In the last years it was one of our main aim to present new bands from all around the world, especially from the Russian scene which bands are not really known in the West, however they really deserved to get more interest from other countries. Here is our next interview, this time with the Russian band "Muckrakers" from Orel. We'd like to say a big thank You to the band for their detailed and very intelligent answers and to Barbatos Records who helped us to realise this interview.
1. Salute! First of all, kind regards to You! Please tell us about something about band! When did you start the group? Who are the members? Why did You choose this name for the band?
Hi there! We are very happy that you show interest in our band, that we can be heard outside our country, and that our creativity is relevant for someone today.
It’s quite hard to answer the question about the group foundation and its roster. Looking back - our start date is considered to be 5.12.2010, when we first performed in our hometown of Orel, Russia. But this was preceded by the history of "Garynych" band - as much as 6 years, which ended when the repressions by A.C.A.B., associated with the case of "Orel partisans" mob had started . It is worth Recalling that the mob was engaged in actions directed towards law enforcement agencies and drug dealers, which focused all the anger of regional forces and resulted in a dozen young Russian guys being put to trial. Our city is small - everyone knows each other and in the course of the investigation, many people fell under suspicion, including musicians, so we had to forget about the band for a while.
A couple of years later, in 2010, I met our future drummer. This happened on my old friend Sasha "Nits’s " wedding on which another friend of mine, Vadim “Cat”, a lead vocalist of a phychobilly band "Stone Faces", performed. After their performance, I found myself sitting at the same table with their drummer. His name is Andrew "Badis". Since that day together we went through a thousand beautiful moments, traveled more than one thousand kilometers, drank countless barrels of potion and more than a dozen times laughed our asses out. He also had a hard time though - for a while he was replaced by several session drummers, but he never gave up music. Badis is truly the soul and rhythm of our company. I wish him well!
For the last 6 years Constantine " Madbol" is a bass player in "Muckrakers". He replaced Andrei "Red"in 2013, who played with me in "Garynych" band and who wrote songs from the release "Will" (2013) and some of the songs from the first album "To live and not lie" (2016) of " Muckrakers ". Nevertheless, Madbol very quickly joined the team and two months later we performed together in Konotop (Ukraine) (Salute to the guys!). He wrote most of the songs and co-wrote all the rest. Also, today he is our keeper of traditions in the musical approach to songs. Yes, and for me personally-he is the hardcore censor.
Frankly speaking we went through a lot of trouble with our guitar players. Through 9 years the band existed they were replaced 7 times! Therefore, I do not want to single out any of them specifically-they are all dear to me, I don’t want to offend anybody. I shall say the only thing -they all had a part, brought their feelings and thoughts to our work, no one was an extra.
Today, just like 11 years ago, I picked up a guitar once again - our guitarist decided to take timeout indefinitely. We shall see what comes out it this time because lately I enjoyed playing!
I came up with the name of the band myself. It so happened that my younger days passed under the howling of flashing lights, the noise of the stadium and the smell of blood. Living in the local area, in the city center, we often had to rival against so-called "Bydlo" (Russian rednecks) , in fact - descendants of the uneducated peasants who moved to our city from villages with the moonshine devices in the fifties and settled forever. Sometimes rednecks wandered into pubs in the city center and tried to bring their justice to the fact of their social inequality and avenge the inferiority complex, which we tried to point out to them every time we saw them. And of course, like in all cities, we had problems with the cops. Some because of drugs, fights, some because of the protest actions and disagreement with surrounding reality. We, as the most sober, always had to sort it all out and rake the garbage, so to speak. So I clung to the term "muckraker" which is translated as "someone who rakes dirt". I decided to leave it like that.
2. You participated on the Slavonic Hardcore compilation series and I often saw flyers on gigs where You played with other rightwing bands. Is Muckrakers a political band? Please describe Your views!
Yes, indeed, we participated in the "Slavic hardcore" compilation and some events with similar names. We are really grateful to the organizers of these gigs and we would like the government to let people hold any desired event with any participant they want to invite, which is less and less common in our cities nowadays.
Let's define what is meant by politics. What does it mean to be a political band?
In our country today there is no policy as a social instrument within the state. And there is no opposition to the government either. There are three phenomena within one: authorities, rednecks and dissenters-all together in one and its name is "GULAG". Up until now, we’ve lived in the same country, with the same principles as 40, 50, 100 years ago, we walk the streets that bear the names of killers of local, state and international scale, children in school learn history that hides the true deeds and crimes of the very executioners. And the most important thing is that we constantly talk about it, but the majority turns away from us!
Is it politics what I just said? Is it the support of any party, any movement?
Of course not. It's just the truth about our lives and our Homeland!
But often, when you start a conversation with an ordinary person, you hear: "Let's not talk about politics!". Of course! Let's not! "Live just how you used to!"- as they say in our Gulag.
If it’s still politics, then-yes! "Muckrakers" is a political group.
If the question is whether we can share the stage with representatives of any movements or groups that will be hostile to us, the answer is-no we can not. If they are the first to treat us badly-we can not. If there is good will, everybody cut in a slam and let the rest wishing to participate do so, then there will be no problem. Of course we do not sing about equality, pot, LGBT, but we do not summon to blow anyone’s head either. Our music is focused on a firm, fair and at the same time a kind person.
As for me personally, I still consider myself a Russian person, despite the Ukrainian roots and surname, but I do not believe in the revival of the Russian nation because the majority of the population who inhabit our country lacks the desire to self-organize, choose an elite and thus be reborn in this form. So far, this is not the case, and I am sure that we are all witnessing the final fall of passionarity in Russians.
3. Which city are You from? Please tell us about the everyday life in Your area!
Our band is from the provincial city of Orel, Russian Central Federal Region, 400 km from the capital – Moscow. Our region is the poorest in the Central area of the country, so it becomes much more difficult to live here every day.
We try not to think about it: we’re into sports, we study, work, drink as soon as possible, then get sick, get better and wake up in a loop - sports, music and so on.
4. I saw Your newest album just came out at Barbatos Records and it is called "Детство в лагерях" ("Childhood in the camps" in English). Could You please tell us more on this title?
To understand what we put into the title of the album, you probably need to live in our society, to plunge headlong. Imagine that your parents took you to a children's camp for the summer and forgot to pick you up. And now, you understand that you have to get out of there and get home all by yourself, which you are not allowed to do, but carefully guarded and forced to work instead. Finally, you break out of it with a fight, but then you no longer know where your home is, and you also can’t go back to the camp – it is not there already.
5. And some words on the new album in musical perspective too? I listened into the songs and it looks like to me that You made this time a bit more agressive songs musically with the band then earlier. Is this true?
Our band is happy with the new album. We did exactly what we wanted: sound, arrangements, concept. More time was devoted to recording guitars and vocals than on previous releases. The whole album turned out to be uniform: from the first second to last it keeps the suspense. The album is very angry. There was a desire to make another video for one of the songs, and we even started to shoot, but at the last moment postponed – there was not enough funding.
6. I always ask this question from Russian bands: do You support president Putin? What is Your opinion on his regime?
From the very first day he came to power it became clear that we will live "merrier" than before. He's been there for 20 years. I would like to live and not care about the President or his wrongdoings, but it does not work that way. He’s not the one who created the regime, of course, our people, worthy of their ruler did, but the result of his reign is still grim and despicable. Even though personally he impresses the majority: handles presents to children, catches fish, walks with dogs, goes skiing, collects mushrooms, tests domestic autos and so on.
In fact, we live in slavery, and he is a slave owner. How can I relate to him?...
7. I bought Your 7" vinyl record from Barbatos Records, I really enjoyed the stuff. Why did You wrote a song about "Pirate life"?
The song "Pirate life" is an anthem for our people: "Go forward, even if there is no captain, do not give up and do not pay attention to the illegitimacy of our free life. Live like a free man!»
8. Could You describe Your texts better maybe? What are they about? Are they political?
(answered already)
9. Please tell us about Your musical influences! Which bands do You like?
I graduated from music school in piano, played a guitar and in a brass band, sang in the choir – I have a very large stock of what I like. Among the most recent I can note Crowbar, Slapshot and Terror albums. Somehow recently got hooked on Eyehategod, listened to Down. Very upset with Slayer leaving the scene, butunfortunately everything has an ending. When we’re in our rehearsing basement we may have fun over our domestic RAC of the late 90 - 's-the early 2000 -' s, sing our local anthems written by “Faberge Eggs” band from Orel.
10. Are there any favourite bands in the NSHC scene too? Are there any Russian bands nowadays You would suggest us to check?
There certainly are and I guess you know them better than I do. I can say that all the hardcore bands we used to perform with have a large sincere heart – every one of them is trying hard and make great progress with any performance. But I’m not into any of them, to be honest. There was a worthy band You Must Murder, but I haven’t heard from them lately, hope they will get back some day. In our neighboring city Tula there used to be a band called Headshot, but unfortunately it’s no longer there. Clownsball from Moscow are the oldschool hardcore oldies – they released a new album this year. If it’s possible to classify them as the NSHC (I’m not sure it is) – then they are the best! Salute to guys, by the way!
11. What is Your opinion on religion? Do You suppport any religion?
I believe that religiosity is the degree of development of a person, it is a kind of a stereotype, which is voluntarily percieved by a person. I see religion as a substrate for a person's belief in the inexplicable and supernatural, as a couple glasses of different colors and different thicknesses of lenses: everyone wears those that he likes. This is also some kind of weakness -people get away from reality, start sharing on religious grounds and hate those who wear red glasses and do not understand those without them. Most likely, religions tend to exist for the sake of uniting people, but today I see many tasks that have to be solved without any involvment of any religious movement, tasks which require more attention than any spiritual bonds or following any religious dogma. I do not urge anyone to become an atheist, but I do not want religion to penetrate into our lives and dictate us how to act and who to judge, especially in the 21st century. This should be a private and highly personal matter, at least in our country. I would like to share my observation: in countries where religion is less reverent and where it does not dictate its rules to society, the quality of life is much higher than in places where people are forced to look back at religious canons and even put them in the first place before condemning social problems.
12. Is it easy to make concerts in Your city?
Of course it's not so easy, just like in any other city. Every concert is always accompanied by the danger of failure due to the inconsistency with the authorities and the risk not to make enough money because of a small number of people who came. People are losing interest in our music, old fans are leaving, and there are no new ones, as more and more people listen to electronic music and hip-hop. It's just that young people perceive us as either old misfits or oldfags at best. Maybe we will live to see the moment when our movement again will be in some fashion wave. If we live, of course.
13. Do You have contacts in the local "mainstream" HC scene? Do they know and support Your band?
I'm not trying to connect with anybody, but if someone wants to reach out to me I'm always open to conversation. Sometimes unfamiliar people come to our concerts and even slam by the stage but don't reach out afterwards. Maybe there're scared of our reputation of troublemakers – well,then, it's best for them to attend DDT or Zveri concerts. We're not going to change their minds.
14. What is Your opinion on the current Ukrainian situation? How will it end?
I can't call it a SITUATION. This is rather a natural stage of development and formation of the state, which wants to work for itself. Yes, it is a longer and much more difficult way to work for yourself, but it is clear what you stand for, and the awareness of this makes a positive impact on the hearts of young people and increases their passion. The main thing is not to give up and do what you have to do! I always remember the historical fate of the state of Finland, which defended its independence at a huge cost several times. And we see the difference between Helsinki and Karelia now,right? In Ukraine, everything will be fine in the end. We wish them all the best!
15. Do You have future plans for new releases? Splits, samplers, singles maybe?
The work never stops! We already have 5 new songs written. In the previous albums, we have already said everything we wanted about ideologies, behavior matrices and voiced the main problems in society. The new material will focus on personal qualities, how to develop them and how to overcome their shortcomings.
16. Are there records labels in Russia now besides Barbatos and Last Round? How popular is it to release an album on cd or vinyl? Are people buying the music or just download it from the net?
We have a great studio called Slowburn where we have successfully recorded all our previous albums. It is located in Orel and we love it very much and look forward to further cooperation.
As for the popularity of releases... This is extremely unpopular in our country. I know that in Europe people are very eager to buy CDs and vinyl, and buy music on the Internet. We have rather the latter still somehow common among listeners, but also the majority tries to download free music. It doesn't seem to bother us, because we don't count on self-sufficiency at the beginning of the album, let alone profit. We do it for ourselves first of all. We like the fact that you can touch the disc box, flip through the booklet, insert the disc into the player and return it to the shelf.
17. Do You make sports?
I went in for sports at the age of 13, it was hand-to-hand combat. Later, I went to a fight club, and there I learned how to fight. It ended at 18. I never set goals to achieve athletic heights-just learned to fight the fear, hold the blow and beat-later I lost interest. But what happened to me when I was 22 years old, will perhaps stay with me forever. I got to know a game like Rugby and enjoy doing it up to this day. And I do it in different parts of the world, with different people and everywhere I find understanding and team spirit. Rugby in my life has long grown from a hobby to a lifestyle. I would very much like this sport to develop in our country, but let it never fall into bad hands, so that it does not deteriorate, as it happens with all the good that comes at people's disposal.
18. Do You support any football club? What is Your opinion on football holliganism?
I used to support our local football team from Orel, sometimes attended matches in Moscow. Actively participated in hooligan life, but then it suddenly changed -there were "zabivony" with forest brothers, with deliberate setups and it stopped inspiring me. I always liked it when events happened in the city, among houses and cars, with the calculation of mobs, clashes with the police, with riots in the stands – this was life, this was fire! You burn like a fire-bright and scary! The system does not allow you to do something like this now and, therefore, the interest has switched to another channel – Rugby. This is no less creepy and team spirit is no less strong than a fight 100 to 100.When the opportunity arises, I always invite everyone to join the team!
19. So, I think it was for today, You have the possibility to say some words to the readers!
Be the good people! Honest, generous and strong! Find the power to unite people around. Dont't ever be scared of any danger, seek it and step towards it, look it right in the eye!
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You can find further music from the band on their Bandcamp site:
