A.F

from Switzerland

History?

-We’re playing since 1992. All bandfounders are still bandmembers, which is not that usual and makes us a kind of proud. We all went in school togheter (kindergarden up to University) and some of us also lifed together during the studies. Since today we released 7 CD’s.

 

Please tell me a little about every member, age, family, work, interests and
something bad about every one?

-Lochmatter Thomas (Drums): 29 Years old, living in Bern. Thomas is quieta  shy person but if he’s sits on the drums he rocks. He almost never makes mistakes while playing and gives the band a perfect background. He is doing the band website. He loves to play hockey.

Tscherrig Ulysse (Guitar/Voc.): 29 Years old, living in Bern. Ulysse is the oposite of Thomas. He is really not shy and sometimes very loud. It’s always fun to hang out with him and he’s an animal on stage. Sometimes he likes outdoor activities like skiing or hiking. He owns a really nice house close to the italien border where we had and still have some of the best parties in our lifes.

Daniel Schmid (Bass / Voc.): 29 Years old, living in Naters. Daniel hates sports. He likes it more to watch TV and be at the laptop at the same time (multitasking) or hang out in a bar. He is for sure the best musician in our band. Maybe cause of that he’s not practising so much at home. If you need someone to have a beer, just call daniel, he will be there ;)

Daniel Bumann (Guitar / Voc.): 29 Years old, living in Naters. Daniel loves sports. From 1995 to 2005 he was a professional snowboarder and travelled the whole world. Cause of his travelling the band had to be patient. But it worked out and now he puts all his energy in the band.

My review of your record is like this A.F.-NOT ALONE(808 RECORDS 808-020) This group I become in love in at once because this type of punkrock I really love so much. As a mix of Bad Religion and Social Distortion…much better than this it can´t be. The funny with the group is that they comes from Switzerland also and there isn´t so usual with punkrockbands , anyway not in my collection. The melodies is there precisely there they should and the feeling of hearing really good punk is there all the time and here we talks quality. One of the better new bands which I have heard lately and the singers voice helps out much to get a really good soundpicture.(EIGHT) 24/10-06
What about it?

-Cool! Thanks

 

Is there any other bands you´re being compared with?

-Not really. At home we were one of the first bands playing this kind of music. Cause of this fact people know us as we are and don’t compare us too much with other bands.

 

Do you care about reviews?

-Sure! Reviews are important to get a outstanding opinion about your sound. But it’s also important to take reviews not too personal, cause sometimes reviews are not really objectiv.

 

Which is the most peculiar review you ever have got?

-A swiss webzines once wrote a really peculiar review about our new CD “not alone”. The guy who wrote the review is for sure not a friend of us. He really trashed our CD but in the end he wrote something like: Maybe I’m writing this cause I’m just envious! We almost not believed our eyes but anyway, we have to get along with this…

How would you describe your music in three words?

-Easy, Powerfull, entertaining

How is it to live in your homecountry? Are you often hear that Sweden and Switzerland is the same country , as often as we do?

-Ha! You can be sure about this! I think almost the whole world is mixing Sweden and Switzerland. But that’s not too bad, cause both countries are wonderfull! Lifing in Switzerland is almost perfect, except the fact, that switzerland is fucking expensive.

 

What about the government?

-Sometimes they do good things, sometimes not. What should I say, it’s politics…

Do you think that music and politics goes hand in hand?

-I think it’s a good thing that some bands write lyrics about politics. Young people listen more to a band than to a politician. We are interested in politics but we will not sing about it.

 

Best political band?

-Some of the best lyrics if ever heard in punkrock are from  bad religion. They think befor they sing and that’s an important point I guess.

 

Is there any good bands in your homecountry now?

-We have a lot of good punkbands in our country. There are too many to mention all the cool bands. Unfortuanatly there are not so many places to play, but it’s getting better now.

 

What do you know about Sweden?

-I know that Sweden is the third largest country in Western Europe, but more then the half of the surface is forest. Stockholm is the capital and really rocks by night. 9 million people are lifing in Sweden, which is not that much more than in Switzerland (7 million). I also know, that smoking in trains is forbidden and that it’s cool to snowboard in Riksgränsen cause the sun is shinning almost 24 hours.

 

Have you heard any good swedish bands?

-We once played together with Randy in Switzerland. That was a perfect night! Last summer we playes a festival where also Millencolin and Mando Dia played. We had the chance to talk with Millencolin for quiet a while which was really funny.

 

What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle?

-We have a song on our record which calls “punk means”. In this song we explain what punk means for us. It’s for sure not just an outfit. We really don’t look like “Realpunks” but we don’t care. The music is more important for us then the outfit!

Please rank your five favourite records, five favourite concerts and five
most important things in life?

-Records: 1. Rise against (sirene songs of a counter culture), 2. Sepultura (Arise), 3. Punkrott (Das Erwachen), 4. Metallica (Master of Puppets), 5. Pink Floyd (The Wall)

Concerts: 1. Rise against (in Zürich), 2. Snuff and Suicide Machine (in Quebec), 3. Bad Religion (at Open Air  Gampel), 4. Rage against the Machine (in Zürich), 5. Flogging Molly (at Greenfield Festival)

Things: 1. Girl, family and friends, 2. band/music, 3. mountians, 4. sea, 5. TV

 

First, last and most expensive record ever bought?

-First: I think it was an album of “Kreator” (german Trashmetalband)

Last: Friendly Fire of your friends band “grannysmith”

Expensive: really no idea.

 

Most embarrasing record in your collection?

-Maybe some charts-sampler.

Is My space a good place to get your music?

-It’s a good place to get an idea of our music but mostly the quality of the myspace songs is not that good (low datafiles). The best place to get our music is on our homepage or on the homepage of our label.

 

Have you found any own favoruites there?

-I often check out the sound of a band we gonna play with. It’s perfect to get an idea and to find new bands.

 

Is it many interviews? Is it boring?

-The interviews we have are normaly recorded. It’s easier for us but more work for the interviewer. I’m almost used too interviews, cause of my snowboard background but it’s for sure not boring. I also really like to read or listening to interviews.

Is it any chance to see you in Sweden soon?

-I don’t think so. At the moment we are planing the next year. We don’t have too much time to travel around, cause we all work. But for sure we would like to play in Sweden. Just let us know and we will be there!

 

Where is the best place to play?

-It’s hard to say. Sometimes it’s cool to play in a small club, sometimes it’s cool to play at a big festival. Both is really important and can be great fun.

 

How is a good gig with you?

-Playing full power for one hour, then hanging full power at the bar for more then one hour.

 

The name where does it comes from?(yeah it´s a boring question but it´s
interesting)? ? And what does it mean?

-The “A.” stands for “allpot” and the “F.” stands for “futsch”. These two words are used in our really special dialect at home. It’s hard to translate in english but maybe something like allpot=sometimes and futsch=fucked or trashed.

 

What shall we do about all rascists?

-Shoot them on the moon and never let them come back. But that should  be no problem, cause their too stupid to build a rocket too come back on earth.

 

The best band in punkhistory? In swiss punkhistory?

-Sex Pistols, in Switzerland Snitch.

 

The most important punksong?

-Anarchy in the UK

 

Futureplans for the band?

-Next year we celebrate our 15^th band anniversary. We have a cool plan for a release but I can’t tell you that at the moment. Should be kind of a surprise. In 2008 we plan a new albumrelease.

 

For yourself?

-Beeing free!

 

Wisdomword?

-I leave the wisdomwords for somebody who is wiser than me…

 

Something to add?
-Thanks to our label, booker and sponsors! Check out our bandpage www.af-punkrock.ch  and our labelpage www.leechredda.com  and www.808records.ch

Rock on en enjoy!