Interview: Defy
por Rafael Karasu (rafael@karasukiller.com)
Foto: Elaine Campos
2012/01
01- Tell us a little about the band history, the discography, the first shows. And also, whatís the meaning of the bandís name?
Falão:Well, the band had start at mid 2008, by me, Denito, Lepre and Juliano; at that time, Juliano had back to record and rehearsal with his old band DISARM and ask to Denito and Lepre to play with him and etc. Some rehearsals after, I got to know Juliano, and after some talking between all of us, we ended up to identify ourselves with the desire of have a band with thrash/death metal influences
(heavy guitars, and low tunning). And was at the first rehearsal that Denito came up with the name DEFY (Warcollapse's record) and we all liked of it, as one phrase of "Oponha„-se" (DEFY in portuguese) lyric "refuse everything that they forced on you - DEFY".However, we did only 2 gigs with this formation, which line-up lasted only 8 months, and also we recorded the demo "Desprazer".
I believe the our first gig was the 'outstanding', and also happened after 6 months of rehearsing and recording, so,
we, and friends, had a big expectation with this gig; and was, actually, outstanding. The actual line up, since february '10,
is with Fernando at the guitar, and with this line-up we self-released a 7" split with our friends of Risposta and
now we are going to release a second 7" split, now with our friend of Terror Revolucionário.
02- What are the themes in the lyrics? Howís the writing process?
Falão: The most of subjects, in a general way, that we deal in our lyrics are based in our daily experiences,
as our opinions about general subjects. But, definitely, one of the main theme of our lyrics is regarding the interaction
of human being with the environment, and also of racial and sexual prejudice; these last subjects are a big issue and well-discussed
here in Brazil, and lead us to a daily discussion about them. Usually, we do the instrumental part first at the rehearsal,
and, after have some general picture of the sound structure, I start to write the lyric, and then I take it to discuss with the rest of guys.
Lepre: The lyrics are about the daily life that we lived day after day, further the rage agains the selfish-destructive nature of
human being. As everything in the band, all of us try to participate in the art, sounds and lyrics development.
But in my view, it is Falão which is able to capture the shared ideas and put them into paper.
03-What are your biggest influences?
Falão: It is hard to list all our influences, even the biggest, hehe. But, in a general way, start with bands from early 90's crust bands, such as: 3-Way Cum,
Warcollapse, Battle of Disarm, State of Fear, Dread 101 and tons of Czech and Polish bands, and also, thrash and death metal bands, as: Bolt Thrower,
Entombed, Sepultura, Dismember, and others that sound like.
Lepre: I believe that each member has his own influences, but with intersecting points between crust and death metal, which are
the biggest influences to our sound..
04- Do all the band members have a day-job, or do you live off your music? What's the hardest thing about having a band in Brazil?
Falão: Yes, we all have a day-job and have the music as a passion. I believe that it is the lack of support, both good venues, as from crowd,
in support the local bands, buying they stuff to help the bands on tour, or even the local bands that are trying to spread
their sounds, the most of people, only went to gigs to get wasted instead help and support the local bands.
Lepre:We all work and follow their live, but we keep going forward with the DEFY because we are crazy about we do. Taking a few isolated cases,
it is very hard to live from an underground band, then in Brazil your odds of that are null. To someone have a band here, that one must really love
what he does, because everything here is expensive, and and also, the people have the terrible habit of do not appreciate what is done around here.
There are several good local bands which, perharps, have not released any stuff, not even a cd neither a record. If you do not have a strong will
and put your ass in the line, the things will never happen.
05-And the current state of Brazilian underground, what's good and what's bad? Is there support? What's the band's opinion on the punk/hardcore scene in São Paulo ?
Falão: Despite we live in a big country, everything here is too centralized. Although a slow pace, we're going to a better situation; new and good bands are appearing,
some people interested in do something for the scene and etc. At São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, as big cities, there's a lot of bands of several styles;
At Brasília and Minas Gerais, hardcore and thrash metal are the biggest strenght; and, at Northeast of Brazil, the extreme music is the most popular.
Here, at S„o Paulo city, for missing good places to play, we're always playing at the same venues, same bands and crowd; as everywhere else, there's division,
a lot of problems, discrimination between the bands and the most of people put it at the front of the commonalities; there's few interested labels in
support the bands and release records from local bands, at the most of time there are the bands and/or with the help of foreign labels, that release them.
However, we have a lot of points to improve, specially regarding the relation with the bands, gigs structure, crowd support and everything else.
Lepre:The brazilian underground scene is very deep and keep surviving along the years, through people that give his/her share doing the things going on,
owning good gigs venues, distros and etc. However, it's clear that for be a big organism, it suffer from the lack of support, because as all in life,
a lot of things come and go at a high speed. Besides the clear division among the underground, I put in high-lights as a positive point the gigs events
that enables a mix of several peoples allowing a interaction among them. This kind of thought is becoming much stronger, however, we are so far from the ideal.
06-In What other projects the band member were or are involved?
Falão: At now, no one from Defy is involved at other project besides the band. However, Denito already played at a d-beat band called
Diskontroll for a long time before we started Defy.
Lepre: I used to play at AGS and DISARM.
07-What the band members listen to nowadays?
Falão: Usually, I listen everything that sounds ok for me, I mean, everything which is rock eheh; but for now, I'm hearing a lot Earth for chilling,
N.D.T. and Framtid, and another heavy bands, but there are new bands like Contagium and Last Legion Alive that are my favorite bands nowadays;
and also Swedish and British death metal; and the classics, like Discharge, Black Sabbath and Motorhead that never leave the playlist.
Lepre:A lot of things.. besides the usual noise.
08-Since 2003 thereís a new wave of punk/hardcore bands coming around in Brazil. How do you see this revitalization? Which bands/artists do you consider prominent?
Falão: For me, the bands that added concepts from the bands from other scenes, Europe and U.S., and also tried/try to do something better
than we are used to seeing and hearing around here, are the bands which stand above. I think that I can cite Social Chaos and Discarga, which
are the bands that are, constantly, in international tours and releasing records; and there are now more new bands like: SPEED KILLS, SUBTERROR,
BRAIN DEATH, STENCH OF DEATH, KRONI, WHIPSTRIKER UNFIT SCUM, and some others.
09-What would you guys be doing if it wasnít for punk/hardcore in your lives?
Falão: This is a trick question to be answered hehe I do not see me, neither the rest of guys, otherwise not be involved in the music scene.
Lepre: Each one has his/her own view what is punk, but I believe that if I have not get involved at this, today, I would not have the same attitude,
consciousness and critical sense towards life.
10- Soon the split DEFY / TERROR REVOLUCIONÁRIO will be released in Japan, how is the response to this release in Brazil?
What do you expect from the distribution here in Japan, through Karasu Killer Records?
Falão:We're having a good feedback about this releasing, a lot of people interested in hearing the new sounds, specially from T.R., which
does not release a new record a log time. I hope that the K.K. help us spread our shit a little bit more hehe in a new market, with tons of
people and bands.
11-More and more we talk about corruption, violence and unemployment in Brazil, what do you see for the country's future?
Falão: Unfortunately, as at the most of third-word countries, we live here in a country of endless promises; where rates of the misery and poverty
are threatening; however, nowadays, what really concerns me here in Brazil it is the politic regarding the environment; we have here
one of the biggest, and most beauty, ecosystem and everything is turning to a big disaster, because it is be voted here a new 'forest code',
which besides allow a buch of new crimes, even amnesty criminals that have, cleared rain-forests, destroyed the soil and etc, a total fucking
nonsense bulshit.
Lepre: No future at all. In a global vision we are doomed to self-destruction.
12-What do you know about Japan? What do you admire about this country?
Falão:Even I liking of the japanese culture, my knowledge it's too shallow, I just had infos through friend that already have visited the country, and internet;
I hope, someday, to visit the country, even it's not in a Defy's tour, that be to know a little more about the culture itself.
Lepre: I do not the country itself, but I have a lot of will to know it. I have a friend that tells me a lot of good things about the japanese scene.
13-Many Brazilian bands want to play in Japan, whatís the possibility of Defy coming here for a tour?
Falão: Not for now, we want first to come touring in Europe and Mexico, but we would like so much to come to touring in Japan,
it is a 'classic' place to tour, and also in some near contries, as: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia.
Lepre: We really want to come touring with DEFY at Japan, but it is very complicated because, mainly, of high prices of air-tickets.
But it is something that we really want to do before the retirement.
14-What do you know about the Japanese hardcore scene? What bands do you like, and what impresses you about them?
Falão: I can not say that I am an expert into Japanese scene, but I really liked of it; FUCK, listen to the bands of the early 80's, and feel
the heaviness and violence of the musics, and, specially, the 'second fase' (mid until end of 80's), that were the HC bands highly
influenced by metal bands, and see that the they push the PUNK x METAL boundaries away; I believe that even first than the english bands.
And, personally, I can not find one music, from any record, of Death Side, that is not genious; I believe it is the originality and creativity
from the most japanese bands that I am attracted to them; and there are so many that is hard to enumerate: GUILLOTINE TERROR, LIP CREAM, GAUZE, KURO, GAI,
CONFUSE, GISM, CROW, S.D.S., ABRAHAM CROSS, FRAMTID, DISCLOSE, EFFIGY, UNHOLY GRAVE, GLOOM, DISPROVE, BATTLE OF DISARM, and tons.
Lepre: What I like from the japanese bands are the unique way that they put speed and feeling all together, besides of having a strong feeling in the sounds.
I like of diferent type of bands like: DISCLOSE, DISKRIMINADOS, GAUZE, LIFE, VIVISICK, EFFIGY, REALITY CRISIS... Among other really good bands.
15-What message do you have for Japanese readers ?
Falão: I would like to say thanks everyone, specially Rafarel, to those interested and read all the interview and listen our records, and somehow
add something in our lifes and support us; hope to see you all soon. Cheers!!
Lepre: First of all, I would like to thanks Rafael for the interview, and that I really hope, someday, to come true our dream to come to Japan
and show the DEFY's sounds. Cheers to everyone and see you all soon.
Contacts:
rodrigobufalo@gmail.com
www.myspace.com/antisocialcrust
www.reverbnation.com/antisocialcrust