wszystko jest “Under Control”. Gramy prΓ³by, robimy nowy materiaΕ, planujemy kolejne koncerty. Zimy siΔ raczej nie boimy, bo pΓ³ki co to jej nawet nie widaΔ :)
Roman: Ja jestem w chwili obecnej zadowolony z tego jak przebiegajΔ prace nad nowym materiaΕem i tego jak szybko zΕapaliΕmy wspΓ³lny flow z nowym perkusistΔ .
[EN] Alright gents. Before we get to your latest recording and plans for the future, let’s start from the beginning. Staright up, let’s shoot all those lame kis who are not familiar with you a proper introduction to the band ;) Where do you come from, why did you form and what do you represent?
[PL] Dobra Panowie. Zanim nowy materiaΕ i plany na przyszΕoΕΔ, zacznijmy od poczΔ
tku. Bez ceregieli. ZrΓ³bmy wstΔp dla lamusΓ³w co nie znajΔ
Waszej bandy ;) SkΔ
d siΔ wziΔliΕcie, w jakim celu przybywacie, co reprezentujecie?
[EN] Majkel: We’re Brooks Was Here. We’re from concrete stained Warsaw and it’s depressive downtowns. Why are we here? Good question. I guess there’s no straight answer. We know each other for a long time. We like sad music, such as emo, post-hardcore and other watering eyes anthems. No one of us came out with these inspirations. In September of 2011 after really hard party near river Vistula we decided to change it. I was playing with Kacper (oue ex-drummer). Mateusz picked up bass guitar and vocals. We made some songs, recorded them and put them out. It seems that there’s some people in Poland (beside of us) that like FUGAZI, AT THE DRIVE-IN, HOT CROSS, MOSS ICON, SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE. We played some gigs. In the meantime Mateusz relocked himself on second guitar. Demian came and picked up the bass left by Mateusz. Vocals became more harsh. Demian brought to our new songs some hardcore groove. Then we recorded our second EP β High Violence, which we are actually promoting. In the meantime lineup was changed again. Kacper was replaced by MikoΕaj which also brought a lot with him to our band. There’s no doubt that everyone will hear it on our next EP/LP. We have started workin on new songs and once again it’s a complete different story than the old stuff. Why are we here? We came here to show everybody that music which helped us heal our youthful frustrations could be played in 2013 a.d. in country such as Poland without being cheesy. Hmm… I guess we’re representing ourselves. There’s no movement whom we identify ourselves. We don’t care about being clichΓ©. We do only things we like to do, it is our antidote on everyday routine.
Roman: I’m not consider myself as a scenester and I have no ambitions to represent whoever and whatever but there are some attitudes that are close to me. I’m an anti-capitalist and I really don’t like some situations which we are struggling each day. Sometimes I write lyrics about those issues.
[PL] Majkel: Nazywamy siΔ BROOKS WAS HERE. JesteΕmy z zalanej betonem Warszawy i jej przygnΔbiajΔ cych przedmieΕΔ. SkΔ d siΔ wzieliΕmy? Dobre pytanie! W sumie to nawet nie wiem. Z Mateuszem znamy siΔ doΕΔ dΕugo. Obydwaj lubimy smutnΔ muzykΔ, emo, post-hardcore i inne rzewnie pieΕni. Ε»aden z nas nie wychodziΕ z tymi inspiracjami poza swΓ³j pokΓ³j. W wrzeΕniu 2011 po mocno zakrapianej imprezie nad WisΕΔ , postanowiliΕmy to zmieniΔ. Ja graΕem wtedy z Kacprem (naszym poprzednim bΔbniarzem), Mateusz wskoczyΕ na bas i wokal. ZrobiliΕmy parΔ numerΓ³w, nagraliΕmy je i wypuΕciliΕmy. OkazaΕo siΔ, ΕΌe jednak nie tylko my lubimy FUGAZI, AT THE DRIVE-IN, HOT CROSS, MOSS ICON, SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE. ZagraliΕmy trochΔ koncertΓ³w. W miΔdzyczasie Mateusz przesiadΕ siΔ na drugΔ gitarΔ, do zespoΕu doΕΔ czyΕ Demian, ktΓ³ry przejΔ Ε bas. Wokale staΕy siΔ agresywniejsze, Demian wniΓ³sΕ trochΔ hardcorowej motoryki do naszych nowych numerΓ³w i nagraliΕmy drugΔ EPkΔ High Violence, ktΓ³rΔ aktualnie promujemy. W miΔdzyczasie znowu zmieniΕ siΔ skΕad za Kacpra do zespoΕu wskoczyΕ MikoΕaj, ktΓ³ry takΕΌe bardzo duΕΌo wniΓ³sΕ do zespoΕu, co na pewno wszyscy usΕyszΔ na nastΔpnym EP/LP. ZaczΔliΕmy pracowaΔ nad nowymi numerami i kolejny raz jest to kompletnie inna bajka niΕΌ poprzednie rzeczy. Po co przybyliΕmy? PrzybyliΕmy po to, ΕΌeby pokazaΔ wszystkim, ΕΌe muzyka, na ktΓ³rej siΔ wychowaliΕmy i dziΔki ktΓ³rej leczyliΕmy nasze mΕodzieΕcze frustracje moΕΌe byΔ grana w 2013 roku w kraju takim jak Polska i nie jest to obciachem. Hmm… a reprezentujemy chyba siebie. Nie ma jakiegoΕ ruchu, z ktΓ³rym byΕmy siΔ w jakikolwiek sposΓ³b identyfikowali. Siedzimy okrakiem na wszystkich Εatkach, etykietach, stylistykach. Robimy to, co lubimy, jest to odskoczniΔ od codziennej zabijajΔ cej w czΕowieku chΔΔ do czegokolwiek rutyny.
Roman: Ja na pewno nie jestem scenowcem i nie mam ambicji reprezentowaΔ kogokolwiek i czegokolwiek, ale sΔ pewne postawy, ktΓ³re sΔ mi bliskie. Jestem antykapitalistΔ i bardzo nie podobajΔ mi siΔ pewne sytuacje, z ktΓ³rymi mamy do czynienia kaΕΌdego dnia, zdarza mi siΔ pisaΔ o tym teksty.
[EN] Have you been in other bands before?
[PL] GraliΕcie wczeΕniej w jakichΕ innych bandach?
[EN] Mateusz: At this moment I’m playing in THE SPOUDS, we are active almost half of decade. We’re slowly preparing to record new LP. I was playing in LORA LIE but the band doesn’t exist anymore. From time to time I like to play at improvised shows, I’m also active in project called STING NIE ZAGRA W KAZACHSTANIE.
[PL] Mateusz: W chwili obecnej gram jeszcze w THE SPOUDS, z ktΓ³rym dziaΕamy juΕΌ chyba z pΓ³Ε dekady. Zbieramy siΔ powoli do nagrania nowego LP. GraΕem jeszcze w skΕadzie LORA LIE, ktΓ³ry juΕΌ nie istnieje. Poza tym czasami zagram jakiΕ improwizowany gig, dziaΕam teΕΌ w skΕadzie STING NIE ZAGRA W KAZACHSTANIE.
[EN] Wow, what kind of a band is that? Talk to me :)
[PL] Wow. CΓ³ΕΌ to za ekipa? Powiedz coΕ wiΔcej :)
[EN] Mateusz: STING NIE ZAGRA W KAZACHSTANIE.it’s squad where in spite of me play RafaΕ, saxophonist in MERKABAH, Goran MiegoΕ, producer of our records is making synth electronics ,playing guitar and bass and Bibi from EVVOLVES, she is singing. Month or two and everyone should be able to listen to our record, we will announced it via facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/niezagra ). It is really weird stuff, the music is hard to describe cause there’s yass in it, some no wave school of noise and also shoegaze and hip-hop elements.
[PL] Mateusz: STING NIE ZAGRA W KAZACHSTANIE to skΕad, w ktΓ³rym poza mnΔ gra RafaΕ, saksofonista MERKABAH, Goran MiegoΕ, producent naszych nagrywek, robiΔ cy nam elektronikΔ i grajΔ cy na gitarze i basie i Bibi z EVVOLVES, ktΓ³ra Εpiewa. W przeciΔ gu miesiΔ ca-dwΓ³ch na pewno bΔdzie moΕΌna juΕΌ usΕyszeΔ nasze nagrania, na pewno powiemy o tym na swoim facebooku ( https://www.facebook.com/niezagra ). To naprawdΔ dziwna rzecz, trudno mi nawet okreΕliΔ, co to za muzyka, bo jest w tym zarΓ³wno yass, jakaΕ no wave’owa szkoΕa noisu, jak i jakieΕ elementy shoegaze’owe i hip-hopowe. Dziwna rzecz.
[EN] Smells like another interview :) I’ll stop myself from rambling more on this ;)
Expanding the introduction of BROOKS WAS HERE, letβs have a couple of words about your name. Is it a kind of tribute to that great movie or is something more, a kind of a linkage to your beliefs or something?
[PL] To mi pachnie oddzielnym wywiadem :) Chwilowo powstrzymam siΔ od rozwijania tematu ;)
IdΔ
c tropem wstΔpu pt. BROOKS WAS HERE, sΕΓ³w kilka o nazwie. Czy to wyΕΔ
cznie frywolny hoΕd genialnemu obrazowi filmowemu, czy wiΔ
ΕΌecie ten motyw w pewien sposΓ³b z wΕasnymi przekonaniami?
[EN] Majkel: It is one of my favourite movies. I’ve seen it for the first time when I wa a kid and from that moment it is stucked in my memory. When we started I proposed the name to Mateusz and we both decided that it sounds ok. History of Brooks Halten always give me goosebumps.
[PL] Majkel: Jest to jeden z moich ulubionych filmΓ³w. ObejrzaΕem go jako dzieciak i od tamtej pory mocno utkwiΕ mi w pamiΔci. ZaproponowaΕem to Mateuszowi jak zaczynaliΕmy i obydwaj stwierdziliΕmy, ΕΌe brzmi nieΕΊle. Historia filmowego Brooksa Haltena zawsze sprawia, ΕΌe mam ciarki na plecach.
[EN] Have you been mistaken for these or these guys?
[PL] PomyliΕ Was ktoΕ kiedyΕ z tymi lub tymi Panami?
[EN] Mateusz: Not from which I know
[PL] Mateusz: Z tego, co mi wiadomo to nie.
[EN] Ok, letβs go back to your newest release. Youβre giving it away for free till the end of the year. Why not give it away from day one? Arenβt you after after free downloads model? Whatβs your take on other new forms of distribution invented in these dynamic, digital times?
[PL] Ok, wrΓ³Δmy to Waszego najnowszego krΔ
ΕΌka. UdostΔpniacie go do koΕca roku za darmo. Dlaczego nie dzieliliΕcie siΔ nim na tej zasadzie od samego poczΔ
tku? Nie uznajecie wspΓ³ΕczeΕnie przyjΔtego modelu Free Download? Co sΔ
dzicie o nowych formach dystrybucji muzyki w tych cholernie dynamicznych, cyfrowych czasach?
[EN] Majkel: Hmm… we didn’t share it from the beginning for free, since we wanted people to bought EP in the material version, which is being distributed through JAGGED KID. We wanted to be as cheap as possible. It is being sold after production costs, we aren’t earning on it (costs PLN 10). From what I know over the half of the circulation sold off, seeming returned, so we decided every now and then to make it available for free. It is common practice. We try to observe what is happening across our west border, in UK or in the USA. Bands often do it this way do, so we are trying to draw from the best templates and to do the same. Since it is working with them, why it is supposed to not work here? :) We need to widespread our horizons and trying new things. We’re trying to to evolve as musicians, people and also improve our competence and reach through it far more than our friends in Warsaw. As for new forms of distribution? I personally am not a collector of plates, vinyls or cassettes. Sometimes at the concert I will buy some record myself, but it isn’t a norm. Personally I most often listen to music from my iPod or the phone. I think that distribution of the music in the digital form is the most reliable future solution. However sale of the music in the material form it is rather an addition, gadget. Do you like the band, you want to support them? You are downloading the music for free whether you are paying how many you want, you are going to a concert and you are buying it in the material form, or some other merch how you have bucks, you want to support the band. This is the way it should look according to me.
[PL] Majkel: Hmm…nie dzieliliΕmy siΔ nim od poczΔ tku za darmo, poniewaΕΌ chcieliΕmy, aby ludzie kupili EPkΔ w wersji fizycznej, ktΓ³ra wydawana zostaΕa przez JAGGED KID. Bardzo zaleΕΌaΕo nam, ΕΌeby EPka nie byΕa droga i ΕΌeby kaΕΌdy mΓ³gΕ sobie na niΔ pozwoliΔ. Jest sprzedawana po kosztach produkcji, nie zarabiamy na tym (kosztuje 10 zΕ). Z tego, co wiem ponad poΕowa nakΕadu siΔ wyprzedaΕa, wydanie siΔ zwrΓ³ciΕo, wiΔc postanowiliΕmy co jakiΕ czas udostΔpniaΔ ja za darmo. Jest to powszechnie stosowana praktyka. Na bieΕΌΔ ca obserwujemy to, co dzieje siΔ za naszΔ zachodniΔ granicΔ , w UK czy w USA. ZespoΕy czΔsto tak robiΔ , wiΔc staramy czerpaΔ siΔ z najlepszych wzorcΓ³w i robiΔ tak samo. Skoro to sprawdza siΔ u nich, dlaczego u nas ma tak nie byΔ? :) Trzeba stale poszerzaΔ swoje horyzonty i prΓ³bowaΔ nowych rzeczy. Staramy siΔ rozwijaΔ zarΓ³wno jako muzycy, ludzie, ale takΕΌe poszerzaΔ nasze kompetencje, dziΔki ktΓ³rym to co robimy trafi do kogoΕ wiΔcej niΕΌ naszych znajomych w Warszawie. Co do nowych form dystrybucji? Ja osobiΕcie nie jestem kolekcjonerem pΕyt, winyli czy kaset. Czasem na koncercie kupiΔ sobie jakieΕ wydawnictwo, ale nie jest to normΔ . OsobiΕcie najczΔΕciej muzyki sΕucham z mojego iPoda czy telefonu. UwaΕΌam, ΕΌe dystrybucja muzyki w formie cyfrowej jest najbardziej przyszΕoΕciowym rozwiΔ zaniem. Natomiast sprzedaΕΌ muzyki w formie fizycznej to raczej dodatek, gadΕΌet. Lubisz zespΓ³Ε, chcesz go wesprzeΔ? ΕciΔ gasz muzykΔ za darmo czy pΕacisz ile chcesz, idziesz na koncert i kupujesz to w formie fizycznej, albo jakiΕ inny merch jak masz hajs, chcesz wesprzeΔ zespΓ³Ε. Tak to wg mnie powinno wyglΔ daΔ.
[EN] Is it possible then to live off doing music and base your existence on punk rock?
[PL] Jest wobec tego szansa, ΕΌeby nie musieΔ zbyt duΕΌo dorabiaΔ i opieraΔ swojΔ
egzystencjΔ w znacznym stopniu na punk rocku?
[EN] Mateusz: For me at this moment there’s no such possibility. I actually doesn’t know anyone who’s living only from the music.
Majkel: To be honest sometimes it is hard even for a refunds for the gig. None of us of has a minibus, van and unfortunately it is our biggest problem at the moment.
[PL] Mateusz: Dla mnie w tym momencie zdecydowanie nie ma takiej szansy. Nie znam teΕΌ nikogo ΕΌyjΔ cego tylko z muzyki.
Majkel: Szczerze mΓ³wiΔ c to czasem ciΔΕΌko jest nawet o zwroty za koncert, ktΓ³re pokryjΔ wszystkie koszta z nim zwiΔ zane. Nie mamy swojego busa, vana i niestety jest to nasz najwiΔkszy problem w chwili obecnej.
[EN] Ok guys, you mentioned Jagged Kid Records. I always loved promoting alternative and DIY labels, so please expound more on the label and your cooperation.
[PL] Ok, wspomnieliΕcie o Jagged Kid Records. W zwiΔ
zku z tym, ΕΌe promujΔ na Εamach IDIOTEQ masΔ niezaleΕΌnych wytwΓ³rni, powiedzcie coΕ wiΔcej o tej stajni i Waszej wspΓ³Εpracy.
[EN] Majkel: Hmm… Jagged Kid is something what was ringing in my head for ages. It was my aim to bring to into existence mini-label for post-hc/emo climate bands, not entirely hardcore. At least we actually became operative by accident, a bit out of necessity. Our acquaintances were supposed to establish label and to give a few cool compositions from Warsaw. Unfortunately right after the High Violence recording it turned out that it would fail for them on time to untwist it. We entered into the b plan and we revived the idea from Jagged Kid. Great thanks goes to Magda which piloted the whole process of the High Violence edition from beginning to end and it thanks to her ran it across painlessly. For the here and now Jagged Kid is I and Magda which is also my girl, so it is a bit of a family business he he:) We don’t have avid long-range plans. We simply wanted to give HV just enough professional care and to assure some promotion and it throve. From the beginning we had some idea to it, systematically we are tracking how it now is becoming. We are very pleased with what in the really small time and with small budget and the limited time we managed to do. We are also thinking of giving a few other rock groups in the climate, in spring we are organising a few concerts. Everything is sticking the way it should.
[PL] Majkel: Hmm…Jagged Kid to coΕ co od dawna chodziΕo mi po gΕowie. Bardzo zaleΕΌaΕo mi, ΕΌeby powstaΕ taki mini-label wydajΔ cy zespoΕy w klimacie post-hc/emo, nie do koΕca hardcore’owe. ChociaΕΌ tak naprawdΔ zaczΔliΕmy dziaΕaΔ przez przypadek, trochΔ z koniecznoΕci. Nasi znajomi mieli zakΕadaΔ label i wydawaΔ kilka fajnych skΕadΓ³w z Wwa. Niestety tuΕΌ po nagraniu High Violence okazaΕo siΔ, ΕΌe nie uda im siΔ tego na czas rozkrΔciΔ. PrzystΔ piliΕmy do planu b i reaktywowaliΕmy pomysΕ z Jagged Kid. Wielkie podziΔkowania naleΕΌΔ siΔ Magdzie, ktΓ³ra pilotowaΕa caΕy proces wydania High Violence od poczΔ tku do koΕca i to dziΔki niej przebiegΕo to bezboleΕnie. Na chwilΔ obecnΔ Jagged Kid to ja i Magda, ktΓ³ra jest takΕΌe mojΔ dziewczynΔ , wiΔc to trochΔ rodzinny biznes he he :) Nie mamy ΕΌΔ dnych dalekosiΔΕΌnych planΓ³w. Po prostu chcieliΕmy po prostu wydaΔ HV w miarΔ PRO i zapewniΔ jakaΕ promocjΔ i siΔ to udaΕo. Od poczΔ tku mieliΕmy na to jakiΕ pomysΕ, na bieΕΌΔ co Εledzimy jak to siΔ teraz robi. JesteΕmy bardzo zadowoleni z tego co w naprawdΔ maΕym czasie i z maΕym budΕΌetem i ograniczonym czasem udaΕo nam siΔ zrobiΔ. MyΕlimy takΕΌe o wydaniu kilku innych kapel w klimacie, na wiosnΔ organizujemy kilka koncertΓ³w. Wszystko ukΕada siΔ tak jak powinno.
[EN] Any details? What artists are on your roster?
[PL] JakieΕ szczegΓ³Εy? Jakie kapele zbieracie w portfolio?
[EN] Majkel: I would prefer not to give details away in order not to jinx. Most of all rock that would be groups which are playing such a music which we are listening to that is e.g. post-hc/emo/screamo/noise. The time will tell how it will come out. We are acting according to the principle “without pressures”.
[PL] Majkel: WolaΕbym nie zdradzaΔ szczegΓ³ΕΓ³w, ΕΌeby nie zapeszaΔ. BΔdΔ to przede wszystkim kapele, ktΓ³re grajΔ muzykΔ takΔ jakiej sami sΕuchami czyli np. post-hc/emo/screamo/noise. Czas pokaΕΌe jak to wyjdzie. DziaΕamy zgodnie z zasadΔ “bez ciΕnieΕ”.
[EN] Youβre booking gigs via Jagged Kid too, right? Are there any upcoming shows worth mentioning here?
[PL] Bookujecie teΕΌ w ramach Jagged Kid koncerty, prawda? JakieΕ nadchodzΔ
ce wydarzenia warte uwagi?
[EN] Majkel: in spring we are organising the concert for the band called DROM from Czech Republic. They played on Fluff Fest. We booked also russian squad called MORO MORO LAND. Something will probably still reach it. Everything is in progress.
[PL] Majkel: Na wiosnΔ organizujemy koncert zespoΕowi DROM z Czech. Grali oni m.in na Fluff FeΕcie. ZabookowaliΕmy teΕΌ rosyjski skΕad MORO MORO LAND. CoΕ do tego dojdzie prawdopodobnie jeszcze. Wszystko jest in progress.
[EN] Alright, so back to BWH, how do you share responsibility when it comes to promotion? Iβve seen a lot of amazing reviews in the Web, both in Polish and English, and I wonderedβ¦ is it a natural hype, or a result of public relations actions? Is it hard to get attention for your project?
[PL] Ok, wracajΔ
c do BWH, jak wyglΔ
da podziaΕ odpowiedzialnoΕci jeΕli chodzi o promocjΔ? WidzΔ w Sieci sporo recenzji, zarΓ³wno polskich, jak i zagranicznych i zastanawiam siΔ β czy to naturalny hype, czy wynik ciΔΕΌkiej pracy na mailu? Powiedzcie coΕ wiΔcej o tym jak naleΕΌy dzisiaj walczyΔ o atencjΔ. Jest ciΔΕΌko?
[EN] Majkel: these review/materials it in part “hard work on the mail” how correctly you named it, and also part of natural hype. I think that a consistency is most important, it is necessary step by step to carry out what for ourselves we put on. As for the fight for attention, I don’t know. We live in times, in which everyone can for himself establish the blog, portal and it is the same cool as well as shitty. Every couple of minutes some blogs, seizing portals arise oneself with music. Today practically everyone is a reviewer and a critic, irrespective of whether he examined in life 10 or 1000 plates. Contrary to appearances isn’t it hard today to become known, but a question whether is it really matters? Because into the majority nothing behind it is going. It is necessary really to be on fire with it. what is becoming, if only to persevere in it.
[PL] Majkel: Te recenzjΔ/materiaΕy to po czΔΕci “ciΔΕΌka praca na mailu” jak to Εadnie nazwaΕeΕ, a po czΔΕci naturalny hype. MyΕlΔ, ΕΌe najwaΕΌniejsza jest konsekwencja, trzeba krok po kroku realizowaΔ to co sobie zaΕoΕΌyliΕmy. Co do walki o atencje, to sam nie wiem. Ε»yjemy w czasach, w ktΓ³rych kaΕΌdy moΕΌe sobie zaΕoΕΌyΔ bloga, portal i jest to tak samo fajne jak i chujowe. Co chwilΔ powstajΔ jakieΕ blogi, portale zajmujΔ ce siΔ muzykΔ . Dzisiaj praktycznie kaΕΌdy jest recenzentem i krytykiem, niezaleΕΌnie od tego czy przesΕuchaΕ w ΕΌyciu 10 czy 1000 pΕyt. Wbrew pozorom nie jest trudno dziΕ zaistnieΔ, tylko pytanie czy ma to sens? Bo w wiΔkszoΕΔ nic za tym nie idzie. Trzeba naprawdΔ jaraΔ siΔ tym. co siΔ robi, ΕΌeby w tym wytrwaΔ.
[EN] Correct. I guess youβll be promoting stuff even more, cause thereβs a debut video coming up, right? Who did you shoot it with? What and when can we expect?
[PL] Zgadza siΔ. Niebawem uderzycie pewnie jeszcze mocniej z promocjΔ
, wychodzi bowiem Wasz pierwszy teledysk. Z kim nad nim pracowaliΕcie? Czego i kiedy moΕΌemy siΔ spodziewaΔ?
[EN] Majkel: our friends BjΓΈrn Johansen and Zuwia Olejnichuck are responsible for the entire graphical cover, trailer, video clip. They put much work and hearts very much and were a part of this undertaking with which is High Violence. Of what to expect after the video clip? Soon it will be possible to see it for itself. It isn’t certainly typical video clip and in the climate a basement isn’t, the band’s playing live and in the background nailing high fives together. At least I very much like such typical square coins. BjΓΈrn and Zuwia from the beginning had an idea to it and it is their vision.
[PL] Majkel: Za caΕΔ oprawΔ graficznΔ , trailer, klip odpowiedzialni sΔ nasi przyjaciele BjΓΈrn Johansen i Zuwia Olejnichuck. WΕoΕΌyli bardzo duΕΌo pracy i serca i byli czΔΕciΔ tego przedsiΔwziΔcia jakim jest High Violence. Czego spodziewaΔ siΔ po klipie? NiedΕugo bΔdzie siΔ moΕΌna o tym przekonaΔ. Nie jest to na pewno typowy klip i nie jest w klimacie piwnica, zespΓ³Ε gra na ΕΌywo i w tle zbijanie piΔ tek. ChociaΕΌ ja bardzo lubiΔ takie typowe klipy. BjΓΈrn i Zuwia od poczΔ tku mieli na to pomysΕ i jest to ich wizja.
[EN] Alright, letβs move on to touring. Touring-wise, how would you sum up 2013? Any radical parties youβd like to recall?
[PL] Ok, przejdΕΊmy do koncertowania. Jak podsumujecie pod tym kΔ
tem zeszΕy rok? JakieΕ najlepsze imprezy, ktΓ³re chcielibyΕcie wspomnieΔ?
[EN] Mateusz: speaking of shows it was a βwell doneβ year, although it is hard for me to choose one specific gig. Every concert is for me in a way exceptional.
Majkel: probably the best concerts we played which were held in that year βat usβ, that is in Warsaw. There were many people on gigs really, pogo, crowdsurfing. Playing for such crowd is fucking awesome.
[PL] Mateusz: Pod wzglΔdem koncertΓ³w byΕ to udany rok, chociaΕΌ trudno wyrΓ³ΕΌniΔ mi jeden konkretny gig. KaΕΌdy koncert jest dla mnie na swΓ³j sposΓ³b wyjΔ tkowy.
Majkel: Chyba najlepsze koncerty jakie graliΕmy w tamtym roku odbyΕy siΔ “u nas”, czyli w Warszawie. Na gigach byΕo naprawdΔ duΕΌo ludzi, pogo, crowdsurfing. ZajebiΕcie siΔ graΕo.
[EN] What are some of the cons of developing musical activism of an alternative band in Poland? As a band, what obstacles have you had to overcome?
[PL] Co jest najgorsze jeΕli chodzi o rozwijanie dziaΕalnoΕci niezaleΕΌnej kapeli w Polsce? Jakie najwiΔksze przeszkody definiujecie jako mΕody band?
[EN] Majkel: finances are probably a biggest obstacle. So far we weren’t flooded with some bulk of the proposal to play with other bands, whether in cool or cosy places. Only recently it a bit moved. We are organising the majority of the thing from beginning to end alone. Watching foreign bands which are playing non-stop, or it from Germany, whether from Sweden we could only envy them.
[PL] Majkel: NajwiΔkszΔ przeszkodΔ sΔ chyba finanse. Dotychczas nie byliΕmy zasypywani jakΔ Ε wielkΔ iloΕciΔ propozycji grania z innymi zespoΕami, czy w fajnych miejscΓ³wkach. Dopiero ostatnio siΔ to trochΔ ruszyΕo. WiΔkszoΕΔ rzeczy organizujemy od poczΔ tku do koΕca sami. PatrzΔ c na zagraniczne skΕady, ktΓ³re grajΔ non-stop, czy to zespoΕy z Niemiec, czy ze Szwecji to moΕΌna im tylko pozazdroΕcic.
[EN] What;s the status of booking shows for 2014? Howβs it going?
[PL] Jaki macie status jeΕli chodzi o booking na ten rok? Jak idzie?
[EN] Majkel: we have a few beaten dates. In the March we will play 3-4 concerts in the Czech Republic, where we also a year ago played. We will also be playing on Please Don’t Cry Fest in Cracow and we are smoky eager to do it, because of it shit-hot line-up. There are also a few alternative options, so completely cool it is being heralded.
[PL] Majkel: Mamy zaklepanych parΔ terminΓ³w. W marcu zagramy 3-4 koncerty w Czechach, gdzie graliΕmy takΕΌe rok temu. BΔdziemy teΕΌ graΔ na Please Don’t Cry Fest w Krakowie i bardzo siΔ tym jaramy, bo jest tam zajebisty line-up. Jest teΕΌ kilka innych opcji, wiΔc caΕkiem spoko siΔ to zapowiada.
[EN] Will we be seeing you at any festivals this year?
[PL] Zobaczymy Was na jakichΕ wiΔkszych festiwalach?
[EN] Majkel: he, he, he. Essentially I don’t think we would have anything against playing on Off Festival in Katowice. Still we are going there every year as fans for music performances. It would be great clutter up on Fluff Fest, but there’s no way some student “holiday of the sausage” would access the game.
[PL] Majkel: He, he, he. W sumie chyba nie mielibyΕmy nic przeciwko, ΕΌeby zagraΔ na Off Festivalu w Katowicach. JeΕΊdzimy tam i tak co roku jako fani na koncerty. Fajnie byΕoby zagraΔ na Fluff FeΕcie, ale ΕΌadne “ΕwiΔto kieΕbasy” nie wchodzi w grΔ.
[EN] How about touring Europe and going abroad in general? Does it make any sense in your case? Do you have such desire?
[PL] A co powiecie jeΕli chodzi o EuropΔ i generalnie wyjazd gdziekolwiek poza nasze granice? MyΕlicie, ΕΌe to ma sens w Waszym przypadku? Macie takie βciΔ
gotkiβ?
[EN] Mateusz: generally speaking playing concerts makes sense, so yes. There is only an issue of such logistic embracing the entire situation in order not to pay too much money extra for such adventures.
Majkel: very much we would want. We have no complexes, so embracing it under the logistic account is an only problem. We got a lot positive reviews especially from foreign countries and also a few invitations to Berlin, Zagreb, Prague, to France appeared, and even a homie from Indonesia spoke to us, he is draining compositions to itself the likes of us and is doing mini-tour Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore. Admittedly we were forced to refuse, because very ticket for the plane would ruin our budget, but we felt very nicely.
[PL] Mateusz: W ogΓ³le granie koncertΓ³w ma sens, wiΔc tak. Jest tylko kwestia takiego logistycznego ogarniΔcia caΕej sytuacji, ΕΌeby nie dopΕacaΔ do takich przygΓ³d za duΕΌo pieniΔdzy.
Majkel: Bardzo byΕmy chcieli. Nie mamy ΕΌadnych kompleksΓ³w, wiΔc jedynym problemem jest ogarniΔcie tego pod wzglΔdem logistycznym. DostaliΕmy wiele pozytywnych recek zwΕaszcza z zagranicy i pojawiΕo siΔ takΕΌe kilka zaproszeΕ m.in do Berlina, Zagrzebia, Pragi, do Francji, a odezwaΕ siΔ do nas nawet ziomek z Indonezji, ktΓ³ry ΕciΔ ga do siebie skΕady takie jak my i robi mini-tour Indonezja, Tajlandia, Singapur. Co prawda byliΕmy zmuszeni odmΓ³wiΔ, bo sam bilet na samolot zrujnowaΕby nasz budΕΌet, ale byΕo nam bardzo miΕo.
[EN] Ok gentlemen. What else would you like to add here? Any hot news on a full length perhaps? :)
[PL] Ok, Panowie. Co jeszcze chcielibyΕcie dodaΔ? JakieΕ premierowe newsy o dΕugograjΔ
cym albumie? :)
[EN] Majkel: we are working on the new material. We don’t know whether a next publication will be a LP or EP. I am an EP fan myself, I like short content essence of this form. The time will tell. Certainly in 2014 it will be possible to expect something new from us.
[PL] Majkel: Pracujemy nad nowym materiaΕem. Nie wiemy czy kolejne wydawnictwo to bΔdzie LP czy EP. Ja jestem fanem EPek, lubie krotki treΕciwe formy. Czas pokaΕΌe. Na pewno w 2014 roku bΔdzie moΕΌna siΔ spodziewaΔ czegoΕ nowego od nas.
[EN] Great!
[PL] Super! Koniecznie dajcie znaΔ! DziΔki za garΕΔ info i ΕΌyczΔ powodzenia! :)
Colourful live photo by PiΔ taesencja.







