An interview of the cult mince core band AGATHOCLES. What can I say, AGATHOCLES really kills and it's like that! Since about 85 AGATHOCLES plays music and the only thing I hope is that they won't stop it...But that's enough with my bullshits, I let you read this intie (it's Roel who answered the question)
1- Hello guys!!! That's a real honor to make an
interview of you... I won't ask you a bio, it would too long. So 1-2-1-2-3-4
let's begin. You guys are inventors of mince core. What does this mean?
In time that a lot of bands just make hard music with the most extreme
'gore' lyrics, we try to make something else. Mince core is a socio-critical
form of grindcore. But mince core is not only a music style, but also
a way of living. You have to think for your self and don't believe what
the others, media and politicians/government tell you to do and/or think.
We strongly support solidarity between people. Mince core also stands
for equality and respect for animal rights.
2- AGATHOCLES is an engaged band. Can you tell
us more about your state of mind?
With the lyrics we offer another point of view on things going wrong in
this world. We charge a lot of situations. We hope the listeners can do
something with that. Agathocles is an ANTI-nazi band and we strongly support
the solidarity between people all around the world. This is also one of
the reasons why we also do some benefit-releases.
3- A new cds has been released. Can we know more
about it? Is it always grind? (what a stupid question...)
Well that record has been out for more then a year over now. If you haven't
got it yet, make sure you've get your copy soon (visit our site or contact
one of the band members). It offers you some great Agathocles songs. There's
something in that record for everyone: grind, crust and our typical style
of mincecore. My favorite song still is "Hand in Hand", a sing-a-long
about fascist people and cops going hand in hand. You can be sure we play
that one live.
4- Do you know some french bands? Is there a french
date to come?
Before summer we will release a split-7" with The Mad Trashers from
France. Be sure you check it out. Probably we will play a few shows in
France in the near future. If you want to set up a show for us or know
promoters: get in touch!
5- What does AGATHOCLES mean?
Agathocles is a historical person. He lived from 304 till 289 before Christ.
We was king of Syracuse, as democratically elected leader of the country
he destroyed the whole aristocracy (till there the good side of the story),
but afterwards he turned into a tyrant himself.
6- Is it hard to mix band life and family life?
It's not always that easy, also because of all of us have a daily job,
with Dirk and me working on strange hours and weekends. So we all have
to combine family, our jobs and the band. At the moment it works out fine,
but our busy lives are the reason why big tours are difficult to plan.
So we keep on focussing on recording and release as much as material as
possible, in the meanwhile we try to do as much as gigs as possible: in
the coming months we will play a few gigs in Germany and we 'll play at
the biggest underground fests in Belgium. Hopefully we can make it to
France also this year.
7- You repressed "razor sharp daggers"
with bones brigade? This label is really cool!!! Was it good to work with
Nico? Are there futures projects with Bones?
It's always great to work with underground labels. Agathocles strongly
supports the underground and DIY-style of working. We have released stuff
on many different labels, in the biggest friendship. If Nico wants to
put out another release of us, he knows where to find us ;-)
8- Can you give us some band's name we should listen?
Or zine, radio, websites...?
Well I, personally, am a hardcore-freak and like the underground hardcore
very much. You should defiantly check out hard- and fastcore bands like
Discarga (Brazilian old school and my favourite at the moment: www.discarga.cjb.net),
Seein' Red, Reagan SS, Vitamin X, Vuur, Chimaera (will release a split
7" with us, great Belgian metalcore from the Limburg area, http://users.pandora.be/chimaera/),…
For the grindcore freaks: Rot In Pieces (great Canadian grindcore, in
French, that will release also a split 7" with us, http://rotinpieces.cjb.net/).
Zines you should check out: Violence (from Karol SMG Poland) and Bullet
(magazine of Bruno Genet Belgium)
Some great sites: check the links at our website (www.agathocles.com)
9- What do you think of this fucking war against
Irak?
Agathocles is against this war for oil. We wrote 2 songs about this topic.
One you can download at our site (www.agathocles), but both will appear
on split 7". War is never a good thing! The USA started a war to
find biological and nuclear weapons, to find and kill Saddam, and to give
the Iraqis freedom. Still no biological or nuclear weapons found, still
no Saddam found, and still no freedom for the Iraqis (USA soldiers aren't
welcomed with open hands, strange for a so-called oppressed people). Fuck
that, they started a war because of 2 other reasons: They couldn't get
Osama, so they created another so called enemy. And the most important
reason: to get the oil. (read Noam Chomsky). I don't defend Saddam, he's
also a mentally retarded person. If ignoring a resolution of the UN is
a reason to start a war, then it's time that the whole world starts bombing
the USA, the leader in competition of ignoring resolutions of the UN.
If Saddam was such a big threat, why didn't father Bush killed him in
the first Gulf War?
Never forget that Bush (a not democratically elected) president is a descended
of nazi followers. Grandfather Bush believed that sterilising the 3rd
world and people who lived beneath the poverty border (in the USA) (read:
black and foreign inhabitants) would be the solution for all the problems
in the world. Knowing this, it's logical how Bush thinks about the death
penalty.
You don't have to believe what I tell, but I hope everyone starts thinking
and don't believe the propaganda the USA government and their media is
telling us. Isn't it strange that journalists that write critical thinks
about the USA get fired or even worse, get killed? USA? United States
of Aggression/Arrogance!
Congratulations for killing thousands of innocent children, women and
men!
10- You write french songs like "l'ardoise
vierge". Do you speak french? (oh shit I speak english like a spanish
cow, perhaps it would have been easier to make this intie in french!).
Is it important to write songs in several langages or was it just to try
it?
I am not that long in Agathocles and don't know that song (a shame). Here
in Belgium French is our second language, so we should know some French
because wet get it in school. But my French is a disaster (sorry). But
I like bands that sing in their own language: Discarga (Brazil), Rot In
Pieces (Canada), Ekzeema (Belgium, check this out!). We 'll soon release
a split 7" with Les Baoudions Morts, a anarcho-folk-punk band from
Belgium with dutch lyrics.
11- Is the underground spirit still developp in
Belgium?
The underground scene has it's ups and downs. I think we can't complain
here in Belgium at the moment. Great bands, a lot of labels and zines,
and new kids getting in.
12- Thank you for answerinq those shitty questions?
Just want to say that AGATHOCLES kicks ass and I hope it will continue!!!
See you on stage and continue to grind everything around you guys! Say
what you want...
Thanks for doing this interview. Keep supporting the DIY/underground scene
and keep supporting Agathocles! Check out our latest release AG/SIVIIL
IMURHA split 7"EP and forthcoming releases (AG/CHIMAERA split 7"EP,
AG/RAVAGE/ULCERRHOEA split CD, AG/THE MAD TRASHERS 7"EP, AG/LES BAOUDIONS
MORTS split 7"EP and AG/ROT IN PIECES 7"EP, and also the vinyl
release of Razor Sharp Daggers on SOA-rec.)
For more information, releases, t-shirts, communication, ... write to
one of the following addresses. An IRC for reply is always welcome. Jan
Frederickx, Asberg 8, B-2400 MOL, Belgium ; Dirk Cuyx, Riksingenstraat
43, B-3700 TONGEREN, Belgium; or through mail, Roel Tulleneers, roel_agathocles@hotmail.com;
and on the web www.agathocles.com