The Berzerker

godfucked

2008. október 1.

1

I managed to interview singer/founder Luke Kenny of the australian The Berzerker at the czech Brutal Assault festival, right after their interview session at late night. When he stumbled to me with a stick in his hands, I was shocked: he had a motorbicycle accident at the very beginnings (and i didnt even know about it, shame) and he takes painkillers to be able to give the show on the stage…

– How are you, how did you like the gig?

– Good man, really good.

– Really? Cool. Have you really moved to England?

– No!

– But I was told you have…

– No, no! Not at all, I live in Australia, Melbourne Australia …thats why its so far for us to come to play

– So I was told bullshit…

– Of course…

– Yeah, I wondered, why should someone do so… I couldnt see any point of it…

– Yeah, fuck that… I’ve never lived in England, Australia is the best country in the world…

– Yeah, all my friends here in Europe want to move to Australia, higher salleries and such…

– Yea exactly.

– Okay, so this was a bullshit question, haha…

– Yes.

– The most important question: why did you leave Earache? Earache is a big label…

– Earache sure… i mean we did four albums at earache you know what i mean. And We didnt make any money, any we didn’t get any publishing, no mechanical royalties? Zero! So why? I think it’s self explanatory isn’t it? So fuck it man, we started our own label, and we do whatever we want… you know what i mean. Put out whatever albums we want

– What do you expect? More CD sellings? Or…

– Its less stress. I am sick of the bullshit with the labels, cooperations and everything, and we can do it on our own terms now you know.

– Well you are already a big band, so you can do it…

– Yes, yes.

– You have many fans here, I didnt think you have so many fans here in Europe…

– Yeah it was great to see it…

– I was surprised…

– Fuck, yeah…

– I have seen you in 2002, in Nottingham first time, in December…

– Right, it was Rock City I think…

– And what about this „new” unmasked look?

– Ah, we have been doing that for 5 years…

– But why did you remove them…

– I started wearing it in 1995, and its 2008 now man… they get all fuckin’ slimey and diseased you just throw them away man, fuck that! We did it, so that no one would want to know about our personalities and focus purely on the music… but what happened is everyone was like „who is under the mask? who is under the mask?” I was like fuck off! Listen to the music! I dont care! Dont worry about me, you listen to the music! Don’t worry about wether i like McDonald’s or Burger King Better. Don’t worry about that shit you know, don’t worry about if i think this country is good or this, no politics, just brutal music! But fuck! Everyone wanted to know so we fuckin’ threw the masks away, and now we just go back to doing music…

– Your next release will be available using mailorder only…

– Yes, yes…

– But you need to send these copies from Australia to worldwide… But posting will cost a fucking lot…

– I’ll tell you something, thats what i thought too man, from home (to Europe) though its only like $4.50AU. I was Selling CD’s from Sweden to England it costs me 8 fucking dollars man…it’s bullshit. So now i just mail it all from Australia.

– How much will your next album cost then? To Europe.

– Fourteen euros.

– Fourteen euros? (yeah thanks to my really good pronouncation, he heard it as fourty)

– Fourteen! One Four!

– Thats okay, i think!

– Thats normal man!

– Okay, and what do you think about problems of this new digital century, illegal downloads and such…

– Its okay man! People can download if they want, if they want to support us, they can buy our album. If they want to support us like you saw today, they all come out to the show, It doesnt matter if they bought it or they downloaded it. They come out to support us, they are fantastic. I think Downloading has opened up more avenues for people to hear bands who maybe they wouldn’t have heard before. Like on Youtube, you type death metal and what comes up? fastest band in the world, If you download the music and you like it then you can buy it. It helps us, you know what i mean. But i think it’s all good man.

– The music industry will change i think a lot…

– Of course! Thats why we say fuck the labels, fuck everything else…

– Everyone has internet now, broadband connections… Downloading is so easy, you just type in Google „the berzerker discography download” and it gives you the stuff…

– Hehe, yeah.

– And what about this selfsigned stuff you sent in the newsletter… that you will send some dedicated albums with private message for people preordering the new Berzerker CD… Was it successfull so far?

– Yeah! We limited to 200, you know. And all done…

– So fast? Really?

– Yeah! We were really happy man! Its was good because when we were on earache we sell albums, all i hear is like we sold 10,000 albums so all we get is like a number, but now i see peoples names, i get to see which countries they come from, its much personal, sometimes a girl buys it, and they say can you please sign it for my boyfriend, and this is fucking cool, man! And we make big posters and sign them all up and we ship them out.

– It will take a few days, hehe.

– Its alright man, haha. It could be worse man.

– And what about this september tour, i got some newsletter about it. Some metalcore bands play…

– Yeah, it’s tomorrow at bloodstock, in England and then we have the Summer Slaughter tour.

– Ah yeah, thats it called…

– Yeah, then a big tour in America you know

– And are you going to sell your CD’s there?

– Yes! But there was a fuck up, and there was a delay with the cd because they sent it from fucking Sweden, and a delay at the plant so we havent got the CD’s in time to sell them, we were very disappointed.

– And isnt touring much harder this way not being signed to any labels?

– Of course… of course it does! But what we can do? It costed 10.000 dollars just to fly here… just to get to Europe! Very expensive!

– Do you know, you are here just because Anal Nathrakh cancelled the show?

– Yeah, thats right!

– And did the festival guys pay the fly tickets from Australia to here?

– No!

– Really? You payed everything?!

– Yeah, sure. But we have never been at Brutal Assault, or in Czech Republic! Its fucking good!

– You are really crazy! 🙂

– Hehe yeah of course man!