Well freak, since Smegma (1988-1991), Bowelcrust (1991-1995) & Rompeprop (2000-2003) I obviously became a lot older [18 years old starting Smegma, till today almost 47].
Got married, had children, got divorced, switched jobs. Nowadays I just work to stay alive like most people and I don’t live ‘the life of grind’ anymore, but still like the music ofcourse and still wearing the T-shirts. And a big formula 1 fan since the seventies.
In the country we live in [Netherlands], i think most people in the extreme metalscene worldwide know it because of bands like Pestilence, Asphyx, Prostitute Disfigurement, Inhume, Rectal Smegma, Rompeprop, Cliteater, etc.
Allthough some of those bands still exist, it will never be like the old days. Most fans that were into extreme music in the 80’s and 90’s were rejects, outcasts en lived the total life of that music. Punk, anarchy, fuck everything!
Today people that like this music are decent students or have decent jobs and families. Times have changed a lot. It is not the music outside our society anymore, but inside, combined with normal lifes. [family, job, kids]
How was the killer scene from grindcore? We were quite spoiled in the Netherlands and we had a lot of cool gigs in those glorydays 1987-1991. I am so happy I saw Sore throat, Carcass [only 2 albums released], old Napalm Death,
The Accüsed, MDC, Suicidal Tendencies, Morbid Angel [Altars of Madness tour], Death, Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, Doom, Slayer, Sodom, Whiplash, Agathocles, Kreator [Pleasure To Kill period], Wehrmacht, Brutal Truth, Spermbirds, Negazione,
Gwar, you name it… We were young, we loved extreme metal and grindcore and we had gigs every month. The scene was strong and healthy. I am so thankful I lived those years. Old Lady Drivers, Righteous Pigs, man I loved them all to the bone!
3.Smegma was a brutal band from fast hardcore and raw grindcore...tell us how was the gigs from Smegma? how many releases edited Smegma?
The name of Smegma became much bigger than we deserved I think. We were just a small club of friends that loved fast hardcore. We made a demo but because we were the first generation, lotsa people got to know us.
3 songs were taken from our demotape to press on a split ep with Agathocles. Smegma became cult after we split up in 1991. But it wasn’t that special I think in the world of grindcore. We were flattered that lotsa people liked us but we never made decent recordings.
We only did like 10 gigs in low budget places with great oldschool grindcore atmosphere. The only thing that frustrates me is that we never recorded live gigs on video, only one was recorded and that one was terrible, because our guitarplayer was out of the band.
So a friend was a last minute stand-in but he didn’t knew our songs properly and he had an awful guitarsound, so that gig is total shit [Smegma 1990, Soos Plock Volkel]. So on youTube there is only one terrible Smegma gig. That hurts a bit I must say.
4.About the inspiration from your insane artwork...pure gore and putrid mind i think...
I don’t know actually. I just liked to draw and I love extreme stuff but I didn’t pay much interest in other artists or something. I just did it. Last Days Of Humanity used a lot of my drawings. And my friend Erwin from S.M.E.S. too.
Rompeprop is a warm memory. I am almost 47 now but still people send me messages that they started to listen to goregrind because of my vocals and other flattering compliments. It just doesn’t stop. I had a typical idea of how to use the pitchshifter and luckily people loved it. Goregrind is a very friendly happy scene, I love it! Rompeprop became successful in 2002 but I wasn’t able to do too many shows or touring. So I only performed in the early years, so I didn’t do shows with Rompeprop like the famous Obscene Extreme gigs. Maybe that is a pity but I don’t regret stepping out. It just wasn’t what I wanted being on tour, drinking and partying. My health and my job didn’t let me. But what i still miss is writing lyrics and creating songs in the rehearsalroom. That was the best thing of being in a band; the creative process. I miss the rehearsalroom, not the stage.
6.What is your opinion about the actual grindcore scene around the world?
I don’t care to be honest, really. I don’t feel too connected anymore. So I don’t know shit about what the scene is today. It all happens on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram, so.. it is so different from my years as a grindhead.
But it isn’t a big deal. I have my music on tape and cd and I still listen to it like that. I didn’t grow along with the technology too much so I am still into videotapes and cassette; my hunger for new stuff had died out [except for Gutalax and band like that].
I have music to fill a whole lifetime. I only know the goregrindscene in the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Germany and that scene one big happy family. Worldwide I haven’t got a clue and I am not really interested.
Yeah, I still feel passion seeing a real brutal splatter, although I prefer special effects with props [puppets] instead of computertechnology. Evil Dead 1 is quite cheap and fake perhaps, but that is exactly how I love it! No new movie beats Evil Dead 1! Yeah, I’m an old fashioned grandpa. ;-)
8.You know some the extreme scene from Peru?
Isn’t Matanza from Peru? I love their stuff! And I had an old tape from Cannibalistic. I have to look that up but I think they came from Peru. And I know SxFxCx from youtube.
Never. I don’t go on stage again.
10.Last words Steven and thanks for your time in this interview.
Don’t be too serious about music. Lots a people forget to just enjoy. When I check something on YouTube and I read the reaction section.. I just don’t understand the fighting and arguing. There is nothing wrong with being friendly.
2 comments:
This was a fantastic interview. the only thing i wanted to know was what pitchshifter he used. still great!
BOSS rps10
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