AGATHOCLES INTERVIEW.
HERE COMES THE GLORIOUS AGATHOCLES INTERVIEW...ENJOY!
1-Hello
Jan,welcome to DEVASTATION UNDERGROUND ATTACK WEBZINE.
Hi there Fabrício,JAN AG here.Lets start the
interview,ok?
2-To start tell us about the AGATHOCLES beginning
in the scene.
Ha,it's a long story,we started back in 1985.So take a
look at the complete biography for all info.
1985-After
being active in the underground since 1981 by doing
zines,releasing compilations tapes,helping to organize
concerts,some friends,all coming from the Belgian city
MOL,started jamming together,making huge noises in the vein of
bands such as NEOS,ACCURSED BLUDGEON,LARM,HELLHAMMER,...(well,we
tried to,hahaha).They recorded some rehearsal tapes in their
several rehearsal rooms where they got kicked out each time 'coz
of the noise.Only some rehearsal recording are left from that
period.The line-up was:JAN-GUITAR AND VOCALS and ERWIN-DRUMS AND
VOCALS.
1986-Some more
recording in the rehearsal room were done,evn a few gigs for very
few people into extreme noise.The band was still looking for a
steady line-up and rehearsal place where they would not be chased
away by the neighbors and police.From this period,only some
rehearsal recording are left.
1987-AG found a
steady rehearsal place in the youth club "JAM"in MOL.In
this yuoth center,they recorded several tracks for compilations
tapes and they started to organize their own gigs in this
place.Other gigs were done in other places,playing with bands
such as VIOLENT MOSQUITOS,NAPALM
DEATH,PESTILENCE,EXTREEM,DISTRESS,TOTAL MOSH PROJECT,...The
line-up of AG in this year was:JAN-GUITAR AND VOCALS,RONNY-BASS
and ERWIN-DRUMS AND VOCALS.In december 1987,JAKKE joined the band
on guitar and JAN could concentrate on the voclas.
1988-AG did
recording for some EP's,like the AG/RIEK BOOIS EP and AG
"Cabbalic Gnosticism"EP.Some other recordings were
made,but are not released yet(maybe soon).Their gigs in Belgium
continued and they prepared for their first LP.Some more gigs
were done with bands such as E.N.T.,BELGIAN ASSOCIALITY,...The
line-up was:JAN-VOCALS,JAKKE-GUITAR,RONNY-BASS and ERWIN-DRUMS.
1989-The
AG/DRUDGE LP was recorded.The line-up of the band was still of
all members coming from MOL,but a second guitar player joined the
band.The line-up
was:JAN-VOCALS,JAKKE-GUITAR,GUY-GUITAR,RONNY-BASS and
ERWIN-DRUMS.New recordings were done for example for the
AG/DISGORGE EP,AG "Fascination of muitilation" EP,AG
"If this is cruel,what is vivisection then?"EP.Other
gigs were done with bnads like DEATHCORE,...At the end of
1989,RONNY left the band and JAKKE took over the bass guitar.
1990-In the
beginning of 1990,AG recorded the AG/VNA EP with the
line-up:JAN-VOCALS,GUY-GUITAR,RONNY-BASS,ERWIN-DRUMS and
JAKKE-BASS.A few months later,there was a major line-up
change.Jan only stayed in the band and found two other members
for AG.The line-up was:JAN-BASS AND VOCALS,DOMINGO-GUITAR and
BURT-DRUMS.With this line-up and in 1990,AG recorded the AG/BLOOD
EP,AG/SMEGMA EP,AG/NASUM EP,AG/PUTRID OFFAL EP and tons more.AG
also went to Denmark for gigs and played several gigs with
SOB,...
1991-The old
drummer ERWIN rejoined the band on bass-guitar.For a short
time,the line-up was: JAN-VOCALS,ERWIN-BASS,BURT-DRUMS and
DOMINGO-GUITAR.But after a few months,DOMINGO left the band and
JAN took over the guitar.With this 3-piece line-up,AG recorded
the "Agarchy" EP in july 1991.After that,CHRIS joined
the band on guitar and the line-up changed
again:JAN-VOCALS,CHRIS-GUITAR,ERWIN-BASS and BURT-DRUMS.With this
line-up,the "Theatric symbolism of life" CD was
recorded.a tour in East-Germany with session vocalist TUUR(who
died in 1996) from the Belgian mincecore band REIGN OF TERROR
also happened in the summer of this year('coz CHRIS could not go
on tour so JAN had to play guitar).At the end of 1991,ERWIN left
the band again and DIRK came in the band to play bass.
1992-During
first months of 1992,the line-up
was:JAN-VOCALS,DIRK-BASS,CHRIS-GUITAR and BURT-DRUMS.But in May
1992,CHRIS and DIRK left AG to start an own band.AG found a new
guitar player called STEVE and the line-up was:JAN-BASS AND
VOCALS,STEVE-GUITAR AND VOCALS and BURT-DRUMS.AG continues their
recordings and gigging and went to sardinia,Italy,for gigs.This
year,AG recorded stuff like "CLICHE"LP and "Use
your anger"LP.
1993-This
year,the line-up stayed the same.With the line-up of three
members(Jan,Burt and Steve).AG went on tour in countries such as
Czech,Slovakia,Germany,Belgium,Holland,...together with the
Geramn band FH 72,who have split up now.This year, AG recorded
stuff such as "Distrust and abuse"EP,AG/SOCIAL GENOCIDE
EP,AG/MAN IS THE BASTARD EP,AG/PATARENI EP and lot more.
1994-Also this
year,there are no line-up changes and the line-up stays the
same(Jan,Burt and Steve).AG does a big tour in Spain in July
1994,where they also recorded their famous "MINCE MONGERS IN
BARNA"EP,wich was recorded in the rehearsal room on the
Spanish mincecore band VIOLENT HEADACHE.Studio sessions continues
and resulted in records such as AG "Black clouds
determinate"CD,AG/ROT EP,AG "Back to
1987"EP,AG/PLASTIC GRAVE EP and lot more.
1995-AG
recorded their AG "Razor sharp daggers"CD with the
line-up of Jan,Burt and Steve,containing 25 brand new songs.AG
also got included on the METALOPOLIS compilation CD from National
Belgian radio station.In summer 1995,STEVE left the band and
MATTY joined AG on guitar.So the line-up was:JAN-BAS AND
VOCALS,BURT-DRUMS AND MATTY-GUITAR AND VOCALS.
1996-The
line-up(Jan,Burt and Matty)stays the same during 1996.Beggining
of this year,AG goes to Istanbul,Turkey for gigs.There,they play
with Turkish band RADICAL NOISE.Later thet year,AG goes on tour
in Czech with their mince-brothers MALIGNANT TUMOUR.On this
tour,they made a video and a doubletape,as a benefit for animal
rights.The same year,AG goes to record a studio session in the
National Belgian radio station.This year,the AG/UNHOLY GRAVE
EP,AG/PREPARATION H EP,AG/AUTORITAR EP,"Thanks for your
hostility"CD and a lot more was recorded.
1997-Most of
1997,the line-up with Jan,Burt and Matty stays the same.AG
records their "Humarrogance"CD and did a Peel session,a
studio session in the BBC-radio studios in London,England.Other
recordings that were done in this year are:AG/DEPRESSION
CD,AG/EXCRUCIATION TERROR EP,...At the end of this year,VINCE
joins AG on bass guitar.The line-up becomes:
JAN-VOCALS,VINCE-BASS,MATTY-GUITAR and BURT-DRUMS.With this
line-up,AG records at the end of 1997 the AG/BWF EP and AG/DIE
EP.
1998-AG changes
line-up again,and since June 1998,AG is:JAN-BASS AND
VOICE,BURT-DRUMS and DIRK-GUITAR AND VOCALS.AG records a lot of
new stuff such as AG/DEADMOCRACY LP,AG/SUPPOSITORY CD,AG/COMRADES
CD,AG/BLOODSUCKERS EP,...
1999-With the
line-up of Jan,Burt and Dirk.AG goes on tour in Czech and Slovak
and recorded new stuff such as AG/GRIND BUTO EP,AG/DISCULPA
LP,AG/UNHOLY GRAVE LP,...A lot of things are planed for the
future.During this year,AG plays gigs with bands such as UNHOLY
GRAVE from Japan,MY MIND MINE,MALIGNANT TUMOUR,...
2000-This
year,the AG "To serve...To protect"CD was released on
the Italian label VACATION HOUSE RECORDS.Other stuff that was
released this year are AG/MONOLTH EP,AG/ABORTION EP,AG "Live
in Leipzig,East-Germany 1991"CD,...Also this year,AG did
some gigs with bands such as ABSTAIN,COMRADES,ULRIKES
DREAM,BBB,...and at the moment,the band is working on their new
full studio CD/LP for MORBID RECORDS which will be called
"SUPERIORITY OVERDOSE".
3-What was most difficulty in all these years with
AGATHOCLES for you?
In the beginning,we had some troubles with finding a good
and steady rehearsal room,but these problems are aver now.At the
moment,the most problems we have are finding the time to rehearse
because we are all very busy with work,study,...
4-What your opinion for so much changing in line-up
since 1987 and what was the actual line up?
Since june 1998,we are JAN-bass+voice,BURT-drums and
DIRK-guitar+voice.I have been in the band since 1985 and Burt has
been playing in AG since 1990.It seems that guitar players have
been a problem to find and to keep in the band,but at the
moment,all is working out really well with this line-up and I
hope that it will stay this way.
5-AGATHOCLES yet release different kind of music in alot of
records:old school
grindcore,grind/death,grind/crust,crust/hc,mincecore.What your
favorite style of music to play and listen?
I like all these styles and this is also the kinds of
music that we listen to.So it is normal that the kind of music
that we like and listen to have an effect on the of AG.We like to
play these different kind of music,it is fun to play and it is
great to have change in sound and song structures somentimes.But
the basic structure is still old school grind/mince core.
6-Please give your comment for this lyrics:
-Teachers
This is about the school system which isn't always that
right.The education system has so much power to control students
lifes and way of thinking.With this lyrics,we just wanna say,try
to keep a critical mind about the things you learn at school or
university.
-What a nerve
This one is about being critical about yourself,about
your own way of life.It is easy to criticize other people,but are
you always right in what you say and think?Self-evaluation and
self-criticism is an important thing to change things for the
better.
-Try
Ha,it is kind of a cliché-lyric.It is about unity and
respect in the scene.It is a call for more co-operation between
everyone involved in the scene.
-A for arrogance
It is about people who think ANARCHISM is just chaos and
violence,and these people are destroying a lot of good things
that the anarcho-movement has done.Anarchism for us is
autonomy,trying to create your own lifes and your own way of
living,WITH respect for other peoples lives and way of thinking.
7-I really love AGATHOCLES poem(Birds,Like an ivy,Black ones).Who
created them and how born this idea?
Ha,thanx a lot for the compliment.I don't know how we got
the idea of using poetry in our music.I guess we got it from some
old punkbands such as CRASS who also did that.The poems are
written by me.I have also published some poetry-books,but in
Dutch,my mother language,and not in English.
8-How are the process of creation of songs?
Dirk,our guitarplayer and me,we write most of the
music.We write the songs at our homes and when we rehearse,we
explain the new songs to the rest of the band,and then we start
playing and rehearsing them,putting in some new ideas from the
other band members,...That's how an AG-song is born.Somentimes,we
also make new songs all together in the rehearsal room.
9-Do you have the notion of importance about your lyrics?What
topic you prefer for write?
Lyrics are very important for us.It is a big part of the
song for us.The lyrics deal with things that are bothering us and
that we think are important to tell to people.Our lyrics are ment
to give people information about certain things like animal and
human rights,ecology,politics,the scene,economy,third world
problems,...
10-How many rehearsal AGATHOCLES play for week?
We try to rehearse one time each week,but because we are
all very busy,this is somentimes not possible.But we try one time
a week.
11-What are your favorite bands and what bands influence
AGATHOCLES?
We have so many fave bands.Too many to tell.And all bands
that we listen to have an impact on the way that we write
AG-songs.Some of my fave bands are
KAAOS,RATTUS,GAI,CONFUSE,GISM,REPULSION,UNHOLY GRAVE,MALIGNAT
TUMOUR,OLHO SECO,LARM,ULTIMO GOBIERNO,RUIDO DE RABIA,NEOS,THE
BASTARDS,TERVEET KADET,HELLHAMMER,SARCOFAGO,CELTIC
FROST,DRUDGE,DISCHARGE,KILLERCRUST,CHAOS CHANNEL,DEAD
INFECTION,ORDER,SCREAMING NOISE,PUHELIN KOPPI,DISORDER,REVENGE OF
THE WHORES,KANSAN UUTISET,CRASS,SVART PARAD,
DNA,BOMBNFAL,ANTIBOFORS,SOR,SATANIC LEGIONS OF DEATH,NOB,ELECTRO
HIPPIES,GENERIC,UBR,PATARENI,SECUNDA,IRA,ATAQUE FRONTAL,ZYKLOME
A,BLOEDBAD,MORNIGNTON CRESCENT,...
12-How do you see the division that exist between grindcore and
grindgore?
13-What your opinion about gore,pathological and porno lyrics?
(Answer of question 12 and 13 are together)
I really don't see a division,it is more a
different of lyrics and interest in politics.There are a lot of
goregrind bands which I totally love such as DEAD
INFECTION,HAEMORRHAGE,REGUSRGITATE,FLESH GRINDER,LYMPHATIC
PHLEGM,MORTICIAN,ATAVISM,old CARCASS,CUM,SQUASH BOWELS,..But this
is goregrind.about pornogrind,well,it doesn't interest me,it is
boring I think,but everyone is free to do what he or she
wants.But i totally boycott bands who spread homophobic ideas and
sexist ideologies.They are just fascists in disguise.We surely do
not need them in this scene,or any place else.
14-Who make drawing in "Thanks for your hostility"and
"Humanrrogance" cover art?
The atrwork of "Thanks..."album was done by a
Japanese artist and the "Humarrogance" artwork is done
by a famous Spanish painter who is dead now.Hahaha,guess who he
was.He was and still is very famous.
15-What kind of equipment AGATHOCLES use in vocals effect?
We have 3 different kinds of vocals.A screaming and
growling one without effect,and a growling one with effect.The
effect on this one is a BOSS PITCHSHIFTER.Great material for
sure.It makes the vocals sound one octave lower than normal
vocals.
16-How are live performance from AGATHOCLES and how are the
public response?
At a live gig,we play about 23 songs in somenthing like
40 minutes.We try to make the best of it.Mostly the respons is
really good,and somentimes not.It depends on the places where we
play.
17-Some favorite place to play?
I really enjoy the tour we have done in Spain,Czech
Republic and Slovakia.We met some really nice people over there
and have had a lot of fun.Well,I like to play everywhere.In every
country.
18-When AGATHOCLES will play in Brazil?What was necessary for
this tour in Brazil?
If someone can set up a tour for us in Brazil and pay for
our airplan tickets,food,transport and sleeping places,then it
would possible to come over and play in Brazil.Who knows,maybe in
the future????
19-What do you know about the brazilian scene?
I have got quite a lot of contacts with brazilian people
and bands.I know the scene is quite active and that more and more
people are able to release vinyl or CD's.That's great to see
happening.bands from Brazil that I really like are
ROT,SCARRHOUSE,THE ACCIDENT,DEADMOCRACY,DESECRATION,SCUM
NOISE,COLERA,OLHO SECO,FLESH GRINDER,LYMPHATIC PHLEGM,STOMACHAL
CORROSION,DISARM,CHC,PARENTAL ADVISORY,NO CONFORMITY,DORSAL
ATLANTICA,SARCOFAGO,VULCANO,DISCHORD,CORE,SUBCUT,ABUSO
SONORO,LOBOTOMIA,ULSTER,FOGO CRUZADO,ATACK
EPILETICO,OFFENSOR,BRIGADA DO ODIO,...+ many many more.
20-Are you vegan or vegetarian?If yes,give to us some good motive
for being vegetarian.
All members of AG are vegetarian,not vegan.There are so
may reasons to become a vegetarian.An important reason for me was
that you don't really need meat to eat healthy.So why kill
animals for food when there is planty of alternative and
healthier food around?An other reason is that the meat industry
is just there to keep the rich countries rich and the poor
countries poor.A lot of vegetable food id made in third world
countries who have no food and are starving,it is given to cows
which are being slaughtered to have meat for the capitalist
coutries.I think this is reason enough to,for a start,think about
becoming a vegetarian or a vegan.
21-Some new material,side project or other activity in state of
development?
Some week ago we play an European tour with
NYCTOPHOBIC,HAEMORRHAGE and TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION.After
that,we will record our new full CD/LP which be called
"SUPERIORITY OVERDOSE".Also soon,the AG/CHC split CD
will be released on a Brazilian label and maybe also the
AG/STOMACHAL CORROSION Split CD will be released on a Brazilian
label.Besides this,some split EP's with new AG-songs are planned.
22-Any merchandize available at the moment?
I have sent to you some distrolists of my MINCE CORE
MAILORDER.Just take a look at it.(if you want
receive this list,just e-mail-me at: terribile@bol.com.br
-Fabrício) People who are interested can always
write me for these lists.just write and I will send some lists.
23-Thanks alot Jan,keep this DIY spirit alive and stay MINCECORE!
Thanx a lot,Fabrício,for the interview and your interest
in AG.Good luck with your activities in the future.Keep up the
good work.hey people,if you wanna have more info about AG,just
write me.OK?Keep supporting the DIY-scene and keep being
active.MINCE CORE FOR ACTIVE MINDS.