Hardware #8
AUTHOR'S NOTE}I first heard SEPTIC DEATH on the P.E.A.C.E. compilation in 1984
"Silence" was one of the stand out tracks on that out-of-print, but essentail
double LP. At the time Pushead was writing for MRR and was known for his use of
"big" words when reviewing records. He was also becoming well known for his
exceptional art. Many hardcore records in the early eighties had Pushead art,
either on the cover, label or lyric sheets. Then came the amazing flyers. SEPTIC
DEATH would then release their classic 12". As with bands like the GERMS and THE
NIHILISTICS, SEPTIC DEATH to me are "aquired taste". They are not for everyone
and you definately have to be in the right mood to listen to them.
Towards the end of the Eighties, Pushead was being noticed outside the hardcore
circle and ended up doing art for alot of "big" acts, most notibly METALLICA.
Then he seemed to disappear all together. Well in the past few years, Pushead
started a new label and begun a "fan club" which is very popular. He also is
doing more art than ever before and that of course is a good thing.
Well..where do I begin with this one. About a year and a half ago, Brett and I
decided we wanted to interview Pushead. Both of us(and quite a few others) had
a million questions to ask. We knew that is was said that the last interview ever
was back in 1990. The challenge was on. We tried friends of his and other sources
but the answer was no across the board. Fuck, oh well, we tried. Then when I least
expect it, Dan from CAVITY calls me up and said Pushead will do it. Holy shit!!!
Stop the presses!! It was a shocker because we were turned down so much. I guess
persistance pays off(at least in this case).
I want to thank Pushead for his time, effort and the inspiration he has given us.
For those who might not know, HARDWARE is named after a SEPTIC DEATH song. The
lyrics have always meant alot to me and I'm sure many others have found them to be
inspiring also. Hope you like this...Dave K.
P.S. As I went over the review section, I noticed that the review for the Bacteria
Sour "Taste" comp. CD wasn't included. My apologies to Pushead. Check it out, it's
pretty good-DK
Hardware:
How does hardcore relate to your art and how did you get involved with the two?
Did you have any formal art training? Is art your only source of income now? What
other mainstream stuff beside METALLICA have you done?
Pushead:
First off:What is hardcore and how does it relate to anything? I say this, because
since the evolution of hardcore/punk music, even though I don't consider the two the
same, but one bred the other, it seems like a system of divisions has continually
happened. Dividing the people who gotten involved for the love of the music. Too many
rules, restrictions and hypothetical stances that make anyone involved confused to
what's going on beyond the sound.
I was into hardcore music before I did art for the music, even though I did art way
before the music. It was 1980, when I did a few illusrations that I hoped would be
used for gig flyers in L.A. I sent these pieces down to my good friend Glen E. Friedman
(I was living in Idaho at the time...) who I had known through the "Skatepark" days.
Glen was involved in L.A. photographing this new explosion of bands like BLACK FLAG,
CIRCLE JERKS, etc...Glen was pretty aggressive(to say the least...) and I had figured
he might possibly show some of this art around. He did and some of it got used.
In conjunction with this, I was corresponding though the mail with good people in
Washington, D.C., NYC, Boston, and the Detroit area, as well as correspondence in England,
Scandanavia, and Japan. I had originally thought to conceive a fanzine, but when I sent
out samples of the art, there was more interest in the art than the fanzine. I was busy
doing lots of art and listening to the rise of a great generation of bands. Totally
excited to be a part of it all!
As for art training, i am basically self-taught. But I would recommend for anyone who
can to go to school for art, just so you can use the equipment they have vailable.
It can be very helpful. Artwork is not my only form of income and I have to work long
hours to make money from the art.
I don't know why it seems so important to be concerned whether its mainstream or underground,
it is just all art to me, and every "client" whether from the mainstream or underground
treats you different. I couldn't say one is better than the other. Beside stuff for
METALLICA...RUSH, AEROSMITH, SOUNDGARDEN, MINISTRY, etc...
Hardware
How did you get involved with MRR and why did you stop writing for them?
What do you think of them now as far as policies go, etc...?
Pushead
I was in contact with Tim when he was doing the early days of the radio show.
I sent him some xeroxes of art, but he said he had no uses for them. After he did the
"Not So Quiet..." double LP, he decided to do the magazine and I submitted a piece for
the first issue. After that I contributed regularly doing interviews, articles, and reviews.
When I stopped at MRR, it was during a period when I was extremely busy(too busy...)
and I decided to put more of my effort into "puszone" since I felt it was attracting a
different audience than MRR who had an established audience and I wanted to continue to
introduce new sounds to new minds.
As far as their policies go, I think it's quite funny how many people cry over everything
that MRR does whether its positive or negative. Everyone has the ability to create,
sometimes I think it would be better if they did that, than whining and worrying about what
MRR does. I see Tim as the editor of MRR, which means it's his responsibility, no matter
who does what and at the end of his day, his choices or chances have made it what it is.
He created it, it is what he believes in. When he started it back in 1982, not too many
fanzines represented hardcore as a worldwide music and the MRR format still exists today.
That's a tough one to continue.
Hardware
What is the complete SEPTIC DEATH story? Who wrote all the music, etc? How did you
hook-up with Kirk from METALLICA to play on the "Kichigai" 7"? How many shows did you guys
play? Did you ever tour? What was the best SD show? Is there any unreleased material?
Was the Lost and Found record legit? What about the alleged SD boxed set?
Pushead
SEPTIC DEATH was formed in Boise in 1981. It was created based on my desire to
manufacture music similar to what we were listening to, and the fact that there were no
hardcore bands in Boise. Only Top 40 cover bar bands. In the beginning, it was just a
project band that had no desire to play live or record, just make "fast" music. A friend
of ours would come by to our practices(without a bass player at the time...) and just
start talking about our band to everyone he knew. By the time our bass player came in,
he had asked someone to help get us to play live at some radio promotion pizza parlor
birthday bash, which we did end up playing, but most of our friends were having so much
fun, we were asked to stop after six songs, since this other band felt we were stealing
the show from their spotlight(not a "punk" band). Oddly this lead to another gig being
put on by an underground noise band a couple of months later across the street from the
pizza parlor. Someone recorded this show and we sent a tape up to our friends POISON IDEA
in Portland. Tom and Jerry loved the tape and invited us to play in Portland with them.
So we did. It was great to experience such new young talent like POISON IDEA and FINAL
WARNING, it made us develop more since it was such a positive force. We started putting
up shows in Boise, so Boise could experience what we saw in Portland (and L.A.), it grew
from there, beyond anything we ever expected.
All SEPTIC DEATH music is created as follows. The song structure is broken down into parts
by myself, then Onj and I work on guitar riffs. Once he has enough riffs, we assemble it
and see if it works. Then the music is completely put together with drums and bass.
(I have always been picky about the drum sound and the way the drums are played). Once
the music is finished, the lyrical portion of the song is fully constructed then vocalized.
Every song has a working title until it is finished. Sometimes Onj and I could create 7
songs in one sitting. There are many songs we never recorded.
As far as Kirk playing on "Kichigai"(or on "Crocodile Tears" with Tad), since he's my
friend, I just asked him and he wanted to do it. It was a lot of fun with Kirk in the
studio, he was just really loose and fast. He could come up with riffs quickly and was
easy to work with. Lots of our firnds play on SEPTIC DEATH tracks. Tad was origianlly
from Boise and a big SEPTIC DEATH fan(as we later found out...) who went to all the gigs.
I have no idea how many total actual gigs we played and we did tour only the West Coast.
As far as the best SD show goes, I'd say it have to be 2 or 3 different Boise shows, not
because of SEPTIC's performance, but because of the crowd. Just so fun to see everyone
singing along, having fun, going crazy, doing death piles.
SEPTIC DEATH unreleased material? Yes..there's some. A few of those tracks will be
released on "Crossed Out Twice" which comes out mid 1996 and is an anthology of SEPTIC DEATH,
but some songs will never be released, since we had an unforseen problem with the master
2" reels, and how glue seperated from the tape. When run, the tape/glue would stick to the
heads, thus ruining the music. It's a bit more complicated and technical than this, but
this is the general idea to explain it. We found out that there was a bad batch of 2"
tape and even some "big name" acts were affected by this bad tape. I saved what I could,
but some tracks could not be saved and are lost. It was a sad day when Onj and I were in
the studio and the engineer first made us aware of this problem. There is a SEPTIC DEATH
box set. I made a few using test pressings and artwork. Lost and Found=bootleg, anyone
can figure that out.
Hardware
Why did you end Pusmort and start Bacteria Sour? How do you choose bands? How does one
get into the fanclub?
Pushead
I stopped using the name Pusmort for a variety of reasons. The main one being...that
when I started the label, it was just a combination of two words, of when I signed some of
the early L.A. flyer art as Pushead Lamort (La Mort is French for death). As time went on
I decided to do "Cleanse the Bacteria" and since that was a lot of fun I decided to continue
doing the label and the name stayed. It was unique. The problem I ran into, which is more
of a personal thing, as the art became more popular, the name Pushead became more popular.
When I would do a release, especially if I did a cover, produced, or was in the band, the
credits would just have too much "pus" in it. With the label being Pusmort, it was all too
much for me. Then a few things happened, which in turn had me slowing down the label.
When I decided to kick it back in gear, I decided to change the name, give it a fresh
start and open it up so I could be more than just a label to do other things/projects.
I'm still working on the structure/formation of Bacteria Sour and it should all come more
in focus in 1996. It's still a mystery now. I want it to be a fun project orientated type
thing, than just a business. Bands are chosen on their sound and how I like it.
The fan club was created so I could express a lot of ideas and be able to communicate.
At one point, the mail got overwhelming for me and since I do everything by myself, it
became hard. Especially since I was so fond of writing back, it was really difficult. When
I started putting so much pressure on my hand doing art, letters, etc... that my hand
became inflamed in pain and sometimes went numb. I had to make some changes or I would do
some permanent damage. There was really no one way to explain. So the fan club was born.
It's been really fun. You get to the true core of the fans and their ideas/opinions which
is exciting. I've tried to keep it very small so I can handle it by myself. The small press
runs that I do, led to serious delays which are frustrating, but everyone seems to enjoy the
end result. To join, just write for info. Phase 2 which exists right now is closed. Phase
3 should start this summer(of '96).
Hardware
We heard you had tinnitus and can't go to any shows. True?
Pushead
Yes, it's true. But I do go to shows-rarely. When I first heard of anyone having tinnitus,
it was Nick Blinko of Rudimentary Peni. It was hard to imagine what he was telling me. That
his ears would always ring, non-stop, no matter what, it didn't go away. So when it happened
to me, I fully understood. I've been to the ear doctor, and I've learned certain facts about
it. It's hard to deal with, but you get used to it. I don't want to do any more damage and
loud music is the first thing to stay clear of. Even if I wear ear plugs, my ear will ring
louder than normal, so I spend more time listening to recorded music than live. I could tell
everyone to be cautious, wear plugs, but it won't help. 'Til the day comes when the ringing
should of stopped and it doesn't. Ringing in the ears is the first sign of damage. If it
lasts more than 24 hours, time to think what your future sound might be.
Hardware
Other than the cover SSD's "Get It Away", is there any other hidden messages in your art?
Pushead
Sometimes there is. But I never tell anyone anymore, just let the viewer see what they see.
Can you believe someone found some kind of subliminal message in Disney's Aladdin? You really
got to be bored and desperate to seek out what they found. Society is really becoming a comedy
routine.
Hardware
What about those sculptures? What are they all about, how does one get one, etc..? New
ones coming out?
Pushead
What do you mean. "What about those sculptures?" (you saw them.) There's 2. "Rising From
Her Shadow Blood" and "Hydrobaby". They are unpainted resin and extremely well crafted. My
friends' company "Planet Earth" made them. I don't know if Planet Earth will be doing anymore.
I will still make some. You can write to me and I can send info, if you're interested.
Hardware
Your art seems less "graphic" these days. How did this come about and was it a conscious
decision? Do you ever have "artist's cramp" and can't think of anything to do?
Pushead
I guess it depends on what you see and how you perceive it. Everyone has a different opinion
when it comes to art, especially in what they see in it. As far as if has it been my decision to
make it less graphic, I just alwyas try to create ideas, whether graphic or not, it's always been
that way. If you talk to one person, skulls are "graphic" and another might say its no big deal.
I feel you don't need to show blood to be graphic. Fear exists in the mind and everyone's fear is
different. What scares on person makes another laugh. Then again, look at the METALLICA "One"
sleeve. A quad-amputee who is hanging on display in the cornerm who has swung back and forth
smashing the bloody limbs against the wall to spell "METALLICA". The concept is sick, the image is
graphic, but one of METALLICA's members said to me, "It looks cute." This single sold more than
1,000,000 copies worldwide. Do you think people bought this based on the cover? HAHAHAHA!!!
Not artist's cramp, I get that in my hand. More of the "Artist's Block" but I rarely get that.
There's always something to think to do. Sometimes its more the composition and the execution
to make it work right that's much more trouble than the idea itself. Especially if you are working
in a time frame. Sometimes its amazing what can be created and completed in a 24 hour period when
that's all the time you've got, it's almost like two different trains of thought.
Hardware
Have you done any gallery showings since the one at Psychedelic Solution in NYC and how did
that come about anyway?
Pushead
I've only done that gallery show. I'm not much of a gallery person myself, so I don't push
for that avenue to showcase the illustrations. The show itself came through he suggestions of Rick
Griffin who I became friends with and was really inspired by what I drew. Which was an unusual
turnaround for me, since I have always loved Rick's work, since I was little. He had the utmost
talent and creative imagination, it's so sad that he passed away, there was so much creativity in
him. Anyway, Rick had had shows at that gallery and was good friends with Jaecaber who runs the
place. Then Jaecaber contacted me and I was surprised. I decided to do it and see what it was
like. It was an interesting experience. I do not know whether I would do it again or not, but
there seems to be a demand for it.
Hardware
What was Boise, Idaho like as far as the scene went back in the early '80's and how did you
end up in SF?
Pushead
Boise. The beauty of nature versus a cultural desert. And smolering in there someplace was
an underground scene of hardcore. Until we started outting on our own shows, hardcore was something
we experienced out of town, usually in L.A. or S.F., that's where we went to shows, bought records,
etc... It just didn't exist in Boise. When I tried to put on that first show, it would have been
great: MISFITS, POISON IDEA, 7 SECONDS, SEPTIC DEATH, DISSIDENT MILITIA, etc...
But the MISFITS van blew up in Las Vegas and we had to cancel it. There always seems to be a curse
on Boise for years No gigs or cancellations, and I felt we were the victim of it also. So finally
the first gig happened. We built the stage, got the hall, did all the promotion and worked so hard.
I was in charge of getting the bands since I was in communication with everyone. The first gig would
feature YOUTH BRIGADE, STRETCHMARKS, SEPTIC DEATH and DISSIDENT MILITIA.
We had no idea what to expect, but it turned out great. About 300 people showed up and it was one
of the craziest shows. There was so many people on stage during YOUTH BRIGADES's set, we thought
it would collapse. Soon after that the craziness would continue for bands like 7 SECONDS,
THE F.U.'s, THE FREEZE, etc...The bands couldn't believe the energy that existed in Boise.
No fights, just fun. During that time, there was a small handful of bands...Besides SEPTIC
DEATH, there was DISSIDENT MILITIA(who later bacame STATE OF CONFUSION, who later
formed a side band, TREEPEOPLE), BLIND ACCEPTANCE, COMMON ISSUE, SKIDMARKS,
THE PUGS(a rockabilly band), TECHNO PEASANTS( a noise band) and SHADES
OF GRAY, who were from Twin Falls(100 miles east of Boise). There were no actual record stores
that specialized in the sound. Just a small punk section of ome store. So mail-order was the key.
There were a lot of people who had big record collections of hardcore. All in all the scene was
very small when I left in 1984.
Hardware
Have you heard the INTEGRITY versions of the two SD songs?
Pushead
Yes, I've heard the single. I found out about it after it was finished. It's good and very
similar to the original. I never thought people would cover SEPTIC DEATH songs (RORSHACH did
"Hardware") much less be influenced by the music. I'm in communication with Dwid(INTEGRITY)
and it's amazing that he is getting the entire SEPTIC DEATH 12" cover tattooed on his back.
I met someone who had the "Kichigai" person tattooed on their arm, but this, that's alot of
detail. Also, I just finished the cover for the new INTEGRITY "Humanity is the Devil". I
wonder if Dwid will get a tattoo of that too? Ha Ha.
Hardware
Do you still do flyers at all?
Pushead
No. Nor have I done posters(in this collectable rock poster age) either. Wait, I did do a
small printed poster for the 16 Japan Tour, and a small postcard for the ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT
Japan Tour. No one really asks for flyer art, just xeroxs that they could use for flyers.
Hardware
You always seemed to be more interested in foreign hardcore than American. Why?
Pushead
I would say that's a misrepresentation, but I can understand why. Being a reviewer at the
time, American hardcore was easy to get and different people could review it. But foreign
hardcore was hard to get, and I had sources to always get it. I thought a % of the stuff was
amazing and I wanted people to know about it. There's no reason to review BLACK FLAG or
CIRCLE JERKS(even though I did that when their first releases came out...) when everyone reviews
that or knows it. So I spent more of my time to the unknown. 10-15 years ago, I was able to
hear some great bands like ASYLUM, RDIMENTARY PENI(UK), ANTI-CIMEX, SHITLICKERS,
CRUDE SS(Sweden), TERVEET KADET(Finland), JESUS AND THE GOSPELFUCKERS, AGENT
ORANGE(Holland), CIVIL DISSIDENT, MASSAPPEAL(Australia), NEOS(Canada), GISM,
EXECUTE, OUTO(Japan) just to name a few, and I felt other people should hear these
great powerful bands. That's also one of the reasons I did "Cleanse the Bacteria".
Hardware
Will "Cleanse the Bacteria" or any of the old Pusmort stuff ever be released on CD?
Pushead
"Cleanse the Bacteria" will never come out on CD. A lot of people ask for it, but it was
a vinyl release, it would be hard to contact all the bands to see if they would want it on CD.
I would rather make "Cleanse the Bacteria" Vol. 2(Ten Years Later...) and that's what I plan to do.
{AUTHOR'S NOTE}The first set of questions were done through the mail per Pushead's request.
He wanted to get all the major questions out of the way first, then speak to us on the phone.
Which was a great idea, but nobody figured that the phone part would be close to an hour and a
half(the following text is only the first hour, the rest was not captured on tape, which is
actually a damn shame). In the beginning the interview is a little stiff(due to bad questions
on our part) though hang in there because it gets good. Interview via phone on Valentine's Day
1996...............
Hardware
When it comes to the art, how do you actually prepare and do everything? Do you do pencils
first and the do inks, or just inks?
Pushead
I do pencils first. It's hard to describe to you without getting too technical. You might
not understand. First I have to get the paper ready and figure out the kind of paper that I want
to use because each kind of paper has a different kind of texture and I can get it to work different
ways. Then it's centering and how you are going to do the composition. And then I go through and
do the pencils. I try not to overdo the pencils so I don't smear it with my hand. So I might ink
certain parts and then pencil more. Ink it so it doesn't go through that. Once I have say a base
line work of it, then I'll start to go in and do detail.
Hardware
So basically you have your own way of doing it. Not a set of mechanics or anything.
Pushead
Yeah, I have my own way of doing it, though it's probably similar to other people. I know
comic book artists there is a penciler, he pencils the whole page. Then it goes to an inker and
an inker inks it. That's why if you go and buy a copy of Spider-Man from ten years ago to a
copy of Spider-Man today and it's the same artist and it looks different, it could be the inker.
Hardware
The inker pretty much erases everything and does his own stuff.
Pushead
Not always. You wouldn't have people like Jack Kirby if people did that. It just depends on
who you found to ink, to ink what he had done.
Hardware
Did you ever get any offers to do comic work?
Pushead
Hmmm..I think so, I really...it's not something that I keep track of. It just wasn't for me.
Hardware
It's not something that interests you then.
Pushead
Nah. even Dave Stevens was pushing me to do comics for somebody. I kept on telling him this
is not what I want to do. I like looking at comics. I don't want to work in that kind of industry.
Also, the way I render is different than what they do in comic books becasue comic books is pretty
straight, either brush or a certain kind of pen stroke. I don't use those elements very often to
draw with because I'd rather have a broken up scratchy line and a brush makes a really clean line.
That's what they really look for. Also, it's really quick. Alot of times, when you look at comic
books, inkers can do 3 pages an hour.
Hardware
Really? That fast?
Pushead
Oh yeah. I could never even get that close. If you know Simon Bisley's or Bill Sienkiewicz's
work and their painted stuff, they do like two a day, but they are just like really fast in the way
that they do things.
Hardware
Well, how long doews..like as an example, when you did the "Cleanse the Bacteria" design, how
long did that take?
Pushead
I really don't remember.
Hardware
Well, how about something more recent, like, I don't know...but on average how fast does it
take you to do something?
Pushead
Well, if you take "Cleanse the Bacteria" now, it has a lot of different types of detail. Now I
do even more detail than I did before. So something now where I should actually take less time
for what it's being used for, I end up taking more time. Just because I like the original to look
a certain way. With T-shirt art, all I need to do basically is to do the line work and seperate
where the colors are going to go. But I still do all that detail, it doesn't even show up on
the T-Shirt. Jesus, I think, "Why am I doing all this" but I like the original to look a certain way.
Hardware
What do you do with all your originals?
Pushead
They are sitting here.
Hardware
I wish they were sitting here!(laughter)
Pushead
Well, I started to sell some of them because I have too many. The last time I sold any of
them was when I did the gallery show in '89. I haven't sold any since, except for recently I
offered them for the Fan Club and I offered them for relatively pretty cheap.
Hardware
How about "Get It Away"?
Pushead
I don't have "Get It Away". Al has that one.
Hardware
Well, that would make sense.
Pushead
He was the one who came up with the idea, "No Humans".
Hardware
Just alot of newspapers blowing around.
Pushead
Well, basically he wanted it to look like a dead end alley and all the stuff that...I don't
know how he actually said it, but something like how different kinds of trash was kinda pushed into
the alley. I don't remember if that's where it goes or if that's where it belongs. With "Get It
Away", the original is much better than the way it got printed.
Hardware
It's the silver.
Pushead
It's not the silver so much. There is a lot of grey washes in it that doesn't come out in it,
and it comes out as black lines. Because they didn't half-tone it right. I don't know. But people
see it as it is and that's the way it's represented. That's an old piece.
Hardware
Do you have any favorite artists?
Pushead
I have tons of favorite artists. I don't think you can be an artist and not enjoy other
people's art.
Hardware
Is there aby artists that people might look for that people think are good?
Pushead
Well, if they like what I do and they want to see what I'm influenced by is to get anything by
Virgil Fenley(spelling?) He was an artist that basically drew for pulps and science fiction magazines
in the '40's and '50's. He died in the '60's. There is a company that is re-issuing some of his
books because some of his early books are really hard to get. When I look at his stuff, he's just
a master of detail and how to put it together. he was so prolific that in his lifetime, he did
like 3000 pieces. That's alot.
Hardware
What do you think of more modern artists such as Boris or the Hilderbrant Brothers?
Pushead
It's okay, but it's not something I buy the books of or look at. I think that Boris just wants
to be Frazetta. Alot of people just want to be Frazetta. Because I think Frazetta came out and was
very strong in the sixties into the '70s, it inspired a lot of different artists from Boris to
Jeff Jones. They all saw what he was doing and how the popularity was. You know, a lot of artists
do that. They get influenced by somebody and they kinda rework their style based on what they like.
Sometimes they can become a better artist and sometimes the can look like somebody else.
Hardware
OK, about the fan club. I know you explained earlier in the written interview..how does one get
into it, how much money is it?
Pushead
Well, I won't say how much money it is 'cause the Phase that I'm on now is closed. The next
phase would probably be a different price according to what feel is...
Hardware
So people just have to write you and find out.
Pushead
Yeah. For Phase Two, we had a little form that had a little index card that you fill it all out.
It makes it easier for us to do reference. We find out stuff like...what kind of fanzine that people
like to read, because then we know...you know I try to do this whole promo thing, but I think it's a
disaster becasue the way the system works and so I'd rather give promos to magazines that are really
going to do something with it. If people can write in and tell us about magazines that they read,
then you can research it and buy them at the store and see what it is that they like.
Hardware
Sometimes I don't understand how labels operate when they send out hundreds of copies of stuff
everywhere. It must cost a fortune and it really doesn't do anything for them.
Pushead
Well, I think as a label you are in a difficult position. You could have a band that well
"We want Press". See ourselves everywhere. You are faced with that dilemma of well you have a
choice that they might or a choice that they might not. Many times the success of a band radio
or press wise, is due to the people working in it, based on who they know or don't know. And if
that particular person catches on to the sound or whatever attracts them to the music. There could
be great, great bands out there, but people just don't catch onto it at that time. It goes nowhere.
Hardware
I'd imagine a lot of people send you records and stuff just becuase they would want to get your
opinion on their music. I was wondering how you handle a situation like this?
Pushead
In which way?
Hardware
Let's say you get something...You gotta understand that people will probably respect you opinion
just because of who you are and how long you have been involved and things you accomplished. I was
wondering how do you get across to someone that you don't like what they did without like writing
them off or whatever? Do you get back to all these people because I can imagine it must take up alot
of time just for that.
Pushead
Well, there is different sides to it and there is probably side to it that you didn't even think
of. First, there's the person. According to what Dave said, you are going to put out a FLOORPUNCH
record, right? We will use that as an example. You send me a FLOORPUNCH record and I say I
particularily like it. Especially in the days when I was writing reviews and me, I never look
at my reputation as the utmost importance. I just do what I do and I have done that. My popularity
has grown over the years but I still don't try to change the way I do things. Say if I do like the
FLOORPUNCH record, it can work in two different ways. One, I can write you and say "yeah, I think
it's really good." and another I could write a review of it. The band could go "Wow! This is really
good. It's a good kick in our butt. It really influences us. We have done something good and we
want to progress with it.: Or it could work the other way where all of a sudden, they take it out
of context and the go around bragging how someone like myself recommended that their band was this
great. It goes to their heads. I'm not responsible for those kinda things, but they do happen.
At the same time, say what exists in our society when you see press clippings or press reports for
movies or music...it's like I could also write a bad review of FLOORPUNCH. Somewhere in there I
could say, "Packs a whallop that puts you to sleep,"(laughter) but you at the label writes "Packs a
whallop!" It is exactly what I said but it's not the complete of it. And it's so misleading.
There's alot of things that can happen when you recieve something like that. Even sometimes with
stuff I like. I don't have a chance to write back and basically you try to listen to everything
fairly and what would attract you to what you like. Sometimes you could get five tapes in one day
and you could put on all five tapes and it could be amazing, but every tape sounds the same.
Each one could defeat itself and you have to go back and listen to each one in a different way.
Or you see that there is no potential in the songs or the song writing. Sometimes what most
important about a band is how they write songs. There are some bands that people think are great
bands but they don't write great songs. A lot of people think that. "Oh, this is the greatest
thing!" If one person thinks it's the greatest thing, then another person wants to check it out.
It goes from that.
Hardware
Do more people send you recorded material because the think "Hey, Pushead's going to like this"
becasue of the type of material it is or because they are hoping to get on your record label?
Pushead
I think it's a combination of both of those and other things. Sometimes they just want to know
your opinion. Everybody approaches it differently though. Now some people will straight out say
would you people be interested in doing something with us and some will say "What do you think?"
or "I think you might like this". Say in a case, where'll I'll be working with a band like
CAVITY...someone in the fan club who was a friend of CAVITY sent me their record, "I thought you
might like this. Please enjoy it." with no motive for me to release it. Whenever I communicate
with anybody I have no idea. I don't think "Oh yeah, they'll say yes. They'll want to do a record
with me." I don't think so. I just hope to get their letter back with "Yeah. we'd like to do
something."
{AUTHOR'S NOTE}(At this point I ask a generally stupid question, "Do you think bands were better
ten years ago? or something to the effect of that. We then discuss the unfairness of it. We are
really running out of questions now(though we have a million in our subconcious) Luckily, Brett
breaks the ice.
Hardware
When was the last interview you did?
Pushead
In Japan, '94.
Hardware
I remember seeing one in Thrasher
Pushead
That was the last one in the U.S.
Hardware
It said "Last Pushead Interview"
Actually, the SOLD OUT interview said it was the last one
Pushead
I think both of them came out around the same time. I think I did the SOLD OUT one over the
phone with him a little bit. I don't even remember it. It was a good fanzine, but many people don't
know much about it though.
Hardware
We had a little 'zine was. My old 'zine I had a big beef with him.
I liked it. Other than your label is there anything that you are involved with locally as far as
music goes?
Pushead
Yeah, probably?
Hardware
Probably?
Pushead
I mean...how do you break it down to what you do.
Hardware
Well, do you help out others with their endeavors whatever they might be?
Pushead
I can recommend something over here. I can contact somebody and say, "Hey, my friend has a shop
in Japan and would like your record can I buy some from you and send it over there." Then you get a
record in a spot where the people have never been or do you want to deal direct. Like you guys asked
in the interview about INTEGRITY doing SEPTIC DEATH. I asked Dwid. "I have some friend's shop in
Japan, they'd like to get some. Can I get some from you?" "Oh yeah, no problem!" Try to put other
people together. You know, matchmaker. The dating game.(laughter)
Hardware
So basically you are doing the same thing as before.
Pushead
Yeah. Just doing the same thing I have always done. I don't think I've changed things as to the
way I do things. It's just that over time it just became...
Hardware
You see the reason we are asking questions like this is because you really aren't in the public
eye too much. A lot of people are interested in what you did, who you are but don't have enough
information about you in general. Just try finding out.
Pushead
But that's more my doing though. I'm more of a reclusive type person and I like my privacy.
I'm not going to run up to people and say "Hey! I'm Pushead! How are you doing?"(laughter) I'll
stand there and not really do that. That's every person's prerogative to choose what they want to
do. I'll try to do the communication the best that I can. Some people get mad. I think it's
redundant to do interviews and talk about myself and what I do. I think most bands, it's almost
pathetic to where it is a new record and "Oh, this record is much better than our last record."
Then when they do the next record. "Oh, this record's much better than the last record." You're like,
"This is what the public wants to read?" It's like we have to glamorize something and make fiction
into fact. I think it all just becomes redundant. My logic is let people just look at the artwork
and enjoy the artwork. Even with the fan club, I do the fan club more just to communicate with
people. But what am I going to do, have the "PUSHEAD INTERVIEW"? Like we do this interview
and I'll get some issues to let them read what you guys came up with. Then they see your magazine
and see what you have to do with anything. I always give that kind of information through the
fan club becasue there's still people out there who want to find out information about all different
walks of life. They might want to know about this that or another thing. Hey, they know nothing
about FLOORPUNCH.
Hardware
Reaching back to the early days of punk and hardcore, how do you feel about seeing people on
MTV talking about punk? Something that you were involved with at its early stages.
Pushead
Well, people are going to classify, judge, and do whatever they want. That's what they are going
to do. I don't really care, but it really kind of confusing to me when a band like NIRVANA comes
out and says, "We're punk." I'm like, "Ah, I kinda missed that." Then you are going to get a
classification where..I don't have nothing against NIRVANA, but I don't understand where they're
punk. I don't understand that at all.
Hardware
You gotta figure most of these people who say they are into punk, they have never been to a
show where independent people put it on, booked the bands and rented the hall.
Pushead
I think when a lot of people go to shows, I don't think they pay attention to who did what.
Only a select few bunch of people pay attention to some aspects.
Hardware
Yeah, you know you can tell as time goes on, as cycles go, who is in charge of things who's
paying attention. The older people are usually running the show, organizing things or setting up
distributions. Usually the younger crowd are the people who come and suck it all in. Hopefully,
some of them will do the same thing when they get older. I think the turnover rate is about 97%.
Pushead
I think the problem that exists in hardcore/punk or whatever is that there is such seperatism
that exists. Everybody has their own ideas on what should be done and how it should be done.
It's almost like a selfish little in-crowd, but the in-crowd has fifty different chapters.
Some people will go, "Oh, you are a new guy. You don't belong here, you like GREEN DAY!" How's
anybody to know that GREEN DAY was the starting point to get him to go to the show at CB's,
turn him onto FLOORPUNCH. We are really giving them a lot of publicity.
Hardware
They'll be really happy about that.
Pushead
I still have no idea what they sound like.
Hardware
They sound like YOUTH OF TODAY.
Pushead
The point that I'm trying to make is that this individual could come there and he could be the
one that gets so influenced by going down the line, that he could be the one who starts a cool
record label or a cool fanzine. But you got these people who control the scene are like, "We are
going to beat you up. Get out of here!" You scare away...then there that line like, "well, we
don't want our scene to get too much bigger." Oh gee, you might as well have shotguns at the door,
if they don't fit your criteria.
Hardware
Believe me, I'd like to sometimes.
Pushead
Sometimes, I think the people who should be shot are the people who think they are inferior.
It's like I saw a letter in a fanzine and I won't quote anything about it. Somebody wrote their
opinion and what they felt about it. He was basically pointing the finger at one individual in
one band. They guy responded and what the guy wrote back made him look worse than if he would have
said nothing.
Hardware
Instead of keeping his mouth shut and looking stupid, he opened his mouth and proved it.
Pushead
What he wrote was like, "Yeah, I'm telling him" and he'll talk to his friends and they'll say.
"Yeah, we are telling him." It's like, "Hey buddy! You look even worse now than..." He should have
just said, "Hey, sorry this all happened." It would have been much more diplomatic to say something
like that. But nah, hnah. Why don't you get both feet and stick them down your throat?
Hardware
I hope you are not talking about me.(laughter)
Pushead
But I think what has happened, and I even see it in your fanzine. You guys have done it too.
Especially in hardcore and in the world in general, people are taking their opinions a little too
seriously and they are letting them run amok a little bit. And the opinions aren't well-thoughtout.
I think that people are printing letters by other people and there is a responsibility in it.
A lot of the letters are a lot of diatribe of people explaining the whole life history of something
instead of just making their point. They are taking up a lot of space so it looks good, but it's
not reading good. I think a lot of these opinions have just really gotten out of control. Of course,
when you can turn on TV and watch these talk shows, and you have these people coming on with their
love life and crisises and what they think is right or wrong. Someone could honestly
get up there and go, "They abused me for years so I took the knife and butchered their face."
And the crowd claps and applauds? You start to wonder. It's like what's the mentality here. I
hope you understand what I'm saying.
Hardware
Yeah, I know a lot of people say that our 'zine, we have like strong opinions but at the same
time they respect it, because they read other 'zines that don't.
Pushead
I just think that people are taking things a little too far. Everybody has their opinions and
that's what we obviously live in America for is freedom. Though I think people have taken the
word freedom and taken that to a whole other thing. As long as people in groups and scenes like
hardcore and stuff, bicker on what we are doing how we are doing it, and who is doing this, this
is too metal, this is too hardcore...it's going to allow these people like the Religious Right to
come up in our society, which they are starting to do. We are going to have problems.
Right now, we can watch, we are all in an election year, we are watching all these idiots vying
for the big pole position and how they will do anything to win. They will say anything to win
and they will do whatever they have to do. Whether they contradict themselves to promise you
a million dollars or they take their opponents and rip them to shreds. All that matters is that
they get into that pole position and they are ready to run the Indy 500.
Hardware
Who are you going to vote for?
Exactly.
Pushead
What the hell are we going to vote at this period in time and this is only for like this
month. But it's like Bob Dole vs. Steve Forbes. "Steve Forbes is up in the poll!" and Bob Dole's
people are like, "Find something to discredit this guy! We want to win!" This is really something
for me to be selective about and this is my right to vote? That I'm looking at the two...the
Republican Party can go down the toilet as far as I can say, the two possible characters at this
point in time is Dole and Buchanan? You know, please we got a scary thing going.
Hardware
The thing I don't understand is, take somebody like Steve Forbes and he'll spend $14 million
a month campaigning for a $130,000 a year job or whatever the Presidency pays. Sounds like a bad
business decision to me. Like I wouldn't pay $200,000 for a $30,000 job.
Pushead
You should see the kind of write-off he could do for the I.R.S.
Hardware
Oh well, there's always that aspect.
{Author's Note} (At this point I had to change sides of the tape damn!!!)
Hardware
There's no politics in hardcore...(very sarcastic)
Pushead
Well, you know we are in this year and we have to go through all this you know, this crap.
Hardware
There is a lot of people, especially some of the kids in the hardcore scene that say, "Go out
and vote!" You have to vote. Vote for somebody!" or the take away vote. The vote where you know one
guy is going to win, so you vote for the opposite guy, just because you get that vote anyway. So you
put somebody in office and four years down the line everything gets screwed up again in a different
way.
Pushead
I think that the reality is that the American people don't pay attention to is that it's alot
more complicated than just electing a president and what the president wants to do. I think alot of
people at this point in time with this debate over to get a budget correct. It's like the president
is saying no and the Republican Party saying we want it this way. I think in the long run, it makes
it easier for Clinton to be re-elected 'cause I think more of the people believe in Clinton than
the other people. Then again, if Clinton gets too much ahead in the polls, then we are going to
have to bring up Whitewater and make him look bad. What does Whitewater have to do with anything.
It's what people grab onto to destroy people. The most important thing in the voting situation is
like the little propositions and stuff. But what I think confuses the public them most about them
is the way they are worded. Sometimes, people are being conned into voting for somebody that is not
correct. That's why you see propositions getting voted for and people are suing for it now. I love
it. The proposition wins and then people sue to block it. And the people who represent the company
is going to have to fail because of whatever the proposition did or something. The scary thing is
when you get into politics is the reality comes down to, luckily never happened, but when the day
comes everybody will rip up their voting priviledges when they find out the American people do not
vote for who becomes President. The electoral college does.
Hardware
That's basically what it boils down to. Nobody even realizes that. Oh, brother.
Pushead
That's what it breaks down to. The American people do not vote for who's president.
The Electoral College does and if it has to be Clinton vs. Dole and the public votes for
Clinton and the Electroal College votes for Dole. Boy, do we have a problem.
Hardware
That did almost happen once.
Pushead
But that's the kinda thing. At the same time when all this bickering goes on, and it's
being put on the national media. You know, we are telling the whole world. There is some
people out there who don't think that America is number one and the greatest place in the world.
It's really good to be giving out that kinda information. Sometimes, I wonder about the
intelligence of people and their need to know information.
Hardware
Look at what Clinton just did...the choices are made. Bob Dole, they think he is going
to become the Republican candidate and then Clinton just put his signature on a bill which will
change the whole Internet situation. Now they can deem whatever they think is indecent.
Get fined like $100,000 or jail for downloading something. It's really getting crazy. And it
seems like no matter what, you really don't have no power to stop it.
Pushead
But see, as long as the people live in fear and allow things to happen and let the whiners
of the world to complain about things that they think is bad, indecent, or work of satan and
those people attack, those people you have to look out for. As long as we live in a society
that's based around religion and religious beliefs and the fact that there is so many religious
sectors and they all believe in different things and one of the seem to get along. And in the
other countries they fight over what religion it is, these people think it's God and Jesus's
way to tell you how to be and not be. That's why this year's election is all going to be
based on the abortion issue. You wonder sometimes what people are really thinking.
Hardware
They can't even get the budget right and they expect everyone to go vote for all these people.
They totally screwed up everything by shutting down the government every couple of months.
Pushead
Basically, when we talk about politics, it's stuff that's presented to us according to the
