CLASSIC INTERVIEW: Abaz Van Baz (UNDERGOD / JASAD) talks with Busuk Chronicle, 3/4/2012

Dimas Damn (guitarist DEMONS DAMN) and Abaz (UNDERGOD / JASAD) @ EXTEND STUDIO, Ujung Berung, April 2012.

Our interview with Abaz (drummer UNDERGOD & JASAD (Ujung Berung, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia death-metal)

At: Ujung Berung, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

3 April 2012

Interview oleh: Kieran James, John Yoedi & Popo (BUSUK WEBZINE)

Interpretation & extra comments oleh: Popo (DEMONS DAMN & BUSUK WEBZINE)

Kieran James (Busuk Chronicles): How did you begin playing drums?

Abaz: I started at 18-years-old playing drums in senior high-school. I started playing songs from DYING FETUS “Grotesque Impalement” and “Straight of Blood”.

KJ: How did you learn drums?

Abaz: I learnt by myself.

KJ: Why did you like to be a drummer?

Popo: When I met Abaz for the first time he played bass in UNDERGOD.

KJ: How many albums has UNDERGOD had so far?

Popo: One album, Saguru Saelmu, 2008.

KJ: Why did the next album take so long?

Abaz: There is something, classic problem, we were busy.

Popo: Is it because you joined JASAD that the UNDERGOD album was delayed?

Abaz: No, that’s not a reason, the members are still busy.

KJ: Is there any message from the fans that they want a new album?

Abaz: Yes. The name for the fans of UNDERGOD is Kujang Mangprang. I hope that the fans can continue to support us and pray for us.

KJ: What were the events leading up to you joining JASAD?

Abaz: When Dani got married I helped JASAD as additional drummer then when Papap had accident I played another show for JASAD.

Ferly, Kieran James, Abaz, Yuli, 10 October 2011

KJ: Was it hard to learn to play JASAD songs?

Abaz: Lucky me because I was a fan of JASAD so I knew the songs and music. I could learn the songs of JASAD quickly.

John Yoedi: How long did it take to learn?

Abaz: One month for nine songs – three new songs and the rest are the older songs – from Witness and Annihilate the Enemy.

KJ: Was it different from what you expected joining JASAD?

Abaz: For me I am proud and surprised.

KJ: Who asked you to join?

Abaz: Ferly.

Popo extra comment: I heard from Ferly why he liked to work with Abaz. He thinks Abaz can understand how Ferly wants to build the song. Abaz knows what Ferly is thinking.

KJ: What is your experience working with Man, Ferly, and Yuli?

Abaz: After I joined JASAD because they are older metalheads I felt I grew up more.

KJ: What is your relationship to Papap now?

Abaz: Good, no problem.

Popo: Papap was surprised that Abaz got fat. If you knew Abaz before he was very, very skinny.

KJ: What do you think of JASAD singing about Sundanese culture?

Abaz: I very much agree with it.

DEMONS DAMN: Jhon, Dimas, Abaz, Ricky, Popo, 25/2/2011

KJ: What is the reaction of JASAD fans to you?

[John gave thumbs-up.]

Popo: Because John is part of the fans of JASAD.

KJ: Popo, how is the drumming style of Abaz different from Papap?

John: He has a good skill. When I watched him at Samarinda I was shocked. I thought he was a good drummer for JASAD.

Popo: Abaz plays faster than Papap because he’s a young gun. He is more powerful and he has more energy.

John: He doesn’t smoke.

Popo: Sometimes he does!

John: Did you help for the songwriting for the new album?

Abaz: I helped in all of the songs for the new album. I made some improvisation in the ten songs for the new album – nine new songs and rearrangement of a song from Witness with more rhythm and faster speed “Diamaton”.

John: When did you first play for JASAD?

Abaz: October [2011], at Jakarta Death Fest.

John: How did you feel?

Abaz: Very, very nervous for the first time.

John: I heard before that JASAD had an audition for drummer, is that correct or not?

Abaz: JASAD made audition to find drummer. After the audition they could not find a qualified drummer so they chose me to play drums for JASAD. After they thought there was no qualified drummer they chose the first option, me, because I played for them before. I played only for Jakarta Death Fest originally as a one-off. After that there was a show for Saturday. On Friday night Papap had an accident and I was asked to play for JASAD. The band could not cancel the show because there was a contract. The show was the Burning Fest.

Ferly, Abaz, Popo, 10 October 2011 (with UNDERGOD drums)

KJ: Do you feel tired playing in two bands and will you leave UNDERGOD?

Abaz: UNDERGOD will use an additional drummer. JASAD does not have an additional drummer. The first drummer is Uti.

KJ: Do you find any chicks come to talk to you because you play in JASAD?

Abaz: Yes [laughs].

Popo: And many groupies?

Abaz: Yes [laughs again].

John: Naughty boy.

Popo: Because Abaz is the youngest in JASAD.

KJ: What drummers are the main influences for you, foreign and local?

Abaz: BURGERKILL drummer Andris and Papap.

KJ: What are your favorite bands?

Abaz: JASAD and METALLICA.

John: Why?

Abaz: Because the first time I saw METALLICA I liked the drummer. I didn’t know of any other drummer then.

KJ: What are the good and bad things of the Bandung metal scene?

Abaz: The good thing is it can be like a second family.

Popo: His answers are not fast like his drum-playing!

John: Like Glenn!

[All laugh.]

John: When I saw you play in Samarinda Ferly said you want to play a drum solo. What was the reason?

Bobby Rock (BLEEDING CORPSE) and Abaz, 4 April 2012

Popo: It is a request from the JASAD members so he can show his skill and promote the new drummer.

KJ: So did he play a drum solo?

John: Yes, we have it on our website!

Popo: We must be angry with him [laughs]!

John: Did you play drum solo at Jakarta Death Fest or just at Samarinda?

Abaz: Only Samarinda.

John: Did you have a good response from the drum solo as I uploaded the video to YouTube?

Abaz: I am already a drum teacher so after people watched my video I had many people wanting to learn.

John: So you must thank me because I uploaded it!

KJ: Can you give us a mark out of ten for these drummers Mike Smith, SUFFOCATION?

Abaz: 8/10.

John: Flo Mounier, CRYPTOPSY?

Abaz: 8/10.

Abaz, Ferly, and John Yoedi, 4 April 2012

KJ: Steve Asheim, DEICIDE?

Abaz: 7/10.

KJ: Dave Lombardo, SLAYER?

Abaz: 6/10.

KJ: Lars Ulrich, METALLICA?

Abaz: 6/10.

KJ: Roy Agus, DEATH VOMIT?

Abaz: I can’t comment as I haven’t seen him play. Roy is a good drummer, I like his style.

Popo: When Abaz played for DEMONS DAMN, he headbanged like Roy.

John: I think Roy gave you inspiration. He headbangs onstage just like Roy. He can do it for JASAD and UNDERGOD.

KJ: Are you married or you have girlfriend?

Abaz: I have both [laughs].

KJ: Do you like super power blast-beat drumming or drumming with the rhythm like Phil Rudd of AC/DC?

Abaz: I like both but mostly I like fast drumming.

KJ: Did you ever have a scary stage name like “Philthy Animal” of MOTORHEAD?

Abaz: Abaz Van Baz.  My friend gave this name to me when I was playing football (like Marco Van Basten). But I didn’t play football again after playing drums.

THE NEW JASAD 10 October 2011. Left to Right: Ferly (guitar), Kieran James (Busuk Chronicles), Abaz (drums), and Yuli (bass). Man (vocals) could not join us on this night due to commitment at The Common Room.

DEMONS DAMN, 25 February 2011. Left to Right: Jhon (bass), Dimas Damn (guitar), Abaz (drums - studio only), Ricky (guitar), and Popo (vocals).

NEW INTERVIEW: 13TH STEP TO POPO PUJI APRIANTIKASARI's WORLD (DEMONS DAMN), by Jason Xenophobic

Introduction: We often know very little about the musicians that make up the underground metal scene. So think of these questions as taking you 13 Steps closer to knowing the heart and soul of underground metal musicians - what’s inside their head and what makes them tick. Enjoy \m/

Jason: Hi how are you, any chance I can throw a few small questions at you if it's no inconvenience?

Jason1: Which do you prefer - whiskey or beer?

Popo: Beer - for chilling out.

2 What's your view on marijuana? Should it be legalized or not?

Whether it is legalised or not for me it's not an issue.

3 What is the reasoning behind your opinion?

I'm thinking as Indonesian people tend to think in general - about their daily life, work, survival and family - rather than just thinking about marijuana legalization.

4 Most memorable music show you attend?

Every performer is good because I think they try to entertain people who come to see them - I appreciate that.

5 Who is your favourite non Metal singer?

Waljina. She’s the legend of Keroncong, Gito Rolies (rip), Anggun c casmi, Daniel Sahuleka.

6 And who is your favourite non Metal Band?

Bob Marley and the Wailers, Lynyrd Skynyrd.

7 If you could perform anywhere in the world where would it be?

All around the world. I believe nothing is impossible these days so I want to play on many stages with my band to prove that bands with a female vocalist can succeed and can be accepted by many people, given the support and stop discriminating against bands with female vocalists because we’re all the same trying to survive in this scene.

8 If it's not too personal for me to ask, are you religious?

Only I know.

9 What do you think of the metal situation ATM?

I think metal scene today is bigger than before. There are so many followers who make metal a trend. Sometimes its hard to differentiating between real metal fans, possers, and groupies. For the future I hope metal is not merely a trend!

10 Do you believe anyone can ever be too old to play metal? Will you ever be too old for metal?

Never too old to play music. I believe anyone who loves music will always have a young spirit as they will be playing music as long as they can, as long as they want and as long as they still have the passion. I’ll never be old as long as I still love metal.

11 Have you ever hooked up with your fans?

Never.

12 If you could be reincarnated what or who would you like to come back as?

International model ha ha

13  Would you like to come back at all?

I wouldn't come back because the world is full of fake people. There are so many people trying to look nice and sweet in the beginning. But people like that are scarier than any kind of horror monster.

THANK YOU

[By Jason Xenophobic and used here with his kind written permission.]

Demons Damn/ POPO PUJI APRIANTIKASARI @XENOPHOBIC RECORDS AUSTRALIA

CLASSIC INTERVIEW: Our first interview with DEMONS DAMN (Bandung Death Metal), 10/10/2011

The mighty DEMONS DAMN. Left to right: Jhon, Dimas Damn, Abaz (studio drummer), Ricky, Popo.

By Dr Kieran James (BUSUK WEBZINE)

Interview: 10 October 2011 at Jasad’s new rehearsal room, Ujung Berung, Bandung, 10 October 2011. Interview amended by Popo, 9 November 2011.  

DEMONS DAMN interview with: Popo (female vocals) and Jhon (bass).

Extra comments by: Ferly of Jasad and Bobby of Bleeding Corpse.

Kieran James, Popo Demons Damn, Bobby Rock @ Cicaheum

KJ: Hi, Popo. Thanks for agreeing to do this interview and thanks so much for all your help doing the interpretation job for the other band interviews here in Bandung. You helped me very much. My first question is when and how did you get involved in the death-metal scene?

Popo: Hi, and this is Jhon, my bass player. I started in metal when I was in junior high school, 13-years-old.

Jhon: First class in high school, 16-years-old.

Popo: I just listened to metal for the first time when I listened to Sepultura. I watched the video-clip on MTV for “Refuse/Resist”.

Jhon: Basically I first listened to Biohazard [USA].

Popo: When I was in junior high school I went to some gigs, concerts. Someone took me to some gigs, I just wanted to know [more]; [sometimes] I went by myself. I saw those [bands] on the stage, I didn’t know who is he or which band but I just saw and knew people in the same school; they introduced me, I hung out in the music shop. I asked them about the scene, I was 14-years-old.

KJ: How and when did you start out Demons Damn?

Popo: Before this band changed name to Demons Damn, the name was Demons. The first formation was changed. I knew the guitarist from the record studio. We always hung out and discussed [metal] and met with other friends in that studio. I asked him to join my band. When Dimas and Ricky joined the band I changed the music from speed-metal to death-metal. Abaz, who plays drums for Jasad now, he made the music very fast. He still [will] play drums on my [forthcoming] album. He can’t play with Demons Damn [live] because he is too busy with Jasad. He plays drums with Jasad.

KJ: When did you start with the death-growl vocals?

Popo: I started with growl vocals then when the music changed to death-metal, I learnt about more and more deep growls, I use guttural style. You can hear it on my demo tracks. The first song has different vocal from the last three songs. The first song I use growl with the clean articulation. People can hear me when I say ABC, like that. John was the last person to come into Demons Damn.

KJ: What are your goals for the band?

Popo: We have same goals as other bands: to still exist; to promote our band; to make people know about] our band; [and] to perform in other countries. For myself and Demons Damn we have different goals. For me I want people to know death-metal is not only for the boy or man; it can be played with the women inside. I learnt much about the metal, I’m not a follower. I have stayed in Ujung Berung for a long time. I played death-metal in 2008.

KJ: What is the response of the fans to a female vocalist in death-metal?

Popo: The first time they are shocked that a girl plays in a death-metal band. People don’t know about some bands with women because they can’t promote their bands. I’m very lucky because my friends from Ujung Berung helped me very much to promote my band. Ferly [guitarist for Jasad] asked me to feature in one Jasad show. I had two performances, in Bandung and Malang, just me and Jasad. Man [vocalist for Jasad] introduced me on stage. After I give the best performance what [else] can I do for death-metal? I showed them I don’t just follow the death-metal, they like the band.

KJ: Jhon, do you feel it is strange to be in a band with female vocalist?

Jhon: No, it’s not really strange for me. I think girl vocalist has a difference; woman is more disciplined than a man to [attend] meetings with the band etc.

Popo: Manage money... [laughs]

Jhon: Everything! It’s one challenge for me [to work] for female vocals.

KJ: Do you think it is harder to get the death-metal tough-guy image with the female vocalist?

Jhon [Popo interprets to give this answer]: I think it is the same, man or woman it’s the same thing. I think if with boy vocals it is the same [as normal] but with a woman vocal we can look tougher. If the band has a man vocalist it is the standard. The influences for men and women are the same, but, when the woman plays death-metal, it is more interesting, [and] it looks different.

Popo: Maybe it is the coolest!

Popo Demons Damn, Bobby Rock

KJ: Have you faced any problems being a female vocalist playing death-metal here?

Popo: For the bands there is no problem at all. The problem is just with the [general] community. The problem is with the police permission [for shows], as I said in the Bleeding Corpse interview [8 October 2011, see older posts on this site for my full interview with Bleeding Corpse]. Now women in the scene can be respected by the fans because the women can prove they can play death-metal, this is different from [in] the past.

[At this point Ferly of Jasad joins in the interview]

KJ: Do you see a role to teach young women?

Popo: If the young women ask me how to learn about the vocals, I try to help them.

Ferly: Puji [stage name is Popo] has a great vocal and, of course, great performance, she is the pioneer in here.

KJ: How is the progress for your album?

Popo: We must record the vocal; the rest of it is done. We have nine songs; we have influence from Vader [Poland], Kataklysm [Canada], Disgorge [USA], Suffocation [USA] and many killer bands.

KJ: Have you got the song titles yet?

Popo: We have the song titles but not the album title. I have one song planned with Bobby [Rock, vocalist of Bleeding Corpse]. I wrote all of the lyrics of the songs. The topics are revenge, hatred. I try to write like Suffocation lyrics.

KJ: I think Suffocation lyrics go for an overall feeling. If you read small parts of them they don’t seem to make sense.

Popo: The Suffocation lyrics are idiomatic, meaning you cannot translate [meaning give meaning to] the words one or one.

KJ: Waaah, I only speak English but I don’t think I know what the word “idiomatic” means!

Popo: I finished my thesis [on this topic] for Bachelor of English Literature, Pasundan University [Bandung], 2008. I wanted to discuss about Jasad and Forgotten [Indonesia] lyrics. However, my teacher suggested I write [about] popular band in Indonesia, pop band like Peterpan or other ... that made me disappointed because the band suggested [by] my teacher is a mellow band and, lucky me, I heard Linkin Park release new album Minutes to Midnight so I chose Linkin Park [rather] than local band even [though] they're very popular in here but I didn't like them.

KJ: What are some of your favourite authors?

Popo: I like Karl Marx, I like Malcolm X. I like to read about the women in the patriarchy in some religions. I like feminism. I want to learn about the women who fight the hard things, why females can do anything...

KJ: Like feminism?

Popo: Yeah, yeah.

[Bobby Rock of Bleeding Corpse joined us now during the interview, Ferly has already left]

Bobby Rock, Popo, Butche, Man Jasad, April 2012

KJ: Bobby, how do you feel having death-metal vocalist as girlfriend?

Bobby: It is something like ... whether a singer or not it is the same thing. I don’t like her [because] she is onstage as a vocalist. I like her because of her attitude.

Popo: I knew Bobby before [KJ: the relationship is for two years so far]. I don’t care that he is the vocalist for Bleeding Corpse. I just know he’s kind, he doesn’t like to play with a girl, he can take care of me, it’s very important [KJ: now is Bobby’s turn to be shy and blush].

KJ: Popo, did you find it strange that Bobby is brutal metal vocalist onstage but offstage he is such a gentle guy?

Popo: I think Bobby onstage is funny but Bobby onstage is different from Bobby offstage, he dies not talk about music too much offstage but onstage he looks like a brutal guy!

KJ: Who can kill the dragon, haha, like in HammerFall songs?

Popo: Yes! I make a character for myself [too] onstage, Popo. Popo is the killer female who can punch you but Puji is a shy girl. When I go to some shows I must be the cooler female! There is one band, Cerebral Bore from Glasgow, Scotland; in 2010 they changed to female vocalist [KJ: new vocalist Simone “Som” Pluijmers]. The hard thing is to make people believe I can play death-metal.

KJ: Ok, we finish here. Thanks very much Popo, killer female, John, and Bobby. Best wishes for your new Demons Damn album. I look forward to hearing it.

Popo: Terimakasih.