Anti Scrunti Faction (Deadly Dose Of Noise #1)

This Swiss (Zürich) zine, D.D.N., was edited by Markus ‘Mäge’ Sulger & Fabian ‘Fäbe’ Gasser (ex ‘The Decay’, nowadays guitarist of ‘Aloha Jones’). They got help from ‘Insane Johnny’ (my friend Pablo, who played in the band ‘The Decay’ with them) but he preferred concentrating on his label Sick recs. My mate Dirk Ceustermans borrowed this first issue (1986). Bands featured: ‘Anti Scrunti Faction’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Crude S.S.’, ‘S.A.S.’, ‘Gnä Gnä’, ‘Decry’, ‘Koyaanisqatsi’, ‘Subhumans’, ‘C.C.M.’, ‘Skeezicks’, etc. and scene-reports about Yugoslavia, Poland & Norway.

Brob

I was briefly involved with that zine but the main guys were Mäge and Fäbe (the 2 other guys with a leather jacket on the pic). Seems like I contributed quite a few things: the short interviews with ‘Stepping Stones’ (Sweden), ‘Subhumans’ & ‘S.A.S.’, and I think I translated the ‘Disorder’ band-story and Polish scene-report. As far as I know a 2nd issue was planned and we all asked ‘D.O.A.’ some questions for that but it never was published…

‘The Decay’: ‘Johnny’ (guitar), ‘Fäbe’ (bass), ‘Mäge’ (guitar) & Sven (vocals) [drummer Steve absent]

Fäbe told me there was only one issue of D.D.N. He was mainly responsible for the layout, while I (Johnny) and Mäge did the interviews. Some of them were so old that at the time of publishing the bands didn’t exist anymore (e.g. ‘Koyaanisqatsi’). A second issue was planned but somehow no-one was motivated anymore to do interviews and chase up bands. Besides we wanted to invest more time in our own music (the band ‘Dark Age’), etc.

My first steps in the zine world had been in 1979 already!!! I had formed my first “imaginary” band ‘Punky And The Stunky’ and did a fanzine about the wild life (hahaha) of that “band”. The only thing I can remember, was that it cintained my first lyrics (very ‘deep’ haha, and -no idea why – in French). My dad did 5 copies at his work and surprisingly enough I sold all 5 copies in my school! I think I did 2 or 3 issues. In 1980/81 step two was with some school-mates (a music-zine entitled Music Express): we basically stole most from other music magazines and it wasn’t really about punk (some of it but it was mainly rock. Then there was D.D.N. (that I joined in 1985) and later, in 1988, I started Alternative, No Sanctuary, etc.

Pablo

‘Anti Scrunti Faction’ (‘A.S.F.’) was a feminist punk/ queercore band from Boulder, Colorado with Leslie Mah (bass; later in ‘Tribe 8’), Tracie T(h)omas (guitar/vocals) & Eric Van Leuven (drums). They had a 7″ (A Sure Fuck) out on Unclean recs and were about to release their album Damsels In Distress (Flipside recs).

Brob

[Translation below]

The band ‘Anti Scrunti Faction’ is from Boulder, Colorado and is a 2/3 girl band. The line-up is: Leslie / bass – Tracie / guitar, vocals – Eric / drums. I once read a message about them in MRR and because girl bands in punk are unfortunately a rarity, I thought that one should support something like that, and indeed by means of an interview. ‘A.S.F.’ also wrote back immediately, the result can read below. Questions are all by me (Mäge), answers: ‘A.S.F.’

When and why did you start playing?

Eric started playing drums when he was six, Tracie and Leslie are less experienced. Tracie has only been playing guitar for a year, Leslie has been playing bass for three years. We all play for different reasons. It’s a good way to express one’s feelings of aggression / emotion. It’s a constructive way to let people know what we think and feel, it’s fun! Oh, well, basically we just want to be rich rock-stars, hahaha!

How is the scene in Boulder / Denver?

L: It’s not much of a scene, there are no places for gigs, because there was too much violence. But I think that our scene has a lot of potential, there are a lot of good people and if there was more unity it would be really cool.

T: It’s really fucked. The skins in Denver ruined everything, we can’t have gigs anymore. Boulder is OK but people are still very young, 13 or 15, and still go to school.

Do you know any Swiss punk bands? What do you think about Switzerland?

Yesterday I was looking around in a record-shop but I couldn’t find any Swiss punk. I would like to hear some but stuff like that is hard to find. When I hear Switzerland, I think of Heidi and people in leather pants who herd goats in the mountains, cheese, rich people and Swiss banks. Oh yes, St-Bernard dogs with whiskey-barrels around their necks.

What do you people do besides the band?

L: Tracie picks her nose, spends hours putting up her mohawk and gets herself ready for a drunken night. Eric works, sees his girlfriend, works, collects records, works and works some more. I read a lot, ride my bike, work when there’s work to do, and draw and paint, have a drink and go to gigs, and try to stay normal (in my head) in this shithouse.

What are your favorite bands and influences?

L: I like ‘Conflict’, ‘Toxic Reasons’, ‘Rudumentiary Peni’, ‘Upright Citizens’, ‘Sado Nation’, ‘Social Unrest’, ‘Poison Girls’, ‘The Dicks’, ‘Fifth Column’, ‘Antisect’, ‘7 Seconds’, ‘Frightwig’, ‘Butthole Surfers, ‘Fallout’. Shit, I could go on forever.

Eric isn‘t influenced by anything, he’s a real original.

T: I have no influences, I like ‘Girlschool’, ‘Fallout’, ‘Antisect’, ‘Amebix’, Exploited’ and a bunch of others.

How many records / tapes have you released, and how do you like them?

E: “A Sure Fuck” 7”, our first and only record, could’ve been better. The next will be great!

L: I agree with him. We were already on the Flipside vinyl fanzine vol. l. Our song Big Woman was on it. It’s so bad that it’s good. We recorded it on a fucking little recorder. We will start our own label. Our next record should come out early 86. We were also on a few tapes and hope for more. (So go ahead, write!) (There should be an LP coming out on Flipside soon.)

What is a << scrunti >>?

E: Do not ask me!

L: get back to doing a normal interview!

T: Scrunti means young female, but also slut or hooker.

What are your lyrics about?

El Salvador, macho wankers, having problems with your parents, love and sex from a feminine point of view, death, life, media-lies, frustration, feeling helpless / powerless, estrogen, Lebanon, war, peace and all things we run into or annoy us. Everything that happens around us.

Have you played a lot of gigs in Colorado or in other states?

This summer, we often played in Denver and Boulder, until there were no more places to play because these idiots (punx, skins) smashed the windows and stirred up shit. I think it’s crap that some kids bring knives or teargas to gigs. There are no reasons for punks to do such things. We once played in Kenosha, Wisconsin, it was the best gig we’ve ever had.

Your political opinons?

Politicians are a social problem, not a political one. People should respect everyone else and respect them being different. Why can’t we respect every human being and classify all characteristics as secondary? Race, gender, nationality, religion shouldn’t be that important.

What do you think about fanzines?

There are too many little ones who should get together to become a big one. It’s a great way to communicate. Fanzines give everyone the chance to express how they feel.

Do you believe in a future for punk (/ HC)?

E: It doesn’t look good: fewer bands, more and more bullshit.

L: I try to be optimistic.

T: I don’t know, it’s hard to say. Whenever you think, ‘now it’s done’, something new comes up.

Are you in favour of ‘Punx & Skins United’? How are skins in your neighbourhood?

E: I don’t know any skins.

L: The thing with skins gets boring. They don’t deserve that much attention. Nazis are boring. I don’t mean to generalise but it seems that most of our problems come from a small group of people called skins. Over here they’re bored children of rich families, they love the US and dress the English way.

Plans for the future?

E: To stay alive.

L: I very much would like to go on tour, we recently bought a van so we can play outside the state as well.

T: I plan to have three children and a husband who beats me twice a day.

Any final words?

What else is there to say that hasn’t already been said?

<< The pioneers of a peaceful world are the young men and women who refuse military service. >> Albert Einstein

<< A nuclear war must never be fought and can not be won! >> Ronald Reagan !! ???????????????????????????????????????????????

Nog Watt (De Minima #2)

Amsterdam based zine by Edwin Feenstra (later Wicked Witch recs), André Wehl & Hanz/Hans Vermaas. My mate Dirk Ceustermans borrowed me his copy of #2. This one includes the bands ‘Strong Concentration Of Anger’, ‘Disgust’ & ‘Nog Watt’ and gig/zine/music-reviews. Never seen any other issues but I believe there was also one with ‘Wretched’…

‘Nog Watt’ (meaning “something else/more”) was a hardcore/punk band from Amsterdam (not to be confounded with ‘Van Alles & Nog Watt’, from Wormer). The people in the band were: Ingrid Dodeman (drums; ex ‘No Pigs’, later Konkurrent label & tours) – nowadays Ingrid Kerr (married to Andy of ‘No Means No’), Joanna Mak (vocals; later Sonic Rendezvous distribution), ‘Kers’ (guitar) & Marlies Ter Stege (bass). They released a 7″ EP entitled Fear and were featured on the Beware Of The Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing compilation-LP (both in 1985). The year after the (double LP) Emma compilation got out, which also contained a track by them.

[Translation below]

WHAT’S THE LINE-UP OF THE BAND?

Joanna – vocals, Kers – guitar, Marlies – bass, Ingrid – drums.

HOW LONG DOES THE BAND EXIST?

1,5 years, but we started from scratch, so did nothing for a quite some time. Because of that and the holidays, we get to more than a year.

YOU SOMETIMES GET LABELED AS FEMALE HARDCORE, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

Aaaaargh, sigh, we’re actually curious what that is. We’re more likely to be asked, and we really try our best to become boys, but it doesn’t work. People just don’t fall for it. We’ve only experienced it something like once or twice that a bill didn’t mention we were a female band or played girl-punk. We were even labeled “fast wave” once. Or if it isn’t mentioned on the poster, it’s printed in the magazine ‘a girl band that plays very fast music’ or something of that kind. Well, I would like to know what we actually are as a band. For example: we were billed with ‘Hiroshima Nooduitgang’ once. And then there was announced ‘Nog Watt’ – girl-punk – and ‘H.N.’. That’s so stupid and people often don’t understand it when you explain that we don’t like that all. It sounds obvious then. Perhaps it’s also because it’s strange that people see a girl on stage, because that hardly ever happens. But we don’t like it!!! It’s just stupid if people keep on going about female band, girl-punk; then it’s just made so special that people will find it special. And then you get those comments, for example, ‘it’s kind of well played for a female band’, as if that’s a different gradation for you to be judged. Like you’re not being taken seriously.

DID YOU DELIBERATELY START OFF WITH FOUR GIRLS OR IS THAT A COINCIDENCE?

Just pure coincidence. We started with 2 boys but that didn’t work out. But we just got off as 4 girlfriends; you usually start a band with friends.

WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU PLAY?

All kinds of music; we don’t want to follow the fashion that prevails in that music-world at that moment. Even if it’s songs from 1900: if we like them we just do it. As long as it doesn’t sound too slow. You do get influenced but I think that happens unknowingly.

HOW MANY SONGS DO YOU HAVE AND WHAT ARE THEY ABOUT?

About 15, but we threw out almost everything from when we started. All our lyrics deal with something, so no fun lyrics. Political lyrics about what’s happening around us, Central-America, police; stereotypical but important indeed. It can’t be stated often enough. Also personal lyrics. We also have a song about that kind of people who talk shit so easily, like “Oh it’s so bad what happens in El Salvador.”, etc. But in their own environment, how they act and behave themselves: they turn out to be huge bastards. It’s very easy to say things but you also have to live by it.

WE’VE LEARNED THAT YOU’RE PLANNING TO GO TO ITALY, IS THAT CORRECT AND ARE YOU GOING TO MORE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES?

Yes, I think ‘tour’ is a rotten word, it’s just a vacation and we’ll perform in Italy. We’ve received addresses from people and we’ll go there. They seem to be very nice people who are very active. The people from ‘Negazione’ arrange that for us and it’s very nice to see how it will be there anyway. And we’ll also play in Spain. It’s nice that it’s all so easy; every band can take the initiative to go abroad, if you have addresses and you write to bands there. If you also make a holiday out of it and take care that what you spend here, you also spend over there, and make sure that you don’t lose any money, it can only be fun.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF AUDIENCES IN GENERAL?

Well, that’s really very different. There are nice people and bastards among them. It’s different everywhere; in some places it was very pleasant and in other places very uncomfortable. But one thing struck me… We sometimes played at girl-parties, but only if boys were allowed in too… But then that’s organised by girls, and then you see boys act enthusiastically or at least shout booh or hurray, and the girls that are standing on the side go like “(giggle-giggle) Look at her with that guitar.”. You often have girls responding very strangely, what are they on about? Sometimes we get very nice reactions from girls but that is rare. But it’s different everywhere.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RECORDINGS ON THE COMPILATION-LP ‘BEWARE OF THE WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING’?

Bad. We’re not satisfied with it. But our songs on it are older ones. All instruments are distorted, it just doesn’t sound the way it should do. Not the way how we really sound like. If someone in the studio doesn’t know what kind of music we want to make or doesn’t like it, he always tries to clean it up. And he succeeded quite well.

WILL YOU RELEASE MORE THINGS ON LP, TAPE OR SINGLE AFTER THE COMPILATION-LP?

Yes, probably a single with 6 or so tracks. We’ll try to put as many songs as possible on it but still taking care that the quality is still somwhat OK. We’re on the waiting-list but it will take a while.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

Practice more, make better songs and renew, because if you play the same song 2.000 times it will also get boring.

ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY?

Girls get of your bums, go do something. The only way to prove that you can do something is to actually do it. You don’t necessarily have to play in a band, you can do a zine for example, arrange concerts, do radio-shows; you can do so many things. And we wish boys would look at things in more normal way and judge you just like a band with boys.

‘Nog Watt’ (Shaffy @ Amsterdam, 85-02-28) by Hans Vermaas

 

 

Alienation

This was a fanzine done by people based in Le Havre (France). The main editors were Pat(rick) Blondeau (R.I.P.) and Val(erie) Roger of Thrash recs (distribution, and label in the early 90s). Val & Pat had been involved with the zine Guérilla Urbaine before (11 issues between 81 & 83). There was a variety of people collaborating. Between 86 and 87 Pat (bass) & Val (guitar) also played in the HC/punk band ‘Dark Age‘. After that Pat was in the grindcore band ‘Violent Noise Attack’.

Alienation’s Pat (bass) & Val ( guitar) – ‘Dark Age’ 1987

They visited quite some gigs in the U.K. (London) and set up some themselves (e.g. ‘Xpozez’ (83), ‘Verdun’ (86), ‘Heimat Los’ & ‘Flitox’ (Mar 87), ‘Detonators’ & ‘Instigators’ (Apr 87), etc. Later on Val collaborated with her husband Philippe ‘Phil R’ of Infest recs (metal label) in Paris…

The issues were packed with bands: brief presentations or longer interviews; scene-reports, reviews (gigs, music, zines), etc. The biggest part of their collection (the zines are in French) is downloadable (just click) so I will just give an overview of the contents:

#1 (84): One Way System, Amebix, The Defects, Xpozez, Killing Joke, UK Subs, Conflict, …

#2 (Mar 84): Discharge, Mau Maus, Anti Nowhere League, Chelsea, Accursed, Xpozez, …

#3 (Jun-Jul 84): Riot Squad, UK Subs, Peter & The Test Tube Babies, Camera Silens, Disorder, Snix, Naked, …

#4 (Aug-Sep 84): Conflict, Broken Bones, Charlie Harper, Nevrose, Antisect, Subhumans, Tolbiac’s Toads, …

#5 (Oct-Nov 84): The Fits, Angelic Upstarts, Action Pact, English Dogs, Peter & The Testtube Babies, …

#6 (Dec-Jan 85): Crass, Major Accident, The Adicts, Cult Maniax, Collabos, …

#7 (Feb-Mar 85): The Varukers, The Rejected,  Intensive Care, Hatefuls, Camera Silens, Reich Orgasm, …

#8 (Apr-May 85): 13ème Section, Final Blast, Disorder, Oberkampf, Butcher, Paranoia, Vorkriegsjugend, Finland scene-report, …

#9 (Jun-Jul 85): Minor Threat, Maniacs, Rapt, Instant Agony, Theatre Of Hate, Chaos Prod. (label), Resistance 77, Poland scene-report, …

#10 (Aug-Sep 85): The Fits, Exit-Stance, Liberty, Kromozom 4, One Way System, Disrupters, Ceresit, Verdun, Iconoclasts, Komintern Sect,…

#11 (Oct-Nov 85): Lärm Raff, Lost Cherrees, Instigators, Ludwig Von 88, Adrenalin O.D., Sherwood, Wretched, Finland / East-Germany scene-reports, …

#12 (Dec 85-Jan 86) : Ludwig Von 88, Potential Threat, Zyklome-A, Bérurier Noir, Extrem, Inferno, Butcher, Deformed, Scapegoats, Finland / Ireland / Spain / Poland / Washington scene-reports, …

#13 (Feb-Mar 86): Trotskids, Heimat-Los, Bérurier Noir, Karnage, Slam, D.O.A., Hanky Panky, Butcher, Disturb, The Snapping Bogseats, The Skeptix, C.O.C., …

#14 (Apr-May 86): Cólera, Youth Of Today, M.S.T., B.G.K., Rubella Ballet, Rites Of Spring, Bedrövlers, Terveet Kadet, Poison Girls, S.A.S., C.O.R. recs, The Legion Of Parasites, Australia scene-report, …

#15 (Jun-Jul 86): Wretched, Depraved, Scraps, Neuromaniac, Cock Roachs, Mask Haagaz, Qloaqa Letal, War Of Destruction, Razzia, Japan / Portugal scene-reports, …

#16 (Aug-Sep 86): Chumbawamba, Flitox, Government Issue, Powerage, Rubella Ballet, Chelsea, Negazione, Richard III, Peru / Poland / Sweden / South-Africa scene-reports, …

#17 (Oct-Nov 86): Christ On Parade, S.C.U.M., Kurt I Kuvös, Powerage, Broken Bones, 7 Seconds, Stetz, The Brigades, Z.O.I., Tsjechoslovakia / New Jersey / New-Zealand / Chesire scene-reports, …

#18: (Dec 86-Jan 87): Straight Ahead, The Fiend, H.H.H., Rattus, Stalag 17, Vicious Circle, Attitude Adjustment, Skeezicks, Greece scene-report, …

#19 (Feb-Mar 87): Ceresit, Carcass, Disper-Azione, Pin Prick, Leberwohlstand, Original Disease, Pariapunk, ...

#20 (Apr-May 87): False Liberty, Capitol Punishment, Atavistic, Anti-Dogmatikss, Asexuals, The Nils, Les Cadavres, …

 

M.D.C. (Object-Dismembered #2)

Object-Dismembered was the zine done by ‘Dave Dissident’ David Ross (Heathmont, near Melbourne, Australia), drummer for various bands such as ‘Civil Dissident’, ‘Masappeal’, ‘Condemned’ & ‘Vicious Circle’. The first issue was published in 1985 (containing interviews with ‘Legion Of Parasites’, ‘Stupids’, ‘Indirekt’, a brief presentation of ‘Zyklome-A’, etc.); the second – a “special European issue” – in 1986. My mate Dirk Ceustermans borrowed me his copy. It contains interviews with ‘M.D.C.’, ‘Government Issue’, Ian MacKaye & ‘S.N.F.U.’, a Melbourne scene-report (Massappeal), reviews and an opinion on ego (nationalism).

Don’t know if the announced #3 ever got out… Around 1986-87, Dave also started Australia’s first skateboard ‘zine called Perfect Transition.

Brob

There were only two issues of Object-Dismembered. The first was a collaboration with the members of ‘Civil Dissident’ but it was largely driven by Tracey [Skepper], our bass-player. It was her artwork on the cover of the first issue. I produced the second issue while travelling around the world for 10 months in 1986/1987. I had the opportunity to see approximately 360 bands during that time, and interview many important people in the scene. Whether it was the 22nd interview bailing up Reed Mullin [‘Corrosion Of Conformity’ drummer] as he was washing his hands in the men’s bathroom at ‘the rat’ [The Rathskeller, legendary live music venue] in Boston to ask him his thoughts on the ‘Discharge’ reunion show the night before in New York City, or the time I stayed at Dischord House and interviewed Ian MacKaye. The nice thing is that some 30+ years later, I’m still friends with many if not most of those people. I always enjoyed the creativity and perspective from reading everybody’s zines. The great thing about it is that anybody could do it. If you needed an outlet of expression and you couldn’t play an instrument then it was a perfect opportunity to get hands-on and be part of an important underground movement. It wasn’t just a compilation of articles and interviews, but a zine provides the perspective of the writer to project their angle on whatever topic of their choosing. I do love the fact that it was open to anybody. These days with online access it’s easier to collate and produce such publications. Back in the day, it involved building rapport and relationships via written mail and cassette-recordings with people who you otherwise would not have had any access to. I was more involved in the creation of Australia’s first skateboarding fanzine, Perfect Transition, which ultimately became a glossy magazine sold in news-stands. PT was unique in that not only was it the first publication of its type but initially we arranged for any shop in Australia that sold skateboard-gear, which at the time was limited to surf-shops, to stock the zine and sell it at no profit. Surprisingly, everyone got on board. Pardon the pun!

David Ross

In ‘M.D.C.’ at the time of this interview: Dave Dictor (vocals), ‘Franco’ Rudolph Frank Mares (bass; R.I.P.), Gordon Fraser (guitar), ‘Alschvitz’ Al Schultz (drums). The band had just released the Smoke Signals LP (1986). Check out another interview done between their ’87 & ’88 European tours…

Tribe 8 (Not Your Bitch #7)

I already posted an excerpt from Johnny Atlas’ – at that time Christine or ‘Jump’ – zine: Donna Dresch (Not Your Bitch #8). Below Johnny gives some more info and I asked to contribute the interview with ‘Tribe 8’, a band that I saw live at a fest we did at the Vort’n Vis (92-05-24)…

Brob

The history of NYB: It was early 90s and I was in an abusive relationship with a skinhead who was beating me up. I stumbled upon an issue of the radical feminist newspaper Off Our Backs; that particular issue was the Riot Grrrl issue. My life changed.  I learned people were writing zines and DIY publishing. I learned there were queer punks. I left the skinhead, came out, began writing NYB, found an IWW [Industrial Workers of the World] print-shop to help me print my zine and joined the Lesbian Avengers. I wrote & published NYB from 1994-1999.

#1: stories about running from cops, shit talking ‘Bad Religion’, start a fucking riot, grrrl skaters. #2: ruminating on boys in the punk-scene, art from Peg Keil, start a fucking riot, poetry by Amanda from Crushed Rosaries [zine], Molly Neuman (‘The Peechees’/’Bratmobile’) interview . #3: protesting pro-life men at Planned Parenthood, ‘Bikini Kill’ show-photos, start a fucking riot, prose about being trans. #4: domestic violence stats, second wave feminist history, ode to Eve Libertine from ‘Crass’, earth-liberation prose by an 8 year old kid. #5: menstruation, children’s liberation, start a fucking riot, feminism and smoking pot, safe sex stuff. #6: sexual identity stuff, poetry, diary-entries, feminist gun-safety, Rosi Braidotti [philosopher and feminist theoretician], girls-centres in Berlin, Poland stories, girl zines from the UK. #7: women in prison, Menwith Hill spy-base, ‘Tribe 8’ interview, start a fucking riot. #8: split zine with Twat girl zine catalogue) Olympia Dragshow, Donna Dresch interview, dyke-gangs in Olympia, prose about racial violence and Littleton, Colorado related to the Columbine shooting.

Johnny

‘Tribe 8’ was an all-women outspoken dyke punk band from San Francisco. Considered one of the first queer-core groups. At the time of this interview (summer 1996; their LP Snarkism was out on Alternative Tentacles) the band consisted of Silas ‘Flipper’ Howard (guitar), Leslie Mah (guitar), Slade Bellum (drums), ‘Tantrum’ Lynn Payne (bass) & Lynn Breedlove (vocals).

 

Amebix (Filthy Trash #2)

A while before Paul ‘Hammy’ Halmshaw started his label Peaceville recs (in 1987; his distribution and tape-label started earlier) he was the drummer of ‘Instigators‘ (84-85) and he sang for ‘Civilised Society?’ (86-87). He also did a couple of issues (85-86) of this zine: Filthy Trash. ‘Dinger’ (Shaun Crabtree; also sang for ‘C.S.?’ at one time) asssited. Actually a guy named Pete (“who absolutely did nothing”) was also part of the ‘Filthy Trash Collective’…

The first issue (Oct. ’85) was with ‘Disorder’ & ‘Danbert Nobacon’. The second (Jan. ’86) featured ‘Cult Maniax’, ‘Amebix’ & Nick Toczek. Both issues listed the stuff ‘Hammy’ distributed. There were also reviews, cartoons, ‘political’ info and some (ironic) columns…

These issues are from Dirk Ceustermans’ collection. Cheers to him!

‘Amebix’ was interviewed here about a year before they split up; the line-up at that time being ‘Stig’ Chris Miller (guitar/vocals), ‘Spider’ Robert Richards (drums), ‘The Baron’ Rob Miller (bass/vocals) & George ‘Smutpig Fletcher’ (synths). The Arise! album must’ve been just out (recorded June 1985).

D.R.O.L.

I already wrote a brief introduction for this zine: D.R.O.L. (Dieren Recht Op Leven; Animals have a Right To Live – ‘drol’ translated literally would be ‘turd’) was a zine in Dutch done by a bunch of people from Leuven (Belgium): mainly Gert ‘Gette’ Hambrouck & Dirk Ceustermans (as editors/coordinators).

Here’s what Dirk wrote for the zine’s FB-page:

“What do bored teenagers do when they realize they have to fight against prejudice and rules they have to put up with from respectable people in a respectable society? Well, society looked nice on the surface but didn’t it have that horrible stench when you lifted up its skirt? As a matter of fact, the smell just never went away! Some kids roamed the streets, some escaped to dancehalls, in those days referred to as ‘Tea Dansants’). Others escaped into underground culture, as was I.

I soon realized there was far more than just great music in that environment. I knew punk music had something to tell you, but there was more… Those people communicated, informed and people actioned! A true network of friends. And all of this happened in a D.I.Y. way. Kids just came together and started bands, fanzines were made, kids organised punk concerts where again communication and information was crucial, and very much at hand.

That is how I met Bart Steens, who just released another copy of Het Schandaal fanzine, back in 1984.  I became good friends with him and I realized that we have to do our own things ourselves. He inspired me to start my own fanzine, although at that time there were plenty of those already all over Belgium, but not one in Leuven.

That is how D.R.O.L. came about. I was by no means a journalist and, going through a couple of pages and articles in the first, second or third zine I know these are hilariously, childishly written: juvenile perceptions of a world we didn’t appreciate and that didn’t appreciate us.

D.R.O.L. wouldn’t survive much longer as I started getting involved in bands and that got time-consuming, but at a certain point I got a telephone-call from Gert Hambrouck asking me if I was in for some cooperation…  I was on the verge of calling it quits as it does take time and effort to get a a fanzine out on your own. But after that call, I thought I’d go and see what these kids had to say.

Was I not just a little bit surprised to see a whole bunch of people in that cellar (yes, D.R.O.L. was made in a cave, boys and girls!) that were anxious to cooperate to a new specimen of that fanzine. It got more than just one more issue, so it seems… A creative bunch of folks doing this ‘zine together, gave me a good feeling: we could achieve things together, and I am proud I was part of that. In due time we all learned what we did best and everything was chaotically well organized in a way. But most of all I like the fact that we kept the ‘zines simple, no glossy stuff, no colour-print: just because we could sell these at a very moderate price.  It was far more important that it was read, rather than appealing and less affordable.

The ‘zines got very serious, it was no longer a mere rant or a piss-take on society, it got filled up with profound articles and good reads. How it all ended is a bit blur, I’m sure I was too much involved in ‘Ear Damage’, my band at the time… Others moved on as well I’m sure… Fill in the gaps if you like.

Having had hillarious times and good fun with these people, I still can’t believe we made all these issues… Those cellar D.R.O.L. get-togethers (I have no better name for it, we partied a lot in that cave!) were good fun in a great period in my life. I met a lot of fantastic people that had vision and talent.

At a certain point in time (mid 1985 I would guess) the D.R.O.L. crew even started to organise parties in Q104, the soon to become legendary Leuven venue. Having people DJ with music that we liked, these happenings were memorable and did bring in some pocket-money to keep the zine cheap. We even had a bit of money left to help our friend Felix De Witte organise shows in the Q104 venue and the D.R.O.L. crew were happy to help ‘De Feel’ at those gigs. That way we got some great bands over to Leuven: ‘Disrupters’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Varukers’, all from the U.K., but also a lot of shows with ‘local’ (read Belgian) bands.

This is dedicated to  Ludo [Vannoppen], Gert, Jan & Kris [Verbruggen], Bart [Willemsen], Mieke, Joelle, ‘Mumu’ [Murielle Celis], Seppe, Bop, Eef, Heidi, Jan & Peter. And to all those that bought and read this rad ‘zine!”

Brob

I wasn’t involved yet when the first issues got out: it was just Dirk in the beginning. Kris Verbruggen wrote the more political bits.

Gert Hambrouck

D.R.O.L. was a happy crew with a mission. The zine, the concerts were a part of all this. However, it was much more than just that. The group, or a part of it, was very active on a ‘political’ level. We had a vision and made that visible (in the underground and publically). It definitely molded me into who I am, and I think that a part of these principles are still ongoing in daily life. It was/remains a fantastic time to look back to and I’m glad I was a part of it!

Bart Willemsen

Dirk did the first four (five?) issues by himself. The zine was in Dutch and there were 11 issues (1983-86) in total (of which I only got to see the last three). Dirk borrowed me his archive to get an idea about the full zine-history… The first 2 issues were somewhat mixed together so it’s hard to get the chronology right. There’s a translation of an interview with ‘Flux Of Pink Indians’ (from Raising Hell #1), some artwork/lyrics, tape-reviews, etc. #3 has more info on tapes, info on animal-testing/apartheid, a brief chat with ‘Crude SS’, introduction of the bands ‘Addix’ (Bel) & ‘Criminal Justice’, etc. #4: continuation of the topic of apartheid, info on civil service, brief info on ‘Political Asylum’, ‘Kurt I Kuvös’, & ‘Dead Man’s Shadow’, music-reviews, translation of an interview with ‘Dan’ (from Raising Hell #7). #5: conclusion of the topic on apartheid, info on the Belgian prison-system, article on Amnesty International, the great rock’n’roll swindle, ‘Instigators’ presentation, arms-race, reviews, etc. In #6 editor ‘Gette’ compiles anti-fascist info, a short piece on fur-trade, intros to bands such as ‘Malice’, ‘Squirrel Bait’, ‘Richard III’ (Fra), ‘Crapping Dogs’ (Ita), ‘Verdun’, ‘Van Alles & Nog Watt’, reviews (gigs/tapes/vinyl/zines), etc. In #7 Dirk & Gert and their friends vent their frustration about the pope, warfare, there’s brief chats with ‘Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers’, ‘Crash Box’ & ‘Strong Concentration of Anger’, info on the political situation in Chili, reviews and a few letters. #8: interviews with ‘Anti-System’ & ‘The Dicks’, comprehensive info on the anti-cruisemissiles actioncamp in Florennes (85) and the Cellules Communistes Combatantes, an Icelandic scenereport, band)info on ‘Wulpse Varkens’ & ‘Indirekt’ and more. #9 opens with info on anarchism and a ‘grilling’ of some extreme-rightist scum; there’s band-info on ‘No Debt’, ‘English Dogs’ & ‘Zyklon-B’, an interview with ‘Heibel’, lengthy reports on anti-military action in Woensdrecht (Nl) & Florennes (Bel), letters and reviews. #10 opiniates on coalmine-strikes, informs about police-oppression, the bio-industry, C.C.C.; there’s interviews with ‘Varukers’, ‘Stalag 17 &  ‘The Freeze’, and much more… In #11 the collaborating crew interviews ‘C.P.D.’, ‘Repulsives’, ‘Skeezicks’, ‘Final Conflict’ & ‘Attic 22’; deals with nuclear plants (and alternatives), police-murder, animal-abuse, South-Africa politics, military service; and there’s plenty more…

Brob