We conducted an interview with Detroit grindcore band SENDER RECEIVER on December 12, 2012.
Gentlemen, thank you for taking this interview. Please, introduce yourself.
Maxxwell:
We have Brett Bugni, Mark Warm and myself here to report. Got the whole gang.
You disbanded in 2008 and then came back in 2010. Could you introduce the current line-up and compare it to the one from the 2006-2008 era?
Maxxwell:
Yeah we had that short little break of sorts, though in all reality its safe to say it wasn’t even a break Mark and myself had “Ringbearer” going which was pretty much a intermediate version of the band. When we re-formed we had a few more lineup changes, we’ve had this lineup though for about a year and half consisting of Brett Bugni on Vocals, Mark Warm on Drums and I’m handling the bass and guitar duties at the moment.
You are hailing from Detroit, Michigan. Please describe your local music scene and the city itself.
Brett:
Until mid 2010 myself was the only member of sender in Detroit, the band previously based in Iowa. The scene here has had huge ups and downs in the last decade or so. There have been years at a time where the scene surged with tons of great talent and a lot of great venues were open or opening. In recent years some scenes took a hit and dwindled, many venues have closed their doors, and a prior surplus of talented bands has diminished. The scene is fortunately picking up again, new great bands and venues are again popping up, and the next generation of young kids are stepping up to bring the local scene back to life.
Do you miss Knoxville, Iowa?
Maxxwell:
No, it’s always extremely depressing returning to that town honestly. When your little you don’t notice a lot of the issues your town will have, its become more and more apparent how heavy drugs like meth and poverty has struck the town…no one has a skip in their step, its literally just slugging a long waiting to die…then again, in our current state of affairs its like that everywhere, just seeing people you’ve grown up with and families you’ve known since birth makes it hit harder i think.
How many shows have you been playing so far? What’s your most memorable tour so far?
Maxxwell:
Since the re formation we did a Midwest two week tour, and have played sporadic shows ever since. As a whole, we’ve done well over 300 some odd shows all across the USA, CAN & MEX. As for most memorable tour? Its honestly really hard to say, each tour has its own vibe, feeling, whatever you would call it. Some of my all time fav’s definitely were the Me And Him Call It Us tour, we were both coming into our own as bands and both broke up around the same time, kind of funny how it works. Would also like to make shout outs to our boys in GAZA and THE ABOMINABLE IRON SLOTH, we’ve done shorter runs with both a few times now and ill say they’re without a doubt the most genuine people I’ve ever met, and their music still inspires me.
Please name your inspirations. How many bands that inspire you have you seen live?
Mark:
Let’s be real here, Buddy Rich, Chris Pennie, Dave Wittie, and John Ward. As far as bands I draw influence from I would definitely say DAUGHTERS, COMADRE, PAGE 99 and THUMBSCREW.
Brett:
When I was getting into playing music, I was into everything I could find that was fast at the local record shop. I didn’t have decent Internet till I was probably 16 so I got what the shop had. I was really into NILE, NAPALM DEATH, AT THE GATES, stuff like that. I’ve actually got to see them, and it was great, waiting sometimes almost a decade for some of these bands, its been great once I got to.
Maxxwell:
Well, the second show i ever saw and the REASON i started playing music was WEEZER. I had never before obviously and never again see a band play so spot on, i was i think 8 or 9 years old and it just blew my mind out of the water. Saw them again a few years later with Tenacious D and they were still just as badass. I will say though, to really hit the bands that inspire me as a whole i would have to list a few albums that specifically dictate what i write and play…ANODYNE “Lifetime of Grey Skies”, ALL ELSE FAILED “This Never Happened” and WILL HAVEN “Carpe Diem”.
What’s your opinion on modern grindcore scene?
Brett:
We’re really glad Myspace grind is gone, and the days of getting a contract based on your friend count.
Maxxwell:
Yeah, now we have new ways of getting signed like buying Likes and faking music video plays… Though I’m starting to see a lot more people getting back into the swing of things and realizing there are a TON of bands out there that really want it, and are going for it.
You are releasing a limited edition 7″ EP and working on a new album, as well. Please tell us something more about these releases.
Maxxwell:
We have had our fare share of troubles with the studio, we recorded an EP last year and the studio basically lost all the tracks and we lost a lot of time…we were able to churn out a 1 song demo though which was cool a few weeks later. With this new 7″ were having two new songs + a special cover, this will be the first time I’ve said what it is but its Too Many Puppies by PRIMUS. The vinyl will come out on Give Praise Records out of Boston and the CD/Digital will come out through Mannequin Rein. As for the full length, we have always wanted to put out a full record just never had the support or backing, still really don’t. We plan on shopping the new 7″ and touring a bit and seeing what pops up, the tracks we’ve shown to our friends and other bands we play out with seem to really vibe it, so maybe something will come of it and we can snag a decent label who knows!
Are there any artists and/or genres you really don’t like?
Mark:
Where to start, anything from the Rise Records back catalog IE ATTACK ATTACK or any of that garbage essentially. Anything that offers no substance or has zero heart.
What do you guys do in your private lives?
Maxxwell:
Work as a in-home aid for children and young adults with disabilities, reading, collect tons of comics, movies, vinyl, huge animal rights activist, theology studies, run a label with mark, always writing and recording music and hanging with my cats and girlfriend and just being a real dude.
Mark:
Weed, minecraft, ant buster, riding bikes. I don’t know, just things that keep me from being bored as hell during the day.
Brett:
Lots of beers and whiskies, playing music with numerous bands, shooting guns, working on a philosophy bachelors at a university here, lots of video games, and spending time with my awesome friends and girlfriend and child.
What’s your opinion on politics in America? Are you planning to vote in the 2012 Presidential Election?
Brett:
Our opinions on American politics vary from disappointed to disgusted, I myself feel like I’m voting between going back to the stone age or going towards 1984. These Conservatives are racist, homophobic, theocratic bigots and these liberals want to have the government wipe your ass for you and tell you how much toilet paper is acceptable so everyone has enough… these people do not represent the wants and needs of the majority of people in this nation, and its sad because anyone that has a deep wallet puts these people in office and fund their path to office. Its a joke. I myself do vote and will, but it usually comes down to picking between the lesser of two evils, we aren’t offered a viable candidate that represents the people, nor act in accordance with their wishes and promises made through their bid to office. We really seem to have no options come election time and its a joke. The country is running itself into the ground doing this, and its going to leave behind a really broken and chaotic country for our kids, it will be hard for them to live the way we did, and harder than our parents did…Hopefully we don’t live in the next defunct Rome in 10 years from now.
Do you celebrate Christmas? If yes, how did you spend it this year?
Brett:
We all celebrate Christmas. Its more family tradition than anything, we’re not religious and do not believe in the religious implications of the holiday. We hang out were our family and friends, and enjoy the day off from work.
What are you most looking forward to in the future as a band?
Maxxwell:
Hand jobs from dudes, but in all reality..touring again as much as possible, putting out a ton of records, seeing old and meeting new friends. Being in a band is much more than just the music, its got so many layers…like an onion, or parfait.
Thank you again for sharing your words. Feel free to tell people anything you want!
Maxxwell:
We’ve said it all man, we’ve said it all. Thanks again for the interview and thanks again for anyone who reads this..check out the new jams, hangout with us were good people and wanna meet you ON THE REAL.
