Interview: Unfit Scum
by Rafael Karasu (rafael@karasukiller.com)

2011/06

Unfit Scum

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?
Jeferson: UNFIT SCUM was brought to life in 2009 by me,Murilo and Marcelo after some talkings about how kids in our area were playing something different of the simple stuff hardcore used to be.We wanted to bring back those tuneless fast blasts from the 80´s,which for us would work ok because same as the kids of those times,we have the anger but we don´t have the talent.We´ve choose the UNFIT SCUM name cause since the overtalented kids are playing sophisticated tunes,we wouldn´t fit in this wave,so a horrendous combo like this could only be called UNFIT SCUM. Tomas from NUCLEAR FRÖST joined the band to hold the bass and we´ve recorded our first session which was available on a tape called “CHAOTIC MAD BLASTS” together with the bands: UNCURBED (SWE),DEAD NOISE (US),URBAN HEAD RAW (JAP),THE HELPLESS (US). We did our first gig,a horrible and hellish fuzz demonstration which surprisingly had a very good response ,our tape was sold out in a couple of months. Tomas left and Diego (SOCIAL CHAOS) replaced him,since then the line-up consists of: JEF guit/vox,MURILO vox,MARCELO a.k.a. BURCHAUSER drums,DIEGO bass. We´ve been doing a lot of nice gigs with bands like: SKARNIO,NUCLEAR FRÖST,DEFY,LIXO ATÔMICO,ARMAGEDOM,PELIGRO,BRAIN DEATH,BESTHÖVEN,SOCIAL CHAOS,WHIPSTRIKER,DARGE(JAP),WARCRY(US),SUIT SIDE VS VEDA PLIGHT(BEL). Our story goes on,we´re planning our first full length and soon on our hands some cd/lp comps and tapes as well,labels interested on releasing our stuff,get ion touch.

02- What are the themes in the lyrics? How’s the writing process?
Jeferson: The world stupidity inspires me writing the lyrics,they always comes before the riffs. Most of the lyrics deals with the banality of today kids,their slavery by technology,internet and electronic devices,they don´t think by themselves,their “downloaded attitude” makes them pathetic.

03-What are your biggest influences?
Jeferson: TATUERADE SNUTKUKAR,TOTAL ARMSVETT,BOMBANFALL,AB HJÄRNTVÄTT,BEDRÖVLERZ,ASOCIAL,CRUDE SS,ANTICIMEX,SVART PARAD,KAAOS,KUOLEMA,SEKUNDA,JÄRJESTYSHÄIRIÖ,MARKKINOINTIOOERAATIO,CONFUSE GAI,KURO,STATE CHILDREN,GUDON,TRANQUILIZER,GAUZE,DISORDER,EXTREME NOISE TERROR,DISCHARGE…

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?
Jeferson: If you don´t play with a comercial rock,a shitty emo,samba or similar bullshit bands like that,forget about get any $$ with music here,we all have to work hard and pay all the abusive taxes only Brazil has,we have our bands and we play on our free time,we don´t get $$,we spend,and we spend a lot,survive the killer Brazilian routine with all the stress,taxes,etc,I think that´s the most difficult to have a band around here.

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 ?
Jeferson: Pressing plants here are horrendously expensive,to have stuff released ,bands must try to find support of labels out of Brazil or trying something with d.i.y. way. I see some really good new bands here lately,also some mates are getting more involved with hardcore,noise,grindcore… that´s the good thing in my point of view,on the other hand we still have the divisions,the pseudo extremists,people that only get wasted on gigs and support only famous bands..,fuck them,it sux!.

06-In What other projects the band member were and are involved?
Jeferson: Marcelo have played with a lot of raw hardcore/crust bands and the cult CATARRO BRUTO,Murilo have never played with any band before,Diego also played with tons of grind/crust bands,now he´s playing with HÖMELEESS and SOCIAL CHAOS, I used to play with raw hardcore/noise/grindcore acts like TOTAL DESGRAÇA,TAPASYA,ROT etc,now,besides UNFIT SCUM,i´m doing guitars for new project called HELVETIN VIEMÄRIT (raw hardcore influenced by finnish 80´s hardcore bands).

07-What the band members listen to nowadays?
Jeferson: Right now,i´m listening to JÄRJESTYSHÄIRIÖ dt 82 EP ,which is on my turntable for several days. Usually I like old stuff or stuff that looks like old,i´m also destroying my ears with ASOCIAL TERROR FABRICATION demo,their vox sounds extremely similar to the vocals of mr. Richard M. Walker( a.k.a. SORE THROAT vocalist),can´t wait to get their ep. Also got E.N.T. LAW OF RETALIATION LP and ROT / AGATHOCLES split tape,killer stuff!. Some people says E.N.T. new stuff is old E.N.T.´s copy and AGATHOCLES is cliché cause they still play the same grindcore as the beginning.These people are so stupid,they does nothing but spread bullshit about everything,if these bands were playing metal,they´d be unhappy the same way,pathetic! So,this is for these blokes,keep your wordhole shut,F.O.A.D.!! these bands keeps the true old spirit.

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?
Jeferson: Yes,gonna mention some of my area:NUCLEAR FRÖST,SPEED KILLS,FRUSTRAZIONE,BRAIN DEATH,STENCH OF DEATH,HÖMELEESS,DEFY,KRONI,VINCEBUZ…

09-What would you guys be doing if it wasn’t for punk/hardcore in your lives?
Jeferson: Maybe just another random citzen,stressed and empty? Sorry I really don´t know.

10-More and more we talk about corruption, violence and unemployment in Brazil, what do you see for the country’s future?
Jeferson: Brazil is a wonderful country,I wanna stay here until I die.A country full of friendly people that I love. Unfortunately Brazil is ruled by thieves,murderers,drug dealers,greedy bastards…all sort of evilness are spreaded at will for those who owns the power around here.I assure you,the reality here is even worse than what you see on the news. They say the dictatorship is gone for years,I think that´s a lie.Politicians can steal,cops can kill,there´s no punishment for them,this is the land of corruption. The future is a wonderful country on the brink of doom,starvation,death,sickness… Sad thing on it is that´s not a far future,that´s happening already.

11-How would you like Brazil to be?
Jeferson: I´m pretty sure Brazil would be one of the best countries around the globe without all the shit i´ve mentioned on the last question,but i´m also sure,it´s impossible to get rid off ,we´re humans,you know,humans tends to fucks up with everything.

12-What do you know about Japan? What do you admire about this country?
Jeferson: Unfortunatelly I have never been there before,the bit I know is what some friends tells,tv and internet.I must go there someday,I wanna know more than syoucyou sake,asahi beer and the same weekly fukushima news on tv.

13-Many Brazilian bands want to play in Japan, what’s the possibility of Unfit Scum coming here for a tour?
Jeferson: Hell yeah mate,we´d like to go too,we just need some more time to organize everything,you know,get visas to japan or u.s.a is kind a difficult to Brazilians. Would be great to see our friends,play with some bands we respect most and visit cities like:Osaka,Tokyo,Gifu,Kyushu,Mie,Nagoya,Hiroshima,Tsuyama,Fukuoka…

14-What do you know about the Japanese hardcore scene? What bands do you like, and what impresses you about them?
Jeferson: I like the way jap records and gigs are released and happens without delays.Japanese gig organizers and labels has a lot of respect for bands and people involved on it,that´s a thing impresses me a lot,here´s just the opposite.Almost impossible to find a label interested on supporting the bands,example gigs? all of them starts delayed. About the Japanese bands I like,hmm the list is endless,I like almost everything from there,since traditional hardcore,burning spirit,Kyushu noise style to crasher crust,grindcore…,bands like:TYPHUS,G-ZET,LIP CREAM,IKKA SHINJUU,DEADLESS MUSS,GAUZE,KURO,OUTO,GUDON,GAI,SIEG HEIL,CONFUSE,SWANKYS,GISM,CROW,SO WHAT,THE RUSTLER,THE SEXUAL,JYUDEN SOUCHI,STATE CHILDREN,ZOUO,TETSU ARREY,THE EXECUTE,DEATH SIDE,S.D.S.,FRIGÖRA,DECEIVING SOCIETY,FRAMTID,DISCLOSE,EFFIGY,CONTROL,SENSELESS APOCALIPSE,UNHOLY GRAVE,GLOOM,DISPROVE,LAUKKAUS,BATTLE OF DISARM,G-SPOT,MAMBIKI CHOCOLATE,TRANQUILIZER,A.T. DET,JANKY,”Z”… just to mention very few.

15-What message do you have for Japanese readers and Unfit Scum fans here in Japan?
Jeferson: Everything is getting more and more banal,more and more people and bands are getting trendy,selling themselves,and losing their true essence.The days are passing by and we´re just a few of the big crowd it used to be.The alienation of the digital era,the fashion and the killer routine of the modern days are smashing our revolt. But instead of it all there are still some people who believes and have interest on a strong scene,my message is for those people.,I want to say that here on the other side of the world ,has at least a few people with similar ideals,we must try to find a way to put our strengths together and search our ideals at any cost. STAY STRONG!!

Contacts:
unfitscum@hotmail.com
www.reverbnation.com/mongrelbastard