Punk och Oi!: The Upset

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tisdag 22 december 2015

Diverse scenkaraktärer summerar 2015 - Ramon (The Upset etc)

Paco avrundar 2015 med att låta scenkaraktärer från Sverige och utlandet enligt ett standardiserat formulär och ur ett subkulturellt perspektiv utvärdera 2015. De "intervjuer" som är gjorda med icke svenskspråkiga har jag låtit bli att översätta, såväl för att spara tid som för att inte omedvetet färga svaren.

Ytterligare en katalan - den här gången subkulturella illustratören samt sångaren i The Upset - Ramon!

Music Release of the Year: There's a few I really like, in no particular order: - 45 Adapters – Patriots not fools -Black Ball – Coward's Punch -No Resistance – Nova Methodus -No Parole EP -La Force dans la Oi! Vol.2 - Freedom – USA Hardcore - Reconquesta – Recupera el que et pertany ...I guess I could go on for a while, so we'll leave it there

Best gig of the year: Beach Beer Chaos is always special to me. This year all bands played really good shows. And the most important, everyone had a good time. That's why we keep doing it, and I guess that's why we have already sold almost half of the tickets in less than two days. Then with The Upset we had tons of fun in Dresden playing at the Contra Summer Bash with Rixe, On The Job and many others. And Pogorausch was brilliant too, great bands, good ambience and way too much booze. And about gigs attending as audience Komintern Sect with Bishops Green in Barcelona was good too. I almost forgot! A few weeks ago Shipwrecked played in Valencia with La Oposición. That was a hell of a show!

Biggest disappointment of the year/worst release: Last Crusade calling it a day right before the release of their brilliant album. I was lucky to see them play in Paris in March with Rixe and Secret Army and gotta say that was awesome. Long time I wasn't that pleasantly surprised by a new band. It's sad we won't see them play their album live anymore! About worst release... honestly I can't think of something really disappointing, the records I didn't like I already knew they were not going to.

Some other thoughts on the scene 2015? Did something special, bad, sad or spectacular happen? Well, it seems after a few years of some kind of skinhead explosion, things are going back to "normal". Hopefully some of the decent people will stay around and start bands, promoting gigs etc... Sadly, gossip and rumours and scene cops pointing fingers at people for whatever they think is a reason to is still a thing. That's why we can't have nice things, they say... And the music scene lost some important people lately, that's always sad.

What's your plans for 2016? The Upset are going to play some gigs next year. Galiza in January, Italy and France in March, Germany in June. In the meantime, we'll try to finish our new songs and get them recorded and released! I plan to keep drawing and designing nice stuff for good bands and labels as much as I can. And for gigs, we've just announced the line up for BBC'2016, with a couple of Swedish bands, so we expect to see you all there again! Thanks for the interview, it's always good to squeeze the braincells answering interesting questions! Keep up the good work!

måndag 22 december 2014

Diverse scenkaraktärer summerar 2014 - Ramon (The Upset m.m.)

Paco avrundar 2014 med att låta scenkaraktärer från Sverige och utlandet enligt ett standardiserat formulär och ur ett subkulturellt perspektiv utvärdera 2014. De "intervjuer" som är gjorda med icke svenskspråkiga har jag låtit bli att översätta, såväl för att spara tid som för att inte omedvetet färga svaren.

Ramon får här representera den vänliga välklädda Katalanska scenen; till stor del scooterburen, välkomnande och till synes utan tillstymmelse till politiskt ok att bära. Karln spelar i The Upset, samt gör snygga illustrationer till små affärsrörelser, skivomslag, konsertaffischer etc.

Music Release of the year: 2014 has been definitely a good year for Punk & Oi!. When it comes to LP's my choices are: Noi!se – The Scars We Hide: That's one of those records I can listen to from the begining to the end several times a day and I still haven't got bored of it. Top quality streetpunk with brilliant lyrics and a unique sound. Bishops Green – Pressure: Some may say the Mini Lp had a stronger sound, and maybe that's true, but honestly, even if their debut was brilliant, I prefer the LP, it sounds rawer and has a strong 70's feel whisch is always something good. Also, Greg's vocals are simply awesome. Boston Strangler – Fire: That's the soundtrack of wrath. I'm not a big hxc fan, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't get much better. And the whole record has a stomping vibe that will appeal most aggresive Oi! Lovers. And for Lp's, I'll finish with No Resistance – VITRIOL: That's another band with a sound that stands out. They've around for a while but to me this is definitely the best they've released. Tons of late 70's punk rock and early Oi! influence, so if you're into Slaughter &a the dogs, Menace, early Upstarts you're gonna love this, specially the masterpiece called “Vade Retro Satana”. For 7”'s I'll mention: Victory/Brick Assasin split, easily my fav Victory songs there, but they don't have a weak one actually; The Clichés return “Bovver Boots”, Reconquesta “S/T” which is the best Oi! you'll ever hear in Catalan, at least until they release their debut album in early 2015; Concrete “Subculture Street Trooper” is pure aggro; and don't forget about Justice Blocc debut 7”, it has not been released on viny yet, but you can d/l those three songs and they are pure gold, good American Street Rock n Roll in the vein of Those Unknown and The Beltones. A lot of demos has been released lately too, don't miss Fatigue, with some Sydney Ducks members playing rough Oi! music with some hardcore influence.

Best gig of the year: I had a really great time at PSK in Stockholm, lovely city, nice people and an amazing line up. But my favourite has to be Beach Beer Chaos, because I was part of it and I had great fun, as a fan of the bands, and as part of the staff. 500 skinheads and punks having fun for half as week, no trouble and lots of great gigs and afterparties... can't ask for more. When you have people from around the world telling you they had one of the best weekends of their lives there, it worths all the work!

Biggest disappointment of the year/worst release: Don't like to talk shit, as longs as people is doing it for the right reasons, that means for the love of music and the culture, I'm ok with that.

Some other thoughts on the scene of 2014? Did something special, bad, sad or spectacular happen? Well, nothing bad. Spectacular... I dont want to repeat myself, but BBC'14 was something really important to us, it was the first time ever an Oi!/Punk Fest like that took place here and it was a terrific success! Also, it's nice to see all the up and coming bands, maybe there's a future for this.

What's your plans for 2015? Well, the band I sing in The Upset have just recorded an LP which I hope will be released during the first months of 2015, we're now working on the mix and I just can tell I really like what I hear! And we will be playing a few gigs around Europe if everything goes as planned! First stop at Bratislava's Street Punk Winter Riot fest! Also we hope to have news on Beach Beer Chaos '15, some difficulties have come our way, but we'll do our best!

Thanks for asking and good luck with Punk och Oi! Keep up the good work!