ARAB ON RADAR... Dare
- Dare
Realised by email : 2/10/2000
1 - presentation....before, why of AOR ?who 's playing...
Mr.OCD -drums
Mr.Type A.- guitar
Mr.Pottymouth- vocal
Mr.C.D.- guitar
2 - Can you talk of the musics you've listened to for having now AOR ??? Do you know TRUMAN's WATER / US MAPLE...
Captain Beefheart(trout mask replica), Six Finger Satellite (the pigeon is the most popular bird) which comes from Beefheart of course... and then just us... listening to ourselves alot... now that is an honest answer to the reader... In reality, I see our music as a chain of events and there is no roots directly... just links of all music we have ever heard, a tough lifestyle, bordom, and a spirit for new music... that is what it is... > US Maple was good when they were on Skin Graft, once they went to Drag City I think they started to drag musically, they lost the aspect of the music that I liked, namely the blind faith side, the passion... I miss that in them. Truman's Water... I have never heard of that music.
3 - How do you meet with SKIN GRAFT ??? advantages / drawbacks of such a label ?
I called Mark Fisher on the phone alot... There are only advantages to this label, no drawbacks whatsoever... We got to tour Europe, and make a beautiful record, and were saved from an awful record deal that we made (by mistake) with a shitty label in Providence RI (where we live)... Skin Graft saved our lives, and our record. We helped them stay active as a label... So it all worked out perfect.
4 - Can you talk about your collaboration with the LOCUST through your split 7" ???
Yes, we like the Locust... we played a show with DROPDEAD, Jenny Piccolo, and Locust in Atlanta, Georgia a while back... and we talked to them about doing some split and via e-mail it just happened. The design was mostly theirs... GSL put it out and it is selling incredibly well, too well, he heh... We are proud to be on that record with them, we like them as friends... they share the common goal of being an original band, something new and fresh.
5 - How do you feel with your european concerts? , let's talk about GORDZ, your support in france.(did some bands take AOR's fancy through europe?)
Europe was amazing... very moderate, very comfortable, and people are intelligent (most folks). I think GORDZ were great guys... They are good musicians. They are a different type of band than us... I think their ideology on music is very different from us. I am guessing at this but, I think if they keep going with what they do their goals will be acomplished. Most bands were not too excited about thier own music in Europe, which I can understand why... I think the scene, the audience is one that can wear a band down and make them jadded about what they do... this is why bands in Europe need to realize that to do this shit you must
A. be more than the regular band
B. you can't settle for shit... like the Make Up or whatever...
I wish more French bands sang in French! I like to keep it very personal... Fuck all these American scenes... Public Enemy said it best "Don't believe the hype" The only hype I like is the hype I feel when a band is amazing and makes me feel something emotionally when they play, be it sad, happy, mad, agressive, lovey dovey or whatever... I like stimuli, not cover bands...
6 - Craig (as was said his french girlfriend) talked about the food in europe during this tour...that seemed to surprise you !!! Can you talk about the difference of food between Europe & United States !!!
The food in America is shit... people are shallow about cuisine... A typical "european" breakfast would be considered a gourmet meal (for 30 dollars plus) in America... That is a weakness of our culture... I think the idea that people sit down and really dine is very important and it turns me on... I want a French wife, and a French respect... in America you get Mc-respect, as in McDonalds... and that is cheap, unhealthy, and insulting to my stomach... People don't understand wine in America either, even though California is a good area for wine... eh, oh well... lets talk about sex, that topic is a bit more American!
7 - How do you work...can you talk about your repetitions...your way of playing !!!
We have a new philosophy on music. First, it is that music must be what you truly feel inside... and our philosophy, the micro side is that we are a product of our enviornment... with all the issues of current times, how the hell can it be honest to do some schtick... some watered down act? I see no motivation to be in a band that is not passionate and a bit extreme... we live in extremely deceptive and harsh times now... I think our music is a mockery of the things we hate most... at the same time it is a release for the audience, the listener, to be free as they let themselves... Some people come out of the closet when we play!, some people hate us, some folks want to fuck us, some folks want to run away with their tails between thier legs... I mean we are purely a stimulus for thier emotions... we let it be comfortable to be yourself... ARAB ON RADAR will not judge your response, we just demand some response... that is our only desire... I have had enough fashion show/arms folded/white belt wearin' shit for one lifetime... it is time to evolve, and time to change a bit.
8- After the concert, as we were walking through the night watching people sleeping under canvas all along the river (do you remember?) ... you seem very surprised...saying that would not be possible in USA...
It depends where in America... but most places, the overwhelming majority of towns... if you slept outside you would be tampered with, possibly raped or shot or both or in reverse order!... America is rather dangerous because people are running a race, they are gathering assets and they get possessive, and with possesiveness comes insecurity, with insecurity comes all these ideas like Fascism, like carrying guns, like capital punishment...to protect their security all these irrational ideas surface... and I can't blame American population because this psychology comes from above (not god, but the powers that exist, the corporate elite is one power structure for example...) It is essential to the "capitalist" or what they call "free market" systems... It is anti-humanism, and a decay of a person's soul... In layman's terms, it is fucking bullshit, and needs to be thought about more often and resisted at all costs regardless of some short term benefits that some people are so fast to jump at.
9 - It would be interesting that you talk of your vision of EUROPE as american guys...(differences between people/countries you've seen...etc)
I hesitate to say there are core human differences, because there are not... I think we all grow up in different situations, and we all have our own issues to deal with... we have our likes and dislikes... The differences are typical, we seem to be dumb Americans, and ya know, French hate Germans and vice versa... All that is in the air.. all of that can be seen if you want to see it... but I don't really believe it to be true... Take off your clothes and go to a mirror and take a good long look at yourself... I think that is how we approach people. We make them naked, we can see through this bullshit... we make music that proves this, I think. I think Europe is a bit more moderate in general... not as much of a rat race... Some people envy Americans for having the privilage to "make it big" but really it is only a privilage to "make it big" off the back of someone else... If that is your aim, America will do you well. If you want to live healthy and be able to love yourself, Europe is a much better place to try that... On the side, there are few hot girls in America who know who Crass is, or who Albert Ayler is... and to talk to a beautiful young, intelligent, girl about these things really makes one realize it can only be possible in Europe... I know that sounds shallow, but it is honestly our impression. The history is there, I just wish the drive was there. There is no reason that a US Maple couldn't come out of Europe (or some band that original) The only reason is the motives for making that music, I think European musicians lack that motive. The motive is one of oppression combined with a freedom to do the music. America has this chemistry, and that is why so many good bands come out of America now... the drive, the aim, the goal. I pray to see a European band blow us off the stage... I would be happy as a pig in shit, he heh... I love Croatia... it is my favorite place we played.
10 - Last words concerning other forms of "ART" you fall in love with
Art... I like the idea that people in Europe know so much about art, language and culture... We don't. I think even to know as much as we do about music is very rare for an American. Kids in Europe actually talk about architecture! he he you'd never hear that here... never... The art I hear people talk about is usually poster art, the Fort Thunder stuff, or pop art like Warhol... I am not taken by that type of art at all... I am ignorant to the art (if it exists) that makes me feel something amazing like a Locust show... or a DROPDEAD show... Americans like malls... and their "bread and circus"... They care not about art or culture... this is why musicains must live like rats and beg to play... Our art is a soundbite between two commercials it must be direct and to the point, or it is ignored completly and that sucks. Most artists in America now are rich, on trust funds and so spoiled. Thus, the art sucks. The people like ourselves who create real art, or music, are often ignored by the press, ignored by the music community... But ARAB ON RADAR has persisted to an arogant level of persistance, and we have played so much at 100% level that these people could not ignore us... But, it was a long and painful struggle to get where we are...This is why I have faith that Arab On Radar may be something people view as outside the normal situation, maybe obtain a legacy much like the SWANS... (not musically). We just want people to have fun, and come to our shows not to worship us, to worship the fact that we, as people, are alive and we are still able to have some unbridled fun for god's sake! Nietsche said "live dangerously" we just took his advice... That formula makes good art in my opinion, the struggle , the suffering, the pain, and most important the outcome of all that pain - the rewards... and the hapiness it brings.
THANX
Hey thank you... this interview was as honest as we can be... we would love it to reamin somewhat direct... you can edit it but please if there is any question to the meaning of what we decided to say, just e-mail us for a further explaination... Some assholes like Alternative Press made us seem like Rage Against the Machine once... and that sucked! We would prefer to make asses out of ourselves than have it cut up and misunderstood...OK? I know you are cooler than that so sorry for even mentioning it... and thank you!, you have helped us alot and you will not be forgotten! erwin! viva la Erwin... h hehhh heh > > Love, jeff -(Mr. C.D.) and the rest of Arab On Radar