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Drugstop is a very good band from Germany. Good punk and I want to hear more when I hear them.This interview was done in the end of february2009.
History about the group, you have been on the road for many years? -We started at the end of 2002. My band fucked up and i wanted to start something new. So I called up some good friends and we started the band Drugstop. we recorded the debut single a few month later.
Please tell me a little about every member, age, family, work, interests and something bad about every one? -Well, I´m the singer and guitarist of the band. My name is Dirk,I´m 39 ( yeah, that´s right...) and I´m married and I have a 8 year old girl.I hate my job, but I need the cash. My job is to take care of broken home kids and teach em some respect, haha. I like Jim beam and cigarettes, online shooter and all kinds of music. Something bad about me ? Ha, you should ask my wife...she would go on for hours ! I just hate everything, but that’s not bad in a world full of shit, is it ? Reiner is playing bass and is doing the background outrages.He is from another planet. I don´t know where he is right now, he is travelling a lot. one day he is in Vienna, the next day in Tunisia. We played in some other bands together, I know him since decades...He is always too late ! Joerg is playing drums. He runs a recording studio called "Soundlodge" and is busy all the time doing recordings for bands from all over Europe. He is 39 years old, too. And he has two kids. And he has been everywhere playing drums. That sux. Everytime when I say : Cool, we are playing here or there, he goes : been there twice with that band or that band, haha !!!
Have it been changes in the line up through the years? -Yeah, we had to replace our drummer after the "machine gun" single I think. We had some personal problems with him so he left the band and we asked Joerg to join the band. We knew him already from the studio and really liked him a lot. He fitted perfectly in the band. But that´s it.
To play punk in Germany, how is that? -Oh, nice question...well, there a different kinds of punk in Germany. We never been into the punk scene, really, because we don´t think we are a punk band. We come from a background of hard rock, early hardcore and bands like Action Swingers or the Dwarves. But there is still a scene for punk music and people start to take care of that again. Other bands help you to get shows and stuff. It´s getting better again. Some years ago I thought the whole scene would go down.
If you have played punk before the Berlin wall fell how would have been taken then, as crazy bastards, criminals or what?(If you have been coming from the east I mean) -No, where from the north. But we all have been to east Berlin before the wall came down. And that was really strange. In the 80s punk bands from the east like "Schleim-Keim" had to play in churches or at private events and many punks went to jail for their music.
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle? -No, it´s not just a word. For me it is like that : stay young, die pretty or live fast, die young. But...it´s about to stay young in your brain. Many guys stop playing music when they are like 30 or 35 or something. They work, have kids and a house and a car that is too big. That´s ok, but they didn´t stay young in the head. And then the slowly rot away and walk around like zombies. Haha...
What are your lyrics about mostly? -Mostly about my problems with drugs, my live or being pissed off all the time. It´s a way to let out all the aggression and hate in a positive way.
Which is the most political song you have done? -Mhmmm...maybe "Next One", but it´s more a social or a human issue. We all could kill under some circumstances. "Neglected kids" and "Car bomb" are political.
Doesn’t music and politics goes along hand in hand? -Yeah, sure. The lyrics are always your way to express yourself. People listen to it and then start to think about something similar or something complete different. As long as you think on your own and question everything you are political in the end.
Is there any good German punkbands which is really political? Other good German bands? -Oh yeah. the band "Amen 81" is really cool and political. They sing in German and the lyrics are really good. Back in the days there where many good and political bands like "Razzia". In that days you have had to be a political band or about alcohol. Deutschpunk vs. Saufpunk, haha. Nowadays there are many good bands in Germany, but I keep my eyes more on the local or the underground scene. The bigger bands are getting to soft and to slow.
How is it to live in Germany nowadays? What´s the best and what´s the worst? -I don´t know. It´s still a great place to be. We got cool cities like Berlin, Hamburg or Cologne.
Are there many differences between rich and the poor? -That is a huge problem. most families really have to work off their asses to get it all done. And on the other hand you got that rich bastards don´t know what to do with the fucking money and spend it on jewellery for their dogs or some shit like that. I think you got the same problems, right ?
A band like Toten Hosen are they big over there? -Yeah, they are still big. But they are no punk band anymore. They are almost like a pop-band. But it is fun to watch a show, cause everybody sings along with the band and has fun.
Is it any big punkbands which have been over in Germany and played? -Yeah, many cool bands go to Germany. But I live next the Dutch border and go to shows in Holland. It´s much cheaper and you can see a lot of cool bands from all over the world. New bomb Turks, The Dwarves, Zeke and many more.
How is the musiclife in your hometown? -It´s ok. Some kids are organizing shows at a youth center and they manage to get some cool bands to my small town.
What do you know about Sweden? -Not much to be honest. You got elks or moose, right ? Haha, sorry for that. No, i´m sorry. Don´t know much about Sweden. We will go to Sweden some day and check it out.
Have you heard any good Swedish bands? -Of course. The Heartattacks and the manikins and of course the big bands like Hellacopters and Ace of base ( haha ).And some metal bands, but I can´t remember the funny names...The Haunted are from Sweden, right ?
Is your record label a good one? -The best one.
New things like MY Space, Facebook and those things, have it helped you a lot? -What is Facebook ? Yeah, Myspace is good for us. It helps us to get in touch with interesting people all over the world. We got some friends in the USA selling our stuff and things like that.
You have been a lot outside Germany and played, where have you been and where was most fun? -The Pit´s in Belgium is my favourite club. We´ve been to Holland, Belgium, Austria, the Czech republic. We would love to do more shows outside of Germany !
How does the average Drugstop-fan look like? -We don´t care what they look like. They need to be open minded and friendly and ready to party. And if they like to drink, like us, ok...
Which people do you miss on your concerts? -Half naked chicks in leather, old biker guys in leather and real oldschool hardcore fans.
Which song is the fans favourite? And you own Drugstop-favourite? -The fans : I hate my friends, I need a drink, Fight fight fight Us : I hate my friends, I need a drink, one new song we will play at the next show ( haha )
You haven’t done any cover-songs? Oh yeah. Mic by Husker du, No rules by GG Allin, Go nowhere by Reagan Youth. And we sometimes play Another religion - Another war by the Varukers. When we started we played Wasted by the Circle Jerks.
Drugstop, where did the name come from? -Well, there are a lot of stories about that. one is : after getting busted by the cops we got a name for the band. the other is : after Reiner got so high on absinthe we told him to stop doing that kind of drugs, one other story is : way back in the days when we were on the road we used to take a drug stop to drink and smoke. the truth is : we got together to find a name and someone came up with the idea to call the band Drugstop. It´s that simple.
Please rank your five favourite records? Five Favourite concerts? And five most important things in life? -Records : 1. Dec. blvd. - action swingers 2.Destroy-o-boy - New Bomb Turks 3. Thank heaven for little girls - the Dwarves 4. London calling- The Clash 5. The Reminder-Feist Concerts : 1.The Dwarves in Bremen, many years ago. 2.The first New Bomb Turks show in Groningen Holland 3.Drugstop at the Pit´s in Belgium ( haha ) 4. Iggy pop at some festival 5. Monsters of spex festival in Cologne 1991. Life : 1.family 2. have fun 3. go to school4. visit foreign countries 5. don´t go to jail
First, last and most expensive record ever bought? -First record ? Nena-99 luftballons, I think. Last record ? A Suzi Quatro best of Most expensive ? Can´t remember, I got about 500 vinyl and about 150 cd´s.
Most embarrassing record in your collection? -A record that is called : "Heut ist grosser schwuchtelball" on Ariola records from the 70s . I used to torture my friends with that when I was drunk. That record is so ugly...
What about mp3 and downloading, where do you stand? -I dont care.
Is it good or bad for a band of your calibre? -It doesn´t matter
How much does a band like Drugstop sell of your CD..s? -Well. the first two singles sold out very fast, the third one was sold out by the last year I think. The album on vinyl was sold out in 4 weeks. We got some cd´s left of the album. So, we sold the copies we produced, everything is fine. We are not in it for the money. Some extra cash is cool, but we are happy as long we can play shows.
Futureplans for the band? -Going on tour again, putting out a new album, playing shows out of Germany.
For yourself as a human being? -Keeping my family together.
Wisdomword? -Drink fight fuck !!!
Something to add? -No, I need a drink ! |