(Tilt! # 10) | Brob's Tilt! fanzine

Submission Hold (1999 interview on tape)

September 24, 2019 at 1:36 pm | Posted in (Tilt! # 10) | Leave a comment
Tags: HardCore, Punk, Submission Hold, Tilt!

I believe I got to know (the anarcha-feminist punk band) ‘Submission Hold’ better when my mates John ‘Active’ Elliott and ‘Sned’ Flat Earth put out the compilation-CD (Progress – As If Survival Mattered) with some of the the band’s previously released recordings (in anticipation of their European tour). I obviously helped distributing this, as the Canadians were known for their D.I.Y. and political attitude. Unfortunately I missed them when they played in Antwerp in the fall of 1998.

Around that time I was planning/preparing for Tilt! #10. Unfortunately my life took a disastrous turn and that never materialised. I never got to type out the content of the tape with the 3 of the 4 band-member’s answers to my questions. After all these years I still feel these people had sensible things to say so I’m publishing this here because they took the effort to actually spend time on it and because I feel the need to help their spirit live on…

Submission Hold (1999 interview on tape): part A – part B

At the time of the interview, the band (from Vancouver, Canada) consisted of Andy Healey (bass), Jen Thorpe (vocals), Stephen/Steve Flach (guitar) & Phil Roth (drums; later Kenton Loewen).

Honey Honey (unpublished)

September 5, 2018 at 11:55 am | Posted in (Tilt! # 10) | Leave a comment
Tags: HardCore, Honey Honey, Punk, Tilt!

Interview with Wendi of ‘Honey Honey’ * 1997-98

‘Honey Honey’ is a band that I would release some vinyl for if I would have the money. Not because they are ultra-political or ‘all-over-the-place’ but because they’re nice people who play touching music. Their Limburgs ‘easy-does-it’ accent is also charming. Reason enough, no? Some people see this band a bit as the ‘underdog’ of the Belgian HC/punk-scene but hey, underdogs are my favourite kind of people…

Answers by Wendi; unless otherwise indicated: additions by Gert

Bart Elen: bass / Edwin Gielen: drums / Gert ‘Gonzo’ Hermans: guitar / Pat Broux: vocals / Wendi Geuens: vocals

Contact: The H.H. House / xxx / 3940 Hechtel / Belgium

Can you tell us a bit about the history of Honey Honey? What’s the idea behind the name? How would you describe your music to a martian who doesn’t have a clue about labels like punk, hardcore or emo? Who would you say has influenced your music?

It all started by the end of 1994. Edwin and Gert were sick and tired of playing heavy metal… After searching for other band-members a short while, Wendi and Sven [Cuypers] joined. A year later we taped our first demo and soon after that we did our first tour with Anomie (F) and Marker (UK) through France. Our second demo was recorded at Gilles’ (Anomie) studio in Orleans. Later we did two short tours in the UK (great times…), in 1997 we had a few disagreements within the band and things weren’t going that smoothly anymore: our interest went in different directions. Finally Sven decided to leave us (he’s still a good friend though) and Bart (‘De Huiskes’, ‘1664’, ‘Déja Vu, Mon Paraplu’, ‘The Lovebuzzkillers’) agreed to take his place. A little while later Pat (ex ‘Universal Spares’) joined us as second ‘honey’.

So far we have a track on a 7” compilation called Ambala (UK) and four tracks on the Screams From Belgium 12” comp. We should be releasing our first 7” ourselves in 1999.

The name ‘Honey Honey’ was the result of an evening drinking and talking bollocks in a local pub. We don’t even remember how we got the stupid name but we’re used to it now.

A description of our music? Well, let’s just say it’s a mixture of everything we’re into. Everyone listens to different kinds of music, from pop and soul to extreme punk-noise.

What’s the raison-d’être for the band? Are you a bunch of friends that wants to make music together or do you want to bring a message to the people? Do you play concerts in the HC/punk- scene by coincidence or because you believe in the ideology behind it?

We started of as a bunch of friends. Everything we do, we do together. Even outside of the band we hang out a lot, together with mutual friends. The only message we want to bring is “Be yourself and do what you think is right; and for god’s sake enjoy life!”.

Not all of us were part of the HC-scene before we started off but through playing there and getting to know a lot of people involved, we started to feel very at ease. It also changed us all a bit (In ‘98, the last meat-eating member turned veggie e.g.). We do think there’s lots of hype in the scene and that’s something we don’t want to be part of. We try to keep and open mind; which means not accepting the ‘trendy’ slogans without thinking.

You’ve done quite a few concerts in Belgium and even a couple of short tours in the UK but besides a few tracks on a compilation-LP, you don’t have anything out. Why is that? I doubt it that there’s no labels that are interested… Which ones would you want to be on? Or are you waiting till you gathered enough money to do it yourselves?

As we said before, we will release a 7” in ‘99. We know 4 years is quite long but we’re catching up on things now. Having a good time together was always more important than achieving something. It’s about time we change that. We’re gonna put the 7” out ourselves. In the first place because no label asked us and we’re too shy to ask them; secondly because we also like the feeling to have it all under control.

Is it important for you to know where you’re playing, with which bands, what the entrance-money is used for; would you ever ask an agency to book your gigs? If you would put a record out on a label, what would be the things you want to control; do you care if material is distributed by people who are making a living out of it?

Most gigs we play are in the scene but we also like playing in local pubs, etc.; for people who’re not involved in the scene. We’re quite open for anyone who asks us to play. Only fascist crowds are out of the question. We did that once before knowing in advance… Never again!!!

‘Honey Honey’ (Brugge; 97-07-26) – pic courtesy Laura W.

Gert: Well, not all the people in there were nazis. That’s why we did play. It was a gig with our English friends ‘Songs Of Praise’ (RIP). We got the gig through another venue who couldn’t organise one on that date. It was a bikers-bar. Some friends of us showed up (which was good). Oh yeah, you were there as well and warned me that it was kind of a dodgy place. After the gig, the guy behind the bar started drawing swastikas on our drink-tickets. We got pissed off and left (We didn’t wanna fight, we were outnumbered and those people were twice our size.). Anyway, I don’t think you can call them real nazis; just some morons who think that it’s tough to act like that.

We never used an agency to book us in the past. We might do it in the future, we might not. We’ll have to see how our stress-level is in a few years time.

Gert: This sounds a bit weird. But let’s talk about doing a tour. England is good for us to tour because we know many people there who we trust. And we know that we’re not gonna loose too much money on it. But we would love to tour somewhere else for a change. Like this year, we could tour along with ‘Charlie Don’t Surf’ in Spain. ‘C.D.S.’ split up about a month before the tour. Kurt of ‘Charlie Don’t Surf’ gave me the address of the guy who organised the tour. At that time we’d already found a van and we were all into going there, so I rang to Spain but nothing was organised. After a week or 2, the organiser called saying that it was better to cance the tour (which is OK). But you hear a lot of stories about bands going on tour, thinking they can play about – let’s say – 6 gigs and once they get there, it turns out that 2 have been cancelled and 3 were organised a week before so that nobody shows up. So the financial hangover can be catastrophical. That’s something which is killing the DIY movement. If a gig gets cancelled, please inform the band or the tour-organiser. And be honest about how much money you’re able to give. With an agency you got your contracts so bands know a bit what’s gonna happen. But these contracts leave a bad taste in my mouth. I think it’s nicer when everything can be based on trust, and in many occasions it can.

If we ever put out a record on a label, we definitely want the record to be sold at reasonable prices. We would never sign contracts that could take away our control over ‘Honey Honey’. We do understand why people want to make money out of their hobby because working a shitty job every day is fucking hard. They can distribute our stuff (if they want to) as long as the prices are reasonable.

I never read an interview with ‘H.H.’ anywhere else. Are you such shy people? I also had to insist quite a few times to read the lyrics. Are they autobiographical and don’t you want anyone to go into them? How d’you feel about exposing personal feelings in the lyrics (like in Hit And Run or Happyland, I guess?) and people asking questions about them?

This is one of the few interviews we do. Not because we’re that shy but we’re terrible with deadlines. So hereby our deepest apologies to all interviewers. We’re not uncomfortable talking about the lyrics but even for those who wrote them, it’s not that easy to explain them in a few words. Only a few songs are autobiographical (indeed Hit And Run, and Trip; also ‘Barstool’ and ‘Alone’ are personal). Most songs are just a mixture of thoughts, words, feelings, frustrations, story-lines, moods, …

In Waltz you describe a world where you can feel free to live, with no restrictions. I guess it’s kind of a utopia? Like many of us, you all work and participate in the capitalist society; does a world free from capitalist oppression remain a dream or do you strive for it one way or another? Did studying ‘readaption-sciences’ give you any indications Wendi?

Waltz is indeed about cutting loose from all restrictions there are, not only in our capitalist society but in every aspect of society. It also describes the prejudiced behaviour that groups of people, scenes, social cliques have towards each other. It’s hard to be objective when you only socialize with one type of group. So we think it’s better to stand in the middle and choose your own way.

Living completely free is a utopia; you yourself have your own restrictions and your own littte prejudices of course. But you can at least try to change life for the better your way.

We don’t believe it’s possible nowadays to live in a world free of capitalism; unless we have that big revolution that would kill most of us. Besides: after that things might be better or worse. I chose social studies because I wanted to understand people better but I can’t say that I learned much during those 3 years; I’m still learning.

I read “trust in yourself” (in Waltz) and “l’m fighting my own war” (in Nothing Changes). Do you believe the individual has the power to determine its own destiny or are we just a plaything of fate?

The individual has the power to determine its own destiny upto a certain level; then fate takes over.

Gert: Fate can be many things, like: the environment you grow up in, coincidences, getting involved with people who make your life good or crap in a way, etc. This can also determine your destiny. How much? I don’t know. It’s a good topic to philosophize about. The same thing can be said about destiny.

Wendi and Pat, do you think that you can be a role-model for other girls/women in the scene? How d’you feel about it when people say you are? Isn’t it awkward that’s what is always asked to female and not to male members of bands? Who’s ‘Miss Right’ in your song Ode? What do girls have to do in order not “to take this shit (i.e. demonstrations of macho insecurity) no more” (from the song MMM)?

I don’t think Pat or me qualify as role-models. We don’t even want to be taken seriously (OK, maybe a bit). We’re just glad that we have the chance to do this; we want to make the best out of it. I have the greatest respect for girls who can make a statement by doing what they do. And l’m so glad we live in a time where everyone (allmost everyone) gets opportunities, especialiy girls. This is our time, girls; let’s take things over!!!

Why is this always asked to female band-members? I don’t know, maybe because girls are still under-represented in the music-industry… But when they are, they’re mostly very confident and intelligent women. I’m not talking about the sexy singers hired by record-companies just to produce a new hit-single but about the singer-songwriters who want to make a difference nowadays.

‘Miss Right’ is Alexandra Colen [Brob: ultra-right, pro-life, diehard Christian bigot and member of parliament for the Belgian fascist party Vlaams Blok] and everyone like her. They are a disgrace to all women because they accept the man-made rules that don’t allow women to decide for themselves. This also applies to MMM: don’t take shit from anyone ‘cause you’re worth much more than that. Don’t be afraid to leave someone who treats you badly. It’s not that bad to be alone for a while.

Am I right to think the story told in Going Home starts off as a date-rape and then turns into something where the woman takes control and dominates? Is this a way of saying women shouldn’t let themselves be victimized and have to realize/learn they have power too?

Going Home is about hurting someone in the same way as they hurt you. In this case a date-rape, I don’t believe in turning the other cheeck, I believe in payback-time.

Wouldn’t it be magnificent if a girl in this situation was able to turn the tables, to let him feel what it’s like to be dominated and not enjoy it.

Women have power but it’s hard to fight back in a terrifying situation, I’m sure there’s no girl that ever really asked for it. If you ever are the victim, I hope you react and fight back. Don’t let him get to your inner-self.

In Inside’ you ask “Don’t you want to know where I’ve been? Aren’t you dying to know what’s goin’ on inside my head?”. Can you give us a short list of things we need to know about each one of you to have an idea what you’re about and what brings you together in this band?

What brings us together is our mutual interests, having fun, being creative, expressing ourselves. To give a short list of what we are about is difficult because not everyone is present at the moment; but here are a few things we say about each other… Edwin is our beast, the back-to-basics kind of guy, he likes to solve his own problems and minds his own business but he’s oh-so sweet. Pat is our junior and the artist of the band, sometimes a bit spacy, natural and doesn’t swagger [Gert: show off]. Bart is always late, clumsy and funny, an allround musician, the boy-who-lives-nextdoor kind of guy. Wendi is very persistent, the love-doctor of the band. Gert is freaky, the PR-guy; he’s social, intelligent; our nutty professor and the most reliable of us all.

Aren’t they cute?! The teletubbies of HC/punk; haha…

Honey Honey (band-presentation Tilt! #8)

Honey Honey (Bel) demo (1995)

Dissent (1989 interview on tape)

June 20, 2018 at 2:36 pm | Posted in (Tilt! # 10) | 1 Comment
Tags: Dissent, HardCore, Punk, Tilt!

‘Dissent’ was a band I really liked (muscially and attitude-wise). They were supposed to tour Europe (with the help of Reitner Mettner, Double A recs) and our Smurfpunx-collective was getting ready but they never made it over. They split up after I’d done this interview (in 1989) – intended for Tilt! #5. I wrote it out by hand but never actually published it. Since history has got its rights: here it is for those who want to give it a listen…

The people in the band (from Rapid City, South-Dakota) at the time of the interview were: Todd Smith (drums/vocals), Bob Baker (guitar/vocals) & Tim Popa (bass). Earlier on they had Sean ‘Skip’ Nagel on vocals and a few other bassplayers (including Tanja Bjork).

Dissent (1989 interview on tape)

Boycot vs Epitaph (Profane Existence #35)

February 17, 2014 at 1:11 pm | Posted in (Tilt! # 10) | Leave a comment
Tags: Boycot, Epitaph, HardCore, Profane Existence, Punk, Tilt!

(Tilt! #10 was the zine that never wàs… I prepared a bunch of stuff that I gave to other zines; this one appeared in Profane Existence)

A translation of a discussion between the Dutch DIY band ‘Boycot‘ and the European office of the commercial record-label Epitaph (that appeared in Ravage)