DISCIPLINE

I really liked Discipline when I first heard them and after that I have heard some records and I decided to interview the group. Joost (the singer) have answered my questions in this interview and that happened in the middle of august 2005.

Please a little bit of history? 

-We started the band in 1990. Back then we had a different line-up and a different name. We were all mates from the same area who listened to punkrock music and who wanted to start a band. None of us were good at playing their instrument and we just wanted to play some gigs for the free beer. As the years went by we made some demo-tapes and started to do more shows. We recorded our debut-album in '96 and the rest is history I guess.

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

-Joost de Graaf, Vocals: Age 29,  I'm married and have a beatiful daughter. I work in a machine-factory and love to do sports(boxing, weightlifting), football (PSV Eindhoven) and go out to the pub. Somebody else should say something bad about me, that's not up to me.

Erik Wouters, guitar: Age 31. He has a girfriend and a babyboy. He works as mechanical engineer likes to do sports as well and going to football and the pub. Something bad: He likes ugly, hairy women.

Carlo Geerlings, bass: Age 29. He has a girlfriend and almost 2 kids. He works in construction and loves to eat junkfood. Something bad: He's a pathological liar and he's a fat cunt!

Joost Strijbos, drums: Age 30. He has a girlfriend. He has his own gardening company. Likes to go to the pub and drink a lot and football. Something bad: He really stinks, he's a fat cunt and he likes to go to bed early.

I compare you a little bit to Social Distortion, what about that? 

-Well, first of all Social D. is a great band but I don't think we sound like them. I think our sound is quite different from what they do. We're way less rock 'n roll. It's more raw and more aggressive I think.

Which other groups are you being compared to? 

-We've been compared to a lot of groups already but mostly to Cock Sparrer, Rose Tattoo and Agnostic Front. Quite different bands from one another.

Many people would say that you play streetpunk, what about that expression? How would you describe your music yourself? 

 -I've heard so many different names for our music already. We like to call it Streetrock ourselves. Our music is a mixture of Oi/Punk, Hardcore and Rock 'n Roll. 

How many records have you done, I have only Downfall for the working man & Saints and sinners, which other records have you done and how can I get it? 

 -We have done 5 full length-albums before, see the discography below. Most of our records are available through mailorders, distros, stores and at our shows.

Stompin’ Crew EP   7”single   (1996, L&F)

Guilty as Charged   CD    (1996, L&F)

Stompin’ Crew EP   MCD    (1998, L&F)

Bulldog Style    CD    (1998, L&F)

Skinhead & Proud   CD    (1999, L&F)

Nice Boys Finish Last  CD    (1999, ISR)

Hooligans Heaven EP  CDS    (2000, ISR)

Love thy Neighbor   CD    (2000, ISR)

Everywhere we Go   CDS    (2002, ISR)

Working Class Heroes (live)  CD    (2002, ISR)

Saints & Sinners   CD    (2002, ISR)

Rejects of Society (Best of)    CD    (2003, Captain Oi)

100% Thug Rock (split)  CD    (2004, Captain Oi) 

Downfall of the Working Man CD (2005 ISR)

Which type of people comes to your concerts? 

 -We are very happy that we have a really diverse audience. Many different people come to our shows like skins, punks, HC kids, rockers, hooligans and bikers.

Is there any good bands in your home country? 

 -There are a lot of good bands in Holland. Most of them come from the south of Holland. Some good bands are Tech 9, Backfire, Second Chance, Banner of Thugs, Badlands, The Butcher, Payback, Born from Pain.

What is typical swedish? What do you know about sweden? 

 -Typical Swedish.....hmm that's a tough one but I'd say the stereotype of beautiful blonde women.

Have you heard any swedish bands? 

 -Yes, I've heard many Swedish bands like Voice of  a Generation, Bombshell Rocks, The Bones, The Products, 59 Times the Pain and many more..

Which reviews have you got on the new CD? 

 -Almost all the reviews I've read so far were very positive about the new album. The new album is doing very good so I'm happy about it.

Do you care about reviews? 

 -Well, of course it's always nice if the people like your music. You want to sell records. But it's not that I get depressed or something if I read a few bad reviews. If people don't like it then just don't listen to the album, that's fine with me.

Which is the most peculiar review you ever have got? 

 -I really don't know. I've read so many strange and dumb reviews over the years but there's not one in particular which sticks in my mind.

Your name Discipline, where does it comes from? 

 -It doesn't have a meaning. We just wanted a name which sounded good and somebody came up with the word Discipline. It's short and it sounds powerful.

Is it important to have a name which sticks out? Which is the best punkbandname? 

 -I think it's good to have a name which people remember easily, so it shouldn't be too long or too hard to remember. I really like names like Cockney Rejects or The Last Resort. I don't like all these american punkband names who call themselves something something & the something somethings, haha.

How is a good concert with you? Is it violent? 

 -For me personally a good show is when the people are having a great time and the whole crowd is singing and dancing and enjoying the music. It shouldn't be violent. Of course we make aggressive music but it's positive aggression and we don't want people to start fighting at our shows. That's bullshit. Everybody should be there to have a good time.

When you do songs, is it important to have a lyrics which is about something important or is it OK to sing about love(i know that love is important but you know what I mean?)? 

-All my lyrics are important to me. I only write about things which we experience ourselves, so it all matters to us whether it's football, the working class or love. I sing about many different subjects which matter to me.

Politics and music, does it go hand in hand? 

 -We don't sing about politics since I think politics ruin the scene. Look back what happened in the early eighties. The whole scene was ruined by politics and we don't want that to happen again.

Which is the best political band? 

-I don't have a favourite political band.

Why did you change record label to I scream Records from Knockout? 

 -We never were on Knock Out Records. Our first few albums were released by Lost&Found Records. After some trouble we signed with I Scream Records. Knock Out only licensed the vinyl-releases of Love Thy Neighbour and Saints&Sinners from I Scream Records. The vinyl-release of "Downfall of the Working Man" is being licensed by Rebellion Records Holland.

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

-5 favourite Records:

1) Cock Sparrer-Shock Troops

2) Cockney Rejects - Vol II

3) Cro Mags - Age of Quarrel

4) Rose Tattoo- Assault & Battery

5) The Business - Suburban Rebels

5 favourite concerts:

1) Bohse Onkelz - Farewell Show Lausitz Germany 2005

2) Cockney Rejects - Conne Island, Leipzig 2003

3) Agnostic Front - One Voice tour Holland 1993

4) Ramones - Belgium 1991.

5) Cock Sparrer - Wasted Festival, Morcambe UK 2003

5 most important things in life:

1) My wife, daughter and family/friends

2) PSV Eindhoven

3) Discipline

4) Sports

5) Enjoying myself

First, last and most expensive record ever bought? 

-First....I don't know exactly anymore but I think it was an Iron Maiden album. The last album I bought is the new Hardskin album. Most expensive....I never bought any real expensive albums but I own a lot of very rare original punk singles and albums which are worth a lot of money nowadays.  

Most embarrassing record in your collection? 

-I don't have any embarrasing records in my collection!

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

-Punk is all about being yourself and doing things your own way. It's more than just a word it's a way of life.

It have been a lot of terroristattacks around the world lately, are you scared and what shall we do about it? 

 -Of course I was shocked when I saw it on the news. I'm not scared to take the train or bus that something will happen. If you have to think about that nowadays you can't go out anymore. But it does worry me very much. Where's this world going to? Not only for myself but also for my kids. Will they still be able to live a normal life or will the world be completely fucked up in a few years. If I knew the simple solution against terror I would be rich I guess. But I don't think there's an easy solution to the problem. 

Have you done any songs about this stuff? 

-No, we haven't written a song about that yet. Maybe in  the future because I keep thinking about it.

What about the bands future? 

-First we will be promoting the new album "Downfall of the Working Man" by playing as many shows as possible. We hope to visit as many new places/countries as possible. We will start working on a DVD to be released in 2006 and start writing new songs for a new album in 2007.

And about your? 

-Staying healthy, enjoying life as much as I can and achieving more and more with Discipline.

Wisdomword? 

-Pain is temporary, pride lasts forever!

Something to add? 

-Thanx for the interview. We like to thank all our supporters in Sweden for their support during the years. Make sure to check out our new album and we hope to come to Sweden very soon. Cheers!