It's beginning to snow in New York. The weather is getting frosty and the trees are beginning to writhe in pain. On the other hand, or more factually, coast, California is pointing and laughing with their awesomeness. Awesomeness that comes more recently in the form of Graf Orlock: the fundamental bringers of cinemagrind. While the East Coast bundles in blankets watching kick ass movies of the early 90s, Graf Orlock brings these films alive over the extreme sounds of grindcore. Intrigued? Even if my shitty intro didn't hook you in, this interview will surely shoot the hook that'll change your perception on life, and more importantly, cinemagrind. Behold: Graf Orlock!
ScenePointBlank: What's your name and what do you do in Graf Orlock?
Jason: My name is Jason, i handle a lot of the on site locations, script writing, and co-direction with Alan. I also handle voice overs and string arrangements. Alan works on the aesthetic dimensions of Gorlock as well as production. Keke is currently an intern, but steadily making his way up the ladder to the socially beneficial positions of mailroom menial worker/receptionist.
ScenePointBlank: Why did you choose the band name "Graf Orlock"? What does it mean? How did the band form?
Jason: Graf Orlock was heartily lifted from the 1922 F. Murnau masterpiece of expressionist film making "Nosferatu," if you are delving into the theme of cinema grind, you have to start at the beginning. Gorlock formed in 2003.
ScenePointBlank: Have you ever had to deal with secret agents coming to your shows?
Jason: No but we often worry about the undercover mid-20s movie exec that happens to have an inclination toward fringe music. if we are ever served with a cease and desist, all hell will break loose.
ScenePointBlank: Top five 90's movies? Top five 90's bands?
Jason: Movies- impossible, too many good ones, although mostly between the period of 1990 and 1995. Bands- GooGoo Dolls, Bryan Adams, Gin Blossoms, Oasis, Del Amitri (Roll to me).
ScenePointBlank: I've heard that you guys have publicly called out Skynet and Omni Consumer Products; have you faced any retaliation?
Jason: We have not been targeted, per say, by the burly minions of corporate justice, i.e. OCP security guards, ED-209s etc. But objectively, i suppose we have all been targeted by their specific brand of sickness inducing technophilia, attempts at mass media control, and ability to funnel so much money into projects aimed at subverting human emotion. I may be writing this on a computer, but i trust this as much as i trust the prophetic image of a 2029 terminator smashing a human skull under the metal clad foot of cybernetic oppression.
ScenePointBlank: How did you get signed to Level-Plane?
Jason: We spoke with Greg, who is a very nice person, and agreed to work out something for the full length "Destination Time Yesterday", which should be out in may/june. Radicality ensued.
ScenePointBlank: Why does Graf Orlock pay less attention to 00's movies?
Jason: 2000 saw the historically detrimental return to romantic comedy. In this way, we could not under clear conscience support the lack of violent and politically involatile material in contemporary film. At this time, with a few exceptions, everything became decidedly dumbed down, and cheerfully civil.
ScenePointBlank: What should one do if their mind is stolen?
Jason: If one has their mind stolen, i would first suggest finding the briefcase they had planted for themselves. Once found, they should immediately insert the grabber into their nose, remove the bug, and plant it on a small mammal of urban squalor, such as a rat. Once this has been completed, they can then move on to find out the reason their mind had been erased, and uncover the multiple layers of deception and corruption which accompanied their original mind loss. THis is the only way one hopes to regain consciousness, and cure the hardships of interplanetary colonialism.
ScenePointBlank: Has Graf Orlock considered foreign films?
Jason: Yes, in an attempt to up the condescending value, it has been considered, but no scripts have been worked on as of yet.
ScenePointBlank: What does "cinema grind" mean? How did you the term come about?
Jason: Cinemagrind is about the mixture of low and high brow culture against the backdrop of aesthetically rhythmic music. By juxtaposing the vulgar and profane with the pointlessly calculated, cinemagrind emerges as an outlet to combat the inability of words to explain the difficult and annoying human condition.
ScenePointBlank: Will Graf Orlock ever have lyrics taken from other media?
Jason: No.
ScenePointBlank: How did you get together with Comadre for the "Getting Radical with GORMADRE" tour?
Jason: The term "live radical" was coined in the comfortable apartment of Derrick and Beardo Brent in Louisville, circa July 2005. Since then, this term has taken on a life of its own, controlling our lives and keeping us from doing anything considered normal or "advisable." Comadre are on board and we love them.
ScenePointBlank: What does the future hold for humanity? And for Graf Orlock?
Jason: The future of humanity is going to be undoubtedly dark, so i would suggest doing everything you feel like doing now, before becoming tied down with things like "liberating the human race," "smashing capitalism," and "rectifying fractured race relations."
ScenePointBlank: How did your 12" split record with Greyskull on Dood Records come about?
Jason: Eric, who runs dude, knows us. Stephen from Greyskull is our bass player. Alan designed the backpack. And the rest is uninteresting history.
ScenePointBlank: Now that Arnold Schwarzenegger is governor of California his acting has put on hold. Respond please.
Jason: We honestly feel too emotional about the downward turn a former icon and folk hero has taken as of late. Ask again when we have a little bit of hindsight on all of the fucked up things he has done to the california economy.
ScenePointBlank: What do you say to people who think what you are doing is just a gimmick?
Jason: They are clearly uneducated and should probably start a cinema influenced band.
ScenePointBlank: Any last words/thoughts?
Jason: Live radical and keep cinema violent.
Graf Orlock's crazy website.
Listen to Graf Orlock here and become their online friends.
Interview by Zed.
Graphics by Matt.
