Interview: Death from Above
by Rafael Karasu (rafael@karasukiller.com)
Photos: Eder Sales Cave
2011/06
Death from Above
01- Tell us a little about the band’s history, the discography, the first shows. And also, what’s the meaning of the band’s name?
Mingau: The band began in the beginning of 2006, I was bored enough, because my two other bands what I was playing had broke up by it (Neurose Urbana in 2004 and Chaotix in the end of 2005) and I wanted to start another band, but for this time want to do a sound in the style that I love. D-BEAT!!! and since I'm a d-beat maniac, I chose the name DEATH FROM ABOVE because of Discard "death from above" 7"EP.besides being one influence in our sound they was the first band to use the Discharge Logo declaring thus his total passion to the Discharge band. Then I began to think about this new project. so, I called the Thiago that was playing in the Sociofobia, to play bass and called the Ratão (drummer of the Neurose Ubana) to give us a help as drummer to compose some songs. and since there were no others drummer to play d-beat here in the city he accepted. then we did about 6 sounds, played in a gig and so he get out from the band. in the follow we call the Hassan (that was drummer In Sociofobia and guitarist of Desastre) to play. so, we did the demo "lost in the insane war" with him on drums, it was cool because I had already played with him before in the Chaotix. shortly afterwards of that he get out from the band, but in this half time we was with eyes open in a friend of our, Slake that is a singer in WCM and it was playing in a a new band Asas Da Vingança. so, I realized that he had a good style and that perhaps he could play with us.we did some tests, but the drums beat was not into d-beat, then I was showing he how to play the d-beat and with the time he was catching the beat and was perfecting to his style. the good thing is that he has a heavy beat what make me to remember Ratão playing in the Neurose Urbana.this it happened in the beginning of 2007. since he got a good integration he finished being in the band. then we begin to work new song and to do shows. in 2007 and 2008 was very good for us,we played alot, maybe about 2 shows monthly. it helped the band in the sense to give more "gas" in the sound and to leave it quite more cohesive. also we use a strategy of "non stop show" like in the live "the nightmare continues" of Discharge, so it only helped us alot. about recordings, what I can say is that we are a band a bit without luck! after we recorded the demo " lost in the insane war " in the end of 2006, we recorded in 2007 3 songs (including cover of whose the disclose) 2 was for a split 7" EP and other would be for a tribute to a Disclose. the split never came out because another band, Kandiru (minneapolis-US) broke up and the tribute to Disclose simply they took us away of the CD. Then in 2008 we recorded the CD digipack "death comes" but it was released only in 2009. also in 2008 we played in Gama-city in the Besthoven gig for the DVD recording and our set was recorded, mixed Frango from Galinha Preta. but it was still unreleased.o cd "death comes" was to be released by the Speed State records from Japan, but in the process they stopped writing, so I give up and decided to release in the local label TBONTB (two beers or not two beers) and my Mingau'a productions. what was much better because we had a good distribution still in 2009 we recorded two more songs for another split 7"EP with Dead Section from Portland-US, in reason they was coming to brazil for a tour and we was joined for the tour, but in the process the Dead Section canceled the tour in the Brazil, the band split up and they give up to do the split 7"EP, in time time we had already sent complete stuff for them, who would be going to press 7"EP. well,in the end of 2009 we did our second tour in São Paulo "death comes" we did about 6-7 shows, a good but very stressful tour,so when we back home Thiago get out of the band and in the follow Danny ex-Desastre was invited to play Bass. already with him in the bass we recorded in the end of 2010 2 more songs for another attempt to do a split 7"EP with War/System England, but it finished to not be released because the Vocalist that i had contact out of the band, and was the guy i was in contact to do the split 7"EP. so, we got lose heart and give up. then we decide to use 1 song for a project of 4 way 7"EP, still in progress.in the beginning of 2011 we recorded 4 song for our debut "4 trax E.P.", will be released in 7" and tape version( with 2 bonus) by Bombs Away records, coming in soon. besides we recorded also this year 1 song cover of "war's no fairytale" by discharge for the Discharge Brazilian tribute in CD, in progress too. and finally we recorded in last May 3 songs for "4 way for destruction" vol.2 that can be out in next august.
discography:
2006 "lost in the insane war" demo (7 songs plus Discharge cover)
2007 "unreleased recording" (3 songs, included Disclose cover)
2008-2009 "death comes" CD digipack (12 songs)
2009 "unreleased recording" (2 songs)
2010 "unreleased recording yet" (2 songs)
2011 "4 trax E.P." 7"EP (4 songs) coming in soon!
2011 "4 way for destruction"vol.2 (3 songs) coming in soon!
02- What are the themes in the lyrics? How’s the writing process?
Mingau: Who writes the lyrics Is me (Glauco Mingau), and different from many bands that plays d-beat I try not to write lyrics only about war even it's still a recurrent subject, but i try to write about human questions with acid criticism and of intrinsic alone character is human. I haven't a process to compose, it is happening, inspirations of day by day, you announce of the TV and of our own familiarity.all this are influences and becomes a inspirations for the compositions.
03-What are your biggest influences?
Mingau: When I thought to begining the band I had not a formula for the type sound what we would be going to play, but certainly it didn't want to do a sound clone of another band. I tried to look that it influences the root, my basic influences are: Discharge (singles), Antisect (demos), Disclose(old), Discard, MG15, Unruled, The inconoclast, Diatribe, Final Warning, Fader war, Disaster, Underage, Crow (old), U.B.R., Olho Seco, and more, but it has been changing a little with the bass player change. we are trying to do a more prepared sound, but we are still in the same vibe d-beat.
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?
Mingau: Then I have informal jobs, I have a small silk screen office, also I'm a DJ and play at local parties. but do some cultural events, concerts and parties. is where I get my money. Slake is working at my old job in a binder, a kind of graphic place but smaller. He works closely with the wilton (Desastre), Danny was fucking unemployed, we hope he finds a job soon to help pay practice studio for the band. hahaha! Now, the greatest difficulty to get the band in Brazil's lack of support to produce and spreads their band. also the lack of space for concerts punks. all this bother. Another thing is the lack of support from the public who still insisting on not paying the tickets, always asked to enter the Free and also the lack of support in order to consume material produced by the bands, which would greatly help to keep producing albums and merchandise . finally, are difficulties, but as we are not in it for money or fame by continuing to make our noise.
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 Goiania ?
Mingau: Good I can not say exactly, but today things are a little more easy than 10 years ago, at least here in Goiania. the scene is small but has been quite active in recent years and has happened a union and a good cooperation among the punks, anarcho, hardcore, thrashers, etc... this is one factor that I consider very good for our scene. Goiania has happened here shows every week and have been many new bands and producers as well. currently we have fixed the following events: "Noise for heroes, music for zeros" that I do, and had brought Darge from japan to play. "Punks not profits', 'underground forces',' thrashcore fest ', among other events more sporadically but with some regularity.
06-In What other projects the band member were and are involved?
Mingau: So, I've had many projects in the past. I've played in the Neurose urbana (1993-2004), Chaotix (2003-2005), and Refuse (1994-1996), Disastre (1996),me and wilton began the band along with Fofão, Ratao.but this line up lasted short time. these were the bands. i played in the Besthoven already in a time where both band; Neurose Urbana and Besthoven had no bassist, and we were sharing the same drummer, I played bass in I Besthoven Fofão and he played bass in the Neurose Urbana, that in 1996, but we did'nt any gig. also played in the band Lixo, when they moved to Goiania, the band included the Marcelo holanda aka Kamikazi drummer in Nailbiter. Slake besides Making vocal In WCM, he plays the "Asas da Vingança", that stopped the band for all I know. Danny played in the Desastre for a long time, but he also play with me in the Chaotix and other projects. he also plays guitar in "Asas da Vingança".
07-What the band members listen to nowadays?
Mingau: I listen to many different music style, but two bands that I'm a fanatic and I never stop to listen are Discharge and The cure. I like many old and classic of different style like punk, hardcore, post punk, goth, rock etc...Danny listen to similar music like me, but I don't know what he recently. Slake like tons of hardcore, fast, crust, punk and RAP. I do not know which bands he are listen to right now but i know are fast bands. hehehe!
08-Since 2003 there’s a new wave of punk/hardcore bands coming around in Brazil. How do you see this revitalization? Which bands/artists do you consider prominent?
Mingau: Yes, have appering some good and great thing in last years and that is very encouraging. we was needing good bands again in Brazil. and the best they are the bands that are treading his own way itself without to run others or even without creating intrigues and competition. it has been appearing many friendly bands that help and do to themselves partnership that yes is of great value for the current scene. for me the bands what more it has if detached they are; Whipstriker (Rio de Janeiro), Unfit scum (SP), Nuclear frost (SP), Social chaos (SP), Terror Revolucionario (DF), Chaca (Rio Grande do Sul), Murro no Olho (DF), Gritos de Alerta (Rio Grande do Sul), Subterror (DF), Violator (DF) and more ... they are many good but these bands that what i can remeber now.
09-What would you guys be doing if it wasn’t for punk/hardcore in your lives?
Mingau: Man, sincerely I do not know, i'm been a punk since i was young, when I was forming a personality, so it's hard to think about what it would be. I always liked music, I do not know, but perhaps I might have myself if I made a professional DJ, because I remember of a moment before becoming punk that I kiked of Dj world, observing the guys playing vinyl in the parties etc... that never went out from my head. perhaps I would have gone by this way, I do not know them to myself... I think that the same thing for Danny and Slake, they are already that it wanted to be (at least I think). Danny is punk from when he was 13 years old, he was a kid, and till today he did not see motive to change, and Slake also are in this since he was kid. so, I think the slake hardly will change. perhaps they wins in lottery ! hahaha!!
10-More and more we talk about corruption, violence and unemployment in Brazil, what do you see for the country’s future?
Mingau: These things has been happening in Brazil systematically decades until today have not had a significant attitude on the part of governments to change this depressing situation in which Brazil finds itself. every election comes new promises of change mainly to health, education, work against violence, corruption, unemployment these basic things for life to proceed. but what happens are more scandals involving politicians and no improvements. people are tired of being cheated and lack of confidence in the government is growing.and it's only going to worsen. As for me, I don't believe in government. I know it's there to fuck me.
11-How would you like Brazil to be?
Mingau: In the financial part as the Swiss, with regard to culture, literature, cinema and music as in England, Germany, Czech Rep., Spain, in Italy as a culinary item, but Brazil is well served, there is lots of good food here. well, this is just a dream, there is no perfection in a nightmare world!
12-What do you know about Japan? What do you admire about this country?
Mingau: Well, Japan is the place definitely have the most active punk scene in the world. all great bands, record labels, places for shows, and the most'beautiful'look. hehehe! I do not know much about Japanese popular culture, I know that there is very conservative due to an ancient culture, i know you are very organized and focused on work. someone told me it would be impossible to survive in Japan without a job because everything is very expensive in Japan. I know that women in hentai and anime are much more attractive than those of the real life!hehehe and I know Godzilla, Spectremen, Goku and the rest of the sayajins live out there too! more over I know that Japan has the best musical equipment in the world. well, what I admire most in Japan is a country that is surviving and know very well give you with the adversities and problems. survived the 2nd World War, two nuclear attacks and now knew very well to give the giant tsunami that hit the country this year. if this had happened in Brazil The chaos and despair would be far greater than the disaster itself.
13-Many Brazilian bands want to play in Japan, what’s the possibility of Death from Above coming here for a tour?
Mingau: Would be a dream playing in Japan.but I think it's unlikely we play there one day, because we don't money for airplane tickets. but if a manager is interested in taking our band to play there, it would be more than perfect. we'd like to play more than elsewhere.
14-What do you know about the Japanese hardcore scene? What bands do you like, and what impresses you about them?
Mingau: I'm a fanatic in Japanese hardcore punk scene for a long time, thanks to people like Kawakami, Takeshi and Ryuji asada that sent me a lot stuff when we started to have contact it by the year 1994. I like old and classic bands like Death Side, Crow, Kuro, Gism, CDFL, Execute, Gauze, Zouo, Confuse, SDS, also the crust of the 90's bands like Disclose, Framtid, Abraham Cross, Age, Battle of Disarm, Contrast Atittude, Disprove, Beyond description, Slang, Gouka, Ability, Final bloodbath, Deadlock, Reality crisis, Gloom, and as newer bands like Darge, System Fucker, D-clone, Disgust, Isterismo. What impresses me most is the Japanese bands brutal sound and also some special techniques, always very well executed and recording high quality that makes this really good bands in each of their styles.
Mingau: Thanks for the opportunity and hope to play in Japan someday. keep alive the brutal sound Japanese continue to produce good stuff. and if by chance you have some label interest in Japanese release our music is get in touch with us. we'd love to have our hard spreading throughout Japan. this is, noise not music!
Contatos:
glauco.mingau@gmail.com
Msn - glauco.mingau@hotmail.com
www.myspace.com/dbeatdeathfromabove