Selfish Few: June 2022

Fear Of God broke up 11 years ago. To what do you attribute the long-lasting popularity of a band that basically only had a 7"'s worth of songs? what was the main cause for the break-up (herr Keller told me it was a gig with Henry Rollins?!)? Are you shocked that people are still interested in Fear Of God? What are your thoughts on the bands now legendary and cult status? Do you care?

I have no idea why Fear Of God is still popular. I can only but assume that somehow we did something right at the right time in the right place. Who knows? The causes for breaking up are quite complex and most likely every Fear Of God member would have a different approach as to the reasons why. Basically we quite quickly reached something we never really were looking for, something that was not the point we were trying to make. We were pretty serious about the words and the music that we were producing. We were disappointed with what people, the ones who liked us as much as the ones who didn't, saw in us. They were calling us this or that or the other, attributing things that weren't really important, and basically missing the point. For us, the only consequent thing to do in that position was to terminate Fear Of God. No I'm not shocked that people still like Fear Of God. I have no thoughts on Fear Of God's "legendary or cult" status. I can't explain that status. They are facts that, if anything, flatter me.

Fear Of God came into existence within months of the release of Napalm Death's "Scum" LP. Certainly this was not enough time to be "enlightened" by that band to form Fear Of God! C'mon! What were the major influences, and what do you think Fear Of God achieved with every "song" written? Who wrote a majority of the music? Did you guys realize you were inventing grindcore, or did you just consider yourself a noisy hardcore band like Larm? What influenced Erich to use the "cupped mic" vocal technique (ha!)? Was this just emulating "evil" death-metal bands? Doesn't Erich hate to only be known for his vocals? What made you guys use the "blast beat"!?

Major influences and all that stuff...everything one listens to, reads or experiences is an influence. What we achieved with every song is to be 100% us. All of us contributed to the songs, they were all written in the practice room with everyone present. We weren't trying to invent anything, be it grindcore or blast beats or special vocal-techniques or any other things that people have to label this or that. We did what we liked best.

Erich wrote all the lyrics, but was there enough input by all the members concerning the different topics? Were they issues relevant to the scene at the time? Did you guys honestly want to set out and change the world through such a brutal release of information? The lyrics seemed more raw social commentary than overtly political...which is what made them great! Any memorable gigs? What was the last show like? Wasn't it with FILTHY CHRISTIANS?

Erich wrote lyrics because he loved and loves to write, he's good with putting thoughts into words. The choice of topics related to in Fear Of God lyrics was easy, if not obvious: they were about what we all felt strongly about. The issues were relevant to us. "Scene" is an abstract term. Of course we wanted to change the world, and maybe we did. I still want to change the world...and I'm sure I did too. The scale of change is secondary, the effort is important. Memorable gigs...yeah, the one with Per of Filthy Christians in Hanau/Germany was very intense, the one in Fribourg/Switzerland was nice too.

People like to think that bands were the best of friends with their members (or they wouldn't be a "band"!)...but what are all you "old guys" up to (how old is everyone anyway?) Do you only have a passing interest in hardcore now, or does life hold something more complex for you? What's wrong with only/mostly liking the music?

The members of Fear Of God were best friends, of course, otherwise we couldn't hove done what we did at the time...I think it's that kind of input that made our impact such a strong and lasting one. We were between 17 and 19 in 1987. But everything changes, and you lose contact, interests start to differ and all. We still keep contact, one way or other, as irregular as it is. I've not lost interest in hardcore, although there is next to nothing in hardcore that manages to tickle my fancy nowadays, there hasn't been for maybe the last ten years really. I don't keep up with it anymore either. There are many other forms of music that I like as much, or more. However, music is still my obsession, my expression. What's wrong with only/mostly liking the music? I don't know, please yourself.

Retarded question number one: Why no reformation plans? wouldn't the message hit even harder today? Certainly the band could use it's "legendary" status today to hammer home fucked-up world issues!

Reformation? All of us have moved on in some ways or other. Fear Of God was then, we couldn't do it again, it wouldn't be the same, Some members might not have any interest anymore. Some of us might want to do music (and are), but in a different context. Reusing the name Fear Of God would be dishonest. There are enough people who do this kind of thing, and it's a lie, it's cashing in on something long gone...besides, hammering fucked-up world-issues nowadays in the form that Fear Of God did then would be preaching to the converted.

Retarded question number two: being a veteran of the old scene, what are your thoughts on the current state of things (other than current scenesters whining about how much it sucks). Thoughts on your "adversaries" Napalm Death (other than "SELL OUTS!!!"), Technically, I don't think they sold out...they fucking broke up!

I don't have thoughts on the current state of things, as I have no idea about them. It's very easy to say things suck or things are bad. People who think like that should do something about it, rather than whine! They should concentrate their energies on what they do instead of using it to criticise others. You're defined by what you do, rather than what you think. Any "scene" is defined by people who do things, the only ones that are "allowed" to criticise are the ones who are active. Napalm Death never were adversaries, rather very good friends of mine at the time. I still am in regular contact with Mick Harris. I haven't kept up with what Napalm Death have been doing since Mick Harris left.

Suppose punk/core won out. all the nations disarmed, everyone went vegan, and the word "nigger" didn't exist anymore. Would this also be an end to punk, or would every band just start writing songs about girls? (Even grind bands have done this now...though usually talking about cutting up girls into small pieces!).

The first question is a stupid one. Anarchy is just a word, admittedly with some good ideas, but good ideas exist in democracy or communism. These things are too theoretical to work on a larger scale. People are too different, and the masses are lame and stupid, alternatives don't exist, but that doesn't mean that no effort should be made.

Cheers for the time Dave! Final comments? Are there records out there now that make you do backflips? Are there any that you're looking for now? Are the Swankys the ultimate cock-rock band?

Recent records that make me do backflips...the only guitar-music of recent time that impressed me has to be Coalesce's "Give Them Rope" (you've gotta be fucking kidding me. -S). check out Mick Harris' last project "Weakener", it's great. Penderecki, Ligeti, Scelsi or Stockhausen (to name a few) write breathtaking contemporary classical music. Some Asian or African traditional music ("no" theatre from Japan, "kejale" from Bali, "gagaku" from Japan, pygmy music, etc.) is astonishing. Panasonic and the Profan-crew make good technoid music. Dillinja or Source Direct make good drum n' bass, Masonna and Hanatarash make great noise. The list could go on and on, I like loads. if you're into abstract and intense noise-music I'd like to recommend "Arcschloch-Onna", an album that me and Rudolf Eber (known as "Runzelstirn and Gurgelstock" or "Schimpfluch-Gruppe") recorded with Maso Yamazaki (a.k.a. "Masonna") in '97. I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting music. The Swankys are fantastic. Respect mother nature in all its forms. Go vegan. Thank you.