Interview

SUNPOWER

Mardi 7 avril 2009

Can you present us SUNPOWER. Some people might not know you well yet her ein the « South ». Plus your actual discograpy.

Davy: Well, we are Mike (Vocals), Kevin (Guitar), Gerd (bass) and Davy (drums). We are a hardcore punkband that live in the same country as you southern people, but we speak a different language.
We have 3 ep's (Back to basics, total control and John terror EP) and 2 lp's (S/T and Pain for profit). We are currently working on our 4th ep that has no title yet!

SUNPOWER might be consider as an old band in the HC scene since most of bands are short lived. And how do you see yourself as punk since you're getting old and have kids. How do you manage your anger, frustration and revolt in daily life?

Davy: Dude, I'm only 29. I bearly reached puberty. This is a question for Mike. MIIIIIIIIIIKE?

Mike: As far as I can see I'm a punk for ages, I can't even remember the time that I wasn't a punk. When I start listening to punkmusic I was a mohawkpunk, then I was a drunkpunk and for the moment I don't look very punk but I'm more punk then al this years that I looked like a punk. My favorite lyric for years was/is "Nazi Punks Fuck Off" by a band called the DK's for the simple reason they got the 2 best openinglines ever "Punk ain't no religious cult, punk means thinking for yourself" and that's where it's all about.Forget the hypes and the fashion around the music and get back to basics "do what you want to do, be yourself and you will get more respect in you life then you ever had". I took this deciscion years ago and it's still the way I live today no matter that I have 3 kids/a DIY-rebuilded-house/ a dog and a girlfriend. My anger and frustation is the same as 20 years ago cause nothing changed, the state and the people are still the same.

You've been in USA. And even have been interviewed by Give Me Back Zine (the ex-Heart Attack Zine). How do you feel about that tour? Any crucial memories to talk? How's going the basement shows?

Davy: Simply put, it was the best thing that ever happened to us as a band. I think few bands could go on tour for X days and get home sayiing they never had an argument. The shows were amazing, the crowd was awesome and the bassment shows were the best ones. They're shitloads of crucial stories. I guys Phil Vinyl who broke his leg, John Terror who (although his poornes in english) became king of the conversation against 2 Italian Americans, Crazy shows in Boston, Buffalo, Grand Rapids, New Brunswick etc... Maybe I'll write a report about it once... Oh wait... I already did. it's at your friends of mashnote.net. ;-)

You brought Xavier Still Holding On Records with you in USA. He's maybe the best fan... And saw you millions of time. How's your relationshit with the boss? Still SxHxOx Rec is not a well known label over here in Wallonie.

Davy: Isn't it? That's too bad, because SxHxOx recs is a quality label, and not because sunpower is on it. Releases like ANS, Reproach, I-object and the youths. Xavier is a guy who took risks but discovered some awesome bands. I told this at his Birthday party, and I mean this: Xavier was the first one to do a release for us and if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have done what we did uptil now. We owe him, big time! As far as I'm concerned, he's a guy I always want to work with, he always can tour with us if he likes and he'll always get respect from me.

SUNPOWER's music is well rooted in old style HC. Back in the 80's. Mike has even seen live some crucial bands from that period. What are your personnal influences and favourites? This might help the kids discovering the old days and origins of what was hardcore!

Davy: he's talking to you Mike! I've only seen David Hasselhoff performing "looking for freedom" in the 80's.

Mike : What can I say, the '80ties where my wonderyears. In those days me and my brother visited as much gigs as we could and discovered all those crazy bands. Too bad that he never could see a Sunpowershow, he would be so proud for the simple reason that we play for ALL the punks. It was also a time that the things around the music like "Doe wat/Do something"-days, fanzines, demonstrations, making things at yourself like shirts, flyers, writing letters were as much important as the music. Sometimes I miss all this things cause they were so important for your "inside-revolution" against the mainstream. Sunpower play and will play in the future a lot of benefitshows, making fanzines and put them out with their records, making a compilation-7", organising lots of gigs whit mixed-style-bills ... . You better forget 25 ta Life cause for the moment Sunpower is the headlining unityband. But to end your question it was also a time of jerking off 3 times a day, skating/hanging around with the boys and listen for hours and hours to wild energic punkrockmusic. Everybody knows what my favotites are cause we cover them a lot, Ripcord, Minor Threat, DK's, Bad Brains, 7seconds, Dayglo Abortians, Lärm, HHH, ZyklomeA ... . Most important gigs : Heresy/Ripcord - Ripcord/Napalm Death - Ripcord/Political Asylum - Youth of today(show of the 80'ties no matter what Mokka say) - Ignition/Lärm - Lärm/Cyclone - Spermbirds - Attitude Adjustment - Ramones - Pogues.

I don't know if it's always Mike who write the lyrics, but I love it! I see in it more stuff than the usual basic subject like backstabbing, staying upfront and singalong, live for yourself, etc. We do it as well but also other themes like organs trafic, midlife crisis, having quality time, etc. What inspire you to write?

Davy: We both write lyrics, but most of the ideas come from Mike. I think I've only written 2 lyrics completely of myself. Actually, I can only recall writing "sniff your way to hell tonight", which was basically written to release some frustrations. So, Mike has the idea. I get at his home, we drink a few beers, laugh for hours and on a certain moment a lyric comes out. Sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes it's good. My favourite lyric still is "ready to attack" and that's 100% Mike!

You seem to love irony... And does this have already brought dhit to the band? Sometimes irony is not well received! (I think about the song Svastica Youth, and histories i've read around this)

Davy: You know, I can tell you shitloads of stories about people talking shit about bands I've played in. To be honest... it gets me so angry sometimes I want to cultivate it, just to piss people off a little bit more. But Mike is the mature one and he doesn't let me. haha. No, I think it's immature to always want to focuss yourself on some band that has a dubious lyric because you are too chicken to go to a "blood & honour concert" and kick the shit out of those people.

Do you play in any other bands? Do you have other projetcs in work?

Davy: MAN! DO I? I sing in a doom/americana/rockband called Jerusalem the black. I play drums in a freejazzcombo called "Spuuk", I play home-made instruments in a project called Kaboom Karavan and I have solo project called Mukta Caritra which is dark ambient stuff. This seems a lot, but most of these projects (except for Jerusalem the black) don't rehearse or play that much. I'm also forming a fastcore/powerviolence funproject with Stijn and Isaac (a den of robbers), Max (furious) and Kenneth (a friend). That would sound like Crossed out and Weekend Nachos with a slice of man is the bastard. 20 songs on 1 ep, 5 shows and we're gone!

How do you see the difference between the scene in the North and in the South part of Belgium? Ours is not that big. Quite a small scene hey! We would need to change things for the better here... But would be good ideas for you?

Davy: I always thought the south of Belgium is more interesting for a black metal scene (you know, with the ardennes forests and all!!). But seriously. The only thing you can do is what you guys have been doing for so long: make zines, start labels, support local bands (even if they suck, at least they're trying!) and don't give up. If you see a young kid that is inspired by what you do: tell him/her that (s)he can do those things too since punk was about doing things yourself!

Final question : what are your favourites cover songs? Any last words?

Davy: I like to play anything from Black Flag, I liked playing the who's My generation. I would like to play Adolescents (Kids of the black hole or creatures), Wire (12XU) or Jimi Hendrix (Fire). Last words: end! thank you!