Features / One Question Interviews

Cédric (Icare)

SPB: Charogne was written to be played live. Playing a 43-minute piece live seems like quite the task. Was the song intended like this or did it evolve into one epic piece (and a real challenge to be played live)?

Cédric: Charogne was always meant to be made up of one song only. At the end of the …

Inkswel

What are your favorite music mediums/rank the following: cd, vinyl, cassette, digital, (other)?

Vinyl: 

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with vinyl for over 20 years. I used to be a vinyl-only DJ, I used to work in record stores, and now I run a record label. Vinyl has such an authentic and beautiful quality to it, a beautiful way …

Iman (Iman’s League)

SPB: What do you think is the most unique thing about Singapore’s punk scene, when compared to more well-known scenes, such as the USA or UK?

Iman: The Singapore punk scene is known to be hardworking and self-reliant. We organize shows on our own and make our way to other countries to showcase ourselves. This is probably …

Bob (I Against I – bass)

SPB: (In non-COVID times) What do you like to do on a tour off date?

Bob: On a tour off date I like to walk around town with people who live there. They know where to find the best record stores, bars and places to sleep in the sunshine. We did a night-tour through …

Mike Bruno (Iron Chic, Adult Magic, Dead Broke Rekerds)

SPB: What type of bass do you play and how did you choose it? 

Bruno: I play a Fender P-bass forever and always. I chose it because Mike Dirnt played one -- as well as every other great punk bassist. It's just the perfect sound for punk and that's that.

--- …

Galen Baudhuin (Infera Bruo)

SPB: Were there any amps, cabs or anything else that stood out when you recorded Cerement at Studio G?

Baudhuin: Studio G is essentially a mobile recording unit, and kind of exists wherever I go. In this instance it was at our rehearsal space in Massachusetts. Both guitars (a Paul Reed Smith and a Gibson Les …

Matt King (Illustrations)

SPB: What appeals to you about self-releasing records?

Matt: I appreciate the idea of self-releasing records because the entire process is handled by the artist. There is no middleman. It's all in your hands. That's probably my favorite part of the process, because I personally like to take care of the details myself to see that everything goes properly. I feel …

Kevin McCaughey (Ion Dissonance – vocals)

SPB: What song would you want played at your funeral? 

McCaughey: The only song that comes to mind when asked this question is ''Highway to Hell'' from AC/DC. Simply put, I can only imagine how totally awkward it would be to have relatives and friends mourning my passage and hearing ''Highway to Hell'' blaring …

Jim Sykes (Invisible Things-drums)

SPB: n songwriting, how do you draw the line between taking influence and mimicking?

Sykes: Honestly I think bands should be sued if they cop someone's style. I don't care if it's the same melody but played in a totally different style - that shows creativity. But when I hear a band write an "original" song …

Matt Finney (It Only Gets Worse)

SPB: How many vans have you had?

Finney: Never owned a van myself but my parents had an Astrovan in the late 90s/early 2000s. I remember my younger sister getting her hand slammed in it at least three times. No idea how that's even possible.

Jensen (Iron Lung)

SPB: What is the strangest interaction you’ve had with a (super) fan?

Jensen: The first time he showed up was only mildly weird. Kind of cool, actually.

He flew all the way to San Francisco from Florida for one show, rolled into the club with a giant backpack on straight from the airport. He went completely bananas …

Galen (Infera Bruo)

SPB: Do you have a favorite type of van or bus?

Galen: One that doesn't break down is preferable. We generally end up renting a van so it's typically not a problem. Sometimes if there's a back-line we'll drive cars, which feels pretty stupid but can save a few dollars. We've never been in a bus but I'm sure there are some nice …

Tony Foresta (Iron Reagan)

SPB: What is your favorite 1990s artist?

Foresta: I was going to say Avail but it turns out that they actually started in ‘87. Did not know that! Haha. So I'm going to have to go with Spazz. They opened so many doors for me musically with all the splits they did as well their smart …

Stefan Nemeth (ex-Radian, Lokia, Innode)

SPB: What is your favorite music-related film or documentary?

Nemeth: I thought quite a bit about it and I am not even sure if I have one.I did not see many music-related films and of these only a few have been permanently stored in my active memory.

However, the one which came most often to …

Ron Rochondo (Ice Dragon)

SPB: How much recording time is spent purposefully making your music sound artfully dirty, and how much of it is pure happenstance?

Rochondo: I love this question, mainly because I think a lot of people think that we are just lazy about recording or don't know how to do it well and that is not the …

Dennis (INVSN, formerly of International Noise Conspiracy and Refused)

SPB: INVSN is a markedly different sound than your previous bands. What do you like most about playing a variety of styles of music?

Dennis: That it is never boring! Only cowards or narrow-minded people stick with the same sound/idea forever. Or maybe very one-dimensional people.

I am none of the …

Mike (Iron Chic, Dead Broke Rekerds)

SPB: What was the first tape/cd/record you bought with your own money?

Mike: Green Day - 1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours CD

J Bennet (Ides of Gemini)

SPB: What is the fewest people you have ever played to? Have you returned to that city or venue?

Bennet: We played to about 10 people in Hannover, Germany, on my birthday last year. We have not been back.

Stan (Iron Tongue)
SPB: What is your all-time favorite record and why?

Stan: KISS - Hotter Than Hell

It's everything you'd want in a rock record. Oh, and they had stars over the girls nipples in the cover, which was awesome when I was 10.

Ben Crew (In Defence-vocals, Profane Existence Records)

SPB: Do you get nervous before you play a show?

Crew: No. Not any more. I use but that was back when I wanted people to like me. Now I don't give a shit what people think. I'm going out there to have a good time. I'm going out there for my own …