Crisis what Crisis started to play in 1993 and theyīre still playing….here they answered my questions about the group in september-2009.

 

History?
-We started right after a show of Rage against the Machine in Cologne 1993. Robert gave me a tape with some ideas and next week we met and thought it would be cool to make Punk music in the veins of Dead Kennedys, Rage against the Machine and NoFX. This was the Back from the Loo  Chapter. Politics and independence had been main topic. We founded our own label "Friendly Cow Records" and released Vinyl-only records. For this we got lots of credits and popularity but it was impossible to "survive" as a label/ band out of it. We toured Germany and played shows with the Cro-Mags, Oi Polloi, Police Bastards. After a while we thought that it would be cool to play a whole tour with other bands. We checked out magazines like MRR and Punk Planet and got in touch with Doc Strange and many other people in the US. Then we did tours through Germany and Europe with Schleprock, Radiobaghdad and Fixtures organized organized on our own.

1997 was a break coz out bass player quit and then there were three. And our new Name Crisis What Crisis. The tour with Captain Not Responsible was the 1st tour as three-piece and we changed musically a bit. Aggressive fast speed Punk Iīd say. But later on we got "softer". Superbomber was a start with melodic Punk. 2003 we did a Brazil tour and played with bands like AR-15, Nitrominds and Acao Direta. That was a real amazing thing. In 2007 our long time drummer Thomas left the band and Seb joined it. Result was Bad Toast. A more open, more hard and back to the roots record. We did our first video to the title Taking off and are still fully satisfied with it. The lyrics didnīt change too much over the years. Some more personal notes were added but still full of critics on politics, murder and killing in this world.
 

Please tell me a bout the members, age, family, interests, work and something bad about every one?
-Ralf plays bass and sings, heīs 46 and graphic designer. Now he is also playing bass in Crime Appeal. Heīs single and interest is music beer and punk. Seb is the drummer and man for Art. He was the producer of Bad Toast and his influences made the change in music on Bad Toast. He is computer technician and also making film music. His old band was Terremoto Party. Iīm 41 and single. I am guitar player of CWC and BftL and my interests are punk music, politics, travelling and going to shows.

Friendly Cow, is it your own label or how is it?
-Yep, after the vinyl-only flop we got successful with a distribution deal. But when the boom was over in 97/98 it became hard to sell off the stream. To sell is not everything but if you pay more than get back (not to mention physical power). Nice contacts and living the punk spirit pay much back but if you come in an age of ours some other thoughts are getting more important.
 

How do you see on mp3 and downloading, do you feel that you must have the real physical CD(as I do)?

-I think downloading supports the real scene. People of course like to download everything - but so youīre also spreading music to somebody else and if you then like it, you will go to a show of the band. And if the show is good you will buy a record or t-shirt of the band.
De facto it is more bothering small labels coz the big ones are always crying but they still earn much money with other marketing of products(silly ringtones and stuff.e.g.)
 

You have some ska in your music in a good way, have you always had that?
-No, itīs first time. Iīm the only one who loves the combination of Ska and Punk like in the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Rancid, Hog Hoggidy Hog a.m.o.
 

What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle?
-For me it's a way of living. Punk is not only music. Consciousness and sustainability of acting is important for me due to the dayly facts that hamper us.
 

Was it easier for a punk to chock people before because nowadays so is punkstyle so accepted, how should you do to shock your parents nowadays?
-Chocking was never our jar of beer. Who this likes, OK but to sham yourself is in my believe for actors (even if I know that people like and want it).

How is musiclife and punklife in Germany right now?
-It became harder, too many bands, but really good ones. Shows with 3-5 guests happen not rarely.
 

What do you know about Sweden?
-Nice people, beautiful landscape - we drove once when we recorded our 7" in Oslo through Sweden. I know Lund where I was when Carneval had been there (must had been in 1983). Good crime Authors. Burning heart and
Millencolin - No Fun at All. Thoughts of a 7 seconds.


Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?
-Yes of course, We played with the Movements(Arenīt they from Denmark?/editor) one time in Cologne - great  show!
 

Is there any good bands in Germany right now?
-I regret that the Bubonix quit some months ago. They had been a big hope.
Nice cool people with great message and good lyrics. And hammer music.
 

How would you describe your own music in three words?
-Hearted thought Punk.
 

Crisis what Crisis, how did that name came up?
-This wasnīt easy. Before the name was Back from the Loo. And we decided in a basic democratic way (it took us weeks). But it should be a description of the desolate conditions of politics, environment and war on this planet.
 

How is it to live in Germany, politically I mean?
-Thereīs an election coming up and I hope that "Die Linke" will get many votes. Actually there wonīt change a lot. Like in the past. It was never that a party expressed my thoughts. Itīs always the choice of the lower evil but I think itīs important to vote (better would be to make a big cross to allow not a party to get your vote money - but if only a few do this it doesnīt worth). An important process is the control state.


Are you interested in football, if you are which team do you support?
-Itīs always a precarious theme coz Iīm fan of Bayern Munich and you can imagine that not a lot Punks are so. But I became a fan when I was 4 or 5 and it didnīt change.
 

Now itīs the mens time, because now have the women and the under-21 team won the european championship?
-And the U17. I like watching soccer but I hate recurrent fights at the matches. Fucking nazi tendencies are returning. It had been a big problem but it is coming back and for this I donīt like soccer coz they donīt care and only looking for money.


Your lyrics what are they about? Do you think that lyrics must be about other things than love and mean anything(I know that love means a thing)?
-It changed over the years. Love songs could be besides Fuck Berlusconi songs. Why not?
 

Politics and music, does it go along hand in hand?
-Not mandatory. As human being you should be conscious especially if you are influencing many many people. You are responsible. Some care some not.


Best political act (musical) which is around?
-I think itīs both important, the punk band who plays around the corner to keep the spirit, culture of "punk" alive and e.g. Pearl Jam who spent money for a Nature Preserve and fought against ticket master.


Please rank your five favouriterecords, five favourite concerts, and five most important things in life?
-NoFx ribbed, AC/DC Back in Black, Dead Kennedys Plastic Surgery disaster, Mr. Bungle Disco Volante, Bad Brains I against I There had been some. Shows: No means No, DI, Mr. Bungle, Pearl Jam, Gray Matter; most important things are changing. My brother/ family; health, music - but this is only a snapshot. could be others in this list too
 

First, last and most expensive record ever bought?
-First 7" Pink Floyd Another brick, 12" AcDC Highway to Hell;
Last I don't know. Iīm a collector. I guess Guttermouth.
Expensive. Less than zero w/ Slayers in a gadda da vida.


Most embarrassing record in your collection?

-No, there are some fun records - to most of the vinyl ones I do have a short story.
 

Why don?t you sing only in german?
-German is a embarrassing language to sing. Theres one song in german on the Bad toast but it was hard enough. It always sounds hard and technical
(maybe only in my believe). We had songs in french, portuguese and italian (of course an anti-Berlusconi song).
 

Futureplans for the band?
-Relax at the moment.


For yourself?
-Hoping to see a good election end of September. And a better world in  future
 

Wisdomword?
-I leave this for other people.
 

Something to add?
-Thanks for your support and the support of any people who go to shows buy
punk records of small label and act in a sustainable way!