1. SEE YOU IN HELL released split EP with 2 Japanese hardcore bands:CROW and SYSTEMATIC DEATH. Also you'll release new split EP with CONTRAST ATTITUDE. Is there Japanese band that you want to release split EP next time?

Probably not, as we feel that six split EPs are already enough! In the past we also released split EPs with Czech band MINDLOCK (2001), Slovakian band THE PUBLIC (2003) and Czech band MASSGENOCIDE PROCESS (2005). Of course that there are many Japanese bands we love and respect and split EP with them would be a great honor for us, but right now we work hard on new (third already) full LP. By the way, you should definitely check out the artwork on these three recently released split EPs as each cover artwork was done by an artist from different country! The split with CROW was done by Czech comix artist Milan Sodoma, the split with SYSTEMATIC DEATH was done by Sugi from Japan and the split with CONTRAST ATTITUDE was done by Murilo Pommer from Brazil. They all look great! CONTRAST ATTITUDE/SEE YOU IN HELL split EP will be released on Insane Society Records in July 2010, just in time for our Japanese tour!

2. SYIH went to 2nd Brazil tour last year and you come to Japan in this summer again. And you organize a lot of shows (United Crusties). You are very active. What is the motivation of you to keep the activity?

Well, most of SYIH members are interested in hardcore/punk scene since late 80s and some time later during early 90s we also became active participants - playing in bands, setting up shows, doing zine, label etc. I personally see hardcore/punk as a free space for an expression and creativity, a space where I can be myself and can realize my dreams. In these 20 years of activity I met many great people and had some really great experiences (like f.e. touring with my band all over the world) and I feel that this probably would not happen otherwise. Also watching the fucked up society closely motivates me to keep my involvement in hardcore/punk scene! For me punk is still protest and an effort to create something better than the outside world offers to us. It is also a way to escape from fucked up things in your life and sometimes a way to confront shitty things around you.

3. I watched your show and it was really energetic and great sound quality! But I was surprised because Jozka was beating his head with the mike...Do you know reason why?

I have never asked him about it! Maybe, that on the stage he becomes possessed by some inner demons forcing him to injure himself?!

4. You came to Japan by SYIH tour and private tourist. And you're using Japanese guitar. What is maximum charm of Japanese hardcore & Japan country for you? Brno is really beautiful city and alcohol is cheap & very delicious. I feel there is wonderful place. Also cool tram is running, haha.

I have been to Japan 2 times privately and one time on tour with SEE YOU IN HELL. I love Japanese hardcore/punk scene! In most cases Japanese bands work pretty hard and very often stay active for like 10 or 15 years or more. Also they pay huge attention to the quality of their live performance and studio releases. I have been to gigs in USA, Brazil and of course all over the Europe, but some of the best gigs I ever saw took the place in Japan... I really respect when people stick to punk for longer time and when they keep the punk spirit burning!

Japan as a country is completely different from Europe (more about it later) and this is also the reason why I like it so much! For me it is great to be able to escape from time to time from the usually daily fucked up life in my hometown and to travel to far away country...

About my hometown... well, probably yes, Brno is nice city compared to some other Czech cities, spoiled by heavy industry, pollution or ugly concrete architecture (although we do have our share of this over here too). I am really glad that you liked your visit here, punx over here do not meet traveling Japanese punx too often, so I am sure it was a great thing for everybody that you came here! We had also great time when bands like BATTLE OF DISARM (already back in 1997!), FRAMTID, DUDMAN, NK6, VIVISICK, D.S.B. and SYSTEMATIC DEATH played in Brno! It was a pleasure to organize gig for them in my hometown!

5. But I think there is big difference in culture (including punk culture) in Czech Rep(Europe) and Japan. When coming to Japan for the first time, did you feel the culture shock?

Japan is very different in many aspects when you compare it to Europe! It was a little shock for me when I visited it for the first time in 2004. Especially big cities like Tokyo or Osaka - huge crowds of people, difficult orientation in city streets or transportation (Shinjuku station looks like a crazy ant-hill!). For vegetarians it is sometimes hard to find food with no meat (incl. fish meat), so when SEE YOU IN HELL come this summer, please show us some meat-free meals (only rice and soy sauce everyday for the whole tour is no fun, haha!). And maybe it can be also difficult to deal with some Japanese traditional customs and with the hard communication in English language. But I do my best to overcome all this and to enjoy my Japanese visit to the maximum! I guess that it is the only thing you can do when traveling to foreign countries - to stop to worry about differences and problems and to enjoy your stay. Otherwise there is no point in traveling, right?

 

6. You're great vinyl, tape and zine collector! I thought you have many Japanese hardcore vinyl like a "Burning Spirits" style. But actually you have many styles and many countries vinyl. Please let me know your best 10 records in your collection.

Yes, I have a huge record/tapes collection. I did never counted it, but I am sure I have more than few thousands records and tapes from all over the world (and also huge fanzine library). I like mostly fast hardcore, raw punk, crust, grindcore, noise... many different styles from many countries! It is very hard for me to tell, which are my best 10 records in my collection as I do listen to different stuff in different times. Maybe some old demo tapes by Czechoslovakian hardcore/punk bands from the 80s, which are kind of obscure even today as mostly they were never re-released on vinyl. Back in the 80s it was almost an impossible thing to release vinyl in Czechoslovakia as until 1989 we lived in totalitarian state with strict control of everything including music and culture in general. There was only one punk rock 7inch released officially - two songs EP by VZ (VISACI ZAMEK = „Padlock“ in English, one of the very first punk bands in Czechoslovakia). 99% of hardcore/punk bands here did only home-recorded tapes in illegal way before 1989. So some of these 80s rare recordings dear to me are for example demo/live tapes by bands like RADEGAST, H.N.F., SANOV, F.P.B., KRITICKA SITUACE, ZEMEZLUC or S.M.S.

Some of the Japanese records I listen a lot recently are EPs by JUDGEMENT, PADLOCK “Strike Of Crimson” CD, DEATHSIDE discography double CD, v/a “Eye Of The Thrash Guerilla” LP or SYSTEMATIC DEATH “Systema Six” LP.

7. You gave me your zine named "Hluboka Orba". This zine is wonderful! Worldwide content and total 200 pages(!!). Are you making "Hluboka Orba" by yourself? Or with some friends?

I started this zine back in 1993. In the beginning it was small xeroxed fanzine written by old school type machine and glued together in classic DIY „cut and paste“ way. Since cca 2004 I publish new issue every 1-2 years and it looks like a huge book with 200 pages. The print run is usually between 500 - 1000 copies, which is a lot for Czech zine as the zine is written in Czech language only. In my zine I try to mix worldwide DIY hardcore/punk with political issues. Yes, there are many friends contributing with columns, tour reports, interviews, reviews etc. Some of them help already for more than 10 years! Most of these contributors also play in other Czech bands like GRIDE, SHEEVA YOGA, FESTA DESPERATO and the other SYIH members contribute too.  Right now I work on issue 28, I hope to publish it in December 2010 just in time for our annual „Killed By Brno Fest“. If there are any Japanese hardcore/punk labels or bands who want to send their records, CDs, demos etc. for review, please contact me!

8. I heard from you that your job is lawyer for Roma and junkies. What work is it? Do you give advice for poor people and go to courthouse? Why did you think that you became a lawyer?

Yes, I have two jobs and both are located in the worst part of my city, which is sometimes called „ghetto“ or “Bronx”. You can find cheap and bad quality housing, street crime and widespread drug use here. I work for two organizations, which offer social services including legal advice for poor people in troubles, who can not find a help. Some of these people are Roma people (more about them in next question) and some of them are drug users, who got in troubles because of their addiction. I give legal advice and sometimes I represent them at the court. I am also manager of small team of social workers, who help these people with their daily problems. I never wanted to be business lawyer as it would be too much stress for me and also sometimes I would have ethical problems to work for some big company. I do my job in social services field for 6 years already and I hope to continue in this way.

 

9. I really don't know about Roma because (of course you know) they are not in Japan. But I think there are some discrimination problems... How do you think about this problem? Yeah, you talked it to me a little in Brno.

In Czech Republic lives around 300.000 of Roma people (Czech Rep. has 10 million citizens) and many of them are living on the edge of society. It is caused mostly due to long history of discrimination, lack of education and their own traditions and culture which is in many cases in big conflict with the way how the modern 21st century society in Europe works. Some of them pay no attention to education (parents do not send their kids to school) and some of them are involved in crime like theft, drug dealing, pick pocketing or prostitution. Many have problems like huge debts, long time unemployment, lack of housing, family problems etc. We do our best to help them but it is not easy and sometimes it is pretty hard job.

10. Please give message to Japanese readers. Thank you very much! See you again in August! Na zdraví!

I really hope to meet all our Japanese friends from previous visits and I am sure we will have great time in Japan! Please come to see our live show and party with us after! Big thanx to Tomio for inviting us to Japan again! Kanpai!