Hi there, my name is Steff aka Maxwell S. Hunter, the singer of this fine little thrash project called “Anti Anti Anti” So says Steff about his group Anti Anti Anti which I interviewed in the end of august 2019.
Please tell me a little bit history of the
group?
-Well, it’s a quite short history, since we’ve
only been together for one year now, but of
course as musicians we have a long history for
ourselves and together. We’ve been doing that
shit for more than 20 years now, but in
different bands and genres.
Please
tell me a little about every member in the group
right now, age, family, work, interests and
something bad about everyone? Earlier bands?
Other bands on the side?
-As mentioned above we all have a long history
of bands and all of us have side projects so it
would be a little too much to get too deep into
details. When it comes to the different genres
we played so far, we covered basically every
subculture that relies on guitars and bass and
drums in our career as musicians.
From classic rock ‘n’ roll over to
hardcore and melodic punk or psychedelic rock to
extreme metal.
I guess the thing is that we all grew up
and feel deeply rooted in thrash metal and punk
rock. So that’s where we all could easily agree
on creating our new project “Anti Anti Anti”. We
simply have gone back to our roots as musicians
with the advantage that we are much more
experienced now. If you like to check out some
of our earlier projects you could listened for
example to H-Bomb Holiday Camp, a nice punk rock
project in which I sang, and Alex already played
the drums as he is doing now in AAA. So, we both
stuck together after the split up of the band.
When it comes to the thrash metal roots, we all,
except Alex, have a long history in that genre.
Our guitar player Thorsten was in a really cool
thrash band in the late 90ies called “Nucleus”,
which had a really aggressive sound and has also
a cool punk project “Glück Umsonst”. And Lars
our bass player still plays in a successful
Metallica tribute band called “Cunning Stunts”
and two other thrash/metal projects “D-Filer”
and “Tyron”. As for me, I was the lead singer of
“POWER” (2000- 2010) a thrash band that was
heavily influenced by horror movies as we played
in zombie make up and did a lot of funny stuff
with severed arms legs and fake blood in our
show. You can see these influences still in
“Anti Anti Anti” if you like, for example in our
first music video” The cure becomes the poison”,
which is a kind of homage on B- and C-movies,
with a lot of blood and cheap laughs. It seems
this fascination with horror just stuck with me
all over the years and that’s why I also have a
Misfits Tribute project called the “Die Die
Darlings”, where we dress up as zombie drag
queens. I guess it’s always important to me to
combine contrasts like horror and comedy.
I can hear much different
influences but mostly early Metallica and some
punk? Favorites from the past?
-Well, yes early Metallica is clearly part of
the sound, but also Exodus, Testament or D.R.I.
or Municipal Waste. When it comes to punk rock
there are always the classic ones you might hear
inside the riffs, or the pacing of the drums or
the melody of my vocals.
As mentioned above the Misfits are part
of that punk rock vibe in our music, but also
the Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag or Youth
Brigade. Although the riffing is clearly thrashy,
it’s the mixture of both genres, as in the early
days when thrash and punk shared a lot of their
raw energy and attitude, that interests us.
That’s probably why we don’t indulge ourselves
in long solos and try to keep our songs quite
short!
Anti Anti Anti are you
satisfied with the name? How did it come up? You
weren’t afraid that some other band would be
named like this? Which is the best bandname you
know?
-Anti Anti Anti is just a really fun name. First
there were only two Antis, but then, what the
heck, we just added another Anti cause three’s a
charm =). And if you like to get a little bit
deeper our name possibly shows our inclination
towards paradoxical thinking and free
mindedness. HAHAHAA, but please just don’t take
I too seriously.
The best band name? Damn I think “Anti Anti
Anti” is damn close to be one of the best band
names there are, so I guess you could say we are
quite satisfied with it.
What´s the best thing with
playing live?
-That’s easy! The best thing playing live is to
get all your energy out there and to actually
get paid back double if you do a good job. I
love playing live shows!
And where is best to play? And the worst place?
-Full packed clubs that’s where I wanna be.
Sweat, blood and tears. I really don’t dig too
big venues, cause you lose a lot of intensity
there. HAHAHA but of course festivals are nice
as well.
How is to play this sort of music in Germany
right now? Which types of bands do you have
concerts together with?
-I guess Germany as home of one the greatest
metal scenes in the world is quite a good place
to start a thrash project.
We will see what the future holds for us.
Right now, we are playing mainly in smaller
clubs with other thrash bands. But than again
we’ve only been together for one year. I
definitely think there will be more ahead for
us.
How would you describe your music in three
words?
-Anti Anti Anti =)
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle? I know that you don´t play
straight punk or so….
-Punk is Punk! Raw energy, a fuck off attitude
and being able to laugh about yourself and
everything and in that way, we are also a punk
rock band.
What shall a young guy do
today to shock their parents as the way we did
when we were young? They have already seen
everything
?
-Try to become an influencer or what’s that shit
is called. Those consumption Humpty Dumpties
give me the creeps =).
How is it to live in Germany
right now? Politically? Fascists?
-I rather don’t talk too much about politics but
yeah sadly we have to deal with an increasing
number of extreme conservatives and even fascist
thinking people in the world and also in Germany
right now, which really makes me sick to my
stomach. People really do not seem to learn from
the past and although Anti Anti Anti is not a
political band project you might come across
some reflections about that topic in our lyrics.
As most thrash bands we are repulsed by any
fascist way of thinking and clearly condemn this
narrowminded ideology. So, if you like to, you
can take one of our “Antis” and put it in front
of fascism. That is where it belongs!
Are there any good bands from
Germany right now? Is the punkscene/metalscene/hardcorescene
big? How is it in your hometown?
-There are a lot of good bands out there. The
list would be endless. But to give you just a
few examples from our hometown Cologne, our
colleagues of “Pripjat” doing a hell of a job
out there spreading the word of thrash! Or one
of my favorite speed rock bands “Nitrovolt” is
also worth checking out.
Moreover, the old-school heavy metal
freaks of “Galactic Superlords” are one of my
most favorite newer bands in this town.
What do you know about Sweden? Have you been
here sometime?
-Mea Culpa! I’ve never been to Sweden. But
that’s just a matter of time, because I’m quite
aware of how huge the music scene is up there. A
lot of my favorite bands come from your country.
Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?
-Of course! For example, I’m a big fan of “the
Crown” or when I think back to my days as young
punk I was heavily influenced by the melodic
hardcore music of “Satanic Surfers” or “No Fun
at All”
Your lyrics, who does them
and what influences you? Why not in German?
-Well, I write all the lyrics. In a way I have
to express my thoughts and feelings through the
music and the lyrics. As mentioned above movies
and especially horror flicks will always be part
of this influence. I’m a huge film buff, so
that’s that. But I guess also literature,
philosophy and the experience of my daily life
are part of it. Although my lyrics are sometimes
quite personal, I try not to be too specific. No
one wants to hear about my life, writing lyrics
is always about giving the listener/reader the
possibility of identifying themselves with the
lyrics. Everything else is just bad writing.
And I guess it’s somehow easier for me to
express myself in the English language and I
also like the fact that I’m able to reach more
people that way.
Is there any subject that you
never will write anything about?
-I really can’t say.
Politic and music, does it go
hand in hand? Which is your most political song?
-Being an artist is always a political statement
if you want to or not. The most political song
in our EP probably would be “We are sublime” but
you can find political statements in between
most of my lyrics if you are willing to look for
them. And then again not everything has to be
about politics, sometimes you just should enjoy
two or twenty beers and let your head fly to
some good ole thrash metal.
Best political band/artist?
-I like the US punk band
Propagandhi, although I do not agree with
everything they are proposing, but I really
like their witty and gritty style.
Do you think that music
(lyrics and so on) can change anyone’s life, I
mean people who listens to music?
-Well, they’ve changed my life, so I guess
that’s a yes. But I try not to think about that
power too much otherwise I would probably
haven’t published one single song lyric. And the
musical aspect of a song has an even more
enormous power because it has the ability to
transcend words, which makes it ultimately
magical in my eyes.
Your favorite record cover all-time? Who does
your record covers? And do you have any good
record stores in your hometown?
-My favorite record cover is probably the
Misfits’s single “Die Die My Darling” drawn by
Pushead. Marylin Monroe’s face seen as a skull
through a glass of vine. That’s just perfect.
Our drummer Alex is a graphic designer, so he
usually arranges and designs a lot of our art
work, but when it comes to our drawings my wife
is responsible for those. There are some
advantages when you are married to a
professional comic artist.
=)
Is it important to get out
physical records of your stuff? Why or why not?
Vinyl, CD, cassette, what do you prefer if you
could choose whatever?
-Absolutely important! I always prefer vinyl
over ever other medium. I like the sound, the
big covers and the haptic experiences.
Please tell me a funny thing which have happened
during your career and under some gig?
-Mhhhhh…. there are a lot a funny things
happening on stage and backstage, but one of the
most peculiar things that happened was when the
guitar player of my old hardcore band fell
asleep during our concert. He was so drunk that
he simply rested his arms on his belly and then
started snoring, right there on stage while the
rest were playing their asses off. That’s kinda
strange when there is a raging punk rock crowd
in front of you and certainly a kind of gift =).
And then there’s the story where my bass player
died on stage but was reanimated by our drummer
and lay in a coma for one week and then came
back from the dead. Of course, that wasn’t funny
at all, but it is one of the most radical
experiences of my life and on stage, as you can
imagine.
Please rank your five
favorite records, five favorite concerts and
five most important things in life?
-I hate rankings, so I just give you all the
advice don’t try to compare yourself to other
people, things or achievements.
First, last and most
expensive record ever bought?
-Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock
AreTheyYesTheyAre – self titled
Thin Lizzy – Johnny the Fox
Is it boring with interviews? Is it much
interviews?
-HAHAHAHA, no it’s not boring, although
sometimes the questions are a little repetitive.
I prefer interviews that focus on the music.
Do you care about reviews?
Which is the most peculiar you ever had, with
this band or any other band you have been to?
-In the beginning of my career I actually did
care, but over the years you understand that
there are so many different opinions on what you
are doing that you lose interest. It’s much more
important what we as a band think of our music.
But of course, it’s nice to hear or read
something positive about your stuff.
Which bands do people compare
you to, is it boring that people compare you to
other bands or is it understandable?
-On YouTube someone wrote that we sound as if
Exodus and D.R.I had a car accident together.
That’s a nice description =).
If you could choose five
bands from the past and the history and nowadays
and both dead and living bands to have a concert
together with your band. Which five have you
been chosen?
-The Misfits (Danzig era), Testament, Municipal
Waste, Thin Lizzy, Sublime
Is music a good way to get out frustration and
become a nicer person outside the music??
-Definitely! It works for me!
Which is the oddest question
you ever have got in an interview?
-Next question in this interview?! No, I really
can’t remember.
Which is the question you
want to have but you never get. Please ask it
and answer it?
-Why the hell do you drag yourself out there on
stage, even after more than 20 years?
Because I can!
Futureplans for the band?
-Gigs, gigs, gigs …. Full album recording ….more
gigs
For yourself?
-More Gigs =)
Wisdomword?
-Smile, you fuck =)
Something to add?
-Cheerz!