Brob's Tilt! fanzine

Scoundrels (interview Tilt! #1)

Interview with Pat ‘Labie’  * 1986

(My very first interview for my first issue. Still in Dutch then. (translation below) No computers, expensive copying,… hence the sober layout and the demo’s lyric-insert as ‘artwork’…)

(T = Tilt /P = Patrick)

T: Who are the ‘Scoundrels’?

P: At this moment (May ‘86) the ‘Scoundrels’ are the following characters: Guus on drums, Frank on bass & Patrick on guitar and vocals. Our address is Pieter van Ginnekenstraat 22, 4881CH Zundert [The Netherlands]

T: What is the history of the band?

P: Our history is quite long because we’ve been playing for about 6 years. But to be brief: it’s been so Frank, Patrick and ‘Krent’ on drums. We played hardcore then. Several vocalists and a female singer visited our different rehearsal-sheds. All are gone with the wind. Two years ago, after the gig in the Waag [Antwerp venue], the female singer and the drummer disappeared. When a brand-new, but to us not unknown, skin-beater visited, we could finally make some progress. That was Guus. Since then, fortunately, nothing changed.

T: Where does the name come from?

P: It comes out of the dictionary and means ‘bad boys’. Very decent, no?

T: What comes first for you guys: music or ideas? What do you do besides making music?

P: Because we all listen to punk since ‘77, the music came first. The ideas have come with the years; in parallel with the positive development/evolution of the international punk-scene. We can’t really say what it is most important. We don’t compromise, lyrically nor musically. Our activities besides the band are eating, sleeping and every now and then we still work a bit. We sometimes write to fanzines but nothing concrete beyond that.

T: What education did the band-members get and what have they achieved thanks to or despite that?

P: Our education? Weird question … I got a normal education (whatever that may be). I didn’t go to university. The other guys are strange individuals but I don’t think this is due to their upbringing.

T: Do you think a good musical foundation (training) is necessary when you play in a band?

P: If you play with three people in a band, it’s nice when you more or less are on the same level, regarding handling of instruments, and I think that’s the case with us. Creating a new tune also doesn’t take more than half an hour. We make a song every two weeks on average. Thus we have a program of about 40 songs and some 10 covers. Impossible to play these all live; especially if you play with other bands. We do covers of the ‘Buzzcocks’, ‘UK Subs’, ‘Dead Boys’ (editor’s note: the unforgettable Sonic Reducer), ‘Ruts’, ‘Damned’, ‘Hüsker Dü’, …

T: What do you think of hardcore and speed-metal?

P: Hardcore was nice but I still think it’s gradually becoming supermarket-music; i.e. there is no more tension on the stage and in the audience. The clothes and the music aren’t original anymore. Often it doesn’t even sound fast anymore! It’s all become too ‘safe’, it’s no longer a threat as it used to be. Speed-metal is even weaker; in half a year time no-one will talk about it anymore.

T: What are your needs/desires for a gig?

P: We need a lot of money, lots of booze and a large stage with dressing-room. No, seriously… We don’t like to play festivals because all the bands often sound the same and because the public is spoiled shit. So we prefer to perform alone and for now with no more than two other bands.

T: Explain what U Freet Toe Moef means!?!

P: For the people who still don’t know; U Freet Toe Moef = afraid to move. It means something like “words but no actions (yet)”. This is a hint for the so-called punks who call themselves revolutionary or anarchist, but just go with the flow (obviously that’s how you reach the waterfall more quickly). The tape is recorded in our rehearsal-room with a ‘borrowed’ mixing-desk. (There’s a funny story about that: read our interview in the new Weerhaak [fanzine done by Niels de Wit]. Then you can also hear how we talk bullshit. So be warned if you start a conversation with one of us.)

T: What are you lyrics about?

P: About vivisection, vegetarianism, war, suicide, personal politics (as that is so nicely called) and a bit of everything. We also have positive songs: about love and being happy.

T: Future plans?

P: There are plans for an LP but that might as well be a second tape. We definitely go into the studio.

T: What are the differences/similarities between the Belgian and Dutch scene? In your opinion: do all Dutch bands get across the border?

P: In the Netherlands there are more and so a lot more better bands! The Belgian scene is more cozy and more ‘together’. You often see the same people at gigs and that’s nice. Though it is of course very important to reach a larger audience; what many bands forget … I think most Dutch bands are well-known in Belgium and those that you and me haven’t heard off, are probably still in an early stage. I can only guess if a lot of new bands will pop up…

T: What does vivisection mean to you and do you think it’s unconditionally wrong? What do you respond to the argument that eating meat has always been found to be morally justified?

P: Vivisection, to me, means the use of animals for human needs. And they’re definitely not always all justifiable. I believe that 95% of all animal-experiments is unnecessary. Eating meat is killing an animal because it’s tasty. Meat is not healthy and it is not necessary; whether you like it or not, that just doesn’t matter. It’s not fair to eat meat. Enough has been said about it and for those who haven’t understood it yet: read what said about U Freet Toe Moef; perhaps we mean you!!! One of us is not a vegetarian but he is not that hypocritical to shout ‘change’. Understand? There’s an ‘all-no-meat-band’ in Zundert and they’re still looking for a name so who can think of one, can write me.

T: Anything to add?

P: I’ve already said enough but when I have something more to tell you, I’ll write again. I also want to say hey to all who read this. Our biggest enemy still is bigotry … Fighting with tolerance would be a lot more enjoyable.