Hail Adam and welcome to the demented pages of the Tales of the Morbid Butchers fanzine! How often you get interview requests? Do you usually answer to every single one?
Hail Metal & Hell! First I’d like to thank You for this intie and support for Necroscope zine ! Well, there are few interviews in a year I answer, so not too many actually. In the previous month I answered massive interview for a Chilean zine and now I have to fight with your questions I think that 15-10 years ago I did receive more interviews, speaking frankly there was a period of time when I answered interviews permanently. But it’s natural also that there are less and less interviews recently because we have less and less fanzines nowadays, sad but true…Anyway I answer all interviews I get, there is no fucking exception! I’m in opinion that I have to respect everyone who works to write a couple of questions for me, everyone who wants to support my zine!
Do you have any mentionable ceremony or preparation before you answer such an interrogation? Or you just simply follow your daily routine and when you have time you write your answers? How does it work for you when you are the one who asks about things? For me it is important to have the right mood and ideas, I can’t do this anytime.
No, I have not any ceremonies or preparations before I starting to answer interviews! Simply I do it when I’m not busy too much. For example I’m going to answer your questions in the work, in military airport, where I do paramedic service and usually nothing happens there, so I have a lot of free time there. So, we can say that I do answer interviews with kinda a routine…Just in the opposite to interviews, where it’s me who ask questions, so I mean about interviews made for Necroscope zine. Then I try to do my best with possible best, most interesting questions. Therefore I need to prepare myself always with proper knowledge about a band, its music, its origin country, home city and things like that. However speaking honestly I don’t need a proper mood as well because I have such mood, ideas for my zine always, for over 20 years already.
Are you contact with someone from Hungary? What bands, labels or fanzine editors you know? As I see you have reviewed several Hungarian acts. Have you even been to my country? Have you heard about our festivals such as Total War, az Inner Awakening, Extreme Noise or Szegedeath?
Yes, actually I’m in permanent contact with somebody from Hungary since the 90’s. Of course these were various people during all these years. I had very reliable tape trader from Hungary back in the 90’s but don’t remember His name now. But thank this guy I received pretty many Hungarian bands, including the ones from the old scene of 80/90’s… Later I got in touch with AGE OF AGONY and till today I’m in opinion that it’s best Hungarian horde ever, one of the best ones when it comes to worldwide death metal scene! I have several zines from Hungary but forgive me I don’t remember their names at that moment Now I’m in touch with You, Neverheard distro (I have dressed the label’s t-shirt today!) or Old Skull Prod. Surely I forgot about someone too…During all these years I have interviewed also few Hungarian bands, including aforementioned AGE OF AGONY, which was interviewed twice even! Not forgetting about many reviews with Hungarian bands, they are permanently present in all of my issues. Sorry, I don’t think that I have heard about mentioned festivals, maybe because I was never in Hungary…
I remember that when I first came across with Necroscope, back when I ordered a copy from Neverheard Distro I was completely mesmerized and just starred at it with eyes wide open. You create thick issues filled with tons of information every year. How much time it takes for you until you finish an issue? Do you already have a draft of a next issue inside your head when you work on the actual issue? How many people help you with creating contents?
Thanks a lot for your words! Well, the works on every issue take about 9-10 months always, that’s usual time since my first issues. So you can recognize that I’m pretty hard working guy, hehe…Moreover that everything I do, write by myself! Well maybe with few exceptions, when I take some interview or review from some u/g co-operators but that’s very, very rare situation. Usually I do everything by myself because Necroscope it’s my child only and anybody can’t participate in that! No, I have not any deadlines nor drafts, however I’m organized and hard working guy, so every issue arrives always after mentioned 9-10 months, there are not any delays never and everybody happens very natural way. You know, I’m in opinion that such “underground” activity, like a zine for example should be done without any strict obligations, deadlines etc. It should be about passion always!!!
Have you ever been sick of this whole stuff enough that you felt you just needed to stop for a while and take a little break? From outside it seems like a very intensive work that you regularly come out with a fresh issue. I imagine you are not bored at all. Do still have time for the family and kids?
I believe that there wasn’t any break in my activity. So, since the early 1994 when I released 1# it goes very regularly and people never had to wait too long for any new issue. Of course I don’t feel bored at all, if I could then I would stop my work then or take a break at least… But that’s impossible right now cause underground, metal, the zine- this all it’s fundamental part of my life and I believe it will be till I die yes, yes, I have still time for my family! You must know that I live with my daughter alone, without her mother and so I must care about everything by myself only, exactly like with the zine, hehe…I’m mature individual (I hope so), therefore I’m aware of that my musical passion can’t influence negatively on my daughter and our relations. Yes, I’m very busy all the time, but I’m well organized, therefore I have not bigger problems in my life, everything goes pretty seamlessly with my life…
Congratulations to your 30th issue which was just released in 2016! What’s your secret? :)
Thanks a lot!!! I have to confess that I’m proud very much having 30 issues released! What is my secret? Nothing mysterious, just: passion (first of all), hard and well organized job, consequence, reliability…
Did you celebrate it in any special way? Maybe organizing a show with some friendly bands?
Yes, I did celebrate 30# with underground gig, with participation of such bands as: HELLSPAWN, NO SALVATION, POISONOUS and ABHORRENT FUNERAL…Besides 29# was celebrated with another gig as well, with EMPHERIS, FREEZING BLOOD ,HELL PATROL and RIESE…My gigs were/are small but with true underground atmosphere, with devoted maniaks as a crowd and ocean of alcohol! These were amazing gigs, believe me! Also I have celebrated 30# with bonus live CD by Brazilian legend HEADHUNTER D.C. This is their gig from Warsaw in 2013, the sound is authentic yet selective, CD released professionally and all filled with the 30# Necroscope as free bonus. I believe these were proper kinds of celebration!
What do you besides journalism? Do you do a label or organize shows? Or perhaps you play in a band? Do you have free time for other hobbies as well? If I’m correct you even help out in another ’zine, right?
Actually Necroscope zine is my main job when it comes to music. Although I’m also editor in zine called NecroMortem Tormentor, which I do together with my two friends, 3 issues are done and hopefully we’ll start to work on 4# soon. No label, no bands, just few, episodic gigs I have done, as I did mention in the previous question. I believe Necroscope it’s enough when we’re talking about my musical passion, I don’t need more…But or because I have also other hobbies. Football- I’m a big maniac who watch lots of matches every day, I enjoy English premier league especially but not only. I’m a fanatic supporter of polish football club called Arka Gdynia, I’m regularly on Arka’s games since 1982 and even I do fanpage (fb) called “Arkowiec” for Arka’s supporters. Besides football I really like to read, books from ancient, medieval history, history of the church, mythologies etc. I read and buy really many books! Finally I work as paramedic and so medicine is my another passion, with many medical books read, especially cardiology takes my big interest You see, I’m guy who lives with his passions, that sense of my life!!!
Let’s just turn back the wheel of time for a little! Please, tell us what made you to start this all! Was there any defining event in your life? Was it difficult to put the first issue together? Have you thought that even after so much time you will still do this actively?
Speaking honestly I did dream about my zine since the late 80’s/ early 90’s but sadly didn’t know how the hell to start it. You must remember that Poland was very poor country back then (and actually still it is) and it was very difficult thing to organize some typewriter, not mentioning Xerox…But in the end of 1993 two young guys did visit me at my home and they told me that they would like to write such underground zine. So when I heard their proposition didn’t hesitate a while even. I had “Necroscope” name and immediately became a “boss” in this business. 3 months later we had 1# done. I worked with both guys till 3# and I wasn’t glad with that too much. Especially works on 2# and 3# were quite irritable because I was the only, truly dedicated editor in our line up. That’s why I decided to make everything by myself since the 4# and I really enjoy such work! I can say even that all issues since the 4# were done without any problems, irritations and things like that, only pleasure to…kill! Maybe I’m going to confuse you now but when my dream came true at last- back in the 1994- I knew that I want to do it for years, a lot of years! I wanted Necroscope zine to be different than all those zines, which existed for 1-2 issues only, not mentioning zines, which existed on flyers only! I had ambitions or better to say “dream”, “wish” to make my zine reliable and never wimping, no trending, no posering mark on the underground scene. And I believe I managed to achieve this!
How much people like Necroscope in Poland? How many copies you usually print from each issue? It is generally true that no one can be a prophet in his own country, I guess you know what I mean. What about you? Where does most of the interest come from? From Poland or from abroad? I know that people all around the world are aware of Necroscope therefore I would like to ask you tell to me about the countries or continents where people can’t get it? Do you even have some countries where you don’t want to sell it at all?
Yes I get what you mean unfortunately…I think Necroscope is respected in Poland amongst a circle of devoted maniaks but only few of them read my next issues permanently. The reason is English tongue I use since the 15# but first of all because such paper zines are less and less popular these internet days. People don’t order, don’t support Xerox zines because they can get all info from internet easier and faster. So I can’t say that Necroscope is liked very much in Poland, respected for sure but the support here is very small. I think people from South America are best maniacs of Necroscope, same with me, I’m devoted maniak of South American scenes!!! But speaking the truth, there is not any particular country from which I get bigger number of readers. At least I haven’t realized something like that so far. Anyway I spread my zine to South and North America, almost whole Europe, Australia, East/South Asia and only Africa is such “empty” place for me No, no, no there is not any country where I don’t want to send my zine, it would be stupid just…Well, maybe apart of Vatican, hehe…But wait, I sent my 29# issue to Vatican! So, Necroscope doesn’t know borders…I print like 200 copies of every issue but with such note that there are people who copy necroscope by themselves with my permission, also I don’t use any distributors, all copies are spread by myself to particular readers….
Just like many others, you use that specific famous social media website as well. It is usually trendy to attack those who maintain some sort of presence on it but one must admit: if you use it wisely, it can be a very helpful tool. What do you think about this? Have you ever been against this form of the online presence?
If I have to be honest with You, I was against the underground in internet very much. It was back in the late 90’s/ early 2000’s, when I started to write articles against internet, which spoke that internet kills the true underground. And the underground became different since then very much indeed, I don’t like many “new” things still, never became fan of so called web zines, never understand metalheads who collect their music on mp3 files only and so on… But with years I realized one important thing. If I want Necroscope to survive then simply I must move forward, starting to understand and use internet, unless Necroscope could become less and less supported by this “new” underground…And since I write my zine for my pleasure but also for…readers! I mean there is sense of writing a zine (or whatever) only if there are people interested in reading this! Therefore I started to use internet too, I have email and facebook page. Thank facebook I got in touch with many bands, zines, labels, got many new readers and finally fb is very helpful in promotion of new issues, gigs and things like that…Of course you must use it wisely as I you said in your question…Also it’s obvious that Necroscope it’s still same zine, copied by Xerox, on paper and spread by traditional post, in this case nothing has changed…But I don’t fight with internet anymore, even I accept digital promo stuffs sent via emails, though still I prefer physical ones absolutely!!!
What do you think about that attitude when people still stick to the old school ways of promotion and keeping in touch? I mean those who totally shut the internet out. Can you run a ’zine without online presence? A ’zine that can last for a lot of time.
I believe there are only few such devoted individuals these days…Even maniaks who are totally against internet use email as a way of fast and easy contact. I think it’s not any rule that everybody must use facebook for example, it’s very helpful but definitely NOT obligatory way of promotion. You can do proper promotion sending tons of flyers or lots of emails and it should work well too. You can promote your zine with Xerox flyers only, sending snail, traditional letter only but it will result with poor results rather, I mean you will limit your zine to the very small circle of readers this way… That’s matter of what you expect from your activity, zine...Underground should be about freedom not any strict obligations, cannons, it’s not a church, is it?
Do you still care about hand written letters? Let me tell you a story because I’d like to ask for your opinion! So I made friendship with a band which I won’t reveal but they only keep in touch in the form of hand written letters. Alright, let’s do it, that’s what I thought. After some letters I thought to ask them for an interview so I just came out with a couple of questions, had it translated and written on paper. It was hell of a work because my English is not the best to be honest. After a little while I’ve got my answers. I was pretty excited about the whole thing. I mean, what if I can’t read it because it was hand written and it was in English and all? I opened the letter and much to my surprise, all the answers were written with a type writer! Questions: So why the fuck they mess with the hand written letters? If I respect them enough to send my questions hand written, they should do the same thing for me, right? I mean we could have done the same process in e-mail, I don’t think they don’t have internet connection… What do you think?
Hehe, it’s weird indeed but what can I tell Ya? I have no idea what was the band exactly, its name…Surely they want to show utterly underground attitude and they over do things a bit in this regard…I think it’s not important if you get hand written, type writer or email answers, the only important thing is…if you receive answers at all, nothing else is important from my point of view…and you should be glad finally that you got your answers, that’s my opinion exactly…
The design of Necroscope is plan and simple. No fancy artworks, just a frame and a massive bunch of information. Have you ever felt the desire to change this? I imagine the design is not too much important for you. Or you just don’t want the skills of the designer? I like when fanzines are nice but of course only if that doesn’t affect the content.
I have told you in one of previous questions that I want and like to do all by myself. And I was never good designer, actually I’m not designer at all. So if I would change this then I had to find good designer and to co-operate with him. I’m afraid it would bring problems and unnecessary delays only with woks on next issues of the Necroscope… enough to say that I had serious problems to find good and reliable designer for front cover (just only front cover) for 30#! So I don’t want to imagine even how many time it could take if I would have all pages of 30# made by good designer. I think the issue wouldn’t be out till now yet!!! Also or first of all I was always in opinion that content is much more important than layout, form, design! I don’t like mags, which have cool design and poor reading content. Finally I’d like to admit that Necroscope has modest yet orderly lay out, design and I personally don’t see any problem in this regard. If some one wants to look on nice pictures, draws then always he can buy some comic book, can’t he?
What kind of negative response you got to your magazine so far? What was the most ridicoulus one? Do you even care about the opinion of the others?
I think most of negative judgments concern not stapled pages. Also aforementioned design, layout and finally poor English of mine. That’s all actually. Frankly speaking 99% of reviews, opinion are positive or enthusiast even so I personally don’t see any problem with these few, rare opinions, which are negative. Especially these one about not stabled pages became funny after years and to be honest, I don’t stable pages now intentionally, because I don’t want to disappoint some of my freaks, faithful readers, hehe…
What kind of preparations you have before contacting a band? Do you read about the band and its ideology or you just like their music so it inspires you enough to do an interview?
Sure, the music of a band is most important thing! So when I really like such music, then I try to find something more about a band. I mean about their attitude; are they underground or mainstream/ commercial, what about are lyrics of theirs, even origin country of theirs is important… But as I said a music is about 95% of decision. So when I get decision to get in touch with a band, then I write to them with ask about possibly interview…what is going later you know already very good…
If a band contacts you because they would like to be in your magazine, do you usually tell them to go fuck off or you like these kind of contacts? What about the band interviews? Are they the reflection of your personal taste?
Sure, I really like such kind of getting touch, very much actually!!! But as I’ve said, first I must listen to a music before I will start to think about an interview and I tell something like that to each band, label, which get in touch with me. So when they are still interested, we make some kind of trade, they send their stuff, I send my last issue and later I listen carefully what they play, if it’s good and made in the metal vein I worship then things are going very fast usually and an I have cool interview for my new issue usually. You know, if any band decides to get in touch with such underground zine as Necroscope then they show very cool, underground attitude this way, that’s why I really like such situations. And when they play good music them everything is fine already!
In Necroscope, you dedicate a whole section to the reviews of the Polish bands which is called „Polish Hell”. Is this something what you have from the beginning? Why did you decide to separate the local bands from the others? Is that a way of showing respect to your country? I like the idea! What kind of other sections you have in your magazine?
Very good question because sooooo actual!!! I mean, “Polish hell” was the section in the Necroscope since 4# or something like that, so very, very long time! I wanted to show my special dedication to Polish scene this way, since I’m Pole, right? Always I wanted to support polish underground special way…But it’s not actual anymore!!! Why? I did describe all in special article in the 30# Necroscope. So, since 31# you won’t read polish hell. Sure, still I write reviews for polish bands but they are not specially treated anymore. Speaking briefly, when I recruited bands for my gig, which celebrated jubilee of 30# Necroscope, I realized sadly that polish bands don’t take seriously Necroscope, so I don’t see a reason to treat specially them in my zine…Of course it doesn’t concern all polish band but… bigger part of them…Concluding I will support particular bands from Poland still but I don’t want to write “Polish hell” anymore…Since 31# you will read reviews separated for 4 sections called “Morbid tales”. I believe it’s cool name, isn’t it?
There are many fanzines in Poland. Which are the ones you have friendly relationship with? Are the any you can’t get well anymore? Because of human fallibilities (jealousy etc.)?
Honestly I have not any problems, any conflicts with any zines, including polish ones. I think I keep good touch with most of polish zines and it’s not so difficult because there are less and less paper zines. Most of the editors are my friends, we have met a couple of times on various gigs, tons of mails, letter changes and so on. I believe closest relation is with OPEN CASKET newsletter, POSSESSED TORMENTOR zine or R’LYEH zine…we are all old, over 40’s warriors of metal & hell !!!
You are in this profession for a long time. You saw many fanzines and people come and go. What kind of changes or declines have you experienced in the realm of the fanzines? What’s the oldest, still active Polish fanzine?
Are you joking? Necroscope is definitely oldest and still active zine in Poland, I believe one of the oldest (I mean about still active!0 worldwide! Hehe…Didn’t you realize this? Anyway during all these years I have seen a lot of zines, got to know thousands of people, editors, I can’t remember all of them today…I believe only few editors I got to know back in the 90’s are still active, most of others wimped out years ago. The biggest change with zines since the early 90’s concerns release form, way of writing, I mean old zines were hand written or made on type writer. Also I think old zines had definitely poorer reading content with laconic, short interviews and reviews, then late zines became much better in this regard. Speaking about release form, today it’s pretty usual having a zine released in professional printing house. Finally internet has changed things a lot… but we have said this in one of previous question already…
Is there any new fanzine on the Polish scene that you could recommend? Do you often get approached by the younger generation to ask for your opinion and advices? Do you like to help them out?
Actually 99% of polish zines are made by old, experienced maniaks. Young metalheads, born 20 years ago, or so (they are younger than Necroscope itself!) have not idea what a paper zine is all about. They are intended to internet media just only, sometimes to mainstream mags and that’s all…However sometimes these youngest metalheads ask me about help with promotion of their bands, gigs and so on. Thus they know Necroscope zine but never seen it, hehe…WORSHIP HIM zine comes to my mind, when you ask about “younger” zines from Poland, however it’s made by well rooted and not so young maniak, hehe. Maybe CYROGRAPH zine too…yes, I like make kinda of help for every zine, every band and so on. Honestly I do something like that permanently, for example I was a patron of two gigs recently, including very young bands, did promotion for them as strong as you could
Since I’m not 20 anymore, I can see some of the differences between the generations. I mean 90% of the metal fans from the ages of 18-20 is usually don’t care about buying stuff or going to shows, they just eat what the media feed to them. They will surely not buy any fanzines. How do you see this phenomenon?
Well, it’s not true definitely, especially here in Poland. Sure you are right speaking about metalheads who don’t buy, order anything and don’t visit any gigs. There are many of such kind of “metalheads” always and everywhere and age of theirs isn’t any reason of such attitude…Anyway I want to say that here, in Poland we have gigs organized by young metalheads, with very young bands from local underground scenes and imagine that such gigs gather about 150-300 people, always youngest maniaks!!! Strange? Actually it looks like other, separated scene because same, young maniaks don’t visit gigs with known, respected hordes from the “real” underground scene…I try to change it a bit, at least when it comes to my local scene and Pomerania, North Poland, that’s why I support gigs with such young bands, because maybe, when older metalheads will start to visit such gigs, then maybe young blood will visit our gigs But that’s fucking difficult job…
Typical question but I like to ask this and read about this: when were you infected by the spirit of metal? Which was the first album you blown your mind? Did you know it back then that it is last for you until the end of your life?
Well, back in the early 80’s I was into polish rock mostly and such bands as LADY PANK mostly. But I knew about heavy metal thank another polish group called TSA, however I Was quite skeptical back than, hehe…But everything has changed in December 1985, when I heard in Polish radio ACCEPT’S “Metal heart”!!! This song changed my life completely! And since then I knew, first that I must get to interest deeper into heavy metal. So got whole albums by ACCEPT, SAXON, CROSSFIRE, FAITHFUL BREATH, METALLICA… however still I was into rock music yet…Few months later I heard SLAYER, KAT, POSSESSED, KREATOR, VENOM… and then it was clear for me that METAL it’s the only music of my life!!! I know it sounds bombastic way a bit, but it’s fucking true! Since this time I was more and more into METAL, into more and more brutal music with possibly extreme, satanic attitude. In 1993 Necroscope metalzine spawned, the rest you know already
How difficult it was to get releases from foreign bands when you were young? What was your parents’ attitude towards this style of music? Tell me a memorable story!
I lived in communistic country, closed for western world, so it was fucking hard, however not definitely! Because communistic, mass media, I mean about polish radio played whole albums from foreign bands! And this was I could record my first albums by bands mentioned in the previous question, but also EXUMER, NASTY SAVAGE, TESTAMENT, PESTILENCE, DEATH, MORBID ANGEL, VENDETTA, BULLDOZER and many more. Also it was possible to buy pirate cassettes with extreme metal bands, however it was quite difficult thing. Sometimes I had to cross whole city, for few days to bay one tape…But all has changed in the 1990, when communism became dead and bootleg MC releases arrived to few musical shops with huge number. Since then I could buy almost everything from worldwide death/thrash metal scene. More because these cassettes were very cheap, so I could buy about 5-6 tapes in a month, sometimes more. My parents, I mean mother was always against my metal passion and antichristian attitude, actually she is sill till today, but naturally I’m too old to care…My father was intestine drunkard, so he didn’t give a flying fuck about my existence…Since 1993 I was more and more into underground with tape trading and during whole 90’s and 00’s I made massive trades with whole world, that’s why my collection includes about 20-30 000 titles, I can’t count it even, hehe
What was the solidarity between the guys on the Polish scene like back in the 80s, 90s and today? What was the relationship between the metalheads, punks and skinheads?
I think there was more hate, fights than any solidarity. Everybody fought with each other, metalheads with skins and punks, metalheads with metalheads from other cities and so on… Today there are few older maniacs who miss these aggressive years but I personally think it was silly…Of course bands, zines co-operated together but also there was kinda a competition between them. You know, everybody (well almost) dreamed about big, commercial career like VADER got possibility to get it… Generally Poland it’s amazing country, hehe…
Please, tell me about the attendance on the local shows! In Hungary, the small underground shows are fairly visited however the well promoted mainstream acts usually get a nice audience due to the reason I explained above. The small gigs are sentenced to death and the whole thing is alive only because of the fanatic organizers. What about Poland? How fanatic a black/death fan is? I often experience such things… For example, there are people who are not willing to attend at the local shows even though the tickets are cheap and the venue is very close to them. I visit shows even if I don’t know the band but I know that they play black or death metal. You can check a band’s discography easily anyways!
This situation is exactly same in Poland. I personally prefer small underground gigs and actually I meet always same people on every gig I visit. There are 20-30 maniaks around my city and we all meet together on gigs. So organizers must be aware of that they’ll lost money always, like I did with my both gigs, but that’s not problem for a maniac, right? Generally I don’t visit mainstream gig, well, I was on VADER recently but I rather wanted to see INFERNAL WAR there…Anyway it’s various, sometimes the attendance is big, like it was with BEHEMOTH recently and sometimes there are only 100 or less people when such ONSLAUGHT plays…that’s amazing for me that people enjoys BEHEMOTH so much and don’t care about thrash legend. But on the second hand I personally don’t give a flying fuck too, that’s not my business, I’m not interested in mainstream gigs because these are stricte commercial projects usually…However I like to listen to many, so called mainstream bands, but in home rather…
What is the line between the mainstream the and the underground for you? Do you even care about such topic? Have you ever turned your back on a band because they got mainstream? It is a very complex topic I know but if you are in the mood for it, please elaborate! What do these two definitions mean according to you?
Hmm, it’s a very complex and difficult question, I believe such interview isn’t correct place to answer this, particular article would be better only…On the 2nd hand who the fuck cares??? The music is most important and I couldn’t imagine that I would turn my back on a band only because it’s mainstream project…However it’s kinda an often situation for me that I prefer to listen to a first album or demo from young, underground band than 10th album from old, mainstream band, which made it a kind of routine mostly. The line is elusive rather because there are underground bands, which are intended to commercial aspects more than some “mainstream” ones, same with labels. I know some, so called “underground” labels, which are commercial to the bone…On the other hand no one should doubt that such BEHEMOTH has nothing to do with the underground and it’s stricte business project…When it comes to me, I don’t care too much, simply I love extreme and hellish metal. But as I’ve said it’s much more often that I enjoy underground bands with filthy, raw sounds than albums recorded in expensive studios with routine instead feeling…As I said on the beginning, it’s subject for particular and long article, although I’m not sure if anyone could be interested to read it, hehe…
The NSBM and the Pagan Black Metal scenes are quite popular in Poland. What is your opinion about this? What do you think about these movements? Do you think that national socialism can be paired with black metal? Can we say that the popularity of Christianity is one of the reason why paganism is popular in the metal communities?
Maybe I’m going to surprise you but I have no idea whether both scenes are popular in Poland or not. Simply I was never interested! NS was always for me something unaccepted with black metal and something completely irrational, so I was never into NSMB…But when it comes to pagan black metal it’s pretty weird situation with me… I mean I’m interested in paganism, pagan history very much, even I can say that I have pagan soul But only when we are talking about books, which I read a lot of! Then I don’t like pagan black metal because it’s too melodic, too soft music from my point of view. Surely there are exceptions but most of pagan bands sound kinda a gayish for me, hehe…I think it’s not about popularity of christianity but rather a kind of “war” against the Jewish religion. Also it’s a kind of cool feeling, cool subject for metal lyrics or finally inspiration of BATHORY’S albums…
You are a fanzine editor as well thus I imagine you have a nice collection of magazines. I’m close to the 400 copies. How many copies you have? Do you have aa specific copy which makes you really proud? Do you do any research before you buy a fanzine or you just get what you can?
I must disappoint you but I never did any list with my fanzines. Sure I have a lot of them, probably about 500 or more but never counted them…All, almost all of them I received in trade for Necroscope zine during over 20 years and there are not any special issues amongst them, which could make me proud. I mean I respect every (almost) fanzine and its editor because I know how it’s hard to do, release something like that. Sure, there are better and little worse works but always I was far away to call any fanzine “legendary” or “Shitty”…For example everyone say that Norwegian SLAYER zine it’s a cult and I personally have read many better zines…of course it’s the matter of taste…
How many items you have in your music collection? Which one is your favorite?
I’ve said it in one of previous question, sorry for that…Anyway I’ve checked it right now and there are over 22 000 items in my collection…Too many favorites, timeless stuffs to mention them over here…sorry
So what do you think about the rerecorded albums? I personally don’t see any sense of it only the infinite desire for making more profit. I think that if something was recorded as it is was recorded back then, then that shouldn’t be touched at all because that violates the art. The music represents the spirit of its era therefore transferring that into another one is a sin, a mistake.
I agree definitely! Actually it’s comparable, stricte commercial thing to mainstream gigs I was talking about before. Sure, maybe there are good, re-recorded albums, exceptions, but the problem is that there are too many of them these days. We experience nowadays such trend for old school, 80’s/90’s and re-recorded albums are a part of such trend. Same with demos, rehearsals re-released on vinyl, while many of them completely don’t deserve such format and such re-releases…I’m afraid some people don’t understand that underground from old days wasn’t about cool bands only, there were many poor groups, records too…But I’m out of your question now I’m afraid…Concluding I’m in opinion that early SODOM sounded much better with its original sound than with re-recorded stuff- such example, which came to my mind just… Also I don’t understand gigs/ tours where such MAYHEM or MORBID ANGEL play songs from old albums of theirs only- another conclusion far from your question yet pretty analogical…
We are living the time of the great comebacks. Many bands who split up back in the golden era of our music because they couldn’t get succeed are returning because of the much better circumstances, etc. What do you think about this?
A bit similar subject, situation…I believe most of these comebacks are inspired by money, though some of them are pretty cool. For example I like come back by Polish BETRAYER and in the contrary I don’t like brand new album by Swedish EPITAPH, where is easily listenable that these guys had nothing to do with death metal for years… Generally it’s complex question, we can’t say that all comeback are shitty or cool it’s matter of particular band, people and so on. However almost all comeback have a common thing- this is dream about commercial success and I don’t mean about bands/ members themselves but also or especially about labels, which influence such comeback often. I don’t want to judge particular people because I can’t know the true reasons of their comebacks, maybe it’s honest, rediscovered passion sometimes, but also I have an impression that these comeback are made often by people who didn’t care about metal for many years when their bands were dead, dormant…nevertheless it’s not my business again, however I’m pretty skeptical with “new” comebacks, still I prefer to check some new, stricte underground horde, though it’s not any rule again.
Reaching to the end of our contestation, I would like to ask you about the current global problems. What do you think about this mass migration? Are the secret powers controlling this to mix the population of Earth into one, soulless one which doesn’t have roots, culture or anything else? Or you think that there is no such thing, everything is overreacted and we are not in danger?
Generally I’m not interested in such things, questions and frankly speaking I don’t keep my eye on actual events…But that’s nothing strange nor new! I mean there were periods in ancient and medieval history with big migrations of whole nations and it’s natural, historical process. Moreover we live in XXI, where the world it’s like small village, we can travel very fast, not mentioning about fastest communication via internet, mobile telephones and so on…Finally Europe and North America (+ Australia) achieved so comfortable way of life, rich status that it’s natural that people from the “3rd world” want to emigrate there, especially because European Union wasn’t ready for such threat so far, I mean they/ we were too hospitable… And yes, that quite dangerous situation today and all governments must do something concrete with that problem. I don’t think that it’s about any secret powers and I believe that Europeans will save their roots, culture for many years yet…However I hope it will become laic, atheistic roots, culture instead fucking christianity…Also I’m glad that Poland is so poor country and that’s why we aren’t assaulted by emigrants or terrorists so far, at that moment at least Anyway it’s sign of our time and obviously important problem, but there are people (government) obliged to resolve it…
What are the type of questions you don’t like to answer to?
I believe there are not any…Maybe that like this one, hehe...
Thanks for accepting my request and quality of this fanzine with your interview. Sorry for the long list of questions, but I’m a curious type! Hehe! The last words are yours! All the best! HAIL POLISH UNDERGROUND!!!
Thanks a lot for the interview and support for Necroscope Metalzine! No problem about so many questions of yours because I really like to write about music, no matter I ask or answer question or I review something, so it was only pleasure for me bands, zine, labels send your stuff for sure review in next issues of Necroscope! Also I’m into trades very much, so feel free to ask about it too! Finally ask about 30# Necroscope, which is about 140, full written pages and released together with live album CD by HEADHUNTER D.C.! I believe it’s cool stuff for every underground freak… Hail Hungarian Underground! Hail Metal & Hell!!!
Necroscope1@wp.pl
Interview by Dr. A.
