FMA 046: Seán Mahon (We Never Learned To Live)

Seán Mahon (We Never Learned To Live)

WE NEVER LEARNED TO LIVE?
Well, I never did.

And never had I heard of them.

Neither musically, nor journalistically.

Nonetheless one thing immediately seemed undeniable:

WE NEVER LEARNED TO LIVE is probably the best name for a band (of this genre) ever. Because this is exactly what reality is: Nobody has ever taught us how to live, how to deal with struggles, thoughts, joy, love or mischief.

I approached Seán during Load-In. Before we could record the video, though, we had to rearrange their van to create some sitting space for us. So I borrowed Seán a hand to clear their van.

Seán was the first of all the Brits I have interviewed who told me that Brighton is the LGBT-capitol of the UK.

p.s.

Check out their video for “Shadows in hibernation”.

FMA 045: Tom Weaver (Casey)

The day I interviewed Tom of CASEY was the first day of their European tour. To avoid havoc they began their trip a day earlier and stayed in France/Belgium. Despite that foresight CASEY barely made it to Frankfurt since their van broke down and totally flipped their schedule. This malfunction left them wondering how to carry their gear to and back from the venue. Luckily, after the show another band who played that night offered to carry CASEY’s gear from the venue to their broken bus. 

Tom Weaver (Casey)

But unfortunately, gear transportation wasn't the only problem. Tom and his mates intended to sleep in the van too because they hadn’t had any other option. 

So I stood amidst a lot of trouble looking for a little interview.

All that though, did not seem to affect Tom who crushed the old FMA-record for the longest video by a landslide of 10 minutes.

Tom told me about their troubles after our shooting.

I couldn’t bear the thought of CASEY having no sleeping place and offered to stay at my place. Tom and I exchanged phone numbers.

(I did this once before: MAKE DO AND MEND crushed my living room a couple of years ago.)

I had scheduled another interview that night. While I was on my way to the next show Tom texted me that they solved the problem and wouldn’t need to strain my kindness.

Great for them.

Kinda not so great for my anecdote which now lacks a 'The morning after'-segment. But that's okay.

FMA 044: Daniel Müller & Daniel Prieß (Light Your Anchor)

Daniel Müller & Daniel Prieß (Light Your Anchor)

Within two weeks LIGHT YOUR ANCHOR played twice near where I live.

On the first occasion they arrived pretty late at the venue and were already scheduled for antoher interview. So I had no chance. We simply set an appointment for their next show in Wiesbaden two weeks later.

On this night I also met Laura who sings in TEX AVERY SYNDROME and is the protagonist in LIGHT YOUR ANCHOR’s video for “Generation Y”.

The following day LIGHT YOUR ANCHOR played a couple of their songs acoustically at EdelKiosk, a vegan café. They allowed me to record and exclusively release two of those songs (“Homefires” and “Going Nowhere Fast”).

Furthermore, vocalist Daniel recommended to me the records of PRINZ PI, a German rapper writing – apparently – thoughtful and deep lyrics. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time to check his works out yet.

Those above mentioned two weeks passed by.

We did the interview after their set.

Laura drove me home and introduced me to a band called ATHLETICS which I can only highly recommend, as well!

p.s.

Both LIGHT YOUR ANCHOR and EdelKiosk went out of business by now.

FMA 043: Marcus Perks & Kaila Whyte (Youth Man)

This is the only interview I shot in Cologne.

This is the only video with two parts.

Marcus Perks & Kaila Whyte (Youth Man)

YOUTH MAN supported almighty LETLIVE on their European mainland run.

After the show I waited for any member of YOUTH MAN at their merch. But before Marcus or Kaila showed up I first ran into Chris, singer of FJØRT which I also had inquired for an interview. He felt flattered and had no words for being recognized as the singer of his band. Unbelievingly, Chris actually remembered who I was, what my project was about and ensured that he was working on FJØRT’s FMA segment. But touring, rehearsing and university kept him from completing his thoughts on the topic.

While we shook hands I asked him to keep on writing amazing lyrics YOUTH MAN sat down beside the merch. They were immediately down for an interview. Marcus and Kaila took me downstairs to some kind of cellar and set a new record for “Longest Video”.

I was pretty close to interview LETLIVE, as well. But due to various reasons they had not enough time Jason admitted. They had an early curfew, needed to answer mails for their upcoming European tour six months later (with PIERCE THE VEIL and CREEPER) and their friends in BLESSTHEFALL played in Cologne on that day, too which made a visit mandatory.

Unfortunately, Kaila has been one of only three women who joined FMA so far. I tried to shape FMA as diverse as possible. After all the Alternative/Punk/Hardcore/Metalcore scene always brags about being tolerant, welcoming and open-minded. Still the question remains: Why do we then mostly just see white males performing on stage? That doesn’t seem too diverse at all…

FMA 042: Sören Kutsch & Jasper Older (A Traitor Like Judas)

A TRAITOR LIKE JUDAS answered me immediately after I had sent them an interview request. 

I had never seen A TRAITOR LIKE JUDAS live before the day I interviewed them. I have to admit that I was quiet surprised how big of a guy Jasper actually is. He definitely has some grit to his stage presence.  He was in a good mood all night long and frolicked around whenever he had the chance to.

After their set Jasper, Sören and I went backstage. Before we started Jasper felt the urge to shut the door of a refrigerator: “I’m an environment-activist and I simply have to shut that door before we start.”

As if that wasn’t role model-ish enough:

I always invite the bands to do whatever they want to feel as comfortable as possible – be it drinking, smoking, rolling blunts. Just as I finished that offer Jasper grabbed a bowl of fruits and put it in from them: “After all, we have an educational mandate.”

Integrity, you have found your master.

Sören Kutsch & Jasper Older (A Traitor Like Judas)

FMA 041: Theo Sandberg & Alex Freeman (Acres)

As one of only two videos I actually shot this interview with a professional lighting system.  For the ACRES-interview I could borrow the equipment of Black Moments Video.

Theo Sandberg & Alex Freeman (Acres)

I cannot remember if it was during our pre- or post-interview-talk when Alex and Theo told me that the British scene largely blossoms in the east southern regions. Apparently almost all British bands I know stem from that area: ACRES, DESOLATED, HEART OF A COWARD, BURY TOMORROW, ARCHITECTS, FATHOMS, CREATE TO INSPIRE, CREEPER, WE NEVER LEARNED TO LIVE.

Within a 20 minute-span by car around e.g. Essex and Brighton you can find a lot of hometowns of the above mentioned bands. Seems as if Great Britain has its very own California.

That Brighton is a magnet for the creative does not surprise. Brighton is the British LGBT-epi-centre. If you, as a person with an alternative lifestyle or approach towards life, have ever considered moving to Great Britain then Brighton just seems your place to be. (And it’s close to English Channel a.k.a. the sea.)

FMA 040: Andreas Spurk & Maik Mußler (World Negation)

Where would you shoot a video interview with a band called WORLD NEGATION?

 Andreas Spurk & Maik Mußler (World Negation)

I decided to do that in front of “Little Hell” which is a bar, nothing brutally apocalyptic, with a nice ambient and definitely worth a stop for a night without plans while in Frankfurt/Main.

When I arrived at the venue I was stunned to see more than 30 people hanging out in front of it. I assume it would not be that surprising to see that many people if it had been in the mids of the entire show. But it was 5 hours before the doors would even open. So I worked my way through that human pile and ended up having Andreas and Maik on my hook.

After the interview they revealed to me that WORLD NEGATION would release their debut full length via Demons Run Amok Entertainment just one week later. Well, listen to the title track “Imbalance” here.

FMA 039: Samuel El Action (Scheisse Minnelli)

Samuel El Action (Scheisse Minnelli)

My friend Tritschi organized a solidarity show at Kommune2010 in Offenbach for the self-administered youth culture centre Conne Island in Leipzig-Connewitz which was attacked by right-wingfascist scum.

After SCHEISSE MINNELLI had finished their headline set I asked Sam if he might wanted to join my project.

Since Samual El Jackson has lived in Germany for more than 13 years he could have done it in German but I asked him to do it in English simply because that way I could avoid doing a transcription of his words.

PHANTOM DER OPFER that played earlier that night invited me to their rehearsal room to do an interview with them as well. (Unfortunately, that never happened.)

The same goes for SELFISH HATE from Freiburg. We actually agreed before the show but afterwards they were just too tired.

Tiredness definitely was the word of that night: I barely made it home and into my bed after shooting 6 videos on that day in 3 different venues all over Frankfurt.

p.s.

SCHEISSE MINNELLI just released their new EP "A Fifth Of Skatehoven". Let's shred!

Graffiti @ Kommune2010 (Offenbach)

FMA 038: Jonas Rey & Okan Deniz (I Am Revenge)

I grabbed Jonas and Okan at Smash It Festival 2016 in Dresden. After I watched the headlining NOVELISTS I headed back to the outside area to catch I AM REVENGE at their merchandise.

 Jonas Rey & Okan Deniz  (I Am Revenge)

All bands had already packed their stuff up. I AM REVENGE were the one and only band that still wanted to leave their merch laid out. No surprise since they had just released their new record “RVNG” the day before on BDHW Rec.
(For which I later had to review for FUZE Magazine.)

After fixing and re-installing some lights we started. Right after the start one of the funniest moments in FMA history happened and of course I kept filming and Okan’s  Black Metal-ish impression stayed in the video.

Afterwards I talked to Jonas who really expressed his appreciation of this project and ensured me a further interview with his other band LAX DIAMOND.

Since three’s a charm I also talked to drummer Bertrand. He’s from South Africa, a country I visited in December of 2015. So we talked about nepotism, crime, bribes and how he used to travel there twice a year when he was younger. We agreed that everybody who is complaining about the life in Germany should witness the living standards and conditions down there to re-evaluate how blessed we all are to grow up as well as live in such a developed region that Central Europe is.

p.s.

A couple of weeks later I booked I AM REVENGE for Mosh gegen Krebs 5. On the day they confirmed to play I received, as mentioned above, their record “RVNG” to review it for FUZE Magazine. A lifeline bond?

FMA 037: Rémi Gallego (The Algorithm)

THE ALGORITHM – Once again I have to admit that I haven’t listened to this band/project before the interview to at least prepare myself the tiniest bit. So I had no idea what sound or genre I was getting into. I expected a ‘normal’ band. But as I asked the guy at the merch desk I found out that THE ALGORITHM is ‘just’ a one-man-project.

The guy I asked about the interview turned out to be John, who manages Rémi and also promotes Euroblast Festival which is one of Europe’s main Djent-/Progressive Metal-Festivals.

John recommended checking out the Danes from VOLA.

Before the video interview:

I had to kick out the drummer who warmed up the show.

After the video interview:

John and Su, another Euroblast Promoter, invited me to continue my series at their festival in Cologne.