MESS
AGE
ONE
THING IS FOR SURE THAT WE ARE LIVING IN THE AGE OF MESS AND WE DON'T HAVE
TO BLAME NO ONE ELSE, BUT OURSELFS. MESS AGE EXPRESS THIS AGE WITH THEIR
MUSIC AND THEY REALLY SEEM TO BE "Convicted by themselves".
1. TELL US IN A FEW WORDS THE MOST
IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF THE BAND'S HISTORY. WHICH IS TODAY'S LINE UP ?
1 Hell'o. For four years we managed
to release three demos ("Resurrection"-1998, "Fallen"-1999 &
"Reborn"-2000) and one full-length album called "Self-Convicted" (2002-
Conquer Records). We have played few tours not only in Poland but also
abroad and many live shows, next to Vader, Yattering, Turbo, Decapitated,
Acid Drinkers, Christ Agony, Hate, Devilyn and more. Since October 2000,
when Joanna Paszke (voc.) left the band we have been still in the same
line-up: Raaf-vocal, Gruby-guitar, Alex-guitar, Amber-guitar, Otwieracz-drums.
2. WHY HAVE YOU NAMED THE BAND MESS
AGE ? IT HAS A TOUBLE MEANING.WHICH
MEANING DO YOU USE MOSTLY ?
2 The name of band was taken from
one of the Public Enemy track. People always ask us about this name, but
I always answer in the same way: There is one meaning! Few years ago we
were teenagers and we thought it suited to us because we had 'mess'
in our heads, hehehe. I like this name because it's kind of synonym to
the word 'chaos'.
3. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC
? WHICH BAND'S INFLUENCED YOUR MUSIC ? CAN YOU REMEMBER WHICH BAND MADE
YOU REALIZE THAT YOU WANTED TO COMPOSE YOUR OWN MUSIC ?
3 All Mess Age members listen to
different kind of music. When we started playing together we were influenced
by Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden but for any years the amount of the band
which has influenced us has increased. We listen to trash & heavy metal
from 90's, Scandinavian bands like Entombed, Arch Enemy, In Flames, Dark
Tranquillity, death metal (Gorefest, Napalm Death), and various artist
like James Murphy, Joe Satriani, Tool, Dream Theatre and many more. And
every of these bands influenced us in different way, so I am unable to
describe in one word what sort of metal we play. Generally we have
always played live shows next to bands which were performing heavy, trash
or death metal style and it has always been OK, because in our music everyone
can find something for himself.
4. TELL US SOME GENERAL THINGS FOR
THE BAND RELEASES. ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED WITH THEMOR IS THERE ANYTHING
YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE ? HAVE YOU
OBSERVED ANY PROGRESS IN THE BAND
?
4 As I said before, during over
four years playing together we have managed to release 3 demos (with female
vocal) and our first full-length album "Self-Convicted". You ask if we
are satisfied? Yes, because demos was released few years ago and they helped
us to show world what the Mess Age means, helped us to meet interesting
people who have helped us up to now and of course helped us to play so
many gigs. If there wasn't progress we didn't managed to record "Self-Convicted"
which is the most matured material we have ever released. I think that
"Self-Convicted" is quite fresh, many interesting ideas has appeared, but
you can still hear that is the same Mess Age style that we have represented
since starting playing in 1998.
5. HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO PROMOTE
YOUR WORK ? HAVE YOU DONE TILL NOW ANY LIVE SHOWS ?
5 I have always said that the best
promotion for band are live shows. We have always tried to play wherever
people want to see us. To the end of the year we are going to take
part in Winter Crusade Tour '2002 around Poland next to Necrophobic, Diabolical,
Hell-Born, Domain, Unnamed, Corruption, in December we gonna play next
to Behemoth and I heard that we will visit UK again, this time next
to polish band - Quo Vadis.
6. WHICH WERE THE REACTIONS OF THE
FANS AND PRESS ? ARE YOU SATISFIED ?
6 Up to now we have reached
many positive reviews, many play lists from radios from every place on
the earth and many interviews. In the time when we were without label we
had to do everything by ourselves, but now Conquer Records helps us a lot
and now we have more time to compose- now we don't have to worry about
advertisings, sending promos, etc. It's much comfortable to us, I think.
7. WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS TALKING ABOUT
? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM ? WHAT INSPIRES YOU AND WHAT TAKES AWAY THE
INSPIRATION ?
7 In case of the lyrics- since
1998 my cousin, Strzalek, has always been the author of all lyrics. On
"Self-Convicted" he wrote six, Gruby (bass) wrote two and I (Raaf- voc.)
one. We all write in different ways, but we all are interesting in human
behaviours, psyche, human desires and fears- it's hard to say about everything
in just few words. If you like I recommend them- I think they're worth
reading. The second thing- you ask about inspiration- Strzalek has sick
mind (he doesn't need nothing else!), but Gruby and I watch films, Discovery
Channel (especially about murders!) and of course we are inspired by dreams,
books and experiences.
8. HOW DO YOU FEEL AND WHAT DO YOU
THINK OF PEOPLE WHO JUDGE A BAND'S
VALUE BY THE COPIES THEY SELL ?
8 If the band hasn't got a good
musicians they can't sell many copies. Simple. But I think that nowadays
there are many bands that are very famous but for their success many people
have to work. The gigs show the value of the band. And this is true!
9. WHAT DO YOU WANNA SAY WITH THE COVER
ARTWORK OF YOUR LATEST RELEASE
" SELF-CONVICTED"? A BAND MEMBER
DID IT. AM I RIGHT ? WHICH IS THE CONNECTION WITH THE LYRICS ?
9 Yes, the main idea and realization
was made by Gruby (bass). We wanted to show how human nowadays depends
on the technique- the symbol of all progress on the cover are faces (inner
of the watch) and in centre a man who convicted by himself- he is subordinated
by the things he discovers. We didn't try to judge, we only claimed the
facts. The artwork don't perform the whole consistence of the album- adding
lyrics we got one piece. This is only my opinion but everyone has different
to mine- and every good art's product should have few meanings.
10. HOW DID YOU ACHIVE THIS COOPERATION
WITH NERGAL ? WHAT DO YOU
REMEMBER FROM IT ?
10 All Mess Age members were very
impressed when we heard "Satanica" and "Thelema. 6" (Behemoth) we decided
that it would be cool if Nergal would like to take part in one track. So
we met him, (we live in the same town), and asked if he wants to do it.
He agreed and few days later he visited us in Red Studio- during 1 hour
everything was done. That's why "Kill the Falsehood" is one of the best
track on this album in our own opinion.
11. IF YOU HAD THE MONEY TO MAKE A
REALLY EXPENSIVE VIDEO CLIP, HOW DO
YOU IMAGINE IT TO BE ? CAN YOU
DESCRIBE IT ?
11 Well since we began our activity,
we have wanted to release video clip but we have never think of scenario.
Surely we would like to have shots from live shows, we could use computer
techniques (maybe some flashes) and scenario should be connected with lyric.
Maybe someday we will be afford on expensive clip then we will truly try
to do it as original as it's possible.
12. HAVE YOU READ ANY INTERESTING BOOKS
LATELY ? HAVE YOU SEEN ANY
INTERESTING MOVIES ?
12 I don't have enough time to
read books and I really regret it. The last good film I saw was "Requiem
for a Dream"- what a massacre!!!
13. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE
POLISH METAL SCENE ? WHY IS IT
FAMOUS FOR ITS EXTREME METAL BANDS
? DON'T YOU HAVE ANY BANDS FROM THE OTHER METAL GENRES ?
13 Well, I have met many times
with words, that Poland is famous for death & grind metal bands. I
think it is that polish bands try to be original and I' m convinced that
they are. Nobody plays as e.g. Vader or Yattering. It is so because bands
which come from Poland have to try hard to be noticed and famous. About
the second part of question- yes, we have also many good bands that
plays thrash or heavy (Turbo, Horrorscope, Acid Drinkers) but they aren't
famous abroad- only in Poland- as death metal groups.
14. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF WAREN'T ABLE
TO COMPOSE MUSIC ?
14 I would drink beer, go to work
and attend at live shows. Oh no, it would be sucks!!!
15. IF SOMEDAY YOU HAD CHANCE TO MEET
THE CREATURE THAT CREATED THE
UNIVERSE, WHICH WOULD YOUR BIGGEST
QUESTION BE ?
15 So do you really exist?!
16. IF TIME TRAVEL WAS POSSIBLE, WHICH
HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE
TO VISIT AND WHY? WHAT WOULD YOU
MISS THE MOST FROM OUR TIME?
16 To the middle ages- I would
do horse riding and decapitating disco man's heads! hehehe. I would miss
the Second World War.
17. WHICH IS MAN'S BIGGEST TEMPTATION
?
18. WHY DO YOU THINK THERE ARE MANY
BANDS IN THE EZTREME METAL. GENRE
THAT EXPRESS RACISTIC IDEOLOGIES
? WHICH ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT ?
18 I don't know- I'm not keen on
racistic bands.
19. WHAT PROLOGUE AND TITLE WOULD YOU
LIKE THIS INTERVIEW TO HAVE?
19" Living in the age of 'Mess'"
or "Convicted by themselves".
20. THANK YOU ! HAVE I FORGOT TO ASK
YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO
MENTION?
20 I suppose not. Thanx for few
nontypical questions- I really liked it- finally something new! Thanx a
lot for time given to Mess Age. Greetings from Poland. all the best, Tomasz
& Conquer Records UK
Christine Parastatidou
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