Presented on IDIOTEQ over 2 years ago and recently featured with their new overwhelming noisy track “10th of June“, Italian raging hardcore band THE SEEKER is back with a new record called “Angst-Filled Youth”, to be released later this year. The band is currently in the process of writing more tunes and I took the chance to interview them and ask about their current status, how they evolved and serve you guys another insight into the world of a young DIY punk band. Check out their newest track and read the full interview below.
Words by THE SEEKER‘s guitarist Maiko (Mike).
Hey guys! So, you’re back with some new quality joints, aren’t you? How does it feel to be on the edge of unveiling your new record and what’s the timeline for the upcoming premiere?
Hey Karol!.. mike here, first of all we’re very honored for this opportunity to be interviewed again,
The last time you interviewed us we were probably fucked up with various kinds of spliff hahaha!. about the record… we’re kinna excited and at the same time we’re always looking at the calendar, ’cause it’s currently on the pressing plant right now.. and as an avid fan of vinyls, I personally can’t wait to have the physical copy in my arms like a new-born baby haha. about the timeline of the premiere… hhmmmm.. it’s really hard to tell right now when will it be out.. but I got a feeling that it will be available in July or in August.
Considering the band itself, what’s changed since we last talked? Tell me a bit about the changes in your lineup and how you guys evolved.
It’s pretty much the same.. we’re still the same politically passion-driven band.. our message is still the force behind these 3 years of our existence. and about the lineup changes, we had a difficult time to mentally digest the fact that 3 of our buddies and founding members are not in the band anymore.. you know people grow and people have some different priorities in life so we basically just moved on and started a new chapter with a new drummer and bassist. I did some phone calls to my friends and they said ”ok let’s do it! when is the practice?” and that’s the birth of the new SEEKER.as far us I can remember.
How we evolved as a band? well musically we have change a lot! we’re always digging to our punk roots and the simplicity of punk music in general. what really got us playing simple and fast songs is the simplicity of it and not giving a f*ck if it’s not technical enough to be considered a good piece of music. and we the past lineup we’re really meticulous about everything, it lacks human touch… you know what I mean.. a couple of mistakes and whatnot is essential to a record imho.
Did you start some new side projects and other bands to keep you even more busy?
I started a somewhat powerviolence/punk band name ‘EVIL PRESLEY’ with the guys from CORPSE and xHANSOLOx they’re from Milano too. it’s funny ’cause we always change the name of the band and hasn’t settle for a more decent name haha.. we started jamming out some songs/riffs it’s going great. on the other hand the guys from the seeker are not on any side projects. we’re really quiet busy writing another LP. yes another LP! we like to keep ourselves moving.. in terms of music I’m a obsessive compulsive type of person. I don’t even know how to describe myself haha. it’s good to have a side project from time to time. it’s like a disconnect to reconnect sort thing.
Great, but you’re a bit older now and you must have more and more outside music obligations, don’t you? How do you balance your music related projects with the rest of your duties?
That’s a tough question, I think every musicians or aspiring musician face this question everyday of their lives. well for me and the rest of the band, music has always been the priority. all other things are crap and secondary. but hey it’s hypocritical to say that we don’t need money so we work at daytime and play whenever there’s a chance. Time management is very important.. you know most of the time you find yourself in a joggling act where your day-job and your passion always bumping to each other and you have to choose between losing your job or going on tour, but we choose music. We put the little sum of money that we earn to be able to go on tour and etc. These things that I’m saying has been said by millions of different artist. So cliche but true =)
Life-wise, what have you learned out of your adventure with doing bands so far?
The same thing over and over… we get to meet different types of people and different culture.. and that’s really an accomplishment for us ’cause the 3 of us were born in a far away nation called the Philippines and we don’t have that luxury to travel and explore Europe before, and being able to play and travel Europe is mind-blowing!. we once played in Poland before (Ostrowiec) and we’re so stunned with the hospitality of the people over there.. it’s the little things that counts you know, but seriously, I’ve learn to control my patience a lot… I am the oldest of them all so I have to listen to every query of the band. and to be the middle man if something goes out of hand.
Ok buddy, so let’s tease your upcoming record a bit. How is it? Are you proud of your sound? How does it differ from your debut record? Is it still a total blast with ‘a twist of fastcore and powerviolence’? :)
I feel that this record is our best record up to date. The writing process of this album is different from the previous release, the first EP ”an open letter” is 90 percent written in my room and we practice it in the studio. Whilst the album ANGST-FILLED YOUTH we’re pretty much laid-back and easy. We usually go to the studio to jam a single riff and make something out of it.. So it came out naturally without the stress of doing a new record. Always keeping it in mind that it’s just punk. Simple as that.
Regarding the differences between the two records that we have… The first record is much more melodic, as time passes by, we can’t help but drift away from it.. The reason is lineup changes and different musical backgrounds, we decided to put it all together and play a little bit of fast hardcore, incorporating various influences like crust-punk/powerviolence/raw-punk, so the band just stick to that kind of sound. I remember one time in Milan when we just finished our set.. A guy came up to me and said.. ”Hey that’s really cool! I love your sound.. What do you call it?” at that time we were so busy packing up our gears so I jokingly said ”it’s punxcoreviolence” just because I don’t know how to explain it. I just really want to chill somewhere in the venue haha.
Have you done any international tours since we last talked?
Actually we played some shows now and then in Italy but not that much really. But we did a European tour that lasted 21 days and it was really cool a experience.. Me and the guys are having some talks if it’s possible for us to tour south east Asia (Philippines/Indonesia/Japan/Malaysia) but as for now there’s no fixed decision yet! But we’d really love to play the Philippines.. Been 10 years since I last visit the islands and now I’m craving for it haha.
One of the best show in tour was in Postojna, (Slovenia) in an occupied gasoline station converted into a big skate park.
Gig-wise, what are your next steps and plans for the coming months?
We’re just chilling out, the only sure thing is that we’re taking a break to write another LP. It could take a couple of months for us to play some shows again, we’re really pushing ourselves to the limit, and testing our song writing capabilities to the edge.. So expect more faster and raw songs and slower tempos as well!
Ok buddy, lastly, looking back, what were the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of running a band from your perspective?
The most challenging and most rewarding?.. Hhmmmm… I think it’s that feeling of how you’ve always wanted to be in a band and tour relentlessly, but the truth remains that you have to work and have a day-job to pay all your bills. So with the little time that you have, you go and write songs and practice with your buddies. The worse part of it is quitting your job for a 10 days tour. That’s crazy! Basically, time is our enemy haha. But of course on the other side of the coin, the most rewarding thing this band has ever accomplished is whenever we go on tour and play in that remote city somewhere in Europe, we always hear people singing our songs… And we consider that as the highest reward for some fucked up hardcore-punk kids like us in Milan ya know?.. =)
An that’s the real beauty of DIY punk, isn’t it? :)
Thanks so much for the chat, buddy! The last words are yours!
Yeah definitely!.. it has always been ”DIY or DIE” =)
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our friends in Milan and all over Europe for the support they have given us for the past 3 and half years, to the bands whom we shared the stage, various local venues and squats. we don’t want anyone to be left-out.. you know who you are! much love and respect to you Karol.. you’ve done an incredible job all these years, more power to IDIOTEQ! kudos to all!
